Christmas Shopping in York County

Hard to believe that we are in the holiday season, but ready or not here it is. People are decorating their homes, putting up the Christmas tree and thinking about all the gift giving they plan to do. During this time of year shopping can quickly become a frustrating task, but make it fun and special to find the perfect gift for the people you are blessed to have in your life. As I start thinking about the shopping I will do I plan this year to try and stay away from the hectic pace of a big city and enjoy the many local shopping opportunities that our area has to offer. A couple of favorite places that will be part of my shopping destinations include the Millwood area, Baxter Village, Manchester, the Galleria and downtown Rock Hill. Great shops that are unique and quaint and offer selections galore include Monkeys and Mermaids, Paula Gillman and Company, Birds of a Feather, Chicos, Overhead Station, TJ Maxx, Books A Million, New South Interiors, Target, Belk and so many more. The new Wal Mart in Rock Hill is incredible and I love the layout so I am sure I will be making a trip or two for many items. Make the most of your shopping by sticking close to home and enjoying all the many shops that York County has to offer. Have fun and let the shopping begin!

Improve Your Credit

1. Review your current credit report for accuracy. Everyone is entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the three credit bureaus-Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Get a copy of your credit report and look at it for accuracy. First, make sure that the information in your file is about you and only you, not someone who has a similar name or a similar Social Security number. It is very common for your credit reports to have mistakes or incorrect information. At a minimum, make sure that the information you are being evaluated on is current and correct.

2. Repair credit report mistakes. If you find something on your credit report that is incorrect or missing, you should dispute the mistake by contacting the credit bureaus directly. All credit bureaus have their dispute procedures on their website. They are also required by law to investigate any disputed items and these investigations will usually be done within 30 days of your request.

3. Pay your bills on time. Sounds like a no-brainer, right? Payment history accounts for roughly 35% of your credit score. Paying bills on time is the most important thing to do. If you’re struggling to catch up, contact your creditors to work out a payment schedule.

4. Increase the length of your credit history. This accounts for about 15% of your score. Don’t cancel your old card or get a lot of new ones in a short time span because this can hurt your score.

5. Keep credit card balances low. It’s a good idea to keep the balances below 25% of your available credit. Even if you pay off your credit cards every month, a high average balance will impact your score. This accounts for about 30% of your credit score.

6. Keep new credit requests to a minimum. This accounts for 10% of your score. Every time a lender runs your credit, an inquiry is recorded. If you are trying to get a loan, don’t apply for new credit cards first.

7. Be aware that paying off a collection account will not remove it from your credit report. It will stay on your report for seven years.

8. Pay off debt rather than moving it around. The most effective way to improve your credit score in this area is by paying down your revolving credit. In fact, owing the same amount but having fewer open accounts may lower your score.

9. Beware credit-repair scams. By all means, don’t pay someone to wipe away the negative items in your file. If they don’t follow through, the damaging items will reappear in two or three months.

Know your homes market value

In today's economy it is important to know the market value of your home and this is a question we get almost every week. Many of us would like to believe that we know what our home is "worth" and many potential sellers know what they want to sell their home for, but in most cases the perception of what a home is worth to the seller is not reality with today's market. Investing in real estate is still a solid long term investment strategy, however, owners need accurate and reliable information at their fingertips to really understand and weather today's market conditions. There are a number of outstanding websites that are free to people to go and receive this type of information. Information truly is power so utilize these tools that are right at your fingertips. If you have questions with any of this information or you are having trouble accessing these websites please give us a call and let us help you better understand the value of your home and the value of homes on the market or feel free to use our free link below.
Free Home Value Market Research

Hvae you considered refinancing?

With the interest rates of late being so low we had been discussing refinancing our home. After doing some checking and getting various quotes on interest rates we decided this was something we needed to explore. After finding one of the lowest rates around we worked with a lender to get a good faith estimate and much to our surprise we decided that refinancing would save us a tremendous amount of money each month and over the course of the loan. Refinancing may not be an option for everyone, but it certainly is something that everyone should consider. There are a lot of first time home buyers feverishly trying to take advantage of the $8000 tax credit that will soon end so we are seeing financial institutions offering some awesome rates to another group of folks who are looking to refinance. Even if you refinanced just 2 years ago a couple of phone calls may be worth several hundreds of dollars in savings per month. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain so check it out today and see if refinancing is right for you!

Downsizing for Active Adults

Today we are seeing more and more people looking to downsize at earlier ages. Used to be when people wanted to downsize it was in preparation for retirement. Not the case any more. Today many people are starting out in larger size homes and once the kids leave the nest people are looking to move to smaller homes and enjoy another phase of their lives. The downsizing is also having an effect of folks that want to spend more time enjoying leisurely activities and less time on maintenance and upkeep of a home. Wonderful options are available on the market for people looking to downsize and whether you are looking for a smaller home or a community with smaller homes and active lifestyles there are so many options to meet every need. We would love to meet with you and learn what your downsizing wish list includes and we know we can find the perfect scenario for you. Give The Guilliams Team a call today and let us show you how downsizing is often the best rightsizing option.

Understanding your credit scores

Life events can effect our credit drastically. We run into people everyday who had great credit at one time but now they find themselves in a situation where they cannot qualify for a home loan.
It does not take very long and a great credit score can go down quite quickly. Sometimes it is a job lay off (there are almost 7 million Americans drawing unemployment checks right now), an accident or an illness. These things many times come upon us without warning.
Many times people find themselves unprepared for these emegencies. The bills keep coming due every month and the income has been drastically reduced. Before long they start to fall behind and new lates begin to show up on their credit reports. We have seen one new late drop a credit score 100 ponts while the average is probably more like 30 to 40 points. The rest of the bad news is that it will effect their credit scores for at least two years.
Whether unexpected life events have lowered your scores or just bad past credit decisions there is a way back to healthy scores again. There are certain prinicipals, if followed, that will cause your scores to climb fairly rapidly. You can rebuild your credit file so that it will be healthy, assuring you of a much better interest rate.
If you would like to know how you can improve your current credit situation contact us at The Guilliams Team or at Credit Restoration Advice.

Getting your home ready to market

When getting your house ready to sale and in order to get top dollar there are a few key suggestions to keep in mind. Potential buyers should come in and be WOWED at all the details you have taken care in preparation of showing your home. Below is a list of some of the basics, but for more help and suggestions on how to make your home stand out in the marketplace to potential buyers your best bet is to consult with a realtor. We are here to help give you expert advice and recommendations so give us a call today.
1. Make sure to clean all countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms.
2. Clean ceiling fans.
3. Replace any light bulbs that are not in working order.
4. Declutter cabinets and closets.
5. If there are any obvious items that are in need of repair fix them.
6. Complete any home projects that you have started. Buyers don't want to come in and have to finish what you started.
7. Make sure your house in clean and in order.
8. Don't leave any dirty laundry in the floor.