Banks and financial institutions sometimes make home refinancing or mortgage modification sound extremely complicated, or even intimidating. Besides the initial security procedure like confirming your identity, date of birth, and social security number, the process is actual surprisingly simple.

Mortgage Modification Qualifications

1. The home must be the primary residence.

Those looking to modify their mortgages on a second home, holiday home or investment home will be turned down. The mortgage modification process was created specifically for peoples primary homes.

In reality if you do happen to own a second home you most likely won’t be approved to begin with.

2. Be honest with your bank or lender.

It is extremely important to be completely truthful with your lender or bank when giving personal financial information. They use that information to create a new agreement. Do not try to make your financial situation better than it is or worse than it is, lying and cheating won’t get you anywhere.

3. Be prepared to pay 30% of your income towards your loan.

The guideline for new mortgages that have been modified is 30% of your monthly income. It sounds like a huge chunk but it reality odds are you are paying more than that right now. Also always be aware of any fees that you are being charged. Don’t let anyone take advantage of you and your situation.

Different banks and lenders ask for different information, they all have different protocols. Remember that you are a customer and that you are repaying them with interest. You are not a charity case.

Many banks and lenders are given government cash incentives for working with struggling homeowners so make sure you shop around and are comfortable with the terms of the loan. Remember that doing research and asking for a quote does not mean that you are obligated to sign anything.

It is also a good idea for an experience legal, mortgage loan, professional to review your home loan modification agreement to make sure that everything is in order. Even if you have to pay a professional to review the agreement it will be worth while because of the peace of mind.

They can check for any hidden loop holes or extra unnecessary fees. If you are not happy with the agreement or unsure of any part of it, keep in mind that you can always turn it down.

Some of the women in what used to be the honourable Houses of Westminster are revolting (insert your own joke here). Apparently the prospect of losing the privilege of a second home and travel allowances has sparked a protest.

MPs are already smarting at the recommendations made by Sir Christopher Kelly to try and clean up and restore the reputation of British politicians, blighted by The Daily Telegraph’s devastating revelations of their expenses abuse. The women on both sides of the house living within an hour’s commute to London, claim that not having a second London home to go to when they work late would leave them open to the vagaries of public transport and the streets of London, with the possibility of being mugged or raped. Oh, you poor things. Does this mean you’ll have to live the life of the rest of us? Perish the thought you’d be bought down to the same level as those of us who don’t have the means to get a taxi home, that have to use public transport to get to work at all hours of the night like cleaners and nurses, that have to negotiate the streets of London, that have to swallow silly statistics that tell us we’re safer than ever when experience tells us we’re not. Not for us a Police escort and a complementary Kevlar vest as we go about our business like Harriet Harman did as part of her walkabout in beautiful Peckham last year. If they’re protesting about the potential danger to their person it proves their policies haven’t worked. Perhaps a little sojourn to planet reality may make for better investments and laws, because if these people have to come off their ivory towers, they’ll do anything to make it better for themselves and ultimately, us.

The following phrase has been used so often it’s now become the mantra of the nation whenever we hear an MP complaining of their lot, with not a clue how we struggle to live within the laws of their making – “they just don’t get it.”

Sometimes moving doesn’t require the full-court press of relocated an entire household of possessions. Maybe you’re a student moving into a dorm or apartment at school, or a senior downsizing from a home to a retirement apartment or senior living facility, or possibly you have a second home by the lake or for vacations and need relocate some possessions to the second home. The answer for any of these scenarios is the goNavis Navis Pack & Ship for small moving needs.

Traditional full-household moving services can be expensive, and if you only have small moving needs you can end up paying for unused service if your total move comes in under a minimum weight fee. Navis’s Pack & Ship has no minimum because it’s designed for small moves. The service can even save money over do-it-yourself moves when you take the total cost into account. Costs such as time spent, moving vehicle rental, fuel and more.

Hit the link for the full story on Pack & Ship from goNavis.

Here’s a sample from the link:

Why large movers, residential customers, retirement communities, and commercial shippers look to Navis Pack & Ship for small moving solutions:

1. Safety: We ensure that your small move shipment of furniture, heirlooms, or other fragile, large, awkward, and valuable items are delivered intact, on time, on budget, and with the pick up and delivery options that best suit your needs.

2. Hassle-free: Moving is stressful. We take care of all your small move headaches from anywhere in the US and Canada to anywhere in the world.

3. Temporary storage: If you’re a student who needs storage for the summer, or a senior who needs storage during your transition, we can ship your small move to our warehouse and deliver your goods to you later.

4. No hidden charges: We never perform a small move or handle a shipment without providing you with a clear, written estimate of our price and services.

5. Protection: Transit insurance is available on everything we pack and ship.

With NCAA Football reaching its half-way mark, by now, your team is either destined for a bowl, nowhere or somewhere on the bubble. Great sports journalism about NCAA Football can still be quite helpful for following your favorite team. Look no futher than Heather Dinich’s blog about the Atlantic Coast Conference for all the latest insights.

Halfbacks Shine Beyond Football

The only thing better than following the star halfbacks of the ACC or any athletic conference is becoming a “halfback” yourself. The trend in those thinking about retirement in areas a little closer to their first home caught on in the 1990s, partly due to Del Webb Corporation’s aggressive and successful publicity efforts, but living in the coastal or mountain Carolinas has become mainstream for retirees and pre-retirees plotting out their golden years.

Private Communities Newswire welcomes comments on this post from folks who define themselves as halfbacks, or those who have relocated recently to college and university towns for the excitement and energy that emerges when the home time is winning.

Increased tourism, increased flight routes brings Boom time in Morocco.

The future of Moroccan tourism looks set to exceed expectations.

This year has seen an increase in the tourist numbers for Morocco as European visitors take advantage of a range of new flights into the country.

Morocco offers a wonderful climate, long sunny days, a rich and colourful culture and a wonderfully diverse gastronomical delights.

Let us show you what everybody else is talking about…

Again the shelter and housing situation in Thailand is affordable and has something for everybody, in every price range.

From a very basic apartment rental starting at $100 a month  to executive $1000 a month rentals with infinity swimming pools, saunas, fitness centers, tennis, mini-mart, restaurant and fine silver. 

Or buying a basic studio condo in Bangkok Thailand from $19,000 to a luxurious $297,000 executive quality penthouse condo or 4 bedroom house. Many nice Thai condos to choose from in the $60,000 price range.

Backpacker or corporate executive, there is something suitable for every one and every budget. 

Housing in Thailand is affordable buy a condo join the club Players Club Intl

Retire to Thailand and Live like a King for pennies on the dollar

We have what you’re looking for. Thousands of investment properties / condos to choose from, in all price ranges from as low as $19,000 and on up.

By Phone 1-850-259-7597 Graham in USA office
By E-mail at playersclubintl@yahoo.com Bill in Thailand office.
Leave a comment in the box below and click submit comment.

PlayersClubIntl.com 2004-2010

It is legal for foreigners to buy a condo in Thailand and have the deed of title in your personal name.

Some retiree’s prefer to rent a high standard serviced apartment. Others prefer owning their own condo in Thailand. The choice is yours.

Thai condos make great foreign property investments and winter vacation second homes.

For more information on the thousands of properties available contact us at:

phone: 1-850-259-7597  GRAHAM in Players Club Intl USA Office

email: playersclubintl@yahoo.com  BILL in PlayersClubIntl.com THAILAND Office

ask a question / submit comment in box below. We have what you’re looking for.

MREs encouraged to invest in Morocco.

A new Moroccan-European program, dubbed “FACE Maroc”, aiming to encourage Moroccans residing abroad (MRE) to invest in their country of origin, was launched late last week in Casablanca.

To find more about this article please contact us:

For many, retirement is a time when people shift priorities and put their own needs first. One of the most important choices they need to make is where to live in retirement. Choosing the right community and home is an important and challenging decision.

Ask yourself, do you want to:

• Remain in the home you occupied before retirement?

• Remain close to your present community, but move to a different home?

• Move to another county or state, or to a different climate?

• Move into your present vacation property?

Where to Live

If you lean toward moving to another region, start reviewing options based on general climate, seasonal changes, lifestyle, and proximity to family and friends.

For example, the Southeast is becoming a popular destination. It has more temperate climates than the Northeast, and golf and outdoor recreation are abundant. The region offers a wide range of living environments from which to choose: coastal, mountain, woodland, rural, and both planned and urban communities. But, while Florida has almost year around sunshine, the Carolinas offer seasonal change.

Many people choose to live where they play. If finances allow it, some may consider the owning two or more homes so they can change their address along with the seasons. This is one of the reasons why second home sales have increased dramatically over the past few years.

When you’ve narrowed it down to a few possible destinations, compare them on the basis of these factors:

Financial

• Estimate the income you’ll need to retire in that area

• Evaluate your resources and tax consequences

• Speak with your financial advisors about how long your retirement resources can last in any given area

Housing

• Research average home sale prices and cost of living in areas you like

• Factor in costs such as property taxes and utilities.

Climate

• Review summer and winter comfort factors, such as high temperatures, humidity, or snow and ice.

• Look at psychological factors such as excessive cloudiness or rain or fog.

Personal Safety

• Research violent crime and property crime rates in areas you like

• Find details in the FBI’s Crime Index, and local police departments.

Services

• Investigate the supply, availability, and quality of health care, public transportation, and continuing education in each area.

Employment

• Evaluate the potential for pursuing a part-time or full-time second career.

Leisure Living

• Find out if the area offers the variety and quality of restaurants, cultural events, and recreational activities you want

When researching your options, you may want to start with the Internet, where there is a wealth of information. Other resources include your local library, trade associations such as the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), local organizations in the areas of interest, visitor bureaus, Chambers of Commerce, local newspapers and vacation guides.

Retirement can be the best time of your life. Be sure to plan it wisely.

Moroccan industrialists are gaining confidence as the economy continues to grow.

A recent survey aimed at assessing the situation in the manufacturing industry, energy, mining, and construction and public works sectors, revealed that most industrialists are reporting an improvement in business.

To find out more about this article please contact us:

We saw rapid appreciation and fast responses by buyers in the U.S. real estate market from 2002  through 2005.  This response was caused by the fact that demand for real estate was at an all-time high while the supply was limited. Causing rapid appreciation, with home sellers receiving multiple offers within days or even hours. At one time during that period, homes in  southern California were selling, on average, at 18% above the listed  price – the result of a market condition where demand outstripped  supply. 

Positive situations cause positive outcomes, and vice versa. For example, a hot economic growth leads to a hot real estate market and strong appreciation of homes, while loss of jobs and a languishing economy produce exactly the opposite effect.

As the baby boom generation matured, it fueled  an explosion in second home purchases so strong that more than 21% of 2004 U.S. home sales were second home purchases – most  acquired by aging baby boomers. This created desire for additional housing that affected the construction and home values in second  home markets nationwide.

Periods of rapid real estate appreciation are followed by stagnant periods where values stabilize or even decrease. By acquiring marketplace knowledge, you can foresee trends. This stagnant period is about to end.  The up-cycle market is around the corner.  Rates are the lowest that they have ever been, and prices are at the lowest they have ever been.  Buyers!!! This is the time to buy!!!! 

Maybe it is the season, but I started thinking of ghosts the other day.

Ghosts haunt our summer cottage. We heard them though never saw them.

We hope they like us.

It is easy to be a ghost in our cottage, built in 1896 in a clearing off a river on the border with Norrland, and with only a handful of owners and occupants. Each seems to have passed on the house more or less intact, meaning furnished. So there are handmade rocking chairs and phone books from the 1950s with my children’s great-grandfather’s name and phone number listed. There are Archie comic books from the 80s (Matt Dillon posters!) and two numbered cast iron wood stoves built into the walls. Plus, we have all the original paperwork, handwritten deeds and tax papers.

It keeps a ghost comfortable, and gives us a real sense of place, even if we only bought the place in June, and now face a winter away from our uninsulated cottage.

We had much the same situation back in Port Jervis, New York, our gritty railroad city on the Delaware River. We bought an older house with an attic full of old hangers and an ironing board from Sears in the 1920s and high school yearbooks from the 1930s, complete with plays written by the kids who grew up in the Victorian house on the city’s grandest street. At our closing, the lawyer for the seller told us he used to get his hair cut in our basement, which explained the extra door, the too-nice wood cabinets, and the dangerous, built-in space heater.

But that family left bad vibes, abandoning the house essentially for life on Long Island, as far as I could tell, renting it for decades with no upkeep. Its context came out of that neglect.. And that haunted us, even without any ghosts – the dead rats in the ceilings, the bat infestation in the attic, the lead paint chipping and peeling and seeping into our daughter’s blood.

Our Swedish cottage in the clearing surrounded by pine and apple and birch trees has a more humble (no water in what was once poor countryside versus big Victorian in a thriving (now decaying) railroad hub) feeling. In our Swedish cottage, we felt all summer the accumulation of quiet years and fires in the stoves and of lives lived simply, even if they were not simple.

I think I like our ghosts already.

Oxford Business Group, underlined in its latest report released on Friday the landscape changes in Morocco, in particular – the telecoms sector.

“Landscape changes are afoot in Morocco’s fast-growing telecoms sector,” the London-based OBG said, citing the example of increasing the shares of local companies in Meditel, second mobile phone operator in the north African country.

Meditel, which started in 2000, is Morocco’s first private operator, holding 36.69% of the market, the company had registered a 17% growth in client base (to 7.4m) over the first three quarters of 2008.

Maroc Telecom (MT), Meditel’s biggest competitor, holds 60.71% of the market.

Meditel and MT operated a duopoly until 2008, when the state regulator Agence Nationale de Réglementation des Télécommunications waved in Wana, which holds a tiny share (2.6%) of the voice market, this new player has captured a majority of the 3G market (69.11%).

To find out more this article please contact us:

The ambassador of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland to Morocco, Timothy Colin Morris, said that the United Kingdom “has very deep respect” for Morocco’s “long history of religious tolerance and diversity,” highlighting “the enormous contribution of British Muslims in our country.”

In an interview published Monday by the Moroccan Daily [Le Matin du Sahara et du Maghreb], Timothy Colin Morris said “the Moroccan community in the United Kingdom makes a very important contribution to the British economy.”

To find out more about this article please contact us:

Tourist numbers up by 8% in 2009,

About 5 million tourists visited Morocco in the year to July 2009, registering an increase of 8% compared to the same period last year, (figures provided by the Morocco Tourism Ministry).

As per the norm, French tourists come first with 1.94 million (+8%), followed by neighbors Spain with 1.11 million (+14 %) and Belgium with 291,000 (+16 %).

Tourists from Holland came in the fourth position as they reached 273,000, followed by those from Germany (259,000), Britain (209,000) and Italy (186,000).

To find out more about this article please contact us:

belting to out malay jiwangz lyrics in the middle of the night has never been this liberating. not that i LIKE drunk singing and not that i was drunk, but i bet i sounded like one. epic fail.

and i tasted vox pop for the first time at an ungodly 8am on a saturday morning. though have yet to deal with the transcribing issues, but that can wait. and what’s with me sounding malay all the time. need to channel more ang moh-ness in me.

home, away from home. worth the distance, minus the slight dumbfcuked flashbacks every now and then.

now, i might just get used to this routine.

Thinking about more and look at the number of For Sale signs that are turning into For Rent signs or For Lease signs.  What about that deal that fell through again?  For some it’s a busy market but for many it’s dry and slow and a hard push to the finish line when a deal finally makes it to escrow.  The investors are back because the best deals are being gobbled up.  But that leaves many, many deals that are good but not “the best”.  It’s still the time to buy in the desert and will probably be this way for another 3 to 6 months.

Find it here.

Disney Vacation Club – Secrets Revealed

Written August 26, 2009 by Margie Casey, ByReferralOnly Consultant

After years of saving, planning and working hard, baby boomers are searching for retirement and second home options. If you love to travel and plan to create permanent memories for your kids and grandchildren, check out the Disney Vacation Club. At first, I thought this is great for one week a year, but what about the other 51 weeks? What if I am not interested in going to a Disney Resort every time?

As I studied this program, I began to see the brilliance of the Disney dream makers at it again.  Here is a quick overview of the features of their program and then we will calculate comparing this to owning a second home:

• You purchase a real estate ownership interest which includes Vacation Points
• You can break up these points into individual nights, long weekends, mid week stays  creating complete flexibility
• You can use your Vacation Points anytime of the year 
• In addition to Disney properties, members have access to the global RCI system
  • 500+ World Class properties in Canada, Mexico, USA, Caribbean, Central America and South America
  • Disney Cruise Line
• The number of points per night to use all the properties, shown on the points charts today is locked in during the 33-50 years of ownership, this will not change
• If you do not have enough points, you can borrow from the next year or save this year’s points to add to next year.  They call this borrowing or banking points
• Vacation homes are not hotel rooms. They are furnished with the luxurious comforts of home and have full kitchens/dining areas
• You can gift Vacation Points
• You can bring family/friends with you during your stay
• You can transfer or will your ownership interest

Disney Vacation Club’s flexibility makes it not a traditional time share. Now, let’s crunch some numbers.  If you purchased a studio real estate ownership interest in Bay Lake Tower at Walt Disney’s Contemporary Resort for $17,920*, this comes with 160 Vacation Points. Would you agree that 12 weeks a year is a realistic combined time frame that most people actually occupy their second homes?  If you are thinking 6 months, keep in mind, the flexibility and choices of Disney Vacation Club might make it worth staying home!  

In my observation, the common target price of Baby Boomer buyers today searching for a second home is $350K. Let’s assume a buyer pays cash for the home. Depending on where they choose, real estate taxes, insurance and maintenance conservatively is $5K per year.  If buyers choose to live in a mid range amenitized community, add another $4K a year to be a member.

Disney Vacation Club provides a DVD in their brochure.  Patrick, spokesman on the DVD, gives a hypothetical example of one week real estate interest that has 215 Vacation Points being broken into two week stays during off season/ week day evenings.  To obtain our full 12 weeks, let’s calculate hypothetically purchasing six real estate ownership interests with a total 960 Vacation Points.

$17,920 x 6 studio real estate interests at Bay Lake Tower/Disney Contemporary Resort = $107,520*     

960 Vacation Points – Annual Dues $ 3,523.20    ($3.67 per 1 point)

Spending $107,520 initially gives you the capability of traveling one week a month with your spouse and/or grandchildren all over the world, creating priceless memories for the next 33-50 years.  You would keep $242K cash in your bank account of the $350K you had planned to spend on a second home.  This provides plenty of resources for airfare, meals when a full kitchen is not available, and gas using the interest income from the $242K. For some, in time, the novelty diminishes of owning a second home.  Disney Vacation Club is exciting, fresh and playful, just what your grandchildren dream of.

The downside, Disney Vacation Club is a leasehold interest between 33-50 years.  Once the time is up, there is no value of the real estate ownership interest.

If you love to travel, love to explore and want your golden years to be extraordinary, I believe Disney Vacation Club is worth considering. For more information, call 1-888-DVC-MAGIC.

http://dvc.disney.go.com/dvc/index

*Prices are subject to change.

Morocco is now ranked as the third best destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the African continent for the 2009-2010 fiscal year closeley behind South Africa and Egypt.

The report, titled “African Countries of the Future 2009-2010″, was developed by a panel of independent experts, ranking 59 African countries according to the results from the above criteria.

The FDI Intelligence is a specialist division from the Financial Times Ltd that provides products, services and business tools that allow companies and economic development organizations to make informed decisions regarding foreign direct investment.

Let us show you what everybody else is talking about…

I always thought the term “second home” was really lame. In fact, I still kind of do, which makes me slightly reluctant to call this post that, but in this case, I really do feel as though what I will talk about, is really, my second home.

Every year, since I was 2 weeks old, I have went to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I have watched it become a large and expansive tourist attraction it is today. When I first started going, there was no Planet Hollywood or Hard Rock Cafe, there were no large shopping centers and millions restaurants. I remember there was a large water park and a few buffets, and of course, than ever growing, beach shops like Wings, Eagles and Pacific (all which house the same stock of Myrtle Beach memorabilia, which I somehow get suckered into buying, every single year, so that is 23 years worth of Myrtle Beach crap now).

The reason I love this place so much, is not the amazing beach I stay on, and the way the breeze hits my face and gives me the faint taste on salt in my mouth. It’s not the sun beating down with blue skys as it’s backdrop, and the thousands of things to do (or the lack of needing anything to do).

It’s the overwhelming feeling of comfort I get the minute I arrive at the place I stay, or even when my plane lands on the ground at the airport. It’s the memories I get playing on the beach when I was little, and the comfort of knowing I can drive anywhere and not get lost because I have driven there for so long.

When I say it’s my second home, it’s because it is. I know it as well as I know my own home. And that is why I am not afraid to call it my second home…

Morocco has announced an economic growth forecast of 5.3 percent in 2009 and another 2.4 percent for 2010, though saying the figures would also depend on the results of the agricultural season in 2009.

According to a release issued in Rabat by the High Commissariat for Planning (ACP), which cited non-farm activities in 2009 the economy will experience an increase of 2.3 percent, the lowest in the last decade.

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While it would be foolish to suggest that any country is immune from the worldwide slowdown, official figures from Morocco suggest that the country is still in the middle of a substantial growth period which will see the economy grow by in excess of 6% this year.

However, there is still a great dependence on overseas property investors and overseas visitors which will at some point catch-up with the ongoing developments in the country.

Let us show you what everybody else is talking about…