Securing a mortgage today requires careful consideration of all the figures associated with the transaction. The biggest figures most homebuyers pay attention to include loan amount, interest rate, closing costs and the one most benign to consumers, the annual percentage rate (APR for short), which is a disclosure item required in loan advertisements and loan… Read More

While most Americans likely know how important their credit score is to their finances, it seems that when it comes to basic knowledge of how they work or are used, many are also well behind where they should be. There is a general lack of understanding about credit scores among many American borrowers, and that could put them at… Read More

At Credit.com, our readers ask us questions every day on every kind of credit problem you can imagine.  While everyone has their own unique concerns, there are also many universal issues out there.  So we rounded up 11 of the more common questions asked and we answer them right here for you. 1. How can… Read More

If you have ever tried to get or refinance a mortgage, you may have felt like you were in a foreign language class: some of the words seem familiar but you aren’t sure you know exactly what they mean. PMI, APR, escrow, jumbo … and on and on. Here we decipher some of the most… Read More

When most people start shopping for a mortgage, the first thing they do is look for the lowest interest rate they can find. And that can get them into trouble. A low interest rate can save you money, obviously. But it’s only part of the story. If you’re not careful, you could easily end up… Read More

The message on the notice from her credit card company read, “We are pleased to tell you that we have lowered the following Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) on your account. Purchases: Prime + 11.74%, currently 14.99%V.” Immediately, my colleague who received the notice assumed her card issuer was trying to pull a fast one on… Read More

When it comes to credit, sometimes even the simplest notes we receive from credit card companies can seem confusing. One Credit.com reader experienced this confusion recently, right after she got approved for her new credit card. Her approval letter contained a puzzling message at the top. “So what does ‘Your APR will be Prime Plus… Read More

In recent months, lenders have begun hard pushes to attract both borrowers with low and high credit score by aggressively marketing cardsthat will fit their financial needs. Now, they’re once again pushing cards to those in the middle as well. The number of offers specifically targeted to affluent borrowers, mostly for high-quality rewards cards, or subprime consumers has risen considerably, but that also left a large portion… Read More

For consumers with good credit, now might be the best time ever to seek out new credit card accounts. After a period of relative stinginess with credit during the economic downturn, lenders are aggressively marketing all sorts of accounts to consumers. But this time around they’re going after those borrowers top-notch credit ratings, often extending… Read More

Mortgage rates are at historic lows. So is now a good time to refinance your home loan? It depends. Let’s consider two different couples, one for whom it’s a good idea, and one for whom it may not be. [Featured Products: Research and Compare Mortgage Rates at Credit.com] First off, it used to be that… Read More