Finance2007   Finance for personal business

Houses for sale by owner, also known as “FSBOs,” are a unique case in real estate investment. Buying from an uninformed seller who thought he knew enough to handle everything by himself can be frustrating. It can also be very profitable if you are prepared.

Why do people try to sell a house on their own? Only one primary reason comes to mind: To save the sales commission. Of course they usually underestimate the cost and complexity of going it alone. They end up frustrated and tired of the process, ready to drop the price and be done with it. Help them solve their problems, and your reward can be a good price on a good investment. Keep the following in mind:

1. An owner isn’t an agent. Don’t ask possibly offensive questions. Don’t make negative comments about the house. Whether you like it or not, the truth is that it’s difficult to get a good deal if the seller doesn’t like you.

2. Houses for sale by owner have often been on the market a long time. The seller is usually tired of the process, and wants it to be done. In other words, you’ll get a better price if you are willing to close quickly and easily.

3. FSBO sellers usually think they’re being smart. Encourage that belief and they’ll be more open to your offer. When they have a good idea, tell them so. It is not unethical to make people feel good about themselves when negotiating.

4. They usually don’t have a plan for where to close, where to buy a title policy, where to keep a good faith deposit, etc. Be ready with simple solutions to all these problems. Walk them through the process while letting them feel in control, and you’ll both be happier.

5. They have often spent more than they anticipated. Advertising and other costs have already eaten into their imagined extra FSBO profit. Be generous in negotiating any pre-close expenses – as long as you get your price and/or terms.

6. Pass over problems and return to them later. Once a seller has invested more time in a negotiation, he’ll be more inclined to give you what you want.

Professionals will tell you that most houses “for sale by owner” net less than those sold by an agent. It’s too late for the seller to recover his money and time spent, however, so he usually just wants to get the thing sold as easily and quickly as possible. Help him with that, and you can get a good real estate investment at a good price.

Planning to visit Las Vegas or any other vacational resort where casinos are a major portion of their business? I have just the thing for you. Here, I will show you how to pass off as a High Roller and collect many complimentary items and gifts.

What is the Secret?
The Secret is that you have to make them believe you are rich and love gambling. In short you have to impersonate a High Roller.

Why?
Hotels love high rollers because these players leave behind thousands of dollars each visit. And the real cool part about this is that if you act the role, casinos will lavish you with the same gifts and complimentary items that a real High Roller would receive.

How ?
It is not that difficult to fool the hotel and resorts with some finesse and true self-confidence. It can be done.

1) The Way you Dress:
Elegant and smart is the way to go. Opt out of the baseball cap, t-shirt and jeans. Try and wear a suit or at least a regular buttoned shirt with an elegant dark jacket. It was Shakespeare who said that the clothes maketh a man, and so too, when going to a hotel resort. They judge you according to how you dress, so dress according to the role.

2) A Large Pad of Notes:
Yes. Just like in the movies. Carry a large bundle of notes with you and keep them in plain sight. You do not have to really take with you that much. Instead, take a few notes and place them at the top and at the bottom of real note-size paper cuttings. Just remember to never expose this while you are in the casino. Use other notes youre your wallet instead. But do it nonchalantly so that none of the casino personnel will notice.

3) Always Flash Your Notes Around: No matter where you go, whether its to the hotel restaurant for lunch or for to the bar. They will be watching. From time to time, use that money to play at a range of table games or video game and bet some of that money. Remember you must use some of your money to play but just do not use all of it.

4) Play Complicated Games:
This is one of the more problematic things to do and requires some training at home. Learn on your own how to lay and how to bet on the high rolling games such as roulette, baccarat and craps. You could also play poker or Texas holdem in one of the larger ante tables, but in any case stick to your plan and you will soon reap the flowers.

Conclusion:
Above, I have outlined some of the more practical methods by which one can save money by receiving gifts from the casino. These gifts range from casino comps (free money to play), room deals that can get nearly free and many others such as free drinks, clothes, coupon to stores in Las Vegas and many more. Note that what you are doing here is completely legal provided you don’t take up a false name or falsify your passport card.

Introduction

Ever since I retired at the age of 28. I have been doing a lot of thinking into these Tough Cases of the investment world. What I present today hopes to unveil the most mysterious of them all, the Holy Grail of The Capital Markets and I will be giving you my argument as to why it truly exists and to help you find your personal Holy Grail of Trading and Investments by the time you finish reading this report.

So lets go treasure hunting

The Fabled HOLY GRAIL

We have heard it a thousand times; investors and trader, young and old have sought it for hundreds of years and countless more are attempting to create it everyday. It is the fabled, urban legend of the investment world the Holy Grail of the Capital Markets; A trading or investment system or strategy that will never fail.

Some believe in it, others dont and many maintained that such a strategy or system doesnt exist or simply impossible. Many have claimed to have perfected such a system but when tried by people other then themselves, it fell from Holy Grail to torn, leaking paper cup.

The Wrong Perception

There was once a warrior near the end of the dark ages whom heard of the power of a new weapon a weapon that can kill from ten paces away and can penetrate almost any known amour at that time a GUN. It was supposed to be an invincible weapon and he spent everything he had in order to acquire one of these weapons. Once he had that weapon, he wasted no time to duel the most powerful warrior known in that land. He fired many shots but missed and his life was taken under the blade of the veteran warrior.

Like the gun, we expect that the Holy Grail strategy to be invincible at all times. We imagine that we will never again lose money once we acquire that knowledge. We cant be more wrong. The question really is, are we suitable for this invincible weapon?

The Truth Behind The Holy Grail

We all think of the Holy Grail as a strategy that cant fail. However, we completely ignore the Human Factor! Study all the famous battles of any and all ages and we will see that many of the battles were lost not because of the strategy used but BECAUSE THEY ARE BADLY EXECUTED. Most of these strategies are good until screwed up by us HUMAN!

You are right. We, human, make and break every Holy Grail that ever existed. We are the Stand or the Base of the Cup.

Yes, we COMPLETE the Holy Grail through the effectiveness of our execution. We are truly the stand that completes the strategy and therefore we must all make sure we are the right stand for the right cup!

I am sure this sounds like you as much as it was me some time ago You purchased strategies that claimed to work wonders but no matter how hard you try, you bend some of its rules and end up hurt. Thats your prove that matching your psyche with the right strategy is so important. (Here is a free to download psychometric test to see what kind of trader you are and what kind of strategy you are suited for. Go now to http://www.mastersoequity.com/MOE_FREE_REPORT.htm )

You tried to stick to the rules, didnt you? But what did you do when your portfolio starts going into the red and the rules says STOP OUT NOW, AT THIS POINT!? That is why we need to understand what kind of stand we are BEFORE trying to understand the cup and eventually the market!

What Cup to What Stand?

Now that you have found your stand, it is time now to find the right cup to complete your personal Holy Grail. Unfortunately, not all strategies are worth the title Holy Grail. Many of these strategies are fundamentally unsound or that they have not been molded in the flames of real life trading. Therefore, a worthy cup to complete your personal Holy Grail needs to be:

1) Tested and True in real life trading with proven track record
2) Fundamentally sound
3) Logically sound
4) Tested and developed in your market of interest!

That last point got some of you baffled didnt it?

Yes, if you want to trade the US markets, your strategy needs to be developed and proven in the US markets and if you want to trade Asian equities, your strategy needs to be developed and proven in the Asian markets. Why is this so? Due to fundamental differences between the markets such as liquidity, investor sentiments and behavior, level of participation of institutional players and investor sophistication. Most strategies need to be optimized for the market it was developed for and therefore using it in other markets may result in a terrible loss due to different price behaviors that results in making your profit or loss taking point obsolete.

So why do I trade only the US markets? I trade the US markets due to the fact that it has the highest level of sophistication and its investors execute strategies which are little known in other markets. This makes sure that whatever you try to do in this market, It has the LIQUIDITY to ensure your profitability! It is akin to a huge departmental store whereas some other markets are small grocery stores at best.

And hey, we all know that there are more promotional and good value items in a department store than most grocery stores can afford to give, dont we?

Convinced why the US markets are our best choice yet? Good.

Where to Find YOUR Cup?

While there are a lot of good strategies out there, I wish to recommend that you go to www.mastersoequity.com/MOE_startradingsystem.htm (for aggressive traders) or www.mastersoequity.com/MOE_ridetheflow.htm (for long term traders). Both of these strategies are:

1) Tested and True with proven track records
2) Fundamentally sound
3) Logically sound and
4) Developed and tested in the US Markets!

CONGRATULATIONS, you have now in your possession, your personal Holy Grail of trading and investments!

Find me a person who doesnt want to make more money. Its nearly impossible to find! Everyone wants to make money and theres nothing wrong with that because money makes the world go round! But many people dont know that you can actually make money with a loan! Did you know that? Its true! One way that you can get more money is with a secured loan.

Wait a minute, youre saying. How can a loan give me more money? Doesnt a loan, by its very nature, reduce the amount of money I have?

Its true that it may seem like that, but a secured loan is an ideal way to make money. Heres how:

A secured loan is a loan that provides some kind of asset as a guarantee to a lending agency. So when you apply for a loan, you also suggest that if you cannot pay, you have some kind of asset that will cover the default amount. For some people, its their car. For others, it may be their jewelry or some stock certificates.

Whatever it is, lending institutes like secured loans because it reduces the risk they have when lending money. Unsecured loans are high risk endeavours for them because if someone defaults on the loan, there is little they can do to get their money back. On the other hand, secured loans have some kind of guarantee which makes them a risk-free investment for the lending agency. And because there is little risk to them, they are willing to pass some of that savings on to you in the form of reduced interest rates and longer repayment terms.

So heres how you can make money from it. First, collect all of your credit card bills together. Add up how much you own. Many people owe in the thousands and are shocked to discover that the interest rate is abysmally high. Second, find an asset that you can use to get a secured loan. Third, shop around and find a loan provider.

Collect those debts together and consolidate them under one secured loan. That way, youll reduce the amount of interest you pay on each debt because secured loans have lower interest rates than credit cards. And, youll stretch out your repayment period beyond the short term that credit cards give you. And, even better, youll have a fixed amount of money you know you have to pay each month, rather than get surprised every few days with another bill from a credit card company.

Since people often pay half as much above the purchase price in interest on credit cards, youll make money you would have spent by consolidating your loan into a UK secured credit card consolidation loan.

A look at different ways to afford retirement

Today’s seniors can expect a longer retirement than their parents. That means more years to finally do what you want to do, including travel and hobbies (not to mention spoiling the grandkids). But a longer retirement also means more years of money going out and no paycheck (or only a small one) coming in. That’s why seniors need to be smart about how they pay for their retirement years.

“You really need to have a strategy to make sure your savings last,” said Lee Bowman, National Coordinator of Community Affairs at the FDIC.

To help you set or adjust your own plans for affording retirement, FDIC Consumer News offers this look at some different sources of money, including some potential pitfalls to avoid. But first, remember that this is general guidance only. Your own need for retirement money will depend on factors such as your health-care costs or whether you plan to earn part-time income. As with any major financial decision, be sure to consult with financial advisors and loved ones to decide what strategies are best for you.

Social Security and Pension Benefits: Your first order of business: Determine when the best time is to start tapping this money. For example, if you start receiving your Social Security benefits before your “full” retirement age (which could be anywhere from 65 to 67 under current laws), your benefits will be reduced permanently, and perhaps significantly, from what they would be at your full retirement age. And if you receive Social Security benefits early, but you continue to work and your earnings exceed certain limits, your benefits will be reduced even more until you reach full retirement age. On the other hand, if you delay collecting Social Security until after your full retirement age, you can continue to work and still get your full retirement benefits, or even higher benefits, no matter how much you earn.

Here’s basic guidance from the Social Security Administration (SSA): “As a general rule, early retirement will give you about the same total Social Security benefits over your lifetime, but in smaller amounts to take into account the longer period you will receive them. There are advantages and disadvantages to taking your benefit before your full retirement age. The advantage is that you collect benefits for a longer period of time. The disadvantage is your benefit is permanently reduced.”

Employer pension plans usually have options somewhat similar to those of Social Security. Contact your employer’s personnel department for guidance.

No matter when you decide to start receiving your benefits, remember that it could take several weeks to receive your first payment. Also consider having your payments deposited directly into your bank account so you don’t have to worry about a check getting lost or stolen in the mail.

IRAs, 401(k)s and Other Retirement Savings Plans: As with your Social Security and pension benefits, you may want to delay tapping into your retirement accounts as long as possible so they can continue to grow to cover unexpected medical costs in the future or to protect the inheritance for your heirs. However, if you need to supplement your income, Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA) and other retirement savings can be a good source.

Before you start withdrawing money from your retirement accounts, most financial planners suggest setting a target annual withdrawal rate. Make it low enough to avoid depleting these funds too quickly. You can fine tune your withdrawal strategy each year, preferably with the guidance of your financial or tax advisor. For example, if your personal situation changes, you can adjust how much you should withdraw.

Also review your retirement portfolio your mix among stocks, stock mutual funds, CDs (certificates of deposit), bonds and so on to be sure it’s well-diversified.

Another caveat: If you have retired, every year after age 70 be sure to take out at least the minimum required distribution from your tax-deferred retirement savings plans (except Roth IRAs) to avoid large IRS tax penalties. (If you are still working at 70 or later, you do not need to start taking minimum distributions from your employer’s plan until April 1 of the year following the year you finally retire.)

“Remember, you only have to withdraw the money, you don’t have to spend it,” said Heather Gratton, an FDIC Senior Financial Analyst. “If you don’t need the money you can reinvest it somewhere else, such as in a bank savings account.” She added that, because each person’s situation is different, it’s best to discuss your strategy with your tax or other advisor.

Real estate investing is one of the most common uses of hard money funds. Real estate investing is a cash intensive financial activity. In order to take advantage of ongoing projects, investors often require more operating capital than conventional banks are prepared to provide on short notice.

When conventional financing takes too long or is not available due to low FICO scores or some other reason, hard money can be a deal saver. If you invest in a lot of property, your FICO score can plummet simply due to the number of mortgages you owe! Alternatively, the properties that can be had for an advantageous price may not meet conventional banking criteria. In either case, hard money lenders are not restricted in the same way that conventional banks are and

Hard money lenders can turn on a dime. Mortgages for real estate investing can take anywhere from two to six months to be completed by conventional banks and lenders. Hard money lenders can generally fund in two weeks from the time you have all the paperwork in place.

Lenders can also fund projects that conventional banks cannot. If your real estate investing takes you to the realm of dry cleaners (or a strip mall that has one), gas stations, or even assisted living facilities (one of the hottest growing real estate markets in the US), conventional banks are not likely to be able to fund your project. Hard money loans can, once again, be a deal saver.

Plan to use hard money as a bridge loan. Terms generally range from one to three years. This should provide ample time to prepare the property or your personal financial status to arrange for long term conventional financing or to arrange for the sale of the property in question.

Recommended Lenders:

http://www.rocklandcommercial.com

http://www.californiaprivatemoneyloan.com

http://www.interestratepolice.com

Counties and Cities Served
Alameda County
Alameda
Albany
Berkeley
Dublin
Emeryville
Fremont
Hayward
Livermore
Newark
Oakland
Piedmont
Pleasanton
San Leandro
Union City
Hard money loans are available for property in Alameda County.

Alpine County
No matter what county your property is in, including Alpine, we can help fund a loan in most cases.

Amador County
Amador City
Ione
Jackson
Plymouth
Sutter Creek
We are able to fund loans on land, residential and commercial properties across the state of California, including in Amador County.

Butte County
Chico
Gridley
Oroville
Paradise
We have extensive experience in most California counties including Butte. Call us for more information on what loans may or may not be available.

Calaveras County
Angels Camp
We can fund hard money loans on Calaveras county residential and commercial real estate

Colusa County
Colusa
Williams
Let us be your last stop in your pursuit of a hard money loan.

Contra Costa County
Antioch
Brentwood
Clayton
Concord
Danville
El Cerrito
Hercules
Lafayette
Martinez
Moraga
Orinda
Pinole
Pittsburg
Pleasant Hill
Richmond
San Pablo
San Ramon
Walnut Creek
Looking for a Contra Costa County hard money lender? Let us help you with the financing you are looking for.

Del Norte County
Crescent City
No matter what county your property is in, including Del Norte, we can help fund a loan in most cases.

El Dorado County
Placerville
South Lake Tahoe
We have extensive experience in most California counties including El Dorado. Call us for more information on what loans may or may not be available.

Fresno County
Clovis
Coalinga
Firebaugh
Fowler
Fresno
Huron
Kerman
Kingsburg
Mendota
Orange Cove
Parlier
Reedley
San Joaquin
Sanger
Selma
Fresno County private money loans are available on most property types.

Glenn County
Orland
Willows
We are able to fund loans on land, residential and commercial properties across the state of California, including in Glenn County.

Humboldt County
Arcata
Blue Lake
Eureka
Ferndale
Fortuna
Rio Dell
Trinidad
Let us be your last stop in your pursuit of a hard money loan.

Imperial County
Brawley
Calexico
Calipatria
El Centro
Holtville
Westmorland
Hard money loans are available for property in Imperial County.

Inyo County
Bishop
We can fund hard money loans on Inyo county residential and commercial real estate

Kern County
Arvin
Bakersfield
California City
Delano
Kern County
Maricopa
McFarland
Ridgecrest
Shafter
Taft
Tehachapi
Wasco
Looking for a Kern County hard money lender? Let us help you with the financing you are looking for.

Kings County
Avenal
Corcoran
Hanford
Lemoore
Let us be your last stop in your pursuit of a hard money loan.

Lake County
Clearlake
Lakeport
Lake County private money loans are available on most property types.

Lassen County
Susanville
Let us be your last stop in your pursuit of a hard money loan.

Los Angeles County
Agoura Hills
Alhambra
Arcadia
Artesia
Azusa
Baldwin Park
Bell
Bell Gardens
Bellflower
Beverly Hills
Bradbury
Burbank
Calabas
Carson
Cerritos
Claremont
Commerce
Compton
Covina
Cudahy
Culver City
Diamond Bar
Downey
Duarte
El Monte
El Segundo
Gardena
Glendale
Glendora
Hawaiian Gardens
Hawthorne
Hermosa Beach
Hidden Hills
Huntington Park
Industry
Inglewood
Irwindale
La Canada
Flintridge
La Habra Heights
La Mirada
La Puente
La Verne
Lakewood
Lancaster
Lawndale
Lomita
Long Beach
Los Angeles
Lynwood
Malibu
Manhattan Beach
Maywood
Monrovia
Montebello
Monterey Park
Norwalk
Palmdale
Palos Verdes Estates
Paramount
Pasadena
Pico Rivera
Pomona
Rancho Palos Verdes
Redondo Beach
Rolling Hills
Rolling Hills Estates
Rosemead
San Dimas
San Fernando
San Gabriel
San Marino
Santa Clarita
Santa Fe Springs
Santa Monica
Sierra Madre
Signal Hill
South El Monte
South Gate
South
Pasadena
Temple City
Torrance
Vernon
Walnut
West Covina
West Hollywood
Westlake Village
Whittier
We are able to fund loans on land, residential and commercial properties across the state of California, including in Los Angeles County.

Madera County
Chowchilla
Madera
No matter what county your property is in, including Madera, we can help fund a loan in most cases.

Marin County
Belvedere
Corte Madera
Fairfax
Larkspur
Mill Valley
Novato
Ross
San Anselmo
San Rafael
Sausalito
Tiburon
Hard money loans are available for property in Marin County.

Mariposa County
Let us be your last stop in your pursuit of a hard money loan.

Mendocino County
Fort Bragg
Point Arena
Ukiah
Willits
We can fund hard money loans on Mendocino county residential and commercial real estate

Merced County
Atwater
Dos Palos
Gustine
Livingston
Los Banos
Merced
Merced County private money loans are available on most property types.

Modoc County
Alturas
Hard money loans are available for property in Modoc County.

Mono County
Mammoth Lakes
No matter what county your property is in, including Mono, we can help fund a loan in most cases.

Monterey County
Carmel
Del Rey Oaks
Gonzales
Greenfield
King City
Marina
Monterey
Pacific Grove
Salinas
Sand City
Seaside
Soledad
We are able to fund loans on land, residential and commercial properties across the state of California, including in Monterey County.

Napa County
American Canyon
Calistoga
Napa
St. Helena
Yountville
Let us be your last stop in your pursuit of a hard money loan.

Nevada County
Grass Valley
Nevada City
Truckee
We can give you quick answers on loan options regarding Nevada County property with a quick phone call.

Orange County
Anaheim
Brea
Buena Park
Costa Mesa
Cypress
Dana Point
Fountain Valley
Fullerton
Garden Grove
Huntington Beach
Irvine
La Habra
La Palma
Laguna Beach
Laguna Hills
Laguna Niguel
Lake Forest
Los Alamitos
Mission Viejo
Newport Beach
Orange
Placentia
San Clemente
San Juan Capistrano
Santa Ana
Seal Beach
Stanton
Tustin
Villa Park
Westminster
Yorba Linda
Let us be your last stop in your pursuit of a hard money loan.

Placer County
Auburn
Colfax
Lincoln
Loomis
Rocklin
Roseville
Placer County private money loans are available on most property types.

Plumas County
Portola
We can fund hard money loans on Plumas county residential and commercial real estate

Riverside County
Banning
Beaumont
Blythe
Calimesa
Canyon Lake
Cathedral City
Coachella
Corona
Desert Hot Springs
Hemet
Indian Wells
Indio
La Quinta
Lake Elsinore
Moreno Valley
Murrieta
Norco
Palm Desert
Palm Springs
Perris
Rancho Mirage
Riverside
San Jacinto
Temecula
Hard money loans are available for property in Riverside County.

Sacramento County
Folsom
Galt
Isleton
Sacramento
We have extensive experience in most California counties including Sacramento. Call us for more information on what loans may or may not be available.

San Benito County
Hollister
San Juan Bautista
We are able to fund loans on land, residential and commercial properties across the state of California, including in San Benito County.

San Bernardino County
Adelanto
Apple Valley
Barstow
Big Bear Lake
Chino
Chino Hills
Colton
Fontana
Grand Terrace
Hesperia
Highland
Loma Linda
Montclair
Needles
Ontario
Rancho Cucamonga
Redlands
Rialto
San Bernardino
Twentynine Palms
Upland
Victorville
Yucaipa
Yucca Valley
Let us be your last stop in your pursuit of a hard money loan.

San Diego County
Carlsbad
Chula Vista
Coronado
Del Mar
El Cajon
Encinitas
Escondido
Imperial Beach
La Mesa
Lemon Grove
National City
Oceanside
Poway
San Diego
San Marcos
Santee
Solana Beach
Vista
Hard money loans are available for property in San Diego County.

San Francisco County
San Francisco
San Francisco County private money loans are available on most property types.

San Joaquin County
Escalon
Lathrop
Lodi
Manteca
Ripon
Stockton
Tracy
We have extensive experience in most California counties including San Joaquin. Call us for more information on what loans may or may not be available.

San Luis Obispo County
Arroyo Grande
Atascadero
Grover Beach
Morro Bay
Paso Robles
Pismo Beach
San Luis Obispo
Let us be your last stop in your pursuit of a hard money loan.

San Mateo County
Atherton
Belmont
Brisbane
Burlingame
Colma
Daly City
East Palo Alto
Foster City
Half Moon Bay
Hillsborough
Menlo Park
Millbrae
Pacifica
Portola Valley
Redwood City
San Bruno
San Carlos
San Mateo
South San Francisco
Woodside
We can fund hard money loans on San Mateo county residential and commercial real estate

Santa Barbara County
Buellton
Carpinteria
Guadalupe
Lompoc
Santa Barbara
Santa Maria
Solvang
Let us be your last stop in your pursuit of a hard money loan.

Santa Clara County
Campbell
Cupertino
Gilroy
Los Altos
Los Altos Hills
Los Gatos
Milpitas
Monte Sereno
Morgan Hill
Mountain View
Palo Alto
San Jose
Santa Clara
Saratoga
Sunnyvale
We are able to fund loans on land, residential and commercial properties across the state of California, including in Santa Clara County.

Santa Cruz County
Capitola
Santa Cruz
Scotts Valley
Watsonville
We have extensive experience in most California counties including Santa Cruz. Call us for more information on what loans may or may not be available.

Shasta County
Anderson
Redding
Shasta Lake
Shasta County private money loans are available on most property types.

Sierra County
Loyalton
Let us be your last stop in your pursuit of a hard money loan.

Siskiyou County
Dorris
Dunsmuir
Etna
Fort Jones
Montague
Mount Shasta
Tulelake
Weed
Yreka
We can give you quick answers on loan options regarding Siskiyou County property with a quick phone call.

Solano County
Benicia
Dixon
Fairfield
Rio Vista
Suisun City
Vacaville
Vallejo
Let us be your last stop in your pursuit of a hard money loan.

Sonoma County
Cloverdale
Cotati
Healdsburg
Petaluma
Rohnert Park
Santa Rosa
Sebastopol
Sonoma
Windsor
We have extensive experience in most California counties including Sonoma. Call us for more information on what loans may or may not be available.

Stanislaus County
Ceres
Hughson
Modesto
Newman
Oakdale
Patterson
Riverbank
Turlock
Waterford
We can fund hard money loans on Stanislaus county residential and commercial real estate

Sutter County
Live Oak
Yuba City
We are able to fund loans on land, residential and commercial properties across the state of California, including in Sutter County.

Tehama County
Corning
Red Bluff
Tehama
Tehama County private money loans are available on most property types.

Trinity County
We can give you quick answers on loan options regarding Trinity County property with a quick phone call.

Tulare County
Dinuba
Exeter
Farmersville
Lindsay
Porterville
Tulare
Visalia
Woodlake
We have extensive experience in most California counties including Tulare. Call us for more information on what loans may or may not be available.

Tuolumne County
Sonora
Looking for a Tuolumne County hard money lender? Let us help you with the financing you are looking for.

Ventura County
Camarillo
Fillmore
Moorpark
Ojai
Oxnard
Port Hueneme
Santa Paula
Simi Valley
Thousand Oaks
Ventura
No matter what county your property is in, including Ventura, we can help fund a loan in most cases.

Yolo County
Davis
West Sacramento
Winters
Woodland
Hard money loans are available for property in Yolo County.

Yuba County
Marysville
Wheatland
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Financial media have put so much focus in recent years on how investors can accumulate wealth for retirement that they often have overlooked what investors should do once they actually retire.

But with the first wave of baby boomers turning 60 next year, retirees’ abilities to manage their assets will become a much bigger issue.

As financial planning becomes more complex – and as workers become increasingly responsible for funding their own retirements – investors would be wise to seek advice about navigating the retirement waters.

American Century Investments has developed an award-winning, 21-page booklet, “Manage Your Investments During Retirement,” that helps guide investors through various issues as they approach and enter retirement, including:

* building a retirement portfolio;

* managing income sources, from retirement savings to Social Security benefits;

* forecasting expenses for health care and long-term care;

* determining annuity payments and withdrawal strategies for all accounts, including taxable and tax-deferred accounts;

* calculating a withdrawal rate.

American Century also is launching additional retirement planning and investing tools for investors in all stages of retirement.

These new services will help investors develop retirement plans, invest their retirement portfolios and manage their retirement incomes. Investors can work with an experienced investment consultant or work on their own online to take advantage of these new services.

These retirement services are part of American Century’s On Plan Investing approach – providing guidance tailored to investors’ needs to help them meet their most important financial goals – available at no additional cost.

If you think good investment advice is only for the rich, you’re not alone. Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of investing Americans believe that those with more money are able to get better financial advice than those with less money. Further, more than a quarter (26 percent) state that it takes at least $100,000 to get top-quality financial advice.

This is according to a new survey by the Retirement Corporation of America, which also finds that more than half (56 percent) of investors believe that financial advisors lose credibility when they accept fees or commissions.

Given the above perceptions, it is not surprising that 53 percent rely on themselves or turn to family and friends when it is time to make investment decisions rather than seek professional advice. However, changing investment funds is easier said than done for investors. The survey finds that nearly a third (31 percent) are willing to wait from one to five years before they move their money from a poorly performing option to a better one. The factor that makes it most difficult for investors when contemplating change is the scarcity of time to conduct adequate research, as cited by a third of respondents. This is followed by 20 percent who state that they are confused by all the available options and 16 percent who are afraid of making the wrong decisions.

The Retirement Corporation of America conducted this survey to better understand why consumers stay invested in poor-performing mutual funds. Their newly launched investment opportunity-Money Masters Investment Portfolio-is the first to offer unbiased advice and access to top-performing investment funds for every American.

Taking The Guesswork Out

The good news for confused American investors is the new registered investment advisory account (the “R” Account), offered through the Retirement Corporation of America, with no minimum account balance, commissions, transaction fees or exit penalties. It allows investors to access a fully managed Money Masters Investment Portfolio containing 15 of the world’s top-performing mutual fund managers-the “Money Masters.” The Money Masters are the top 10 stock fund and top five bond fund managers chosen from more than 8,000 fund managers who meet very strict selection criteria.

How It Works

When an investor opens an “R” Account, Retirement Corporation of America advisors determine the individual’s objectives and risk tolerance. Based on that profile, a Money Masters Investment Portfolio is created to best suit the individual investor’s needs.

Gold and silver coins, the famous “old world” currency, are fast becoming the “new world” currency because they offer the missing link in all paper currencies: a store of value.

Today, Americans are facing a pile of unpaid debts. At the helm is a new Fed chief, Ben Bernanke, who has already been nicknamed “Helicopter Ben” based on admitting he’d print enough paper currency and drop it from helicopters to keep the U.S. economy from sliding into a recession.

The Wall Street Journal recently published an excellent commentary, “In Gold We Trust,” by David Ranson and Penny Russell of H.C. Wainwright & Co. Economics. They explain why gold prices are the truest barometer of falling public confidence and of growing inflation. Here are a few key points they bring to light:

* Gold is the benchmark for the value of the dollar – not the other way around.

* The falling U.S. dollar is largely being ignored by Washington and Wall Street.

* Gold’s sharp rise represents an equally sharp decline in investor confidence.

* Gold is the barometer of public confidence in paper money.

* The dollar’s collapse of 60 percent since 2001 is a blow to capitalism.

Bottom line: The U.S. dollar is slowly but steadily sliding into oblivion, taking with it the hopes and dreams of all Americans, along with the value of their savings accounts and investments.

Most Wall Street pundits view gold as just another commodity, which they say is now overpriced due to a growing gold fever worldwide since 2001, causing central banks, hedge funds and others to buy gold for the first time in decades. Not so!

Gold is rising because it is real money. The solution is to convert a portion of your “paper” assets into gold – thus putting yourself on a personal gold standard.

Rising gold prices today are a big red flashing signal of coming inflation, which could take gold prices over $1,000 an ounce. So don’t wait to buy gold – buy gold and wait.

When selling your home, you have to get the word out to buyers in the area. The Internet is a great method for doing that, but traditional methods are really the way to go.

Getting The Word Out About Your Open House

Part of the selling process for a home is conducting open houses. Many sellers cringe at the idea, but having an open house viewing is vital. Sooner or later, you have to let buyers actually walk though the house. Consider it a necessary evil, but it is the single best way to find a buyer. Indeed, the process is so important that many sellers now employee home staging professionals to whip their houses into shape before the showing.

Part and parcel to an open house are those signs you see all over the neighborhood each weekend. Are they tacky? Yes. Do you really need to put them up all over the neighborhood? Yes. Do they work? Yes! These signs are simply critical when it comes to getting buyers to your home.

Once you have committed to conducting an open house for potential buyers, you need to get the word out. While there are lots of interesting strategies to do this, tradition carries the day in this area. So, where do you get signage and where do you post them.

You can purchase signs at most hardware stores including Home Depot, Lowes or your favorite place to buy supplies for weekend projects. Do not buy one. You want to canvas your area with multiple signs, so plan how many you need before going to the store.

The number and placement of signs is entirely dependent on your neighborhood. Obviously, you want to place them on the corners on both ends of your street. Make sure to ask neighbors if this okay to avoid any nasty comments.

In addition to your street, you want to place signs on the corners of any major intersections around your neighborhood. If you just place signs on your street, you are limiting your exposure. You want to sell the home, which means you need to get the signs out where lots of people will see them. This means major intersections as far as five or six blocks away.

Marketing homes for sale has been revolutionized over the last few years. Planting signs around your neighborhood, however, is still the best way to get word out in your neighborhood.