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As many people celebrate the arrival of warmer weather and Spring Break vacations, the freecreditscore.com™ band took to the sun and surf to star in the newest freecreditscore.com television commercial, "Credit Wipeout." The new 30-second spot, draws attention to the situations that can impact a person’s credit status while encouraging consumers to learn more about those factors.

"Every individual’s personal credit story is unique, and we’ve found that bringing financial factors to life in a fun and relatable way, such as in the new commercial, helps people understand the impact simple actions can have on their credit scores," says Ken Chaplin, senior vice president of marketing for freecreditscore.com. "Experian Credit Advisors, Inc. helps individuals better understand how to take control of their credit."

Experian Credit Advisors, Inc. (an affiliated company, in partnership with the iQual Corporation), offers freecreditscore.com members personal, one-on-one sessions, designed to empower consumers to proactively manage their credit through education and useful tips, in an effort to provide a better understanding of credit and the role it plays in their lives.

"Through our agreement with Experian Credit Advisors, Inc., iQual Corporation will offer credit advisory sessions to freecreditscore.com customers who purchase the service," says Jeff Mandel, CEO of iQual Corporation. "We provide Experian Credit Advisors, Inc. customers with highly trained credit advisors, timely access to credit education, and online resources focused on financial literacy and empowerment, which may help individuals improve credit scores, qualify for new credit, and even reduce unnecessary monthly interest expense."

For more information, visit www.freecreditscore.com or www.experianplc.com.

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Receive an estimate for the value of your San Antonio home by requesting a Comparative Market Report (CMA) Home Evaluation that includes the prices of similar houses that have recently sold or are currently for sale in the San Antonio, Texas area.

"The first step is figuring out how much you can afford to spend on homeownership, which means an honest assessment of the household balance sheet," says Dave Sheedy, mortgage market manager for M&I, a part of BMO Financial Group. "Once you have a clear idea of where you stand financially, you can then make a responsible decision of what you can afford, including your down payment, monthly mortgage costs and other expenses like utility costs and property taxes."

M&I offers the following tips for people looking to buy a home.

Making an affordability assessment

Sheedy noted that there are two rules of thumb first time homebuyers can use to determine what they can afford.

"First of all, housing costs, including mortgage payments, property insurance and taxes, should not take up more than one-third of your income. In addition to this, servicing your overall debt, including loans, credit card payments and lines of credit, should not account for more than 40 percent. If you can land safely within these parameters, than home ownership is an affordable and realistic option."

Many banks offer free online tools to help you wade through the home-buying process. For example, Mibank.com/mortgages provides useful information for the potential homebuyer including: affordability calculators, term options, and mortgage qualification estimates.

Coming up with the down payment

The bigger the down payment you come up with, the less interest you’ll pay over the life of your mortgage. Financial institutions may offer special savings accounts designed to help you save for that first home. Consider opening a savings account specifically to fund your down payment. One easy way to save is to set up an automatic monthly deposit from your checking account to your savings account, allowing you to build the balance over time.

Choosing the right mortgage for you

Your mortgage needs to fit in with the rest of your financial priorities – which could mean increased flexibility or security. Consider the following when choosing your mortgage:

• Choose a shorter amortization period –

The shorter the life of the mortgage, the lower the overall cost. Consider choosing a 20-year amortization rather than a 30-year amortization to save you money on interest costs and help you become debt-free sooner.

• Fixed vs. variable –

Variable-rate mortgages have been a winning strategy over the long term, but fixed rate mortgages (currently at historic lows) provide cost certainty and peace of mind.

• Stress-test your mortgage payments

Use a mortgage payment based on a higher rate to stress-test your budget; total housing costs (mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance, etc.) should not consume more than one-third of household income.

Applying for pre-approval

A pre-approval establishes the amount you can reasonably afford to pay for your first home. Consider the following benefits to getting pre-approved:

• Have a good idea of your finances –

You will receive a better idea of how much you are qualified to borrow, saving time looking at homes out of your affordability range. Your term and amortization, as well as estimated monthly payments, are provided at approval so you can use these figures when planning your overall budget.

• Moving quickly –

If you are pre-approved for a mortgage, you’ll be able to move quickly to make an offer when you finally find the perfect home for you.

Source: http://www.harrisbank.com

Request an estimate Comparative Market Report (CMA) Home Evaluation for the value of your San Antonio home that includes the prices of similar houses that have recently sold or are currently for sale in the San Antonio, 78229 area.

Find your San Antonio dream home by searching MLS listings in the 78229 zip code and viewing houses for sale in the following subdivisions:

Subdivisions in 78229

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Continuing uncertainty in the real estate market has homeowners asking a major question as the market warms this spring—is it smarter to move or to improve? Cost is the driving factor behind home improvement projects again this year, and it’s important to choose projects that will provide the biggest return on investment.

"Giving your home some added curb appeal with an exterior makeover will automatically boost the resale value of your property," says Jeff Kaliner, Power Home Remodeling Group’s Founding Partner. "If you plan to stay put, focus on cost effective renovations that make your home more comfortable, functional and low maintenance for your family. Either way, enhancing your home this spring will help protect your greatest investment."

Power shares the following tips to stay on trend with home improvements this spring:

• Energize your exterior – Exterior home improvements are king when it comes to return on investment again this year. Projects like updating siding, window replacement and refreshing entry doors can have a dramatic effect on your home’s curb appeal for a relatively low cost. In fact, seven of the top 10 home improvement projects for 2012 are exterior projects garnering anywhere from 69 to 78 percent return on investment—the highest of any other projects this year.

• Choose bold and bright finishes – Fiberglass entry and garage doors are a popular alternative to their pricey wooden counterparts in 2012. A fiberglass door is weather resistant, durable and, above all, maintenance free. This material allows you to achieve the stylish look of an elegant craftsman or rustic design with decorative glass at the fraction of the price. Bright, bold exterior colors are also popular this year. Make your curb appeal pop by choosing a shade of tangerine, yellow or deep purple for your entry door to give your home a cheery look heading into spring.

• Energy efficiency is still supreme – The top green home trend for 2012 is renovating to reduce your home’s heating and cooling costs. Making the most of an empty attic space by adding a bedroom, or at least finishing it with insulation, is a great way to keep conditioned air from escaping through the roof. Updating the attic also happens to be this year’s third most cost effective home improvement, garnering a whopping 72 percent return on investment, and adding living space without increasing the home’s footprint is an eco-friendly way to gain more square footage.

Source: http://www.powerhrg.com

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