Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Top 5 Reasons to Short Sale Your Home and Avoid Foreclosure

1. Credit - You do not necessarily have to be late on your mortgage payments to be a candidate, therefore no negative reporting on your credit to your FICO score. Foreclosure is also more damaging to your credit than a short sale.

2. Time - Banks are averaging approvals sooner than before, 4-8 weeks.

3. Savings - No out of pocket expenses in most cases.

4. Incentives - You may be eligible for HAFA (Home Affortable Foreclosure Alternatives) and receive relocation incentives of up to $5000.

5. Peace of Mind - Having someone take over the hassle of dealing with the bank.

Contact an Experienced Realtor who can guide you and let you know what to expect.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Food for thought

Our character is forged in the furnace of adversity. In what ways have you been uniquely prepared to serve others?

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Prioritize Your Life!

Feeling overwhelmed? I totally understand! Between juggling work and family and dealing with everyday obligations and distractions, life can get a bit chaotic. The best way to handle it all is by prioritizing. Identify what's really important.

When it comes to work-related tasks, this can be fairly simple. Deadlines usually dictate what jobs need to get done now and what tasks aren't as pressing. If you're unsure, ask your supervisor to confirm what your priorities should be. And if you're overloaded, don't be shy about requesting that some of your duties be reassigned.

Home-related priorities are trickier. You want to be as efficient at home as you at work, but you can't do it all! So go easy on the house rules. Instead of rushing to clean dirty dishes immediately after dinner, take some time to sit for a while and chat with your family. Strengthening these relationships is what matters most!

Use your Journal to make note of all the things you'll need to get done that day — or week, if you prefer — then rank each task in order of importance. Stick to accomplishing three things per day. Yes, just three. If you go over that amount, then fantastic! The point is to give yourself a break. Hey, you're only human!

Monday, October 26, 2009

Recession Drives Surge in Youth Runaways

Worth reading ... and watching: Recession prompts a surge in young runaways. http://bit.ly/1NzULf. Video: http://bit.ly/FcqVP

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

5 Things You Never Knew Your Cell Phone Could Do

Real things your cell phone can do that you didn't know about

There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies. Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival. Check out the things that you can do with it:

FIRST
Emergency: The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly, this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. Try it out.

SECOND
Have you locked your keys in the car? Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone: If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone.

Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object.
You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other 'remote' for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk).

Editor's Note: It works fine! We tried it out and it unlocked our car over a cell phone!'

THIRD
Hidden Battery Power: Imagine your cell battery is very low. To activate, press the keys *3370#. Your cell phone will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your cell phone next time.

FOURTH
How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone? To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone: *#06#.

A 15-digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. If your phone is stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use /sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.

And Finally....

FIFTH
Free Directory Service for Cells: Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or more for 411 information calls when they don't have to. Most of us do not carry a telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes this situation even more of a problem.

When you need to use the 411 information option, simply dial: (800)FREE 411, or (800) 373-3411 without incurring any charge at all. Program this into your cell phone now.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Love Your Life: 5 Simple Steps

By RealAge

Being happy takes practice, but the results are well worth the effort!

What really makes you happy?
Mounting obligations and hectic schedules can make it all too easy to lose track. But whether it's the little things in life that make you smile, or the joy of working toward a larger goal, focusing on your happiness each day can help protect your emotional well-being and your physical health.

Follow these simple steps to rediscover your passion for life.

1. Value Your Daily Diversions

When you're adding items to your to-do list, don't forget the good stuff. If you look forward to reading in bed, going out to breakfast, taking long walks, listening to music, or just sitting quietly outside, make time for at least one of your favorite diversions every day.

Consider crossing out pesky items on your list that you keep saying you're going to do but haven't gotten to in over a year, like alphabetizing your bills or organizing your sock drawer. Or get rid of a time-consuming chore that isn't enhancing your life one bit.

2. Build Your Strength and Independence

We all have low-energy days, but if you can resist the urge to skip your daily workout when you’re feeling low, you'll be rewarded both now and later. Try this trick: Tell yourself that you need to do only 10 minutes of exercise. Once you're up and moving (and feeling better) you'll most likely want to finish your workout. Even if you can't push past the 10-minute mark on the occasional bad day, you’ll feel good about doing at least a little something. Sticking with an exercise plan helps you feel good about yourself, strengthens your immune system, and enhances production of mood-boosting hormones.

3. Squash Your Stressors

Defuse daily hassles by practicing stress-reduction strategies. Try taking deep-breathing breaks throughout the day, inhaling through your nose and then exhaling slowly through your mouth. Repeating this action three or four times allows more oxygen to get into your bloodstream, creating a feeling of calm. Progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, and meditation also are effective ways of reducing tension, stress, depression, and anxiety. And a brisk 10-minute walk will do far more to dissipate your stress and lift your spirits than eating the bad-for-you snacks you might crave when feeling frantic.

4. Celebrate and Share Your Skills

Volunteer at a local school, club, or community organization. Not only will sharing your unique talents and expertise benefit others, but research shows that volunteering can make you happier and improve your well-being, too. Feeling engaged and involved in your local community is good for your emotional health. It's also an opportunity to learn new skills and meet new people. Win-win.

5. Appreciate the People Around You

Unwind and share a few laughs with your family or friends at least once or twice each month. The openness and trust you share with the important people in your life can help give you the perspective you need to cope with everyday challenges. These regular connections will also have a positive impact on your health, especially when you share a good laugh. Laughing lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones, and releases endorphins that can ease pain.

Also, don't neglect relationships at work. Colleagues and coworkers can provide valuable support and keep your blood pressure under control during stressful situations.

Feeling satisfied and fulfilled with your life is an essential part of your emotional and physical well-being. As you grow to appreciate your time, independence, self-assurance, skills, and relationships, you will be amazed at just how good you feel, both in body and in spirit.

A Cure for All That Annoys

By RealAge

Has the week gotten on your last nerve? Here's a way to turn your mood around tonight. Break out a clever comedy.

Clever is the key here. Researchers say that humor is a very effective way to assuage negative feelings -- if it takes a little mental muscle to figure out the punch line. So grab the Annie Hall DVD, not Dumb and Dumber.

Distraction Action

When researchers set out to see why humor is such a mood booster, they discovered something interesting. Highly demanding stimuli were more effective in tempering bad moods than less demanding stimuli were. In other words, it's the thinking that people do to "get" jokes that helps take their mind off their troubles.