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A common phone call that new credit cardholders get from their bank is an offer for credit card add-on products, such as protection against fraud and identity theft. Payment protection is another service offered regularly, providing a monthly payment to the cardholders account if they lose their job or are sick in the hospital.

Credit monitoring and debt-cancellation products are optional and are paid for through a monthly or annual fee.

Before signing up for these products, consumers should know some facts about them, such as that theyre not required to activate a new credit card. There are also some questions to ask the salesperson to make sure theyre only getting the add-on products they want. Here are some things to consider:

Buying them is optional: Not only are such products not required to be purchased before a credit card is activated, but some salespeople imply that theyre free. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found that one bank didnt ask consumers if they wanted the product, but confirmed enrollment by asking for their city of birth.

The bank also made it seem like consumers were receiving a benefit or simply updating their account, or that they were agreeing to receive more information about the product.

Services paid for not always provided: The CFPB has also found that some cardholders didn’t receive the credit monitoring services they paid for because the bank didn’t properly process their authorization or match the cardholders information to their files.

Hard to cancel: Debt cancellation products can be marketed as easy to cancel, but thats not always the case.

The CFPB found that a bank had a sales incentive plan that paid customer service representatives for a “save” when they kept a customer enrolled after attempting to cancel. Consumers were often unable to cancel unless they were willing to demand cancellation multiple times in succession.

Get it in writing: Before buying any credit card add-on products, review the terms, costs and benefits in writing. When asking for written information, make it clear that you don’t want to enroll in anything until you have the written information and decide you want the product.

Also avoid “trial periods” until you read the terms of the trial period in writing. Some trial periods allow the company to begin automatically charging you for the product at the end of the trial period, unless you call or write the company.

I hope you found this real estate information helpful. Please contact me for all your real estate needs today!

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In an age where the majority of our communication happens from behind a screen, our face-to-face interactions are often lacking. Below are several tips for having clearer communication.

1. Make eye contact. Direct eye contact can go a long way in having a clear conversation. Not only will it help you pick up on non-verbal cues, but it will show respect ” you’re not staring off into space.

2. Listen. Communication is often stalled when one (or more) parties involved simply awaits their turn to speak. This limits our attention and makes it nearly impossible to truly hear what the other person is saying. When someone is speaking, try hard to clear your mind and focus on what they’re saying, and how they’re saying it.

3. Write it out. While face-to-face communication is vital for all relationships, whether they’re personal or professional, when you’re in a heated or complicated situation, writing your thoughts down can be helpful. Whether you actually send what you’ve written to the person you need to communicate with or just use it as practice for what you will say when the time comes, getting your thoughts and feelings down on paper can be a useful tool.

Are you interested in learning about real estate? Feel free to contact me directly.

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Your investing style and tolerance for risk can help determine what type of stock mutual funds you invest in. The two main types of funds ” growth and value ” have different characteristics that can match your investing style.

Owning a mix of both funds is probably a smart move, but it can still be worthwhile to understand how each fund works. Here are some short explanations of growth vs. value funds:

Characteristics

Growth businesses are likely to reinvest profits, instead of paying out dividends to shareholders, as a way to grow. Growth stocks can be seen as expensive and overvalued.

Growth stocks tend to be newer companies with products that are expected to be in high demand in the future.

Value funds are stocks that are undervalued by the market, meaning their prices dont reflect their fundamental worth. They can trade at a lower price when compared to their fundamentals.

Value stocks can be undervalued for various reasons. An earnings report can have some bad news or a company may fall on hard times.

Measurements

Growth funds are expected to have faster than average growth in revenues, earnings or cash flow. They often have above-market price-to-earnings and price-to-sales ratios as higher sales and earnings justify higher valuations.

Value companies have lower-than-average sales and earnings growth rates, lower dividend yields, and lower price-to-earnings ratios.

Returns

Growth funds are expected to offer higher returns than the overall market when stock prices are rising overall, while underperforming the market when stock prices drop.

Value funds focus on perceived safety instead of growth, and often use their earnings to pay dividends. This allows value funds to provide more income than growth funds, though they can appreciate long-term if the market recognizes their true value.

Risk

Growth funds generally have a higher risk than value funds, and thus require a higher tolerance for risk, and a longer time horizon, than value funds. The increase of growth funds may not always be realized.

Value funds have the risk of possibly never realizing their intrinsic value. The market may have correctly priced such companies, preventing them from gaining in price.

Whichever investing style you choose, be sure to carefully study the companies you want to invest in and understand the fundamentals behind them before putting your money into them.

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The foundation provides support for your entire house, so keeping it level and in good condition is critical to the protection of the entire structure and the safety of your family. A foundation can become damaged by a variety of problems and natural occurrences. If you notice any of these warning signs, you should have your foundation inspected as soon as possible.

Cracks
The most glaring sign of a foundation problem is cracking in the foundation, walls or floors. This can be a result of movement in the soil that causes the house to sink. Even if a crack appears small, it can indicate that there is a serious problem. This should be addressed as soon as possible.

Settling or Heaving
You may notice that the house is settling or sinking on one side. This indicates a significant foundation problem that can result in safety issues. Ignoring even a small change will only allow the problem to get worse.

Sometimes the opposite happens and the foundation moves upward. You may notice that hallways, doors or garage walls are no longer level. This problem can be caused by expansion and contraction of the soil under the house or by moisture issues.

Moisture in the Crawl Space
You may notice excessive moisture, mold and mildew in your crawl space and may smell a musty odor inside the house. This problem can be addressed by improving the drainage system.

Problems Inside the House
The floors may sag or become uneven. This can be dangerous, especially for children and people with limited mobility, because it raises the risk of falls and injuries.

You may notice that the doors are difficult to open and close or do not line up properly. While this is common after a heavy rainstorm because of moisture in the air, if it happens during dry weather, it could be a sign of an issue with the foundation. You may see gaps around the window frames or exterior doors, or you may no longer be able to lock doors”this creates obvious safety concerns.

If you notice that your cabinets and counters are separating from the walls, that is a sign of a foundation problem. Even a small amount of movement can indicate that there is a serious issue.

Have Your Home Inspected
A foundation problem is something that needs to be taken seriously. Even something that seems like a minor change can be a sign of a significant structural issue. If you notice any of these signs, contact a local contractor immediately to have your house inspected. It’s necessary to correct foundation issues quickly to avoid further problems and prevent major structural damage.

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A poor credit score can affect people in many ways. It can make it difficult to get approved for a mortgage or other type of loan, and can lead to paying higher interest rates on those loans and on credit cards. It can also make it hard to get a cellphone contract or rent an apartment.

By paying off a high credit card balance, borrowers can improve their credit score and, over time, start to see lower interest rates offered to them.

Those with bad credit can pay $4,975 more in interest on their credit card debt than those with good credit, according to a report by Syracuse University.

One option for paying off a massive credit card debt is to get a personal loan from a lender. Keep in mind, personal loans are often expensive, so users may want to limit them to emergencies.

Personal loans come in two forms: secured and unsecured. A secured loan requires collateral that can be taken by the lender if you dont repay the loan, such as a home or a car. An unsecured loan doesnt require collateral, making it a higher risk for the lender and thus a higher interest rate for the borrower.

Applying for a personal loan usually requires information such as your employment history, monthly bills, pay stubs, tax returns for the last few years, a list of unsecured debts like credit cards, and a list of assets and how youre paying them off, among other things.

A lender will determine if you can afford payments for a personal loan. Having bad credit can make proving your repayment ability difficult, but this can be overcome by showing proof of payment history for other loans or assets. The same goes for showing youve paid your monthly bills on time. A steady job and living in the same home for a long time can also work in your favor.

The repayment term for a personal loan varies between 1 ” 5 years. Ask how much the monthly payment will be and how much interest youll be paying over the life of the loan. The lender will likely charge you fees, which can include origination, late, personal check and returned payment fees.

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