Football Fans 'Up Against It'

Football Fans 'Up Against It'
Consumers are discovering "life is getting tougher" when it
comes to managing their finances, figures from Virgin Money
have revealed.

The announcement comes as the financial services firm
reports that the surging cost of attending football matches
is causing fewer fans to go to live games. According to the
company, increasing expenses will see about one in ten
(nine per cent) Premiership supporters reduce how many
times they will get behind their team in person, as they
face rising pressure on areas of their finances such as
credit cards and personal loans.

Overall, Middlesbrough and Chelsea fans are said to be the
most apathetic in watching live games as 24 and 19 per cent
of supporters from these clubs claim that they will not be
attending their respective stadiums as much. On the other
hand, those following Blackburn Rovers are shown to be the
least likely to reduce their attendance as only two per
cent are considering going to less games.

Meanwhile, consumers are reported to be "feeling the pinch"
as they start to feel the effects of five base rate rises
by the Bank of England since August 2006. And with a
decrease in disposable income noted, in addition to a rise
in football-related costs, the company suggests that
attendances could be set to dwindle more in the future as
less money is spent on merchandise.

John Franklin, spokesperson for Virgin Money, said: "The
ordinary football fan is up against it this year. While
it's true that some clubs have frozen or even reduced
ticket prices, our analysis shows that the overall cost of
following your team continues to rise. And while perhaps
last season fans were able to ride the storm thanks to some
favourable market conditions, the effects of five interest
rate rises will make life very difficult for many.
Financially life is getting tougher, but dedicated fans
won't want to sacrifice following their team as a result."

Virgin Money's announcement comes as its latest Football
Fans Price Index reveals that the cost of attending matches
has increased by 22 per cent since February last year.
Eighteen months ago, the 'match day basket of goods', which
includes expenses such as tickets and match programmes, was
reported to stand at 77 pounds 95p. However, this figure is
now £95 pounds 08p, with the rise largely attributed to the
increasing costs of replica shirts.

Malcolm Clarke, chair of the Football Supporters
Federation, added: "Virgin Money's survey shows again what
any fan in this country knows. The cost of watching
football here is still at ludicrous levels." He pointed out
that financial pressures on attending games on the
continent in countries such as Italy, Spain and Germany is
much lower as fans abroad are able to take advantage of
cheaper match tickets and reduced public transport.

However, those adamant about supporting their team in the
face of rising costs may wish to apply for a cheap personal
loan as a means of financing such expenses. Earlier this
year, Frances Walker, spokesperson for the Consumer Credit
Counselling Service, claimed that although the majority of
people who borrow do so wisely, more consumers need to take
a sensible approach to the money they have received.

----------------------------------------------------
Abbi Rouse writes for All About Loans. Visist us today to
apply for secured loans for homeowners, and tenant loans
for non homeowners. http://www.allaboutloans.co.uk

Mortgage Marketing - Marketing Your Mortgage Business To FSBO's

Mortgage Marketing - Marketing Your Mortgage Business To FSBO's
Marketing your mortgage business to For Sale By Owners
(FSBOs) is like having multiple gold mining strikes coming
up in a number of places all at once. It is great. When it
comes right down to it, once you know how to work with
FSBOs, they are the quickest way out there to have a
successful mortgage business.

If you are new to mortgages, you should know going in that
FSBO's are not really all that fun. To tap the market, you
have to be diligent, stubborn, and really have the
perseverance to make sure you succeed. Most newcomers get
one good "no"', and they're done with FSBOs forever. The
truth is that they are worth the effort.

Why do so many mortgage people fall short on FSBO markets?
There are actually a number of reasons. One of the biggest
reasons is that they are not determined enough. Another,
though, is that they simply do not have a good plan for how
to handle it.

Here are a few ways to get started in working with FSBOs:
First of all, stake out your territory. Figure out where or
what type of FSBOs you are going to target. Once you set
that goal, go ahead and make it a little more: say that you
are going to work with all the FSBO's in that area.

Secondly, don't get carried away. Sharpen your skills with
a smaller area before advancing to a larger one. By
starting small you'll save time and money. When you get
better, then you can expand and use the newly learned
efficiency.

Next, make sure you are continually checking for new FSBOs.
This is something you need to be doing all the time. In
fact, it should be a part of your daily routine so that you
never miss one. This is imperative.

Fourth, you should document your FSBO findings. Record the
information for each FSBO in your computer, on cards, or
even just on a board. No matter what, keep good records.
This will help you down the road when you want to do more.
Also, don't wait until you have every bit of information;
instead, try to add information as you get more.

Fifth, make sure you come up with a plan of action to go
with each FSBO. You need to start thinking strategy for
each one as soon as you get the information. Have an idea
of when you are going to call and what you are going to say
so that your approach is right.

Next, make sure you are performing your duties on the plan
every single day. This strategy is not for those wanting a
9-5 ob. This is going to take time. Really serious FSBOs
want to know that you are going to work for them. You need
to show that you are going to get the job done whether it
takes nights and weekends or mid-afternoons.

Finally, make sure you contact your FSBOs. You may think of
dropping a note, but really you should just go ahead and
make a call early. On the phone you're better able to cater
your message to the particular customer. You can refer to
your notes, approach them more softly, and contact a number
of FSBOs in a short amount of time. You can even make
contact by stopping by the home. A face to face encounter
can do a lot for your chances. You can also make sure they
understand what you can and will do for them. So when you
can, meet face to face. When that won't work, you need to
make a call, and then if you have to you can drop a note or
a letter to the FSBO's in the territory you have defined as
part of your goal.

IN addition to all of these plans you make to attack the
FSBO market, there are alternatives. If you are not the
FSBO shopping type, you can always find ways to join in on
the realtor partnership and referral market. With the right
program, you can get plenty of free referrals to buyers who
are moving from rentals. These are the crown jewels of the
mortgage industry and can offer a lot of help to you in
terms of making your life easier as a mortgage originator.

So whether you pursue FSBO's, another niche, or choose to
enter into a partnership, the mortgage business is one in
which you are going to need a plan. Just make sure yours is
a good one.

----------------------------------------------------
Shane Brooks is a hard nosed business man that doesn't take
kindly to competition. His hard hitting no nonsense
marketing techniques constantly makes waves for his
competitors regardless of the market he is focusing on.
Shane doesn't mind stepping on the toes of his competitors
or ruffeling a a few feathers of the so-called gurus in
order to level the playing field. For more info please
visit http://www.MortgageSuccessBlueprint.com

The World's Most Exclusive Credit Cards

The World's Most Exclusive Credit Cards
You may have read about that high-rolling businessman and
his recent evening excursion with friends in an exclusive
London nightclub. In about seven hours, the businessman and
15 friends (actually, many other people crashed the party)
quenched their gargantuan thirst with 102 bottles of
champagne, 11 bottles of vodka and a Methuselah bottle of
champagne (which contains 8 regular-size bottles). You
would probably have had to reach the age of Methuselah to
pay the bill: a massive £105,805. But the Dubai-based
businessman had no problem paying for it; out came his
American Express Centurion (also known as American Express
Black) card, and the bill was cleared.

American Express has taken the first and second slots in a
ranking of credit card preferences among high-net worth
(minimum $5 million) and high-income (at least $200,000
annually) consumers with its American Express Centurion (or
Amex Black) and American Express Platinum. The American
Express Black must also be one of the most exclusive cards
on the block: membership is by invitation only and there's
an annual fee of $2,500.

These two American Express credit cards are typical of the
new credit cards for the elite - expensive card products
that offer equally expensive perks, like access to private
islands and private jets, to those willing to spend amounts
ordinary mortals can only dream about. The American Express
Black cardholder should spend a minimum of $250,000
annually to be a member. You may spend a little less with
the American Express Platinum card ($450 a year annual
fee), but you still get its offer to evacuate injured
American Express members and their families from wherever
vacation location they are to where they can be given
quality medical attention.

Credit cards for the ultra-rich are becoming very
attractive options for credit card issuers. They may not
make much from finance charges but 4% merchant servicing
fees can mean quite a bundle, if the purchase volume is
high enough. That businessman's champagne-laden transaction
could yield American Express at least $4,000 in processing
fees.

Coutts World Mastercard Signia reportedly gives cardholders
the opportunity to live like royalty, after all Queen
Elizabeth II is a Coutts card holder. You pay $700 annual
membership fee, but that is waived if you spend enough
using your Coutts plastic - enough being $100,000 a year.
You cannot apply for the Coutts Purple; membership for this
too is by invitation only.

The market is rich, but the competition is also growing.
Smith Barney has its Chairman's Card ($400 annual
membership) also offers special perks, including a facility
that will set up your quiet dinner meetings at New York's
most exclusive restaurants (and in Los Angeles). Stratus
Rewards Visa is a by-invitation only card that allows you
to fly on private jets when you redeem rewards points.

Bank of America recently launched its Accolades card, which
uses the American Express network and offers the common
(for this elite class of cards) perks like premium tickets
to concerts. The Accolades card has a match-your-donation
offer (up to $2,500 a year) for its philanthropic
cardholders who wish to make charitable contributions.
Membership is for those who have $100,000 of assets in Bank
of America's private banking division.

Why do ultra-rich customers bite? They get the status
symbol, but they also get big benefits. They're in the
stratosphere. But those at ground level also have similar
opportunities to enjoy big perks for a little exclusivity
in their cards. American Express Gold and special Diners
Club credit cards also give you the chance to enjoy
exclusive privileges when you want some.

----------------------------------------------------
Article by Richard Greenwood, the Director of Australian
finance and credit card comparison website
http://www.click4credit.com.au . Click4Credit features
expert articles on a wide range of financial topics
including business credit cards and rewards schemes.

Foreclosure Tsunami Continues in California

Foreclosure Tsunami Continues in California
The foreclosure tsunami in California continues unabated.
More foreclosures were started in California during the
second quarter of 2007 than any comparable period in over
ten years. We need to go all the way back to 1997 to see
such record volume of foreclosures within the state. What
has caused this tsumani? It has been caused by the
"perfect storm" of depreciating home prices, anemic sales,
re-setting adjustable rate loans, and the mortgage meltdown
in the financing sector.

When we analyze the statistics, we can see that the vast
majority of the loans that went sour were originated by
lenders between the summers of 2005 and 2006. If you
remember those halcyon days, real estate appreciation was
still in double-digits and we were experiencing the
tail-end of historically low interest rates. As a result,
lenders liberalized their guidelines to maintain high loan
volumes. But because interest rates had risen, lender
utilized adjustable rates mortgages with artificially low
"teaser rates" to qualify more borrowers. Property owners
took advantage of those loosened guidelines and teaser
rates to obtain loans in record numbers. Its those teaser
rates, now adjusting up to higher market rates, that are
causing the tsunami of foreclosures we are experiencing
today.

Keep in mind, there are 8.4 million houses and condos in
California. The vast majority of those properties are
financed by mortgages that are current and continue to be
current.

Nevertheless, the loans that did fall into default last
quarter were mostly originated between July 2005 and August
2006, which was at the height of the mortgage frenzy. The
median price paid for a California home purchased during
that period was $460,000. In contrast, the median price
paid for those properties where mortgages went into default
last quarter was only $445,500. (This discrepancy is
caused because there is a lower default rate with higher
valued properties.)

The median mortgage for those properties is $342,000, and
their mortgage payment is approximately $2,225 per month.
Homeowners were five months behind on their payments (up
from three months) when the lender started the default
process. The borrowers owed a median $11,126 in unpaid
mortgage payments. In other words, once the foreclosure
starts, the borrower has the choice to either "reinstate"
the loan by paying the $11,126 arrears, or "redeem" the
loan (later in the foreclosure process) by paying the loan
balance (i.e. $342,000) and the arrearage (i.e. $11,126).
Obviously, reinstating is preferred to redeeming.

The median age of these defaulted loans is 16 months, which
corresponds to the peak of loan originations in August of
2005. And, as we all know, the primary loan utilized for
purchasing home during that period was the

1. Notices of Default.

The first step in the foreclosure process in California is
the recording of a Notice of Default ("NOD"). There were
53,943 Notices of Default recorded in the second quarter of
2007 (April to June). That is a shocking number in itself,
but even more devastatinging when you consider that it was
15.4% increase from the previous quarter, and up an
earth-shattering 158% compared with the same quarter of
2006.

This was the highest levels we have seen in California
since 1996, when foreclosures were at their worst. In
1996, for those of us that remember those dreadful days,
61,541 foreclosures were started. The lowest level
recorded was in the third quarter of 2004, when only 12,417
NODs were filed.

Although 53,943 default notices were recorded in California
last quarter, only 50,901 properties were affected. How is
that possible? Many homes are financed using more than one
loan, what are called "piggy-back" loans. Utilizing
multiple loans on the same property helps homeowners avoid
mortgage insurance. That is up 162.8% from the second
quarter of 2006.

The default numbers reflect wide regional differences. The
second-quarter numbers were a record in Riverside, San
Bernardino, Contra Costa, Sacramento and most Central
Valley counties. However, in Los Angeles County, the
state's largest, it was still less than half the
first-quarter 1996 peak. This reflects the depth of the
recession in the mid-1990s, as well as the relative
strength of today's housing market. At least so far…

On a loan-by-loan basis, mortgages were least likely to go
into default in Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo
counties. The likelihood was highest in San Joaquin, Merced
and Riverside counties.

Overall, Southern California counties saw 30,828 notices of
default recorded last quarter, a 151% increase over 2006!
If you enjoy hanging out at county recorder's offices like
me, you will quickly notice that Los Angeles County has the
largest volume of defaults in the state. While the
percentage, at 126% is still lower than other counties, the
sheer volume (10,393 NODs) during the second quarter is its
own mini-tsunami. The recorder's office had to open extra
windows just to handle the onslaught.

The worse foreclosure county in California in terms of
percentages continues to be Riverside where 6,648 NODs were
filed this quarter, a 190% increase over 2006. It was just
three years ago that Riverside County was the fastest
growing county in the United States. Now it has the
dubious distinction of having the highest percentage of
foreclosures in the country. Not far behind is San
Bernardino County, where 5,141 NODs were filed, a 179%
increase compared to 2006.

Fortunately, 54% of California homeowners in default
ultimately avoid losing their homes in foreclosure by
either bringing their payments current, refinancing, or
selling the home and paying off what they owe. But even
that is becoming dramatically more difficult as the real
estate market sinks. A year ago it was 92%. In other
words, last year only 8% of the homeowners that fell into
foreclosure, actually lost their properties. In contrast,
today over 46% of the homeowners in foreclosure loss their
homes at a trustee's sale! This dramatic increase reflects
the continuing slowdown in the real estate market.

2. Trustee's Deeds.

Those homeowners that don't bring their loans current (or
weren't able to refinance or sell their homes in time),
ultimately loss them at trustee's sales on the courthouse
steps. At that point, a Trustee's Deed Upon Sale ("Trustee
Deed") is recorded in the county recorder's office,
signifying the new owner. When we analyze Trustee's Deeds
recorded in the second quarter of 2007, the statistics are
disheartening. 17,408 homeowners lost their homes during
the second quarter! That is the highest number ever
recorded by the various companies that methodically keep
these statistics. By way of comparison, the number of
Trustee's Deeds was up 57% from the first quarter of 2007,
and a mind-boggling 799% from the second quarter of 2006.
The previous high watermark occurred in the third quarter
of 1996, when 15,418 Trustees Deeds were recorded. For
those of you keeping score, the lowest level was 637 in the
second quarter of 2005, when the real estate market was
still in full regalia.

In Southern California, where foreclosures are at their
worse, the volumes of Trustee's Deeds stand in stark
contrast to the boom years of 2000-2005. Of the 9,504
Trustee's Deeds recorded in Southern California counties
during the second quarter of 2007, the highest volume was
in Los Angeles County. 2,581 properties were lost in
foreclosure in LA County, a 799% increase compared to the
comparable time period in 2006. But that was not the
worse county in California. By far, San Bernardino County
holds that distinction with a 987% increase in 2007
compared to 2006.

What does all of this mean for the future? Well, so far
(and it is a big "so far") foreclosures have not tugged
down property values. However, if foreclosures continue to
rise unabated in the final quarter of 2007, it will
inevitably unleash more empty properties into the market
place. That, coupled with continued turmoil in the
mortgage markets, will inevitably lead to increase
inventories of unsold homes, and certainly lower real
estate values. Some of the worst-hit neighborhoods in the
Empire and Central Valley markets are already experiencing
an erosion of their property values. A harbinger of
things to come.

----------------------------------------------------
Lloyd Segal is a mortgage banker, attorney, author, and
speaker. He teaches monthly foreclosure and short sale
workshops to investors and realtors in Southern California.
You can signup at http://www.foreclosureworkshop.net .