As a savvy consumer of financial services, it’s important to understand how your assets are safeguarded.

When you need cash, what’s the best course of action? If you’re tempted to reach for a credit card to get the cash you need, you may want to reconsider. There may be better ways to meet your personal liquidity needs.

In today’s highly competitive real estate market, many buyers are finding that the only way to get the home of their dreams — and not come away as a disappointed runner-up — is to make a cash offer. Learn what’s behind the trend and how to decide if a cash offer is the right strategy for you.