Want a lower interest rate, late payment fee forgiveness or a higher credit limit? Just ask for it. Nearly nine out of 10 credit cardholders who asked their credit card companies to waive a late payment fee were successful, and about two-thirds who asked for a lower interest rate were approved, according to CreditCards.com. “It’s [...]
An increase in property value isn’t always a good thing. Increased property values may mean increased property taxes, leaving you with a much higher tax bill than you anticipated. Some homeowners are shocked when they open that letter and find out their home has suddenly jumped 40 percent in value—at least according to their local [...]
The process of shopping for a home can be overwhelming, especially for first-time buyers. Inventories of homes for sale are still very thin in most markets and have yet to return to pre-housing bust levels. Particularly hard to come by are so-called “starter homes” because they are being scooped up by investors in addition to [...]
Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, a stolen piece of jewelry or broken laptop can quickly put a damper on your trip. And if the stolen or damaged item isn’t covered by insurance, a dream trip can quickly turn into a nightmare. Before your next getaway, be sure to review your insurance policies—homeowner’s, renter’s, [...]
Ilyce Glink Show on WSB Radio: Giving real estate and personal finance advice. From refinancing your mortgage to finding the right real estate agent to your investment choices and your every day decisions on money, you can rely on Ilyce to give you the best advice on real estate and personal finance. Whether you’re thinking [...]
When you finally find your dream home after weeks, months, or even years of searching, the first step you must take to make it your own is to make the seller an offer. Unless you’re a real estate professional, chances are it’s not every day that you make an offer for hundreds of thousands of [...]
Want to go green and save money? Remodeling your home with a few key features could improve its energy efficiency and increase its value over time. http://youtu.be/zOKA81kD-vk In fact, homeowners who choose to take on green remodeling projects can lower their energy consumption by 30 to 50 percent, according to the Sustainable Building Council. [...]
Americans are living healthier and longer lives. The average life expectancy is now 79—that’s plenty of time to save more than a million dollars. The upshot is that you need to start securing an income for the 10, 20 or even 30 years after retirement right now. You don’t want to spend your golden years [...]
Recently, FICO introduced a new scoring model that could potentially make a big impact on housing—if mortgage lenders ever use it. The FICO 9 score would limit the impact of paid medical collections on a consumer’s credit score, potentially lifting scores by 25 points on average, the company says. That’s good news to anyone who’s [...]
We’re officially entering the fall selling season, the best season for real estate after spring. As kids head back to school, parents can turn their attention to buying before the new semester starts in January. Fall is the sweet spot for families because if you close the deal by Thanksgiving they have the holiday break [...]
