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Friday, January 30, 2009

Bar The Madness:Study The Common Debt Consolidation Terms

By Frank Froggatt

When you get into debt there are a great deal of things that get clouded. First you have got to work out a budget, then all the bills you have, your creditors and how much you owe, and even more. It can be a little challenging, so taking that in mind we set up the accompanying listing of terms to help you get on the right route to living debt free.

Debt consolidation- a debt consolidation is when you have all of your bills put into one bill so you can easily pay them, by executing this you could get smaller interest rates and no more late payment fees.

Unsecured debt- This is every bit of the financial obligations you have that the creditor that has given you credit towards which does not have collateral. This would be your charge cards, because your dwelling and cars will be taken if you don't pay back those debts.

Home equity loan- If you currently own a home, or have a mortgage you can use the sum of equity in your dwelling to acquire a loan to compensate all your debts, or do something else with it. If you were going to do home remodeling or something that will appreciate the value of your house, you might get an even lower rate of interest. But if you use this to get out of debt you will have an regular interest rate reckoning on your bank.

Debt reduction- if you already possess a bad credit score, this might be an alternative for you. This is when a company aids you in putting aside money in order to compensate creditors. Commonly you will make no payments for more or less 6 months and then you will settle with your creditors so that you can pay back less in the long haul. This can kill your credit rating, so if you can avoid this, you should definitely think of it.

Settlement- if you owe a lender $5000 but you can't produce any payments, or you can only pay less than the minimum every month, they should resolve with you and receive 30-70% of the debt alternatively. This way they get something out of the money you owe them. This will provide a damaging mark on your credit score and report because they will shut down your accounts and then put "paid as agreed" on your credit report, recording that you didn't pay it all back and they had to close your business relationship in light of this.

You will find that you can gain a lot of help with your financial situation on the net, but you need to do the due diligence and make certain you have selected assistance that is through a company with a great reputation of helping consumers and not conning them.Don't ever unveil your personalized data with any business organization online unless you know for sure about them and have searched them with the Better Business Bureau.

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Charlotte Condominiums

By R. Kim

Recently buying condos in Charlotte North Carolina has been easy due to the many Charlotte condominiums developers in foreclosure proceedings. While home prices in Charlotte has declined, they are declining at lower rate than Southern Florida or Las Vegas. Even though Charlotte has not seen the price declines like some part of the country, it has taken some tolls.

In Charlotte you can chose to live in Uptown or live in suburb, you can find a condo that is well suited to your needs. Within last couple of years many condo development have increased the available Charlotte condominiums in the market.

There are plenty of bargains whether it is condo conversion or a new constructions. With the interest rate at all time low and $7,500 tax credit for first time buyers, the opportunity of lifetime is knocking at your door, you just have to act.

Being the largest city in North Carolina and the twentieth largest city in the United States with over 600,000 residents working and living in greater Charlotte area you can find what you want. If you are looking for a home, Charlotte certainly is great place to live, work, and raise a family.

The advantage of Charlotte condominiums is that not a lot of work is needed to upkeep the condo, the condo association takes care of the majority of repairs and maintenance. So you can live a stress free living. You an also find a bargain in short sale or in foreclosure auctions, these will save you tremendous amount of money, buying a distressed property.

So, if you have done your research, check out MLS listings or with a real estate agent who is experienced with Charlotte market. The agent will help you find condo that fits your needs, but you will ultimately make that decision.

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Avoid Free Credit Report Scams

By Jim M. Davies

There's no way you can have been watching TV lately and not have been assailed by those commercials from companies that offer you a free credit report. It's amazing but people often don't stop and question what financial justification a company would have, running a nationwide advertising campaign, in order to offer a free product to the public. There has to be at least some kind of revenue generation if only to justify the cost of making and running the commercials. Even if they seem to be looking out for you by showing you what could happen to you should you fail to get your free credit report, there has to be some kind of benefit for them in the whole thing.

Common sense tells us that if the ads keep airing, it's because the campaigns are successful in reeling in new customers. At the same time, almost everyone knows that there's no such thing as a free lunch and that "free" is often a bait that scammers use to lure in unsuspecting victims. In that regard, it's relevant to wonder if those offers are really free? Free as in no monetary exchange whatsoever.

The short version of the answers to these questions would simply be "No, they are typically not free", and "Yes, they mostly come with strings attached". If you're the type of person who like more detailed answers, then feel free to read on. A more detailed answer would be that just about any offer you see advertised on TV is NOT free, and so are most of the offers you see online. There are free offers, though, and we can help you sort out the free variety from the paid variety.

Like we said previously, most of the credit report offers do carry a cost. Banks and other lending firms have been touting free credit reports for years now, but what they really are offering is a subscription service where you get to check your credit report any time you want. This service is managed either by them or is the result of a partnership with one of the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and Transunion. There are more than 3 credit bureaus operating in the US, but those three are pretty much the only ones that count.

Because of the rise of identity theft, there has been a steep rise in the number of companies in the "identity protection" business. What they typically do is that they offer a "free" credit report, which is linked to a membership service. While the focus in the advertisements is on the free report, the fine print on most of these offers clearly states you are agreeing to subscribe to such a service, usually three months to a year at a time, that charges you a monthly fee. This fee, which can range from $6.95 to $19.95 per month, entitles you to a service that alerts you to suspicious activities, credit inquiries and late-payment notices on your account.

With the enactment of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the "big three" credit bureaus are each required by law to offer their customers a free credit report every year. They're not required to send it to you, though, so you have to actually ask for it. You can do so by mail, by phone, or over the Internet. Be sure you follow the instructions so you can get your free credit report, the one where you really don't have to pay a dime.

Here are some of the circumstances where a free credit report is legally available to you. 1) When a company denies your credit, insurance or employment application based on information that was in your credit report - you have 60 days from the occurrence to file your request. 2) You're unemployed and are planning to look for a job within 60 days. 3) You're on welfare. 4) Your believe your credit report contains errors and wish to review it.

Due to the competitive nature of the banking business, there are some banks in the marketplace that offer a free credit report, and a basic online access service that also gives you your credit score, when you get approved for their credit card or open another type of account. Sought-after credit cards as the premium American Express products, also offer their high-income, low-risk consumers various packages of services, including credit report access and monitoring.

If your needs do not go beyond looking at your credit report a couple of times a year to check for erroneous reports and misuse of your accounts or identity, there's no need to pay a monthly fee for that. Even if you do want to monitor your credit report on an ongoing basis, before you go to a paid service, set up your free reports so that you receive one every four months. If that's still not enough for you, then you can investigate one of the banks or credit card issuers that offers the service as part of a package deal.

Because so many life-changing decisions hang on the status of your credit report, it is essential that your credit report be accurate and that you take the necessary steps so that it remains that way. Monitoring services will only alert you, they won't do the legwork to correct anything that might go wrong. It's your responsibility to ensure that your credit report contains no errors, and you can do that without having to pay for it.

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Some Suggestions On Researching Inexpensive Loans Online

By James O' Reilly

Here are some ideas on applying for secured and unsecured loan bargains online:

- Lending agents consider a range of variables when working out how much you can borrow, like your income, employment status, outgoings and credit history. Different providers use different criteria but most of them share these guidelines. The most prominent lending agents are subsidiaries of the clearing banks and they can arrange competitive rates to guarantee you a finance deal that suits your money requirements, with payments you can afford.

- Overpay your loan if you can do so without penalty, especially if your repayments are re-calculated week-to-week or month-to-month. This means you will much less interest over time, and get peace of mind sooner. Get your outstanding finance amount down, and get on with the fun things in life. If you have different small loans with various providers then you can aggregate them all into one monthly repayment. The easiest way is to get a low-cost loan to pay towards dearer ones, such as credit card debts.

- Be wary of promises of gaining a loan quickly. A lot of clients are told that their finance offer will finalise within a particular time. They do not make payments on existing debts, in expectation of the new finance deal. After several delays, they become delinquent, with no cash from the new finance deal. Some lenders then order new credit rating reports, and charge the borrower higher fees, and/or a higher rate, because of the delinquent loan(s), which resulted from postponements caused by the provider themselves!

- Make sure you comprehend and are willing to pay all of the fees listed. Origination fees are usually about about 1% of your finance deal. If you have bad credit, you will probably have to cough up higher rates and fees, but shop around. Be leery of words such as "No cost to you". Some lenders will attach closing costs to your balance rather than require you provide money upfront at closing. Make sure you grasp the total fees you are liable for.

- As with so many other purchases in life, there's a price point below which you will not be gaining a good quality loan deal. See for yourself: get a few quotes from different providers. Some can shave a half-percent here or there, but you may pay it back with fees, insurance or potential penalties later. Keep an eye on the fine print.

- Finance agents work hard to attract clients by negotiating lower rates with providers, so you oftentimes will find better bargains through their internet sites than through the high street or newspaper or television advertisements. You should note that the loan application process will be affected by the amount you're trying to borrow, your credit history, your debt-to-income ratio and other items.

- Ensure your credit report doesn't have any discrepancies or errors. If it does, send off a correction request to the rating agency listing the mistake; either TransUnion, Equifax, CallCredit or Experian. You need to know how much of a finance deal you can afford.

- If you have okay credit and are generally a likely candidate for a loan, web brokers will be keen to offer you the lowest rate and the best terms possible, so as to get your business. Interest rates are, however, only part of the picture. So when comparing online brokers, be sure to ask about closing costs, prepayment penalties and other aspects of the "fine print". It's essential that you get everything in writing. This is good financial practice in general, but it's very important with large fiscal transactions.

I hope these few basic ideas will be of some use to you in getting a worthwhile online finance deal.

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How To Get Out From Debt

By Mike Carbeck

Repairing your credit is never an easy thing. But, there are several things you can do to get yourself out of debt.

We all have monthly bills, and sometimes we encounter times when the bills are outrageous. We are all responsible for paying our bills, this is a reality from which there is no escape. If you find yourself in need of help, there are ways to pay your bills and get out of debt.

The ever changing credit laws make it especially difficult for people to restore their credit to good standing. There are also laws that make getting copies of all three of your credit reports free. If you have discrepancies in your credit report, then it is imperative that you get copies of your report and launch a dispute.

If the agencies filed a false claim against your credit record, you may be able to sue. This can result in late processing of your payments and if you do not owe the bill, the credit agency will be forced to remove it from your record.

If you notice any errors or inconsistencies in your credit report it is important that you contact the reporting agency at once. Experion, TransUnion and Equifax all have dispute hotlines set up for just this purpose.

Disputing things on your credit report is just the first step in getting back on track. The information on your credit report comes from various sources and as a general rule this stays with your credit record for up to seven years. While positive credit reporting information is likely to remain for up to ten years.

If you have any questionable information contained on your report then it is important you dispute it immediately. The credit bureau will investigate the situation and if it finds valid grounds for dismissal, then the information is removed from your record. If the situation cannot be resolved, then the credit agency can remove or modify the claim in question.

This is another reason why it is so important to monitor your credit report regularly. In addition you can get information about your credit rating and what factors determine or effect it. If you see information that you dispute on your credit report and you can not find a resolution, then it pays for you to get educated on what you can do.

Never believe the misleading or false advertising of a credit counseling agency that make claims that sound to good to be true. All of these companies are regulated by law and it is illegal for them to promise something they cannot deliver.

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling is a great resource for people seeking genuine assistance with their debts. They have representatives that are highly trained at providing consumers with help repairing credit and removing debt. They can also help you get creditors to back off and stop the threats.

It is very important that you know your rights and the laws surrounding credit card debt collection practices. While rebuilding your bad credit can seem difficult, it is not impossible to get out of debt with the right help. Remember that there are millions of people in the world just like you, they have experienced credit issues or problems at one time or another.

The Consumer Response Center is another invaluable resource for finding out information about your rights. Some victims have more rights than others. Victims of Identity Theft or Military Personnel who have been robbed of their identity, have many more rights than someone who is just delinquent in paying their bills.

Knowing what your rights are is the first step in getting back on the road to good credit and regaining financial freedom.

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