Interested in Cashing Out a Private Mortgage?

Defaulted mortgage loans are not the easiest notes to sell or cash out. More than a hundred banks have gone under because the mortgages they held went into default in quantities large enough to throw off the ratios needed to retain solvency. This is a problem that has not necessarily transferred over into the private mortgage sector.

Private mortgages are usually held by individuals, not banks. Normally the person who has a private mortgage note has sold a property, most often a home and carries back a mortgage and a note on which the buyer makes payments, just like they were the bank. This is referred to as seller financing because the seller of the property is the one financing it. Many individuals don't trust banks or lack personal credit to be able to qualify for a mortgage the traditional way, through a bank.

A fast growing sector of the financial sector is holding private mortgages in an Individual Retirement Account, or IRA. Mortgage notes are security instruments, just like stocks and mutual fund. Instead of holding a part ownership of a publicly traded company on a stock exchange or bonds, you can hold the mortgage of a property that is providing interest income.

I know some people who say that real estate is a risky investment. However, just as the public value of a company rises and falls, a piece of real estate can too. Most of the time, real estate is hard to liquidate and can take a long time to cash out. A mortgage is the promise to pay an amount of money over the time agreed plus interest. A mortgage can be valued by a skilled investor and settled for a lump payment.

If you have a private mortgage, it is an asset that can be sold for a lump sum settlement. You can also buy and hold mortgages in your Individual Retirement Account to provide a steady stream of income, like an annuity would. Annuities can also be sold for a cash settlement as can lottery winnings and legal settlements. Selling a mortgage note does not change the terms of payment originally set in the note. It simply transfers ownership, just like a sale of stocks or bonds. It might be considered a taxable event, so discuss it with a qualified tax accountant before making the sale. Using an Individual Retirement Account to hold a private mortgage can change the tax status of the sale of a private mortgage.

The 2010 Opportunity for Special Roth IRA Conversion

With the elimination of income caps, the 2010 tax rules allow everyone, even the rich people, to roll over their IRA into Roth IRA. Conversion to Roth IRA is an even more attractive idea if you are one of the wealthier people who would likely leave your IRA assets to your children rather than spend it on retirement. Another compelling reason for conversion is the likelihood that income tax rates in the US will significantly rise in the near future.

Significant Differences between a traditional IRA and Roth IRA

1. In traditional IRA, assets grow on a tax-deferred basis; thus, you get tax deduction now for contributions made. However, you have to pay taxes on distributions from the IRA in retirement. Whereas with Roth IRA, contributions are determined after tax, which means you do not get any tax deduction for contributed dollars. Assets frown on a tax-free basis and distributions upon retirement (or after age 59 1/2) are also income tax-free.

2. Roth IRA allows you to make contributions even after age 70 as long as you (or your spouse) have earned income. You are not allowed to do this in traditional IRA.

3. Traditional IRA owners are required to take minimum taxable distributions upon reaching the age of 70 1/2. Roth IRA has no such requirement and you are not obliged to take distributions.

The Special Roth Conversion Rules for 2010

In the past, conversions were only allowed for people with Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) of $100,000 or less. Starting January 1, 2010, however, this income cap is eliminated and the option becomes open to everyone.

On other positive modification is the option to defer the recognition (and subsequent tax payment) of income on conversion, spread equally to 2011 and 2012. For instance, if you converted $200,000 of your traditional IRA assets to Roth in 2010, you have the alternative of recognizing $100,000 of that income in 2011 and the other $100,000 in 2012. You have to wait for five years after conversion before you can withdraw any money from Roth that is tax-free.

What is the Catch?

You have to be willing to write a huge check to convert to Roth IRA. You have to recognize the converted amount as income; therefore you must pay the corresponding tax for that amount. To illustrate, if you want to convert $200,000 in IRA assets to Roth, you may have to write a check for $80,000 (based on assumption of 4% marginal tax rate) to pay the taxes on the conversion - either now or spread over 2011 and 2012 (as previously discussed).

Moreover, you have to pay those income taxes from a taxable account and not from your IRA or 401K. So, to convert, you must have enough money in a separate taxable investment account and should be willing to write a huge check to pay those taxes.

This in effect, defeats the purpose of the conversion, especially if you are below the age 59 1/2, which will subject you to another 10% penalty as well. For most people it is tough enough to voluntarily pay more taxes now, but even more so, when you consider the many years in between before you can avail of the benefits. This also goes counter to conventional tax planning, which practically intends to defer tax payment as long as possible.

Who Should (and Should not) Consider Converting to Roth?

The way things are, Roth conversion seems to be more favorable to the wealthy persons who expect higher tax rate in retirement that what they are paying now; and who will not be spending any of their IRA assets in retirement, anyway. Those who expect to live a longer time and plan to leave their Roth IRA assets to the next generation may also find the conversion a smart move.

Because Roth does not have mandatory distribution beginning age 70 1/2, the extension of tax-free life of your retirement assets can result in potentially larger legacy for your heirs. Some people may take advantage of their lower than usual tax rate and consequently benefit from a partial Roth conversion, during a time when their income and tax rate are down for any reason, like maybe during recession or tax losses.

People who cannot afford to pay the tax on conversion now will not want to convert to Roth. Also those who do not have substantial assets in a separate account outside of their IRA or 401K to cover tax payments and those who anticipate a lower tax rate than what they have now are better off not doing any conversion. If you are nearing retirement and have not saved enough, it is a smarter choice to stay put and not do any conversion. It will also be a lot convenient for older people who plan to leave their IRA assets to charity to stick with their present IRA.

Partial Roth IRA Conversion and Tax Rate Diversification

A lot of investors opt for partial rather than a 100% Roth IRA conversion, which may actually be a smarter move. Another option is to spread your Roth conversions over several years to stretch out the income and corresponding tax hits. Having a combination of some Roth IRA assets, which has tax-free distributions and some traditional IRA assets with taxable distributions may be a good opportunity to diversify your future tax rate bet. This will give you a lot of leeway for more creative tax planning in retirement by timing your withdrawals from different pools of assets with different tax implications. Partial conversion from traditional IRA to Roth is a good dodge to future tax rate increases.

Risks of Converting to Roth Now

There is always the risk that the US government will drastically alter the Roth rules and somehow limit the tax-free status of your Roth IRA status; or worse, it may someday make Roth withdrawals taxable and impose taxes as a way of offsetting some government deficits. On the other hand, you may still be able to withdraw the Roth assets you had at the time of the conversion tax-free, since you have already paid the conversion tax; but taxes on investment gains earned after conversion may not be tax-free. The effects of these scenarios would depend on a lot of factors, such as your tax bracket and investment return.

A word of advice: Get professional help. This may get complicated as there are many significant factors to consider with a Roth conversion; some of which are not mentioned here (like the alternative minimum tax, for example) due to the need for a more in-depth and lengthy discussion. Each persons situation is unique; consult your CPA and investment advisor to see if a Roth conversion is an option that will work for you.

Sales Ethics

He was brilliant. Polished. An asset for the company he represented. In less than an hour, he worked up the crowd to fever pitch. Hundreds of people lined up to sign up for the next step—which involved a no-cost, eight-hour financial investment training day.

He was also an author. He told his story of how he met a man who invited him to several investment meetings. And those meetings changed his life forever.

He became wealthy from practicing those investment strategies. He turned from amateur to pro. He had finally arrived. And now he wanted to teach those same strategies to investors.

He made the audience laugh, repeat "yes" for the umpteenth time, and put everyone at ease with his low-pressure persuasion techniques. He was even crawling on the floor to illustrate a point. There's no doubt he graduated Sales Mastery with honors.

But the crowning moment was when he invited four investment newbies to take the stage. He showed them how easy it was to make money whether the market was going up or down. He had them bobbing their heads the entire time. This provided the social proof people needed to participate in the next step.

But many knew better...

I spoke with Ashley, a graphic designer who signed up because Carmen, her realtor mom, wanted to check out the training. Ashley was suspicious of the sales pitch and she wanted to protect her mom from these cleverly disguised sales wolves. I hope Ashley doesn't lower her guard either.

Because once they get you into their training room, they will hit you with a variety of persuasion techniques to scramble your radar. They will make you feel like you have an IQ of a slug for not investing in their program. Don't forget to take prescription strength "stubborn" pills with you on that day.

And my colleague, Dana, didn't approve of the fact that she was being sold. She was skeptical from the start of the presentation. She never cracked a smile during the entire talk. She may have been half-fuming. (Or half-envious.)

But let's be real...

Salespeople have to make a living. Selling is their job. The economy becomes stagnant when nothing gets sold. I hope you agree that selling is a good thing.

Yet people don't like to be sold. They like to buy, but not be sold. Buying puts us in control. We own that power. We lose that power position when we're being sold.

So the speaker did a great job. He racked up hundreds of people into the next phase. He'll receive a nice bonus for his persuasive presentation.

Yet the question remains: If you could—should you?

If you could bottle fountain water to sell to unsuspecting supermarkets: should you?

If you could pay off the FDA to market your medicine: should you?

If you could pressure people with their last dollar to invest into your program: should you?

If you could sell company secrets to competitors: should you?

If your boss commanded you to lie to consumers: should you?

If you answered "yes" and can sleep well at night, then you are lower than the slime on the bottom of my shoe. You may dress in business attire on the outside, but the inner person is polluted with soot. Despite the media coverage that white collar criminals get incarcerated to Club Fed: You should hold yourself to a higher standard.

Besides it's hard to become stealth with unethical conduct. Your inner circle of friends and closest allies notice what you do. Especially in a hi-tech society where everything is traceable.

But if you decide to burn people anyway—the Universe always has a way of settling these accounts. Eastern philosophers call it karma. Western ministers label it "reaping what you sow." And enlightened people name it the Law of Cause and Effect.

So why would anyone corrupt themselves for a buck?

Avoid the scandals, fines and embarrassment. Do the right thing always. And leave a legacy of integrity, accountability and upstanding character for generations to admire and model.

Own Up and It won't Explode

It seems that, almost every day, some politician, talk-show host, high-visibility CEO, athlete, or celebrity says something or is caught doing something that is embarrassing, damages their reputation, or can even end a career. I could easily name the names here of people who have found themselves in these difficult circumstances in the past few months but I'd quickly run out of my allotted space for this column and it wouldn't serve any positive purpose. In most cases the problem gets worse, usually much worse, when the person attempts to deny the allegations. When that happens, and the cover-up is discovered, it really hits the proverbial fan. Self-preservation is human nature and, for many people, a natural “damage control” defense is to deny, offer a smoke-screen, point a finger elsewhere, or otherwise try to squirm out of a difficult situation, but inevitably that evading activity seems to explode the issue into much larger and more dangerous proportions.

Things rarely explode when the person takes a more courageous stance. Instead of a cover-up they offer the acceptance of responsibility, issue a sincere apology, and work to make amends. While this does not defuse all situations, it usually lessens negative outcomes if the damaged party is satisfied enough not to pursue it to the ends of the earth.

There is a lesson here for the local, small business having to deal with a disgruntled customer or employee who, typically, feels the need to vent anger. Realizing that the deed was done and that good “damage control” can minimize negative impact, defuse an irate person and get things back to normal without the situation exploding into a media event.

I recently ordered a customized product but when it came I found it was the wrong color. I called, prepared for an unpleasant experience yet I was shocked when the person pleasantly said, “Thanks for bringing this to my attention.” I almost dropped the phone!

They immediately remade the item, delivering it in two days. They didn't deny, cover up, point fingers, or squirm. They handled the situation in the best possible manner and it didn't explode. I'll be back.

Hand Out Warm Glows

Do you remember how you felt after your last interaction with another person either on the phone or face to face? That person - it could have been a customer, a colleague, a salesperson, a friend or even a member of your family. Did they make you feel good, uplifted and more positive, did they leave you feeling neutral or did they make you feel down and more negative.

Unfortunately, most of us have grown up in a negative culture where it's much easier to tell people what they did wrong rather than praising them when they succeed. Research in the United States found that 65% of employees received no recognition for good work in the past year. Similar research in other countries of the world shows comparable results.

Other research has shown that the number one reason people leave their job and customers take their business elsewhere is that they don't feel appreciated. (And if you think about it - many people leave their partners for the very same reason)

If customer's leave an interaction with you or one of your team feeling better than they did before, then they're much more likely to come back, recommend you to other people and spend more with you.

If one of your team feels better after an interaction with you then they're much more likely to pass that feeling onto a customer. "The way you treat your staff is the way they'll treat your customers" - Karl Albrecht

Give five positive comments to one negative comment to the other people in your life and you'll have - more happy customers - a workplace that's more productive and more fun - more friends - better relationships and a healthier, happier and longer life.

Remember - "Hand out warm glows, not dampeners."

Firing Someone - Does it have to be painful, for them and you?

The need to write this article came about through the recent experience of two of my friends. Both had been fired. One for supposed poor performance (although she had never been counselled and at the time was in fact on sick leave) and one because the start up facility she was employed by, suddenly closed down. Both were senior managers. Both were loyal, hardworking employees but are now very angry and taking legal action against their former employers. Why are they so angry? One could say it's because they have lost their jobs and this would be quite understandable. However, the main action that has triggered their anger and catapulted them down the legal pathway (in both cases), was that they were informed of their dismissals by emails. Yes, that's right by email! They were never given the courtesy of a face to face discussion.

Many managers, when faced with the challenge of firing someone, forget, or are unaware of the emotions that are experienced by the person being fired. Nor are they aware of the behaviour that most often results from these emotions. It has been well documented that the death of a loved one, a marriage or long term relationship breakup and the loss of one's job, have an equal and similar impact on one's emotions. Think for a moment about the loss of one of your dear relatives or friends through death - how did you feel? That's exactly the same feeling that people have when they suddenly and unexpectedly lose their jobs.

The psychologists tell us that there are 5 stages that people go through in this “grief cycle” - Shock, Resistance (often manifested as anger), Acceptance (of the current situation), Exploration (of new opportunities), Commitment (to a new future). Can any of these emotions be managed via email?

I can well recall the first time as a manager I had to fire someone. It was for poor performance and I was scared. I did not sleep the night before wondering what I would say and what would be her reaction. I carried out the interview in the morning with great fear and trepidation. I was not sure how the interview went, but was relieved when it was over and then took a break for lunch, but was unable to eat. I did not know about the “5 stages” at the time, I only knew that I had to do the right thing by the organisation and by the employee. I arrived back from my break to find a box of chocolates on my desk with a very nice note from the employee saying how much she appreciated my courtesy and kindness. I guess, intuitively I must have got something right.

Now, from years of experience, I know two things about firing someone:

1. Firstly, the person at all times must maintain his or her self esteem. This is one of the most basic and important needs that all people have (emailing someone, or even worse as I heard since starting this article, texting, sends a clear message that they are not worthy of a face to face discussion)

2. Secondly, it is vitally important to realise that all people will go through the five stages of the grief cycle (quite often at different paces) and as a manager, it is our role and responsibility to help them progress through these stages, particularly the first two that are likely to occur when they are still with us.

How do you do this? Well, in my usual style when writing an article such as this, I did my web research. Sad to say there was not much there. Under “firing someone” there seemed to be a plethora of articles about the legal requirements and many about the steps to take. For example, one article suggested the following steps: Give warning, Document, Document, Document! Time it right, Prepare the paperwork, Don't go it alone (ensure you have someone from HR there), Ensure privacy, Be brief, Watch your tone, Seek feedback, Give a good send-off. Few of these steps would address the 5 stages of grief. Many could probably be done by email with the same impact and result! If these steps were followed, I wonder what “feedback” the manager would receive - would there in fact be a “Good send-off”?

I'm not suggesting that we don't have to address some of these. For example, you must cover all of the documentary and legal responsibilities pertinent to your country and organisation's requirements. But keep in mind that the fired employee is first and foremost a person just like you with feelings and emotions that must be managed.

Here are some suggestions (assuming of course that you have fulfilled all the other requirements) for the next time that you have to fire someone:

• Before taking any action, ask yourself: “How would I feel if my boss came to me today and said - you're fired!” Write down a list of words that describe your feelings.

• If you were in the situation of being fired, how would you like your boss to handle it? What would you like him/her to do and to say? Jot down some of your thoughts.

• Now write down a list of the words that best describe your feelings about having to fire someone. Review all the words you have scribbled down so far and pick out the two or three strongest. Also keep in mind how you would like to be handled in similar circumstances.

• Script the start of the conversation using the two or three words you have discovered. e.g. “This is really difficult for me. I feel apprehensive and worried that I won't get it right.”

• The next part of your opening script will depend on the circumstances. For example in a “lay off” situation, it might go something like; “I have been advised that I have to terminate the employment of a number of people. I am really sad to say that your name is on that list”. Or, for a non performance issue, it could be something like; “We have discussed my expectations about your performance and unfortunately they are still not being met. It now really saddens me (or whatever your feelings are) that I will have to terminate your employment”.

• Be careful. You can only script the opening few lines, but they are important because they set the scene for the entire interview.

• It is most likely that during the remainder of the interview, the employee will travel backward and forwards between “shock” and “resistance”. Give your reasons for the termination clearly and succinctly, but do not get into a discussion about justifying yours (or your employer's) reasons. Doing so will keep the employee fixed in either of the first two stages and will not help them to progress. Only sincere listening and clear questioning (not reasoning) will help the employee progress to the acceptance stage.

One factor that is often overlooked when firing someone, is that the way it is done can have as much impact (positive or negative) on the people who remain. They will be watching (and will invariably get a first hand report from their colleague) about how well or otherwise the process was managed. The people who remain in the organisation, and whom I assume you want to keep, get a good look at both the manager's and the organisation's real people management skills when under the stress of firing someone. They'll most certainly ask “Could this happen to me?”

Copyright © 2006 The National Learning Institute

The Vibration Of Success

Most people, when they think of success, generally envision setting a goal and doing certain activities to achieve that goal. In other words, a series of external actions that will lead them to success. However, success does not always result directly from performing certain actions, and when it doesn't, we may be puzzled as to why we didn't achieve the goal. Did we do something wrong? Should we have taken different actions? Was the goal too far fetched?

The truth is that success is first an inside job before it can be a result on the outside. For optimum success, therefore, we need to take on the Vibration of Success. What does that mean? Vibration is energy, and the energy you hold in your thoughts and feelings on the inside attracts to you like results on the outside. If you hold an inner vibration of lack and loss, you'll attract lack and loss in your physical world. Therefore, if you raise up your vibrational energy to one of abundance and success, you'll attract that in your life—in all areas. That is, if you think positively, and hold positive thoughts and expectations about the outcome of your goal, you are not only more likely to achieve that goal, but to attract it to you.

When you notice your mind veering off course, or focusing on the negative, gently tell yourself to come back to the positive focus. If you find obstacles or distractions in your path, focus on finding solutions—get support, call a coach, just take action! Some tools you can use to stay positive and in the vibration of success include affirmations, visualization, meditation, reading books, listening to CDs, attending seminars and working with a coach.

Science has shown everything is energy, including the material world. When you focus your thoughts on what you want to achieve or create, that energy attracts those results to you. Your inner thoughts, self-talk, feelings, and overall attitude create an energy that acts as a magnet to bring into your life material results that match the energy of your inner world. So it is crucial that you become aware of your internal energy field. What are you saying to yourself? Is your mind organized or unfocused? Are you clear about your goals or are you doubtful? Do you know why you want what you want or have you taken on other people's desires as your own?

This is a universal law that works for everyone: that which you focus on you attract to you. The easiest way to attract what you want—success—is to focus on the positive outcome and not on obstacles, distractions or failure. You've heard the expression: Be careful what you wish for—you may just get it! Well that shouldn't be a warning, but a promise. For if you hold high vibrations of what you truly want, and stay clear, positive, and focused in your thoughts, self-talk, and feelings—you just may get what you want. The Vibration of Success will attract to you all the success you want.

How Values Make or Break Your Business

Do you know the number one reason people leave their jobs? It's not because of money or the company dress policy. It's not because they did not get the corner office or because they were passed over for that much-deserved promotion.

Most people who jump ship do so because they just cannot stay one moment longer at their place of work and honor their own deeply held business or career values at the same time.

People might be able to happily get by with less money, but they cannot work for long in a situation that violates a deeply held core value.

What are Values?

The word values is tossed around a lot, but what are values?

Values go beyond beliefs. They are the core philosophies we hold sacred. People often report feeling as though they were born with these values.

Every individual has a core set of personal values he or she brings to work; every business has a core set of business values. The optimum business situation is when these sets of personal and business values overlap, blend and morph into what I call shared values.

Whether you are consciously aware of them or not,your personal values constitute your ideals, and shape your being - indeed they are your being. And whether you are in alignment with them or not-whether you own or work in a business that reflects them or not they affect your every thought, word and action.

I am the best example of how values- or rather a conflict in personal and business value-helped to shape my behavior and decision-making. I sold my thriving business, not because it was a failure- financially speaking, it was wildly successful- but because I was not able to keep that business and honor my own value of personal freedom. The nature of the business demanded too much time and dedication. Once I realized this, no amount of money could make me stay.

Sometimes values are in conflict, but the stronger value always wins out.

I have a friend who was teaching in a toxic (for her) school situation. When she was hired for the job she was thrilled to get any public school teaching job, no matter the school or philosophy. She did not think about whether or not this school was a good "fit" for her value-wise.

She learned the hard way about the importance of shared values.

Without really realizing it at the time, my friend held two values: a strong work ethic that included always delivering her very best, and professional freedom to be innovative in her delivery of her best.

From the get-go my friend was scrutinized frequently and expected to adhere to rigid planning and assessment tools. While other teachers would welcome such structure, my friend found it stifling.

To avoid the pain of poor performance assessments, and to adhere to her value of performance excellence, she tried to conform to the school's expectations and squeeze in some innovative teaching where she could.

Still, she grew increasingly unhappy because in conforming, she was forced to sacrifice her freedom to "plan creative activities in the classroom without getting caught" thus making her feel sneaky violating yet another one of her dearly held values, namely honesty.

The result of all this value-clashing? Her performance and self-esteem plummeted. By year's end, much as she loved teaching, she had no choice but to pack up her books and bulletin boards and hand in her resignation. But, there was an upside to all of this.

When she scheduled new job interviews, my friend was quick to ask about school procedures and policies. No longer willing to sacrifice her value of freedom for any teaching position, she came from a position of strength.

Eventually, my friend landed a new teaching job with lots of freedom built in. She felt a renewed sense of passion for her profession, and learned a valuable lesson on the value of seeking shared values in the workplace.

So, how does this information about values in the workplace impact you?

Well, let's pretend you're scouting for a new job. Like my friend, you'd be wise to come to any interview knowing your own values and then asking questions to see if your prospective employer's values, and those of the business you are considering joining, are in line with yours. For example, if you know you value time with family, you might ask about the company's flextime policy; if you value professional freedom, you might ask about the company's review and evaluation process.

If you take a job whose values are in conflict with yours, you are asking for trouble.

Conversely, if you are the employer interviewing prospective workers, you want to be clear on your own values, your business' values and the expectations that grow out of those. Then as you interview employee candidates, you can ask particular questions crafted to discover whether or not each candidate's values align with yours and those of your company.

Avoid direct (DUH!) questions, such as, "Do you value respect and hard work" Instead, ask your candidate to indirectly reveal his or her values by telling you about three people he or she most admires and why. Since we most often admire in others the positive traits and qualities we hold sacred in ourselves, you will gain some insight into each candidate's core values. You can then attract to your business those people whose values are most in alignment with yours and those of your business.

If you are a business owner, your business values are your company's invisible CEOs. Whether you realize it or not, your values help manage every aspect of your business. They guide your decisions; they help determine if your business is viable and valuable. When you create a business that is in alignment with your values-and when you bring people on board who are in harmony with those values-your business has the best chance of meeting your personal and financial goals.

How closely your business is aligned with your own values, and how closely your employees' values follow suit, determines the degree to which your business will fly or flop on all fronts. A strong sense of shared values allows you to initiate meaningful actions based on mutual agreement instead of spending all your time managing the fallout caused by not honoring them.

One last example . . .

In my company I insisted that every individual-vendors, employees, customers- treat each other with same courtesy and respect with which they would treat a guest in their home.During the hiring process, I always spoke about my company's values. I was always looking for that "respect value". Our motto was "People first!" I honed in on this value before exploring any technical expertise or skill the candidate brought to the table.

Without this shared value, our working relationship would have been doomed from day one. With the respect piece missing, we would not be happy with their performance and attitude, and they would not be happy trying to fit in with us.

The payoff for consistently knowing and acting from this and other shared values was that we enjoyed long term relationships with employees, vendors, clients and customers that stretched 25 years or more. We had corporate contracts that lasted 15 and 20 years, a time period unheard of in the contract dining services industry. Try using this value based approach next time you bring someone on your team.

Gratitude: The Secret of the Rich

What do you do right after someone refers a new client to you? How do you handle gifts from satisfied customers? What do you say after receiving a compliment? And how many times do you get invited for cocktails?

What? You say you've never received any of these in your life. You don't believe in Santa Clause or the Tooth Fairy. And people are too busy thinking about themselves to pay any attention to you.

What's up with that?

In today's "me, myself and I" society we tend to forget there are people who do nice things for us. It could be the gentleman opening the entrance door, the maid who does more than expected cleaning our house, or the prominent socialite inviting us for brunch. They thought enough about us to go the extra step. Wouldn't it be rewarding to let them know that we appreciate them?

I'm on Sondra Thiederman's website. I've never met her. She speaks on diversity in the workplace. I really enjoyed her article and had to let her know:

"Enjoyed you article, Imus in Us. You walk your talk. Appreciate your
honesty. We all could learn to become better human beings."

Sondra replies:

"Tommy: Your kind e-mail was such a lovely way to end the week. Thanks for
the words of support. We all just have to do the best we can."

Wow, I made her week with four short sentences. Amazing. We all have that power within us to brighten up someone's life. And it doesn't have to cost a lot of money. What people really want on a deeper level is to feel important and appreciated.

One afternoon, I'm at a wealthy socialite's home for a potluck. Her back yard butts up against a golf course. She is an avid bridge player and once played adjacent to both Bill Gates and Warren Buffet's table.

Someone was making a speech in the patio. She instinctively checks if she's blocking anyone's view and moves aside. She's thinking about others first. What a kind and gracious gesture. The party was a huge success because she made it so.

Afterwards, I was compelled to send her a thank you card. I made sure to do it first thing in the morning. Wouldn't she be surprised to receive a card from someone she just met the previous day?

I'm suggesting these little acts of gratitude do matter. They speak volumes about you. People don't forget your appreciation.

Now if you are grateful and reply with kind acts, will people always appreciate them? I'm afraid not. Usually it may not be their entire fault. I believe most of us receive so little appreciation growing up we don't quite know how to respond.

But the majority of times people will light up with a smile. And maybe reciprocate with a kind gesture or warm words. It's this spirit of giving and holding people, even strangers, in high regard that reveals your inner-character.

So if a motorist lets you into the flow of traffic, give him a thank-you wave. If someone baked chocolate chip cookies for your sick child, give her a hug. If a crew was painting your house, invite them inside for lunch. You'll see that a little gratitude can go a long way to brighten up someone's day.

How to Get Debt Collectors Off Your Back Permanently

Debt collectors are liars, cheaters, etc... They take advantage of every loophole possible and even break the law. They have been featured on almost every news program from CNN to 60 Minutes. There are laws in place to contain their harassment and collection efforts and to make this process more civil, but most figure the risk of getting caught is minimal and that the rewards of endlessly harassing and fleecing victims is far greater. We now have the power to take back our lives, stop them in their tracks and sue them for more than they are trying to collect.

First, lets start with what is actually owed and how most collection agencies work. Usually a unpaid debt is either sold or turned over to a collection agency. 95% or more of these debts are credit cards, store cards, gas cards, etc... These debts are then tiered according to age of debt, amount, credit, job history, etc... Generally most debts are bought for pennies on the dollar. Recent debt may go for $.15 to $.25 on the dollar whereas old debt that has had numerous collection attempts goes for $.05 or less and debt that is beyond the statues of limitations for the state the debtor resides in goes for less than $.01. So, for instance if you owed $10000.00 on a credit card, the debt collection agency paid at most $2500.00, but probably paid less than $1500 for it. Now, what's interesting is that they will call and write you stating that you now owe $14000.00 or so stating that it has accrued interest and various questionable fees. This is all profit if you were dumb enough to pay that. A fair settlement would be $1700.00 or less. So, the point here is that you don't ever owe what they are trying to collect from you - it is always far, far less.

Secondly, lets give you some more ammunition - The 1977 FDCPA (Fair Debt Collection Practices Act) gives you rights the debt collectors won't tell you about. If you don't want to hear from them again, its easy. Just write them a letter stating that you wish they cease all contact with you (make sure you put in the letter that - P.S. This letter is in no way an acknowledgement of the above listed debt(s) - that way they cannot even attempt to try and re-age your debt (add another 7years of collection and reporting to further harass). Send the letter registered return receipt requested mail and keep your proof of receipt. If they contact you after this for any reason other than to tell you they are either dropping the issue or taking it to court (99.99% won't go to court as it costs them more money and their odds of getting anything are almost zero - even with a judgement) then you can sue them for each occurrence for $1,000. People win these suits every day - most settle out of court for a lot more than the original debt (just look this up on the internet under small claims court). You also have the right to question the debt and have the debt collector provide proof. Many debt collection agencies are being sued by many debtors for their failure to provide proof. Just look up Asset Acceptance on the internet - they are one of the biggest abusers of this federal law with thousands of outstanding lawsuits for harassing debt collection practices.

So, now you know how to stop debt collection agencies in their tracks. You know how to get relief - sue them! If enough people sue them things will change. Also use your state and local resources. State Attorney generals go after debt collection agencies that routinely break the law, Consumer protection agencies (the Better Business Bureau, etc...), the Federal Trade Commission goes after the worst abusers, and, of course, your state department of insurance and finance (whom actually licenses these agencies rto operate in your state). You state department of finance and insurance, or similar, has the power to fine, punish and even banish the debt collection agency from your state. Every state requires a debt collection agency to be licensed and put up a large financial bond (around $50,000) to operate in your state. Call these folks if you are having problems with a debt collection agency - they will get immediate results in your favor. Don't threaten the collection agency that you have these rights - use them. Bring the collection agency to its knees if they are violating your rights.

The other problem is are these bills, debts even correct? Many hospitals, doctors, etc... have no ethics and will purposely double or even triple bill patients without insurance because they know they can get away with it. If you have a question about your bill demand a itemized bill and have this professionally examined. This will reveal things like overcharging ($100 tissue boxes, 1000 percent markup on medicines, etc...) We entrust these hospitals and doctors with our lives and then they screw us by double billing or worse. Right now there is no government policing on hospitals. Many times a debt collector will actually make up a debt or illegally pass one on to you from someone else (Asset Acceptance has been sued for this many times). Do not assume that you owe any debt and take them to task. If you do owe it, pay it, but pay the least amount possible, and pay it on your terms. If they break the law - make them pay!

If you have a problem with a bill make it known to your state politicians. If enough people do this things will change. Write to your local newspaper, tell a friend, do a press release. Tell others of their rights. Cigarette boxes come with warnings - shouldn't debt collectors and debt collection agencies with their high propensity to skirt the law also come with mandatory warnings? The more the word gets out, the better the odds something will be done about it.

Ethics in business emails

One of the latest marketing medium is the internet. And with it comes email marketing. Due to the usual informality of emails, many messages break normal ethics rules. They should not be, especially in business emails.

Take careful note of the following:

1. Don't capitalize all letters--they're the equivalent of shouting.

2. Always check spelling and grammar. You're insulting your reader by sending thrash.

3. Always put a subject.

4. Don't attach huge files -- pictures, documents, etc.--that take forever to download. Remember, there are people who still use dial-up accounts, slow connection DSLs, etc.

What Kind of Content Model Fits Your Infopreneur Dreams?

Ethics and values matter in business. Even the information business. Maybe this sounds like hocus-pocus, but I believe it is critical to your success or failure as an information marketer.

There's a lot of confusion and controversy about fair, ethical use of articles and other forms of content on the Internet - particularly content that you haven't created yourself.

Broadly, in content marketing (just as in life itself) there are two categories of people:

* those who exploit a situation

* those who make the world a better place

Now, I'm not getting into a debate or discourse on which is better, holier or more 'right'. Which path you opt to tread is entirely your choice - and might depend upon factors I don't know and cannot imagine. Just understand there are 2 paths.

Those who exploit the prevailing content marketing scenario are focussed on one thing - and that alone. They want to get high ranking on search engines for competitive keywords (ones that offer multiple quick ways to make money from visitors) and drive floods of traffic to their sites... never mind how they do it.

And there are many tactics to achieve this end - using scripts and software, innovatively mixed together, to throw up 'junk content sites' that often make very little sense, look ugly or repulsive (on purpose) and are geared to doing one thing well - getting visitors to click on income producing links that are placed on these websites.

This approach is profitable. There are many folks who were banking 5-figure checks every month based with this strategy.

There's a downside. These sites may not last for long in search engines. The owners will always be scrambling to stay ahead of the game - and should not mind if they lose the cash-generating high traffic magnets overnight. Just build some more.

If this sounds like working for money, you're right. It is. Don't confuse this with a real 'infopreneur business'.

Sure, you'll make money - maybe a lot of it. But you don't have a sustained process to acquire clients, make repeat sales to them, build a list, and achieve steady growth across a longer time frame.

The other category of people are the ones who 'make the Internet a better place' - and do this by adding valuable content to the Web.

While this is a harder path to tread, in the longer term it is more sustainable and can be scaled up over time. There's some hard work involved while things get going, but after a while it can be organized to be 'set and forget' simple.

That's the difference. With this strategy, in the end the result is a high quality, content-rich website. A useful online resource many people visit over and over again because it truly adds value to their lives in some way. A place people tell other people to go for quality information and support. A portal that search engines will find and reward, sooner or later. A website that could become an authority on the niche topic it is built around.

This kind of site will easily be able to create a sense of online community amongst users, nurture a loyal following and have staying power. And this can become the kernel for a business built around that theme.

Which model do you want to follow?

As I said before, it's your choice to make. Both are lucrative models. Both need some work. Both have some significant operational and strategic differences. Most important, they are philosophically distinct.

And your choice of one over the other is a reflection of your own attitude and approach towards your online infopreneur business.

Just make sure you're clear about which kind you're going after, as much of what you'll do will be determined by this decision.

Solving Customer Frustration

We are living in an instant gratification society. We look forward to instant coffee, movies on demand and hi-speed Internet. If the traffic light stays red too long, we just might have a fit. And if the waitress takes too long with our order we send her a message through her tip.

Because our prospects and customers get a little uneasy when their wants and needs are not quickly met, we have to be that much better prepared at running our business. They may have questions or objections that if not answered in a timely manner, may never shop from us again.

This would be a costly mistake. We may not have another chance to win them over. It's critical that we treat our most recent and best customers as gold.

I remember ordering some books with a subscription to an industry journal. The subscription arrived like clockwork every month. Since one of the books was missing, I called customer service.

They insisted they would send me the book. I waited two weeks. Nothing. Then I called them again. This cycle repeated. Each time they assured me they would send it.

It felt like I had been talking to the wall. Finally after a couple of months of useless dialog, I met the author at an industry function and told him the story. He had enough clout with that company to fix the problem.

They didn't have the foresight to figure out: It should never have gone this far.

Did I have the consumer confidence to buy any more books from this company? NO. If anything, I began having doubts about their fulfillment. I decided not to renew my subscription. Just over a year later, the company ceased to exist.

This happens far too many times in business. Hopefully not yours. The paying customer feels like they're no longer important. Ignored. When this happens they'll opt to shop elsewhere.

Recently I've been won over with a cause. I've read the author's book, explored his company's website and agree with his purpose. He runs a non-profit organization, which accepts gifts, donations and sponsorships to satellite operations in certain third-world countries.

I'm excited about this organization's mission. I'm pumped. They use their monies wisely. There's no waste. Each dollar is accounted for.

I click on a link to find the author is coming to my area to speak. I can't wait to see him. To meet the man who has been through so much and maybe contribute to the cause.

There was one problem...

There was no information for this event on their website except for the city and date. They didn't announce where he would hold the speaking engagement. I called their head office in Dallas. They didn't know either (?) but would get back with me.

They never did.

I get no word. Could this be one of those secret meetings? It can't be. They depend on monthly contributions to support their cause overseas.

A month has past and the event is a single week away. I call Dallas again. I speak with the same lady. She said she'd have someone contact me. She seems very sincere. But sincerity is not the measure of accountability—keeping your word is.

Again no word. How can an organization not know where their leader will speak? Why are they kept in the dark? Is this the way to run a non-profit?

You see, it should never have gone this far.

Now I'm beginning to have doubts. I suspect the organization doesn't believe this cause is that important. My enthusiasm has waned. Their casual treatment of this upcoming event sends a negative message no business or non-profit can afford to make.

In your business, if you run an ad or marketing promotion make sure you have a system in place that explains everything in detail. It must answer the who, what, when, where, why and how. You don't want your prospect guessing what to do next. Give them all the details because if you frustrate them—they may not jump at your offer.

And one last note: Keep your word.

Refunds and Warranty Claims for Internet Businesses

It is all very well, just fantastic in fact, to have a steadily growing sales portfolio, achieved through your website. How are you traveling in the way you deal with returns? Are you achieving the balance between a robust and sustainable system, and a nightmare for your customers that will see them abandoning you in droves?

It really does not matter whether you sell products or sell services through your website. No matter what, you can bet that a certain percentage of your sales will turn into a refund or warranty claim. There is an almost endless variety of business models out there on the net these days. Everything from retailers offering physical goods, such as stereo players, to people in their region, to service providers selling their skill to people everywhere in the world. Every one of these businesses has customers, and therefore will have customers seeking to return what they bought.

So how does your business process claims for a refund, repair or replacement? Have a look now at your processes. Firstly backup a bit and see how clearly your site explains those processes to potential customers, in the pre sales phase. Some facts that I suggest you have freely available and easily found are.

1) Warranty and return terms for every item you sell
2) A FAQ section dealing with the process you need your customers to follow to initiate a claim
3) All the relevant time periods that apply in the claim process

I am suggesting that if you openly acknowledge that claims can arise in any sales process, and clearly explain how a customer can access the claims information, then two advantages will develop. Firstly, in that vital pre sales phase where potential customers are choosing their preferred supplier, they will take positive notice that you have been open enough to provide this information. If your competing suppliers do not supply this information, then this point alone my win people over. Secondly by having claims information easily reachable on your site, you will see a reduction in those time consuming enquiry emails from confused customers.

So now let us look how well your business actually processes a refund, repair or replacement claim. What you need to know at this point are a few facts.

1) Claims verus sales over a given period, (for example a quarter), expressed as a percentage
2) Timelines for those claims from lodgement to finalisation
3) Repeat customers who have lodges a claim previously

As every business type is different, so is the expected and acceptable claims percentage. You as the supplier will know from research what is a good percentage and what is far too high in your sector. Compare your results with the benchmarks, and you will have a great idea of how you are traveling. Similarly, by analyzing the time lines, you can tell if your business drags its feet, and thereby annoys its customers. The third figure will perhaps take a bit more digging to uncover, but it is worth it. If customers who have lodged a claim with you have then subsequently purchased again, this is powerful anecdotal evidence that you have your claim process running well.

Have fun finetuning your business, and I wish you all the best.

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Make Some Money Fast

Many people around us keep telling us that it is not possible to earn money fast and we will have to work hard for several months and years to earn a good amount of money. Though this is absolutely true, we can achieve our set financial goals rather quickly if we plan everything in systematic and smart manner and execute our plan well. Though there are many ways to make some money fast, many people fail to earn money because of lack of adequate knowledge and commitment. Given below are some easy ways to make some money fast.

Ways to Make Money Fast

Make Wise Stock Market Investments
By making wise stock market investments, you can easily make some money fast. If you have a very good knowledge about the rise and falls in the stock market and have a good deal of experience in buying and selling shares and securities, the stock market can be one of the best ways of earning money fast. You can make money by indulging in day-trading by buying and selling the shares on the same day or by buying the shares with a short term perspective and then selling them after a few days. Seasoned and intelligent investors are known to earn a lot of money in a very short period of time in the stock market by making right judgments and decisions at the right time. This is also an ideal way to make some money at home. However, you should not invest your hard earned money in the stock market unless you are confident about yourself and have the requisite knowledge, as the chances of a large capital loss are always there in the stock market.

Participate in Reality Shows
These days, reality shows are becoming very popular and are generating a lot of business for the entertainment channels. More on reality TV. As a result of this, the entertainment channels are offering large amounts of money as prizes to the winners of these reality shows. The reality shows may require the participants to act, sing, dance or play a musical instrument. If you are good at any of these arts, you should definitely consider the idea of participating in these reality shows. Apart from money, the reality shows also provide a lot of fame and respect to the winners. Apart from the above mentioned shows, many quiz shows are also being held on several channels, which also offer a good prize money. Thus, television shows are indeed one of the finest ways to make some money fast.

Organize an Art Exhibition
Organizing an art exhibition is also one of the best way to make some money fast. You can keep some of your best paintings or sculpture work in an exhibition and it is possible to get a premium amount of money if you find a potential buyer. Generally, art lovers are willing to spend a big amount of money if they like a particular piece of art and hence you can definitely benefit from this. More on arts and crafts.

Be an Anchor for Famous Shows
An anchor or a presenter is required for any kind of show, be it a singing show, dance show or a music show. The work of an anchor gets over the moment the show is over. But, many anchors are known to make a very good amount of money for the comparatively less hours of work. However, it is essential to have all the qualities which are essential to be a good anchor such as confidence, communication skills and presence of mind. You can read more on:

* Money Making Ideas for College Students
* How to Make Quick Money in One Day
* Make Extra Money from Home

These were some of the finest ways to make some money fast. However, whether you are able to earn fast will depend a lot on your attitude and skills.

By Omkar Sarpotdar

RNCOS Releases a New Report - Emerging Medical Tourism in South Korea

by: Shushmul Maheshwri


South Korea is emerging as a popular destination for medical tourism especially among the tourists from the US, Japan and China, says a new research report “Emerging Medical Tourism in South Korea” by RNCOS. In 2008, the country received around 25,000 foreign medical tourists, an impressive increase of more than 56% from previous year (2007). Medical tourists prefer South Korea not just for the lower costs of treatment, but also for its advanced technology and better healthcare infrastructure.

We have also found that South Korea is widely popular for its world-class and skilled professionals in plastic surgery that attracts medical patients from different parts of the world to get their surgery done at low cost. For instance, nearly 10,000 people landed in South Korea for plastic surgery procedures in 2008. Besides, the country has attained great proficiency in the treatment of different types of cancers such as stomach cancer and liver cancer.

With focus on various parameters of tourism industry, including inbound tourism, expenditure by inbound tourists, medical tourism and healthcare infrastructure, the report contains a thorough analysis of the South Korean medical tourism industry. It also provides strategic insight to the clients to evaluate opportunities for their success in the medical tourism industry.

Our report “Emerging Medical Tourism in South Korea” provides an insight into the South Korean medical tourism industry. It evaluates the past, present and future scenario of the medical tourism market, and discusses the key factors making South Korea a potential medical tourism destination.

The report also gives forecast for various segments of the medical tourism industry based on feasible tourism industry environment in South Korea. These include:

- Medical Tourist Arrivals
- Medical Tourism Receipts
- Number of Doctors
- Number of Hospital Beds
- Real GDP Growth
- Population
- Personal Disposable Income

The report also includes detailed information about the key players in the medical tourism industry of South Korea, including Asan Medical Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Samsung Medical Center, Ajou University Hospital, Yonsei University Health System and Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital.

A List of Tough Job Interview Questions For Tough Times
by: Thomas Sullivan


The information presented here is designed to provide a benefit to anyone who must answer questions during the dreaded job interview. The main point presented here is that the key to a successful job interview is preparation. The following discussion expounds on this key point.

While some tough job interview questions take us off guard, others we can see coming a mile away. How we answer job interview questions will make the difference between getting and not getting the job. We all have questions that we'd rather not be asked during an interview. But how can one prepare completely for a tough interview?

The answer to this question really comes down to intense preparatory work. In a nutshell, do your homework. Make sure that you know your resume thoroughly and expect questions to come from your work history. Also, expect questions about the company you want to work for and the type of future you want in that company, and finally, expect questions about you. You should use several large lists of questions in preparation for the interview. Below, you will find a list of tough job interview questions, which should be helpful in preparation for the job interview.

While the questions below are pretty standard and can be expected at most job interviews, you should also create your own questions. In creating your questions in preparation for an interview, you really need to sit down and think through what you would ask if you were the interviewer. Remember that the person interviewing you has a job to do as well. If you can provide a good answer to most of the questions below, and to the questions you have created, you have increased the probability of obtaining the job you are seeking.

Obviously during a job interview, regardless of your personality, you need to be congenial and polite. Try not to appear nervous as well. Most importantly, try to appear confident in yourself but not to the point of appearing cocky. Remember, the interviewer is not only trying to select the best candidate for the job, they also want to be sure that you will be compatible with other employees you will be working with. Also, remember that the interviewer is trying their best to find any red flags that may be present in your past work history.

The following is a list of questions you can expect at most job interviews. You most likely will not be asked all of these questions, but you can expect some of them. Many of these questions come from About.com, and some were created by our staff.


Job Interview Questions: Work History

What is the name of the company you worked for and what titles or positions did you hold?

In a nutshell, describe what you did at your previous company.

When were your employed by this company?

What were your expectations for your previous job and to what extent were they met?

What were your starting and final levels of compensation?

What were your responsibilities?

What major challenges and problems did you face? How did you handle them?

What did you like or dislike about your previous job?

Which was most and least rewarding?

What was the biggest accomplishment and failure in this position?

Why are you leaving your current job?

Why were you fired?

What was the most enjoyable aspect of your previous job?


Job Interview Questions: About Your Supervisors and Co-Workers.

What was it like working for your supervisor?

What do you expect from a supervisor?

Who was your best boss and who was the worst?

What is the ideal co-worker?

What is the ideal boss?


Job Interview Questions: About You

What is your greatest weakness?

What is your greatest strength?

In terms of your current or last position, describe a typical work week for yourself.

Do you take work home with you?

How many hours do you normally work per week including work completed at home?

How would you describe the pace at which you work?

How do you handle stress and pressure?

In terms of your career, what motivates you to move upward and attain further success?

What are your salary expectations?

What do you find are the most difficult decisions to make?

Tell me about yourself.

What has been the greatest disappointment in your life?

What has been your greatest accomplishments in your life?

What are you passionate about?

What are your pet peeves?

What do people most often criticize about you?

When was the last time you were angry? What happened?

If you could relive the last 10 years of your life, what would you do differently?

If the people who know you were asked why you should be hired, what would they say?

Do you prefer to work independently or on a team?

Give some examples of teamwork.

Were you responsible for any major projects at your last position, and if so, please describe in a nutshell the project you were responsible for.

What type of work environment do you prefer?

How do you evaluate success?

Have you ever given a work related presentation to a group of people greater then 10, and if so, how did that work out?

If you know your boss is 100% wrong about something how would you handle it?

Describe a difficult work situation or project and how you overcame it.

Describe a time when your workload was heavy and how you handled it.

What have you been doing since your last job?


Job Interview Questions: About the New Job and the Company

What interests you about this job?

Why do you want this job?

What applicable attributes or experience do you have?

Are you overqualified for this job?

What can you do for this company?

What do you know about this company?

Why do you want to work here?

What challenges are you looking for in a position?

What can you contribute to this company?

Are you willing to travel?

Is there anything I haven't told you about the job or company that you would like to know?

How do you plan to move up within our company?

What is the highest level you wish to be promoted within our company?

Why should we select you for this job?


Job Interview Questions: The Future

What are you looking for in your next job?

What are your career goals for the next five years and ten years?

How do you plan to achieve those goals?

How long would you like to stay with our company and why?

What are your salary requirements - both short-term and long-term?

What will you do if you don't get this position?


Once again, the key to a successful job interview is preparation. When you are completely prepared, you will tend to be less nervous. Of course, it is highly likely you will be presented with a question or two that you did not expect. This is why preparation also entails having the knowledge base that you can expect the interviewer will tap into.

Here I am not talking about the knowledge needed to do the job. That should be a given anyway, otherwise you would have not been asked to be at the interview. Here I am talking about knowing yourself and your attitudes, and being able to present your attitudes in a way the interviewer can appreciate. It does not hurt to let the interviewer know what really makes you tick, if the interview goes in that direction.

Make sure that you display an enthusiastic attitude. Make sure you present to the interviewer a willingness to learn and a desire to advance in the company you are about to potentially work for. You do not want to appear as if you are lacking seriousness and definitely do not appear cavalier. Try to appear enthusiastic and positive in a mature and professional way. If you are naturally an enthusiastic and positive type of person, then half the battle is won. The point is to be your self, but try to present the best of who you are.

Remember this, many employers prefer a less educated candidate with fewer credentials who is bright and willing to learn, over one who is more prepared but lacks the proper attitude. A good example of this is the entrepreneur who wants to launch a new business. For him or her who is starting a new venture, hiring someone who is bright and has the right attitude is extremely important. More important then previous education. In this case, the entrepreneur is looking for someone who is not afraid to take risks and is very much goal oriented. Here it is very important that you display to the interviewer your ability to work as part of a team. The 9 to 5 type worker who expects to work basically the same hours 5 days a week would not fit well here. And the interviewer needs to know this.

To conclude, in the end, most interviewers are looking for the right attitude for the job they are trying to fill. If you also have the right credentials along with the right attitude, then your chances are increased tremendously. If you can answer most of the above questions, display an enthusiastic attitude, and present yourself in the best possible way, this should result in you obtaining the job you are seeking.

Discovering Fraudulent Appraisals During Foreclosure

by: Nick Adama


Without question, one of the enablers in many fraudulent mortgage lending schemes has been a crooked appraiser willing to give a property any value that the Realtor, mortgage broker, or lender wanted. The real estate bubble could not have been inflated to such a high level without the complicity of many appraisers who threw all conservatism out the window and began giving properties ridiculous values in order to help secure loans.

Now, with the housing market collapsing all around us, these appraisers have had to go back to valuing homes at more reasonable levels. However, this leaves many homeowners out in the cold, having received inflated appraisals just a few years ago and now finding out their homes were never worth that amount. What recourse, though, do these borrowers have, especially when they fall into foreclosure ?

The degree of appraisal inflation and fraud has been found to be astronomical in too many cases already. Homeowners have discovered that their home's value was inflated by up to 1,000% of its non-bubble price. The typical mortgage insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is inflated by 30-50% in order to raise prices of property on first-time home buyers and low income borrowers.

So clearly, there is a problem with a large number of appraisals, but homeowners may have trouble holding the individual appraiser or his company liable for the inflated value. However, there are a number of different claims that can be brought against an appraiser that blatantly misrepresented the actual fair market value of a home, especially if the borrowers relied on that appraisal in their decision to buy or refinance.

The most obvious claim borrowers may be able to bring against an appraiser is fraud due to the misrepresentation of the home's value. While valuing a home is sometimes just as much art as science, obviously using inappropriate comparable sales or making unreasonable adjustments to justify a higher value can be a clear case of fraud.

The only problem with this claim that homeowners may find is that the conditions may be hard to meet. For example, the borrowers will need to show all nine elements are present for a fraud claim to be made. Unfortunately, this may be easier said than done, and homeowners may want to contact an attorney to discuss the potential of a fraud case in more depth. These nine elements are the following:

1. representation of an existing fact.
2. the fact is material.
3. the representation of the fact is false.
4. the speaker knows it is false.
5. the speaker intends the listener acts on the knowledge.
6. the listener is ignorant of the falsity.
7. the listener relies on the truth of the fact.
8. the listener has a right to rely on it.
9. damages are suffered by the listener.

Far more promising as a claim against appraisers is state Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Practices (UDAP) statutes. This claim is also somewhat easier to make. The reliance on the misrepresentation does not have to be show, and some of the other conditions are also loosened. Homeowners should contact a lawyer or do some research on their state's UDAP laws, however, to find out all of the relevant information.

There are also a number of other claims that can be made against an appraiser, either in or out of foreclosure. Depending on the circumstances of the case, some of these include violations of state licensing laws, civil conspiracy, fraudulent concealment, and civil RICO claims. Again, it may be in the homeowners' best interests to speak with legal counsel or research these issues in depth before making a claim.

Far too many homeowners were given the most expensive mortgages they qualified for and their home values were inflated to justify the large loans. Appraisers played a role in these transactions, and many of the most corrupt may have engaged in acts that carry significant legal liability. Especially in cases where a lender pushes homeowners into foreclosure, doing some research on these issues and holding the appraiser accountable may be called for.

Custom Table Runners - Making Your Booth the Place to Be

Looking to add a little versatile punch to your trade show display this year? Want something that can be changed to suit the time of year, the venue or the audience? Need something that will help build your brand identity and help you compete against the "big boys"? Hoping not to break the bank in the process? There are a number of small things that you can do that will have a big impact on the kind of traffic that your booth sees at a show. Consider ordering custom table runners, to give your trade show booth a finished professional appearance that is sure to draw a crowd.

Custom table runners help to identify your booth and your brand. With your company name, logo, slogan or a combination of the three printed on them, a runner gives your table a real professional image. Available in a variety of different colors, you can change the table cover that the runner sits on at every show if you would like. You can build several different display set ups cheaply, if the centerpiece of all of them is the same table runner. Change your look up for each season. Reinvent your image for each region. Make your company's booth over whenever you wish, without having to commit big bucks to a new design.

Any trade show veteran will tell you that a booth won't get traffic unless it is nice to look at. Trade show attendees don't want to have to puzzle out who you are or what you do. They would rather move along to the next booth than have to figure it out. A custom table runner helps to identify your business to your customers, so that they don't have to do it themselves. Trade show attendees have a lot of booths to visit, and they don't want to waste their time on businesses that don't come across as being professional and organized. How you put your booth together can convey a lot of things about your brand. A nice table sends a positive message.

Campaign Signs, An Inexpensive Way to Get Your Name Out There

Throughout the year we see several different signs in people's yards. Maybe you haven't noticed signs in people's yards, but have you noticed signs on public property or on the corner of the street for different things. Think about it. . .what types of signs do you see around town? If you are thinking that you have never noticed a sign anywhere then the next time you drive down the street look around and see what you see.

People put signs out in their yards or around the community for different reasons. The reasons can range from advertising a community event such as a carnival, auction, dance or community meeting. Then you might see signs around town for parties or open houses for selling products in their home.

Along those lines you might notice signs for yard or garage sales. Another reason people might use signs around town is to promote their business. That is a great and inexpensive way to promote your business. I know that when I have had different security system companies come to my home and make offers on my home they will offer discounts for being able to put a sign out in front of my yard.

Another very common reason people will have custom signs printed is for campaign signs. If there is a time I drive around town and notice signs all over the place it is during the voting season. It is definitely a wise choice to do this. Campaign signs can bring attention to specific people and what they are running for. One day I was standing outside of a voting poll and someone started asking who was running for certain things and we found ourselves mentioning the different signs we had seen around town.

I know for years I have driven around town and thought to myself that they must be spending a fortune on these campaign signs to get their name out there. Then one year my dad decided to run for a political position and I started thinking about all of the money he would have to spend on these signs. I was amazed when we started looking into these campaign signs that they were very inexpensive and a great way to go.

There were so many different options from different colors to even putting his picture on the sign. These proved to be very effective and it was nice to know that these campaign signs didn't have to cost a fortune and that they were a great option for everyone for whatever their purpose was.

Using Your Advertising Budget to Create the Best Promotional Materials Possible

To increase their business turnover, all companies need to advertise their products or services. Unfortunately, not all companies can afford to carry out any type of advertising that they wish and therefore they need to plan any available budget that they have to ensure that all money is spent in the most suitable way possible.

When planning an advertising budget, it is beneficial to start with fully understanding what is wanted from any advertising that is going to be implemented. The reason behind this is that any plans should revolve around and relate directly to the overall aim of the advertising and without any final goal, unnecessary or unsuitable advertising may be utilized.

Once a general and basic plan has been complete, an important point to consider in regards to actual advertising is whether there is a need for the involvement of a professional company or if a lot of the process can be carried out in-house.

For example, most professional design and printing companies offer the service of creating compliment slips. As the price is often respectable and compliment slips are a fantastic way of advertising and increasing brand awareness, a lot of people are tempted to hire the services of the company to create compliment slips for their company. However, with only a small amount of research, it is possible to create simple yet professional looking compliment slips on any type of computer and printer.

One of the aspects that is so very often neglected when creating promotional materials is the printing stage, with a lot of people choosing the cheapest option possible, such as printing the materials at home. However, this can be the stage that can effectively determine how great of an effect the material will have on the target audience, as even the best design can look poor if printed incorrectly.

For example, business card printing is something that many people decide to carry out from home on their personal printer. Although the actual business card may only be seven square inches in size, it can be very difficult to effectively carry out business card printing without professional or high quality equipment. Cheap card and an ink jet printer may produce mediocre results, but the best way to carry out business card printing is using laser jet printers and high quality card. This means that whilst the printing can be carried out at home, it often means that a lot of equipment needs to be purchased, making it more cost effective to utilize a company who already have the equipment and tools in place.

Planning any type of marketing budget, irrelevant of how small or extensive the budget may be, does not need to a laborious process. In basic terms, any plan simply needs to state what type of advertising is required, what the anticipated results are and any predicted costs that may be incurred. Once this has been complete, a budget can be used to create and implement the most suitable advertising options possible.

How Effective Can Business Cards Really Be?

When most people think of business cards, they think of a small piece of card that is handed out to a customer or client, either current or prospective, by a company so that they have the contact details of the company to hand and usually, once received and placed in a pocket, it does not see the light of day again.

If this is true, then why are millions of business cards produced each and every year for companies of all different sizes?

The first point to note when looking at business cards and their effectiveness is to understand that they are more than simply an item that features contact details which allows customers to contact a company at a later date. It is agreed that this is what their traditional functionality is, as well as what they still can be used for today. However, throughout the past decade, business cards have come on leaps and bounds and are now, if designed and developed correctly, one of the most effective and cost efficient types of promotional material that can be utilized by a company of any size.

With this in mind, if you have, or have had, business cards designed in the past, it is important to switch the focus and design principles from a simple contact item to a more elaborate advertising method. Colours and images should be discussed and used where appropriate (making sure not to overcrowd the card), whilst the actual information that is to be included can be thought of as more than simply the company name and a telephone number.

For instance, the business card could be used on one side as a traditional business card, whilst on the other being developed more along the lines of a poster or flyer. This ensures that the business can be advertised in a way that is not considered to be the norm, whilst also featuring the contact details of the company should any person which to contact them to enquire about the product or services that they offer.

To aid with the effectiveness of business cards, more and more people are looking at the material that is being used to print the actual design onto. Card or thick paper is the most common choice, depending on the budget that is available, but there are various other options apparent, many of which are related directly to the company.

A popular example is for a steel manufacturer to imprint their business card design direct onto a thin sheet of light weight metal. Different and therefore distinguishable from other cards, it is a fantastic way to ensure that a business card stands out from the crowd and is instantly recognizable.

As standard business cards only have the capacity to handle seven square inches of information, it is imperative that they are designed as thoroughly as possible. As tempting as it may be to simply put your company name and contact details onto a piece of card and distribute it, this will very rarely return adequate results and therefore the more time that is spent designing every aspect of the business card, the better the overall results will be.

How to Get Free Advertising for Your Foreclosure Cleanup Business

by: BMA Editorial Team A

One of the best forms of advertising for a foreclosure cleanup business is non-paid advertising: public relations ("PR"). There are several forms of PR, but one of the most effective forms is the writing of a press release.

Tell the World

When you first open your company's doors, announce your grand opening to the world via a simple press release. This will be a story that you will write and pitch to local media outlets. You don't need to pay someone hundreds of dollars to create a press release for you. With a little research, you can easily do it yourself.

The trick to writing an effective press release (one that will get picked up by the media) is to have the story focus on something else and NOT your business. You will plop your business' name in the story "as an aside." Make sure the story is newsworthy, timely, and interesting.

Contact Journalists Directly

A good way to get media coverage is to contact local journalists directly. Our foreclosure cleanup company landed a story on a local television station because we pitched them with a story idea via email. Within the email, we gave them two angles from which they could report the story. Below is the actual email we sent to several local television and newspaper outlets:

"Dear Sir or Madam, Are you interested in doing a story on foreclosure cleanup in Clayton and South Fulton counties? (Another angle could be "Local Business Owner Assists with Voter Registration Drive." I've blogged on the voter registration drive volunteer effort and uploaded photos from the drive at this link (BLOG LINK INSERTED HERE). Feel free to use the photos on the blog as necessary.) Simply give me a call at OUR PHONE NUMBER for a verbal quote. Thank you for consideration. Sincerely, MY NAME."

We received a call from a reporter at a well-known television station less than two weeks after sending the emails. We set up a television shoot at a local home needing foreclosure cleanup work. The story ran a few weeks after, all thanks to the simple email pitch we made to local journalists.

Win-Win

Free press is a win-win for your company and media outlets. Television stations, newspapers, magazines and radio stations are in the business of reporting information: information that is of interest and that is timely.

Easy to Write

Press releases are easy to compile and very effective. Just remember these key points when pulling together a press release for your foreclosure cleanup business:

-write about something timely, newsworthy, and interesting;

-try to keep your press release to one page;

-proofread the press release thoroughly;

-mention your company name as an aside; and

-do your research if you don't feel you can churn out decent writing for publication.

Press Release Distribution

There are quite a few free press release websites where you can upload your foreclosure cleanup press release for distribution. You can sign up on websites like PRWeb, PR Log, EWORLDWIRE, and varying other similar press release sites.

Some sites are free and some have a nominal distribution fee. You can decide which ones to use based on your budget and needs. I suggest starting out with the free ones. That's the whole point of non-paid advertising.

Exposure for Your Business

Once you upload your press releases to the Internet via websites like these, news organizations (both large and small) will have access to them and may pick them up. Not only news organizations, but other relative websites may pick up your press releases and place them on their websites for their visitors (more exposure for your foreclosure cleanup business!). This tactic will get your company more visibility on the Internet.

For local visibility in your city, send press releases directly to your local media outlets.

Timely and Pertinent

Remember, a press release is not an advertisement; it's, quite frankly, a sly way to get a mention in the news media by contributing something timely and pertinent. Don't tout your foreclosure cleanup company, just write about something relative to your industry and mention your company's name, via, preferably, a quote.

Sample Paragraphs and Headline

See below sample headline and paragraph of a press release to get you thinking:

Sample Headline: Foreclosure Vandalism on the Rise in Fiction County

Sample Paragraphs: Almost 300 homes are in foreclosure in the 51st district of Fiction County. Abandoned homes fill over seventy percent of Any Street, once a thriving block running parallel to Main Street. The local police department has brought in extra manpower to keep up with the newest crime: vandalism.

According to Ms. Anybody of Anybody's Foreclosure Cleanup in Fiction County, "Most of the homes we clear out on have been vandalized. Ripped out HVAC units, kitchen cabinets, even missing toilets and sinks are not an uncommon sight."

See how you can just slip your company's name in there. It's the subtle mention of your company name you seek in a good press release. But, again, your press release needs to be newsworthy, pertinent to the area you hope to target, and professional in presentation.

Web Resources

There are tons of websites out there you can visit to see samples and to get more advice on setting up and writing effective releases. Surf the Internet a little using key words like "press release samples" or "how to write a press release." Soon you will be able to churn out timely, interesting, newsworthy content that will get your foreclosure cleanup company's name in front of potential clients.

Remember, press releases are free advertising, with "free" being the operative word, especially if you are in the start-up phase of your foreclosure cleanup business! Use them as much as you can to get needed exposure for your foreclosure cleanup business.

Good luck!