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Financing
Probably no aspect of the home-buying process is as important as the
mortgage financing. Although you are bombarded with TV commercials,
print campaigns, and on-line advertising, you will probably be
best-served by using a reputable, local loan officer who has good
credentials, and is very familiar with local markets, appraisal
guidelines, and customary practices.
Also, try to deal with a lender who is a known entity. Unfortunately,
because of the ease in getting a “loan officer” license (only 30 hours
of classroom time), many people have entered the mortgage business with
little or no experience and have no idea what they are doing.
Why would you entrust one of the largest financial transactions of your life to
someone you don't know and who has little or no experience,
knowledge, or clout?
Fortunately, there are many good, experienced, local mortgage
professionals who will do a good job. Many are with well-known mortgage
companies, such as Countrywide Home Loans, Network Funding, Chase and
others.
Although you are free to use whomever you prefer, we feel obligated to
give you some experienced, honest and competitive choices to contact. We
have dealt with these mortgage professionals and are happy to recommend
them.
1. Network Funding
Alan Bailey (15 years experience)
Office -- 281-895-9960
Cell -- 713-444-0544
abailey@NetworkFundingUSA.com |
2. Countrywide Home Loans
Mireya Salazar (10 years experience)
Office -- 713-934-4908
Cell -- 713-459-4614
Mireya_salazar@countrywide.com
Bi-lingual – English and Spanish |
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Fighting Identity Theft
Identity theft is when a thief uses your personal information to
steal from your accounts, open accounts in your name, or borrow on your
credit.
TO HELP PREVENT
IDENTITY THEFT: |
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IF YOUR IDENTITY OR WALLET IS STOLEN |
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Keep all your credit cards toll free numbers handy, so you can call
immediately to cancel.
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File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit
cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were
diligent, and this is the first step toward an investigation (if there
is one).
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MOST IMPORTANTLY! Call the three national credit reporting
organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and
social security number. The alert means that any company that checks
your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to
contact you by phone to authorize new credit.
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CREDIT REPORTING AGENCIES
CONTACT INFORMATION |
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Equifax:
1-800-525-6285
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Experian ( formerly TRW):
1-888-397-3742
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TransUnion:
1-800-680-7289
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Social Security Administration:
1-800-772-1213 or 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338)
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www.Equifax.com: If you’re
interested in credit issues, this is one of the best sites to surf.
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www.Experian.com: Another great
credit site, and, like Equifax, one of the three major credit
reporting agencies.
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www.Transunion.com: The third
major credit reporting site with lots of info.
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www.HUD.gov: A fantastic site that gives tons of
information on government housing programs as well as rules and
regulations which protect consumers.
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www.FTC.gov: Another wonderful site with a huge amount
of information to guide and protect consumers, as well as warnings
about keeping yourself from being ripped off.
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Don’t give your social
security number or other personal information- over the phone, by
mail, in person, or online- unless you know exactly what it’s for.
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Don’t carry your social
security card.
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Tear up or shred all credit
card receipts, insurance forms, bank statements, expired credit cards,
and any other documents with personal information.
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Put mail only in U.S.
Postal Service boxes.
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Carry no more than two
credit cards.
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Activate new credit cards
immediately.
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Memorize PINs and
passwords.
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Check all financial
statements, bills, and records as soon as you get them.
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When ordering checks, have
only your initials (instead of first name) and last name put on them.
If someone takes your checkbook, they will not know if you sign your
checks with just your initials or your first name, but your bank will
know how you sign your checks.
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Do not sign the back of
your credit cards. Instead, put “PHOTO ID REQUIRED”
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When writing checks to pay
on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number
on the “for” line. Instead, put just the last four numbers. The credit
card company knows the rest of the number.
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Put your work phone number
on your checks instead of your home number. If you have a PO Box, use
that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box, use
your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks.
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Photocopy the contents of
your wallet. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will
know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and
phone numbers to call and cancel.
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Carry a photocopy of your
passport when traveling either here or abroad.
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When checking into a hotel
that uses cards for keys, do not turn them in! Take them with you and
destroy them. Those cards have on them all the information you gave
the hotel, including address and credit card numbers and expiration
dates.
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You will occasionally
receive e-mails purporting to be from your financial institution
(bank, etc.), or a credit card company, telling you they are doing
this or that, and it requires you to update records or change codes,
etc. These are almost always what are known as “phishing” practices on
the internet. They are fraudulent attempts to get you to give out
personal information so they can steal your credit. Never respond
to these e-mails! Do not open them, no matter how official they look!
Delete them immediately! Some are extremely clever - delete them!
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