Second Chance Banking

Second chance banking is generally needed after somebody files for bankruptcy, goes through an ugly divorce, or has had to file for foreclosure on their home. After such a catastrophic financial failure individuals credit rating is basically destroyed. In the process you generally lose your credit cards and in some cases your bank account associated with all those credit cards. And since most Americans are very dependent on credit cards just to exist day by day it is virtually impossible to live without them in this credit card society.

So if you decide to take the high road and begin to reestablish your credit it is imperative that you take the opportunity to find an institution that offers second chance banking. This will give you the opportunity to start once again from the ground up to rebuilding your credit and your financial worth. So how do we go about finding those individual banks that will give us a second chance for new financial life?

If you would have suffered the loss only 10 years ago it would’ve been extremely difficult as few banks would’ve given you the opportunity to help reestablish your credit. but now thanks to the economic downturn and the fact that hundreds of thousands of people are going through the same situation you are, a new segment of the financial industry has opened the service people in your situation. So fortunately for you second chance banking is no longer a dream a reality. And it is important to take that opportunity today to get back on the road to financial freedom!

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Free Auto Insurance Quotes – Your Best Car Insurance Deal

Getting free quotes online these days is easy. Free quotes for your insurance needs are readily available from so many websites on the internet. This websites have direct links to different insurance companies and are mostly owned by their agents and trusted affiliates.

Getting quotes from these sites means that you are getting trusted and reliable quotes and makes you sure about what the insurance companies are looking out for; this make you get the better package and deal from the cover providers.

A good website for getting your auto insurance free quotes will link you to many auto cover providers, these providers will now classify you in categories depending on the details you provided when filling their forms.

Now, use the different classifications to get your ideal car insurance cover service. Note here that different companies have different requirements with which they use to classify the auto insurance policy buyer.

Getting your free quotes online for your auto insurance cover is the beginning of the journey to lower rates for you and enjoying your desired car insurance cover deal. In a new year like this, you will need to move around and visit people. This simply means more use of your automobile; it is a known fact that people are more careless during times of celebration and merry making. You should endeavor to avoid driving after taking some sips of alcohol with friends and loved ones.

Get to know the auto insurance company rules and regulations. Understand what is needed for your to enjoy their bonuses and what benefits are given during times like these; times when people move around more, socialize and have fun with loved ones and family members. The risks are higher but there should be considerations even with higher risks and this should be made clear to you.

Every driver and car owner needs the best car cover deal. Most times, how to get this package is the challenge.

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3 Alternative Investments for 2012

As fears of a debt crisis in the Eurozone converge with poor economic data from the US, investors turn away from volatile traditional investment assets such as equities and bonds, choosing instead to investigate a range of alternative investments that provide shelter for the value of capital, and are less affected by market ‘noise’.

Here are three alternative investment strategies that are proving popular with investors heading towards 2012.

  • Coins and Stamps

Numismatic investment (investing in coins) and philatelic Investment (investing in stamps) is one area that is receiving an increased attention. As with many alternative investments, the value of rare coins and stamps is driven by supply and demand. The rarer an item, the greater the value, although with coin investing the value of the metal is also a considered factor in the value of the coin, such as is the case with gold coins for example.

Investing in stamps was popular in the 1970s, but the bubble burst and prices took many years to recover. Investing in stamps, as with any type of investment in collectibles, require in-depth knowledge and skill to identify and value the assets.

With coins, many gold coins are still considered to be legal tender in the UK, and therefore offer tax advantages with regard to capital gains tax.

  • Timber Investments

Another of my current selection of alternative investments would be to invest in trees. As tress grow no matter what happens in the financial markets, investing in timber plantations, either directly or through an investment fund or timber business, provide the investor with growth whilst the performance of other assets may falter.

Returns from timber investments are three-fold; the majority of return comes from the tree growing into valuable timber over many years, also, the price per unit of timber (usually cubic metres) also rises, with many of the main indices in developed markets showing timber prices rising by around 6% per annum. Finally, in some cases investors may also profit from increases in the value of the land on which the plantation is established.

  • Forex

The third and final of this small selection of alternative investments is Forex, or foreign exchange. This is a highly risky investment strategy, and can inv9ovle betting for or against the movement in value of one currency against another.

Investors may place their bet per unit of a rise or fall in value, and can easily lose more than the value of their original stake if the currency moves the wrong way.

So, there are a great many alternative investments to consider for the investor keen to divorce the performance of their portfolio from the performance of traditional markets.

According to recent research, institutional investors are holding up to 25% of their investment portfolios in alternatives in an effort to rebuild value lost after the recent economic crisis of 2008.

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Create A Real Estate Niche Market And Double Your Income!

For the longest time now Real Estate Agents have come into the industry and tried to eke out a living by chasing every opportunity that presents itself. They are willing to drive long distances and work crazy hours just for a chance to earn a commission.

They will try to make themselves available to anyone and everyone. Which in turn spreads them quite thin.

What if there was a way to have people come to you? To close the door on all types of Real Estate and concentrate on one particular type. To have them call you because you are considered an authority in one type of Real Estate? To create a Niche Market!

Well this is what some savvy Real Estate Pro’s have done and their real estate careers have taken off.

But Marty, wouldn’t that Pigeon Hole me to one particular aspect of Real Estate Sales? Well let’s look at an example in the real world of this happening.

If we look at the Hollywood Actor Danny Trejo, he is likely the most Pigeon holed actor I can think of in movies. He consistently shows up as the bad guy. He has a rough and tough look about him and usually plays the villain in a lot of movies.

He is not often considered for a leading man role in Hollywood but rather he is relegated to villain roles. Oh and by the way, he starred in 27 television and movies in 2010! Not bad for someone who is Pigeon Holed.

Not to mention his net worth is now more than 8 million dollars!

You see, he created a Niche Market for himself.

Anytime a producer needs someone for a villain role, he gets the call. Wouldn’t it be great if every time someone needed to buy or sell a particular type of Real Estate, we got the call?

What I’m talking about is becoming a Real Estate Specialist in a particular sector of Real Estate. Creating a Niche market.

By becoming the “go to” person, you set yourself up as one of very few who are able to provide outstanding service and information that another REALTOR would not be able to provide.

Some examples of Realtors becoming authorities in their fields would be:

  1. First time Buyer Specialist
  2. A local Heritage home Agent
  3. A Real Estate Pro who works only with Investment Properties
  4. The Condo King!
  5. A Relocation Specialist

You get the picture.

By setting yourself up as a specialist in one aspect of Real Estate, you are no longer competing with the masses. You are telling the public that this is what I do and I do it better than anyone else!

But Marty, why would I want to Pigeon Hole myself into one box? Why would I want to shy away from other sales? Wouldn’t that work against me?

A great point for sure. But think about it this way.

Let’s say you have to get an operation, worse still let’s say you need brain surgery. Would you let your family doctor perform the surgery or would you look for a specialist like a Neural Surgeon?

I think you can see the value in seeking out the Neural Surgeon. They are going to know how to do one thing, and that’s brain surgery. They do it day in and day out. That’s what they do. They are seen as the experts.

They make a great living at what they do by providing outstanding service that could not be provided by most doctors.

The same could be said about car mechanics. If you have an European car like a Mercedes, will you be taking it to a local garage or would you seek out a Mercedes specialist that works on their cars night and day?

I think you see where I’m going with this. If it’s feasible in your area, then consider becoming a specialist in one type of real estate. Create a Niche market for yourself and excel at that Niche.

Now remember in order to be a specialist or to be perceived as the expert, you will need to back it up. Just telling people you are the expert doesn’t make you one. You will need to provide outstanding service and information about your chosen niche of choice.

If we use the Condo King example above, you will need to set yourself apart from other Real Estate Agents by learning everything you can about your local Condo market. Things like pricing and sales are obvious. But what about learning all the condo fees for each building? What and when a new special assessment may be levied against the condo owners. You would need to learn which building are designated for seniors, which buildings allow pets, and so on.

You would need to figure out which buildings have better and more parking or which buildings have local transit to their doorsteps. Which buildings have the better amenities and which buildings have better views.

Any information you can provide to your clients above and beyond what other real estate agents are providing will set you apart. Over time, you will find that people will be seeking you out to represent them in Buying or Selling.

You will also notice other real estate agents will be referring you to their clients knowing that you know more than they do. They should know that you provide outstanding service and more importantly, will keep their clients happy and make them look good as well.

This is a strategy that you may want to think about as an option for your Real Estate Career.

Please do me a favor, if you are already doing this in your Real Estate Career then let us know in the comments below so we can share this with other Real Estate Agents who may be thinking about trying this strategy in their market place.

All the best and good luck!

MARTY GREEN

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