Bank of America, GMAC Mortgage, and JP Morgan Chase have suspended foreclosures while they investigate the situation. Under duress from lawyers and judges, banks have admitted to unlawful behavior. Flooded with foreclosure affidavits, banks allowed their employees to sign documents without reading them. For example, GMAC admitted that employees signed thousands of affidavits without knowing their contents.

The underlying problem is the verification process. Before banks can submit documents for legal foreclosure proceedings, they have to check the information contained within the documents. Bank employees have reported that they failed to verify information such as amounts owed by borrowers, and names of banks currently holding the mortgage. Additionally, lawmakers have uncovered suspicious circumstances such as clear forgeries of officials’ names and notarizations of signatures by out-of-state notaries.

Housing experts expect the foreclosure suspensions to strongly affect the market. While the legal system sorts out the problems, properties involved in foreclosure will probably not be sold.

The banks attribute their sloppy paperwork to the rapid pace at which they have been processing foreclosures. Now

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Jersey Meeting Discloses Export Hurdles

In a meeting at Jersey City, companies were exploring ways and means to expand their markets outside United States. President Obama, in a Sept. 16 meeting with ‘President’s Export Council’, reiterated that boosting export is top priority. He also disclosed his plans of doubling U.S. exports in next five years by forming a new ‘National Export Initiative’.

Obama is quoted saying, “The more American companies export, the more they produce. And the more they produce, the more people they hire — and that means more jobs.” Presently, just 280,000, over 1% of small businesses in US export. Among these 59 % export to just one country. In 2009, total exports in good and services amounted to $ 1.57 trillion. By 2015, U.S. wants to reach at least $3.14 trillion.

Joseph Hurd, senior director, Department of Commerce, comments that “We think businesses can do more.” Hurd and other officials want small and midsize businesses to try their hands outside U.S. borders. The reason is there is two-thirds of purchasing power there and it comprise of nearly 96% of total world population.

Jennifer Schroder and Lisa Ann Frisone were present at the SBA summit and were looking for partners who could help them achieve success in their export strategy. Schroder working wi

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Tips for Writing a Killer Press Release

One common and free way to generate publicity for your business is to send out a well-written and targeted press release. Small businesses can send newsworthy information to reporters and media people, who then write or report about the business.

 

How can you ensure that your press release is eye-catching enough for a reporter to open it, read it, and report about it?

1. Do your research. Before sending a press release, invest some time in reviewing various writers’ or producers’ work. Find those who cover topics relevant to your business. That way, you can narrow down your audience to people who are interested in your line of business, thus increasing the likelihood of free P.R.

2. Choose the right style. Your research can also help you choose a writing style. Try to mirror the writer’s typical style of presenting content (e.g., top ten lists, question and answers, or research-oriented). The writer will find your article more pertinent to his/her own work if it feels familiar.

3. Spice up your writing. Use action verbs, particularly in the headline, to attract more attention. The words you use should conjure up images of excitement and motion. Some exa

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The awesome power of compounding!

You will notice that the more you delay, the more you need to invest, hence it makes sense to consistently set aside about 10% of your monthly income for your retirement fund. This will mean your savings will increase correspondingly with your income, enabling you to grow your funds exponentially.

They say of trying to attain a weight loss goal, eat less and exercise more. Well, its no different when there is money involved. A parallel universal truth with regard to money is spend less, save more, for you to reach your ideal level of wealth. The earlier you start saving for your rainy day (read retirement) the richer you will be when it finally arrives.

In this context, you need not be a whiz in your attempt to make yourself financially secure for the future. You simply need to be consistent in saving a portion of your money and let it compound over time. The fascinating effect of compounding gathers up momentum over longer periods of time and becomes an avalanche of wealth.

How does compounding work?

When you save Rs.100 and get an annual interest of 10%, you will have Rs.110 at the end of one year. Due to compounding the next year you will get a 10% interest on Rs.110, which will then leave you with Rs.121.

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