by Daniel Bortz The pandemic’s latest effect on the housing market could be a good one for borrowers: Fewer mortgages are requiring a home appraisal, which is making it a whole lot easier for some people to purchase a home or qualify for a loan refinance. According to a September report from the public policy think tank American Enterprise Institute, appraisals were waived on 42% of all government-sponsored purchase and refinance mortgages in July, up from roughly 20% in December.

October 15, 2020, "In the Competitive Coronavirus Housing Market, This Loophole Is Making It Easier to Buy a House"

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by Martha C. White When your credit is poor, it can be tempting to look for a quick fix. And if you pop on over to Google, you’ll find no shortage of services promising to goose your credit report, boost your score, and make you look like a better borrowing candidate (for a fee, of course). Experts beg to differ.

Nov. 30, 2020 "Credit Repair: Should You Pay to 'Fix' Your Score?"

by Mallika Mitra JaVon Colbert hides his money from himself — in his car, in his room, in all his bags. Storing those dollars helps the 18-year-old feel safe from the financial struggles he experienced earlier in life. When Colbert was young, his mother went into debt after buying an apartment to rent out for some extra cash on top of her main job as a factory worker at Toyota. After a few years, though, the rentals at the apartment in Cincinnati, Ohio, dried up.

Nov. 25, 2020 "Meet the Teens Saving for Retirement"

by Aly J. Yale No homes for sale in your desired area? Then just pick out a property and call up the owner. You could also check obituaries, dive into local property records or head to social media for potential homes to buy. At least that’s what many real estate pros are doing. “Creativity is key in this type of market,” says Adrienne Allen, head of real estate at homebuying platform Homie.

November 20, 2020 "Finding a Home Is so Hard Right Now That Buyers Are Scouring Obituaries and Divorce Notices"

by Martha C. White If you’re gearing up to borrow money for a car, home, or another big purchase, you already know how important it is to have a good credit score. What’s less clear, usually, is how to boost that score if you need money ASAP, and your current one leaves you with a less-than-ideal interest rate. It’s a tricky feat, to be sure. But it can be done. Your credit score has five components, and while all five are important, only one can be changed quickly.

Nov. 19, 2020 "This Is the Fastest Way to Raise Your Credit Score"

by Julia Glum Amid the explosion of COVID-19 phishing emails, fake coronavirus “treatments” and pandemic unemployment scams, it’s easy to forget about the basic steps you should be taking to protect your identity online. Major data breaches are still happening.

October 15, 2020, "In the Competitive Coronavirus Housing Market, This Loophole Is Making It Easier to Buy a House"

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