For all of you who have a Facebook page for your business and like all the tips & tricks you can get, I found this great article today that I thought I'd share with all of you!

If you'd like to let your creativity shine, you can use your Facebook photo to make your page stand out from the crowd.  This article shows you how to use different methods to go beyond the limitations of Facebook's photo parameters.  Just one more way to show people that you go above and beyond the competition!  ;)

  Whether you're an aspiring homeowner, or a current homeowner thinking of purchasing a different home, December 2009 is giving a whole new meaning to the term "perfect storm".

A "perfect storm" is an expression that describes an event where a rare combination of circumstances will aggravate a situation drastically.  But in this case, rather than aggravating the situation, the circumstances are creating a whirlwind of opportunity for people who are thinking of purchasing a home.  If you've been planning on postponing your home search till 2010, you might want to reconsider and turn your holiday window shopping into a holiday house-hunt!

Low Rates.  You're probably aware that interest rates have been at historical lows for the last few months.  While we've been enjoying these low rates for awhile now, we all know that they can't last forever.

Home Prices Still Low.  Between all the available foreclosures and short sales, and the decline in market values over the past few years, home prices are lower than we've seen in the past 8+ years.

Tax Credit.  As you've likely already heard, the $8,000 tax credit for first-time buyers has been extended, and a $6,500 tax credit is now also available to current homeowners who buy another home.  This credit is only available for a limited time, so take advantage of this opportunity now and you'll be grinning your way through tax season!!

Holidays...??  Yes, the holiday season is the component you may not have considered!  Finding the right house for the right price and getting approved for a loan is all well and good.  But if there are other buyers who are willing and able to offer more for that house, your "right house" just became their house.

So, why not do all you can to get an edge on the competition?  Many house-hunters are easily sidetracked by holiday preparation and gatherings, which makes this the optimal time for you to put in an offer and less likely to be out-bid.  You may have to give up some of your usual holiday activities, but it will be well worth it if it results in getting a new home for Christmas!

Another MUST to be a step ahead of the competition is to get pre-qualified for a loan BEFORE you make an offer.  Sellers are serious so you have to be ready to play ball.  If you make the same offer as someone who can show the seller they've been pre-qualified to buy the home, your offer might as well be written in crayon.  Lenders are constantly tightening their standards, making it harder to qualify for a loan.  The best place to start your home search is by meeting with a Loan Officer and knowing exactly where you stand and how much you can afford.  Having a pre-qual letter from your Loan Officer to accompany your offer can make the difference between you and your competition.

Happy Holidays and Happy House-Hunting! 

Tom Smith

Owner/Consultant

Falcon Financial

  For those of us that live in California, we're a magnet for wildfires the way mid-West trailer parks are tornado-targets.  We're used to it and accept it as a likely risk for where we live.

But has this acceptance turned to complacency?  You'd be surprised that in this day & age, people are still under-insured!  Year after fire-stricken year, our state spends its summer engulfed in flame and smoke.  You can't seem to turn on the news without some mention of a wildfire, or a control-burn that became, well, not-so-controlled.

You'd think with all the fire danger warnings and fire restrictions and news coverage and...and...and... that we'd all be very well-versed in how to protect our home against the almost imminent threat of fire.  There are countless articles dating back over the last DECADE about people being under-insured, yet every year, a new set of fire victims get the double-whammy of a burned down house and not enough insurance to replace everything.

Why is this?!  Have we become that much of an it-won't-happen-to-me society?  Does 'review homeowner's insurance policy' get lost amidst the more pressing to-dos on our list?  Or do that many people simply not realize they have inadequate insurance?

In some cases, it looks like many consumers may be putting too much trust in the "pro's".  When you consult an insurance agent, you likely assume that they know the business, it's what they do, they'll make sure you're covered...  right...??  Wrong.

  As with any profession, not all insurance agents are created equal.  Some agents take the time to discuss all your options with you, based upon a detailed analysis of your situation.  They ask a myriad of questions and from there, provide you with sound, reliable advice.  But there are those that - due to laziness, dishonesty, inexperience or for whatever reason - take shortcuts, aren't thorough, and just want to quote you the cheapest rate so they can write your policy.  And really, how is a first-time homeowner's policy shopper supposed to know whether or not the agent has asked all the right questions?

In today's comparison-shopping world, many people focus on "getting the best deal", and companies know this.  Businesses everywhere utilize software that enables them to provide rate-shoppers with a "quick quote" to pacify the consumer's need for an answer NOW.  But in their rush to find the best deal, consumers aren't always pausing to find out what that "deal" includes or excludes.

In this eye-opening article by Elliot Spagat, he talks about the Marshall & Swift/Boeckh LLC "Quick Quote" software used by many insurance companies.  If the "Quick Quote" isn't taking into account your jaccuzzi tub, the custom kitchen cabinetry, the fireplaces in each bedroom suite or the hardwood floors throughout the home, chances are the coverages provided in that "Quick Quote" are WELL below what you really need. Any good insurance agent knows that this "Quick Quote" survey is just a guesstimate, and that a more detailed analysis of the home's features is needed to generate a more accurate policy.  However, several homeowners have obtained policies based solely on the generic information required to generate a "Quick Quote", only to find out the hard way that this has left them grossly under-insured - often by hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Hmmm... so much for landing that "best deal".

  What can you do to protect the home and belongings you've worked so hard for?  Start by determining if your home is underinsured.  Whip out that dusty, coffee-stained policy you have tucked away and look at your coverages.  Do you know what each item really means?  That's ok, don't be shy, a LOT of people don't - but this is no time to adopt the ignorance-is-bliss attitude!  So if you don't know, you might wanna learn before you burn!!

Here are three great articles/blogs to help you get started: "Is your home underinsured?  8 key points", "5-minute guide to home insurance" and "Home insurance - are you covered?".  There are home inventory checklists to help you make sure you've accounted for EVERTHING you would have to replace if you lost everything in a fire, as well as software programs you can utilize to guide you and take inventory.

Now that you've attained a better understanding of what all those coverages mean and what's included, and taken an inventory of EVERYTHING that would have to be rebuilt or replaced if your house goes down in flames, do you feel comfortable that your policy will cover it all?  Or do you think perhaps an appointment with your insurance agent is long overdue?  

    Don't be a victim due to negligence!!  Fires are inevitable, and kudos to those of you that strive to make your home and property "fire safe".  But it's all for naught if you've neglected to properly insure your home.

Foreclosures are on the rise and Loan Modifications are the latest household term. Whether due to circumstances beyond their control or their own poor decisions, many people are finding they can no longer afford the home they're in and they need help fast.

With the ever-growing popularity of Loan Modifications, everyone is looking to obtain one these days, and everyone and their brother now advertise that they can get you one. There are some great companies out there, but not everyone that offers Loan Modifications are the specialists they tout themselves to be. Most charge an up-front fee that is difficult if not impossible for struggling clients to come up with, not to mention there is no guarantee of a resolution. I strongly caution homeowners who are already in a dire situation to do their research before enlisting the help of one of these companies.

For example, did you know that a "Loan Mod", the popular buzz-word of late, is only one of the options available to struggling homeowners? For some people, this is the best option, but not everyone's situation is the same. Some people don't qualify for a Modification, and others would still not be able to afford their home even after a Modification. Would you want to work with a company that only offers one solution?

Don't wait until you feel you have nowhere to turn. At Falcon Financial, we work closely with Nfinit Solutions, who will review your individual case and help you choose the best course of action. Whether you need a Loan Modification, a repayment plan, a temporary suspension of payments due or help getting out of the home with the least possible damage to your credit, we're here to help. We will show you the multiple home retention and workout strategies available and help you and your lender reach a mutually acceptable solution. Best of all, there's no up-front fee! You don't pay until you sign your solution agreement. We don't feel our clients should have to pay until we can show them results, especially when they're already strained financially.

Contact me today for more information on how we can help you improve your situation!

Tom Smith, Consultant

530-277-5020 * 530-274-8374 * tomfalconfinancial@yahoo.com * www.falconfinancialonline.com