VA Home Loans With 100% Financing For Veterans and Active Military Members
I thought it would be prudent to discus some of the outstanding benefits of the VA Home loan program at the time when the banks in our country are going through an exceptionally difficult time thereby, hindering numerous home buyers from obtaining mortgage financing without perfect credit and a down payment. Currently the VA home loan as I like to say is “the last of the Mohicans” in regards to 100% financing for home purchase and now refinance.In the past few years we’ve seen both conventional loans and FHA loans tighten their credit and down payment requirements. At the time of this article both programs require 3% down as a minimum down payment. FHA will begin to require 3.5% down starting in January 1, 2009. Not only that but each require expensive monthly mortgage insurance premiums to insure the lenders in case of loan default (think of it as foreclosure insurance), with premiums on the rise.That takes us back to some of the main advantages of the VA home loan.The VA mortgage loan is 100% financing with no down payment required.
As of the middle of 2008 the maximum loan amount is now dependent on the Freddie Mac county specific loan limits. Some high cost counties in California and New York for example can have limits as high as $729,500 with zero down.
No monthly Mortgage Insurance Premiums. This is a huge benefit and can save veteran’s possibly hundreds of dollars a month depending on loan size and credit score.
No prepayment penalty.
Credit flexibility – perfect credit isn’t required but poor credit borrowers will still have obstacles
Interest rates are competitive with conventional loans
New – VA refinance cash out rules have just been updated so that homeowners can refinance up to 100% of the value of their home. Previous to this it had been capped at 90%.There several advantages and really too many to list, but if you are an eligible veteran and thinking of purchasing or refinancing your existing mortgage. You need to at least explore the VA home loan option before you make your mortgage decision. I suggest you speak with a VA Lender that specializes in VA financing. Many lenders out there may have the ability to close a VA loans but the underwriting guidelines are very confusing and problems can arise with inexperience loan officers.
Beginners Photography – Digital Photography Tips For Beginners
If you want to grow in beginners photography or digital photography you are going to want some beginners photography tips. Digital photography, especially when using an SLR, is a whole new world. Here are some photography tips for beginners photography that I think will help get you going in the right direction.Choose a CameraSelecting an SLR can be confusing. Websites and forums or companies like B&H Photo can help you select one that fits your specific use, whether it is personal or professional.Learn the BasicsThere are some basic rules in beginners photography that will help start you on the path to becoming successful in digital photography. The first is to learn the relationship between aperture and shutter speed in exposure. In digital photography, the aperture controls the size of the opening in the lens, and the shutter speed controls how long the shutter is open. To get the right amount of light, you need to control these two settings properly. A really wide opening along with leaving the shutter open for too long makes your photo too exposed to light and it will look washed out and colorless. The opposite is also true. Using your manual, learn how to change these settings to let the right amount of light into the lens.Practice, Practice, PracticeOnce you have got your camera and have learned the beginners photography basics, you need to go out and practice. This process can be long and frustrating, but stick with it and don’t give up! The more you practice, the more you will learn from them. Websites like digital-photography-school.com have forums where you can have your photos critiqued and learn from suggestions from professional photographers.Start Making MoneyOnce you have down the basics and have practiced and received advice from professionals, use your digital photography skills to start making some additional income. Find websites, forums and other resources that will allow you to use your newfound beginners photography skills to generate some supplemental income under my website listed below. Even people with just beginners photography skills can earn some extra income by learning the basics and practicing.
Top 3 Reasons Small Businesses Fail at Marketing
I often speak to groups of small business owners and I keep hearing the same comment over and over again with many of them saying that marketers don’t matter or marketing doesn’t matter anymore.There are many reasons I’ve heard as to why marketing doesn’t matter: “all my business comes by referral,” “I never spent money on marketing and my business grew,” “marketing is a waste of money,” “I see no value in marketing,” “marketing is all luck so why spend money on it,” and so on.Oh, how they are so very wrong! Below are the top 3 reasons why:1. Their definition of marketing is wrongWhen business owners tell me that marketing doesn’t matter, they usually have a totally different understanding of what marketing is than those who recognise how marketing contributes to business goals where it enables you to charge the most money you can for your services and products.Marketing is first about spending time building a solid foundation based on strategy before proposing a series of tactics aimed at lifting sales. Until the business finds a way to change the context of how their ideal customer views what they do, and then becomes become the obvious choice provider, they’ll find that their marketing efforts never seem to build momentum or gain any return on investment.You must be able to enter the conversation taking place in the head of your customers. Or, to look at it in a different way, to be able to address the number one question on your customer’s mind at exactly the right time.So, how do you do this? The conversation that is taking place in every prospective customer’s mind revolves around two major points. There is a problem they have, and that they don’t want… and there is a result that they want, and they don’t have.Those who often misunderstand marketing believe that it is only about advertising campaigns, brochures, flyers, website, email marketing, SEO, tradeshows, social media, copy, etc. These are the tactics – the way you implement your marketing. I’d argue that marketing is essentially the core of business strategy because it is about understanding the current customer, tapping into their fears, their goals and their aspirations and then creating products and services that the ideal customer is willing to buy from a brand they now they know, like and trust.2. They believe either they or their co-worker can do itSometimes in the “do it all yourself” world of small business (or even big business when it comes to it), it’s difficult to identify the areas that require outside help. A business may be able to set up their newsletter, add plugins to WordPress, write a Facebook or LinkedIn post, and clumsily create header graphics, but you need somebody who is trained, practiced, and skilled at looking strategically and holistically at the marketplace, understanding the customer, and then creating unique opportunities based on this understanding.Just think about it for a minute; just because you have a calculator and excel does that mean you are an accountant? If you have a ruler, pencil and have watched some episodes of Grand Designs – does that make you an architect? If you post regularly to your friends on Facebook and Instagram – does that mean you are a social media expert?So why do small businesses believe that by buying a Mac and some software they will become a designer, marketer and communications expert?It needs to be led by a strategic marketer who can then develop an integrated marketing approach. Can you or your co-worker do this? In some cases, you can. But those who can are most likely to either come from marketing or consulting backgrounds where they have transferable skills and experience defining AND delivering against a growth strategy.If you are a small business, you need somebody who will have a very solid, process, streamlined, consistent, repeatable approach. First, they will research and learn about your company in great depth, the dynamics of the marketplace and identify shifts, trends, and changes. From there, the strategic marketer will be able to present the different elements of your marketing plan in logical order of how you should construct them, update them, or revise them; and identify the key areas you should be focusing on – be it generating leads, converting leads, increasing transactions right down to changing prices.3. They hire the wrong marketing helpThere is a huge misunderstanding around marketing strategy, marketing tactics, and marketing execution.There is a difference between being strategically capable, creatively capable and executionally capable.Small business owners don’t hire a strategic marketing coach/firm to develop creative graphics and headers; nor should you hire an advertising/graphic design agency to handle marketing strategy. A small business doesn’t need to hire a consultant or a firm who is a strong marketing executor when their biggest need is a strategy for sustainable growth. You may get more attention, but not the best results.