I love credit cards so much!

[wendow]

Not so much to us

I know, and I am so sorry. I feel awful for those just now trying to buy a house. We could not afford our same house today. My mom said she heard the housing market is cooling all over the US but unless there is a recession, the values are still going to be very high in some markets.

 

[wendow]

Typically lenders will base LTV on the original appraised value so you wouldn't benefit from that "increasing housing market" in this calculation.

Bought 5 years ago. We paid 420 (and I think it appraised for that exactly), we owe 360 but last appraisal when we refied was 620. So, no, we are not at 80% LTV, right? They would go with the purchase appraisal?

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Bought 5 years ago. We paid 420 (and I think it appraised for that exactly), we owe 360 but last appraisal when we refied was 620. So, no, we are not at 80% LTV, right? They would go with the purchase appraisal?

Well if you refinanced AND got a new appraisal you may actually be good then. Many times people will refinance and avoid the cost of the new appraisal but it sounds like you got one. That said, I have no experience in consumer banking or lending - I avoid that stuff like the plague! You're getting the un-expert opinion of a Commercial Banker here, lol.

 

[wendow]

Well if you refinanced AND got a new appraisal you may actually be good then. Many times people will refinance and avoid the cost of the new appraisal but it sounds like you got one. That said, I have no experience in consumer banking or lending - I avoid that stuff like the plague! You're getting the un-expert opinion of a Commercial Banker here, lol.

LOL, we have actually refied twice Both times were over a year apart and the company required a new appraisal so, yes, we have two newer than 5yo old ones. I guess I'll call mortgage company to see.

 

[Judique]

Bought 5 years ago. We paid 420 (and I think it appraised for that exactly), we owe 360 but last appraisal when we refied was 620. So, no, we are not at 80% LTV, right? They would go with the purchase appraisal?

Based on the 420, you aren't there yet. You would need to be paid down to 336.

Based on the 620 appraisal, 80% would be 496 and you are under that.

 

[wendow]

Based on the 420, you aren't there yet. You would need to be paid down to 336.

Based on the 620 appraisal, 80% would be 496 and you are under that.

Thank you for the math! My brain is having a Sabbath day lol So, just to figure out if the mortgage company will accept the refi appraisal. Sure would be nice to capture that 3k a year in taxes and $1500 year in insurance for cc spend. Since I've lost plastiq...

 

[Judique]

Thank you for the math! My brain is having a Sabbath day lol So, just to figure out if the mortgage company will accept the refi appraisal. Sure would be nice to capture that 3k a year in taxes and $1500 year in insurance for cc spend. Since I've lost plastiq...

OMG, your taxes are so inexpensive! My insurance is cheaper though because I do a 1% policy deductible.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Thank you for the math! My brain is having a Sabbath day lol So, just to figure out if the mortgage company will accept the refi appraisal. Sure would be nice to capture that 3k a year in taxes and $1500 year in insurance for cc spend. Since I've lost plastiq...

Yeah - you’re definitely good on the LTV if they don’t hold you to appraisal at time of purchase. I figured you could do the math HAHA

 

[wendow]

OMG, your taxes are so inexpensive! My insurance is cheaper though because I do a 1% policy deductible.

CO has fabulous property taxes I'd like to lower my insurance but so far, this is as low as I can get it.

 

[wendow]

Yeah - you’re definitely good on the LTV if they don’t hold you to appraisal at time of purchase. I figured you could do the math HAHA

I can on Monday morning...I'm a homeschool mom after all, and we do start school tomorrow morning (NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!) but today, I'm still on vacay and it's a Sunday, which means no math for me lol

Eta: I did a little math for friend today. He is booking a cruise and I used my allotment of brain math on his situation. So, there you have it...Sunday math...all used up!

 

[striker1064]

I wish I could remove escrow from my mortgage. I've checked in the past, and because of the type of loan - I believe it's FHA because I was a first-time buyer - I cannot remove the escrow. Even pre-churning, before I even thought about earning points from spend, I wanted to remove it and pay my insurance and taxes myself, because the lag time it takes the mortgage company to pay the bills drives me *bananas*. Oh well. My only option is to refinance and that can be expensive with closing costs, so I may as well leave it alone. Hopefully the house will sell soon anyway...

 

[eeyoresmom]

Can anyone help with some basic info on the Amex points program? Specially, is there a way to find out if I'm eligible for the 100000 points offer? When I log into my account the 50000 pts offer pops up. If I cancel this card after a year can I keep the points somehow? I have a BCP. I dont have any specific travel plans for the upcoming year outside of 2 Disney trips that are already paid for. I do travel spontaneously though. I'm facing around 5,000 in extra spending over the next few months and don't want to miss an opportunity to earn points. Thanks in advance.

 

[striker1064]

Can anyone help with some basic info on the Amex points program? Specially, is there a way to find out if I'm eligible for the 100000 points offer? When I log into my account the 50000 pts offer pops up. If I cancel this card after a year can I keep the points somehow? I have a BCP. I dont have any specific travel plans for the upcoming year outside of 2 Disney trips that are already paid for. I do travel spontaneously though. I'm facing around 5,000 in extra spending over the next few months and don't want to miss an opportunity to earn points. Thanks in advance.

You mean Amex Membership Rewards Points, right? If by BCP you mean Blue Cash Preferred, that is a cash back card only and does not mix with MR points. In order to keep MR points, you must keep an MR-earning card open. You can apply for any MR card that you wish. Many people recommend opening a Blue for Business Plus to keep your points active - it's a business card that has no annual fee and a great earn rate. You can sometimes be targeted for a 20k/$5k offer, or 10k/$3k is available through referrals.

By 100,000 points offer, do you mean the Amex Platinum? That's kind of a rare offer and you have to be targeted, and it seems fewer and fewer people are getting it these days. You can check your pre-approvals on Amex (from the Amex home page, Cards --> Personal Cards --> Check for Pre-Qualified Credit Card Offers). It may pop up there if you're targeted.

What is the 50,000 offer you're seeing?

 

[MrPTato]

OMG, your taxes are so inexpensive! My insurance is cheaper though because I do a 1% policy deductible.

CO has fabulous property taxes I'd like to lower my insurance but so far, this is as low as I can get it.

I can't believe that's what you pay for property taxes. We had a Townhouse in NH last year and the property taxes were like $4500 a year, and that didn't include the HOA fees. I am paying that now in RI but at least I have some land and not shared with my neighbors that were literally through the walls.

 

[Disneyonmymind]

Hi Everyone! Ive been out of touch for about 2 months- lots of reasons LOL - and there's no way to catch up on this board. I did see some stuff about Plastiq no longer coding 3x on CIP but I wanted to confirm that first before I pay my property taxes. Assuming it's true, that really stinks but I guess all knew it would not last

 

[kidsfirsttrip]

I need to do the same for DH's CSR and let him DD the sapphires. He is eligible now, but like you, I am so attached to that card! Following to see your plans.

It’s kind of like breaking up with my first boyfriend. “It’s not you - it’s me”....but see below don’t think I’m going to cancel

@calypso726 RMN is really easy. Make sure you download the app and once you have a login on the home page up top you will see a button for “cashback”. It will list all instore and online offers. Link a cc and use that cc for purchase. Right now there is $5 off $30 at Staples (and link Amex with offer if you have it) and $2 off $25 at walgreeens (CF linked). Cashback can be t/f to PayPal. At first I was getting just giftcard purchases to work but then one was denied so it’s def ymmv. When I have bought a small “filler” item I’ve gotten them through. Make sure you add the offer before the purchase or it won’t work (at least for me it hasn’t)

SOOO I just realized my CSR is at the 2 year mark 9/1 but because I was “grandfathered” in to the x2 $300 travel credits my first year I don’t think my travel credit will post until 1/19 leaving me losing out on that if I cancel or PC
New plan - keep CSR, try for CIP October, go slow with Chase, cancel x2 SW and plan to go for CP early 2020.
Have DH get CIP in December and then have him double dip sapphires in June when he is re eligible for bonus. Use his $300 credit and downgrade him after a year once second credit hits.

 

[DisneyMandC]

This weekend/morning has been a calamity of errors.

I received another letter from Barclays last week for DH's AA application saying they needed ID verification documents, even though I already sent all that in. I had DH call yesterday and they looked into it and said they had his last name listed as his middle name. No idea how, but I'm confident that I didn't do that on the application. Anyways, the CSR fixed it on their end but said the ID verification department was not open so he'd need to call back today to get them to approve it. So he's planning to do that tonight. I'm going to have him ask for the match to the 60k offer that's out right now too.

Then this morning I told DH I needed his CIC because I'm planning to stop by Office Max on my way home and get an Amazon gift card. He opens his wallet and says "well what am I going to use today? Oh, I guess I can use this Hilton card." WHAT?! I looked at him and said "You mean the Hilton card I was tearing my car apart looking for a week ago and had to go online and request a replacement this weekend?" Him- "Oh, I don't know. I've had it in here for a while."

 

[Lain]

Hi Everyone! Ive been out of touch for about 2 months- lots of reasons LOL - and there's no way to catch up on this board. I did see some stuff about Plastiq no longer coding 3x on CIP but I wanted to confirm that first before I pay my property taxes. Assuming it's true, that really stinks but I guess all knew it would not last

Sadly, Plastiq no longer codes 3x on CIP.

Some douchebag blogger for Million Miles Secrets wrote an article about using his CIP to buy a Tesla using Plastiq to earn him thousands of dollars worth in travel, posted it on MMS, which got pushed to Business Insider, Aol Finance, and TPG et al., then got picked up again by CNBC, which then made its way to a Chase internal memo, which caught TPTB’s attention because Plastiq 3x was swiftly shut down. This is why we can’t have nice things. As for that a**hole? He’s gone private on all his social media and is effectively hiding like a coward.

Don’t pay your property taxes with CIP. All data points on and after 8/16 code as just 1x.

If you have aMSR to meet, that’s probably the best use of Plastiq right now. Plastiq also has a Masterpass promo (MasterCard required, but MCGCs should work) that’ll let you make payments of up to $250 fee free, and the regular 2.5% fee after that, until 9/30/18. You can take the $250 FFD or break up your payment into $250 chunks.

 

[Disneyonmymind]

Sadly, Plastiq no longer codes 3x on CIP.

Some douchebag blogger for Million Miles Secrets wrote an article about using his CIP to buy a Tesla using Plastiq to earn him thousands of dollars worth in travel, posted it on MMS, which got pushed to Business Insider, Aol Finance, and TPG et al., then got picked up again by CNBC, which then made its way to a Chase internal memo, which caught TPTB’s attention because Plastiq 3x was swiftly shut down. This is why we can’t have nice things. As for that a**hole? He’s gone private on all his social media and is effectively hiding like a coward.

Don’t pay your property taxes with CIP. All data points on and after 8/16 code as just 1x.

If you have aMSR to meet, that’s probably the best use of Plastiq right now. Plastiq also has a Masterpass promo (MasterCard required, but MCGCs should work) that’ll let you make payments of up to $250 fee free, and the regular 2.5% fee after that, until 9/30/18. You can take the $250 FFD or break up your payment into $250 chunks.

Thanks for the update! I will watch for good gas deals on MCGC at local grocery store.

 

[hsmamato2]

So after I asked for clarification, DoC replied that he was not aware the restrictions were not in T&C on upgrades. So back to square one and pure speculation.

interesting.... how do you know if you can upgrade? ETA.... I just figured it out.... ok so now how do I figure out what to do here? I'm eligible for 100k/5k with the offer, but I have NO idea if it's a good choice to make. I have SPg biz and pers.,and I'm pretty sure my AF is almost due on the pers.- I was planning to cancel it since I don't need it anymore.... is it smarter to upgrade? the benefits of doing this would be..... what? no adding to the 'new cards' rule? why shouldn't I jus apply for the Luxe on its own without upgrading? (I've been away for the past week and so much has changed)