If you’re trying to buy a home right now, Clark has some great news for you. Home prices – looking year after year - have dropped for the first time in 11 years. So, the average selling price of a home has declined nationwide for the first time since 1995. And the opportunities will improve over the next few months. In addition, mortgage rates have been dropping like a rock, about three quarters of a point. So, there will be a big impact in terms of the loans for which you qualify. Also, 15-year fixed rates have lower rates than 5-1 ARMs for example. So, it’s a great time to refinance to a fixed loan.

• myfico.com - see where you qualify for loans
• amboybank.com - where to move your BOA money
• eloan.com - 5.5 percent interest rate for savings!

For the last two years, Clark has tried to stress how important it is for military men and women to avoid investment scams on their bases. Well, now selling those kinds of faulty investments are now illegal. For years, these salespeople would come on base and convince officers and, in turn, soldiers that the investment plans were great. Turns out, the salespeople were siphoning off most of the soldiers’ money. They include insurance and investment products. But now, those products are being monitored. Under the Military Personnel Financial Services Protection Act, states will monitory nefarious sales tactics going on at posts. So, tell your friends and family in the military about this move and remind them to be careful.

Clark talked again about Bank of America and the case of Matthew Shinnick, who was falsely accused of fraud when he tried to verify and cash a check that turned out to be a fake. So far, BOA has done nothing to help Matthew, who incurred about $14,000 in legal fees. That was even after Clark offered to pay for half of the amount if BOA paid the other half. In a conversation with Clark off the air, they refused. Therefore, Clark is asking all BOA customers to close their accounts and take their money out of BOA. Check out the BOA “Money Loss Meter” and do your part to help Matthew. Clark also sent out a special appeal to “Clark Said” subscribers today, asking them to forward the story to friends and family who may not listen or know about what Bank of America has done. Hopefully, those people will forward it on to many more people. If you want give BOA executives a piece of your mind, e-mail Kenneth Lewis, the CEO of Bank of America. Good luck!

One of the questions we’ve been getting following the BOA challenge is where should people put the money they take out? Well, Clark has a new leader when it comes to interest rates from online banks. Believe it or not, it’s from E-loan. E-loan is traditionally a mortgage company and the company’s CEO led the charge that allowed people to see their credit scores. Now, e-loan is offering 5.25 percent for any amount of money and 5.5 percent for $5,000 or more. That sets a new high in the interest rate war, which has involved emigrantdirect.com and hsbc.com as well. Check out CD rates at these companies, too. You will not get nearly these kind of deals with any monster mega bank.