So you've been curious about rent to own, but not sure if you are ready (or able) to move forward with the Strong Blocks Rent to Own Program? Well, you just might be closer than you think to making your home ownership goals a reality. If you are wondering what you should do next, here are some tips below to get you on your way.  Read More

Although, home ownership has many benefits and is one of the leading ways to build wealth and create strong neighborhoods, rental housing provides a crucial option for many that are not able to qualify for a mortgage or choose to rent for another reason. 

As a tenant, it is important to know your rights as a renter including your rights to your security deposit. So what should you know about your security deposit, how can you protect yourself, and how can you remedy a wrongfully taken security deposit? Read on...

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Buying a home will likely be the most expensive and important purchase you will make. But considering many Milwaukee renters are paying at least $100 more each month then they would likely pay to own and maintain a home; it is worth it to buy.  

To lesson the fear of making a mistake, in our last education post we talked about two major mistakes first-time homebuyer make and how to avoid them. We are back with three more mistakes to help you learn what not to do... 

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If you are like many Americans, you get excited around tax time to see that pretty chunk of change available at your fingertips. Face it, we could all use more cash, there never seems to be enough to go around. 

However, your tax refund is not free money. It is your hard earned income that the government has been collecting from your paycheck throughout the year to cover your tax burdens. If the taxes you owed is less than what the government has collected through the year, you'll be getting a tax refund. Since this is your money, lets talk about a few ways you can keep more of it for yourself...

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As a first time homebuyer, the process may seem daunting; but it doesn't have to be. There is a wealth of information at your fingertips these days with many trustworthy books and websites out there to walk you through the process, step by step. For example, HUD is a governement website with info, videos, and homebuyer programs to guide you through the process. 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy is also a good site for homebuyer advice and handy calculators - be advised there are quite a few ads.

There are many resources that you can help you on your path to homeownership. But doing all this research can give us information overlord, sometimes a what not to do list can help us more than anything.

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Attention to all those chasing that 850 FICO score... Length of Credit History is 15% of your score.  If you are trying to build your credit score...

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You long for the day of being able to own your home.  Whether it's a big backyard or just the peace of mind and not having to deal with a landlord, one obstacles you might face is saving for a down payment for your mortgage or the up-front cash needed to buy a rent to own home in Milwaukee. With a bit of help and hard work, you'll be able to build the savings you need to get into that home. 

I previously discussed determining the amount of money you will need to get into a home. But you may be wondering how you can build up enough savings to meet these requirements if you simply don't have the funds right now. Here are 5 great tips...

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Welcome to the forth edition of Credit Score Bootcamp. Last time we talked about the number one factor to repairing your credit score, this time we'll talk about the second biggest factor in your score: the amount you owe in debt.

Living within your means is easier said than done! If you give me a credit card with a $5,000 limit and I spend it, I assume I'm good as long as I pay the minimum due by the due date. Wrong Answer! 

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I've discussed the 5 things you should consider when preparing to buy a home in the past. But you may also be wondering how much cash you need available for your home purchase.  How much cash you will need up-front primarily depends on these three factors... 

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Last week, we dug into how to fix your credit score. This week we'll take a dive into payment history continuing to find ways to repair your credit.  The best way, in my opinion, to make your credit score go up is by focusing on your payment history. Payment history represents 35% of your score and its the biggest factor of the credit score.

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