​When we are young we don’t always consider that our actions might affect us negatively in the future.  One example of this is when it comes to buying a home for the first time and want to apply for a loan.  A lender will take a lot into consideration before approving your loan and usually refer to your credit report to get an idea of how financially responsible you are.  This report shows whether you have a good history of paying bills on time or if you are in debt etc.  So, its clear to see that maintaining as good of a credit report as possible is a good idea.  What are some ways to do this?
 
One way is by going through the credit cards you may have accumulated and get rid of any you no longer use.  Make sure you call the credit card company and have them cancel the account.  If a lender notices you have too much credit available to you, they may assume you are someone who easily puts themselves in economic danger which will not work in your favor when applying for a loan.  It is a good idea, however, to hold on to the credit cards you’ve had for a long time as this will show you have a longer history of credit.
 
Be careful to avoid late payments.  This can show up on your credit report and work against you.  If you find it difficult to remember to pay on time, set up an automatic payment plan that will cover at least the minimum amount due.  This way you avoid expensive late payment fees and work to maintain your credit report.
 
Every year you are entitled to request a free copy of your credit report.  Take advantage of this as you will be able to analyze the report yourself and, if need be, look for ways to improve it before applying for your loan.  You can also correct any errors that may show up on occasion.
 
Yes, its good to think of ways to maintain a good credit report which will help you manage your money better and increase your chance of being approved for a loan in the future.

​It can take a great deal of time and effort to locate the perfect property.  When you do finally find it, the last thing you will want is for the home to have major problems with it.  This is why the home inspection is so crucial.  But, what if the home inspection does reveal problems with it?  What should you do?
 
Its important to remember that there are a number of different problems that could be mentioned on a report, some being a lot more serious than others.  For example, the report might note smoke detectors that aren’t working correctly, as defective, or it could show that some roof shingles are missing.  These, while they are defects, are not necessarily a deal breaker as they can be easily fixed at a reasonably low price.  But, there are much more serious problems as well such as mold, wood rot or structural damage.  Obviously, these would be much bigger issues to fix and cost a great deal more money.  There may be some cases where the problem is too big to take on.  Its clear to see that a home inspection is crucial to have, before committing yourself to a property.
 
What if the home inspector who inspects the property is also a building contractor?  Can’t they just fix any of the problems they find?  This may seem like a really good idea but, on reflection, it may not be.  It could look like the home inspector found issues with the property just so that he/she could fix them.  This would call into question the honesty of the home inspector and the accuracy of the report.  Choose an InterNACHI certified home inspector who abides by the InterNACHI Code of Ethics.  This is the key to having an honest and thorough home inspection performed on your potential new home.