Orleans and St. Tammany Parish Real Estate Professional

Saturday, February 6th

Camellia City Market

when:Feb 6, 2010 at 8:00am

where:Slidell, LA from:Camellia City Market

category:Clubs and Organizations .

Sunday, February 7th

Sunday Morning Worship Service

when:Feb 7, 2010 at 8:00am

where:Slidell, LA from:Christ Episcopal Church Of Slidell

category:Religion and Spirituality .

Sunday Bible Study

when:Feb 7, 2010 at 9:30am

where:Slidell, LA from:First Christian Church Of Slidell

category:Religion and Spirituality .

Sunday School

when:Feb 7, 2010 at 9:45am

where:Slidell, LA from:Pearl Acres Baptist Church Of Slidell

category:Religion and Spirituality .

Sunday Morning Worship Service

when:Feb 7, 2010 at 10:30am

where:Slidell, LA from:First Christian Church Of Slidell

category:Religion and Spirituality .

Sunday Morning Worship Service - II

when:Feb 7, 2010 at 10:30am

where:Slidell, LA from:Christ Episcopal Church Of Slidell

category:Religion and Spirituality .

Sunday Morning Worship Service

when:Feb 7, 2010 at 10:45am

where:Slidell, LA from:Pearl Acres Baptist Church Of Slidell

category:Religion and Spirituality .

Sunday Evening Bible Study

when:Feb 7, 2010 at 5:00pm

where:Slidell, LA from:Pearl Acres Baptist Church Of Slidell

category:Religion and Spirituality .

Tuesday, February 9th

Rotary Club of Slidell Meeting

when:Feb 9, 2010 at 7:30am

where:Slidell, LA from:Rotary Club Of Slidell

category:Clubs and Organizations .

Page Turners

when:Feb 9, 2010 at 6:30pm

where:Slidell, LA from:Slidell Branch Library

category:Schools and Libraries .

City Council Meeting

when:Feb 9, 2010 All Day

where:Slidell, LA from:City of Slidell

category:Government and Politics .

Wednesday, February 10th

General Meeting/Luncheon

when:Feb 10, 2010 at 10:30am

where:Slidell, LA from:Slidell Newcomers Club

category:Clubs and Organizations .

Wednesday Worship Service

when:Feb 10, 2010 at 5:30pm

where:Slidell, LA from:Christ Episcopal Church Of Slidell

category:Religion and Spirituality .

Wednesday Bible Study

when:Feb 10, 2010 at 7:00pm

where:Slidell, LA from:Pearl Acres Baptist Church Of Slidell

category:Religion and Spirituality .

Saturday, February 13th

Camellia City Market

when:Feb 13, 2010 at 8:00am

where:Slidell, LA from:Camellia City Market

category:Clubs and Organizations .

Sunday, February 14th

Sunday Morning Worship Service

when:Feb 14, 2010 at 8:00am

where:Slidell, LA from:Christ Episcopal Church Of Slidell

category:Religion and Spirituality .

Sunday Bible Study

when:Feb 14, 2010 at 9:30am

where:Slidell, LA from:First Christian Church Of Slidell

category:Religion and Spirituality .

Sunday School

when:Feb 14, 2010 at 9:45am

where:Slidell, LA from:Pearl Acres Baptist Church Of Slidell

category:Religion and Spirituality .

Sunday Morning Worship Service

when:Feb 14, 2010 at 10:30am

where:Slidell, LA from:First Christian Church Of Slidell

category:Religion and Spirituality .

Sunday Morning Worship Service

when:Feb 14, 2010 at 10:45am

where:Slidell, LA from:Pearl Acres Baptist Church Of Slidell

category:Religion and Spirituality

Monitor Your Credit Report and Help Guard Against ID Theft

You probably know something about the problem of identity theft - situations in which a con artist uses someone else's name, Social Security number or other personal details to make purchases, take out loans or commit fraud in the name of an innocent victim. But do you know how you, with the help of credit reports and credit bureaus, can help spot or stop the theft of your identity?

First, here's why you should care about fighting ID theft. It is, by far, the most common fraud complaint that consumers bring to law enforcement authorities and consumer protection groups. And while federal laws and industry practices can limit your liability if you become a victim of identity theft, it can take you a very long time to repair the damage. That includes notifying creditors and law enforcement that you've been victimized, closing tainted accounts and opening new ones, and correcting your credit report. You also may be denied loans, jobs, housing, insurance or other opportunities if an ID theft shatters your reputation and credit rating.

So, how can you use your credit report to protect against identity theft?

Monitor your credit report for warning signs, including loans or leases that have been wrongfully taken out in your name. Also, pay close attention to the "inquiries" section of the report that shows who has requested a copy of your credit history. That's because thieves sometimes impersonate business people with a legitimate right to obtain credit reports.

In general, you should consider obtaining copies of your credit report from the three major credit bureaus about once a year to verify that the information is correct. But be aware that there are services that will frequently monitor your credit report for possible signs of fraud or theft. The fees for these services (often $70 or $80 for a yearly subscription) can be more costly than obtaining periodic credit reports on your own, but the added level of convenience may be worth the cost.

If you find suspicious transactions on your credit report, take the following steps:

Contact creditors to discuss questionable items and close accounts that you believe are fraudulent or have unauthorized transactions.

Call the fraud department at each of the major credit bureaus to ask that a "fraud alert" be placed in your file, so that lenders will be alerted to the fact that you may be a fraud victim. Ask that the fraud alert state that you do not want new credit extended without contacting you first.

Contact the local police to file a report. Keep a copy in case you need it later as proof of the crime.

Consider filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which will store the information in its database so that it can be accessed by law enforcement agencies worldwide.

What's In Your Credit Report?

A credit report contains information on where you work and live, how you pay your bills, and whether you've been sued, arrested or filed for bankruptcy. Consumer Reporting Agencies (CRA) gather this information and sell it to creditors, employers, insurers and others. The three major national credit bureaus are: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

As of September 1, 2005, all consumers are eligible to receive a free annual credit report from each of the three major CRAs. The information in your credit report is used to calculate your credit score - a number generally between 300 and 850 that rates how risky a borrower you are. The higher your score, the less risk you pose to creditors.

Anyone who denies you credit, housing, insurance, or a job as a result of a credit report must give you the name, address, and telephone number of the CRA that provided the report. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you have the right to request a free report within 60 days if a company denies you credit based on the report.

Homebuyer Training Programs

  PRC First Time Home-Buyers Workshops

The Preservation Resource Center offers monthly First-Time Homebuyer Training courses that prepare participants to tackle the home purchase process and meet the demands of owning and caring for a home. Participants will also gain access to a variety of home purchase incentives available exclusively to program graduates and offered by the Finance Authority of New Orleans, the City of New Orleans, and various lending institutions. Courses are $50 and require registration. Visit the website or call 504.636.3070 for more information.

Family Resources of New Orleans Homebuyer Training 

 Family Resources of New Orleans offers a twelve hour homebuyer training curriculum in an effort to educate families on the homeownership process. The workshop covers a variety of topics such as credit rehabilitation, family budgeting, mortgage products comparison and other aspects of homeownership from beginning to end. The classes are taught by professionals in the real estate industry. For more information and to register for classes, call (504) 822-8519 or visit the website.

Louisiana Housing Finance Authority First-Time Homebuyer Programs 

 Louisiana Housing Finance Agency offers a number of opportunities for low- and moderate-income Louisiana families to become homeowners. The program offers a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage at a below-market interest rate to first-time homebuyers, including programs for teachers and first responders. Visit the website or call 888-454-2001.

Neighborhood Development Foundation 

 The Neighborhood Development Foundation of New Orleans is a resource center that seeks to convert life-long renters, modest resources, and ready houses into entire neighborhoods of homeowners. The Foundation provides training and assistance for first-time homebuyers. Call 504-488-0155 

 
Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater New Orleans 

 CCCS is a non-profit community service agency dedicated to educating consumers in the wise and proper use of credit, and helping consumers to repay excessive debt. CCCS offers budget counseling & debt management planning, financial education programs, housing counseling, and more. Visit the CCCS website or call 1-866-889-9347. CCCS has locations in New Orleans, Metairie, Gretna, Slidell, and Houma, as well as locations in Mississippi.

Neighborhood Housing Services of New Orleans 

 NHS NOLA conducts first-time homebuyer training classes and can assist homeowners in rebuilding or renovating a home. They offer funding, financial counseling, and construction management.

Services Provided: Construction Management services - assisting homeowners through the process of rebuilding
Area Served: Orleans
Eligibility: All are eligible
Contact Info: 504-899-5900 

Make It Right Homeowner Counseling Program 

 Brad Pitt's Make It Right Foundation aims to be a catalyst for redevelopment of the Lower 9th Ward by building a neighborhood comprised of safe and healthy homes. Lower Ninth Ward residents can sign up to work with MIR to choose, finance and prepare to own their new homes. For more information on the program visit the website or call 1-888-647-6652.

HANO Voucher Program - Become a Homeowner HANO offers a program in which Section 8 vouchers can be used to purchase a home. Participants must become financially fit, be a first-time homeowner, be employed for at least a year, satisfactorily complete HANO's pre-assistance homeownership and housing counseling program, attend post-purchase counseling and monthly homebuyer club meetings, and earn an annual salary of at least $10,300. For more information call Audrey Williams, lead case manager in HANO's Homeownership Department, at (504) 670-3428.

ACORN Housing 

 ACORN has programs for first-time homebuyers. Visit their site or call 504-267-3750 or 504-827-2114 for more information.

Joining a Neighborhood Watch

Neighborhood Watch, Block Watch, Town Watch, Crime Watch-whatever the name, it's one of the most effective and least costly ways to prevent crime and reduce fear. Neighborhood Watch fights the isolation that crime both creates and feeds upon. It forges bonds among area residents, helps reduce burglaries and robberies, and improves relations between police and the communities they serve.

A few concerned residents, a community organization or a law enforcement agency can spearhead the effort to organize a Watch. Members learn how to make their homes more secure, watch out for each other and the neighborhood, and report activities that raise their suspicions to the police or sheriff's office.

Watch groups are not vigilantes. They are extra eyes and ears for reporting crime and helping neighbors. Neighborhood Watch helps build pride and serves as a springboard for efforts that address community concerns such as recreation for youth, child care, and affordable housing.

Moving Thoughts

Whether moving takes you across town or across country, it can be a very busy time. The stresses of the move itself are usually compounded by worries of what life will be like in your new home or town; but, it can also be an exciting time of renewed opportunities and fresh experiences! Statistics show that each year one out of every five families moves. They survive the upheaval-and so can you!

Organization-not only physically, but mentally-is important to maintain. A good way to start is by sorting through your "stuff." Pare down your belongings by having a garage sale or by donating items you no longer need to charity. Then decide whether to move yourself or hire professionals. Each method has pros and cons, and both require comparison shopping.