Many of the homes for sale today – as many as half in some markets – fall under the category of “distressed properties.” These are homes that have either gone through foreclosure or are being marketed as “short sales.” In a short sale, the homeowner can’t afford to maintain the mortgage, but the lender –… Read More

Whether you’re looking for ways to dig out of your financial hole or to avoid getting into one, the importance of actively managing your credit profile and debt profile has never been greater. Americans have become well-versed in asset management, but not necessarily liability management. Until recently, easy access to credit has made consumers feel immune to… Read More

Bankruptcy should be your last option if you’re in financial trouble. However, if your financial situation has been deteriorating for a long time, your credit standing is probably bad enough that filing for bankruptcy won’t do much to make it worse, says ApprovalGUARD President and CEO Jeff Mandel. Keep this in mind, though: A bankruptcy remains on… Read More

Trying to figure out how your credit score is compiled is complex and can be confusing. Making it even more confusing is that there are two major credit scoring systems – VantageScore and FICO – and they use different formulas to arrive at their scores. They also have different ranges, so that an 800 Vantage… Read More

Provided by:   Your credit report represents how well you manage your financial responsibilities. The good news is that your negative information drops off over time but the positive information remains. Building a strong and consistent history of responsibly using credit is the foundation to building a great credit profile. Although it’s relatively easy to gain… Read More