We all should know that good credit is a “must have.” However, if you have recently been shocked to see your bank statement, credit card bills, don’t seem to have enough cash to manage all your obligations, or been denied credit, it’s time to examine your financial situation.

You may be quite fearful about looking at your credit report, but you need to bite the bullet and be proactive about seeing this document(s). No one can do this for you and there is no magic for fixing the situation without your involvement.

Most everyone knows that ability to get a mortgage, personal loan, credit card depends on a good credit rating. We also need to b e aware that there are other reasons that we may not know that raise negative issues resulting from poor credit. Credit score is affected most by credit cards and debt.

Did you know that poor credit may result in:

1. Denial of /or high interest rates on loans and credit cards 2. Denial of car loans 3. Denial of life, health, homeowner’s insurance 4. Denial of cell phone contract 5. Employment denial 6. Inability to start your own business

Credit is what makes our personal financial world successful or plunges us into financial upheaval. So, if you are experiencing problems with cash flow, meeting financial obligations, large credit card balances, defaulting or ready to default on your obligations, you need credit repair.

You can research how to secure your credit report(s) from each of the 3 major credit reporting bureaus. You can fix your credit. The Fair Credit Reporting Act provides helpful information about this process of securing and fixing credit reports. It is all about consumer rights.

Credit repair will be work for you but it is worth the effort. Explain your situation to your creditors. They will be more likely to work with you when they know you are serious about paying your debt. You will find a lot of public information to help you with this process.

Two days ago I heard from a would-be client, who quickly became a never-would-be client. I say this because I can practically guarantee that I wont be contacted by him again.

After warming me up by praising my marketing skills, he asked me his burning question: What can you do different than any other guy to get me the highest possible amount of cash from my house?

There is actually no way to do it another way. All of us in reverse mortgages use the same formula to establish the cash amount that can be removed from a loan.

Once we covered that, he declared he wanted a first-rate appraiser that would work really hard. This is a way of covertly saying he wanted one that would report in a biased way.

The point being for him, a reverse mortgage lender will lend him a greater amount of money if his value comes in higher.

With home values reducing he is in the same shaky boat as many senior mortgage holders. They want to use the reverse loan to rid themselves of the burden of the monthly payment.

However, with a low appraisal the reverse lender cannot always give enough to complete this goal for them. Instead, the borrower has to continue paying on the forward mortgage until the worth of his house goes up enough to try again.

Appraisers are in a tough spot right now. Yes, they had the luxury for many years to trump up appraisals.

An appraiser who comes across this article might be bothered by what I said and even dispute it, but its common knowledge that number adjusting was taking place.

Fast forward to today when everyone is getting the blame for the mortgage fiasco, appraisers included. Appraisers are being scrutinized more so than ever.

Appraisers are getting checked up on more than ever before, and are in jeopardy of having their license revoked if they do things unscrupulously.

After telling the man everything above, he said he would call me back and hasn’t. I don’t expect him to. I informed him that others might promise him an appraiser that would do exactly what he wanted.

Some people will say anything to get the business. I will be forthright with you, even if you choose another lender.

Portfolio lending is on the rise. The main reason for this is portfolio lending is not subject to the crazy 4 property rule. Through a portfolio lender, it is possible to have more than 20 mortgages. But those investors looking for conventional loans through lenders such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will run into the 4 property rule wall.

Obviously new lending rules were needed to curb the losses of hundreds of lenders that are now out of business. But, in my opinion, the 4 property rule is ridiculous. In fact, this rule borders on Socialism. The 4 property rule severely hinders the ability of a real estate investor to continue doing business.

Wondering what the 4 property rule actually is? Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced in 2008 that the maximum number of financed properties a person can have is four. This crazy rule even includes a person’s primary residence so really the maximum number of rentals is limited to three.

And, as an investor this includes your primary residence! Again, this rule does nothing to help real estate investors. It is simply protectionism. And, as we all know, protectionism usually backfires. It does absolutely nothing to help the market and overall economy. Instead, the 4 property rule can significantly weaken the economy.

Before the subprime meltdown, investors took advantage of rapidly increasing real estate values. They would purchase properties at low prices and then sell high. Sometimes, real estate investors purchased huge volumes of properties to resell. The affordable housing they provided had a positive impact on our economy.

That is, in the absence of the 4 property rule, the sale of massive volumes of real estate would yield a number of positive effects. For example, the revenues generated could be invested into the stock market. Once invested, it would provide liquidity to many different companies. It would also generate significant tax revenue to the state and local governments. And, of course, the wealth created by this multiplexing of real estate sales would greatly expand purchasing. This would improve the economy in other sectors of the market. With the onset of the 4 property rule, all of this would cease and much of the economy could be undermined. Hopefully, this rule will eventually be revoked and return a more free market approach to the world of real estate.

Portfolio lenders, thank goodness, are not bound by this crazy rule. If you need to finance multiple properties, a portfolio lender should be your new best friend.

Texas currently has a solid low unemployment rate, as well as constant increases in personal in come. On top of all of that, Texas is known to have overall low interest rates. Obviously, the real estate market in Texas is going to be beneficial and steady for years to come.

While the overall economy in the United States is causing a lot of problems for families across the nation, the real estate in Texas is still quite strong. Experts are predicting that it will continue to be strong in the years ahead. Why? Because Texas is consistent with providing affordable shelter for everyone. The middle class throughout the state can afford nice, newly built homes that would cost a fortune in other states. Not only that, but new homes are being built all the time, and the old ones are being renovated and rebuilt.

Want to know where some of the most undervalued markets are? Why, in Texas of course! Killeen, TX has been known for years to provide homes for less than the average market value.

Texas has a population of over twenty million people, making it the second most populated state after California. But unlike California, the homes in Texas are much more affordable. Homes in Texas are selling more quickly than homes across the nation. This can be due to the oil industry booming in Texas as well as the large military bases, such as Fort Hood. More soldiers are being sent to Fort Hood than ever before, making the housing units off base high demand.

Over the next four years, there will be many new construction jobs in Texas, thanks to the ever increasing oil and chemical industries. Due to these factors, as well as many others, the overall outlook for Texas real estate is a good one in comparison to the rest of the country. Therefore, the negative economy isn’t affecting Texas real estate much, if at all.

Here’s a tongue in cheek take on writing an effective real estate letter. Actually, it’s truer for me than I care to admit. If followed to a tee you’ll become as good at writing letters as the that guy willing to sell you a bundle of pre-written letters with promises that they’ll save you time.

Imagine that pre-written letters saving you time. The next thing you’ll hear is that they can help you make money.

So, if you’re ready here we go.

1. Grab an aspirin and a glass of water. You’re going to need it. Blank screens cause “white blindness” and generate temple throbbing headaches - easily a two aspirin headache as far headaches go.

2. Fix a sandwich while you’re in the kitchen getting a glass of water for the aspirin. You’re going to be parked at your computer writing a letter for a while. Chances are you’re going to get a little lunchy, so you might as well fix a snack before you get started.

3. Don’t forget to turn on the tv before you settle in at your desk. That way you can avoid the distraction of having to get up later to turn it on. Plus, you’re going to want…make that need… a small break after about an hour or so of writing, so you might as well set things up before you now.

4. Next, make sure that you have the tv remote near hand. Your favorite tv show will come on while you’re writing that filler program, and you know you’re not going to want get up and walk the six feet to the tv set to change the channel when it comes on.

5. Spend a few minutes getting your desk organized. Even though you’re writing the letter on your computer the best way to start anything is with an organized work space. So, go ahead and organize your work area before you get started.

6. Actually, you’re a little hungry now. So, you might as well eat that sandwich you fixed now so that you don’t have to worry about accidentally putting your elbow in it. Wash it down with the glass of water that you got to take the aspirin with and take the dishes to the kitchen. Again, you want to make sure that your work space is uncrowded with unnecessary things like dishes.

7. Oops, you forgot to call “John, Mary, Sue…whoever…somebody.” Whoever it is you need to call them now. There’s nothing as effective as breaking a letter writing groove than a 5 minute call that turns into a half hour. Call now and you can avoid an interruption later.

8. Okay, now it’s time to get serious again. Go back to your computer and turn it. Open up a blank document next and you’re finally ready to actually start writing.

9. Next, decide on what it is you want to say. Think hard…real hard. You’re a naturally gifted talker and can sell ice cream in a snowstorm, but can you write a good letter? Thoughts not flowing? Maybe you need another snack to get the creative juices flowing.

10. Ah, what the heck. Letter writing isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be…it’s just as easy to go online and buy some pre-written real estate letters. Then, spend a few minutes personalizing them with your personal information; name, address, phone number and that sort of thing and print and mail them. And oh, by the way…this is the tenth and final way to write effective real estate letters.

Under normal circumstances, selling a timeshare poses a bit of a challenge. But, given the present condition of the world economy, timeshare relief has become an extremely daunting undertaking to say the least. Yes, there are some strategies which could be employed in better times; however, right now, if you are an owner who is desperate to sell timeshare, then your best bet is to do it the right way on your very first attempt.

Timeshare relief can sometimes be near impossible when trying to go it alone. On the other hand, agents in general simply do not live up to their promises. Unfortunately, many charities are turning down offers of timeshare donations because they do not want to become tied down with the associated maintenance fees. Given the bleak prospects of charities being able to sell under the current financial situation, these fees cannot be tolerated.

There are more and more developers who are renting their unused timeshare inventory for less than owners’ annual maintenance fees. This discovery has outraged a great deal of owners. First, the resort itself competes against the owners for renters with discounted rates. Secondly, owners are forced to lower their rent to match offers. Lastly, when you take into account the fact that people can rent significantly cheaper than they can buy, it makes sense that selling a timeshare is a problem.

With the economy as it is today, the average family has no choice but to limit their spending as far as luxuries are concerned, like vacation travel and buying timeshares. Taking this into consideration, it becomes apparent that at present, supply exceeds demand creating a buyer’s market. So, unless you have something significant to offer which sets you apart from the crowd, your chances of finding timeshare relief are slim indeed.

There is still some hope however, even if you have previously tried to part with your timeshare without any success. How? There are some reputable timeshare transfer companies which are willing to offer you needed relief by transferring your timeshare out of your name, thus saving you a lot of time, money and stress. Furthermore, the top companies will even go as far as offering you a guarantee once you’ve agreed to the transaction going ahead.

Clinging onto a timeshare you do not use is pointless and serves no purpose other than costing you money. Conversely, getting rid of an unused timeshare has many long term financial benefits. Additionally, you will no longer carry the stress and worry which may have a negative effect on your health. If you are in a similar situation, save yourself a lot of trouble and find a reputable timeshare company as soon as possible.

The time has come to add a Shih Tzu puppy to your family so naturally your next question is where to find a Shih Tzu puppy for sale. There are some good places to go for a Shih Tzu puppy and some not so good places to go and they all have their reasons. Remember that you are trying to bring a new member into your family so when you decide you want a Shih Tzu puppy make sure that the place you get it from is going to be the right decision as well.

Avoid pet stores. That cannot be said any clearer. Pet stores are notorious for their horrible treatment of animals and they are also inclined to sell you an unhealthy Shih Tzu because that is what they have in their puppy mill inventory.

Add to that the horrible treatment pet stores give their inventory and it just makes you want to avoid pet stores completely and forever.

Probably the best place to get a Shih Tzu puppy for sale, that you can know and feel confident is a healthy pet, is from a local breeder. Make sure you check out several breeders before buying from one and make sure the one you are buying from checks out with at least some of the national breeder registries or your local vet. A good breeder will be with you for quite a while, so make sure you make the right choice.

Another reason for finding a breeder to buy your Shih Tzu puppy from is that a breeder will offer things like free pet insurance for six weeks after the purchase. This is a great service and can help you out a lot at that first vet visit. A breeder is also going to offer you feeding and care instructions and may even send you off with a food sample so you know what to buy your Shih Tzu puppy for healthy nutrition.

Another great option if you cannot afford the price a breeder will charge you is to contact your local animal rescue organization and ask them about the possibility that they have a Shih Tzu puppy for sale.

Your Shih Tzu puppy from a shelter will have been checked out by a qualified vet and should have been given all of its shots so it is ready to go home. That warm feeling you will get in your heart every time you look at your Shih Tzu will never leave you either.

A Shih Tzu is a great idea and you and your family will find love and enjoyment from a Shih Tzu and look forward to many years of companionship. Just remember that a Shih Tzu puppy requires a lot of car and maintenance. But if you treat your new Shih Tzu puppy the right way then your Shih Tzu puppy will reward you for many years to come.

You have made a wonderful decision to give a Shar Pei rescue dog a second chance in life but there are some things about the Shar Pei that you need to know before you can successfully train a Shar Pei rescue dog.

The Shar Pei is a very loyal dog and when it finds itself in a situation with a family it will become very protective and loyal to that family. Over time your Shar Pei rescue dog should begin to display this protective nature and if it does do not be alarmed, as a protective nature is normal for a Shar Pei.

However you should keep an eye on your dog to make sure it does not display territorial behavior because becoming territorial is a bad thing for a Shar Pei.

The Shar Pei is very capable of being a social animal that can interact without problem with humans and other animals. A Shar Pei rescue dog will need extra help and time to be able to socialize after its abusive past but Shar Peis are intelligent enough to be able to catch on to social training and know when they are supposed to be learning to interact with others. All the Shar Pei rescue dog needs is some reassurance and the rest is up to them.

It bears repeating that the Shar Pei is an extremely intelligent dog because it helps you understand how to train them better. A Shar Pei responds well to training but gets bored easily with some of the repetition involved in standard training. A rescue dog is going to require even more time to adjust so patience is needed on your part and you will also need to come up with some creative training that will get your point across and keep your dog listening at the same time.

While you are raising your Shar Pei rescue dog you may not always necessarily be alone in your quest. Your vet is a great source of information at all times and if you ever have any questions about your dog you can contact your vet for their advice.

You can also try to contact some of the local Shar Pei breeders and ask if they would be willing to offer you any advice or assistance as well. You never know how a breeder will react until you ask them and even then they may surprise you.

The Shar Pei was originally bred in China as a fighting dog so their nature is to be intelligent and also aggressive. Bad training, or abusive behavior, can sometimes bring out that aggression and that is why you will need to show your new dog the utmost in patience and love so that they know they are safe in your home. Once you get through to your dog you will have a beloved companion for many years.

There seems to be some confusion as what types of properties are eligible for financing with a reverse mortgage.

FHA insures the vast majority of all reverse mortgages closed by lenders in the U.S. Lenders must follower their rules if they want the safety of the FHA mortgage insurance.

A quick background of FHA, it was set up in the 30’s to as a way to facilitate the financing of residential housing. In other words, it was set up to increase homeownership.

FHA is not in the business of helping the investor as much as it is the actual resident who owns and lives in the property.

With this in mind FHA will not be available for properties that don’t fall under the category of a principle residence. Investment homes and the rarely used cabin in the mountains won’t qualify.

Now, does that mean their can be no investment activity or income from an eligible property? No, it simply means one must live in the property. one to four unity properties are acceptable if the owner lives in one.

Then there are grey area properties, in which the owner lives their, but they are have more of a commercial use. A good example is a bed and breakfast. This won’t qualify.

Some customers come to me with a home on large acreage. The lender will finance a home and land up to what is customary for the area.

If a home sits on one hundred acres and a home on 5 acres is customary, the lender will finance the value of the home on 5 acres and nothing more. The additional acreage must be surveyed off.

Some people call them mobile homes. We’ll call ‘em manufactured. Mobile home really do move. Reverse mortgages work for manufactured if the home is post nineteen seventy six, 2 or 3 wide, and has an FHA approved permanent stem-wall.

Three other properties are available for reverse mortgage financing: co-ops, townhomes, and condos.

Other types of properties qualify for a reverse mortgage. The problem is the mortgages are what is known as proprietary financing and are not regulated as much by FHA. The rules and benefits are far different.

Writing checks and loving our pets go together, and thats why there’s Dog bank checks.

From where we choose to vacation, to the color of our carpet. In fact, we can customize almost anything to be the way we want it.

Credit cards are a fine example. Long gone are the days when one bog standard card would fit all, these days you can pick out whichever design you like from a selection.

And take Patterson dog checks for example. did you know you can order checks in hundreds of different designs?

Maybe you are thinking, why would I bother to get Cat checks with an illustration or cartoon on it?

Well, it makes the pain of paying for something a little sweeter, plus if you give a friend of a family member a check, it makes the transaction seem much more friendly and less formal.

It could be a good marketing opportunity too, if a picture on your check could represent your business.

Here is the scenario - you have a business to do with pets, might be that you are a dog breeder, or you import foods for dogs, or maybe you sell custom designed dog collars.

Imagine how thrilled your customers would be to see a Patterson dog checks branded with an animal.

And if they are just for your own personal use, it can be fun to have a unique and different look to your checks.

Better still, certain sites such as the Pet checks showcase the work of eminent artists such as Gary Patterson.

There are loads of great dog and cat designs for aficionados of our canine and feline friends.

Gary Patterson’s work is distinguished by a cute, homely style which takes a fond look at pet life.

Whether you like mischievous mutts or sophisticated felines, there’s a drawing for you.

The truth about cats and dogs is that they usually don’t get on and Patterson uses this to great comic effect in his illustrations that star both cats and dogs.

You have four designs to choose from and they are ideal for those who love both cats and dogs.

If cats and dogs are not your thing, but you would give your eye teeth for something with a dolphin on, don’t despair, the site has so many designs you are bound to find something.

The Dog bank checks are available in single or duplicate format, feature hi tech security features to prevent fraud and are guaranteed to work at your bank.

What a great surprise these Gary patterson checks designs would make as a special gift for someone you just know loves cats, dogs etc.

It shows that you have really thought of something unique and special that will give them a smile every time they open their purse and find Gary patterson checks.