After you’ve completed all the steps in Part I of the Buying Your First House series, it’s time to hit the streets!  At this point, you should have your credit reports and scores, your maximum monthly payment for a mortgage, and your pre-approval letter from a bank which outlines the maximum you are able to finance.

In most markets, realtor services for the buyer are free, so take advantage of it; their commission comes from the seller.  You are going to want to be honest with your realtor but definitely need someone you can trust.  Ask your family, friends, and co-workers for an agent they trust.

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Buying your first home is probably the most stressful thing you’ll ever have to do.  I am finding I am constantly going back and forth re-tweaking numbers; I wish someone made a list of things to do before even talking to a realtor!  Hopefully you can benefit from this series of articles on how to buy your first home.

Our goal at the end of Part I is to have three numbers:  your credit scores, the maximum monthly mortgage payment you are comfortable with, and a pre-approval letter that has your maximum that is allowed to be financed.

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To everyone baffled by the tons of commercials with singing pirates and catchy jingles, consider this post a public service announcement regarding your credit report.

You are entitled to a one (1) free copy of your Credit Report from each credit reporting agency ANNUALLY by law (1 credit report from each credit reporting agency = 3 reports). The ONLY website authorized to do this is  https://www.annualcreditreport.com.  Everything else is a scam!

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It was a dark and stormy night, a sharp ringing arises from your phone.  You pick up the phone quizzically.  You don’t recognize the number. Who could be calling at this hour?  It has to be an emergency!  Cautiously, you press the “Connect” button and lift the phone to your ear.  Before you can muster out a groggy and raspy “Hello” an automated female voice comes on the line warning you that your factory warranty on your car is expiring!  /cue ominous music/

If this situation seems eerily familiar, you are one of millions of people currently being targeted by the latest identity theft scam.

If you thought you were protected by the Do Not Call list, think again.  There is a tiny exception which you may not be aware of; if you initiate a call to the company, the company may call you for up to 18 months.  “I never did that!” you say.  When you received a call and missed it, did you instinctively call it back?

This is assuming that the company even follows the Do Not Call list, if they don’t, it’s illegal, but you have to file a complaint to the FCC.  Note the date and time, and number from which they called you.

For the daring, before you give them any of your information (as if you would), tell them you are legally obligated to let them know this call is being recorded and ask them a few questions.  Ask them their name, their company, and their company’s address.  Make sure you save this information for when you file a complaint to the FCC.

The most important thing to remember here is do not give out your personal or financial information to people on the phone.  For the dummies, this includes any Infomercial you see on TV.  Companies in the past were notorious for selling this information to every bidder since you were silly enough to buy something on TV without doing any research on the product or the selling company.  If you are easily glamoured into buying something because some fast-talking good-looking person said so, you are flagged as a sucker and other companies want their shot at selling you something.

A panda takes the place of the iconic yellow man in Google Street View

I was expecting something a little less subtle from Google, but I was pleasantly surprised this morning when I noticed a black and white character noting my location in Google Street View.

Visitors are greeted with a cute black and white icon of a panda instead of their normal yellow man.