February 5, 2012

Home Sales Surge in Pleasant Hill California While Surrounding Cities Stay Flat

Posted by Jason Wheeler | Fully Follow Me | Subscribe

Home sales in Pleasant Hill California have had quite a surge in the last month and reach their highest point in the last year. Do you think this trend will continue? Surrounding cities that share a border with Pleasant Hill CA such as Lafayette, Concord, Walnut Creek and Martinez have yet to see surges like this…

What is it that is setting a city like Pleasant Hill California apart from it’s neighboring cities? What is keeping YOU from getting pre approved for a mortgage loan and contacting your local Realtor? In most cases you can save money compared to what you are paying in rents!

As a long time resident, business owner and your Mortgage Lending Expert I want to know one thing… What is it that is keeping you from buying your piece of real estate in today’s market. Leave me your comment at the bottom of this blog post.

 

Some of the Loan Options we Specialize in Are

Call or Email Us now for a Quick Approval and Personalized Quote 925-285-2172

 

 

What Does it Take to be your Own Boss? 4 Best Tips for Getting Started

Posted by Jason Wheeler | Fully Follow Me | Subscribe

Be Your Own Boss

Guest Post by Ewan Thompson

What does it take to be your own boss?

No matter what sector or role you work in, most of us wish we could work for ourselves. However it is difficult to take a step that large when you don’t know for sure what qualities you have that would make you a good boss.

The first question is; why? Why do you want to do it in the first place? Are you tired of working for someone else? Maybe you have been counting the pennies and despite the good advice from journals and websites, like lovemoney.com for UK citizens, you feel a career change would be beneficial too. Do you want to have flexible hours controlled by you or just fancy the challenge?

The second thing to consider is what it takes to be your own boss. Most business owners don’t plan on it initiall

Top Four Necessities for Being Your Own Boss

Confidence – In general being your own boss has a lot to do with confidence and belief in your own ability. Many use their own lack of experience as an excuse to not go down the business path. If you endeavor to improve your skills though, are organized and maybe find a mentor to help you, anyone can do it.

Drive – There is a mistaken belief that you have to be ruthless and money orientated to own a business, but in actual fact most entrepreneurs do it for the love of working for themselves and a passion for their industry. It is this which makes them driven. Drive is key to most successful businesses, but what are you driving towards? More money? Higher output?

Experience – when you are your own boss you are working based on your own experience of the industry you work in. Even the negative experiences under someone else’s employ will help steer a new business owner in the right direction.

Education – make sure you are up to date with all the latest information that will help you run your business. You will always have a weakness and you can either do a course (there a tons out there) to educate yourself, or if you have the funds, hire someone to handle that aspect.

 

2 Simple Steps to Make Easy Money with Facebook on Your Birthday

 

Posted by Jason Wheeler | Fully Follow Me | Subscribe

Would you be surprised if I told you that making quick easy money with Facebook on your birthday is really simple!

Of any day of the year I’ll bet you get more traffic, comments and views to your Facebook page every year on that special day that is your birthday. Why not give yourself a present and make a bit of cash from the free traffic you get on face book on your birthday?

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It really is super easy! Obviously if you have an opportunity, affiliate product or a service that you would like to advertise and get massive traffic to there is a really simple way to do it on your birthday just by using two easy steps. I experimented with this strategy this year and got some massive traffic and made a bit of money too.

Step 1 is to disable the wall…

or at least make it so others can’t see those tons of “happy birthday” messages you get on your page every year.

In order to disable the wall and make it so others can’t see all the useless posts simply go to the up right corner to

  1. HOME ==>
  2. Privacy Settings ==>
  3. Edit Settings under “How You Connect” and just click “Only Me” on the last options.

See the Facebook screen shot below and see how to turn it off.

Step 2… Add the Content you Want to Advertise!

Now that your posts from others can only be seen by you it is very simple to post an add or any content that you would like to promote to your entire database on Facebook. I experimented with a post about my birthday… it’s funny how much people WANT to help you out on your birthday or basically do whatever you say on your birthday.

Check out the tons of “likes” and comments I received on the content that I posted that day. All I did was create a quick article on my blog that I got set up for free and I checked back the day after my birthday… In just one day I had a ton of Facebook “shares” plus quite a few re tweets as well.

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Here is the content I posted to make money with Facebook on my birthday…

check it out I had a ton of Facebook likes and comments that day!

So there you have it!! That is all you really have to do in order to make a bit of extra cash on your birthday with Facebook. Heck It’s YOUR birthday… the only day of the year it’s okay to be a bit obnoxious and self absorbed right? Why not make some money with your Facebook profile on your birthday too?

 

Today’s Best Mortgage Interest Rates for California SF Bay Area Loans

Posted by Jason Wheeler | Fully Follow Me | Subscribe

So… you want today’s best mortgage rates for your home purchase or refinance?

Bank rates change daily and sometimes multiple times daily. See below for most up to date data on mortgage trends. If you would like pin point pricing you should email or call us anytime.

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Rates dipped below thier 30 day average and are showing a possible downtrend.

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Remember… the rates in the below trend chart are the average rate in California. We work with several wholesale lenders and in almost every case we can beat the Average interest rates by up to .5% If you have questions about today’s best mortgage rates in the Bay Area get in touch with us today and find out how you can get the best rates the market can offer in today mortgage market.

Powered by CA Mortgage Rates

Some of the Loan Options we Specialize in Are

Call or Email Us now for a Quick Approval and Personalized Quote 925-285-2172

Rates on the above trend chart show the AVERAGE mortgage rate currently in California. The rate on your loan scenario could be lower or higher than the posted average rate depending on different criteria and what lender we work with. For absolutely NO OBLIGATION email us and we will shop over 30 lenders in order to get you the best combination of rate and costs to close along with the criteria required to close your loan. In order to get your FREE Custom Quote just email us with:

  1. The Loan Amount you wish to qualify for
  2. The property you want to finance and weather you occupy it or not
  3. Reason for the loan ext… (lower my rate, take cash out, purchase a property)

Within 24 hours we will email you back with a custom quote that you can compare with other lenders like your personal bank or current broker. YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE TO CALL OR PROVIDE A PHONE NUMBER!

You can apply quickly by inquiring here

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Changes to Obama’s HARP Program 2011 Could Help Many in SF Bay Area

Posted by Jason Wheeler | Fully Follow Me | Subscribe

Update 1/25/2012 – This program is set to be released in March 2012.  Right now there is a huge back log of people pre-applying so the process may take some time.  Apply today for this program and get your file ready and in line when it is released in March 2012.

What is the HARP Program? (Home Affordable Refinance Program)

New changes are coming to the HARP program on November 11th 2011 that should help thousands keep their homes and save a ton of money in the SF Bay Area!

For a mortgage to be considered for a HARP refinance in the California Bay Area, it must be owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

If your home is or will be “underwater” you need to take a look at this program today.

Important Steps to Applying for a HARP Loan

  1. To determine if your loan is owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, you may verify it yourself by going here
  2. If your loan is a Fannie Mae loan, you may obtain more information on the program, here.
  3. If your loan is a Freddie Mac loan, you may obtain more information here.
  4. If you would like to apply for a HARP Relief Refinance today you can inquire here.

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If your loan is not a Fannie Mae or a Freddie Mac loan, your loan is not covered by the HARP refinance program. You may want to contact your servicer or other lenders to discuss refinance programs you may be eligible for. For more information see:  FHFA HARP page.

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Some of the new guidelines and rules that were announce by President Obama and the Federal Housing Finance Agency are as follows.

The new program enhancements address several other key aspects of HARP including:

  1. Eliminating certain risk-based fees for borrowers who refinance into shorter-term
    mortgages and lowering fees for other borrowers;
  2. Removing the current 125% percent LTV ceiling for fixed-rate mortgages backed by
    Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac;
  3. Waiving certain representations and warranties that lenders commit to in making loans
    owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac;
  4. Eliminating the need for a new property appraisal where there is a reliable AVM
    (automated valuation model) estimate provided by the Enterprises; and
  5. Extending the end date for HARP until Dec. 31, 2013 for loans originally sold to the
    Enterprises on or before May 31, 2009.

You can review the official press release and new rules from the FHFA Here.

If you would like to apply for a HARP Relief Refinance today you can inquire here.

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The Home Affordable Refinance Program HARP is alive and well in the SF Bay Area. Most lenders will go up to 110% of your homes current value however we work with several lenders that will allow for up to 125% of the homes value.

President Barack Obama announced a set of new rules recently designed to make it easier for homeowners to refinance their mortgages even if they owe more than their home is worth.

Bay Area lawmakers had pushed hard for the changes, which eliminate some fees and ease rules on refinancing home loans owned by the government-controlled mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. For more than a year, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-California) has been pushing legislation that would force Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to help people reduce the amount they owe on their mortgage.

In a statement Monday, Boxer said she was “very pleased” with the new changes and would urge the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, ”to move swiftly to assure that these new policies will help as many homeowners as possible.”

President Obama threw a lifeline to some underwater homeowners Monday in announcing his administration will revamp a program to refinance homes with mortgages greater than their current values.

“This will help a lot more homeowners refinance at lower rates,” Obama said, speaking in a modest neighborhood in Las Vegas, a city walloped by foreclosures. The president said he would do “everything in my power to help stabilize the housing market.”

The plan will streamline and expand the existing Home Affordable Refinance Program, or HARP, to make it easier to use with fewer fees, broader eligibility and no limit on how far underwater a home can be. The program so far has helped about 894,000 homeowners, far shy of the projected 5 million when it was rolled out two years ago.

Underwater homeowners who qualify will be able to take advantage of today’s bargain-basement interest rates, which are around 4 percent. Since many are now stuck with much higher interest rates, they should save several hundred dollars a month by refinancing.

“This will help a lot more homeowners refinance at lower rates,” Obama said, speaking in a modest neighborhood in Las Vegas, a city walloped by foreclosures. The president said he would do “everything in my power to help stabilize the housing market.” Read more form the San Francisco Chronicle on this

We will see how long it takes for banks to start implementing or if they even will implement these new rules for stressed home owners. So far the HARP Home Affordable Refinance Program has not helped as many Bay Area Home owners that is was designed for.

 

Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) Gets Revamp From Obama in the SF Bay Area

 

Posted by Jason Wheeler | Fully Follow Me | Subscribe

The Home Affordable Refinance Program HARP is alive and well in the SF Bay Area. Most lenders will go up to 110% of your homes current value however wer work with several lenders that will allow for up to 125% of the homes value.

President Barack Obama announced a set of new rules Monday designed to make it easier for homeowners to refinance their mortgages even if they owe more than their home is worth.

Bay Area lawmakers had pushed hard for the changes, which eliminate some fees and ease rules on refinancing home loans owned by the government-controlled mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. For more than a year, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-California) has been pushing legislation that would force Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to help people reduce the amount they owe on their mortgage.

In a statement Monday, Boxer said she was "very pleased" with the new changes and would urge the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, "to move swiftly to assure that these new policies will help as many homeowners as possible.”

President Obama threw a lifeline to some underwater homeowners Monday in announcing his administration will revamp a program to refinance homes with mortgages greater than their current values.

"This will help a lot more homeowners refinance at lower rates," Obama said, speaking in a modest neighborhood in Las Vegas, a city walloped by foreclosures. The president said he would do "everything in my power to help stabilize the housing market."

The plan will streamline and expand the existing Home Affordable Refinance Program, or HARP, to make it easier to use with fewer fees, broader eligibility and no limit on how far underwater a home can be. The program so far has helped about 894,000 homeowners, far shy of the projected 5 million when it was rolled out two years ago.

Underwater homeowners who qualify will be able to take advantage of today’s bargain-basement interest rates, which are around 4 percent. Since many are now stuck with much higher interest rates, they should save several hundred dollars a month by refinancing.

"This will help a lot more homeowners refinance at lower rates," Obama said, speaking in a modest neighborhood in Las Vegas, a city walloped by foreclosures. The president said he would do "everything in my power to help stabilize the housing market." Read more form the San Francisco Chronicle on this

We will see how long it takes for banks to start implementing or if they even will implement these new rules for stressed home owners. So far the HARP Home Affordable Refinance Program has not helped as many Bay Area Home owners that is was designed for.

 

 

 

How To Create Business Leads on LinkedIn and Social Media Networking

Posted by Jason Wheeler | Fully Follow Me | Subscribe

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As a professional in the lending business I’m always trying to find ways to utilize social media and sites like LinkedIn in order to make more money and find more leads for my business. I don’t know about you but if you are a business owner an you want to find a ton more leads and make money and closed sales on LinkedIn then this is the article for you.

In almost every case I only promote programs and courses that I myself have used and find a ton of value in. This is a great case of just that right here.

A friend of mine and a mentor that has taught me a ton on marketing and making a business successful has put together a quick video on just how he’s been able to get a ton of leads from this social network.

Watch this quick Video Here and Find out How

 

I took this course personally and I’ve discovered a ton of things that you can do on this social networking site to create real relationships and quality business leads on a day to day basis. Check out the video and let me know what you think.

 

 

Lafayette California Based Mortgage Broker Helps Tons of People Get Loans in Tough Times

Posted by Jason Wheeler | Fully Follow Me | Subscribe

The recent interest rate drops have triggered a major boom in the refinance and mortgage market. Many people are looking to take advantage of the super low Real Estate prices in cities around the bay area. One Lafayette California based mortgage broker has been helping tons of families and individuals close thier real estate loans and save a ton in interest and principal payments.

If you are looking for a great Mortgage Broker in Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Orinda or the general Lamorinda area of the SF Bay Area look no further. People on the popular website Yelp have great things to say about Jason Wheeler and his services at C2 Financial. One of the best things about working with Jason is his ability to be reachable at times when most lenders are not. He’s always available to answer questions and work different loan scenarios for many different situations.

Jason has been serving the CA Bay Area and cities like Lafayette, Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill since 2003 and since then has help tons of Bay Area residence purchase real estate while delivering the best interest rates and pricing the market can offer on any given day. Jason works for YOU the client and has the ability to shop over 50 distinct large scale and small scale lenders.

Offering programs like:

We have the ability to offer what many brick and mortar banks simply cannot. Call or Email Us now for a Quick Approval and Personalized Quote 925-285-2172

Here are what just a few of his happy clients are saying about Jason Wheeler

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“Jason is a very customer-oriented mortgage loan officer. I find that he is a very good and responsive communicator, and that he focuses on finding the very best solution for each client.” February 5, 2008
Wade Cantrell, Owner, Computer Sales and Service/Computer Renaissance Pleasant Hill CA
was a consultant or contractor to Jason at Cobalt Financial

“In a business of networking and referrals, Jason consistently exhibits a depth of knowledge and adds value to the market place. He provides insight while educating those he services. Jason always assists in achieving the best outcome possible.” October 20, 2008
Francoise Greenwell , President , Life Designs ~ Independent Herbalife Distributor Livermoore CA
was with another company when working with Jason at Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce

“I worked with Jason when he was working with a core group of business professionals starting up a chapter of BNI. His efforts and leadership guided that group to becoming an active networking member of the Contra Costa business community.” October 16, 2008
Trey McAlister’, Certified Trainer/Coach, Referral Institute SFBay Marin CA
was with another company when working with Jason at Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce

“I have funded three loans with Jason’s help and at times, due to my unemployed / retired status funding was difficult but Jason figured out a way to do it. He is easy to work with and very dedicated to making things happen in a positive professional manner for his clients.” October 15, 2008
Top qualities: Great Results , Personable , Expert
Gary Lazarus Bellingham WA
hired Jason as a Mortgage Real Estate Loans in 2006 , and hired Jason more than once

“Jason was able to help me sort out a very bad situation with a close friend’s mortgage. Rather than just selling a product he took a look at what was being offered by someone else and suggested that we stick with what we had. It turned out to be the best thing we did. I would highly recommend Jason for your mortgage needs especially if you are looking for someone that will deal with you fairly AND a high degree of integrity.” October 14, 2008
Top qualities: Great Results, Expert, High Integrity
Charley Daly CEO Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce Pleasant Hill CA
hired Jason as a Financial Advisor in 2008

“Working with Jason while he served as President of our BNI Chapter was a pleasure. He always kept us on point and encouraged our chapter to establish additional networking opportunities outside of our scheduled weekly meeting to help our businesses grow. As a mortgage broker, his desire to put his clients’ best interests first was always a priority. He would let you know immediately if he would be in a position to help you out with your lending situation, and remained involved every step of the way.” October 30, 2008
Staci Burnaugh, District Sales Manager, E-chx, Inc Brentwood CA
was with another company when working with Jason at BNI

Hank T. Pleasant Hill CA
If you are looking for a hardworking, honest mortgage broker look no further than Jason Wheeler. He is extremely knowledgeable in his field of expertise and understands the market like no other. I highly recommend Jason…he is fantastic!

Blaire P. Moraga CA
With all these low interest rates, I too wanted to see if I could refinance.  Jason took a quick look at our position without a single form.  Based on our conversation and his research we wouldn’t really gain from a refi.  There are countless brokers who would have tried hard to switch me into a number of products, but Jason advised us to sit tight.

To me, that’s the sign of a true professional – advises in the client’s best interest not their own.  When the market changes, I’ll be sure to talk with Jason first.

Dess Benedetto, Danville CA
Jason Wheeler is a leader and forward thinker.  He adapts his business model to the changing times and provides unmatched service.  I met him through a professional business group (which he started and developed from the ground up) and I have the highest respect for him.  I’m always impressed at his knowledge of the finance industry and his goal of creating wealth for individuals.  I recommend his services to my clients whenever they need to refinance, obtain loans or wish to expand their portfolios through investing in real property.

Larry Seiden, San Jose CA
At the height of the mortgage industry meltdown in the fall of 08, we used Jason to not only get us the best deal (he did!), but to help rush our paperwork through the channels.  Jason and his team went way beyond 5-star service!  He even drove to my house in San Jose in the middle of the night to ensure our docs were in on time.  His knowledge and his service are great! I’ve already recommended him to all my friends and told them whether you’re buying or refinancing, you need a professional’s help, so call Jason.

Larry Ribarich, Lafayette CA
Jason it a top notch professional who I have worked with for years. He is credible, caring, has deep interest in client needs and has always provided honest services. My professional dealings with Jason have always been rewarding.
I would and have recommended Jason to those in need of lending and Real Estate services. I have never been disappointed in his professionalism, sense of urgency and gets results.

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Jason does loans all over California however he prefers to stay focused and local in cities like Lafayette, Orinda, Pleasant Hill, Martinez and Walnut Creek.

Why did the Government FHFA Sue the Nations Largest Banks. How will it Effect SF Bay Area Real Estate and Lending?

Posted by Jason Wheeler | Fully Follow Me | Subscribe

It looks like the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) will be suing banks like Bank of America, Barclays, JP Morgan Chase and many others. The FHFA says many mortgage loans given in the SF Bay Area and through out the United States have been Fraudulent and these banks failed to properly underwrite these loans. Seems like two big behemoth organizations meaning the US Government and the Biggest Banks will be going head to head. It should be interesting to see how this all continues to play out wouldn’t you think?

If you ask me it seems wild that the same people (the US Government) forked out trillions of dollars to "Bail Out" these big banks and now they are suing them seems absurd. So why is the US Government suing these large banks anyway?

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A bruising legal fight pitting the country’s most powerful banks against the full force of the United States government began Friday, as federal regulators filed suits against 17 financial institutions that sold the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac nearly $200 billion in mortgage-backed securities that later soured.

The suits are the latest legal salvo fired at the banks accusing them of misdeeds during the housing boom. Investors fled financial shares Friday amid growing concern that the litigation could last for years and undermine earnings and balance sheets in the process.

News reports say that the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) will sue 17 major banks in order to recover some of the losses that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac sustained on mortgage-backed securities the banks issued.

The suits will seek to make the banks repay a share of about $30 billion in losses from securities that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bought before they essentially failed and the FHFA took them into conservatorship in September 2008.

Since any recovered money would reduce the over $150 billion the taxpayers have already spent on bailing out the two housing giants, this should be good news. However, the FHFA should not start counting the money it plans to recover quite yet. The suits are being filed now because the statute of limitations expires next week, and the burden of proof that the FHFA will have to meet will be high.

The FHFA is expected to charge that the 12 or so banks should have known that the mortgages that had been packaged into the securities that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bought were riskier than advertised. It claims that the banks failed to adequately check the quality of the mortgages before either selling them to packagers who combined mortgages into mortgage-backed securities or packaging them into securities themselves.

Continue reading more ==> Here

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Do you think it makes any sense for the Federal Government to spend trillions of tax payer dollars to again "bail out" these big banking institutions and then turn around and sue them? Sounds pretty fishy to me. It looks like the federal government and a whole lot of lawyers have a whole lot to gain financially should they be found the winner in any of this. What a bunch of crooks!!

Tips for Getting Hired In a Tough Economy

Posted by Jason Wheeler | Fully Follow Me | Subscribe

life-coaching-online-50-plus-magazine-find a job

I’ve been talking to a lot of people out there that are looking for tips on getting hired and finding a job in today’s really tough economy. One of the problems is that so many companies that ARE hiring use online applications. Often it is very difficult to follow up with phone calls too. Many time calls are intercepted by “gatekeepers” and it can be near impossible to get in touch with a hiring manger, executive or CEO.

It really can be tough to stand in such a large pool of applicants. Here are some great tips on how YOU can stand out from the rest when applying for employment in this tough economy.

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Write Hand Written Notes

If you find a company where you know you would love to work but you just can’t get your foot in the door for an interview. Try writing a short hand written note on stationary or a Thank You card. This will set you apart from the masses and likely get the attention of a hiring manager. I recently heard a story from a friend that put out 20 applications. She followed up not only with phone calls but with hand written notes exclaiming how EXCITED she was to be a part of the company and how she was looking forward to an initial interview or a meeting. Needless to say she got phone calls and meetings scheduled for quite a few of the jobs she sent notes to.

Be persistent… if you don’t get a response or a meeting after the first note. Send one per week. A manager or CEO can avoid all of your phone calls however they are very likely to notice if you consistently show interest with a hand written note. Try it!

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Perfect Your Elevator Pitch

When someone asks you what you do, what are the first words out of your mouth?  If the words aren’t ready to roll off your tongue, then read on . . .

When someone asks you what you do, make sure you’re ready with a response that is succinct but memorable. The attention span of the average adult is only 20 seconds; a long, drawn-out answer to the question isn’t going to work. You need to develop an effective elevator pitch.

Read more about my 4 Steps to a Perfect Elevator Pitch here

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Make Your Resume Easily Accessible

When you hand a Resume out while looking to get hired in a tough economy, often people don’t want to carry around a huge piece of paper and it will be thrown away right?

I recommend creating a pdf version of your resume and posting it online. Have some business cards made with the link to your resume and hand them to hiring managers. A business card is much more likely to sit on a managers desk and be noticed than a resume that may be filed away or thrown away at anytime.

You can learn how to make a pdf version of your resume along with a ton of other paperless business tools right here.

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If you are looking to get hired in today’s tough economy these tips will help you for sure. Try them out in the job market field today and comment below on how they worked for you. Better yet while you are looking for a job don’t forget that you can do a ton of things to make money in a down economy. Read my Six Figure Blueprint and get some great ideas.

 

Whats Happening Today with Mortgage Rates 8/12/2011

Posted by Jason Wheeler | Fully Follow Me | Subscribe

Volatility shakes out the week of 8/12/2011 in the Mortgage Markets.

Rates on all loans are lower than they were this time last week What do you think is the long term trend in mortgages?

rate-trends-8-12-2011 

Chart from Investools.com

Here’s the weekly report according to the Wall Street Journal

Mortgage rates continued to slide this week and could be heading below 4%, some analysts say, which would be the lowest on record.

For the week ended Thursday, the 30-year fixed-rate loan averaged 4.32%, according to a Freddie Mac survey, and borrowers paid "points," or origination fees, equivalent to an average 0.7% of the loan amount. At current levels, mortgage rates are back near the 50-year lows set last fall.

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SF Gate Says… Fixed mortgage rates fell to at or near record lows. That’s good news for the few who can afford to buy a home or are able to refinance. But the rates have done little to lift the ailing housing market.

Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate for the 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 4.32 percent this week from 4.39 percent. The 30-year loan hit a record low of 4.17 percent in mid-November.

The average rate on a 15-year fixed mortgage, a popular refinancing option, fell to a record low of 3.50 percent, from last week’s record rate of 3.54 percent.

Mortgage rates tend to track the yield on the 10-year Treasury note. A weakening U.S. economy has led many investors to shift money from stocks to bonds, which are seen as safer bets. That has pushed Treasury yields to historic lows.

In theory, low mortgage rates should provide a boost to the troubled housing market. But rates have been below 5 percent for nearly two years and haven’t helped home sales much. Rates on the 30-year fixed loan were near 6.5 percent five years ago and higher than 8 percent in 2000.

Read More from SF Gate Here

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What’s Happening In Real Estate and Mortgages Today

Posted by Jason Wheeler | Fully Follow Me | Subscribe

Rates continue to drop the week of July 29th 2011 for Contra Costa Mortgage applicants.

interest-rate-trends-7-29-11 

Chart from Investools.com

Heres the weekly report according to the Wall Street Journal

Mortgage rates in the U.S. were again little changed over the past week, as readings on the U.S. economy continued to show mixed signals, according to Freddie Mac’s weekly survey of mortgage rates.

"Macroeconomic data released this week were a mixed bag," said Freddie Mac Chief Economist Frank Nothaft. "On the positive side, the index of leading indicators in June rose for the second consecutive month, beating the market consensus forecast. Partly offsetting this, orders for durable goods were weaker than market expectations for the same month."

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.55% for the week ended Thursday, up from 4.52% the previous week and last year’s rate of 4.54%. Rates on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 3.66%, flat from last week though down from 4% a year earlier.

Five-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages averaged 3.25%, down from 3.27% last week and 3.76% a year ago. One-year Treasury-indexed ARM rates averaged 2.95%, down from 2.97% in the prior week and 3.64% in the prior year.

To obtain the rates, 30-year fixed-rate mortgages required an average payment of 0.8 point, while 15-year fixed rates required an average 0.7 point payment. A point is 1% of the mortgage amount, charged as prepaid interest. Five-year adjustable rate mortgages required an average 0.6-point payment, while one-year adjustable rates required an average 0.5 point payment.

Artice By MIA LAMAR

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