Most people don’t enjoy paying for homeowner’s insurance—that is, until they have a claim. Where I live, in the Northeast, we had brutal weather over the past year and cause to be thankful for insurance. We had severe flooding from rainstorms, an earthquake and a hurricane in one week, and snow in the fall, and [...]
The arrival of winter means we’re bundling up in coats, hats, and scarves, but is your house ready for low temperatures? Here are some easy weatherproofing and winterizing strategies. Add these tips to your winter home maintenance checklist to help keep your home toasty warm and to lower your gas bill. Inspect and maintain home [...]
Here are some steps you should take if you suspect credit fraud or identity theft with an elderly relative. Q: I have the power of attorney for my grandmother who lives in Texas. I, however, live in Atlanta. I’ve input the information I have for her and attempted to access her free credit report and [...]
As the year comes to a close, the problems are getting worse for Bank of America, Countrywide Financial and its subsidiaries. On December 21, 2011, federal officials announced a $335 million national settlement, stemming from discriminatory lending practices uncovered in more than 180 geographic markets across 41 states and the District of Columbia. Back in [...]
We all should have New Year's Financial resolutions to help guide us in 2012 and improve our financial health during these financial hard times. Are you tired of thinking about your finances? The Great Recession has had a lasting impact on how we think about and manage our money, especially those of us who have [...]
For people without a credit history but a desire to build their credit, a new law allows you to create an alternative credit report and use that report in a credit application. Q: In our local paper you stated that a federal law required lenders to do a manual underwriting to approve a borrower's loan [...]
Set it and forget it? Homeowners insurance is not that easy. Your insurance portfolio is more like maintaining a car—you need to regularly change your oil or periodically get a tune-up. Similarly, life changes could require tweaks to your insurance policy. Updating your homeowners insurance coverage The personal property coverage, or contents coverage, for a [...]
The proceeds from a reverse mortgage can be used for health care expenses but the high costs and fees can outweigh the benefits. Q: Would you recommend that my 86 year old grandmother consider a reverse mortgage to pay for health care expenses? A: While you ask a simple question, there are many factors to [...]
My clients have survived the Malibu fires, the subsequent mudslides and floods, the Rodney King riots, and several earthquakes—and that’s just here in California. Others have experienced Hurricane Katrina and other equally devastating storms and floods. Why start out a blog about organizing paperwork by telling you about disasters? Because we spent months trying to [...]
Each year we post our financial resolutions for home sellers for the new year. With the current state of our financial system, you need to keep your financial house and home in good shape. I know someone who sold a house this year. It took them seven months, and they had to cut their price [...]
