Free Credit Reports (from the government!)

I came across an article a while ago about access to free credit reports. Under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act you can request and obtain(online or by mail) a free credit report once every 12 months from each of the three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies (Equifax, Transunion and Experian)

Well, if you've ever search for credit reports on the internet, you know that there are many sites that offered "free credit reports". So be careful because there is only one official website: AnnualCreditReport.com. The process is simple and will take you to the three credit reporting companies' websites to give you access to your free reports.

Two tips about the reports:

1. You are allowed one report from each company every 12 months so you can either take them all at once to or spread them out over the 12 month period.
2. Credit scores are not included in the free reports but you do have the option to purchase them.

Its always a good idea to keep an eye on your credit, so take advantage of this free service and order your free reports!

NEVER to meet your clients here!

Hello! Its been a while since I posted but we are finally settled into our new spot and I came across an interesting article that I thought I would share. The article is about places you should never meet your clients.

In the article, the author lists these five places your should never meet with clients:

1. Starbucks or any other Wi-Fi enabled coffee shop
2. Barnes and Noble, Borders or any other high-end bookstore
3. Public Libraries
4. Hotel Lobbies
5. McDonald's or and other fast food restaurant

The author argues that none of these places give the right impression. He states:

You are trying to sell yourself as high-end, something special, a cut above the competition. When your client thinks of you, you do not want him to say, "That Joe, we always meet at Arby's." You want him to say, "That Joe does some outstanding work for our firm -- what a pro!" These little things stay with people, so make sure that everything you do represent you well.

I agree with the author. None of these places say "professional". But for those of us without the luxury of a conference room or those who want a more casual setting, it doesn't leave many options.

So what do you think? Where do you meet with your clients and why?

Read the whole article here:
Five Places You Should Never Meet With Your Clients by Jeff Landers

We're moved in!

After some trials and tribulations, we are (mostly) moved into our new space. While I was unpacking box after box this past week, I started thinking of when we moved into our new condo last year. There were two big things that would have made our lives much easier:

1. A Professional House Cleaning (the house was DISGUSTING!! Who has time to clean when you're moving?)
2. A Referral for a Good, Reliable Handyman (every new house has little problems that need to be fixed - and again who has the time?)

Both of these would make practical and memorable closing gifts for your clients whether they are purchasing or refinancing. A gift certificate for one free house cleaning or a free hour of a handyman's time to fix little problems would save your buyer time and energy, two things we all need more of!

These referrals would also benefit you in another way. If you belong to a referral network or are thinking of starting one, this would be a great way to give referrals to you partners. Refer clients to your housecleaner or handyman and they will do the same for you! What could be better than a closing gift that gets you referrals?