How to Hire a Reputable Moving Company

You've bought a new home and moving day is here! The truck arrives and the movers begin unloading your boxes and furniture when you realize...some items are missing. And then you notice a grease stain on your favorite chair and your grandmother's mirror is shattered. Suddenly, your dream home is filled with the nightmares associated with an unreliable moving company.

If you are planning on moving this year - the best advice we can give you is to follow these 4 key ways to ensure your experience is a happy one.

1. Start by Doing Some Research

As with any service industry, there are companies that excel at what they do and others that do the bare minimum to get by. There are also companies that stoop to scamming their customers. The most effective way to find the kind of moving company that will treat your belongings with care and respect is to educate yourself. Go online and look at several moving companies. If you find a company that you like but have questions - pick up the phone and call. Make sure you get all of your questions answered before you schedule or make a payment.

• Is their website professional? Does it answer your top questions?
• Do they ask for a deposit or full payment up front? (beware of companies that want to be paid in full before the service is completed)
• Are they clear about what their service includes? What will you need to do/provide?
• Do they display their credentials? Ask for the registration number with the U.S. Department of Transportation
• Is the crew made up of employees or sub-contractors? Do they do background checks?

Spotlight on the Kansas City Office

The Midwest Equity Mortgage - Kansas City office serves the Kansas and Missouri areas. We are available for appointments in office, over the telephone, or in your home or place of business.

Steven Klodzin, Branch Manager – Kansas City

Steven Klodzin

Steven began his career in the mortgage industry in 2005 and has a vast amount of knowledge and experience in several aspects of the mortgage process. During the past decade he spent several years as Vice President for a successful mortgage company and was heavily involved in operations as well as originating loans. Steven’s experience is a key asset to his clients when it comes to getting their loans closed quickly and efficiently. Steve and his wife Jaclyn reside in Lees Summit, MO.

Steven Klodzin oversees all daily operations of our Overland Park office. Steve has extensive mortgage banking experience and has originated hundreds of loans himself. Should you have any questions about your loan application which cannot be answered by your loan officer, or want contact Steve direct for anything, he is available anytime. Steve can be contacted at 913-214-9701.

Meet Our Mortgage Professionals (Click their name to learn more)

[NEWS] Freddie & Fannie to Offer Mortgages Requiring Only 3% Down Payment

CNN Money recently reported that the "3% down payment mortgage" is making a comeback!

"In an effort to open up lending to more low-income and first time home buyers, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced Monday that they will start backing mortgages with down payments of as little as 3% of the home's price." (Source CNNMoney)

Before you get too excited - it's important to realize that borrowers will need to meet strict guidelines to qualify.

How to Repair Your Credit Score

Fact: Poor credit history and a bad credit score can have a serious impact of your life.
No one wants bad credit. Sometimes mistakes happen. Sometimes factors like medical bills, job loss and tragedy influence our financial profile in ways we never could have predicted. Bad credit can happen to anyone.

But now what? If you’re wondering how to repair your credit score, you are not alone. The widespread decline in credit scores has been one of the side effects of the recession but this doesn’t mean that you can’t pro-actively take the steps to start repairing your credit.

Factors that Damage Credit

First let’s clarify what can lower your credit score and damage your credit profile.

• Excessive Debt: If your credit cards are maxed and you have several loans, your debt profile is probably contributing to your low score
• Late Payments: The credit bureaus note any 30, 60, 90 & 120 day payment lates. It is essential that you pay your bills on time.
• Dormant Credit: A dormant credit card is an account that has infrequent or no use. In some cases, if an account has no activity for a period of time, issuers may close the account which revokes future charging privileges. Dormant accounts may not have additional debt but they also don’t help your credit score.
• Collections: If you fail to make a payment or pay off your account – the creditor may send your account to collections. This severely affects your score. Make sure to work closely with your mortgage or credit professional regarding paying off collections. Note: Collections on federal loans such as student loans will prevent you from getting financing from most (if not all) lenders.