Focus CPA Group, Inc. (562)281-1040

Choosing a good real estate agent in Bend Oregon can be a sticky proposition. There are currently a little over two thousand members of the Central Oregon Multiple Listing service. Out of these two thousand members there are approximately 1,500 active real estate agents. The rest are part time agents, real estate appraisers, lenders or others associated with the real estate business.

Oregon law recently changed however and agents are now called Brokers and Principle Brokers. Brokers are men and women who sell real estate for a Principle Broker who is responsible for their activities. The Principle Broker can also sell and list properties. For the purposes of this article we will call Brokers and Principal Brokers who actively sell and list homes “Agents.”

When searching for an agent to assist you in buying or selling a home it is a good idea to choose one that is a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS). There are over one million Realtors in business today. So if you want to find that one-in-a-million Realtor start with the over 37,000 that hold the Certified Residential Specialist Designation. CRS is the symbol of excellence in residential real estate.

You should also make sure your agent is a Realtor. Not all agents are Realtors. A Realtor is pledged to adhere to a strict code of ethics. Whether you are buying or selling a home, you can count on your Realtor to be honest with all parties in the transaction, not just you, as his or here client, but also with the other real estate practitioner and his or her clients.

For example, if Realtors represent a buyer with a spotty credit history, they can’t be dishonest with seller about this fact. At the same time, Realtors can help their buyer clients collect and assemble information, such as credit reports and audited tax returns, to demonstrate that the buyer has addressed the problem and improved their situation.

He or she will put your interests ahead of his or her interest at all times. He understand the needs of his or her client, thoroughly researches available inventory and shares all relevant information with the buyer so that he or she can make an informed decision. This service is provided regardless of the compensation available.

She or He will disclose all pertinent facts regarding the property and the transaction to both buyer and seller. If a Realtor believes information provided by a seller is questionable, the Realtor is obligated to investigate. Realtors should recommend that buyers consult their own experts, such as home inspectors, to address concerns.

For example, if a home seller asks his or her Realtor to conceal the fact that the roof leaks, the Realtor cannot comply. If the seller insists, the Realtor should end the business relationship with that seller.

He or she will be truthful in all communications with the public. When Realtors distribute newsletters, create Web sites, or place advertisements, they must be careful not to represent other real estate professionals’ work product as their own. If recently sold or listed properties in the community are publicized, it must be clear whether the Realtor was actually involved in the transaction or whether that data came from the local multiple listing service or other source. This ensures that the public understands the Realtor’s experience and they can make an informed decision when choosing real estate representation.

All Certified Residential Specialists are Realtors. So if you are looking for an agent in Bend Oregon or any place in the United States for that matter, you can search the internet with any browser for Certified Residential Specialist. Go to “Find a CRS” and fill in the city and state where you want to buy a home and need an agent.

You will then have a list with pictures, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of some of the best agents available. At this point it is good to contact the agent and ask him or here how long he or she has lived in the area you are going to be buying a home. You will be better served if you choose someone that has lived in the area for more than twenty years.

There are many factors to consider when choosing the agent you want to work with. Take your time and be sure the broker you choose is some you like and trust.

It is a buyer’s market in Bend Oregon today. It is a good time to buy a home. If you follow the steps outlined in this article you should find an ethical, experienced profession to help you find you new home and negotiate a good price.

All organizations, whether private, public, or non-profit, need to prepare financial statements on their performance to provide fiscal accountability and accuracy to their stakeholders and people with an interest in the company. Financial statements enable management to make business decisions, enable creditors to evaluate loan applications, and provide individuals with information to make investment decisions.

Financial statements provide information from an organization?s accounting documents about their economic resources and obligations on a specific date, as well as their financial activities over a period of time. Financial statements are usually prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), which are the standards issued by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), but they may also be prepared on other comprehensive basis of accounting, such as cash basis or tax basis, depending on the needs of the users of the financial statements.

The lowest level of assurance in regards to financial statements is compiled financial statements. One of the main reasons these are used in lieu of other financial statement presentations is for the timely release of financial information about an organization. Compiled financial statements are presentation of various financial reports and documentation, which is the representation of management or owners of an organization. Compilation standards allow the organization to omit note disclosures as long as there is no intent to mislead the users. This is the only type of financial statement that allows omitted disclosures.

An accountant will compile the information supplied by the client into a proper financial statement presentation. This is the only financial statement presentation that a non-certified accountant can prepare. The accountant will read the financial statements and issue a report. If the organization has elected to omit any disclosures, this must be included in the accountant?s report of the financial statements, as well as if the disclosures had been included; they might have influenced the user’s conclusions.

The accountant preparing the compiled financial statements are not required to verify or confirm the records and do not need to analyze the statements for accuracy. However, an accountant engaged to compile financial statements is required to obtain a general understanding of the organization?s business transactions, its accounting records, qualifications of their accounting personnel, the accounting basis on which the financial statements are presented, and the form and content of the financial statements.

All organizations, whether private, public, or non-profit, need to prepare financial statements on their performance to provide fiscal accountability and accuracy to their stakeholders and people with an interest in the company. Financial statements enable management to make business decisions, enable creditors to evaluate loan applications, and provide individuals with information to make investment decisions.

Financial statements provide information from an organization?s accounting documents about their economic resources and obligations on a specific date, as well as their financial activities over a period of time. Financial statements are usually prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), which are the standards issued by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), but they may also be prepared on other comprehensive basis of accounting, such as cash basis or tax basis, depending on the needs of the users of the financial statements.

The middle level of assurance in regards to financial statements is reviewed financial statements. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) must obtain a reasonable basis for expressing limited assurance that the financial statements meet the requirements of the US GAAP are free of material misstatements or false/missing information.

To perform the review, the CPA must obtain a general understanding of: the organization?s industry as well as information about their operations, products, and services, their accounting records, qualifications of their accounting personnel, the accounting basis on which the financial statements are presented, and the form and content of the financial statements. The auditor then reviews the information supplied by the client and makes specific inquiries relating to accounting policies, record keeping and accounting practices, actions of the Board of Directors, and changes in business activities. The specific inquiries required to perform a review should address the following areas: related party transactions; accounting policies, problems, and areas of greater risk; uncertainties, contingent, current and long-term liabilities and assets; qualifications of accounting personnel and division of accounting duties; inventory; any departures from GAAP; revenues, expenses, accounts receivable, cash and equity accounts, and investments;

Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. based out of Ada, Ok ( USA ) has been in business for 35 years. They are a very successful, cash rich company that can be found on the New York Stock Exchange ( PPD ). Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. has been featured both on T.V. ( CourtTV ) and in many major publications which to name a few are… Money, Fortune, Forbes, Investor, Success, BusinessWeek, Black Enterprise, etc. If these publications found that Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. was good enough to print in their magazines then perhaps this company has something people are truly interested in.
Pre-Paid Legal Service, Inc. offers a first rate home based business opportunity which everyone is welcome to join. It does not matter of the persons back round. All kinds of people are joining Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. because they see the true value of the company, the services and the success that it can provide them and their families for many years to come.
Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. and their associates sell memberships to highly affordable quality legal services. The legal services are provided by top rated law firms and their professional attorneys who can help in many different areas of law. Here is a list of what is included in the membership for a extremely low monthly fee…
* Unlimited phone calls to an attorney ( talk as long you like )
* Phone calls and letters written on your behalf by an attorney
* Contracts and Document review ( up to 10 pages each )
* Receive a FREE quality last will and testament.
* Minor Legal expenses (representation on a traffic ticket)
* Major Legal expenses ( manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, Negligent homicide, or vehicular homeicide at no added cost to member )
* Trail Defense
* IRS Audit Legal services
* Legal Shield ( Call an attorney 24/7 in an emergency )
* The Very Best in Identity Theft( Id theft is the fastest growing crime in North America and perhaps the world, do not be with out ID Theft )
* All these services are offered for a monthly fee that is less then a tank of gas. This is a very powerful membership to have since it brings the peace of mind for the member knowing that their legal matters can be dealt with in a smooth, professional way.
There are thousands of satisfied customers who have been helped greatly with the power of their membership with Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. There are many real life examples on how the membership has helped people. Here is just one of the thousands of examples. A California woman was over charged by the IRS $18,000 dollars, she called the top rated law firm and had a tax attorney look over her tax records and it turned out she only needed to pay the IRS $5.00. The use of a tax attorney is included in the membership which is a huge benefit and savings.
These type stories gives the associates a great feeling knowing they are providing a service that is highly needed in North America today.
People all over the US and Canada are joining Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. amazing business opportunity each and every day. The Market is very hot, and it is exploding in growth very fast.
What better time then now to check out how Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. can help make you the next success story. There is plenty of business for all to have so join today and get on your way to be a success. People are always amazed to learn the very low cost it takes to join this successful, powerful, proven and reliable company. Only $49 dollars gets you into business for yourself but not by yourself since Pre-Paid Legal Service, Inc. has the very best in support for all of their associates.
Here are just a few things thousands of Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. Associates are achieving with the success they have achieved with their businesses.
* Pay off all their bills and student loans faster
* Buy their dream homes
* Buy their dream cars
* Invest for the future
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* Dream vacations
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* Build lasting success and wealth that last for years to come.
* Very flexible hours, work when they want to
So be sure to check out today this Powerful, Proven, and Reliable home based business opportunity and the services that Pre-Paid Legal offers, which bring peace of mind. Remember Pre-Paid legal Services, Inc. has been around for 35 years, this company knows what they are doing and they know what works to help each associate be a success. The sooner one joins the sooner they can be part of the exploding growth that Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc is experiencing right now!

As you may expect, home mortgage loan mitigation is not a one size fits all endeavor. The universe of possible solutions is vast. Always use an attorney for ALL loan modifications that will thoroughly review your circumstances and desires before recommending a course of action. Your financial circumstances, existing loan documentation and legal rights should always be reviewed and considered. An attorney will work with you to achieve a solution which fits for you and your family. While other organizations may simply submit a loan modification request, which may be ignored by the lender, an attorney will actively and aggressively negotiate the most advantageous solution for their clients.

In many cases, an attorney will contact your lender and get them to delay the foreclosure process without filing bankruptcy. Such a scenario allows an attorney the opportunity to negotiate a “win win” resolution for both sides. Foreclosure is generally a very costly option for lenders. In certain instances, a modification of the existing loan is a good solution. Depending on circumstances, a deed in lieu, also known as “cash for keys” or “walk away” may be the right solution to keep a foreclosure off your credit report. There are many possible solutions to resolve a situation where a homeowner is either behind on payments or likely to fall behind in the near future. Such possible solutions include a modification or restructuring of the terms of your current loan to lower your mortgage payments, a recapitalization and principal balance reduction, a rescission of your current loan (up to three years) or a lawsuit against the mortgage company for predatory lending violations if determined to be appropriate after a proper loan document audit. There are many other possible resolutions as well. An attorney will assist you to determine which possible option is best for you.

Currently, Aurora, Citibank, Chase, Countrywide, GMAC, Litton, Wachovia and WAMU are among the major lenders routinely offering loan modifications. Although many lenders are willing to consider loan modifications, many lenders are unable to keep pace with the current demand for loan modifications. Even in cases where the borrower is currently in default, a lender offered forbearance agreement may not be the best resolution for the borrower. An attorney may be able to stop foreclosure by negotiating a loan modification; even in cases where a previous forbearance agreement has failed. Because we process many loan modification requests, our current relationships with lenders and loan servicing companies may allow us to bypass overwhelmed loss mitigation personal and negotiate directly with asset and portfolio managers as well as the lender’s legal department.

In order to secure a loan modification, an attorney will make use of the tools provided by federal law. Such federal tools include both the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA). Both state and federal laws require mortgage companies to adhere to certain guidelines when originating home loans. Some existing mortgage loans have TILA and/or RESPA violations. When such a violation is determined to have occurred, an attorney will utilize such violation as leverage to negotiate a favorable resolution for our clients. Generally, lenders will seek to avoid costly litigation and are more agreeable to reaching voluntary solutions when such violations are identified and brought to their attention by qualified law firms.

During times of real estate booms, some brokers and lenders engage in unfair or illegal practices to close loans. An example of these practices may include charging unexplainable or unreasonable fees and charges. Other examples include not fully explaining interest rate adjustments, pre-payment penalties or the implications of option ARM loans with minimum payment options. Additionally, some brokers and lenders illegally inflated or otherwise manipulated financial statements to qualify buyers who would otherwise not have qualified for their loans. Simply refinancing out of these inappropriate home mortgage loans is now generally not an option because of declining property value or debt to income ratios.

An attorney can help to identify if you have been the victim of such an issue. In such a case, we can attempt to resolve these issues fast and efficiently so the borrower doesn’t fall victim to foreclosure proceedings. Helping stop foreclosure and restoring financial stability for our clients is our main goal.

There are additional reasons to conduct a detailed review of the client’s mortgage home loan documents. If a lender fails to properly provide adequate notice of the borrower’s right to cancel, the right of rescission may be available to the borrower for up to three years. When such right is extended for three years, the borrower may be able to rescind the loan during such period. In such a circumstance, the loan is treated as if it never existed. Essentially, the borrower becomes entitled to all profits made by the lender as a result of the loan. As such, the lender or other creditor would be required to refund all interest paid, all closing fees, all broker fees, and even pay the borrower’s attorney fees. This circumstance can create a legitimate windfall to the borrower. The extended right of rescission is a powerful tool to assist borrowers who have been victims of predatory lending. An attorney can assist in determining if such a right exists and will assist its clients in exercising such right in appropriate circumstances.

Mortgage and loan servicing companies generally do not want your home and most will work diligently with a law firm to avoid foreclosure. Litigating mortgage fraud and predatory lending cases can become costly for both sides and should be avoided unless the lender will not comply or there are significant damages to the borrower. Our clients retain us to make a best effort at resolving their hardship and to fight for their rights. In most cases, the client’s goal can be realized without costly litigation by using existing relationships to find an amicable resolution to stop foreclosures.

A loan modification proposal offered by a law firm may result in a more favorable loan modification agreement than your lender will offer you directly. Many modifications offered by mortgage lenders and loan servicing companies are forbearance agreements and are not a true modification to the terms of your mortgage. These types of agreements generally do not benefit the borrower in the long term and home owners facing foreclosure should consult with a law firm and fully understand the terms and ramifications before signing any of these documents.

In cases where neither refinancing nor a loan modification is a possibility, a short sale or a deed in lieu may be among the best options to both avoid foreclosure and a deficiency judgment. An attorney can help borrowers navigate through the possible options to determine which resolution is best for your particular circumstances. A real estate short sale occurs when the lender agrees to discount the loan balance and accept the sale proceeds in full satisfaction of the outstanding debt. In such cases, the lender has the right to approve or disapprove of the proposed sale. Lenders are generally inclined to agree to a short sale if they determine such action will mitigate losses as compared to foreclosure. The advantages of a short sale to the borrower include avoiding a foreclosure reported on credit history and mitigating or eliminating a possible deficiency. A short sale is generally faster and less expensive than a foreclosure. In summary, a short sale is a negotiation with a lender resulting in a payoff less than what is currently owed.

Not all lenders are equally amenable to short sales. Many lenders have pre-determined criteria for such transactions. Distressed lenders may accept any reasonable offer. However, junior lien holders such as second mortgages, HELOC lenders, and HOA (special assessment liens), may also need to approve of any short sale. Objectors to short sales sometimes include tax lien holders (income, estate or corporate franchise tax – as opposed to real property taxes, which have priority even unrecorded) and mechanic’s lien holders. It may be possible for junior lien holders to prevent a short sale. Additionally, lien holders who are not mortgagees are generally unlikely to forgive the debts owed to them.

While a short sale appears on a borrower’s credit report differently than a foreclosure, a short sale may nonetheless have severe consequences for the borrower in the future. A short sale may appear on a borrower’s credit report as “foreclosure proceedings started.” While not a foreclosure, a short sale may prevent the borrower from obtaining a new mortgage for seven or more years. Short sales are complex matters which should be handled carefully by experienced professionals.

The loss mitigation industry is a recent advent and has become large as a result of the current economic and real estate crisis. The loan modification industry is currently inundated with marginally qualified or unethical individuals, who are essentially salespeople, who have accepted fees in exchange for half hearted efforts or no efforts at all to provide loss mitigation services, loan modification or stop foreclosure services. As such, several states are currently considering legislation which requires attorney involvement for loan modification requests.

Some companies offering loan modification services claim to be “attorney backed” or “attorney based” in their marketing. In such a case, borrowers should be aware they are not contracting with or engaging the services of a law firm. Some companies simply hire an attorney for consultation to claim an association with an attorney. In such a case, the attorney does not represent the borrower and the company is not bound by the same ethical duties required by licensed attorneys. Additionally, no attorney client privilege exists with such a company and statements made to them are discoverable. To be sure, the borrower is encouraged to request to speak personally with the attorney.

“Attorney based” loan modification companies are not law firms. As such, when you discuss the details of your mortgage with these companies, there is no attorney client privilege. Any conversation you have with a non-law firm loan modification company is discoverable by a state agency and not protected by attorney client privilege and therefore not confidential. Prosecuting agencies have become much more aggressive recently in bringing prosecutions for mortgage fraud based on overly optimistic or inflated representations regarding income or monetary reserves at the time of qualifying for the loan. Therefore, if you are concerned that statements you made on your mortgage loan application could be construed as false and you are at risk for foreclosure, please contact

UK Company Law

by Marcis Liors Skadmanis, Lawyer

Contents:

1. Introduction

2. Company formation & trading structure

3. The Sole trader (Self-Employed)

4. Partnership (Self-Employed)

5. Partnership Agreement

6. Limited liability partnerships (LLPs)

7. Private limited company

8. Single member companies

9. Type of share

10. Shareholders’ agreement

11. Private company limited by guarantee

12. Private unlimited company

13. Public limited company (plc)

14. Community Interest Companies (CICS)

15. Listed companies

Source

1. Introduction-

The United Kingdom has enjoyed a system of company registration since 1844. In these days, company registration matters are dealt with in law, by the Companies Act 1985 and the updating legislation contained in the Companies Act 1989. Companies? Acts have been around for the last 150 years, and are designed to set the framework in which companies with limited liability must work. The Companies Act 2006 received Royal Assent on 8th November 2006 and effectively replaced existing company legislation by re-writing, updating and modernizing company law.

Business today is often a multi-national activity. British companies may carry on activities in other states and companies from other jurisdictions may carry on business in the United Kingdom.

English law provides two main types of organization for those who wish to associate in order to carry on business for gain: partnerships and companies.

Public companies are permitted to invite the general public to subscribe for the shares, whereas private companies are not. The shares of a public company may be officially listed for trading on a recognized investment exchange for example, the London Stock Exchange. The shares of a private company may not.

The term ?Company? implies an association of a number of people for some common object or objects.

2. Company formation & trading structure-

When starting a business, it important to select the most appropriate trading structure. There are four main trading structures available:

Sole trader (Self-Employed)

Partnership (Self-Employed)

Limited liability partnerships (LLPs)

Private limited company (Ltd)

Public limited company (plc) (including ?listed companies?).

3. The Sole trader (Self-Employed)-

The sole trader is the amoeba of the business organization world. As the name suggests, the sole trader operates alone and, as such, is the simplest form of trading structure. The liability of the sole trader is total. This means all financial risks are taken by that person and all that person’s assets are included in that risk. Legally there is no distinction between the sole trader?s personal and business assets and so if the business goes badly the creditors can go after his/her home, car or other assets in satisfaction of business debt. The risk to the sole trader of doing business is large but there is no need for a formal organizational structure. Without insurance you could lose everything.

Accountability and regulation ? there is very little regulation and official accountability associated with sole trader status. Because they are not registered with Companies House, sole traders are not required to file annual accounts or reports (other than for the payment of income tax).

4. Partnership (Self-Employed) –

Partnership is the relation which between person carrying on a business in common with a view of profit? (s. 1(1) of the Partnership Act 1890 (PA 1890)), there must be at least two persons, and ?business? includes any ?trade, profession or occupation?: PA 1890,s.45. The partnership is not a separate legal person, and partners have unlimited joint liability for the firm?s debts and obligations (PA 1890,s.9); and joint and several liability for torts (PA 1890,s.12). There is no distinction between the assets of the partnership and the assets of the individual partners. The partners can be pursed personally for the debts of the partnership.

A partnership is a very risky type of business to get involved in, just because of all the potential for conflict, and the financial effect conflict between partners would be likely to have on the business. However, now the Limited Liability Partnerships Act has received Royal Approval and will become Law by the end of the year.

Law firms in particular have very complex partnership agreements governing their operation. This means that the management structure, profit sharing and the life of the partnership can be made to fit any situation. The obligations are the same as for a Sole Trader.

Accountability and regulation- As with the sole trader, there is relatively little accountability or regulation attached to a partnership and no requirement to file reports and accounts with any official regulator.

Can the Architects? Secret Help Your Agency?

This is reprint of a letter from a most disgrunteled American. This reprint is being transmitted with approval of the author, Mrs Contraes and Glenn Beck. The author has succintly encapulsated my views and frustrations, and from the forced crashing of FNS/Glenn Beck web site, the views of millions of other Americans as well.

Take a few moments out of your busy day and carefully read her words. I’ve read few essays as powerful.

GLENN: I got a letter from a woman in Arizona. She writes an open letter to our nation’s leadership: I’m a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life. Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. Now I no longer feel the Republican Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer feel any political party or representative in Washington represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. There must be someone. Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you’re willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now. You might ask yourself what my views and issues are that I would horribly feel so disenfranchised by both major political parties. What kind of nut job am I? Will you please tell me?Well, these are briefly my views and issues for which I seek representation:One, illegal immigration. I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. P.S., I’m not a racist. This isn’t to be confused with legal immigration.Glenn Beck’s Common SenseNow available in book stores nationwide…Two, the TARP bill, I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you no, but you did it anyway. I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.Three: Czars, I want the circumvention of our checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution and honor it.Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There is more to say.Five, universal healthcare. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision. Don’t you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night and then go on break. Slow down!Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your real obligations. Why don’t you start there.Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes. Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the census over with our taxpayer money. I don’t trust them with our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs. That is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person. Why do you want me to hate my employers? Why ?? what do you have against shareholders making a profit?Nine, charitable contributions. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.Ten, corporate bailouts. Knock it off. Sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we’ll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. Have you ever ripped off a Band?Aid? We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let’s have it. Let’s say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please try ?? please stop manipulating and trying to appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me.Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now.Take a breath. Listen to the people. Let’s just slow down and get some input from some nonpoliticians on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed reading our bills into law. I am not an activist. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a parent and a grandparent. I work. I’m busy. I’m busy. I am busy, and I am tired. I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not. It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance. Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is such urgency and recklessness in all of the recent spending.From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold to straighten out the mess that you are making. We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on you to bring our concerns to Washington. Our president often knows all the right buzzword is unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don’t want your overpriced words. Stop treating us like we’re morons.We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented. You think we’re so busy with our lives that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work , pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone and we are now looking up at you. You have awakened us, the patriotic spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far. Our numbers are great. They may surprise you. For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on voting day to usher you out of office. We have cancelled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn’t ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us when hewill rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don’t care. Political parties are meaningless to us. Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired. Did you hear? We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them. Because we will get you fired and they will not save you. If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to know who you are. If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one by one. We are coming. Are we coming for you? Who do you represent? What do you represent? Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are coming.

I recently received a letter from a woman in Arizona. She writes an open letter to our nation’s leadership: I have read this letter many times, and nothing I could add would or could say any more.I did send it to both senators and representative from my state. I also sent it to the White House. I hope that I made the ?fishy? list.Please read this letter carefully and feel the depth of passion the lady feels and so eloquently expresses.I’m a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life. Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. Now I no longer feel the Republican Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer feel any political party or representative in Washington represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. There must be someone. Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you’re willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now. You might ask yourself what my views and issues are that I would horribly feel so disenfranchised by both major political parties. What kind of nut job am I? Will you please tell me?Well, these are briefly my views and issues for which I seek representation:One, illegal immigration. I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. P.S., I’m not a racist. This isn’t to be confused with legal immigration.Two, the TARP bill, I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you no, but you did it anyway. I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.Three: Czars, I want the circumvention of our checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution and honor it.Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There is more to say.Five, universal healthcare. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision. Don’t you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night and then go on break. Slow down!Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your real obligations. Why don’t you start there.Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes. Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the census over with our taxpayer money. I don’t trust them with our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs. That is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person. Why do you want me to hate my employers? Why — what do you have against shareholders making a profit?Nine, charitable contributions. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.Ten, corporate bailouts. Knock it off. Sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we’ll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. Have you ever ripped off a Band-Aid? We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let’s have it. Let’s say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please try — please stop manipulating and trying to appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me.Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now.Take a breath. Listen to the people. Let’s just slow down and get some input from some nonpoliticians on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed reading our bills into law. I am not an activist. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a parent and a grandparent. I work. I’m busy. I’m busy. I am busy, and I am tired. I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not. It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance. Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is such urgency and recklessness in all of the recent spending.From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold to straighten out the mess that you are making. We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on you to bring our concerns to Washington. Our president often knows all the right buzzword is unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don’t want your overpriced words. Stop treating us like we’re morons.We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented. You think we’re so busy with our lives that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work , pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone and we are now looking up at you. You have awakened us, the patriotic spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far. Our numbers are great. They may surprise you. For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on voting day to usher you out of office. We have canceled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn’t ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us when he will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don’t care. Political parties are meaningless to us. Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired. Did you hear? We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them. Because we will get you fired and they will not save you. If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to know who you are. If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one by one. We are coming. Are we coming for you? Whom do you represent? What do you represent? Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are coming.

As foreclosure rates continue to dominate the media and the minds of many Americans, everyone wants to know who qualifies and what their options are for a loan modification. We all want a lower balance, we all want a low interest rate, and we all want the ability to keep our home and family’s secure. Basically, it comes down to your financial analysis, your mortgage statement, and your hardship. The next step is the most difficult: getting in touch with your lender.

Homeowners are against the wall. Many are as much as twelve months behind in their payments and seeing little movement towards a resolution. The banks are inundated with requests, documents, faxes, and lastly thousands of irate borrowers. Both parties want a remedy. But where do they meet. They banks say , “We have not received your package”, or “send it in and we will get back to you in a few weeks”. Weeks go by, you are late another month, and the end of the tunnel seems to continue to move further from your reach. This is the method many lenders are taking. They do not want to re-negotiate your terms. You signed a promissory note dictating payments. Why should they give you a discount and lose thousands of dollars because you cannot afford your home any longer? Would you? Probably not, unless you are the king of altruism, the bearer of generosity. But lets face it, the banks are not, and honestly speaking, most of us fall out of this category no matter how many times we go to church or give the local homeless man a few coins. This brings me to my next point. Who do I trust? Everyone is a skeptic. We have heard the stories, we have seen the frightfully terrified borrower jumping at the first chance, the first guaranteed rate from Whoknowsloanmodificationbs.com or whatever company you find online. FYI, no company can guarantee a rate, unless they work for your lender, which is no one. Just think about it: A modification is a negotiation between the two parties, you and them- bottom line! There is no guarantee except for the services rendered. So when you are frantically looking for relief, step back, take a breath, maybe even an adult beverage, and do your research! This next move you make is pivotal. Ask yourself: “what do I want from this”, “what am I willing to pay, if any, to have this done”, and lastly talk to as many people as you can. Its your responsibility, its your home, your family.

The only real way to determine a firms ability to produce and insure they are legitimate is working with attorneys. They have a license to accept advance fees. Get their license number, look them up in the state they practice in. If they are legitimate, they will be listed. They will not forfeit their license to practice law for your tiny amount of money. Only attorneys and approved DRE organizations have this ability. So if John Williams Booth is calling you saying a fixed 4.278 and it will cost you only $2000, ask him about the process, ask him his companies history, ask about his attorneys. If they cannot give you a legitimate answer to any of these basic questions, I would save your money for someone else. Once you find a company that sounds good, check them out online. Do your homework. Contrary to Alice Cooper: school is not out for summer. Here is a scenario: 200k balance, Wells Fargo, 6.7% interest rate (1290 payment+ 350 taxes+80 ins.+ 120 HOA= $1855), late 3 months, lost job( $1300 in unemployment), spouse still employed ($2000)… You may be eligible for the HAMP- the best modification on the market. WARNING: your lender may be fishing for your information to disqualify you from this program… you only have one shot at this program. This is why. The program will make your monthly mortgage payment to be 31% of your gross income less taxes and insurance. This is your debt to income ratio (DTI). They will take you down to the floor interest rate of 2%, the maximum 40 year amortization schedule. This rate stays fixed for five years, after which it adjusts up to one percent each year after until it reaches the market cap on the day you sign the new loan terms. So, this person with these figures has a DTI of 37% (You may be between 31-38% to qualify) They did it! New potential payment at a 2% for 30 years is $1304…thats five hundred dollar savings (27% savings). To get you down to that 31% DTI, they may draw your amortization to a maximum 40 years, reduce principal, put you at 2% interest rate, or any combination of the three.This is why the banks do not want to modify your loan under the HAMP guidelines. Do you see now? Under this plan, you must have a hardship, you do not have to be late, you must live in the property, and the first mortgage balance must be under 729K. So, do you qualify? Go to the government website for making home affordable to learn more and see if you lender took the TARP money. For those of us who have a non TARP accepting lender, you can still get a traditional. There is capability for your lender to modify under the HAMP guidelines. The attorney cannot force them, but there is still availibility. the traditional modification will not be as strong, but there is still relief. Your case will be contingent on your budget, hardship, and your mortgage statement. The banks want to make sure if they modify your loan you will be able to make your payments and not default again. This is why many borrowers are denied modification requests. They do not understand how the banks look at their portfolio; so many times, the homowner must seek legal representation. What to do next: use a free service, try with your lender, or seek an attorney? You need to figure this out on your own. Is the investment worth it? In the case above, I would say absolutely. The money for the 2000-3000 modification will be recouped in six months, not to mention the savings over the life of the loan. It comes down to cost to benefit. You can try with your lender- submit your package and hope for the best. Honestly, why would you gamble a great opportunity like this because you are cheap and wanted to continue to buy cigarettes and strawberry shortcake Ben n’ Jerrys ice cream? Think of the future, figure your budget, and weigh your options. If you seek legal representation, you want an experienced real estate attorney, 100% money back guarantee, and a forensic loan audit to look over loan documents for any predatory lending violations. You may be entitled to more than you think if the audit comes back positive. Can you say 20K principal reduction? Maybe you should start practicing in the mirror. Anyhow, there is a vast amount of knowledge on the internet. Talk to everyone you know, see what they are doing, see why they went this way or the other. You still have time. However, many lenders are GIVING the TARP money back, leaving thousands of Americans high and dry, excluded from the HAMP. Ultimately, you want to make the best move. If this means having to wait on hold for one month with your lender to get a response or pay an attorney’s fee of $3000, make sure this is your best move. If you do not know how to change your brakes, are you going to gamble with your life and others? Easy question. If you would like further advice you can take a look at my profile.Take care and best of luck.

Here are a few links that will assist you on your modification goals.

www.makinghomeaffordable.govwww.propublica.orgwww.loanmodificationmadesimple.comwww.themod-squad.comwww.hud.gov