What if Glen Beck is wrong?

As I sit and listen to another tirade from Glen Beck about how President Obama has ultimately decided that he is going to take over the world one day at a time, I began to ponder the question... What if Glen is wrong? What if out the clear blue sky, we have somehow come upon that once in a generation a series of events where mankind has decided that we should aim for a change, what if at a grassroots level, people have a whole have decided that we should no longer seek a profit motive in working as man, and we are really asking the question, WWJD? I am sure that Glen, at the very core should be able to honestly ask himself that question. I mean he is a Mormon correct? So he really should, even from a spiritual standpoint be able to view things from a different perspective. In the afterlife that he purports to believe in, that Belivers will be able to rule over their own universe, so ultimately, how intellectually dishonest, would it be to believe that maybe that we should evolve as a society? Over one hundred years ago, how foreign was the idea that we all should be free, even here in America? Or even two hundred years ago? However skeptical he is, I do not believe that he is being honest. And at the very minimum, he should try to walk a mile in someone elses shoes. Certainly, Obama's plan is not perfect, but at the outset, NEITHER was the Constitution, the beloved document that it was/is. Remember, how many ammendments have we had? Instead of criticizing, lets sit down and figure out how we can make this thing called America work.

How to Stop Harassing Creditor Phone Calls

Every body who has had a bill at one time or another has been fortunate or should I say unfortunate enough to deal with a collection phone call or two. I know most every one has often wondered how to make these annoying phone calls stop. Heck, there are even commercials that people see that offer a “service” to get the harassing phone calls to stop. I can give you a sure fire way to stop the harassing phone calls. This can be completed in three easy steps. Here you go.

1.) Answer the phone. I know it sounds a bit facetious, but if you know you owe the bill, talk to the creditor. Often, you can negotiate a payment arrangement that will allow the phone calls to stop and even better you may be able to negotiate a settlement on a debt.
2.) Write a letter. There are certain protections that all debtors are given under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act which states, that if an individual requests in writing, that any future communications from the creditor be in writing only, then the phone calls must cease! Immediately! This is a protection that we all are afforded no matter how far behind we are on our bills.
3.) Send them something. I know it may sound tough, but Dave Ramsey often speaks about the “debt snowball”. A debt snowball is when you pay off all of the smallest bills first, then, just like a snowball rolling down a mountain to create an avalanche, pay off the largest bills last. You don’t know how many times I look at a credit report, and there are 5 or 6 collection bills that are under $50.00!

If you follow these steps, I am certain that the harassing if not annoying phone calls will cease.

Something new… Punt, pass or kick... Oh well I guess I will short sale…

A short sale in real estate is not always a pleasant transaction.
There are many ways to lose a home but signing away ownership in a manner that destroys credit, embarrasses the family and strips an owner of dignity is one of the hardest. For owners who can no longer afford to keep mortgage payments current, there are alternatives to bankruptcy or foreclosure. One of those options is called a "short sale."
When lenders agree to do a short sale it means the lender is accepting less than the total amount due. Not all lenders will accept short sales or discounted payoffs, especially if it would make more financial sense to foreclose; moreover, not all sellers nor all properties will be able to complete such a transaction
Although all lenders have varying requirements and may demand that a borrower submit a wide array of documentation, the following steps will give you a pretty good idea of what to expect.

• Call the Lender

You may need to make a half dozen phone calls before you find the person responsible for handling short sales. You do not want to talk to the "real estate short sale" or "work out" department; you want the supervisor's name, the name of the individual capable of making a decision.

• Submit Letter of Authorization

Lenders typically do not want to disclose any of your personal information without written authorization to do so. If you are working with a real estate agent, closing agent, Title Company or lawyer, you will receive better cooperation if you write a letter to the lender giving the lender permission to talk with those specific interested parties about your loan. The letter should include the following:
o Property Address
o Loan Reference Number
o Your Name
o The Date
o Your Agent's Name & Contact Information
· Preliminary Net Sheet
This is an estimated closing statement that shows the sales price you expect to receive and all the costs of sale, unpaid loan balances, outstanding payments due and late fees, including real estate commissions, if any. Your closing agent or lawyer should be able to prepare this for you, if you do not know how to calculate any of these fees. If the bottom line shows cash to the seller, you will probably not need a short sale.

• Hardship Letter

The sadder, the better. This statement of facts describes how you got into this financial bind and makes a plea to the lender to accept less than full payment. Lenders are not inhumane and can understand if you lost your job, were hospitalized or a truck ran over your entire family, but lenders are not particularly empathetic to situations involving dishonesty or criminal behavior.

• Proof of Income and Assets

It is best to be truthful and honest about your financial situation and disclose assets. Lenders will want to know if you have savings accounts, money market accounts, stocks or bonds, negotiable instruments, cash or other real estate or anything of tangible value. Lenders are not in the charity business and often require assurance that the debtor cannot pay back any of the debt that it is forgiving.

• Copies of Bank Statements

If your bank statements reflect unaccountable deposits, large cash withdrawals or an unusual number of checks; it's probably a good idea to explain each of those line items to the lender. In addition, the lender might want you to account for each and every deposit so it can determine whether deposits will continue.
· Comparative Market Analysis
Sometimes markets decline and property values fall. If this is part of the reason that you cannot sell your home for enough to pay off the lender, this fact should be substantiated for the lender through a comparative market analysis (CMA) or comps as you hear real estate agents call them. Your real estate agent can prepare a CMA for you, which will show prices of similar homes:
o Active on the market
o Pending sales
o Solds from the past six months.
Now, if everything goes well, the lender will approve your short sale. As part of the negotiation, you might ask that the lender not report adverse credit to the credit reporting agencies, but realize that the lender is under no obligation to accommodate this request. But be sure that a short sale is a way to cope with difficult real estate in today’s market, with out totally killing your credit.