Category Archives: Homebuyer Incentives

Check Your Facts about Foreclosure with Equifax

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Equifax has many resources for homeowners facing foreclosure, which can help avoid nasty scams

Equifax has many resources for homeowners facing foreclosure, which can help avoid nasty scams

Mortgage foreclosure scams are up to nearly 60 percent this year and are still growing, according to the Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF), an independent national nonprofit which rescues homeowners from

foreclosures. However, not every program out there is a scam waiting to happen. Ilyce Glink, real estate expert for Equifax, shares a list of helpful, legitimate government programs designed to help homeowners avoid foreclosure in her post, ”

Avoid Foreclosure Scams with These Official Resources.”

Making Home Affordable (MHA) programs

HARP– The Home Affordable Refinance Program is intended for underwater mortgage homeowners who wish to refinance their home based on the current value and who are current on their payments.

HAMP– The Home Affordable Modification Program is designed for employed homeowners who are struggling to meet their mortgage payments. For eligibility, your mortgage payment must be more than 31 percent of monthly gross (pre-tax) income, and you must be a delinquent or in danger of falling behind mortgage payments.

UP- Apply for the Home Affordable Unemployment Program if you are unemployed. This will reduce your mortgage payments to 31 percent of you income or suspend them for 12 months.

PRA- Designed to help homeowners who do not own their loan, MHA’s Principal Reduction Alternative is for owners whose  homes are worth less than what they’re paying for.

The Making Home Affordable programs are just one set of programs designed to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. For more information on your credit, home insurance and

managing money, explore the Equifax Finance Blog.

Avoid the Ghost of Taxes Past by Filing on Time

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There are many benefits to filing taxes on time

There are many benefits to filing taxes on time

While we all want to keep as much of our own money as we can, deferring

taxes is a costly mistake. The cost of deferring payment is explored by Eva Rosenberg on the Equifax Personal Finance Blog in the article, “

Filing Taxes: Pitfalls of Procrastination.” The article is half tax tips and half horror stories of people suffering avoidable penalties when they could have easily prepared and scheduled time with a professional in the nine months of tax return filing season.

There is certainly a danger in the false sense of security you can get from always thinking you can get an extension. As time passes along, it is harder to recover your numbers from the previous year and often things get misplaced and then the extended filing date, usually October 15, sneaks up on you. If you miss that date, the penalties start adding up. One of the examples has a lazy tax filer faced with late-filing penalties as high as 25 percent for not getting around to digging up a single piece of information.

If you are paid on W-2s where the correct amount of withholding is removed, you should still be sure to file. Not only will this make sure you aren’t sent a bill by the

IRS, but by filing you also ensure you get your full refund. This is especially important to keep in mind because the IRS keeps your refund if you allow it to sit unclaimed for three years.

There are other horror stories about being lazy when it comes to taxes and how to avoid them in the full article on the

Equifax Personal Finance Blog. The blog also has tons of useful information when it comes to your money, from taxes to insurance and beyond.

A First Time Guide to Your Credit Report

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Equifax is happy to share with you what everything in your credit report means

Equifax is happy to share with you what everything in your credit report means

If you are new to borrowing or are trying to repair your credit, it is important to know your way around your annual

credit report. Diane Moogalian has some great information about how to decipher your credit report in her Equifax Finance Blog article, “

Building a Strong Credit Report from the Beginning.”

Regardless of which credit agency’s report you are looking over for the first time, the same categories are present in the reports of Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. These categories are identifying information, trade lines, inquiry information and public record information. Continue reading →

Free Trip to the Lake to Enjoy Outdoor Activities

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The Village at Reflection Lake Nantahala

Does the crisp, fall air make you want to get outdoors? The Village at Reflection Lake Nantahala, an exclusive lake and mountain view community, is offering a free day at the lake until September 30. So, grab your fishing poles and hiking boots and travel to Topton, North Carolina! Potential buyers will be treated to lunch at the famous Lakes End Diner, a $25 gas card, a pontoon boat tour of the lake, a tour of available lots and a chance to win a weekend at the lake in a cabin.

Plus, guests can also experience other outdoor activities that are perfect for fall. Put those fishing poles and hiking boots to good use! Lake Nantahala has inviting waters for boating and fishing. Additional activities near the lake include hiking, camping, rock and waterfall climbing, horseback riding and golfing.

The Village at Reflection Lake Nantahala features home sites priced from $94,900 to $129,900. There is no build-out requirement, so buyers can take their time planning their dream vacation homes. When completed, cabins will have incredible views of Lake Nantahala.

A standard cabin features 3,023 square feet of space with three bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths plus a loft. The kitchen includes granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, a double sink with disposal and a sliding cutting board over the trash bin. The great room includes a wood or gas burning fireplace, timber mantle and custom, stacked-stone surrounded with built-in bookcases. The master bedroom features a sliding door to a private, screened-in sleeping porch for open-air sleeping. In addition, the master bath includes a double vanity, tub, shower seat and walk-in closet.

Residents will enjoy the community’s gated entrance, protective covenants, underground utilities, shared water wells and a park, which provides a shared pavilion, fire pit, camp site and golf cart parking.

For more information or to schedule a day at the lake tour, call 866-218-8439 or visit www.lakenantahalareflection.com/thevillage.

Last Chance to Spend a Free Day at the Lake

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The Village at Reflection Lake Nantahala

Travel to the mountains in Topton, North Carolina and escape to the lake. The Village at Reflection Lake Nantahala is offering a Day at the Lake promotion. Hurry, you only have until the end of this month to enjoy:

-Lunch at the Lakes End Diner

-A $25 gas card

-A pontoon boat tour of the pristine Lake Nantahala

-A tour of available lake view lots

-And a chance to win a weekend at the lake this fall in a cabin that sleeps up to 14.

Besides receiving all of this, you can find your dream home! The Village at Reflection Lake Nantahala is a new exclusive lake and mountain view community. Home sites start from just $94,900. Standard cabins feature 3,023 square feet of space with three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a loft, gourmet kitchen, great room with wood or gas burning fireplace and a huge master bedroom.

Community amenities include a gated entrance, protective covenants, underground utilities, a shared pavilion, walking trails and lush green space. Plus, enjoy all of the recreational activities that the lake brings.

Reflection is a tranquil retreat that is easily accessible from Charlotte and Greenville. For more details or to schedule a day at the lake before the promotion ends, call 866-218-8439 or visit www.lakenantahalareflection.com/thevillage.