If you’ve been thinking about buying a home in 2016, there may be no better time than right now. Mortgage interest rates are incredibly low, and though our Real Estate Market has certainly recovered, it’s still not out of reach of the average home buyer or first-time buyers. If home buying is not in the cards for you this year, here are some other tips for improving your financial position in 2016 ~Bill
By Barbara Pronin
Finance experts say, it’s not too late to focus on things you can do to improve your financial position in the coming year. Analysts at The Motley Fool, a consumer savings and investment publication, suggest starting with these five moves:
Hike your FICO score – A high FICO score, the most commonly used credit scoring model, improves your credit worthiness and can save you thousands in interest dollars over the years. Your FICO is determined based on your payment history (35 percent), amount owed relative to available credit (30 percent), length of credit history (15 percent), new credit opened (10 percent), and type of credit used (10 percent). You will improve your score by paying on time, paying down debt, keeping existing accounts open and limiting your applications for new credit, and maintaining a mix of accounts, such as mortgage and active credit cards.
Plan sooner for tax season – Discuss with your accountant or financial planner strategies that can reduce your tax liability for the following year, from adjusting your withholding to boosting retirement savings to making more charitable donations.
Pare your expenses – Cost-saving strategies may include such tactics as moving to a smaller residence to cutting travel and entertainment spending, to simply purchasing less ‘stuff.’ Once you pare expenses, you can focus on saving and investing.
Pay off high interest debt – There are several strategies top help you do this more aggressively, from negotiating lower credit card interest rates to cutting expenses, selling things you don’t need, or taking on a second job. The trick is to use the savings or added income to pay down debt.Think about career change – It’s never too late to go back to school if that will help you embark on a better-paying career. It may not take a four-year degree. Look into low-cost junior college classes or adult school technical training classes.
Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2015. All rights reserved.
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More Resources for Home Sellers and Home Buyers
Our Buyer’s FAQ page has 9 of the most frequently asked questions from Home Buyers, along with 10 additional resources for Home Buyers at the bottom of the page.
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Thinking of Selling your home? First check out our 9 FAQs for Sellers. Then read on, there are 9 additional resources for Home Sellers at the bottom of the page.
