The 2008 holiday was a disaster for retail ers, as a financial crisis swept across the globe in September and consumers cut spending on nearly everything but bare necessities.Now on to our real estate educational section...Mortgage Modification Bill May Impact ForeclosuresThe newly proposed “Preserving Homes and Communities Act of 2009†introduced by Senators Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island), Dick Durbin (D-Il), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) limits foreclosures and requires lenders and services to offer mortgage modifications if the net present value of the modification is anticipated to be greater than the foreclosure value.Additional provisions of the newly proposed bill include:• Limits on foreclosure fees• Creation of a nationwide database to track foreclosures• Strict penalties for non-compliant firms• State sponsored mediation programs• Grant money for borrowers struggling to make payments regardless of current mortgage product.• Capitalize the National Housing Trust Fund with $1 billion in proceeds toward preservation and restoration of affordable housing.While advocates of the bill cite the growing increase in foreclosure rates across the nation as evidence of the need for further intervention, critics of the bill believe it will increase the burden on banks and lenders while simultaneously reducing fees associated with delinquent accounts.According to Moodys.com, mortgage defaults are expected to rise to as many as four million with more than a third of new defaults associated with prime fixed rate loans rather than the original sub-prime concerns.

As Jon indicated, it will depend largely on your market and target client base, but your preference will also be a factor.We remove carpet from our properties the first opportunity we get - they're filthy things ... like having a giant lint brush attached to your floor - and replace it with a hard finish surface.  

It is loaded with blue and brown leather with contrasting piping, heated and cooled seats, a giant moon roof, air springs, powerful sound system, keyless entry, rain-sensing wipers, and so forth. 

I have the funds, an understanding of how to underwrite each deal and the desire to get this thing started, but i always feel like the sellers are hiding some giant cost that I have overlooked!  

I essentially run an oil giant service company.

Any Tom, Dick or Harry can put up 4 walls and a roof but to do it right, you need to rely on someone that does it for a living.

Pro: a giant community to talk to.Con: $7800 to join that community.pro: plenty of people in the FB group to get deals and sell deals to.con: the FB group is free pro: apparently you get to learn a lot in the group.con: you may be able to find most of that information online if that's the niche you want to go down.

Now go talk to a lawyer about asset protection.)If you are planning to finance, and you haven't already talked to a loan officer, you're making a giant mistake.

Nah, the Dems did that for 8 years during the W presidency...and look where it got us...Terrorism, Patriot Act, $1T War, 5000 soldier casualties, "Free Speech Zones", Dick Cheney, Carl Rove, etc...If that's what the Dems giving up got us, I say they should keep on fighting!!!

What a giant WIN for the insurance companies!