Seminar Offered To Would-Be Home Buyers
Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Spokane will hold its popular semi-annual workshop on “Home Buying in Today’s Market” Wednesday in its offices at N1912 Division.
The class will be led by Gary Wisben, an instructor for the Washington and Idaho associations of Realtors. He has also been a real estate broker, loan officer, and real estate services manager for the Spokane Credit Bureau.
Among the topics he will cover are what buyers should expect from a Realtor, types of loans and how to qualify, and how much money buyers need.
First-time and experienced buyers are welcome.
The cost is $20 per person, but spouses are free. The class starts at 6:30 p.m.
Call 327-3777 or 1-800-892-6854 to pre-register.
Bulletin for older investors
The Washington Department of Financial Institutions has issued an “Older Investor’s Bulletin” in conjunction with the American Association of Retired Persons and Consumer Federation of America.
More than 450,000 Washington senior citizens get 25 percent or more of their income from investments, the department notes.
The bulletin cautions against commissioned salespeople posing as impartial advisers, and poor disclosure materials and statements that do not make clear fees and commissions.
Senior citizens used to placing confidence in their banks should be aware many sell uninsured products such as mutual funds, according to the department.
Also, some “safe” funds may include derivative financial instruments that can increase risk if not used properly.
The bulletin advises seniors to define their own needs and objectives, then check out the professionals they are working with and the investments they are selling.
Finally, it says, monitor your accounts to assure there is nothing amiss.
To get a copy of the bulletin, call Deborah Bortner at 1-360-902-8760 or 1-800-FRAUD03 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Don’t over-withhold
The April 4 issue of Family Circle offers several tidbits of household financial advice.
Marc Eisenson and Nancy Castleman, publishers of “The Banker’s Secret Bulletin,” noted that if you are getting a refund on your federal income taxes, you have in effect lend the government money interest-free. Instead of a $1,012 refund, for example, you could be getting another $84 in monthly income.
Also, for vegetable buyers, they say prepackaged produce may weigh more than claimed on labels, with potential savings of 20 percent.
“Cheapskate Monthly” publishers Mary and Harold Hunt watch their thermostat, asserting that each degree lower trims heating bills 2 percent.
They also travel with an empty trunk to reduce driving costs, and use fluorescent lights where possible.
Omens bad for market
These days, savvy investors may not want to focus solely on individual stocks. The entire stock market is looking increasingly shaky, says Stephen Leeb, editor of Personal Finance.
Leeb sees two omens for bad news straight ahead - increasing volatility and wide divergence among different indexes.
“While the Dow fiddles around 4,000, many other market averages are getting burned,” Leeb says. “That increases the likelihood that there will be a brief but scary decline in stocks within the next month or two.”