Knowing that the stimulus plan has been passed, and State and Local governments will be receiving checks from Uncle Sam, you should be in line for your share. What you need to do is find out what your City and State plan to spend the money on. The funds must be spent and more than likely will be spent on the private sector. In my area some of the money will go for up keep on abandoned houses. I have 3 clients who do that type of work for a living. One client, who does lawn maintenance, called and put his name on the list, proved he was licensed and insured, and that's it. He has already received 5 jobs from the city.
The other 2 clients are licensed and insured handymen who can do any job around the house. They, too, have been approved and told they will get jobs as soon as the money is available.
So, you need to look at this as an opportunity to make some money with little out-of-pocket costs to you. Find out what your city or county is going to with the money, and get yourself involved.
 Now more then ever you need to have your web site do the heavy lifting for you. Take a look at your site: does it meet your marketing needs? Can you generate a list from it? Do you offer free reports or some other reason for people to give you their names? What about your newsletter? Affiliate program? While you're drinking your ice cold green beer on Saint Paddy's Day, look at your web site and see what it will take to make it better. If you need some help just give me a call at 941-716-2597 or E-Mail me at paul@pauljdacosta.com
 

 

 

      Today while I waited for my car to be repaired, I watched the news on TV. The talking heads were lamenting about all the homes in foreclosure. Both could not understand why the banks were not doing more to stop all these foreclosures. The anchor stated that there are 50 million mortgages and 11.9% (5.9 million homes) are in foreclosure. The co-anchor stated they were not doing enough to renegotiate mortgages for people who want to stay in their homes. She mentioned 3 times that if banks just lowered the rates all would be well. She never mentioned the fact that most of the homes in foreclosure are upside-down as well. Let's assume that you have a mortgage of $300k. At 7% interest, amortized for 30 years, the payment is $ 1,995.91. Now,  if we lower the rate to 5% like they were requesting, the new payment would be $ 1,610.46, a savings of

$ 385.45. This is good, but if the value of the home is now only $ 185,000 why would you continue to pay it? If you are 'under water' by $ 115,000, in this economy are you ever going to make this money back? (The above information is from an actual real estate deal.) Both  anchors also could not understand why the market keeps falling when prices are so good. This is easy to explain as well: The banks have put a moratorium on primary residence foreclosures for 45 days. This keeps the market in flux and buyers afraid to buy because they think the market will drop when all theses home finally get foreclosed on. Also, the market keeps saying there is $700 million more in interest-only jumbo loans coming due in April, and  that most are 'under water' as well. As long as people think the market still is going to drop they will be afraid to buy, plain and simple.  When you include the problems that Florida has, such as Insurance and Tax issues that never seem to get resolved, and the lack of good paying jobs, it all adds up to a major housing crash.    If you have any questions or comments  on any of these ideas please give me a call at 941-716-2597.
 

 

 

  Investors are like hyperactive first graders playing musical chairs.
Sam Stovall
 
   Global banking sector confidence is gone.

   When the dust settles, I think Asia will come out ahead of the U.S.
Henry Lee