Have you ever wanted something, knew what steps to take to get it, and encountered a roadblock? These roadblocks for many of us in this instant-gratification world are barriers to information. As it relates to real estate, we get paid for access and perseverance. In short if we let phone calls go to voicemail, put off emailing someone back quickly, business is lost forever.
The lure of playing the lottery and winning millions for doing nothing might sound hard to do. The odds of winning are extremely low and even lower if no ticket is bought. Successfully getting a loan modification has a lot in common with winning a lottery jackpot. Getting your lender to agree to a drastic reduction in payments and principal reduction is similar to winning the lottery. The old adage, “the lottery is for those who don’t know how to do math” is very true. Less than 1% of all loan modifications become permanent.
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal points out a new trend in trying to help underwater borrowers- Loan Vultures. Scavenger funds are growing in numbers, however, they are receiving friction from lenders. According to the Wall Street Journal, “Most delinquent mortgages aren’t available for sale because they are locked up in so-called private-label securities (the ones packaged by Wall Street during the boom) or in the hands of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.”
The word “Tampa” comes from the Calusa (sometimes spelled Caloosa) Indians. The Calusa Indians lived in West Central and South West Florida until being virtually wiped out by explorers (and their diseases) between 1500 and sometime into the 1800’s. The Calusa called this place Tanpa (with an “N”), which translates to “sticks of fire.” Some have said that this refers to the abundance of kindling and driftwood along the Hillsborough river (sticks to make fire), but I agree with those that say it is a reference to the constant barrage of lightning storms in the area (sticks made of fire). Yes, Tampa Bay is known as the lightning capital of the US. When the white people came and took this land from the Indians, they had a difficult time pronouncing Tanpa, and took it upon themselves to change the N to an M.
Welcome to the lightning capital of the world- “Sticks of Fire.” Here’s how to caluculate the distance of a strike: Calculate-the-Distance-from-Lightning
Lauren’s Kids was founded by child abuse victim, survivor and educator Lauren Book-Lim. The organization educates adults and children about sexual abuse topics through an in school curriculum, a 24-hour Crisis Hotline and speaking engagements around the country. The ultimate goal is to raise funds for the creation of a Crisis Center for Children and their families coping with the aftermath of sexual abuse.
Lauren Book-Lim, a victim and now a Survivor of child abuse, is nurturing hope for kids and their families by telling her story:
http://www.laurenskids.org
Here is a recent email from Lauren about the All-Star Game. We are very proud of her passionate dedication to raising awareness of this kind. continue reading…
