Remember to Get Your Annual Credit Report

You are probably aware that Federal law entitles you to a free copy of your credit report annually by each of the three credit bureaus: TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax. By regularly looking at each of these reports, you can determine if there are any errors on them and be aware of your credit worthiness.
Instead of ordering all three at the same time, experts recommend that you stagger them throughout the year. This will let you look at your credit at three different times during the year instead of only once a year.
An easy way make this happens on a timely basis is to set a recurring appointment on your digital calendar whether it is on your phone, your email program or a contact manager. Make the appointment to order a free credit report from www.AnnualCreditReport.com a recurring event to take place every four months. You’ll order one report from each of three companies once a year.
You can record that date and the bureau you ordered the last report in the appointment’s note section so that you’ll have a history and won’t try to order the same report twice in one year.
This isn’t just for people who are trying to clean-up their credit. This procedure allows you to monitor your credit to be sure that your report is accurate. You might even discover that someone is illegally using your good credit.

Wendy Huang, MBA,SRS, GRI, CRS, IRES, e-pro, ASP, ALHS, SFR, RFC, RE/MAX Premier Group, RE/MAX Hall of Fame,

RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement ; Over 20 years' experience!

Helping Over 1000 Families Meet Their Real Estate Needs !!!

Direct: 972-365-7888 

Has your home value gone up in the past 6 months? Click  here for a Free INSTANT Report ! '

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Early Burnout Could be Good

Most of us understand the expression "burning the candle at both ends" to mean working so hard that you burn yourself out. Normally, that wouldn’t be a good idea unless it is intentional.
If the candle is your mortgage and the strategy is to get it paid off early, being “burned out” would be a good thing. One end of the candle would be your regular mortgage payments and the other end would represent additional principal contributions.
Since the Great Recession, lenders have been reporting a higher than normal number of borrowers getting shorter term mortgages not only when the purchase the home originally but when they refinance them also. It seems like the mindset of America’s homeowner has shifted a little from the belief that they will always have a house payment.
The extra $100, $200 or $500 in your checking account isn’t earning interest. Additional principal contributions with your regular payments on a fixed rate mortgage will save interest, build equity and shorten the term of the mortgage.
Wealth management is about making financially wise choices. If having your home paid for by retirement age is one of your goals, making extra contributions regularly could get you there. Use this Equity Accelerator to see how it will affect your loan.

Wendy Huang, MBA,SRS, GRI,CRS,IRES,e-ro,ASP,ALHS, SFR, RFC, RE/MAX Premier Group, RE/MAX Hall of Fame,

RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement ; Over 20 years' experience!

Helping Over 1000 Families Meet Their Real Estate Needs !!!

Direct: 972-365-7888 

Has your home value gone up in the past 6 months? Click  here for a Free INSTANT Report ! '

Plano real estate, Frisco real estate, Allen real estate, DFW real estate, Dallas real estate, McKinney real estate, Coppell real estate, Highland park real estate, TX real estate

It's Your Advantage

Technology has certainly streamlined the home buying process and introduced things that help purchasers make better decisions. Buyers have enthusiastically embraced video tours, digital signatures and the enormous amount of information available about a home, neighborhood, schools and neighbors.
The ironic thing is that buyers are ignoring the one single thing that can help them secure the “right” home. Talking to a lender or using a financial calculator is not pre-approval.
Pre-approval requires written verification on employment and income and ordering a credit report for the purpose of obtaining a mortgage. A mortgage credit score is different than what a person might see from credit reporting websites. 
Pre-approval gives buyers the confidence to know the amount they can borrow which can result in bargaining power when dealing with a seller or competing against another offer. Transactions can close quicker once a buyer has been pre-approved.
If any issues are discovered in the initial process, the purchaser and lender will have more time to correct them compared to trying to get it done during the loan approval period as stated in the sales contract.
Most lenders best interest rates are only available to the best borrowers. You might get approved on a loan but at a higher rate than you expected which could make a significant difference in the monthly payments.
The “right” home without financing will never have the buyer’s address. Getting pre-approved with a trusted mortgage professional is one of the first steps in the buying process. It can definitely be an advantage that will benefit you in negotiations and ultimately, during the time you own the home.

Wendy Huang, MBA,SRS, GRI,CRS,IRES,e-ro,ASP,ALHS, SFR, RFC, RE/MAX Premier Group, RE/MAX Hall of Fame,

RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement ; Over 20 years' experience!

Helping Over 1000 Families Meet Their Real Estate Needs !!!

Direct: 972-365-7888 

Has your home value gone up in the past 6 months? Click  here for a Free INSTANT Report ! '

Plano real estate, Frisco real estate, Allen real estate, DFW real estate, Dallas real estate, McKinney real estate, Coppell real estate, Highland park real estate, TX real estate

Happy 2016

Wendy Huang, MBA,SRS, GRI,CRS,IRES,e-ro,ASP,ALHS, SFR, RFC, RE/MAX Premier Group, RE/MAX Hall of Fame,

RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement ; Over 20 years' experience!

Helping Over 1000 Families Meet Their Real Estate Needs !!!

Direct: 972-365-7888 

Has your home value gone up in the past 6 months? Click  here for a Free INSTANT Report ! '

Plano real estate, Frisco real estate, Allen real estate, DFW real estate, Dallas real estate, McKinney real estate, Coppell real estate, Highland park real estate, TX real estate

One-button Pricing?

An Automated Valuation Model, AVM, is a computer approach that looks at public records to make a determination based on square footage, comparable sales and other elements. It is as easy as putting your address in a blank but unfortunately, AVM results may only be accurate about 20% of the time.

A popular AVM, Zestimate®, states “It is considered a starting point at determining a home’s value.” While an AVM contains some of the same information as a comparable market analysis, it lacks a critical human factor.

Having a pair of experienced eyes consider aspects that are not easily quantified can make a big difference. A skilled professional can tell which properties are truly comparable. A knowledgeable expert can recognize features, floorplans and other things that can affect value but are difficult to quantify.

Even if a person isn’t ready to sell their investment, they like to know its value. It is easy to find the price of stocks or mutual funds on any given day but the value of a home is more difficult.

Regardless of whether you’re just curious as to how much your home is worth or are ready to monetize your equity, I’m available to give you that information without obligation. If you’re not ready now, just keep the letter for when you are.

Wendy Huang, MBA,SRS, GRI,CRS,IRES,e-ro,ASP,ALHS, SFR, RFC, RE/MAX Premier Group, RE/MAX Hall of Fame,

RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement ; Over 20 years' experience!

Helping Over 1000 Families Meet Their Real Estate Needs !!!

Direct: 972-365-7888 

Has your home value gone up in the past 6 months? Click  here for a Free INSTANT Report ! '

Plano real estate, Frisco real estate, Allen real estate, DFW real estate, Dallas real estate, McKinney real estate, Coppell real estate, Highland park real estate, TX real estate

At least consider a shorter one

Affordability and stability are reasons homebuyers choose a 30-year fixed rate mortgage. It makes the payment lower than a 15-year mortgage and the principal and interest portion of the payment will be constant for 30 years.
A common belief among homeowners for decades was that they would always have mortgage payment. The Great Recession has caused many individuals to rethink that concept and make plans to get their home paid for sooner.
For people who can afford it, shorter term mortgages will provide a lower interest rate and build equity faster. A 3.09% 15-year fixed-rate mortgage compared to a 3.87% 30-year loan will have a $562.42 higher payment.
The equity would be $66,903.04 greater on the 15-year term at the end of seven years. Even after you consider the higher payment on the shorter term, the equity difference is still almost $20,000 greater.

By choosing a 15-year loan, a borrower is committing to the higher payment for the term of the mortgage in exchange for a slightly lower interest rate. Another approach would be for the borrower to acquire a 30-year mortgage and make payments as if it were on a 15-year term. The slightly higher rate would allow the borrower the flexibility of not having to make the higher payment in the event he could not afford it on any particular month.

Wendy Huang, MBA,SRS, GRI,CRS,IRES,e-ro,ASP,ALHS, SFR, RFC, RE/MAX Premier Group, RE/MAX Hall of Fame,

RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement ; Over 20 years' experience!

Helping Over 1000 Families Meet Their Real Estate Needs !!!


Direct: 972-365-7888 Has your home value gone up in the past 6 months? Click here for a Free INSTANT Report !
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Discussion with Your Insurance Agent

Insurance and homeowners go together like peanut butter and jelly. Lenders require fire insurance at a minimum for homes with a mortgage but many owners opt for a more comprehensive coverage with a homeowner’s policy.
However, comprehensive doesn’t mean that everything is covered. Filing a claim is not the time to learn that you don’t have the right coverage. Discuss the following issues with your insurance agent to get a better understanding of your policy and whether some adjustments might be in order.

• Flooding?
• Rising water? 
• Mold?
• Earthquakes?
• Pools?
• Termites?
• Certain kinds of pets or breeds of dogs?
• Limits on jewelry and cash?
• Deductible amount?

The whole concept behind buying insurance is to transfer the risk of loss that you cannot afford for an annual premium that you can. Price and coverage need to be considered when comparing policies. Call your agent and make sure you understand what you’re insured for and if there are alternatives available.

Wendy Huang, MBA,SRS, GRI,CRS,IRES,e-ro,ASP,ALHS, SFR, RFC, RE/MAX Premier Group, RE/MAX Hall of Fame,

RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement ; Over 20 years' experience!

Helping Over 1000 Families Meet Their Real Estate Needs !!!

Direct: 972-365-7888 

Has your home value gone up in the past 6 months? Click  here for a Free INSTANT Report ! '