Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Increase Your Home's Value
Friday, April 10, 2009
Cheerleader Alert!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
To Refi or To Modify, That is the Question
"Truth is that there are so many programs out there now . . . most struggling homeowners don't know why they are calling us other than for help."
This is an amazing statement, but one that we can all relate to. Over the past several months I have spoken to many people that aren't sure what to do about their home mortgages, some are so confused they settle for doing nothing.
Homeownership is a big responsibility. Up until now it just meant that we had to maintain a yard or fix a pipe now and then. Now there is another kind of maintenance that needs to be attended to, the financial health of the home.
The first, and easiest place to start is taking this quick, simple, 4 question test to see if you qualify for the "Making Homeownership Affordable Program". Take the test here.
Most people will not qualify for this program. So the next place to go for guidence is the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development. There are over 26,000 locations from coast to coast. Find an office in your area here. Seek the the help of qualified counselor and find out exaclty what kind of help you need.
Making the correct desision is crucial when it comes to the single largest purchase of your life. I hope you will take the steps to make an educated desision.
Matt Kemper
Friday, April 3, 2009
G-20: What Got Done
The Associated Press, in an article today entitled "Analysis: But Will it Work", reports that the International Monetary Fund will be receiving an additional $1.1 trillion to help struggling countries in Eastern Europe and Latin America. Fortunately for us contributing countries, the funds will be in the form of loans to the IMF, not debt spending. There were also agreements on the need for regulations on international companies whose business could have a potential to cause systemic trauma.
We have cause to be happy with our leadership. They stood up to French President Nicholas Sarkozy, and Greman President Angela Merkel when they called for a "world regulator" to control what they (and many others) see as unfetered capitalism by the United States. Causing the current world wide recession.
Our leaders did agree to more transparency and better working relationships with other world regulators. However, Sarkozy and Merkel's stances should stand as a wake up call. The United States needs to start digging her collective heals in the dirt and pushing back on the world stage. Our culture is uniquely ours, and we must be proud of our country, even when antaganists, both foreign and domestic, seek to shame us. If you need a reminder, The United States and her people are by far is the most generous with aid and funding to the world. I have not heard Frence, Germany, or even China announce they are contributing more. I would prefer to see more global encouragement and less calls for a global regulations that bind us, the voluntary world's police force.
Matt Kemper
YourCreditCompany.com
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Clunker Program?
Lately it does not seem like there has been a whole lot of creativity coming out of the beltway. There has been a lot of "taking the easy way out" in regards to banking industries, automotive industries, and the like. However, today I saw some light, and it is presented in one of the worse named programs (give it time the the proposal is weeks away from seeing the floor of the House of Representatives) to date.
Reuters is reporting today that a tax incentive program is making it's way to the floor of the Senate and House of Representatives. The program is a tax incentive of up to $5,000 meant to encourage owners of older and inefficient automobiles to trade up to a new and high efficient vehicle. The program would cost approx. $2 billion, and would possibly coming out of remaining stimulus money (I'm biting my tongue on that).
I am strongly in favor of ideas like this one, which by the way similar ideas are in place in Europe. Instead of a bailout that arguably helps only a couple "groups" of people or jobs, this kind of creative plan helps many "groups" of people or jobs. Further, I encourage everyone to contact your state representative and encourage more creative problem solving and ideas like this to get us back on the road to prosperity.
Matt Kemper
YourCreditCompany.com