Worst Things to Do Before Buying

The 5 Worst Things You Can Do Before Buying a Home

1. Go Credit Crazy- It is almost a cliché statement in the mortgage industry; but it is still worth repeating; do not go buy a truckload of furniture until after your loan closes. Avoid obtaining credit for any major expense like a car, boat, or yes even a new bedroom set. Be careful even with the minor expenses. Talk to your loan officer before making any purchases that could directly affect the closing of your transaction.
2. Shuffle Dollars and Cents- As a part of the Pre-approval process, lenders will scour your most recent bank statements. After that they do not just forget about you. They will take another look at bank records and assets in the underwriting process. You will have to explain any deposits or withdrawals.
3. Get Behind on Your Bills- Have a late payment hit your credit report before closing and it can devastate your deal. Payment history comprises about a third of your credit score. One late 30 day late payment can clip your credit score 60-110 points. That will make a major difference if your credit score is on the fence. Many lenders will require at least 12 consecutive months of on-time payments in order to qualify for a home loan. 
4. Co-Sign on a Loan- Co-signing a loan is arguably a bad financial move whenever you make it. But it is especially risky during the mortgage lending process. It means that you are financially liable for someone else’s debt. Lenders will still need to factor in the new monthly obligation into your overall affordability profile. 
5. Change Employment- Losing your job is going to be a big problem. Even job-hopping can present some major hurdles. Lenders are likely to slam on the brakes if you take in a new job in a different field or if you decide to start your own business. The bottom line is any change to your employment is significant. Keep your loan officer in the loop and ask questions when in doubt. 

The 7 Most Interesting Facts About The 2014 Winter Olympics

Here are the top 7 interesting facts you need to know entering the final week of the Olympics.

1. The United States is on pace for its worst winter Olympics since 1988.

US athletes are tied for the most medals with Netherlands, but this could be their worst medal count since 1988 where the USA ranked 9th. There's still plenty of time though to change their fortunes.

2. The Netherlands have as many medals in speed skating as every other nation has in all sports combined.

Dutch speed skaters have won 16 medals in the oval. That would be tied for first in the total medal count with United States and Russia.

3. The Dutch are doing this with a tiny delegation.

Every country has more than 6 medals in Sochi and has over 100 athletes at the Games. Russia, US, and Canada have 233, 230, 221 athletes and respectively The Netherlands have 41. That's quite the difference!

4. The Sochi Olympics will likely be the most global Winter Olympics ever.

There have been 26 different flags flown during medal ceremonies in Sochi, the same total during the entire 2006 and 2010 Winter Games, With 56 medal events down and 42 more to go it seems that Sochi will go down as the global games.

5. Germany leads in gold medals and could make a strange kind of history.

German athletes have won the most golds in Sochi but the country ranks 6th in the overall medal count. In the 90 year history of the Winter Olympics, no gold medal leader has ever finished worse than 3rd in the overall medal count.

6. Poland won as many gold medals on Saturday (2) as it had in every previous Winter Olympics combined. 

In addition to that fact, Poland has 4 golds from Sochi. From 1976 to 2006, Poland won 4 total medals at the Winter Games.

7. Russia needs a strong second week to make history.

Russia's 16 medals are tied for the second most with the United States and one behind the Netherlands' 17. No host nation has ever won the most medals at an Olympics since Norway in 1994. Canada was the last host nation to win the official medal count taking the crown with 14 golds.




Information brought to you by Usa Today

The Top Ten Cities of 2014

Whether it is the warm weather, job opportunities or the cheap cost of living; these are the top 10 cities Americans are moving to according to Penske Truck Rental's annual list for 2014

1. Atlanta, GA:  Even though it was hit hard by the rescission Atlanta has been in the #1 slot for the past 4 years. Home to Coca-Cola, Home Depot and a dozen other top 500 companies the job opportunities are endless. It is also cheap, about less than half the cost of Manhattan. 

Income: $66,300

Home Price: $166,000

Home Price Growth: 5.3%

2. Tampa, FL: Beaches, boating and baseball are among the top reasons people come to Tampa. It is home to several spring training camps for baseball and MacDill Air Force Base. 

Income: $56,800

Home Price: $129,000

Home Price Growth: 6.5%

3. Dallas, TX: Fast growing Dallas is the 9th biggest city in the country. It is home to many tech companies such as Texas Instruments and AT&T. It is being referred to as the "Silicon Prairie."

Income: $69,000

Home Price: $208,000

Home Price Growth: 4%

4. Orlando, FL: When the economy is strong and vacations are much needed, Orlando flourishes. Home to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and Sea World tourism jobs attract many newcomers. It is about 10% less cost wise than Miami which is more attractive to buyers. 

Income: $58,500

Home Price: $153,000

Home Price Growth: 2.9%

5. Phoenix, AZ: Phoenix was the hardest hit cities in the nation when the housing bubble burst. Not sun-seeking home buyers are scooping up homes at bargain basement prices. Among the top employers in the area are Wal-Mart, Intel, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America. 

Income: $62,200

Home Price: $187,000

Home Price Growth: 4.3%

6. Houston, TX: The oil and gas industry has kept Houston's economy humming. ExxonMobil is opening a facility next year that is expected to employ about 10,000 workers which will bring in a lot of home buyers. 

Income: $66,200

Home Price: $190,000

Home Price Growth: 3.9%

7. Seattle, WA: It may have plenty of gray, rainy days but is also has some great coffee, music, and most importantly jobs. Home to Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing, and Starbucks, Seattle has become an economic powerhouse attracting all types of workers. 

Income: $86,700

Home Price: $343,000

Home Price Growth: 5.2%

8. Chicago, IL: With parks, museums, and an active night life, the "Windy City: offers some of New York's vitality but at a much lower cost. People moving from Chicago to Manhattan will spend 25% less on groceries and 70% less on housing. 

Income: $73,400

Home Price: $210,000

Home Price Growth: 2.7%

9. Denver, CO: Outdoorsy Denver consistently ranks as one of the healthiest and most active places in the nation. With the Rocky Mountains, skiers, mountain bikers and hikers all flock to the "Mile High City." The economy is strong with unemployment falling to 5.8% which is well under the national rate. 

Income: $77,800

Home Price: $263,000

Home Price Growth:  2.7%

10. Las Vegas, NV: Gaming, tourism and conventions dominate Vegas's economy and for better or worse so does real-estate. Home to many hospitality workers, entertainers and retirees the city was the poster child of foreclosure crisis and is just now making a major comeback. 

Income: $63,100

Home Price: $175,000

Home Price Growth: 5.4%

Information brought to you by: CNN Money

Seahawks Superbowl Victory Parade!

Parade will begin at 11am Wednesday the 5th. It will start just south of the Seattle Center at Denny Way and continue down 4th Ave and finish at the entrance of Century Link Field. There will be limited parking and fans are encouraged to carpool and utilize public transportation. DRESS WARM!

GO HAWKS!!