Those are the two I mess up ALL THE TIME (and I have to use the right one at work, no less). That and it's. I'm always going back and taking out the apostrophe. (There's one in I'm, right?)

And my dad is calling to reassure me that their accounts, especially the ones at Washington Mutual are fine and I don't have anything to worry about with my CU.

In other news, I went into my CU today and on the way out asked how their lending practices for mortgages have changed - the woman said they have remained the same, since they never took on sub-prime lending. She handed me a document that looks identical to one I received 2 years ago (except the interest rates are different).

Only difference I'm seeing between the CU and other lenders is that you need 5% down for a single family home and 10% down for a condo (and PMI - I think).

Some of the change is what credit scores are considered sub-prime. There has apparently been a shift to requiring a higher credit score.

I have a GREAT credit score. What I don't have is a down payment.


Strike that. If I sold my condo, that is completely paid off, I'd have a perfect down payment on a house in West L.A. -- that I'd be paying off for the next 30 years. Oh, except I'm retiring in 20.

Agreed. Based upon the documentation, mine hasn't changed, but they never went to anything unconventional when other financial institutions did.

Thanks to someone here on LoT (I can't recall who, but I wish I could to thank them again), I use this handy tip:

Always think of "it's" as the contraction of "it is". If "it is" doesn't fit in your usage, it should be "its" (no apostrophe).

What about a 15 year mortgage? You significantly reduced your cost of money (vs a 30-year loan). Unless you buy a mansion that costs four times what you get for your condo, your monthlies should be relatively painless.

And if they aren't painless, there's always naproxen.

Your school principal is your "pal". ;)

(of course, that doesn't help you with the non-person definitions)

Thanks, Kev. I know the rules on it's (I just make the mistake anyway). I've read the rules on Principle/principal a zillion times and cannot get them thru my thick skull.


Also, the price of a modest house in West L.A. is the price of a mansion anywhere else in the world besides Manhattan.