

How Credit Utilization Affects You and Your Credit Score
If you’ve been reading my column for any time now, you know how important your credit score can be. You also might know that there are several factors that affect how your score is formulated. Today, we’re going to talk about one of them – credit utilization – and...
Top Ten
In all areas of life, there are warning signs that tell us when something is wrong, and the same can be said for our financial life. According to financial experts, nearly 80% of Americans are in debt. That means about 8 in 10 Americans have some form of consumer...
The Facts about the Emergency Rental Assistance Program
By Charlestien Harris The pandemic has caused major issues to happen especially with people’s financial well-being. Housing is a significant part of most family budgets. Right now, many people are struggling to keep food on the table and a roof over their...
Breaking Down Your Mortgage Payment
By Charlestien Harris There are so many industry terms used in the home buying process that can be unfamiliar to the average consumer. One example commonly used by the mortgage lending industry is the acronym PITI. PITI is an acronym for a mortgage payment that is...
Understanding the Benefits of the Homestead Exemption
By Charlestien Harris As a new homeowner or a first-time home buyer, one piece of important information that can be overlooked is the filing of the homestead exemption. Any homeowner can suffer a major loss, like the loss of a spouse or other financial setbacks,...
Southern Bancorp Community Partners Welcomes New Director of Lending
LITTLE ROCK, ARK – Southern Bancorp Community Partners (SBCP), a 501(c)(3) loan fund and Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), recently announced the hiring of Charlton Seward as Director of Lending. In this role, Seward will lead SBCP’s lending...
10 Steps to Buying A Home
By Charlestien Harris Purchasing a home is one of the most important decisions most people will ever make. The length of time it takes to buy a home varies according to the readiness of a potential buyer. For some it can take a few months, for others it...
Understanding a Reverse Mortgage
By Charlestien Harris A lot of conversations have been happening around understanding how mortgages can be used as a financial tool to improve your financial health and possibly build your net worth. So let’s dive in to get a better understanding of how a...