Survival Guide

1. Deciding how much you can afford to spend on your new car: Create a budget for yourself.What To Ask When You Buy A New Car 2. Figure out what you are looking for in a car. There are so many options and car styles that you could lose sight of what you really need if you are not prepared. Be sure to figure out how the car will be used.
3. Once you have asked yourself what kind of features you definitely need, find the cars you like that have those features.
4. Once you have your necessary options figured out, go to the dealership and test drive the cars that match your needs.
5. Use free online quote services to your advantage. Spend a few days or evenings on your computer and see where these quotes are in relation to the prices you've seen on the car lot cars.
6. Make sure the insurance price falls within your budget. Sometimes what you have chosen will be eliminated by having higher insurance rates.
7. When finalizing a deal on your new car, use the estimated total car price to comparison shop at the dealerships.
8. Make sure that when the dealer gives you a quote on the car you want that he does it in writing and that this will be the final cost of the car.
9. If you are using your old car as a trade-in on your new car, negotiate the best price possible for your trade-in.
10. When finalizing your deal, quite often the dealer will offer you several "extras". These are useless most of the time and much more expensive then they need to be.

What To Ask When You Buy A Used Car

1. Used cars can be the smartest way to go sometimes. If you are living on limited means, a used car is a great idea.
2. Another bonus of a used car is that a used car won't have all the added fees attached to the price like a new car would.
3. Decide how much you can afford to spend on your used car: Create a budget for yourself and how much can you spend?
4. In finding a used car, the first option would be a new-car dealership. These cars are most often come from trade-ins.
5. The second option would be a used car lot. These lots vary in accountability and credibility. These lots will have a wide assortment of cars to choose from.
6. The third option would be private sellers. When buying a used car from a private seller, be sure you are ready to take the car for a test drive, look at the interior, exterior, and engine, and be sure to ask any questions you may have.
7. Ask yourself what you need and what you are looking for. Make sure the used car you are thinking about buying is going to be the best car for your needs.
8. Protect yourself by thoroughly checking on the used car you want to buy. Be sure to get a vehicle history report on the car.
9. Avoid the potential problems. Cars that are over four years old or have more than 15,000 miles per year are sometimes a problem waiting to happen.
10. Once you have found the car you want, make sure to get any promises in writing, and if you can get an extended warranty for a good price, it is a wise investment.

What To Ask When You Buy A House

1. On two-column paper, write what I NEED on one side and what I WANT the other: new, pre-owned, colonial, tudor, cape, single, twin, row/townhouse, condo, etc.?
2. Am I using a real estate agent to search for properties, help with the process, who pays his/her fee, am I looking myself, and/or am I looking online for houses?
3. Is the agent an exclusive buyer's agent (what you want), seller's agent, listing agent, traditional agent, broker's agent, dual or limited agent, or a non-exclusive buyer's agent?
4. How much can I put down, who pays closing costs, how much can I realistically afford to spend monthly, including taxes, utilities, and maintenance in addition to my other monthly bills?
5. Would I consider a fixer-upper?
6. What neighborhoods do I want to consider, what are their crime rates, does it have its own police force, share a depart-ment with neighboring towns, or rely on State Police?
7. Have I researched the towns for current political and school problems, upcoming tax increases, and other negatives, and how these affect the neighborhood and residents?
8. If I have kids, are there children their age on the block, and how good are the nearby schools?
9. Is it convenient to shopping, entertainment, markets, my work, or am I willing to travel to get there?
10. Did I note any problems with the house, and did I hire a house inspector to find problems which are they fixable within reason, and what concessions will the seller make as a result?

What To Ask When You Get A Mortgage

1. Do I have my financial papers: 2 years of W-2 forms, 1099s, current paystubs showing year-to-date earnings, employment history and proof of any debts I already owe?
2. Do I know my credit rating and credit score, which factors in determining the loan rate?
3. The majority of home loans are based on 15, 20, and 30 years of monthly payments: which do I want?
4. If I'm only going to stay in the home a few years, is an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) or a balloon loan with a lower initial rate a better choice, and when does the rate go up?
5. Did I check the newspapers for current rates at area banks, as well as do an online search for banks outside the area, and did I consider FHA, VA, credit unions, e-loans, and other financial outlets, and what are their rates?
6. What fees are associated with this loan, are they credited to the loan at closing, and how do they compare?
7. Based on my/our combined income, how high a loan can I/we get, and does the loan rate change based on removing one or the other person from the loan application (rates are based on a couple's lowest individual score)?
8. Have I pre-qualified for a loan and/or been pre-approved and know how much I could spend if I chose to?
9. Has the lender gone through all the types of loans, their specifics, and explained everything?
10. Do I understand all the terms and conditions, or do I feel the loan is "predatory" (Predatory loans are illegal)?