Credit Tips

Sometimes, people may not have perfect credit, but their credit is “average” or “ok” or “good enough to qualify for loans, credit cards, etc.”  In these cases, people often don’t even think about credit repair because, let’s face it, it’s not an urgent need unless it keeps you from getting something you want.  With average…

By the time you’re in your 30’s (or sooner) you realize how critical it is to have high credit scores.  Sometimes you find out the hard way by getting denied for a loan or having to pay higher interest rates on a credit card, but eventually you figure out how important good credit scores are.…

It’s graduation time across the country and over 3 million teenagers in the United States will be graduating from high school. Whether they plan on attending college, entering the workforce, or enlisting in the military, the one thing they will all have in common is the need to begin building credit. How do you build…

When a consumer files for bankruptcy, that bankruptcy remains on their credit report for 7 years (sometimes longer).  It typically becomes a black mark that results in paying higher interest rates, difficulty obtaining credit, and a BIG hassle when trying to qualify for a home mortgage.  Not to mention the fact that for the next…

As we always say… bad things can happen to good people. Most of the time, this is the case with a bankruptcy.  In fact, the most common causes of bankruptcy are a loss of employment and/or medical bills from an unforeseen accident or illness. Regardless of the cause, a bankruptcy will have serious consequences on…

Let’s talk about your car for a minute… the car that you lease. Many people these days lease their cars, for a number of reasons.  These could include: The payment is usually lower They may not plan on keeping the car more than 3-4 years They like driving a newer car that is under warranty…

More often than not, when people have negative items on their credit report, they are aware of it.  They fell behind in payments, had a collection, or maybe had a lien or judgement against them. However, there are times when negative credit items or errors can “sneak” their way on to a credit report and…

We talk a lot about “good credit” and “bad credit” but what are the actual tiers that would separate good, fair, bad credit scores? Often, lenders might categorize scores differently.  For instance, a top tier score for a specific mortgage program might be 760 or higher and perhaps for other loans you might need a…

According to Redfin, nationwide rents were up 15% in January 2022, as compared to just one year ago.  In California, however, a number of metropolitan areas are exceeding that nationwide number at an alarming rate. 32% in Riverside 24% in Sacramento 19% in San Francisco 19% in Oakland 16% in San Diego 10% in Los…

Having credit cards and using them frequently are two steps toward having great credit.  However, making one of these common mistakes could negatively impact your credit scores. Making Late Payments This is probably a “no-brainer” for most people, but if your payment on a credit card is more than 30 days past due, it becomes…