Ten Secrets to Savings: Write down your goals

Cheap is chic, frugality is in fashion, and Americans have sworn off their spending addiction. In a replay of 2010, their top resolution for 2011 is to save more money, according to the American Express Spending & Saving Tracker. But a funny thing happened on the way to the bank: Americans fell off the wagon. This year, consumers aim to save an average of $2,600, a far cry from their average goal of $14,000 in 2010. The reason: many of them didn't meet their ambitious savings target.

That doesn't surprise me. I've always believed that the trick to saving money is just that – a trick. You don't have to strike it rich on Wall Street, win the lottery or even earn a six-figure salary to build a comfortable savings cushion. You just have to play mental tricks on yourself to stay focused on spending less and keeping more cash.

Five Mortgage and Foreclosure Myths

Because of the rapidly changing rules in the mortgage world, call me for up to the minute lending guideline changes.  

Marty 

In a mortgage market that changes as quickly as this one, today’s fact is tomorrow’s fiction. For buyers, misinformation can be the difference between qualifying for a home loan or not.

Sellers and owners, knowledge is foreclosure-preventing, smart decision-making power! Without further ado, let’s correct some common mortgage misconceptions.

Home Loan Rates And What Affects Them

It's a Small World After All
Globalization's Impact on Home Loan Rates

Today we live in a global economy, an interconnected world where goods and capital move freely at lightning speed across countries. The widely accepted view is that globalization not only benefits all countries across the world but lends itself towards the betterment of the economy as a whole.
As we have seen, globalization can also have a negative impact with a domino effect in times of turmoil and unrest. This impact affects the financial markets both in the U.S. and abroad.
Flight to Safety
When there is political unrest, which was sparked recently in Egypt and has spread like wildfire throughout the Middle East, global investors get nervous. Often they shed their risky assets like Stocks and flee to the safe haven of the U.S. Dollar and U.S. Bond market.

Leprechauns give us a personal finance lesson!

Personal Finance Lessons From Leprechauns

Leprechauns are those small mystical creatures always stylishly attired in green garb and thinking of ways to hide their pot of gold. Or that is the impression I have gotten from Hollywood interpretations and my limited understanding of Irish lore. Apparently, leprechauns can also teach us a lot about personal finance and saving money.

5 Things You Should Know About Buying a Short Sale Home

Short sales are increasingly seen in the real estate market and some new home buyers may have questions regarding them. Basically if a homeowner has difficulty making mortgage payments, can’t refinance and wants to avoid foreclosure for missed payments they can try to convince their lender to sell the house for less than the mortgage is worth and take the loss. This is a “short sale” because it is short of the amount owed on the mortgage. The seller gets no money but they walk away with their credit relatively intact.The lender loses money but doesn’t have to undergo foreclosure proceedings. It’s not a win-win situation but for both sides it’s not as bad as it could be.

Procrastination Remedies

The Little Book of Procrastination Remedies

Post written by Leo Babauta.

Procrastination is one of those topics that, it seems, I can’t write enough about. There isn’t a person among us who doesn’t procrastinate, and that’s a fact of life.
It’s deep within us. We think we’re going to do something later, or read that classic novel later, or learn French later. But we always overestimate how much we can do later, and we overestimate the ability of our later selves to beat procrastination.
If our current self can’t beat procrastination, why will our future self do it?
I thought I should cover some of the best procrastination-beating strategies, in light of my recent book, focus. People seem to want ways to beat procrastination, so they can actually get down to focusing.
Here’s a quick guide.

Refinance Demand Dips as Mortgage Rates Reach 10-Month High

	Mortgage News Daily
Message from Marty:   If you have questions about refinancing your current mortgage, call me sooner than later because this is only one of dozens of articles I saw this week extolling news of things to come in the mortgage rate world.  Call me at 801-540-5108

Refinance Demand Dips as Mortgage Rates Reach 10-Month High

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending February 4th, 2011.
The MBA's loan application survey covers over 50% of all U.S. residential mortgage loan applications taken by mortgage bankers, commercial banks, and thrifts. The data gives economists a snapshot view of consumer demand for mortgage loans.

7 Tax Tips for Your 2010 Return

7 Tax Tips for Your 2010 Return 3/2/2011 11:13:00 AM These breaks could boost your refund -- or reduce what you owe. ...Read the rest of the story

Coming to a Lender Near You: 20% Down Mortgages (that's how you get the best rate and terms!)

20% Down Payment Required? WHY? 



The days of the NO money down mortgage are long behind us, folks.
After the housing boom and subsequent crash, statistics revealed that those with little or no "skin in the game" were much more likely to default on their home loans.

At the same time, banks and mortgage lenders were selling off the bulk of their mortgages to investors, so neither homeowner nor lender was really retaining any risk.  As a result, politicians came up with risk retention requirements under the Dodd-Frank Act, which are set to take effect soon.

Choosing the right Realtor: How can you be sure?

I work with great Preferred Realtors who I recommend without hesitation.  Call, text or e-mail me so that I can refer you to someone who will represent your needs perfectly!  :)

Signs You May Have the Wrong Realtor

Selecting the best agent to represent you in purchasing is one of the more fundamental priorities a buyer ought to have when getting started.

When selecting an agent you should start by doing an internet search of the type of agent that seems to be the best suited to help you in a particular neighborhood or community type.  If an agent puts themselves out there as being an expert in a particular niche, then they likely are.

Wrong House in the right neighborhood? FHA 203k Loans Part 2

Click on the link below for an excellent video about how great the FHA 203k loan is if you would like to buy a home needing repairs.  Call me and I can go over the program in detail.

I have a support team who does 203k loans ALL DAY LONG! 

My processing, underwriting, and closing team are experts at what they do.  THIS is the formula and secret to having a GREAT 203k loan experience!  

Marty Qualls, your 203k loan expert!  

http://tbwsdailyshow.com/2011/03/02/203k-home-improvement-loans-part-2-of-2/