Debt Consolidation Loans In Canada Debt Consolidation Loans In Canada

Find out more on Debt Consolidation Loans In Canada Now!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Finding The Right Credit Counselling Agency Is A Must

By Mr Bolden

Imagine over the years your debts have somehow piled up to an unmanageable level. And now amongst unpaid bills and dealing with angry creditors, you feel the only solution for you is to get some help to clean up the mess. That is all well and good, but where exactly do you go to find this help?

Now imagine this: tired of the growing debts and with no way out you decide to consult a 'professional'. You go to a credit counsellor and let that person try to help you out of your debts only to find that they have put you in more trouble than you already were in when you started.

Needless to say, over the years because of changes in lifestyles and spending habits, many individuals have found themselves in a situation where they are too deep in debt. Unfortunately, at the same time there has also been an increase in the number of abusive practitioners who pose as credit counsellors only to make the situation much worse than it was in the beginning.

The traditional credit counselling agencies were small and local services whose main function was to lend a hand to consumers with guidance and education about budgeting and how to manage their debts. Each case is studied individually and depending on the individual consumer's situation they will be directed towards debt management, or at the worst case, filing for bankruptcy.

However, there has been a shift in the nature of these small agencies. For a start, a lot of them are not small anymore. Nor are they local. The trend in credit counselling agencies finds organizations that operate at a national level and adopt aggressive marketing strategies to break through to the public. It is not unusual to see these credit counselling agencies selling their pitch by advertising through television, magazines, radio and the internet.

When going to a credit counselling agency keep in mind that most genuine agencies of this kind offer their services at a minimal fee. This fee that is charges is usually just enough to cover their expenses, thus they make the grade at a 'non profit' business. It might only be natural for consumers to drop their guards when they are met with the word 'non-profit'. But one has to be aware of the fact that not all these organization have your best interest in mind.

Experts suggest that people who are looking for assistance from credit counsellors should be cautious with the choices they make. It is important to understand the fee structure and look into the structure more deeply if they operate on the basis of percentages and commissions.

You should understand points such as who pays the commissions, you or the credit card company. Also be sure to check out if the agency gets a kickback from the credit card company from the outstanding amount when it repaid, since that is something that is likely to have an effect on the way the agency works with you.

About the Author:

Ideal Wisconsin Lake Home

By A. Kim

The State of Wisconsin has a total of 15,000 manmade and natural lakes within it. So if you are thinking of buying a Wisconsin Lake home as you will soon discover there are plenty to select from. So much so you may find yourself having problems deciding which one is right for you. However, the first decision you need to make is whether you want a lake home that is right in the heart of everything or one that allows you to get away from it all. In this article we take a look at some of the lakes where Wisconsin lake homes are available for purchase.

Lake Michigan - Is one of largest and around 12 million people inhabit the 1,600 miles of shore line. The properties here are among the most expensive and can be found in the cities of Milwaukee, Appleton and Green Bay. Wisconsin lake homes or cottages in these cities are sometimes sold in excess of $3 million.

Lake Winnebago - This is the largest freshwater lake in Wisconsin and is the third largest in the US. There are plenty of beautiful homes for sale around this lakes shorelines and the main cities are Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Neenah and Menasha. Although the prices of properties are much lower here than Lake Michigan the prices are still reaching well over $1 million.

Lake Pepin - This is one lake where some of the properties available for sale are relatively inexpensive. Not only is it one of the smallest covering just 40 square miles it isn't one of the deepest, where it reaches only a depth of 18 feet. It is a very quiet area and Wisconsin lake homes available for sale here cost as little as $80,000, although on average you can expect to pay around $300,000.

Lake Pentenwell - Although the second biggest of all the lakes to be found in the state of Wisconsin, covering a total of 24,000 acres properties here are relatively inexpensive. There are many small towns and villages located around its shoreline and prices of properties for sale here can be as much as $260,000.

Lake Chippewa - Is situated in Wisconsin Northwood's and covers a total area of 15,000 acres. The main location where properties can be purchased are at Hayward and on average the prices of properties here range for $300,000 to $1.5 million.

Big Green Lake - Although not the largest lake in the State of Wisconsin it is the deepest and in some parts goes down to 237 feet. The fishing here is pretty spectacular with a wide variety on offer and so the properties here are highly sought after making their prices pretty high. On average one can expect to pay between $700,000 and $2 million for Wisconsin lake homes here.

About the Author:

Selling Your Los Angeles CA Home

By A. Kim

The task of selling a home anywhere in the US and not just in Los Angeles, can prove a very daunting one. The whole process can become very frustrating and this is why people tend to employ the services of a realtor to do it for them, rather than trying to sell their Los Angeles, CA home themselves.

If you are going to using the services of a realtor when trying to sell your home the first thing you need to look at is how much they charge for their services. Some will offer all their services under a flat fee arrangement but there are plenty of others who earn their fees through charging a commission.

For those who use a realtor who charges a commission fee one needs to be aware that the fees they charge can differ from one realtor to another. But in most cases they tend to charge 5% and this fee is then divided up equally between the selling broker and the listing broker.

But just with any commission based business the level of service that you receive will widely differ. In most cases the more commission you are charged then a much higher level of service will be provided to you as the seller of the property.

As you look at the various adverts placed by realtors you need to read through it very carefully including the fine print. Although at the top it may say they charge 2.5% commission this is normally only the selling broker's fee, and as you look more closely you will see what the percentage is for the listing agent also.

Even though most realtors have a set commission rate you shouldn't be afraid to negotiate with them. Especially if you find that you don't need to actually employ all the services that they provide to their clients. These negotiations should be carried out before you actually sign any agreements with them.

Also it is a good idea to speak with several realtors prior to deciding which one to sign up to when trying to sell your Los Angeles, CA, home. Doing this you will then be able to determine not only which one will be more successful at selling your home for you, but who you will be happy to work with.

About the Author:

Credit Collections - Remove Bad Credit From Your Credit Report

By Justin Hutto

You must dispute a collection, to remove it from your credit report. This dispute needs to be filed with the credit bureaus.

You will have to create a dispute letter and send it to each credit bureau. In your letter you have to say what mark you are disputing and give a reason as to why that mark is inaccurate.

Then a copy of this letter must be sent to each credit bureau. When the bureaus receive your letter and deem it valid they will investigate the disputed mark.

It is common for investigations to result in the deletion of a mark. This is because most lenders and collection agencies are unwilling to spend the resources verifying uncollectible debts.

If your dispute is verified then having a credit repair service can be very beneficial. They can use advanced dispute techniques to remove a bad credit item. These techniques include; debt validation, escalated dispute information requests, and creditor direct intervention.

What is a collection?

A collection is a lenders last resort to collect on a delinquent account. Typically your account will go to collections after 6 months of delinquency.

Many lenders have an in house collection agency. In addition it is common for them to outsource their collection efforts or to outright sell your account to an agency.

Collection agencies will either buy your debt for a fraction of the balance or they will collect on a commission basis. Meaning they will be paid a percentage of every dollar collected.

An important tip to know is that if you get a collection on your credit report and just pay it, the negative mark will not be removed from your credit. Instead it will just change the status of the collection. The mark will remain and it will still be seen as a negative mark by potential lenders.

In sum you can remove collections and bad credit marks on your credit report. You do not have to wait 7 years for the mark to expire.

About the Author: