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You know how important your credit score is – but unemployment and the recession have played a role in lowering the average credit scores of Americans. So what can you do to get your score up if it’s falling into high-risk territory? Watch the clip below from this morning’s edition of Today’s Money to learn a few tips that can help you gradually improve your score.

http://www.jeanchatzky.com/appearances/five-ways-to-boost-your-credit/

Lending standards have gotten tougher in the past couple of years, and banks are starting to dig a little deeper into their customer’s finances before they give out loans. However, some expecting parents are being turned down for mortgages, and credit score requirements have gotten even stricter. This morning on the Today Show, I talked with Matt Lauer about some of the surprising things that might hold you back from getting a loan — and how to prepare yourself before you apply.

http://www.jeanchatzky.com/appearances/new-surprising-lending-standards/

Great Advice for Sellers and Buyers!

The State of the Market in General
Anyone who bought or sold a home in 2010 can tell you that it was a challenging year for real estate. Corcoran described it as "choppy" and more than anything else, "confused."

Looking ahead, however, there are a couple of wild cards out there that could make the real estate market in 2011 look very different. First, says Corcoran, if the job market improves, we will see an immediate improvement in the residential market. So that's good news for sellers.

Next is a government incentive similar to last year's first-time homebuyer tax credit. "If the government comes in with some great incentives, as they did last year, first time homebuyers will get a jump up in the real estate market as well," Corcoran says.

Lastly, Corcoran points out that the health of the real estate market is at least somewhat in the hands of the media. "The more that's written about how terrible the housing market is, the more apt people are to sit back and do nothing," she says.