County giving zero interest home improvement loans

Community Development Director Richard Mayfield has announced that this year's Orange County Community Development grants will be passed on to area homeowners and will enable them to make a wide range of home improvements.

Projects will be eligible for up to $20,000 loans, at 0 percent interest, for renovations that may include barrier removal for the physically disabled, heating systems, structural repairs, weatherization, and other non-specified general repairs.

Any families interested in participating in this program should apply for pre-screening by calling 845-615-3811 or 845-615-3815.

In order to be eligible, a family must qualify according the following income limits

Family Size Of:
1- $45,000

2- $51,000
3- $58,000

4- $64,400
5- $69,600

6- $74,750
7- $79,900
8- $85,050

While individuals/families may apply through the above contacts, county officials will also be meeting with local authorities to identify suitable recipients.
Click HERE for more details!

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Warning! A Must Read For You! Better Business Bureau Names Top Scams of 2012 1/10/13

Better Business Bureau
Press Release
January 10, 2013

PERMIAN BASIN, Texas - Better Business Bureau investigates thousands of scams every year. This year’s “top ten scams” list was culled from a variety of sources, including consumers, federal agencies and other reliable information sources.

Here are BBB’s Top Ten Scams of 2012:

Top Overpayment/Fake Check Scam: Car Ads
Top Emergency Scam: Grandparent Scam
Top Employment Scam: Mystery Shopping
Top Advance Fee/Prepayment Scam: Nonexistent Loans
Top Phishing Scam: President Obama Will Pay Your Utility Bills
Top Sweepstakes/Lottery Scam: Jamaican Phone Lottery
Top Identity Theft Scam: Fake Facebook Tweets
Top Home Improvement Scam: Sandy “Storm Chasers”
Top Sales/Rental Scam: Real Stars, Fake Goods
Scam of the Year: Newtown Charity Scams

Additional scam details:

Top Overpayment/Fake Check Scam: Car Ads
A well-known company is offering $400+ per week to anyone willing to drive around with the company’s logo on their car. They send you a check to deposit and then direct you to wire part of the payment to the graphic designer who will customize the ad for your vehicle. A week later, the check bounces, the graphic designer is nowhere to be found, and you are out the money you wired.

Top Emergency Scam: Grandparent Scam
The “Grandparent Scam” has been around a while, but is still so prevalent it’s worth mentioning again. A grandparent receives a call from a grandchild/niece/nephew/friend who is traveling abroad and gets into a bad situation where he or she needs money right away. Easy rule of thumb – before you wire money in an emergency, check with the supposed victim or other family members to verify the information.

Top Employment Scam: Mystery Shopping
Many secret shopping job offers are nothing more than a variation of the overpayment/fake check scam (above).

The Mystery Shopping Providers Association says it’s not the practice of its members to pre-pay shoppers, but if you have your heart set on this type of job, you can find a legitimate gig through its website at www.mysteryshop.org.

Top Advance Fee/Prepayment Scam: Nonexistent Loans
Most of these scams are advertised online and promise things like “no credit check” or “easy repayment terms.” The hook: you have to make the first payment upfront, you have to buy an “insurance policy,” or there is some other kind of fee that you have to pay up-front to secure the (nonexistent) loan. In 2012, a new, aggressive twist was used: consumers reported being threatened with lawsuits and law enforcement action if they didn’t pay back loans they claim didn’t belong to them in the first place. Some got calls at their workplace, even to relatives. The threats of legal action caused some victims to pay even when they knew they didn’t owe the money.

Top Phishing Scam: President Obama Will Pay Your Utility Bills
Of all the politically-related scams, this one seemed to be the most prevalent. At the peak of summer with utility costs soaring, consumers got emails, letters and even door-to-door solicitations about a “new government program” that will pay their utility bills. Victims “registered” with an official-looking website and provided everything scammers needed for identity theft purposes, including bank account information.

Top Sweepstakes/Lottery Scam: Jamaican Phone Lottery
This is an old one that flared up again. In this one, the calls come from Jamaica (area code 876), but the person claims to represent BBB (or FBI, or other trusted group). The caller claims you’ve won a prize (typical haul: $2 million and a Mercedes Benz) but you have to pay a fee in order to collect your winnings. There are lots of variations on this; sometimes it’s a government grant. If this happens to you, hang up and then file a phone fraud report with the appropriate government agency

Top Identity Theft Scam: Fake Facebook Tweets
You get a Direct Message from a friend on Twitter with something about a video of you on Facebook (“ROFL they was taping you” or “What RU doing in this FB vid?” are typical tweets). In a panic, you click on the link to see what the embarrassing video could possibly be, and you get an error message that says you need to update Flash or other video player. But the file isn’t a new version of Flash; it’s a virus or malware that can steal confidential information from your computer or smart phone. Twitter recommends reporting such spam, resetting your password and revoking connections to third-party application.

Top Home Improvement Scam: Sandy “Storm Chasers”
BBB spends a lot of time investigating and reporting on home improvement scams, but this year we saw an unusual amount of “storm chaser” activity following Super Storm Sandy. Some were legitimate contractors who came from other areas for the volume of work available. Others were unlicensed, uninsured and ill-prepared for the work, and some were out-and-out scam artists who took the money and never did the work. In an emergency, it’s tempting to skip reference checking, but that’s never a good idea. Next time you need home repairs, find a contractor at www.bbb.org/search.

Top Sales/Rental Scam: Real Stars, Fake Goods
Sports memorabilia and phony tickets always make the list of top counterfeit goods. Some scammers sell cheap knock-offs in front of stadiums, while others set up websites and steal your money. Buy directly from team stores and websites, or from legitimate retailers. Remember, if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Scam of the Year: Newtown Charity Scams
Within hours of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Newtown, CT, social media pages began cropping up dedicated to the child victims. Some of these pages were fake and attempting to solicit money from those looking to support the actual victims’ families. In response to these reports, BBB Wise Giving Alliance offered tips for donors to understand how and when to best support those dealing with such a tragic crisis.
source

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Green Deal, a Great Home Improvement Deal For You

If you are in UK and want  to know if you can readily take advantage of  improved housing deals, then you may want to consider the Green Deal. This is sure a scheme aimed at providing and improving energy efficiency housing for all.  This is more particular in the area of home improvement. Take a look at more details concerning this deal initiated by  the government:

The Green Deal, proposed by the Government, aims to improve energy efficiency of the UK’s building stock, reducing carbon emissions and supporting the UK’s 2050 emission reduction target. The scheme involves a whole house approach to energy efficiency improvements and the improvements made are paid back through the household energy bills, rather than a home improvement loan. The scheme is not only providing energy savings measures to homes and businesses across the UK, but it is also hoped that the scheme will generate new job opportunities for both the skilled and unskilled labour force. DECC (The Department of Energy and Climate Change) estimates that The Green Deal will create around about 60,000 new jobs, largely within the Assessor and Installer industries, but with a surge predicted in products associated with the scheme e.g. condensing boilers or double glazing units, job creation in manufacturing and trade merchants are also predicted. The Green Deal scheme covers a number of home improvement areas (or measures as they are referred to). The current list of 44 measures included within the scheme is listedhere. Products and materials will be required across all of these measures. Each measure will be required to meet minimum safety standards with only products approved for the scheme being used in improvement work. More information is expected prior to launch about the approved product list, with the British Standards Institution (BSI) developing product certification and offering Green Deal awareness training. To sign up for more information regarding accredited products visit the BSI webpage. How to get involved:For both installers and merchants, here’s the Green Deal Hub’s guide to how to prepare for the launch:

• Forge relationships with all of the providers. DECC have announced 22 official Green Deal providers, with more to be added, the current list of Providers can be found here.
• Many businesses are undertaking Assessor training in order to pick up leads for further work and products required (please note that all work completed under the scheme can only be undertaken by qualified and accredited Green Deal Installers).
• Merchants can helpfully aid the setting up of local Green Deal installer teams. Due to the schemes “whole house” approach, it’s vital that installers (ora group of Installers) can carry out all the work required to meet the delivery of a successfully installed Green Deal report.
• Visit The Green Deal Hub for more information about the Green Deal and how it can affect you, signing up to their regular newsletter, with more information on timings of the scheme, training required and to join a wider network of installers and product providers. Source

so,what do you think?  Why not take the  plunge now for a better home in the UK.

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You Should Know More about Personal Loans

There are lots of things you sure would want to know about personal loans.  These are loans that individuals can avail to sort out there personal problems. From the minutest expenses to gigantic projects, you can avail this  loan. The following is a recent online post you sure would want to read. It reveals more about  personal  loans, and especially as you can avail to make improvements on your home:

 When you need to borrow money you have a number of choices to make: bank or credit union? Credit card or home equity loan? Fixed or variable rate? One option you may be considering is a personal loan, which can be used in a variety of different ways -- to help with a small business, finance a home renovation, consolidate debt or even pay for a wedding or vacation. So what makes these loans different?

They carry fixed interest rates.That makes them different than, say, a home equity line of credit which usually carries a variable interest rate that can change when interest rates in the economy change. Variable-rate loans may look more attractive at first since their "initial" rates are often low. But the rate (and payment) may rise later, and may make the loan more expensive (and risky) over time.

You must pay them back in a certain amount of time. Most personal loans carry a fixed repayment period of one to five years. During that time you make fixed monthly payments. That makes them different than credit cards, which allow you to make a minimum payment that will barely make a dent in your balance. If you prefer the certainty of knowing when your debt will be paid off, a personal loan may be your preferred choice.

They give entrepreneurs a chance to prove themselves.  It's become more difficult over the past few years to borrow to start or jumpstart a young or small business. Brand new businesses, for example, aren't likely to find a bank that wants to give them a loan just because they have a great idea for a business. Banks often want to see sales and revenue figures, which newer businesses aren't likely to have. That's why some small businesses are turning to personal loans, which they obtain on the strength of their personal credit and finances, rather than that of the business. And the interest paid on a personal loan used strictly for business purposes is often tax deductible; talk with your tax adviser. If you want to see a snapshot of your credit situation and see if you'd likely qualify for a personal loan, use the Credit Report Card.

They're the new home improvement loan. A few years ago, if you wanted to build a deck or remodel your kitchen, your bank or credit union was probably more than happy to give you a home equity loan to fund your project.  But now, between stricter mortgage loan requirements and home values down in many parts of the country, getting a home equity loan may feel like more trouble than it's worth. That's why many borrowers are turning to these loans to fund home improvement projects. And unlike home equity loans, which often require interest-only payments for ten years before the borrower has to start repaying the principal, with a personal loan you'll know your project is paid for in a few years -- before you're ready to start a new one! Source

Hopefully the above information has been helpful. These sure are  great many uses of  personal loans. Contact  an experienced loan advisor for more information.

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