Credit

Are Chip-Enabled Credit Cards Really Safe?

EMV technology is just being introduced in the U.S., but the FBI wants to stress that consumers could still be susceptible to criminals. Chip-enabled cards do offer an edge over older cards, but there are still ways that criminals can

Borrowing Increases – But Barely – for U.S. Households in Q2

The New York Fed revealed on Thursday that the amount of borrowing increased for households nationwide in the second quarter of 2015 – but just barely. According to Bloomberg, “increases in auto loan debt and credit card balances offset a

Credit Requirements Loosening, Mortgages Becoming Easier to Obtain

Potential homebuyers are finally finding it easier to obtain a mortgage after years of needing to have nearly pristine credit. The initial crackdown came in the wake of the housing market crash, as lenders were hit with lawsuits and faced

Officials Agree: Credit Scoring System Needs Improvement

The National Association of Realtors hosted a meeting of real estate and mortgage industry experts recently and found that many in attendance were in favor of a complete overhaul of the current credit scoring system, arguing that it’s essential for

Report: Majority of Consumers Have Subprime Credit Scores

The Corporation for Enterprise Development released a new report on Thursday, which revealed that many Americans are still struggling to improve their credit, despite a growing job market and overall better economy. “In the world of consumer credit scoring, if

Alternate Lenders Gaining Steam Among Millennials

According to a new report by CNN Money, there is a current trend in the housing market toward alternate lending opportunities, especially as many individuals may not qualify for traditional loans. In the last week alone, two new companies –

Homeowners Earn $1.7 Trillion Equity Bonus

According to a new report by Zillow, homeowners in the United States earned a collective $1.7 trillion in additional equity in 2014. The gains came even despite the fact that home prices slowed down dramatically over the past year. The

U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Nabs Loan Companies for Fraud

Multiple loan companies were found to have engaged in illegal acts surrounding student loans and mortgages, the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced on Tuesday. According to MSNBC, “The CFPB found that some student loan servicers inflated minimum payments due, made illegal debt

Refinancing Remains Tough in Current Housing Market

Ben S. Bernanke, former chairman of the Federal Reserve, revealed that attempting to refinance a home loan continues to be so difficult in the current market that even he got turned down from a refi request recently. “I recently tried

Jumbo Mortgages Getting Cheaper and Easier

In recent months, it has become cheaper and easier for individuals to take out jumbo mortgages – loans of $417,000 or more (or $625,000-plus in more expensive markets). Whereas a 20% down payment and a 700 credit score used to

By clicking submit, I authorize Rate Fixers and its affiliated companies to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, (2) supplement the information that I provide with additional information lawfully obtained from other sources, like demographic data from public sources, interests inferred from web page views, or other data relevant to what might interest me, like past purchase or location data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email with offers for goods and services from any category at the email address provided, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here.