Utah Housing Corporation was created as a public corporation by State legislation in 1975 to raise funds to assist in the creation of affordable housing opportunities for lower-income Utah households. For the 2nd year in a row, they have selected Axiom Financial for the Excellence in Lending Award.

If a company takes adverse action against you, involving credit, such as refusing to provide a loan that was applied for, you can also obtain a free report. The notice of credit denial, by law, should include the information you need to obtain that extra credit report. You can also obtain a free report if you are unemployed and looking for work, on welfare, or have been the victim of identity fraud.

Despite the fact that some companies charge for services to “erase” inaccuracies on your credit report, you can easily, and without cost, dispute any detrimental information that you believe is either a mistake or due to fraud. All of the credit bureaus has an address for mailing dispute letters and are required, by law, to investigate your concerns, within 30 days of the receipt of your letter.

If you do decide to use a third-party company for help with this, understand that by law they are not allowed to charge upfront for these services. The services must be complete before you pay a dime.

The Credit Repair Organizations Act protects consumers from predatory companies that make fraudulent claims about being able to “erase” bad credit. This law requires that genuine credit repair companies give the upfront information, to the consumer, that the consumer has a right to view his or her own credit report for free, annually, and the right to dispute inaccurate information, also for free.

The investigation into your dispute is also free, as long as you make your dispute yourself. After the investigation, if there is a change made to your credit report, the credit bureau must notify you in writing of the change. When inaccurate detrimental information is erased, it can make a substantial difference to your credit score. So checking your report, at least annually, is recommended.

Some so-called credit repair organizations have a product to sell, a service in which they help a consumer identify and dispute false information on a credit report. However, this is something that any individual can do for himself or herself without cost. That being said, some may prefer the convenience of working with a third party to help get it done.

If you are considering working with a credit repair company, make sure that you understand your rights under the Credit Repair Organizations Act. You are, first of all, entitled to receive a copy of the “Consumer Credit File Rights under State and Federal Law” before you sign any contract.

Credit repair companies are not allowed to charge you until the promised services have been completed. They also cannot perform any of these services without your signature on a contract and a three-day waiting period, during which you have the right to cancel without any penalty. Finally, credit repair companies are not allowed to make any false claims about their services.

Examine the contract carefully and be sure it meets the following requirements:
1) The company’s name and address are clearly identified.

2) The services are described in detail.

3) Guarantees, if any, are in writing on the contract.

4) The time required to perform the service is listed on the contract and

5) The terms and costs are also listed.

Following these steps and knowing consumer rights can prevent victimization by a fraudulent credit repair company.

Most often, these advertisements are related to some sort of scam, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC states that consumers should protect themselves from such fraudulent companies and take advantage of the annual free credit report to monitor and manage their own credit reports.

The fact is that no accurate negative information can legally be removed from someone’s credit report. Only false information can legally be disputed and removed from a file. Sometimes mistakes occur. Other times false information can result from identity theft.

There are certain signs that can alert you to a credit repair scam:

1) The company does not tell you, up front, what you can do for yourself for free and what your rights are. Credit repair companies are required to give you this information before you sign up for anything.

2) The company tells you that you should not contact any of the credit bureaus directly.

3) The company wants you to pay up front before any services are provided. This is illegal under the Credit Repair Organizations Act.

4) The company recommends you dispute every negative item on your credit, whether it is accurate or not.

5) The company lets you know they can erase even accurate negative information from your report. Legally, and factually, only information proven false can be removed.

6) The company recommends that you apply for an Employer Identification Number, so you can use that for a credit identity in lieu of your social security number.

Watching for these signs can help you avoid being scammed. Additionally, it is important to keep in mind that if you choose to participate in any of these activities that you know to be illegal, such as fraudulent use of the Employer Identification Number, you can be prosecuted by law along with the company you signed up with.

When you review your credit report, which can be obtained once without cost from each of the credit bureaus annually, check for any inaccuracies. If you find something amiss, you can dispute it for free. Each company has a procedure for writing a letter and mailing it in to dispute a credit item.

If you contact a credit bureau with an inaccuracy, they have 30 days to evaluate your claim. Providing them with relevant information, documents, and any other proof you have of your claim can assist in this process. Writing a letter that gives your name, address, and birthdate, and that clearly describes the item in question and why it is inaccurate will help facilitate the process.

The credit bureau will contact the information provider, or the institution that has reported the inaccurate information. If the information provider confirms that the information is accurate, then the item will remain on the report. But if, however, the information provider does not confirm it, or denies the accuracy of the item, it will be erased from the individual’s credit report.

To rebuild credit that is based on accurate information, the best thing an individual can do is to pay all loan payments, taxes, and other debts on time and as agreed. The longer an individual does this, the more the credit score will rise over time. After seven years, most negative information is erased. After ten years, bankruptcies will also be dropped from the report. Consistency and planning will, over time, allow an individual to bring up a low credit score.

#1) The Deed is a document that signifies ownership of the property. The deed is prepared by a lawyer.

#2) Also related to ownership, the title company performs a title search, to look for judgments, liens or attachments to the home title. The title company provides a title insurance policy and certificate of title.

#3) The property tax bill is usually provided to the homebuyer by the home seller. But, if not, the homebuyer can gather this document from the assessor’s office at the city building.

#4) Unpaid water and sewer bills can sometimes be left to a home buyer in the transition of the sale, so it is customary for the home seller to provide proof of payment on these bills.

#5) It is important that you look at the utilities records, provided by the home seller, and contact the utility companies to ensure that the utilities change into your name the day of or after closing.

#6) For the closing, a current survey of the property lot is required. This can be obtained inexpensively from the city building.

#7) A new homeowner’s insurance policy is required from the homebuyer, while the home seller must keep the property insured until closing.

#8) If the home seller has offered a home warranty, these documents need to be presented at closing. Also, service records are appreciated, when provided to buyers, so they can know what recent work has been done on the home.

#9) Finally, the mortgage contract is the largest and most comprehensive of the documents. It contains the agreement between the lending institution and the homebuyer. This contract must be read and signed at closing.

Someone needs to use the restroom and asks you for some toilet paper. Where is it? And you need to bring your laptop to work tomorrow but you don’t know which box it’s in. The excitement of moving in can quickly be spoiled by poor planning. Having a checklist for moving day will make it all go so much more smoothly. Start with the essentials.

#1) Food and water: Make sure you have cups handy and, if the city water is gross, a Brita pitcher as well. Bring some shelf stable foods like jerky, crackers, bread, dried fruit, peanut butter, and such to keep your family and moving crew going. Don’t forget plates, napkins, and utensils. And be sure to stock the fridge with some of the basics like lunch meat, jam, milk, fresh fruit, and yogurt.

#2) The imperative items: Know where your keys, cell phones, and money are at all times. Do you need something for work the next day, like a laptop or briefcase? Bring flashlights and light bulbs and, of course, toilet paper and soap.

#3) Instead of packing your basic cleaning supplies in a box, put them in a basket instead so you can quickly take care of the messes that unfortunately got left behind by the prior occupants. Nothing spoils a moving day faster than a gross toilet or the discovery of mouse droppings.

#4) At the end of moving day, there is one thing you will all agree you want to do- sleep! Make sure that beds are the first thing to be set up, after the fridge, and also be sure to keep your bedding from getting lost in the dozens of boxes you pack. Keep bedding, like the cleaning supplies, in a basket. Or bring them in the car, instead of the moving truck, so you can make your family comfortable for the first night in the new house.

#5) Finally, be sure that each individual has their personal toiletries and medications in a special and easy to find place. Ask everyone to pack a bag with jammies, night-time necessities, and other personal items that they will need on moving day or the next morning. Following these guidelines can make moving day a lot less stressful than it otherwise could be.

SALT LAKE CITY (Dec. 15, 2011) — Axiom Financial, a local full-service mortgage company, has been named one of Utah’s Best Companies to Work For in 2011 by Utah Business Magazine. Utah Business Magazine, along with sponsors Durham Jones & Pinegar and Mindshare, are recognizing 25 companies for the award this year.  http://www.utahbusiness.com/issues/articles/11804/2011/12/best_companies_to_work_for

“It is our mission to create an unparalleled workplace with the best people, and truly make a difference in the lives of our team members,” Axiom president and CEO Melissa Wright said. “My leadership team and I work hard to create an environment that supports our employees in exceeding their goals and leading extraordinary lives. I can’t think of a better recognition than Best Companies to Work For, we are thrilled to be recognized.”

Companies with at least 25 employees are eligible for recognition of the Best Companies to Work For. All of the companies that participated in the program went through a rigorous examination based on employee surveys of workplace elements, such as benefits and pay, fairness and opportunities, corporate culture, internal communication and employee pride.

Two Months Before the Move
1) Start using up items you can’t or do not want to move, like freezer items, extra cleaners, and canned goods.
2) Start a move file to keep track of expenses and receipts, if you do deductions.
3) Start looking for a doctor and dentist in your new area, so if someone has medical needs around move time, you know where to go.
4) Weed out! Get rid of everything you do not use, need, or want anymore. The less stuff you have, the easier your move.
5) Start a list of businesses, banks, etc. that will need to be notified of your move.
6) Start collecting boxes, packing tape, and make sure you have a couple sharpies to identify what you’ve packed.
7) If you have any memberships, like a gym membership, find out about how to terminate or transfer your membership for a move.

Two Weeks Before the Move
1) Perhaps the most important thing for this part of the timeline is to setup the transfer of all your utilities: gas, electricity, cable, internet, phone, and water/sewer/trash.
2) If you haven’t already, start packing! Pack in an organized fashion, starting with things you do not need for a while. Clearly identify what is in each box and what room it needs to go to, in the new house.
3) File a change of address with the USPS.
4) It’s time to cancel or transfer your magazine and newspaper subscriptions.
5) Get rid of flammable and toxic substances before the move.
6) Get your car tuned up. You don’t want a breakdown on moving day.
7) Finally, confirm your reservation of the moving truck and or moving team.

One Week Before the Move
1) As you continue packing, keep out items you will need for moving day, like some easy-prep food, cleaning supplies for the new house, some dishes, your laptop, etc.
2) Have you picked up your dry cleaning? Did you return your library books? Have you paid off your late fees at the movie rental store? Tie up all of these loose ends.
3) Use up those refrigerator items. The day before the move, clean it out and defrost it.
4) Make sure lawn mowers, grills, and other such equipment are emptied of fuel.
5) Empty all closets, the attic, the basement, storage rooms, drawers, and cupboards.

The Day of the Move
1) If you hired a mover, make sure you inventory your furniture and go over the condition of items with the mover.
2) You will need the moving truck driver’s name and cell number and he will need yours.
3) If you are renting your own moving truck, make sure you park it safely, for loading.
4) Make sure that the items you need kept out have been put somewhere like the car, where they won’t accidentally be grabbed and put with everything else.
5) Keep track of your keys and cell phone!
6) Call your bank or go online to change your address.
7) After it is all moved out, shut off the lights and thermostat, and double check that all the rooms are empty and that all the windows and doors are locked.
Good luck with your move!