| Do you live in the beautiful state of New Jersey? | | | | FICO credit scores are the most widely used by |
| Whether you live in Northern, | | | | lenders. Scores range from 300to 850, and the |
| Camden, Ocean City, Atlantic City, Allentown, | | | | median FICO credit score in the U.S. today is 723. |
| Bethlehem, Easton, Vineland, | | | | FICO scores are based on five factors: |
| Millville, Bridgeton, Trenton, Ewing or any other area in | | | | • 35% - your payment history |
| New Jersey you knowabout the current climate of | | | | • 30% - how much you owe at this time |
| declining property values, higher interest rates,and | | | | • 15% - the length of your credit history |
| changes in available mortgage products, and more | | | | • 10% - the amount of new credit |
| and more homeowners arebecoming delinquent or | | | | • 10% - the mix of credit |
| going into foreclosure. Many folks are losing their | | | | Tips to maximize credit score |
| hat,their home and their good credit, through no fault | | | | Pay your bills on time each month. Pay down your |
| of their own. | | | | credit so that you don't owemore than 30 percent of |
| If you are inthe market for a new or used car but | | | | the credit limit, and have a "healthy" mix of credit. |
| need to get solid information aboutbad credit auto | | | | Acombination of acar loanfinancing, student loan and |
| loan in New | | | | one credit card are much better than five creditcards |
| Jersey here are some tips that can help you. | | | | and no loans. • Allow at least six months |
| Let Lenders Compete for Your Business Online | | | | before you see a difference inyour credit score. |
| If you decide to look online for a loan, you will find | | | | However, disputing something on the report will |
| that there are siteswhere you can apply for a loan | | | | immediatelyremove it (and its impact on your score) |
| and have lenders compete for your business. Youonly | | | | for 30 days while the dispute isresolved. |
| have to fill out one application and hundreds of | | | | Find out about the 10 most search cars and their |
| lenders will evaluate yourloan and give you an idea of | | | | benefits |
| the rates and terms you qualify for. To help youland | | | | 1. Toyota Prius |
| favorable terms, shop around online and get | | | | 2. Honda Civic |
| pre-approved for a loan first. | | | | 3. Honda Accord |
| Then, see if the model you want comes with any | | | | 4. Toyota Corolla |
| incentives, such as 0% financing. | | | | 5. Toyota Camry |
| It is difficult for a bank to beat that. | | | | 6. Honda Civic Hybrid |
| A great example is the Web site which works with a | | | | 7. Toyota Yaris |
| nationwide network offinance companies and dealers | | | | 8. Nissan Altima |
| to offer a free service focused on helpingconsumers | | | | 9. Ford Mustang |
| with special financing needs. The advantage to turning | | | | 10. Honda Fit |
| to a site like for help is that consumers who | | | | Visit or Kelley Blue Book's site to find out which |
| havealready been turned down by dealers or banks | | | | modelscome with the biggest discounts in your area. |
| in the New Jersey area have a newopportunity to | | | | For luxury brands, the best dealsare usually tucked |
| find the right lender or dealer online from the comfort | | | | into leases, and if you're willing to compromise on |
| of theirhome. This is a no hassle way to prevent | | | | bodystyle you can save a few extra bucks, too. |
| buyers remorse and the hustle of a carsalesman | | | | BMW's 328xi wagon isn't as popular asits X3 |
| Improving Your Credit Score | | | | crossover, though they're basically the same vehicle. |