SkipTracing: Locating Debtors Who Have 'Skipped' Town With Your Money

Skip tracing is a technique usually employed by debt collection agencies to track down bad debtors looking to evade payment of debt. Hence skip tracing forms an integral part of debt recovery solutions.

Skip tracing can be literally defined as the technique employed to trace and locate persons who have intentionally or non-intentionally vanished without leaving behind a trail. Such an act of absconding can be due to evasion of financial or legal liabilities.

The factors that are critical for skip tracing include the nature of the case pertaining to which the person is to be located, the time elapsed since last recorded location, resources that may be relevant in tracing, and also the most likely whereabouts of the absconding person.

Collection agencies adopt the following techniques for skip tracing:

Past data or information assimilation. Collection agencies try and collect as much relevant information about the person as possible. This includes:

Identity Details

i. Person\'s name
ii. Spouse\'s name and occupation
iii. Social security number
iv. Date of birth
v. Address details

Occupational Details

i. Educational and occupation certifications
ii. Employment details

Documentation Details

i. Driver\'s license
ii. Passport
iii. Credit report from credit bureaus

Verification of existing records.

All the above-acquired information is verified by collection agencies for authenticity and for exploring any further linkups to new information. Collection agencies, then, employ mining techniques such as tracking credit card transactions, insurance inquires, judicial documents, criminal records, notices from revenue departments, etc. Also used in skip tracing are:

Techniques such as making use of Internet search engines, email directories, public records, etc also help collection agencies in skip tracing

Credit bureaus are the best place to locate the absconding debtor as these agencies maintain their demographic information and their credit history.

Collection Agency Services offers you a wealth of information on how to select the best collection agency for your business.

http://www.collectionagencyservices.net

Multi Family Property Living

While most multi family properties are designed to allow the peaceful coexistence of many families within their separate units, some apartments and houses give you the feeling that you\'re actually living in one big family. Things like sharing one washer and dryer between five families means you never know whose underwear you\'ll have to fish out of the washer before you start your own laundry. And a shared water heater means that now there\'s an incentive to early morning classes. Catching the \'Cosby Show\' every night at seven through your living room wall keeps you conveniently updated on the latest goings-on in the Huxtable home.

While living in multi family housing may not be an ideal situation for some tenants, it can be a way to wealth for the person collecting the rent. My own landlord, also currently a college student, manages several properties for his wealthy, out-of-state family, collecting a handsome property manager\'s fee in the process. Sure he had to evict the people upstairs, replace the roof, renovate the unit next door, and perform other sundry tasks, but at the end of the month, he\'s got another $2500 in the bank.

One time while he was fixing a clogged drain at our place I asked him how his family got to be so successful in the multi family investment property business. He told me that his family hadn\'t always been the housing barons they are today; after scraping together everything they had, even borrowing from extended family, they still had to take out a substantial loan from a local bank. With this they bought their first multi family property-an old duplex three blocks from the university. Although the location was great, being as close to campus as it was, the purchase had depleted the family\'s financial resources to the point were they had to move into the property while renting out the other half. From this experience, my landlord\'s family gained some useful insight into multi family apartment financing.

Several weeks later I had the opportunity to speak with my landlord\'s father, the owner of the property my wife and I were currently living in. While enquiring about his investment property business I learned a little about multi family investment property financing. According to him, most lenders will only provide financing for multi family dwellings of five units or more, with a minimum loan amount of $500,000. Apparently it isn\'t worth a lender\'s time to finance smaller investments.

Most multi family or apartment loans have a thirty-year term with interest rates ranging from 4.7% to 6.625% for loans up to $3 million. I learned that most of the time these \smaller loans\ carry a little higher interest than loans exceeding $3 million and are termed as \'recourse\' loans; in other words, if you default on the loan the lender may take \'recourse\' by seizing your private assets. Loans in excess of $3 million are termed as \'non-recourse\', meaning private assets are protected in the event of a borrower default. In addition, most lenders offer basic options like fixed and adjustable rate loans.

In the final analysis, the key to the success of this family in the multi family investment property market wasn\'t the way they quickly handled tenant complaints or provided decent amenities; these things merely kept them in business. The reason for their success was a thorough understanding of investment property financing gained from years of research, experience, and trial and error.

Cameron Brown is an internet marketer specializingranking automation. For information on multi family financing, visit Security National Capital .

Preparing Your Home for Sale: Make Needed Repairs

Before a buyer considers your home seriously, it must meet his
needs in a variety of ways. It must be a suitable commuting
distance, neighborhood, design style, floorplan, size, number of
bedrooms, etc. If all or most of these needs are met, the buyer
will begin to move in the direction of making a purchase
decision. The purchase decision is a both an emotional and
intellectual response, founded on a level of trust in your home.
So, it is logical that in marketing your home your goal should
be to enable the buyer to build trust in your home as quickly as
possible. One way to do this is to address both surface and
hidden repair issues before putting your home on the market. A
few small clues, such as torn carpet or leaky faucet, will
create a feeling that your house is not well cared for. Once the
buyer has spotted a few defects, he will be on the lookout for
more. If the finishes in your home are in good condition, buyers
will assume that the mechanical and structural systems are well
maintained also.

Make a Complete List

Remember that potential buyers and their real estate agents do
not have the warm personal memories and familiarity that you
have with your home. They will view it with a critical and
discerning eye. Anticipate their concerns before they ever see
your home. You may look at the leaky faucet and think of a $10
part at Home Depot. The buyer thinks of a $100 plumbing bill.
Begin by walking through each room and considering how buyers
are going to feel about what they see. Make a complete list of
needed repairs. Hire a handyman, if you need one, to fix the
items in a few days. It will be more efficient to have them all
done at once. Some clients choose to market their houses as a
fixer-uppers. Of course, there are handy buyers out there who
are not afraid of repairs, but they expect to profit from this,
substantially above the cost of labor and materials. When a
house needs obvious repairs, buyers always assume there are more
problems than meet the eye. It is in your best interest to get
minor repairs fixed before marketing your home. Your house will
bring a higher price and sell faster.

Get an Inspection

Often sellers have their home inspected by a professional
inspector before putting it on the market. This is an excellent
way to discover unknown repair issues that may come up later on
the buyer's inspection report. By getting this done early, you
will be able to address the items on your own time, without the
involvement of a prospective buyer. There will almost certainly
be some items that you choose to not repair. For example,
building code requirements change over the years. As a result,
you may not meet code for certain items, such as handrail
height, spacing between balusters, stair dimensions, single
glazed windows, and other items. You may elect to leave items
such as these as they are, and that is OK. You should note on
the inspection report which items you have repaired, and which
are being left as is, and attach it to your Seller's Disclosure.
It is a good idea to also attach repair receipts to the report
if you have used a contractor for some of the items. A
professional inspection report answers buyers questions early,
creates a higher level of trust in your home and reduces
re-negotiations after contract.

Offer a Service Contract

The home service contract (also called home warranty) covers the
cost of certain repairs to mechanical, plumbing and electrical
systems and appliances during the buyer's first year of
ownership. The cost of the policy is about $350, but may be more
if a pool or other items are added. The fee is paid to a third
party warranty company, who provides repair services for the
buyers during their first year of ownership. These policies help
to reduce the number of disputes about the condition of the
property after the sale. They protect the interests of both
buyer and seller.

Should You Remodel?

Often clients ask us if they should remodel their house for
sale. I believe the answer to this is no - major improvements do
not make sense when selling a home. Studies show that remodeling
projects do not return 100% of their cost in the sales price.
For the average home, it does not pay to move walls, tear out
cabinets, re-do kitchens and bathrooms, or add rooms, in order
to sell. There is a fine line between remodeling and making
repairs. You will need to draw this line. Here are some
decisions you may need to consider:

Countertops are outdated or wrong color:

It may be worth it to replace the countertops if other
components of the house are acceptable. An attractive countertop
can transform the kitchen, and the kitchen has a significant
impact on the value of your home.

Carpet is worn, outdated or wrong color:

This improvement is almost always worth doing. Sometimes sellers
ask us if they should give an allowance for carpet, and let the
buyer choose. Do not worry about whether the buyer will like
your selection. Just choose a neutral shade, and make the
change. New carpet makes everything else look better.

Walls need complete or touch up paint:

This is a must do! Clean walls are crucial to a winning
presentation of your home. This includes baseboards and trim. On
the walls you should use neutral colors, such as cream, sage
green, beige/yellow, gray/blue. Stark white, primary colors and
dark colors do not contribute as much market value, and may be a
negative factor.

Texture on walls is poorly done, or there is heavy popcorn
texture on the ceiling:

A clean, simple texture under paint can improve the presentation
of your home. On the other hand, if there is much updating
needed in other areas, it does not make sense to target this
item.

Wallpaper is outdated or torn:

This may need to be removed and the walls painted. However, if
the home needs a good deal of additional updating, then
wallpaper should be left as is. Bathroom caulking or grout is
dirty: Put this on the must do list. Old or darkened caulking is
a turn-off to buyers. It is easily replaced.

There are drainage problems, or leaks in the plumbing or roof:

This is a must fix! Be careful that you correct the source of
the problem, use professional help to check for mold, and fully
disclose the repair. Make sure your contractor gives a warranty
that can be passed on to the buyer, but avoid giving a personal
guarantee of the repair.

There are sheetrock holes, missing trim, torn vinyl, broken
windows, rotten wood or malfunctioning equipment:

These are all repair issues that should be addressed. Homes sell
for more that show a reasonable level of maintenance.

Shrubs are overgrown and flower beds are bare or weedy:

This is one of the most cost effective changes you can make. Mow
and edge the lawn. Add inexpensive mulch to flower beds. Add a
new doormat and pots of blooming plants to the porch. Cut back
overgrown shrubs or remove them altogether. Large, woody shrubs
can be a detraction to your home, especially if they cover
windows.

Gutters need cleaning and trees rub against the roof:

These are items that comes up frequently on buyers' inspection
reports. Make sure your tree limbs do not touch the roof.

Heat/AC, Plumbing and Electrical systems:

All of these systems need routine maintenance. It would be a
good idea to have the heat/AC system serviced and filters
changed. Check for plumbing leaks, toilets that rock, corroded
valves on the hot water heater and other plumbing problems.
Replace burned out bulbs and electrical fixtures that do not
work. Check your sprinkler system and pool equipment for little
problems.

Make Needed Repairs

As you prepare your home for sale, your first step should be to
make needed repairs. By making repairs you will answer buyers
questions early, build trust in your home more quickly, and
proceed through the closing process with fewer surprises. Your
home will appeal to more buyers, sell faster and bring a higher
price.

The Top 5 Reasons to Buy a Home

1. Save on your income tax.

Yes, something good can come out of income tax. Due to income tax deductions, the government subsidizes your home purchase. Therefore all of the interest and property tax you pay throughout the year can be deducted from your gross income tax. A nice perk.

2. A Hidden Savings Account.

If you are anything like me, you can\'t save money to save your life. Seriously, my fiancee covers all of that, thank God. With being a home owner you actually save money two ways :

Each month a portion of your payment goes towards the principal, so not much at first but after 20 or so years, well you do the math. It will add up.

Homes (if properly kept) appreciate in value. Again not much at first but the average appreciation value is roughly 5 - 6 percent. This by the way is per year. It is said owning a home is one of the very best financial decisions to make.

3. Your monthly payment is fixed.

How so you ask? Have you ever rented an apartment or a condo or a house for that matter? Chances are you probably have. Then one day a knock on the door and the landlord says \Hi, I am raising the rent\ Great!!! He needs extra cash or whatever, you flip the difference, and if you do the math even $20 more a month is still $240.00 out of your pocket. You buy a home you get a fixed price, a fixed monthly payment for ten or twenty or thirty years. Even if its adjustable it won\'t go up much. So really, what makes more sense here, investing in property for yourself or paying for someone else\'s?

4. Location, location, location.

Or in this case...space, space, space. No more little 2 bedroom apartment where your back yard is an 80 foot drop to the cement. More areas for more things, recreation or study. Whatever you need you can have.

5. And last but CERTAINLY NOT LEAST.

Freedom!!! Need I say more?

Well there you have it the Top 5 Reasons to Buy a Home. The very reasons my agent convinced me to buy a specific house when I had no money for the down payment. Speaking of.....

Check out the next issue where we will cover \How to Buy a House with No Money Down\.

Until then

Garret Belisle is the author of a blog designed to help you on your way to home ownership, and some helpful tricks on down payments and credit repair. You can view the site here at http://www.gbcmortgage.blogspot.com. While your there make sure to sign up for the weekly updates on the bottom left corner to keep up to date with all of the latest advice.

Call Your Bank You're Saving Money

Even if you did not live through the Great Depression you have
heard of it and know what it is, or should know what it is. The
Great Depression is one of the biggest events of the twentieth
century in U.S. history. It also happened to coincide with a
major World War which helps cement its place in history.

Why am I talking about the Great Depression so many years later?
Because I think we are headed for an even worse Depression than
our grandparents lived through. When I was growing up I heard
the stories of the depression from my grandparents. It was
clearly not an enjoyable time. We are in for worse, in my
opinion. I know people will think I am crazy when and if they
read this whole article but a basic understanding of the economy
and some common sense will support my theory.

Anybody that compares the economy leading up to the Great
Depression and the economy now will see remarkable similarities.
It is scary in fact just how similar the trends are. Recessions
took place the same amount of years prior to the Depression,
etc... What is even more disturbing this time around is that the
country is in a much worse financial position now than it was
leading up to the Great Depression.

Currently, the average household has a credit card debt of over
$9,000 the last time I checked the figures. The average
household has no savings account set up for emergency
situations. The government is way over its head so it will not
be able to offer the assistance it did the first time around. In
1929, when the Depression began our government had a total
national debt of just under $17 billion.
(http://www.toptips.com/debthistory.htm) Today our national
debt is climbing faster than you can follow. As of today it is
$8.25 trillion. (http://zfacts.com/p/318.html- go half way down
the page and watch just how fast it climbs)

My great grandparents had money in savings, which they lost
because the banks were not insured, but some people had money in
the house. They had no credit card debt, it just didn\'t exist
like it does now. The majority of the families at that time did
not have cars and if they did it was just one. They didn\'t have
cable, cell phones, or any phone at all in some cases. The point
I am making is they didn\'t have the debt we currently carry. In
order to get a mortgage back then you needed a significant down
payment whereas you can get a mortgage with no down payment now.

During this recent boom in housing, that took place across the
majority of the country, some people over extended themselves to
afford a house. They got into no money down mortgages,
interest-only mortgages, adjustable mortgages, etc...Once the
interest rates go up, which they are expected to at least twice
this year, some people will not be able to make their mortgage
payments on their adjustable rate mortgages. The whole situation
is just a recipe for disaster. Granted, a lot of dominos have to
fall in order to go into a Depression that will be more severe
than the one back in the 1930\'s.

We are living in a time where our currency is worth less and
less as time goes on. Our purchasing power is becoming weaker
and weaker. Our corporations send jobs overseas to save money so
they can make every penny possible. They could help the economy
by bringing jobs back into this country but they won\'t. They
will end up laying off more workers in order to save money.

Speaking of corporations, a recession or depression could be
crippling to companies like GM and Ford who are already in bad
economic shape. GM and Ford have been having trouble selling
cars, even in the recent splurge of car buying. GM is over $300
billion in debt. If people begin to lose jobs and stop buying
cars you could see GM go out of business. GM is also big into
the mortgage business through GMAC. As I discussed above, if
people begin having a hard time making their mortgage payments
due to interest rate hikes, GM could feel it on the automobile
side of things as well as the mortgage side of things.

I am not trying to paint a grim picture here but the reality is,
all of these things are very possible. If you are smart you\'d
start filling up cans with money and hiding them throughout the
house like my grandmother did. She was a product of the
Depression. As the saying goes, \Those who do not learn from
history are doomed to repeat it.\ In the event things do go bad
I want to at least have some money on hand to buy food.

Low Risk Investments The Best Investment is Sometimes not the Most Obvious!

When most people think of low risk investments, they tend to choose from the following:

Bank deposits

Bank savings accounts

Money market accounts

Fixed income bonds

Blue chip stocks

Mutual funds

There are however, other low risk investments to consider that, in terms of long term capital growth potential can yield far higher returns with low risk.

A high yield on an investment does not necessarily mean taking a high risk. Let\'s look at the options and analyze the risk / reward:

Bank Deposits, Money Market, Fixed Income, Savings Accounts

These represent probably the lowest risk investments you can have, and their return reflects this. Your money is safe, but you are unlikely to get rich quick and your capital may not even keep pace with inflation.

Mutual Funds

The fact is that most asset management by professional advisors is poor over the longer term, and is unlikely to be above the 10% level and will probably be substantially lower.

Blue Chip Stocks

With the performance of fund managers being poor, many investors simply try to make their capital grow by picking blue chip stocks and holding them for the long term. Again, performance of this buy and long-term hold strategy normally produces poor long-term growth.

What Returns can You Expect with Low Risk Investments?

You already know you are not going to get rich quick (and neither should you expect to) but wouldn\'t you like a low risk investment that produces double-digit capital growth?

Furthermore, wouldn\'t you like an investment that unlike the stock market has shown better capital gains longer term with lower volatility? Well, if you are considering low risk investments consider the following:

UK Land - Low Risk and High Rewards

Land can be considered a low risk investment and remains one of the major secrets of the world\'s wealthiest investors.

Donald Trump and Howard Hughes are just two investors that have made billions in this area. In fact, many of the world\'s wealthiest investors have become rich from land investments.

The Facts about UK Land Growth

In the last 20 years UK average land values have increased by nearly 1,000% and growth in the last year exceeded 30%!

Now consider this is the average growth, with careful selection of land plots capital gains achieved by astute investors have been much higher.

Why You Should Invest in Land

Unlike equities, the capital growth of land investments is attractive and so is the downside risk:

There have been no major losing periods

Growth is consistent

Good gains

Low downside volatility

UK land looks set to appreciate further as the population continues to expand rapidly and house building continues at a rapid rate.

At one time land investment was just for the wealthy. Today, there are a number of companies helping smaller investors select plots of land to buy, and investments typically start at about $10,000.

Your Options with Low Risk Investments If you invest your money, you want to have a spread of different asset classes to reduce risk and increase rewards.

For most investors this means money market, bank deposits, and savings accounts, fixed income bonds for security and mutual funds and equity investments for growth.

It may be prudent for many investors to diversify some their investments in mutual funds into land and take advantage of higher growth rates and lower volatility.

To find out more about land as a low risk investment and to receive your free info pack please visit our web site: http://www.lpgroupinternational.com

Finding Term Life Insurance Online

What exactly is Term Life Insurance?

Term life is a form of life insurance where you\'re covered for a number of years - the number of years is called the term. Term life insurance policies can be for as long as 30 years or for 20 years, 15, 10 or 5. After those years the policy can either be over or it can be renewed at a higher price based on your age at that time.

What\'s the best way to utilize term life insurance?

Term life is very good to have a lot of insurance - for now. It makes sense if you have kids at home who are dependent on your income coming in for years to come for their living expenses. Also, a spouse, even if working, would have a financial hardship in case of your death. If you can\'t develop the funds for permanent life insurance like whole life insurance then get the most term that you can.

Are there \stores\ for term life insurance on the web?

Yes, but they are not all the same:

a.There\'s the sort that asks for information about you which is marketed to agents as a sales lead.

b.Then there are ones that sell life insurance but want you to give your information before giving you insurance quotes.

c.The websites of life insurance companies themselves which are usually informational in nature and if you email them, you\'re referred to one of their insurance agents.

d.An internet site that gives you direct and anonymous access to term life insurance rates. Then if you get a quote that works for you, you can make contact. One that does this is www.lifeinsure.com

Suggestion/Action Plan

If something happened to you and you have people financially dependent on you, it\'s crucial that you have ample life insurance whether term life insurance or if finances allow it - permanent life such as whole life or universal life. Go to a website that allows you to learn on your own and get various quotes from a lot of life insurance companies. The web can be of immense help to you in this research.

Neil Willner is a co-author of The Life Insurance Blog and The Disability Insurance Blog.

Online Futures Trading Advantages and Disadvantages

What Is Online Futures Trading?

A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a commodity at a date in the future. Everything about a futures contract is standardized except its price. All of the terms under which the commodity or financial instrument is to be transferred are established before active trading begins, so neither side is hampered by ambiguity. The price for a futures contract is determined in the trading pit or on the electronic trading system of a futures exchange.

The internet now allows access to those electronic trading systems from anywhere in the world. This increases liquidity in those markets and makes them even more attractive to traders.

Trading on all futures exchanges takes place against a backdrop of statutory regulation and rules as laid down by each exchange and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Regardless of whether your trading is executed within the trading pit or electronically, it is subject to the same rules, regulations and safeguards.

Advantages of online futures trading

Leverage. Futures operate on margin, meaning that to take a position only a fraction of the total value needs to be available in cash in the trading account.

Commission Costs. Electronically traded futures contracts require no human intervention to match buys and sells unlike a traditional futures pit. This means that commission costs can be cut dramatically, leading to significant savings for the frequent trader.

Liquidity. The involvement of speculators means that futures contracts are reasonably liquid. However, how liquid depends on the actual contract being traded. Electronically traded contracts, such as the e-mini's tend to be the most liquid whereas the pit traded commodities like corn, orange juice etc are not so readily available to the retail trader and are more expensive to trade in terms of commission and spread.

Ability to go short. Futures contracts can be sold as easily as they are bought enabling a trader to profit from falling markets as well as rising ones. There is no 'uptick rule' for example like there is with stocks.

No 'Time Decay'. Options suffer from time decay because the closer they come to expiry the less time there is for the option to come into the money. Futures contracts do not suffer from this as they are not anticipating a particular strike price at expiry.

Automated trading. Electronic futures brokers offer the facility to programmers to interface directly with their trading software. This means that custom written trading software can automatically trade a strategy without any human intervention at all. A system can make buy/sell signals which are automatically routed to the exchange along with any stops and targets.

Almost instant fills. With electronically traded futures there is no need to call up a broker and wait for a fill from the trading floor. Orders are instantly placed on the electronic order book and filled as soon as a match is found - for liquid contracts such as the emini S&P500 this will be within a second.

Level playing field. With traditional pit traded futures the professional in the pit has a major advantage over the retail trader in terms of speed of execution and costs. Electronic futures trading offers all participants exactly the same advantages.

Disadvantages of online futures trading

Leverage. Can be a disadvantage if it encourages trading with too high a risk for a particular strategy. A carefully devised money management plan is essential.

Overtrading. The instant nature of electronic futures trading coupled with low commission costs and tight spreads can encourage a trader to take additional trades to those determined by their trading plan.

Online futures trading offers significant benefits to the retail trader. However, a carefully developed trading plan must be formulated before attempting to enter this extremely competitive business.

Tim Wreford operates Online Futures Trading, a website that provides information and resources for traders. Tim also provides an article detailing the development of a day trading system, the results of which are updated daily on the site.

Getting Started Investing is Often the Hardest Part

There are several reasons people give for not investing their money in things like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. One reason is that they feel that they don't have enough money to make a serious investment, but a more common reason that many people have absolutely no idea how to go about getting started investing. In fact, if more people understood the basics of investing and had a cohesive plan for getting started investing, more people would do it.

Let's assume that the first reason does not apply to you and you do, in fact, have some amount of money that you'd like to invest. How do you get started investing? You could contact a stock or investment broker and discuss the options that would be best for you. Whether you'll want to do this will depend quite a bit on the amount of money that you have to invest. If it's a small amount, you may be better off seeking some smaller, safer investment than you would be by jumping directly into the stock market. Some people get started investing by choosing simple accounts with their bank. CD's and IRAs make good investments, for example, for medium and long term goals. IRA accounts are intended for retirement, while CDs are time deposits that must remain in place for a set amount of time (often anywhere from as little as a week to as long as ten years) while they earn interest.

If you do go to the stock market, or graduate to it after getting started investing in safer accounts, you should resist the urge to buy and sell stocks wildly. One mistake that many first time investors make is they become nervous about the stability of their investment and they watch their stock rise and fall every day. If it drops too much they become afraid that the bottom will fall out and they sell at a lower price than they originally paid. This is a bad idea and works against the reasons they got started investing in the first place. Instead the new investor should let it ride' and sell only if there is a sudden spike in the price that won't likely repeat. Otherwise, stocks should be a long term investment, especially when someone first gets started investing.

Investment Tips by Mika Hamilton - Read more free investment tips, tutorials & reviews at http://www.Global-Investment-Institute.com

The Slovak Tiger Economy Property Investment Heaven in Bratislava

Slovakia has long been identified by corporations and economic commentators as one of the most progressive new economies in Central Europe and most promising for foreign investment.

A combination of solid macroeconomic policies, comprehensive tax and social welfare reform, a strategic location to European markets and a tradition of manufacturing excellence and highly qualified labour are among the factors that have attracted high levels of foreign direct investment.

While the Slovak economy continues apace, there are key milestones as investors we need to keep in mind. One of these is entry into the Euro, which Slovakia is scheduled to join in Jan 2009.

In preparation for this, on Friday 25 November Slovakia made the Unexpected announcement that it has joined the ERM-2 exchange rate mechanism, a waiting room where the currency proves its stability for a minimum of two years before full euro adoption.

This is significant news, allowing Slovakia to manage the currency\'s fluctuation and attract investment. It also points to an appreciation of the crown in anticipation of joining the Euro. Juraj Kotian, an economist at Slovenska Sporitelna, the largest bank in Slovakia commented that \The currency has a potential to rise by between 5 and 10 percent in the next two years\.

With investors eyeing the emerging European markets closely, Slovakia is keen to set itself apart and make most of its strong fiscal record and reforms. As Global Insights reports: \Bratislava \'s unexpected move toward early membership in the ERM-II was an indication that Slovakia wants to differentiate itself from its larger neighbours, all of which are struggling to control fiscal deficits.\

Other recent news was the huge 6.2% year on year growth in Q3 2005, which underpins the finance minister\'s yearly growth forecast of 5.1% for 2005. The end of 2006 inflation forecast of 2.5% was left unchanged with the possibility of further rates cuts - held at 3% recently - should inflation contain itself.

For the property investor the paving of the way for an appreciating currency is excellent news, but another factor to keep in mind is the current trade deficit. The current account is set to improve massively in 2007 as Slovakia begins to export cars, not just importing products as it is at present, and this will in turn not only further drive the appreciation of the currency but also drive wages and employment upward.

With Bratislava already suffering a shortage of residential accommodation and ageing Communist housing stock, it is no surprise that developers are in a race to provide the kind of new build accommodation as the accumulating economic factors outlined above lead to wealthier local labour and a growing foreign workforce over the latter end of the year onwards.

By the end of this year Andrej Durkovsky, the mayor of Bratislava, will announce the latest masterplan of Bratislava. The last masterplan of the city was published in 1976, and it has been recognised over the last few years that another was needed to represent the vision and ambitions of Bratislava in the 21st century.

In consultation with a variety of stakeholders, including major real estate developers, ecologists, civil engineers and social planners Durkovsky has said that what we can expect from the masterplan is a detailed outline for the development of Bratislava as a \white city\ - a centre for commerce, services and businesses.

In particular Durkovsky has pointed to the industrial eye-sore to the east of Bratislava, expressing an intention to create the kind of water-side living and business parks similar to London\'s Docklands. It has long been recognised that Bratislava is currently unconnected from the majestic Danube that runs through it, and the focus of strategic investments on the banks of the river promise to provide some of the most valuable opportunities for the property investor in the upcoming years.

\The rather compact centre of Bratislava will enlarge towards the Danube River within the next few years. We want Bratislava to become a city on the Danube River, and this extraordinary river will become a city-forming element,\ said Andrej Durkovsky. The Mayor has plans to create kilometres of riverfront boardwalks, shops, coffee shops and parks over the next few years, and there are plans to include residential apartments within these mixed use schemes.

The Irish developer Ballymore Properties is a driving force behind this regeneration with plans for a massive mixed use project over a number of phases on the riverfront in front of the old town. The scheme will include hotels, restaurants, apartments and a business centre with offices all beside parks and a river promenade. Ballymore is expected to commence marketing and construction early in 2006.

On the other side of the old town, on the Danube west of the Ballymore project, will be the site of the eagerly awaited River Park mixed-use development. This project commonly known as the \City within a City\project is being brought to the market by the largest investor/developer in Slovakia and designed by the Dutch architect Erick van Egeraat. River Park will also include the first and only 5 star hotel in Bratislava.

The planned investment costs of River Park are in the region of EUR 120 million and will include designer shops and coffee shops, the hotel, luxury offices and retail outlets and over 40 000m2 of residential space. There is strong demand for apartments in River Park by investors and local Slovaks alike, however marketing will only start in summer 2006.

Bruce Stronge is one of the founding partners of Slovak Investments, a company offering the complete Slovakian property investment solution for foreigners. Newsletters, European property market news and new deal alerts are available at the company website http://www.slovakinvestments.com.

Knowing Your Rights Makes Credit Repair Fundamental

Credit repair is not a complex subject, and anybody of
reasonable intelligence should be able to master the subject
through practice. For this reason it\'s surprising that some
people don\'t want to attempt it on their own. Basically credit
repair involves writing dispute letters to the three major
credit reporting agencies. Examples of these letters are
available in books and online, and no professional expertise is
required in writing them. You can easily order any of these
credit reports online and see exactly what information is
contained in them.

The entire process of repairing credit can be distilled into
this: You scan your credit reports for any information you can
dispute. Once you find info that should be removed, you simply
send a dispute letter that asks the credit reporting agency to
validate the infomation within thirty days. If the CRA is unable
to validate the data, the item must be removed. The Fair Credit
Reporting Act ensures you can dispute any and all erroneous
information. If any item can\'t be confirmed, it must be deleted.

Your greatest asset when repairing your credit is knowledge.
Knowing your rights will ensure that you aren\'t intimidated or
mislead when dealing with the CRAs. The FCRA was designed to
give you these rights, and knowing he FCRA and how it applies to
you gives you the most leverage. CRAs deal with tens of millions
of consumers, most of whom are ignorant of basic consumer
rights. Informed consumers are a much more formidable opponent.

The FCRA provides you with the following basic rates:

1) You have the right to find out what\'s in your file. You can
do this by ordering your credit report from any of the 3 major
CRAs. If you were declined in the last 30 days, your copy may be
free, so check the policies of the CRA before paying for a
report.

2) If information in your credit report is used against you, you
must be told. The company that declines you for credit must send
you a written notification of which CRA they used to decide on
your account.

3) You can dispute the information that the CRA has about you.
This is known as the \dispute process\.

4) If you find inaccurate information on your report, the CRA
must legally remove it.

5) The information in your credit report is not public knowledge
and cannot be accessed by everyone. Only people with a specific
need can access your file.

6) Certain information on your file requires your consent to be
released, notably your medical information.

7) You can opt-out from having your information re-sold in
certain cases.

8) You have the right to sue FCRA violators for monetary damages
if they\'re found to be in violation of the FCRA.

All of these rights, especially the last one, give you a very
strong foundation when it comes to dealing with CRAs and debt
collection agencies. Study the FCRA in detail and join a credit
forum where people well-versed in fixing their own credit can
help you. You\'re not alone in the battle to repair your credit,
and your increase in knowledge about how to do the job can only
result in your success. Keep detailed records of everything you
do to repair your credit. use postage-paid and return receipt
required mail to keep a timestamp of all of your activities. The
CRAs only have 30 days to do an investigation into information
you dispute, so it\'s up to you to make sure they don\'t go over
that time allotment. CRAs and debt collection agencies have been
shown to have cavalier attitudes about the data on your credit
reports, so it\'s up to you to make sure you keep them honest.
Many people experience great results within six months of
repairing their credit, so just stick with your plan, take your
time, and your score will be soaring in no time.

Tips for Saving Money While Consolidating Your Debts

You have decided to consolidate your debts with a debt consolidation loan. The idea behind it is to pay of your existing debts and to make your repayment easier and convenient. You think any debt consolidation loan with a lower interest rate than the present ones will serve your purpose. Wait! Think for a while, when you want to consolidate your debts and in the process want to save money from your repayments then why not utilise your financial resources properly and save the maximum money out of it. There are various lenders who can provide you a CHEAP DEBT CONSOLIDATION LOAN at a lower interest than the debt consolidation loan you are considering to avail.

You can avail a cheap debt consolidation loan at an unimaginable rate of interest by systematic planning and research work. Understanding the loan approval process will help you in getting a CHEAP DEBT CONSOLIDATION LOAN. Your loan approval depends on various factors like your credit history, your financial stability, capacity to provide collateral, the loan amount required etc. Let\'s discuss some of these in detail:

Credit history: Your credit history plays an important role in loan approval. Applications with good credit history are approved quickly whereas an applicant with bad credit history needs to give lots of explanations for his defaults.

Financial stability: Your capacity to repay depends on your present earnings and the assets you have. So your financial stability will determine your loan approval and the rate of interest. Lenders are liberal with people of good financial stability.

Collateral: Lenders are at lower risk while providing loans to people who offer collateral because in case of defaults the collateral can be repossessed. So people who provide collateral have a better chance of loan approval at lower rate of interest.

Loan amount: Applications for high amount loans have chances of getting huge rebate in interest because it gives high revenue to the lender in terms of interest charged.

Lender: The competition in the in the market has compelled lenders to look for a niche in the market. Always look for a lender who specialises in cheap debt consolidation loans.

Keeping the above factors in mind while applying for a cheap debt consolidation loan will help you find a loan at lower interest so that you can save a large chunk of money.

The author is a business writer specializing in finance and credit products and has written authoritative articles on the finance industry. He has done his masters in Business Administration and is currently assisting Shakespeare Finance as a finance specialist.

For more information visit our site http://www.debt-consolidation-park.co.uk

Biweekly Mortgage Magic

Biweekly mortgage payments are an easy way to speed up repayment of the principal loan balance. Making biweekly payments sounds complicated; however, it is an excellent way to build equity in your home and shorten the length of your mortgage by as much as five years.

Making biweekly payments means you will make a mortgage payment every two weeks. Instead of paying the full amount of your mortgage you will pay half that amount every two weeks. If your mortgage payment is $1000 for example, you will pay $500 every two weeks.

Where is the magic in that you ask? By making bi-weekly payments you pay more of the principal balance down by making 26 half payments each year. This is equivalent to making 2 extra payments during the year that will be paid directly to the principal balance of the loan. Making these extra payments speeds up repayment of the outstanding balance and reduces the amount you pay to interest.

The best thing about making biweekly payments is that your total mortgage payment is easier to swallow when it is spread out over two pay periods. Establishing a routine of paying biweekly will help you get in the habit of making extra equity payments. You can even automate the process by using your banks online bill pay to schedule a payment every time your paycheck comes in.

By keeping a regular routine of making biweekly payments you can easily cut 5 years repayment off your mortgage and save yourself thousands of dollars in interest payments.

Louie Latour has twenty years of experience in the mortgage industry as a mortgage broker. He is the owner of Mortgage Refinance Advisor, a mortgage resource site devoted to saving homeowners money with a free guidebook \Five Things You Need to Know Before Refinancing a Mortgage.\ http://www.refiadvisor.com

Get Debt Free

If you once have been caught in the debt trap, how do you come out of it and be debt free? We are different and each of us has our own lifestyle and our own financial state, so the way to debt elimination is different from person to person. One plan will be good for some, but not for others. You have to be certain that the plan you choose, whether it is debt consolidation or another plan, will be the best for you with regard to saving both time and money.

Search for advice

A debt counselor has debt help as a profession. He or she helps to find the right debt elimination plan for different clients, dependent on which financial situation they are in. This is the first natural step out of your debt prison and on your way to freedom of debt.

So, choosing the right debt elimination plan means;

• decreasing the time and money required to eliminate your debt
• lowering your stress associated with the financial situation you are in.

Debt stressors have a huge impact on our lives especially on our health - the longer you procrastinate the decision of eliminating your debt, the more likely you will be able to reduce your health and even destroy yourself and you're your life.

Consolidating Debt

The purpose of Consolidating Debt is to decrease the number of bills and payments that you have to make each month. So, what you are doing is consolidating your bills into one easy payment. This will

• save you money
• help you to eliminate your debt faster as well and
• be an excellent way to reduce your stress
• If you are in a situation with multiple loans that you are making monthly payments on, you also have many different interest rates to pay.
• When the number of bills are growing, there is an increased chance of making mistakes on your payments. The results can be money out of the window, like for instance increased fees. And this does not bring you to the road of debt reduction, but to even more debt.

Consolidating your debt will lower the risk of

• missed payments
• bounced checks
• excess interest
• decreased credit rating - which will have big consequences for future loans and credit cards that you want to apply for
• stress caused by the debt that looms over your head
• other mistakes, which means more money out.

As time goes by and you experience that your debts are really being paid off, you'll see the light at the end of the tunnel; eliminating your debt will be an obtainable goal.

Terje Brooks Ellingsen is a writer and internet publisher. He runs the website 1st-In-Loan.net Terje gives advice and helps people with personal financial issues like consolidation loans anddebt consolidation

Florida Refinance Refinancing in Florida

The decision to buy a home in Florida can be one of the best you will ever make. If you own a home in Florida you may be considering refinancing. Refinancing now can potentially save you thousands of dollars over the length of your mortgage. Florida lenders are offering low interest rates and could save you thousands of dollars over the length of your loan. Mortgage companies serving Florida and the United States are able to offer loan packages that make refinancing your home a wise decision. Compare your current interest rate to the rates being offered now and see how much money you can save by refinancing your home.

Florida is a great place for families, seniors, and businesses. Owning a home in Florida is a good financial investment due to the constantly expanding real estate market. There are many historical and modern cities in the state of Florida. Jacksonville is a historic city and was named for Andrew Jackson. It has two seaports, seven universities and five colleges. Winter Park is equally fascinating and abounds in social, educational and cultural amenities. As an added bonus, both Winter Park and Jacksonville have affordable housing to fit any budget and a multitude of mortgage lenders across the state, both online and traditional, to help you with all your refinancing needs.

Mortgage lenders in Florida and across the country are currently offering the lowest interest rates in many years. If you have been considering refinancing your home, contact a Florida lender today. You can often get multiple quotes from different lenders with one quick online application. Florida is the perfect location for those who enjoy the sunny weather and sandy beaches that dominate the landscape. Refinancing your Florida home can give you lower monthly mortgage payments, which could lead to extra cash in your pocket each month to explore all that Florida has to offer.

Mortgage lenders online generally service loans in all states and will be able to assist you in your refinancing goals quickly and efficiently. Apply today for a home refinance loan and you could start saving money every month and give yourself the freedom to accomplish your financial goals. Lenders are anxious to get your loan approved and will handle the processing of your loan with personal attention and professionalism. Interest rates in Florida are at all time lows and the real estate market is expanding constantly. Refinancing your Florida home is a smart investment in your future.

To view our list of recommended nationwide mortgage lenders who service the Florida area online visit this page:Recommended Florida & Nationwide Online Mortgage Lenders.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan Guide, an information website with articles and the latest news about various types of loans.

Investing Online Convenience Made Possible

Whether you\'re a pro at investing or just thinking that maybe it\'s time to get started, you\'ll be happy to know that you now have more options available than ever. And if you\'re one of those \hands on\ people who loves to keep control of your assets, you\'ll love the potential for online stock trading.

To some people, stocks seem like a foreign world - a place where the rich multiply their millions and the rest of the world dare not tread. In actuality, stocks are a great place for even small and moderate investing. It can be as safe or as risky as you like. And you can get a really good return on your investment.

Making online trades is easy. For many people, the most difficult part will be working up the courage to make that first purchase. Take some time to do your research and start out with small or moderate investments. It\'s okay to listen to advice, but evaluate the source. Many fortunes have been lost because the investor listened to bad advice.

Most online trades will be much less expensive than hiring a broker to make your deals, but remember that there\'s still a cost. It\'s easy to make ignore the cost of a single trade when it\'s only $10 or less. But when you\'ve made a dozen trades, the cost adds up. Consider your trades before you make them, and be sure to keep track of how many you\'ve made so you\'re not surprised with the expense.

One of the most convenient aspects of online investing is that you can research stocks and companies, make your decisions and even place buy and sell orders at your convenience. There\'s no need to wait until your broker\'s office is open and no need to arrange your schedule around your broker\'s. If you work days, you can do your research and trades in the early morning or late at night, whatever\'s convenient for you.

As you take off with your investing, keep in mind that risk and return are closely related. As is true of most things, the higher the risk for loss, the higher the potential return. If you want to be sure that your investment is safe, be prepared for only a moderate return.

Jeff Lakie is the founder of Investing Resources a website providing information on Investing

Home Mortgage and Financing Terms

Every business has it\'s jargon and residential real estate is no exception. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home shares commonly used mortgage and financing terms with home buyers and sellers.

-Adjustable rate mortgage (ARM): A type of mortgage loan whose interest rate is tied to an economic index, which fluctuates with the market. Typical ARM periods are one, three, five, and seven years.

-Affordable housing loan: umbrella term used to cover various loan products targeted to first-time homebuyers.

-Annual percentage rate (APR): The total costs (interest rate, closing costs, fees, and so on) that are part of a borrower\'s loan, expressed as a percentage rate of interest. The total costs are amortized over the term of the loan.

-Application fees: Fees that mortgage companies charge buyers at the time of written application for a loan; for example, fees for running credit reports of borrowers, property appraisal fees, and lender-specific fees.

Appraisal: A document of opinion of property value at a specific point in time.

-Assumable loan: existing mortgage loan that can be assumed by another person; most conventional loans are not assumable; government loans are assumable with qualification of the new person.

-Balloon mortgage: A type of mortgage that is generally paid over a short period of time, but is amortized over a longer period of time. The borrower typically pays a combination of principal and interest. At the end of the loan term, the entire unpaid balance must be repaid.

-Bi-weekly mortgage: one-half of the mortgage payment is paid every two weeks, resulting in one extra full payment toward principal each year.

-Blanket mortgage: mortgage secured by more than one piece of property.

-Blended rate (or wraparound) mortgage: refinancing plan that combines the interest rate on an existing mortgage loan with current interest rate for an additional amount of loan.

-Bridge (or swing): loan used to bridge the gap when someone is purchasing a new home before they have gone to settlement on their previous home.-

-Budget mortgage: another name for a loan that included taxes and insurance along with the principal and interest payment (PITI).

-Installment sale (also called a land contract): usually a private agreement between a seller and buyer where title is not conveyed until all payments have been made.

-Carry-back financing: whenever a seller agrees to finance either the first or a second mortgage on the property.

-Chattel mortgage: a pledge of personal property to secure a note.

-Construction loan: short-term loan made during the construction of a house.

-Conventional mortgage: A type of mortgage that has certain limitations placed on it to meet secondary market guidelines. Mortgage companies, banks, and savings and loans underwrite conventional mortgages.

-Credit report: Includes all of the history for a borrower\'s credit accounts, outstanding debts, and payment timelines on past or current debts.

-Credit score: A score assigned to a borrower\'s credit report based on information contained therein.

-Down payment: The amount of cash put toward a purchase by the borrower.

-Earnest money deposit: The money given to the seller at the time the offer is made as a sign of the buyer\'s good faith.

-Escrow account for real estate taxes and insurance: An account into which borrowers pay monthly prorations for real estate taxes and property insurance.

-FHA (Federal Housing Administration) Loan Guarantee: A guarantee by the FHA that a percentage of a loan will be underwritten by a mortgage company or banker.

-Gift letter: A letter to a lender stating that a gift of cash has been made to the buyer(s) and that the person gifting the cash to the buyer is not expecting the gift to be repaid. The exact wording of the gift letter should be requested of the lender.

-Good faith estimate: Under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, within three days of an application submission, lenders are required to provide in writing to potential borrowers a good faith estimate of closing costs.

-Home equity loan: either a lump sum or a line of credit made against the equity in a home.

HUD/RESPA (Housing and Urban Development/Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act): A document and statement that details all of the monies paid out and received at a real estate property closing.

-Hybrid adjustable rate mortgage: Offers a fixed rate the first 5 years and then adjusts annually for the next 25 years.

-Interest rate float: The borrower decides to delay locking their interest rate on their loan. They can float their rate in expectation of the rate moving down. At the end of the float period they must lock a rate.

-Interest rate lock: When the borrower and lender agree to lock a rate on loan. Can have terms and conditions attached to the lock.

-Loan: An amount of money that is lent to a borrower who agrees to repay the amount plus interest.

-Loan application: A document that buyers who are requesting a loan fill out and submit to their lender.

-Loan closing costs: The costs a lender charges to close a borrower\'s loan. These costs vary from lender to lender and from market to market.

-Loan commitment: A written document telling the borrowers that the mortgage company has agreed to lend them a specific amount of money at a specific interest rate for a specific period of time. The loan commitment may also contain conditions upon which the loan commitment is based.

-Loan package: The group of mortgage documents that the borrower\'s lender sends to the closing or escrow.

-Loan processor: An administrative individual who is assigned to check, verify, and assemble all of the documents and the buyer\'s funds and the borrower\'s loan for closing.

-Loan underwriter: One who underwrites a loan for another. Some lenders have investors underwrite a buyer\'s loan.

-Mortgage banker: One who lends the bank\'s funds to borrowers and brings lenders and borrowers together.

-Mortgage broker: A business that or an individual who unites lenders and borrowers and processes mortgage applications.

-Mortgage loan servicing company: A company that collects monthly mortgage payments from borrowers.

-Open-end mortgage: one where additional funds may be borrowed without changing other terms of the mortgage, typical for construction loans.

-Package mortgage: mortgage secured by a combination of real and personal property; often used for vacation property such as a cabin, beach condo, or ski chalet.

-Payoff letter: A written document from a seller\'s mortgage company stating the amount of money needed to pay the loan in full.

-Portable mortgage: new concept; mortgage loan can be carried with you from one property to another.

-Pre-approval: A higher level of buyer/borrower prequalification required by a mortgage lender. Some preapprovals have conditions the borrower must meet.

-Pre-paid interest: Funds paid by the borrower at closing based on the number of days left in the month of closing.

-Pre-payment penalty: A fine imposed on the borrower by the lender when the loan is paid off before it comes due.

-Pre-qualification: The mortgage company tells a buyer in advance of the formal mortgage application, how much money the borrower can afford to borrow. Some prequalifications have conditions that the borrower must meet.

-Principal: The amount of money a buyer borrows.

-Principal, interest, taxes, and insurance (PITI): The four parts that make up a borrower\'s monthly mortgage payment. Private mortgage insurance (PMI): A special insurance paid by a borrower in monthly installments, typically of loans of more than 80 percent of the value of the property.

-Purchase money mortgage: any loan used to purchase the real property that serves as collateral but usually refers to seller-held financing.

-Reverse mortgage: special program for senior citizens (62 or older), which utilizes the equity in the seniors\' home to provide additional income without having to sell their home.

-Secondary market: An institutional investment market that purchases mortgages from mortgage lenders.

-Sub-prime loan: loan with risk-based pricing for persons unable to qualify for prime conventional loans; typically has higher rate of interest; credit scoring and appraisal are critical.

-VA (Veterans Administration) Loan Guarantee: A guarantee on a mortgage amount backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

-W-2: The Internal Revenue form issued by employer to employee to reflect compensation and deductions to compensation.

-W-9: The Internal Revenue form requesting taxpayer identification number and certification.

-1031 exchange or Starker exchange: The delayed exchange of properties that qualifies for tax purposes as a tax-deferred exchange.

-1099: The statement of income reported to the IRS for an independent contractor

Mark Nash\'s fourth real estate book, \1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home\ (2005), and working as a real estate broker in Chicago are the foundation for his consumer-centric real estate perspective which has been featured on ABC-TV, CBS The Early Show, Bloomberg TV, CNN-TV, Chicago Sun Times & Tribune, Fidelity Investor\'s Weekly, Dow Jones Market Watch, HGTVpro.com, MSNBC.com, The New York Times, Realty Times, Universal Press Syndicate and USA Today.

Chapter One FSBO the Russ Miles Thriller/Mystery Novel

Chapter One

She reached the phone on its second ring. This is Tami! She confidently answered. She knew who she was.

Honey, guess what? I sold them! I've got the job!\In Phoenix, Aaron?\Yes! It's beautiful here! Ninety degrees in November. Blue sky. This place is booming. We'll sell our house, there!I don't want to sell my home! Tami's mind screamed in silent protest. While she didn't utter a sound, her reality whirled as her husband continued to talk.

The company wants me on my job next Wednesday. I'll be on the plane back, tomorrow. Pick me up, SeaTac at 4:35. I'll be on Southwest flight 722. I booked before calling you. Don't try to come inside. Be at the departures terminal, you know, where you dropped me off!\But, this is Wednesday! How...\Don't you worry about anything! We've got a week, Tami. We can do it. I love you.

Aaron, wait! Please don't hang up. Tell me all about it. Just a moment, I need to get something to write this down... Now, how do you know that we will be able to move there? We've got this house. Trevor's in first grade. We...

We agreed before I came here, Tami. Remember?\Yes, but...\I've got to report to Human Resources, now. They're waiting for me. I'll get all of the information. We'll make sense out of it when I get back. You got 4:35 down?\Yes, Aaron. But, call me tonight! Okay?\I will, if I get a chance. Got all this information on the company I've got to read too. They want to see me here at 7:00 AM, before I fly back. I love you.

I love you, Aaron! Please promise you'll call me back tonight!\Got to go, now! Bye.

Dazed, Tami stared at the receiver. She knew he'd be too busy to call. That's why he didn't promise. She loved Aaron, but she loved her house, too. All of her friends were envious of it. It was an extension of herself. This was her home. She'd made Aaron buy it even though there was talk of a lay-off at Boeing. She was tired of the small apartment they'd rented since Trevor was born. They'd looked at dozens of houses before they'd found this home, almost ready. The builder had it finished to her buyer's specifications. He'd even said he admired her good taste. Her home had everything her friends had always wanted.

The emerald carpeting didn't stain when six-year-old Trevor spilled his food eating in front of the TV. Green was her favorite color. A stay-at-home mom, Tami Tanner spent her days primping in the mirror, supervising the soaps, and charging on the card her orders from the two channels that offered exclusive articles of fine jewelry. She'd never had to work. Aaron didn't want his wife to work. He'd said so before she'd married him. That was just fine with Tami. But, since Aaron has been laid off, Tami has resented the fact that she has had to curb her spending. Tami eyes embraced her kitchen, its tile countertops reflecting forest hues of the perfect curtains she'd found. The built-in microwave was the best. Aaron said that she deserved the bestso long as he got his three-car garage. The oversized refrigeratoricemaker in the doorwas the envy of her best friend, Heather, who said she'd trade her boyfriend for an icebox like that. Tami's builder couldn't order the frig. They were behind on their credit card payments for it and she couldn't even charge jewelry. Tami knew she was supposed to be happy Aaron got the job. But, why did it have to be in Phoenix? What about her home here? She decided to call Heather. As she waited for Heather's voice mail message to conclude, Tami played with the ruby anklet which matched her toenails. Aaron would never have approved her little indulgence.

Heather? This is Tami. Please call me back. Pick up, if you're there! Aaron's got a job. Please, call when you get this message! I'm home. All right? Bye.

Wait, Tami! Don't hang up. I'm on.\Heather! Aaron took a job in Phoenix. What am I going to do?\You're going to move. That's what.\I don't want to move, Heather. I want to stay here! In my house.\We don't always get everything we want, Tami.\I know, but

But nothing! Grow up, Tami! Quit playing dumb! It's me, remember? You've a husband and a son to think about. God, you don't know how good you've had it!

I know. You're right, Heather. I really do have it good, don't I? Do you think you could come over? I'm bored blind. Aaron's been gone since Sunday night. Could you, please?\ My officer 167 Ted Rasmussen will be here for dinner. He likes to eat when he arrives. I haven't even thawed out the chicken. Please, Heather!

Alright, Tami! Quit whining! I'll see you, tonight when Ted's away. He'll have two beers with his dinner, want sex, and to take off with his off-duty cop buddies until around midnight. I'll come after he leaves.\Thank you, Heather! I'll put Trevor to bed by 8:00. I'll see if I can get a sitter. We can go dancing! Okay?No way, Tami! Your husband's out of town, but my Ted could find out. I'm not risking my relationship just so you can get your jollies teasing some horny hound dogs. I'll come over and we can just talk. I'm not getting high either! You got that, Tami?

Okay! But, come over. We'll just talk. Okay?\I said I'd be there, Tami. See you around 7:30.

Tami carried the receiver with her up the oak staircase to the second floorpausing near the top--to admire her beautiful living room with its bayed windows and gas-log fireplace. The custom carved mantle was just like the one in Home Beautiful magazine. It was perfect. Plush emerald carpeting extended from the green slate entry, through the open dining room to the breakfast bar where Trevor had his Super-Hero's Cereal every morning. The thick Seattle phone directory, atop his stool, made it the perfect height for her six-year-old son. Home from school, Trevor was watching TV, eating lime wiggly, in the family room.

Last night's dishes and Trevor's breakfast bowl were in the dishwasher, frozen lasagna in the oven for another hour and ten minutes. Tami had time to bubble bathe. Glass pipe in hand, she could relax, smoke a little dope, and consider how she would tell Trevor the news: 'Daddy has a new job; we have to move to a new home in Phoenix; you'll get to go to a new school.' Immersed in a euphoric high, she indulged the sodden moments her jetted bathtub offered, amid awful thoughts of losing her ideal home, her connection, and her elegant identity.

[End Chapter One

To continue reading, please click the link below which will take you to Chapter Two.

http://books.iuniverse.com/viewbooks.asp?isbn=0595287034&page=4

Russ Miles is author of the novel, For Sale By Owners:FSBO. A Seasoned Real Estate NAR Broker, disabled by Multiple Sclerosis, he writes books & articles on varied subjects. Google russ miles. FOR SALE BY OWNERS:FSBO ISBN 0-595-28703-4,in trade paperback, is available by phone or Internet:1-800-Authors to order direct! Adobe e-book & hard cover editions also available FSBO at Amazon.com at Barnes and Noble and other fine booksellers. Comments: MilesRuss@Gmail.com. [Please include the word FSBO in your subject line

Home Equity Loan Calculators

Looking for a home equity loan? Without an efficient calculator, you are on unsure ground. The various financial aspects have to be calculated and the costs have to be compared. You would certainly want to know what amount of loan you could avail of based on your existing equity and the repayment capacity according to your present income and expenses.

The amortization schedule and the quantum of monthly installments are critical in choosing between say, a 15-year spread or 30-year spread. How much can you save on taxes? There are several such details that have to be looked into before a wise decision can be made. If you can have a look at the future scenario with different variables, it will be all the more helpful.

Then there is the need to evaluate the diverse options available and decide on which one is best suited to you. Even after doing that, the quotes you receive have to be compared from different angles. Or take the situation where you are contemplating a conversion from variable rate loan to fixed rate loan. How do you arrive at the better alternative?

In all these, a great deal of calculation is involved. Doing that on a regular calculator would be difficult and time consuming and often frustrating. A specialized multi-function calculator can reduce the workload considerably. Downloadable software can deal with all these jobs and is readily available. These have spreadsheets and graph displays that make calculations and comparisons much easier. Updates and product support are likely to be free.

Some lenders offer free fill-in calculation charts online. These are easy to use. But the drawbacks are that for each function or item you to normally calculate separately and to make a comparison sheet, the figures have to be transplanted.

Whichever you prefer to use, be sure to do your own calculations instead of blindly accepting the figures presented by the lender.

Home Equity Loans provides detailed information about home equity loans, bad credit home equity loans, fixed rate home equity loans, home equity loan calculators and more. Home Equity Loans is the sister site of Car Refinance.

Affordable Car Insurance It Is Out There!

Everyone wants affordable car insurance but nobody wants to pay
the price. That may not have made much sense to you but the
insurance buyer has to be better informed. There has to be some
time spent on educating yourself enough to make intelligent
decisions about your next insurance purchase. Too many folks
avoid all responsibility when it comes to buying car insurance.
You do not need an insurance course to understand the
fundamentals involved in rating car insurance. Look at the
declarations page on you car insurance and you will find all
that you need to know.

The Declarations Page

1. Policy Period - This is the specific time period that the
policy is effective. Some car insurance policies have an annual
renewal and others have a six month renewal. Do not shop for car
insurance with a declarations page that shows that your policy
period has expired. That could cause you to be placed into a
sub-standard carrier. Shop at least one month before your
insurance is ready to expire.

2. Vehicles - Your vehicles will affect your physical damage
rate. When shopping, make sure that you give the quoting company
the vehicle identification number of all of your vehicles. This
is usually on your declarations page.

3. Drivers in Household - Every resident relative with a
driver\'s license should be listed on the policy unless they have
other insurance.

4. Liability Limits - These are the limits for bodily injury and
property damage insurance. This is very important coverage and
not a good place to cut costs if you are a property owner. This
portion of your policy pays benefits to the party that you have
may have injured in an auto accident. It also pays for the
damage to their vehicle.

5. Physical Damage - This is your collision and comprehensive
benefit that you see on your declarations page. This is coverage
for your automobiles. Your deductible selection will raise or
lower the rate.

These are some of the many policy benefits that you will find on
your declarations page. Ask your insurance company about
discounts and tort option. Learn all that you can and you can
help make your car insurance more affordable.

Understanding How a Buyer's Agent Can Help You

When purchasing a home, most people will have an opportunity to interact with one or more real estate sales people (often referred to as real estate agents or \realtors\). It is very important for a home buyer to understand the roles and responsibilities of a real estate sales person, especially who they represent in the real estate transaction. This article provides a brief overview of \typical\ representation in a real estate transaction, and describes a buyer\'s agent and the valuable contributions that they can make helping a home buyer to purchase a home.

A real estate sales person acts as an \agent\ for one or more of the parties (buyer and/or seller) in a real estate transaction. An agent is an individual who works on behalf of another individual. Under the law of agency, which governs client/agent relationships, an individual acting as an agent for another individual must work to protect the \best interests\ of their client (the person for whom they are acting as an agent). They are said to have a \fiduciary\ responsibility to their client.

Typically in a real estate transaction, a real estate agent will obtain a listing from the seller of a home. The realtor and seller enter into a listing agreement whereby the realtor agrees to act as the agent for the home seller to help them to sell their home (listing their home in a listing service, marketing their home, holding open houses, showing their home etc.). This realtor is often referred to as the listing agent, listing realtor, or listing broker. In the listing agreement the home seller agrees to pay the listing agent for their services, typically a percentage of the selling price of the home. Since the listing agent often is not the individual to actually sell a home, the home seller also typically agrees to pay the agent who actually sells their home (the selling agent) for their services, also typically a percentage of the selling price of the home.

It is important for a home buyer to understand, that in the absence of any disclosure to the contrary, the listing agent acts as an agent of the home seller. The selling agent acts as a sub-agent to the listing agent. This means that both the listing and the selling agent are working for, and looking after the best interests of the home seller. Many buyers mistakenly assume they are being represented by the real estate agent who is showing them homes, when in fact that individual is usually working for the home seller. For this reason, many states require by law that real estate sales people disclose who they are working for to all parties to a real estate transaction at the beginning of any relationship. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) also requires in their \Code of Ethics\ that realtors disclose who they are working for at the first meeting between a realtor and a seller or buyer.

Many home purchasers are not happy with the typical \arrangement\ whereby real estate agents are representing the seller, and they are left to represent themselves. Many home buyers prefer to have a trained, experienced real estate professional representing them in their real estate transactions. It is for this reason that many home buyers choose to hire a buyer\'s agent (also referred to as a buyer\'s broker or buyer\'s representative). A buyer\'s agent is an individual who is hired by a home buyer to represent them in a real estate transaction. Similar to a home seller, a buyer typically enters into a contract with the buyer\'s agent. The contract should stipulate what services the buyers agent will provide, and what compensation the home buyer will give to the buyer\'s agent if they successfully help them to purchase a home. Buyer\'s agent compensation is typically a percentage of a home selling price. Buyer\'s agent contracts typically have a term and provisions for how either party (the buyer or the real estate agent) can sever the contract.

A buyer\'s agent acts as the agent for the buyer in a real estate transaction. Services that they provide include:

• Understanding a buyer\'s home buying needs and desires.
• Helping buyers to understand what they can comfortably afford.
• Researching and helping to locate suitable homes in the appropriate communities that meet their buyer\'s needs.
• Answering questions about homes, communities, the home buying process, and more.
• Helping a buyer to understand if a prospective home is fairly priced and helping them to formulate an offer for a home.
• Filling out all of the appropriate purchase offer documents and presenting them to the selling agent and home seller.
• Helping the buyer with negotiations or negotiating on behalf of the buyer.
• Providing lists of qualified individuals for other services needed such as attorneys, and home inspection services.
• Facilitating the flow of contracts between seller and buyer attorneys.
• Assisting the buyer in obtaining financing for their home purchase.

A buyer\'s agent should not, however, provide advice on matters for which they have no training or expertise. They should not, for example, be providing legal advice. Buyers should work with qualified attorneys for legal advice. Buyer\'s brokers can, however, assist a buyer in finding an appropriate attorney.

For their services, a buyer\'s agent is compensated by the buyer. What typically happens in practice, however, is that the buyer and buyer\'s agent will build into the offer a provision for the seller to provide the compensation to the buyer\'s agent. Remember that a typical seller has already agreed to pay a selling agent commission when they entered into a listing contract. That means that there is typically money available to compensate the buyer\'s agent for their efforts on behalf of the buyer. If the seller has made available less money than the buyer\'s agent is entitled to by contract with the buyer, then one of several things can happen:

• The seller can agree as part of the negotiations to pay the discrepancy in order to sell their home.
• The buyer pays the additional amount out of their own pocket.
• The buyer\'s agent agrees to accept less compensation than was originally agreed to to allow the transaction to go through.

Dual Agency, A Special Condition

A special condition can sometimes arise where a real estate agent is contractually obligated to both parties in a real estate transaction, as would be the case of a buyer\'s agent showing one of their own listings. In this case \dual agency\ is said to exist. The real estate agent is an agent to both parties. When this condition arises, a realtor should disclose the dual agency condition and obtain consent from both buyer and seller that they accept this condition. In many states, failure to disclose dual agency is a violation of the law for which a real estate agent can lose their license, be fined, and potentially receive a jail sentence. In a dual agency condition, the real estate agent acts as a neutral third party, not representing the interests of either party, but simply facilitating the transaction. Many consumer advocates are not happy with such arrangements because nobody is looking after the best interests of the consumers, in this case the buyer and the seller.

Conclusion

Buyer\'s agents serve a very useful purpose helping to protect the interests of real estate buyers in real estate transactions. Individuals seeking to purchase a home who do not have a lot of experience with real estate should seriously consider hiring a buyer\'s agent to represent them, and help them through the process, negotiations, and real estate transaction.

REALTOR is a trademark of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS.

Rob Pirozzi is a contract writer for CityTownInfo.com. CityTownInfo is a quick reference web site that provides statistics and indexes on thousands of cities and towns across the US, as well as articles, comments from local residents, and more. The web site may be found at: http://www.citytowninfo.com/.

Applying For An Online Mortgage Loan

It\'s often easy to underestimate the utility of the internet. With a simple click of the mouse we gain access to nearly all of the information imaginable, from all over the world. The information is presented in all forms of media - text, audio, video, music, pictures, etc. On a larger scale, the internet has brought the world together, forming a monumental medium of communication.

This technological revolution has basically rejuvenated many industries. Companies that were unable to adapt to the changes in technology have simply failed to keep up with the times, and have gone out of business. In contrast, businesses that have adopted the ever-expanding technology of today have thrived, creating an atmosphere of consumer control. Specifically, this can be witnessed in the mortgage industry. Prior to the internet, it was the norm to seek financing through your local bank, or to visit mortgage loan companies that someone had referred you to. It was common to spend numerous hours on the phone or in an office asking for quotes from various lenders. Perhaps you would put your trust in a broker who may not be capable of finding you the best deal. More importantly, the broker may not even be trustworthy.

Inexperienced home buyers tend to forget that the mortgage rate is not the only important consideration when beginning the process, including closing costs and the duration of the loan. Even if you think you have found a good interest rate, the other variables may end up costing you more than you expected. Therefore, it is important to take all of these factors into account when selecting the most beneficial loan option.

Over the years, the internet has made much of the financial process much easier for home buyers and borrowers. Obtaining mortgage quotes from many companies is quick and easy, as there are numerous sites where hundreds of potential lenders are listed. Because of this, online mortgages are becoming extremely popular among borrowers. They can be settled with barely any physical contact at all. The internet has also made the mortgage industry much more competitive, making interest rates much lower and the terms of the loan much better. Competition has forced the lenders to offer you the best deal available just to make sure they have your business. As a consumer, you have control over the situation.

The internet has also opened the door for smaller, more private lenders to enter the fray. There are also many sites designed specifically to link a consumer with a lender. Simply put, you enter a bit of personal information, explain your needs, and you will receive a number of options from various lenders to choose from. Remember, you are obtaining all of this information online, from your own home, without the use of the telephone or your automobile. On top of this, there are more general sites to research. Typically on a site such as this, you will find informative articles and financial advisors readily available to answer your most dire questions.

Unfortunately, nothing is perfect, not even the internet. Make sure you are cautious when submitting personal information. Check and make sure that the company is legit before you attempt to do business with them. To do so, browse the site and look for licenses and testimonials which indicate legitimacy. Remember that it is never necessary to give extremely personal information when asking for a mortgage quote. The first few companies listed on search engines are often valid because it is obvious that people are visiting their sites.

In short, if you can steer clear of these faux lenders, you will be impressed with the results you get from obtaining your mortgage loan online.

Gregrey Pashby is a writer and contributor for Bad Credit Lender who specialize in bad credit loans and hard money loan information. Bad Credit Lender provides poor credit mortgage refinance loans, bad credit home loans, and hard money loans. In addition, Greg is one of the main contributors to the Coastal La Jolla Funding -- A California Hard Money Lender and 1st Access Hard Money.

Discover What to do When Your Credit Worth is Damaged Due to Circumstances Out of Your Control

First of all, let's examine exactly what credit worth means and how it affects your financial life.

Your credit worth, as defined by the financial industry, is the overall picture of your financial health that is used by lenders to determine your ability to repay debt. By looking at a combination of factors, lenders, such as banks, credit card companies, and utility companies, estimate how worthy you are of receiving a line of credit or regular services based on a payment schedule.

The most common factor used by lenders to determine credit worthiness is your credit score. Your credit score is a number generated by a mathematical formula that estimates how likely you are to pay your bills. Based on the information in your credit reports from the three credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, your credit score is a factor affecting your ability to get loans and good interest rates. Lenders compare your credit report with millions of others to determine your score.

But your credit score is not the only thing that lenders look at to decide whether or not to give you a loan or a good interest rate. They also evaluate the individual entries on your credit report and the information you provide on your loan application. Some creditors consider your occupation, length of employment, and whether or not you own a home.

Each creditor creates a credit scoring system based on factors important to that institution, so you may receive different results with different lenders. For this reason, it is also important to talk to the credit manager about why you received the credit limit and interest rates that you did. You may have mitigating circumstances that affect how your credit history is viewed, or you may be on the margin between two score categories. Negotiation may be possible if you are open with the creditor about your ability to pay.

If you are turned down for credit, law states that you are entitled to a free credit report if you request it within 60 days. A few steps you can take to improve your credit worthiness include paying your bills on time, paying down your existing debt, and refrain from taking on new debt. But the points awarded by creditors for each factor varies, and an increase in your credit score depends on how one factor relates to another factor in their particular scoring model.

Collections, bankruptcies, and late payments have the greatest negative effect on your credit score, and, therefore, on your credit worthiness. Paying your bills on time may seem like a small thing when you're writing that monthly check, but an accumulation of timely payments says a lot to a potential lender looking for a reliable client. Prompt payments in recent months can actually make a big difference in your credit score.

Your debt is a factor as well. Keeping your account balances between 25% and 50% of your available credit signals a responsible borrower. For example, if you have a credit card with a $2000 limit, keep your debt below $1000. For this reason, consolidating your credit card debt can actually lower your credit score, as it raises your debt to available credit ratio. The best solution is to simply pay off your existing cards as quickly as possible.

The length of your credit history is another determining factor in a good score. Lenders want to know that you are able to maintain prompt payments and good standing for a reasonable period of time. Most credit scoring models consider the length of your credit history, but low points in this area can be outweighed by good payment history and low debt balances.

Some creditors consider the type of accounts you have as a determining factor in your credit worthiness. While it's a good idea to have established credit accounts, some companies consider loans from finance companies or too many accounts to be negative factors.

Checking your credit report regularly (at least once each quarter) helps you in numerous ways:

1.You need to know who is checking on your credit at any given time. Inquiries factor into your overall credit score and it is illegal to run your report unless you have given written permission.

2.Makes you aware of accounts reported incorrectly, which is extremely important in situations such as a company reporting a late payment incorrectly.

3.You may discover big surprises like a collection account filed against you that you weren't even aware of. It happens!

4.And the really big one - someone has stolen your identity and is using your credit!

With the number of identity theft cases increasing steadily, you can't afford to ignore your credit - especially if you are considering borrowing.

In a recent court case number 02CC13327, a 4th District Court of Appeals upheld the first $1 million judgment against a large retail company by a victim of identity theft. One of the interesting facts of this case is that the court recognized a recently developed procedure for measuring credit damage. The owner CM Financial of Fullerton, CA, Georg Finder, is an expert witness in credit cases, and is responsible for developing this process that he calls Credit Damage Measurement, or CDM.

Up until recently, lawyers for victims of credit damage had little chance of collecting damages beyond medical treatment, lost wages and property loss. With the development of CDM, that has all changed. So what do you do if your credit worthiness is damaged due to situations out of your control? Call CM Financial at 714 441-0900 for starters to find out how it's possible to calculate exact financial consequences and therefore enable you to seek out appropriate compensation.

You can learn more about CM Financial and the CDM process, including being able to view sample reports, at http://www.creditdamage.com

Cathy Taylor is a marketing consultant with over 25 years experience. She specializes in internet marketing, strategy and plan development, as well as management of communications and public relations programs for small business sectors. She can be reached at Creative Communications: creative-com@cox.net or by visiting http://www.creditdamage.com or http://www.howtoconquermenopause.com or http://www.internet-marketing-small-business.com

RAM Technologies Celebrates 25 Years Serving Healthcare Industry

25 years ago the world was a different place. Ronald Reagan was
starting his first term as President, MTV had not yet forged its
way into America's living rooms and information technology was
another way of saying can you pass me that floppy disk? 25
years ago when other innovators were creating hair gel and
unique flavored ice cream Robert Tulio of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania was putting his expertise in computer technology to
work for health plans and benefit administrators. Twenty-five
years ago RAM Technologies, Inc. was born.

Over the last quarter century a lot has happened. The
information technology industry has experienced a growth spurt
of exponential proportions, Generation X has let go of their
skateboards and guitars in lieu of ThinkPad's and iPods, and the
whole world has plugged in, or so it would seem. Today, after
the devastation of hurricanes and other natural disasters,
information technology has become the pulse of the healthcare
industry. Emergency health records, automated claims
adjudication and e-health are today's innovations, building
blocks founded on the groundbreaking technologies developed by
innovators at RAM Technologies.

2006 marks the 25th Anniversary of RAM Technologies providing
information technology products and services to the healthcare
industry. Established in 1981, the supplier of advanced
applications has grown into a leader in the industry of
healthcare software solutions. The first managed care system
vendor to utilize relational database technology based on the
ANSI X12 standards, RAM Technologies continues to bring
leading-edge technologies to the healthcare industry by
developing the most advanced J2EE applications. RAM offers two
proprietary healthcare software products HEALTHsuite and
eHealthsuite.

RAM Technologies, Inc. was incorporated in 1982 as a
C-Corporation within the state of Pennsylvania. Until 1995, the
Company was engaged primarily in the design, development and
support of customized business software solutions for clients in
the healthcare industry. In addition, RAM also provided
consulting services, project management and computing
administration to various clients.

In 1995, RAM Technologies established a Healthcare Products
Division. 1995 also marked the launch of the first of RAM's
proprietary products HEALTHsuite, a leading edge management
information system designed for health care organizations.
HEALTHsuite is a core health care/benefits administration
system with a full complement of functionality necessary to
administer health benefits.

Recognizing the need in the health care market for
Internet-based technology, RAM embarked on a major enhancement
project in late 1999, to transition HEALTHsuite to a Java-based
thin client solution. This effort was completed ahead of
schedule and today RAM focuses on the sale and implementation of
their innovative healthcare product offerings. Today,
HEALTHsuite continues to meet the needs of the health care
industry with the release of version 6.0.

RAM Technologies has been dedicated to advancing the efficiency
and effectiveness of the healthcare industry. In 2000, with the
goal of helping health care organizations turn Internet
opportunities into reality, the consumer-driven Internet
application eHealthsuite was introduced. eHealthsuite is an
e-health solution that provides real-time self-service
capabilities via the Web allowing health plans to improve
productivity and increase return on investment.

The accomplishments of Mr. Tulio and RAM Technologies have not
gone unnoticed. As an Independent Software Vendor (ISV) in the
mid 90's, RAM Technologies was recognized by IBM as a leader in
the field. Awarded IBM Business Partner status in 1995, RAM
Technologies has continued to evolve and is presently an IBM
Premier Business Partner, an IBM ServerProven affiliate and an
IBM Industry Optimized Independent Software Vendor.

IBM Premier Business Partners is an exclusive group of
Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) who have a proven record of
successful product development and outstanding customer service.
To achieve IBM Premier status, a company must demonstrate
excellence in their industry and maintain the highest levels of
customer satisfaction. Premier level participation for ISVs is
by invitation only and is reserved for the top three percent of
IBM Business Partners.

RAM Technologies achieved IBM Industry Optimized Status as an
advanced member of the IBM network. This relationship allowed
RAM to leverage the many resources available within IBM's
programs to better serve their healthcare clients. RAM joined a
select number of Business Partners worldwide who have achieved
this level of involvement. Over 1,100 IBM Business Partners from
around the world are engaged with IBM's Healthcare and life
science Partner World Industry Network. Of these 1,100
organizations, 340 have achieved Advanced membership status and
only 29 of the Advanced members have earned the Industry
Optimized moniker. These companies now have access to IBM's rich
set of technical and go to market resources.

Long before the Internet was a staple household service, long
before every home had its own computer, RAM Technologies was
bringing information technology to the forefront of the
healthcare industry. For 25 years RAM Technologies has instilled
their unique innovations to leading software solutions that
serve health plans and benefit administrators. With a growing
client base and an exhausting pursuit of excellence, RAM
Technologies continues to forge ahead, building on the successes
of its first 25 years and looking forward to continuing the
tradition.

For more information on RAM Technologies you can visit on the
web at www.ramtechnologiesinc.com or call (215) 654-8810.