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Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Purchasing Columbus Home

By Won Kim

Because of the current financial situation around the world the real estate market is not as strong as it was and it has now become a buyer's market. Even though being able to buy a Columbus home or a home anywhere else has certainly become easier you still need to work out what your offer price is going to be.

In order to determine what price you offer on a house that you are considering buying there are certain things one should do. In this article we take a look at what some of these factors are which can help you to come up with an offer price that the seller will see as fair.

Step 1 - It is a good idea to do some research to find out what houses of similar style have currently been sold for. Today there are numerous places online that you can glean this information from. But don't just look at the price that the house sold for but also what other things would have contributed to the sale.

For example look at the properties condition and any improvements which have been made to it. Properties such as these are going to sell for lots more than those that nothing has been done to. Another thing that can influence the sale price of a home is where it is located so take this in to consideration when determining your offer.

Step 2 - Next you need to look at what price the properties of a similar condition and style are being marketed at. Again you shouldn't just go on the figure stated but look at what other features they offer which may increase or reduce the properties sale price.

Step 3 - If you find a Columbus home that you are keen to put an offer on before doing so get an inspection carried out beforehand. This provides you with the opportunity to identify any issues which may result in you having to spend more on the property in the future. By having such information to hand then you are in a better position to put in an offer that you see as being fair and reasonable.

Step 4 - Another thing to look at closely when deciding what opening offer you put on a house you wish to buy is how long it has been up for sale. Often properties that have been on the market for any amount of time and especially because of the current financial situation the sellers are willing to negotiate with buyers more. So you may find that you get a much better deal on that Columbus home or a home anywhere else that you are looking to buy.

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A Guide to Career Planning Retirement

By William Blake

Retiring is something that people don't often begin to think about until they are nearing retirement age. That is not a wise approach. The earlier you think about retirement the better your retirement plan will be. Retirement is a milestone in a person's life and should not be taken lightly. On you first day of work at your very first job you should begin a plan for your retirement years. That may seem premature since you have several working years ahead of you. But really it is never too early.

The more time you give yourself to save the more you will have saved when you are ready to retire. It will not matter that you are not able to put aside lump sums of money at a time. If you put just a little away on a regular basis over time that will add up not to mention the interest that it will accrue. When you reach the age of retirement and look back you will be glad you started so early.

Working for Retirement

Even when you are choosing your career it is good to have your retirement in mind. Not all employers offer good retirement benefits. Of course no one should feel locked into one career for a lifetime. People change and their wants, needs and circumstances change and it is good to adjust your career choices according to those changes. Career planning retirement means that while you're making those adjustments you are keeping your retirement in mind.

It is important to think about your career even if you are presently working. It could happen that your employment status may change due to a change in personal circumstances, company restructures and layoffs, or other factors.

What To Consider

Your career should fit you. Of course, there are other things that you have to consider. But your first priority should be to make sure that you choose a career that fits the person you are ??" your likes and dislikes and your abilities.

Making sure your career suits you is not the only thing to consider. It is important to take into consideration the type of retirement plan that will be available. You want your career to fit you now so that you can be happy and enjoy life now. You also want your career to have a good retirement plan so that you can be happy and enjoy life in the future. Both are equally important.

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Is Consolidating a Good Thing?

By William Blake

Paying off everything we owe on our own is the preferable way to handle debt. But sometimes that's easier said than done. Our circumstances often change, making it impossible to even make our minimum monthly payments.

When that happens one avenue of relief is to consolidate your debt. There are many ways that this can be done such as balance transfers from many high interest credit cards to one low rate card or a debt consolidation loan or second mortgage. Another option to seek help from a debt consolidation agency.

What can Credit Counselors Do?

A credit counselor will review the debtor's situation and propose a payment plan that is reasonable for debtor and acceptable for the creditor. The debtor pays a monthly payment to the agency and the creditors receive their agreed upon amounts from the agency.

The pros

Debt consolidation agencies can sometimes get your interest rates lowered, stop late fees and penalties from mounting and come up with a repayment plan that will work with your budget.

Not Always a Win Win Situation

There are some obstacles that may be hard to overcome. While credit counselors work hard to negotiate with your creditors they are not miracle workers. The creditors expect to be repaid and they are only going to compromise to a point. If you are really in way over your head the negotiated figures may still be a lot more than you can handle. If that is the case debt consolidation will not work for you.

Another thing about credit counseling is that it isn't free. Credit counseling agencies may charge monthly fees for their services, adding them on to your monthly payment. If they don't, they have to get the money to pay their employees somewhere. That "somewhere" is usually from your debtors, as a percentage of your payment.

There is also the negative effects that credit counseling has on your credit scores. This is reported to the credit reporting agencies and it shows on your report until you have paid off the debt and then for some time after that. The system is very similar to filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy where an agreed upon payment plan is established. Many creditors view it as the same and are hesitant to extend credit to someone who has been through credit counseling.

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A Reverse Mortgage Is A Choice for Seniors

By Steve Collins

Senior citizens seeking reverse mortgage tips need look no further than the Internet. There is a world of reverse mortgage tips to be found online. It is always pleasant to be able to do a little quiet research and arm yourself with a few facts before pursuing a financial venture. Reverse mortgage tips are available online, as are other facts that are helpful when you are thinking of applying for a loan.

Reverse mortgage tips online will show you the basic guidelines for that specific kind of loan. Reverse mortgages are available only to those 62 years and older. The older you are, the more money you are eligible to apply for. With a reverse mortgage, you receive cash, but do not have to make any monthly payments at all.

While the fees associated with obtaining a reverse mortgage can be significantly higher than a typical mortgage, they are added on to the total to be collected when the loan is called in. The loan is never called in until the property sells. Online reverse mortgage tips can help you comprehend the particulars.

The pros and cons contained in reverse mortgage tips sites will give you plenty of facts to think about as you consider your options. Some of the advantages include being able to stay in your own home as long as you like without the pressure of making monthly mortgage payments on a limited income. You cannot be forced by the lender to sell your home, and you do not have to repay anything until after the property is sold.

Also important: The lender must accept the sale price of your home and cannot hold you or your heirs accountable for anything over what the property actually brings. The disadvantages include knowing that the lender owns your home, for all practical purposes. People who see no other way to get the cash flow to live while remaining in their own homes often consider it a final option.

Now that you are armed with the fundamental reverse mortgage tips, you can begin considering whether it might be the right option for you. The decision is not one to take lightly, but it could be the most efficient means of allowing you to remain in a home you love for as long as you live.

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Finding right realtor for your Los Angeles County Home

By J. Kim

When it comes to finding the right realtor to sell a Los Angeles County home or any home elsewhere it can sometimes prove difficult. There are plenty of them who are willing to sell a Los Angeles County home for someone and who claim that they can do it quicker than anyone else. Although you want your home to be sold as quickly as it possibly can you also want it to sold with regard to certain requirements that you may have.

Therefore you want a realtor who can not only assess your needs with regards to selling your Los Angeles County home, but will also devise a plan that ensures that this occurs. Remember the plan they devise should be the one that meets your particular needs and will ensure that a profitable sale takes place in a timely fashion.

Below we offer up a few guidelines for you to use when trying to find a realtor suitable for helping you when trying to sell your home.

After making contact with the realtor initially see how long it takes them to respond to this first call or email that you send. A realtor who contacts a client straight away will be someone who makes selling a home a priority. If they delay contact then these lost hours could end up making the difference between you getting that all important sale or not.

After making contact arrange to meet with the realtor and ask them to provide details of their sales records. Those who are unwilling to offer up such information are likely to have something that they wish to hide from you.

Also when the first meeting takes places arrange them to provide you with references from previous clients. Nothing speaks more to a person regarding a realtor's reputation than these. If they do provide these willing make sure that you can contact some and do so as this will enable to check them out further.

It is important that before you decide to go with any particular realtor when trying to sell your Los Angeles County home is to find out what marketing methods they employ. Most will advertise details of properties for sale in newspapers, but find out if they list the details online as well. Today when people are looking for properties to buy one of the first places they start their search is online and so the more presence the realtor has on the internet the more chances there are of your property actually getting viewed.

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Green Dot Prepaid Card - Review

By Dan Moskel

The Green Dot Visa is a prepaid debit card. Often this is used by individuals that do not have a bank account.

Card holders receive free direct deposit; this can save you money on expensive check cashing fees. It is accepted at millions of locations world wide.

There is no credit check or bank account required for approval. There is a $4.95 monthly fee but this fee is waived if you deposit $750 or more monthly.

It is accepted over the phone and online. Your cash can be accessed at 900,000 ATM locations in 120 different countries.

It does have a reload fee of $4.95 when you use MoneyPak. Common criticisms are; the amount of fees and poor customer service.

These are purchased at retail locations such as; CVS, Walgreens, The Pantry, and more. You will also have to pay a $2.50 ATM fee and a $9.95 activation fee.

The Columbus Bank and Trust Company issues the card and it comes as a Visa or MasterCard.

They do offer an upgrade to your account for Premier Membership at a cost of $20. This will give you priority customer service.

You can purchase this card at retail locations or you can fill out an application online and have a card sent to you within 7-10 business days.

It is commonly used by parents to teach children financial responsibility. Additionally it is a convenient method of providing financial assistance to students that are away at school.

Your money will be protected if your card is ever lost or stolen. It is a much safer alternative than carrying cash.

It can be used to pay bills and keep track of your spending. It is also an effective way of staying within a budget.

In sum we do not suggest this card, We are alarmed that there are additional fees for priority service. We feel that when it comes to your money you are entitled to priority service.

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Reverse Mortgage Flexible About Prepay

By Matt Vanrock

Lots of reverse mortgage potential customers contact me asking if any stipulations exist precluding making early or even monthly payments on the mortgage.

I know everyone has good intentions and you've heard about the best laid plans.

The question I have to ask is where is the money going to come from to make those payments. After all, reverse mortgage customers generally get reverse mortgages because they lack dollars. There is typically no reason this will change.

It makes almost no matter. People continue to ask if the lender will charge extra or allow these borrowers to make early payments.

FHA sets the rules for reverse mortgage lending. FHA is clearly borrower favorable in that you can make payments at any time with out monetary repercussion.

One strong reason people wish to make payments is to reduce their tax burden. Remember, you get to write off interest on a reverse mortgage just as you would with a typical forward mortgage.

The thing to understand about the interest write-off and the reverse mortgage is one can only get that write-off the same year in which the interest is paid. You see, when you aren't making payments on the mortgage you don't get the write-off.

In order to get the write-off the borrower must make payments. It's at least a good reason to ask about repercussions.

Keep in mind the tax laws. Most people roll closing costs into the loan when they initially get a reverse mortgage. Last time I checked the tax laws said closing costs needed to get paid prior to being able to make payments on the mortgage for the sake of writing off interest.

Just keep in mind the order in which early payments are applied.

One big expense when paying closing costs is the origination fee. That can easily be up to two percent of your appraised value when you first obtained your loan.

The origination fee is a big write-off. Make sure you run this stuff by your CPA. They are more abreast than I and things change.

Starting Your Own Credit Repair Service

By William Blake

When it comes to wanting to learn how to start a credit repair service you have to be prepared that there is going to be a lot of information to learn. Not only are there the basics of credit repair there are going to be laws and guidelines that are different from state to state.

Once you realize how much knowledge you need to set up a credit repair service that will actually help people you might feel a bit overwhelmed. It can be a daunting task, but not an impossible one.

If have an some experience in this line of work you are going to be a little ahead of the curve. For people who have worked with credit reporting agencies or other credit repair companies they will be able to learn much easier what it will take to start a credit repair service of their own.

These people have the head's up about what is going on and how to handle a lot of the difficult situations. If you have never worked in the industry before you may want to give it a try as you will basically be getting a paycheck for research on how to start a credit repair service of your own.

Where to Learn More

When you start your business you want it to benefit you and your customers. That means you have to really know what you are doing. There are tons of books that have been published that explain how to go about credit repair or that explain the laws and regulations that govern this type of work. You should try to read everything you can get your hands own so that you will be sure you really know what you are doing. This is going to be quite an undertaking. But it will equal business success in the end.

Credit repair service is very specific and you need special knowledge of the trade. You also need a good business sense which means a few business classes would be very helpful. There are some factors of starting a business that are the same no matter what type of business you are in. You need to know those basics.

This may seem like a lot of work but it hard work is the only way to have a successful business. If you get the education and put in the time and effort necessary you can start a business that will bloom.

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Buying Madison Wisconsin Home

By Won Kim

When it comes to buying a Madison Wisconsin home knowing what you want in yours may be difficult to define. However, although you may have some idea of what you want is easy. It is deciding on those things that are necessary and those which aren't makes it a little more difficult.

What you really need to do is sit down with your family and discussed what it is that you all need from your new home. It is at this time you need to clearly define what it is you want and what it is you really need from it.

Actually not knowing what you want may end up with you ignoring those properties which are in fact ideal for you. Below we offer a couple of tips to help you when looking for the Madison Wisconsin home that meets your requirements perfectly.

Tip 1 - Make a sensible list of the things that you will need in your new home. So if you need 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms then put this at the top of your list. Plus if you have children and what to be in close proximity to the schools then make sure that this included in your list of essential needs.

If you can identify for yourself the essential requirements that you want your new Madison Wisconsin home to have these you can the communicate to your realtor more effectively. They can then identify the properties that fit within the parameters you have given and eliminate those that don't. It is only when you have made a decision on what the essentials requirements of your new home are can you make a list of those which aren't.

To find a home that meets your needs and wants is not always going to be that easy. You need to be aware that there are going to be others who are looking for what you want for the same kind of money. Many of the smarter home owners have made changes to their homes when selling so that they can meet a buyer's requirements much more easily.

Tip 2 - If you can before you start looking for your ideal Madison Wisconsin home it is a good idea to get the funding in place first. This way you won't find yourself being pipped at the post and lose out on the house of your dreams as you weren't able to get the funding in place quick enough. If you have your mortgage pre-approved then the whole process of finding and buying your dream home becomes much easier.

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Things To Consider Before Taking Out Online Loans

By Trinity Tomlinson

If you could use some funds quickly, you're not alone. Thousands of people every week apply for online loans. They can be hassle-free, or they can be the biggest hassle you've ever faced. Make sure you know what you're getting yourself into.

Online loans obviously are loans that you apply for online. You basically give your basic information to an online lender who decides whether you fit their criteria. If you are 18 years old and are employed, you're usually eligible for an online loan.

Once you apply for the loan, finding out if you qualify usually only takes a few hours depending on the lending institution. If you do qualify, most companies will directly deposit the loan amount into your checking or savings account within one day. All of this can happen without you ever having to leave your home to go to the lending institution.

Before you fill out an application online, make sure that your lender is legit. If a lender is asking you irregular questions, they are probably trying to do something shady. We'll give you in the next few paragraphs what each lender should be asking you for.

In most cases, you will need to supply your social security information or drivers license number. Second, youll want to make sure the website you submit your application on a secure one. The personal information you are providing could be very damaging to you if it was stolen. It could ruin your credit score or other aspects of your identity.

Knowing that their personal information is going to be sent over the web makes some people very nervous. While it's possible to do secure transactions online, you might want to make sure you think it through. If you're very uneasy about the process, you may want to just walk into a bank. If you proceed online, you should make sure that the site uses encryption and runs on a secure server.

As long as your lender has set up the proper security and is running a reputable shop, you don't have anything to worry about. Go ahead and proceed and get the funds you need.

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