What can I do to protect myself against inflation and against the possibility of the US dollar losing its value relative to foreign currencies? Are precious metals a good alternative to stocks and bonds as I attempt to diversify my investments? Which of the precious metals is the most undervalued in today’s market conditions? I’ve heard about people collecting silver or “silver stacking” as they like to call it; what is that all about? These are many of the common questions that come up when a person first begins to research silver investing.

Did you know that many financial experts say the stock market is overvalued and overdue for a correction? Did you know that many of the same experts are saying that silver is one of the most undervalued commodities available to today’s investors? Silver values have fluctuated from a low of around 9 dollars per ounce late in 2008 to a high of nearly 50 dollars per ounce in 2011. Currently, a troy ounce of silver is worth around 16 dollars.

When it comes to investing in silver, there are a myriad of options of available. Silver comes in a variety of forms and purity levels. Pure silver is 99.9% pure and can be purchased in the form of bars or silver coins. Sterling silver is 92.5% pure, is a harder and more durable form silver, and is often used in flatware, serving dishes, jewelry, and candlesticks. Coin silver, otherwise known as junk silver, is 90% and is available in the form of half-dollars, quarters and dimes minted before 1965.

Some silver investors prefer coins while others prefer bars and some even hunt for sterling silver items at thrift shops and garage sales. It’s all a matter of personal preference. So, let’s say you are resident of Colorado and you want to where you can purchase silver coins in colorado or silver bars. Where do you begin?

The best place to begin is the internet? First, pull up the websites of several shops in the area, browse the info available on their site and read the reviews. Then, give them a call. Ask them how much they mark-up their silver above melt value. Ask if they guarantee the purity of the silver they sell and if they are willing to buy it back on short notice. Next, narrow down the list of shops and go in person. Assess if you feel comfortable with how you are treated and with the silver available for purchase.

Another option for beginning silver investors are reputable online dealers like JM Bullion and APMEX. Word to the wise, do your research before purchasing any silver online. Counterfeits are common, especially on online auction sites like Ebay.

Also, if you believe that you would like to pursue silver hunting as a hobby, it may be worth your time and money to purchase as acid testing kit. Such kits are quite inexpensive and accurate. There you have, a brief explanation for beginning silver investors. Good luck and treasure hunting

Don’t have a great credit score but you want to buy a house? There is still hope for those with blemished credit reports. According to one mortgage broker al potential home buyers should look for FHA loans.

The Leniency of FHA Mortgages

FHA mortgages have multiple advantages. The down payment can be as low as 3.5% of the price of the property and buyers do not have to have a perfect credit score. You can have a blemished report and 580 is the eligibility standard.

Another great benefit of this loan is that the funds for the down payment can be donated by a relative. Loan underwriters typically want to know where down payments came from, but FHA mortgages are pretty lenient, so if you receive funds from a relative, all that is needed is a letter documenting where the funds came from.

The Federal Housing Administration previously required a minimum score of 620, however, today they will accept scores as low as 580. Even with a low score, it’s important to have a healthy down payment and low debt. This will show the loan officer that you have the ability to pay back the loan.

Improving Your Credit

Paying your bills on time helps your credit a lot. Being late on your monthly accounts is one of the biggest factors to ruin your credit. But also keeping your balance to a certain limit authorized by lenders affects your credit score. To maintain a good credit score you should keep your balance less than 35% of the authorized limit and pay your balance on time each month. One of the most important ways of boosting your credit score is checking for inaccuracies, then disputing them with the credit bureaus. If they verify that anything on your report is incorrect, it will be updated or even deleted, which can increase your score.

Calculating Credit Score for Mortgages

Your credit rating, also called FICO SCORE, is calculated taking into account the following factors: credit history, debt ratio – available credit or percentage of debt you have incurred, your payment history, the number of credit applications or inquiries on your report, and types of debts you have. The five components that mortgage underwriters are looking for, which make up your score is broken down like this: Payment history: 35%, Amounts owed: 30%, Age of your credit history: 15%, Amount of types of credit in use: 10%, and Account inquiries: 10%.

This is how the underwrites will access your risk level for repaying a mortgage loan. They are looking to see how you have handled your past responsibilities, and this will help them to make their final decision. Of course, this is only a snapshot of what they consider. Loan underwriters will also look at the amount of your down payment, as well as how much savings you have in your bank account. All of this provides an overview of your reliability. While it’s important to review your credit report, and keep a good score, blemishes don’t always tell the complete story, so it’s important to meet with a mortgage broker and get a clear picture of how to get you into a home.