As interest rates begin to creep upward as summer draws near, many are scrambling to buy as soon as they can. That's good news for sellers, some of whom may be scurrying to get their houses on the market before interest rates head higher.
      The National Association of Realtors reports that April's sales activity was 15.1 percent above the 5.77-million unit pace in April 2003 and was just 0.6 percent shy of the all-time high of 6.68 million posted in September of last year.
      David Lereah, NAR's chief economist, had predicted May would finish strong, too.
      "Given the favorable economic backdrop and strong sales momentum, a big number was expected for April home sales and it's likely we'll see another big month in May," he said. "Part of what we're seeing now is 'fence-jumping' from people wanting to buy a home before interest rates move higher. Even with an additional rise in recent weeks, the good news is that mortgage interest rates now appear to be leveling-out in the 6.3

     Here's a compelling reason to keep closer tabs on your credit report -- 79 percent of credit reports examined in a recent survey contained either serious errors or other mistakes of some kind.
      What's more, there's a one-in-four chance your credit report contains an error serious enough to cause you to be denied credit, according to "Mistakes Do Happen: A Look at Errors in Consumer Credit Reports," a recent report by public issues watchdog U.S. Public Interest Research Group (USPRIG).
      Errors can cost you in the form of higher financing costs and, while errors can be corrected, by the time they are, interest rates and home prices could have risen. That can cost you still more or put a home out of your financial reach.
      Mortgage interest rates, for example, have risen almost a full percentage point since March this year.
      On a $500,000 mortgage, with a fixed interest rate of 5.38 percent (this year's average low point on March 18, according to Freddie Mac) your monthly principal and interest would have been $2,801.41.
      Compare that to financing the same mortgage with the June 17, 6.32 fixed interest rate (this year's high mark thus far) -- $3,101.39.
      Higher home prices compound the financial impact of a delayed purchase. Median home prices in Silicon Valley, for