Thursday, October 22, 2009

Obama’s mortgage refinance “Stimulus Package” - Benefits and How to Get Them

Obama’s mortgage refinance “Stimulus Package” - Benefits and How to Get Them by Eric Camp

US president Obama’s mortgage refinance “Stimulus Package” paves the way out for American debtors, but it’s important to know how to benefit from it. It can help find affordable as well as beneficial solutions for mortgage refinance, and aid the debtor with the redemption process.



As per the stimulus mortgage refinance package, Americans are expected to benefit by more and better paying jobs, since the main objective focuses upon improving the economic conditions by creating many jobs, and reviving the spending potential of the average American. The package is also drafted to affect the mortgage industry. Amongst the major issues faced by many Americans today, the two significant ones are delinquency, and foreclosure related problems. As stated by Post, one possible option is to have Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac set up the loan modifications standards for homeowners who are facing foreclosure related issues. However, it’s important to know that Post’s sources also caution that the proposed plan is not solid enough, and may be compromised upon before it’s sanctioned. So if the individual has plans to benefit from the stimulus package, it’s advisable to think about refinance options too, and not just depend upon the loan modification facilities which likely to be offered in the near future.



Obama home refinance stimulus package highlights



The extract or a concise summary of the stimulus package with respect to mortgage refinancing can be highlighted as:



* According to the stimulus program, the two main mortgage lending agencies of the government - Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac - are expected to refinance the home loans of all homeowners who owe debts which are in excess than the current evaluations, or the actual market value of the house. According to the package, the mortgage must be guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The loan applicant can avail the advantage only if he or she is financially strong enough to redeem the entire extra amount. So it’s not as if each and every debtor or the individual applying for the refinance can benefit by the stimulus package. There is an eligibility criterion, and people satisfying it can possibly benefit from it.



* Another major condition associated with the refinance stimulus package and the home affordable refinance program is that the refinance offer is valid only for properties used for residential purposes. Properties not occupied, or not used for residential purposes are not eligible, and the homeowner or the property owner cannot benefit in any way from the package.



Benefiting from the home refinance package



* Do you qualify for the home refinance plan?



The individual applying for the Obama mortgage refinance facilities needs to know whether he or she qualifies for the Obama stimulus package or not. And quite often, it’s difficult for the individual to do this, since financial experts tend to interpret the stimulus from different perspectives, and arrive at their conclusions. And professionals charge their fees. So it’s possible one might well end up spending money, and later on realize that he or she is not eligible, in which case the expenditure is not generally refunded. Usloanz helps the individual to benefit by availing free consultations as to whether one qualifies for the refinance facilities or not. One is not committed, nor compelled to pay in the event one is not eligible. And another advantage is that Usloanz finds a way out for such individuals who do not qualify for the stimulus package by offering them affordable and manageable refinance facilities through the home refinance program, which is based upon the individual’s monthly pay and income.



* Availing the refinance that’s affordable



Majority of the creditors suggest a 30% down payment for availing the refinancing facilities. Another problem faced by home mortgage refinance applicants are low FICO scores and bad or poor credit ratings. Usually when the individual applies for the loan, and possesses bad credit history, it’s almost guaranteed that the credit application is going to be rejected. Usloanz offers a way out for applicants having low FICOs and poor credit ratings to still avail their refinance option. The company’s team of financial experts studies the individual’s financial history, and help work out a feasible monthly payment plan based upon the individual’s pay scale, so the individual can redeem, and still save some money in the process at the month’s end.


Usloanz helps the individual to benefit by availing Mortgage Refinance. According to the stimulus program, Home Mortgage Refinance program is offered at affordable manageable rates through the refinance program


Article Source: Obama’s mortgage refinance “Stimulus Package” - Benefits and How to Get Them

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Start a Small Business the Easy Way: Quick Tips for Starting a Business

Start a Small Business the Easy Way: Quick Tips for Starting a Business by Karen Axelton

Did you know that a tough economy is actually the best time to start a small business? If you are worried about getting laid off from your job and thinking that now is the time to start a small business of your own, small-business expert Rieva Lesonsky has some good advice.



“Before you start a small business, you need to lay the groundwork,” Lesonsky says. “Take advantage of all the starting a business resources out there.” There are many sources of assistance, ranging from the Small Business Administration to your local Small Business Development Center to SCORE (a counseling organization for small businesses and startups). “These organizations offer free or very low-cost assistance,” says Lesonsky.



One of the starting a business resources that new entrepreneurs should check out is Lesonsky’s latest e-book, Startup 101: Quick Tips for Starting a Business. The book’s actionable advice helps startup entrepreneurs with all aspects of starting a business, including choosing the right business, researching the market, planning for success, setting up operations, financing the business, marketing and sales, hiring employees and more.



As you start your business, take a tip from Lesonsky and take advantage of social networking tools like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and blogging. “These are a great resource for entrepreneurs because they’re either free or extremely low-cost--the only real investment is your time,” Lesonsky says. “Test each tool to figure out which one will work best at reaching your target market. For instance, if you want to reach businesspeople, many of them are using Twitter. If you’re seeking teens or tweens, lots of them are on MySpace. Upload a how-to video or demonstration of your product to YouTube and invite customers to create their own videos about how they use your product. Consider launching your own blog—software like WordPress and TypePad make it simple. If you don’t have time, read blogs that are relevant to your business and post comments when you’ve got something useful to say. It’s a great way to get known by influencers in your field.”



Lesonsky, who was formerly editorial director of Entrepreneur Magazine for more than 25 years, says that tactics like this enabled her to successfully launch her own business, GrowBiz Media, in the midst of the “Great Recession.” That’s just one of the 101 tips, shortcuts and smart ideas in Startup 101, which sells for $19.95. For more information about Startup 101 and to download the book, visit http://www.smallbizdaily.com/products


Karen Axelton is Chief Content Officer of GrowBiz Media (http://www.growbizmedia.com), a content and consulting company that helps entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. Read more insights about small business at the company’s blog, http://www.SmallBizDaily.com




Article Source: Start a Small Business the Easy Way: Quick Tips for Starting a Business

Monday, October 12, 2009

Entrepreneur Secrets

Entrepreneur Secrets by Cherie Ang CL

The dream of starting a business is becoming a reality for many people. Some want to quit their jobs completely and dedicate their entire careers to self-employment, others have used it as a valuable second income. More and more, however, it is becoming a crucial 'second chance' for those unable to find traditional employment.



How do you know whether you can be a successful entrepreneur, or if you are better off as a salaried employee? While there is no sure-fire formula for success, studies have shown that successful entrepreneurs share these ten characteristics. Check if you possess any one of them.



Be passionate with what you do. You start a business to change any or all part of your life. To attain this change, you need to develop or uncover an intense, personal passion to change the way things are and to live life to the fullest. Success comes easily if you love what you do. Why? Because we are more relentless in our pursuit of goals about things that we love. If you hate your job right now, do you think you will ever be successful at it? Not in a million years! You may plod along, even become competent at the tasks, but you will never be a great success at it. You will achieve peak performance and do what you have to do to succeed only if you are doing something that interests you or something that you care about. Entrepreneurs who succeed do not mind the fact that they are putting in 15 or 18 hours a day to their business because they absolutely love what they do. Success in business is all about patience and hard work, which can only be attained if you are passionate and crazy with your tasks and activities.



Never consider the possibility of failure. As an entrepreneur, you need to fully believe in your goals, and that you can do it. Think that what you are doing will contribute to the betterment of your environment and your personal self. You should have a strong faith in your idea, your capabilities and yourself. You must believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that you have the ability to recognize and fulfil them. The more you can develop faith in your ability to achieve your goals, the more rapidly you can attain it. However, your confidence should be balanced with calculated risks that you need to take to achieve greater rewards. Successful entrepreneurs are those who analyze and minimize risk in the pursuit of profit. As they always say, "no guts, no glory."



Education: Education is where it all starts. We hear so much about entrepreneurs who spring out of nowhere, drop out of college to start a business, and become billionaires 2 years later. But really, anyone who is a successful entrepreneur at age 22 probably started educating themselves at age 14. None of them are overnight sensations – just hard workers with insatiable drive from a very young age. Of course, it’s never too late. You can educate yourself at any age. And it doesn’t matter how you do it – what matters is that you keep gaining and internalizing drastically different perspectives as you build your business.



Persistence: Once you have the above elements in your day to day business, persistence will most likely drive you to the top in everything you want to accomplish. Add this quality, and I can almost promise you, that it will be difficult in not achieving acceptable dreams.



Constantly Look for Ways to Network. In business, you are judged by the company you keep - from your management team, board of directors, and strategic partners. Businesses always need assistance, more so small businesses. It is important to form alliances with people who can help you, and whom you can help in return. To succeed in business, you need to possess good networking skills and always be alert to opportunities to expand your contacts.


Cherie Ang is the owner and webmaster of http://www.sgprofitsite.com, the site for Simple Work From Home Opportunity and an experienced Internet Marketer. Claim your Free Internet Business Training course, available at =>
http://newsletter.sgprofitsite.com


Article Source: Entrepreneur Secrets

Friday, October 9, 2009

The Biggest Home Business Mistake

The Biggest Home Business Mistake by Joey Fratantoni

First of all, why do people get into a home business?



Here is a list of reasons why a home business is started:



1. More money

2. Be your own boss

3. Set your own hours

4. Lifestyle

5. Spend more time with family

6. Comfort

7. Financial security

8. To help others



These are some of the most popular reasons, however, they can never be achieved if you make this mistake.



So what is the biggest mistake?



PEOPLE DO NOT TREAT THEIR HOME BUSINESS LIKE A BUSINESS!



Surprised? Shocked? It would not be the first answer most people could think of, but doesn't it make sense?



A business is just like any other business. If you don't treat it like a business, then how can you ever reap the benefits of owning a business?



The things you have to keep in mind with a home business include:



1. Targeting your niche market

2. Marketing and advertising

3. Customer satisfaction



These are just a few, among many others. The main problem is not only do the majority of people not treat it like a business, but rather a hobby. It is something that they do once in a while, at their leisure and then wonder why they are not making the money they would like.



Usually these people are also waiting. Waiting for something that never comes. Some of the most successful top earners didn't do anything amazing to get to their respective levels. All they did was take action.



So if there is one thing you can do right now in your home business that will separate you from the masses, just take action. By doing this and remaining consistent, you will get exactly where you want to go.


Joey Fratantoni Is An Expert Online Marketer. He
Has Cracked The Code To Grow Any Network Marketing
Business Using The Power Of The Internet. Get Your
Hands On The Online Formula Plus Some Free Gifts By Clicking Here: Online Attraction Formula


Article Source: The Biggest Home Business Mistake

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Small Business Accounting - Accounts Payable

Small Business Accounting - Accounts Payable
by Richard Hope

When you’re managing your small business, you obtain your stocks from suppliers who extend you credit and produce part of your Accounts Payable. That means you don’t have to pay for your purchases or any services that you call for for the duration of the credit period that has been established. Then you await receipt of your invoice which can be filed until it’s due to be paid. Accounting for your creditors and paying your invoices on time are the duties of an Accounts Payable department. Your bookkeeper must deal with a number of imperative activities to make certain that your Accounts Payable is managed professionally.



Purchasing



To start the process of making a purchase you are required to issue a valid purchase order to your supplier. This is the opening step in identifying the items and products that you want for your business. It will include itemized information of your purchase together with unit costs and the full amount payable for the order. When you place an order with your provider, the prices quoted on the purchase order will usually equal the arranged product price list that your vendor has forwarded to you to aid ordering.



The PO (purchase order) is very important as it is a legal contract offer to buy the items or services from your supplier. When your vendor accepts this PO, it confirms the order and your supplier is then obliged to meet the terms of the order accordingly. If you employ a bookkeeper, they will raise the purchase order after making sure that the businesstruly needs the goods/services that have been ordered. This prevents any errors in ordering and prevents potential disagreements between the business and the provider.



Any mistakes in the PO could result in surplus stocks and ineffective or incorrect deliveries. If you urgently need items to conclude a client order, then incorrect deliveries could be disastrous for your business. Explaining why your business will benefit from thorough and well thought-out PO preparation.



Input Invoices



Once your PO has been sent to your supplier, you will collect the goods ordered in a short time followed by the provider’s invoice. These invoices have to be input into a computerized accounting system to update your business accounting records. The invoices your business receives could come from trade or other debtors such as utilities and telephone invoices. The bookkeeper will properly identify the invoices and ascertain if they are trade invoices which unequivocally affect the cost of the goods that you sell to your customers and thus your gross profit.



Making Payment



The financial cycle of your business depends on a proper Accounts Payable process. Your liabilities to your trade and other debtors, such as regulatory and tax authorities must be recognized and paid for when they fall due. When you agree on credit terms with your vendors, these form the basis of the payments completed.



Sending funds to your debtors is a key factor of the Accounts Payable process. The credit terms regulate when invoices are paid. These can be settled by your bookkeeper either by issuing your company cheques or electronically through an online banking system. Longer credit terms augur well of your business. You have the opportunity to collect payments from your customer which you can then pay your creditors, as part of the working capital cycle.



By maintaining an permitted vendor list, you can be sure that the invoices entered into the accounting system are from legitimate vendors. The list will contain related information on the vendors and suppliers of your business. An outsourced Accounts Payable function will match the bills with this register to make sure that the debtors are authentic. Before each payment is made, invoices will be checked against this agreed list. No payments will be released if the payment questionable.



Charge Correct Expense Accounts



Expenses incurred by your business must be charged to the correct expense accounts to uphold an correct record of the numerous classes of expense. Expenses must be posted to independent accounts to summarize how much is spent on aspects such as postage, shipping or repairs to premises. Accounting services that exactly arrange and charge expenses make sure that you’re aware how your money is being spent in the business. It gives business owners the capability to find out whether they could better administer their expenses by curtailing avoidable expenses.



Reconciliation of Trade Accounts



An crucial feature of Accounts Payable is the reconciling of trade creditor accounts. This activity will be done by your bookkeeping service when it receives the monthly statement of accounts from debtors. The closing balance on the statement will show the amount your business owes to the vendor as recorded in the supplier’s books. Your bookkeeper will reconcile this figure with the amount payable as reflected in your own accounting records. There may be timing differences that could explain the existence of invoices in the creditors Statement of Accounts which have not yet been received by your book keeper at the month end.



Creditor reconciliations should ordinarily be performed on a consistent basis for trade debtors. This process can isolate double invoicing or troubles in the creditor invoicing method. It will draw attention to charges which you have not picked up in your accounting records such as interest penalties for late payment of creditor invoices. There may be creditor invoices that have not been captured in your accounting system in which case your Accounts Payable displays an inaccurate balance and your liabilities are understated.



The Accounts Payable function is key to appropriately direct the cash flow of your business, spot your risk exposure to unpaid invoices and provide an accurate version of the liabilities of your business. Bookkeeping Central can give effective accounting for your creditors by fully managing your entire Accounts Payable process and lifting the responsibility of paying your debtors and managing your cash flow from your shoulders. That leaves you free to concentrate on those activities that will drive up sales and bring in more revenue for your enterprise. Outsourcing your accounting services is the most excellent solution for a busy small business owner.


Bookkeeping Melbourne

Bookkeeping Blog



Article Source: Small Business Accounting - Accounts Payable

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Affiliate Marketing - Setup Your Own Business

Affiliate Marketing - Setup Your Own Business by Rabag

Since the time of introduction of the internet, one thing that is always making people think is how to earn money online. Many schemes that are aggressively promoted by so many people the in the world wide web from all parts of the world, you are always wondering which is the surest and the best way of doing business online so that you can also earn your millions online. This presents a very confusing situation to all newcomers in the Internet marketing industry.



All newcomers in online business must by all means have plan and a very basic and simple checklist of what things to when starting off in launching of a profitable online business. As a person who has just started , it is advisable for him or her to first join up with an affiliate marketer like ClickBank, start selling other people's products through the website. When you are fully aware and you become more familiar and proficient, you can then create your own affiliate business program or sell your own products and market them online.



The following things are required to be done first if you want to start your own affiliate business and make it a great success:



• You should first identify your target market, target. This is necessary as your research will help you to decide the product you want to affiliate and sell for.



• You need to construct your sales pitch now. People don't buy products, they buy ideas and concepts to take care of their needs and they buy solutions to solve problems that they otherwise can't solve themselves. This is an integral and inherent feature of the customer psyche. When choosing a product, you need not research or crack your head on the features and benefits, rather you need to realize yourself if the concept is new and prolific, and if it helps in satisfying the needs of the customer and solve his problems.



• You need to aggressively sell your product by driving maximum people to your website. If there is little or no traffic to your site, there will be no sales at all. After having narrowed down your target segment in the market, try to encourage people in the net to visit your site. Your website is your online retail showroom which is your place of online business.



• Front end offers are made at the initial sale, now your strategy should be to follow up with your customers with your back end offers. If you want a regular and steady income from your website you should never ignore the back end offer part. It also gives you a higher commission.



You need to now create multiple content web pages which will enable you to sell other product types that will give your earnings a major boost. Keep adding new pages and multiple product lines and check for new opportunities all the time. This is the best route towards building your own internet business. By following these simple tips you will slowly over a period of time be able to devise your own affiliate business checklist with the simultaneous growth in your experience and expertise.


For more tips and information about internet marketing, and affiliate programs visit http://affiliatestrategy.net/


Article Source: Affiliate Marketing - Setup Your Own Business

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Increasing Small Business Productivity

Increasing Small Business Productivity by Nicholas Brown

An obstacle many small businesses face is losing money and productivity because of poor organization. Business disorganization comes in many different forms, but each has the same result, lost time and money. One major problem with organization in small businesses comes from project delivery and filing. This is especially true of service-based businesses. Most businesses specialize in one or two services with little differences between projects. However, even though many of the procedures for completing a project are the same regardless of the project, businesses fail to find a way of streamlining those procedures.



Examples are usually the easiest way of learning a new concept. Let us consider a small business that sells lamps. This particular business receives orders from all over the country. Each time this business receives an order, they must create an invoice and file an order sheet for their records. These records require that the name, address, and other information be entered. What this business fails to realize is that this process can be greatly simplified with a little database know-how and some basic programming.



There are a few things to consider before getting started on this process. First, are there repeat customers or are most purchases from new customers? Let us assume for a moment that most purchases are from repeat customers. In this case, a form could be set up in the database to automatically fill out all the billing and shipping information when the buyer’s name is entered. Suppose, however, that most of the customers are new. In this case it would be impractical to have the database try to fill in the information based on the person’s name. In this case, have the state and zip code information automatically filled in upon entering the city would be of great use.



Since more than one form must be filled out in either customer’s case, it would be of great help for the database to automatically fill in the information from one form into all necessary, subsequent forms. This would require the employee to fill out only one form instead of multiple forms with the same information, allowing the employee to get back to other important duties.



These simple tricks can help a business to save valuable time and money. When running a small business, every hour and every dollar matters, so it pays to make your business more efficient.


Nicholas Brown is a recognized authority on the subject of Access Databases. He is the founder of Database Technology Services (DTS). DTS is a leader in custom Access database development. DTS programmers create databases for corporations, small businesses and individuals. Visit www.dts-consultants.com to see all of the services DTS has to offer.


Article Source: Increasing Small Business Productivity

Friday, October 2, 2009

Global Real Estate Investment

Global Real Estate Investment by ralphjimenez

The real estate industry, the world over, is a volatile one. The fluctuations in property values are largely attributed to the scarcity of this precious resource. The growing world population has resulted in a subsequent growth in the demand for land and property. People all over the world are investing heavily in real estate, both land and built up properties. In spite of some slow real estate markets in certain regions, the value of land and property only appreciates.



The global real estate investment scenario is run by extensive networking and an unspoken understanding between the management gurus within the industry – the brokers and agents and the buyers and sellers of the land and properties. The international scenario of this highly profitable investment market is run along the paradigms set by the management gurus of the industry over a period of time. There is no other investment avenue that offers more flexibility and a more international scope for appreciation.



The roles of each of the industry components is well defined and played along the same lines the world over. The global real estate investment scenario has the same rules and regulations everywhere, except of course in the case of certain legal paradigms set by certain jurisdictions, being peculiar to that region. The buying and selling within the global real estate investment market is handled either individually or by the versatile agents and brokers who assist the transactions in return for a commission.



The extensive networking makes it possible for buyers and sellers to identify potential investments across the globe. The global real estate investment appreciations are largely influenced by the urbanization of the region, the facilities, utilities and amenities available in and around the land or property and the fiscal policies that rule the transactions. The industry components, the buyers, sellers and the agents and brokers, all play their roles in upgrading the factors that influence the value of real estate in a region.



The main aim of the buyer, anywhere in the world, is to ensure that he or she is able to bag a good investment within the pre determined budget and a property that is in a safe and facilitated neighborhood. Similarly, the seller primarily targets selling the property, post renovation, for a price that beats the original cost price and offers a profit. The agents and the brokers on the other hand are more focused on enabling the seller and buyer to reach an understanding and close a deal that benefits both and enables the agency to earn a decent commission.



The commission of the agents and brokers are pre determined in nature or a percentage of the final transaction. The agents and brokers take care of all the civic and legal nuances involved in each transaction. They also ensure that the party they represent is satisfied with the final deal by guiding them with the desired changes in the property to boost the deal and even raising the required finances. Each component of this system plays its role individually and within a network.



The final aim of any real estate investment anywhere in the world is to ensure that a property is bought at the best negotiable price and either re-invested in for sale or used to the optimum.


Real Estate Investing Experts Kim and Charles Petty have been involved in over 700 real estate transactions in the last 9 years and are the creators of the Ultimate Turn Key Virtual Real Estate Investing Systems. For a FREE Special Report and Video on how you too can make Six or Seven Figures A Year Buying and Selling Properties across the USA & abroad go to http://www.VirtualRealEstateInvestingProfits.com


Article Source: Global Real Estate Investment