TWO FOR THE MONEY

TWO FOR THE MONEY by Al Thomas Look back over years and try to remember how many different stocks and mutual funds you have owned. Suppose you had owned only 2 different equities during that entire time. One when market was going up and other when market was going down. And you always make money in both directions probably doubling your money every 4 to 5 years. You don’t believe it. Follow along and I will prove YOU can do it. You are not going to buy any stock; you are not going to have any short positions. Both are too volatile and shorting is too dangerous. Furthermore, you are not going to change your position more than once or twice a year and there will be no commission paid. You will never have any big losses and you will have some huge winners. Forget about that myth of doing research; you never need it. There will be times you will have one position on for a couple of years. Am I getting your attention? You are going to buy hundreds of stocks that have their prices smoothed out so you can sleep at night. You buy them in mutual funds and funds you are buying do not have any commission charge at all. You may want to open an account with these fund families as they do not have brokers who try to talk you in or out of your buying or selling decisions. Of course, you can do this with a discount broker. I have no financial connection with these firms. One is Rydex Investments and second is DAL Corporation. Both are on Internet.

Home loans: what you should know !

Finding home loans can be a daunting task, whether you’re a first time home buyer or an existing homeowner. The good news is that there are more options than ever to help you find loan that’s right for you. Check Your Credit Report An important first step is to check your credit report, preferably several months before you intend to apply for a loan. You are entitled to one free copy of your report every 12 months so it’s easy to check it out. When you receive your report there are a few things that should garner your attention. First, check to see that information it contains is accurate. Does it incorrectly show late or missing payments? Does it show credit cards or other credit accounts that are incorrect? If you see anything that is not right then consult with credit reporting agency regarding their procedures for making corrections.

If My Credit Is Bad Can I Qualify For A Mortgage? Usually answer is yes, but loan process will likely be more involved and interest rate you’ll pay will be higher than if you have good credit. Look for lenders that specialize in loans for people with poor credit and learn more about programs they offer. Even though a mortgage will cost you more if you have bad credit, in long run it can help you repair your credit history if you make your payments faithfully.

What Kind Of Loans Are Available? Three basic types of loans are available to help you buy a home – fixed rate, adjustable rate and interest-only. A fixed rate loan comes with an interest rate that stays same throughout loan term, but an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) comes with an interest rate that may move up and down at various intervals. Your payments will usually be lower with an ARM (at least at start of loan) but over life of loan you run risk of your payments going up if interest rates rise.