Terrance E. Pafford an experience in project management, finance, communications and marketing, and social media

Some people might think that there is not much to do with the glittering metal than just look at it. This however couldn’t be more wrong. What people have the tendency to forget is the fact that gold has produced more profit this year than any type of share has. Another thing that should be taken into consideration is the fact that the yellow metal is considered to be one of the best inflation hedge of our times. Moreover, we should look at the glittering metal the same way we look at shares. Both of them are assets that can bring us profit and stability but we cannot touch neither of them.

The psychological barrier of 2.000 dollars an ounce for the price of gold has been over passed a long time ago and this is the reason why the gold fever has returned stronger than ever. People fear the recession, the rising inflation and the fall of the Euro. This is yet another reason why people are making such big efforts to come up with the money to invest in the precious metal.

Economists from SolidCashSolutions advise us that the best way to invest in the metal is to purchase physical gold. Physical gold means buying gold coins and gold bars. They say that it is safer to have this type of gold product in your possession in case something bad happens. This is also why big companies used to give retirement gifts in the form of gold key chains. The owners could easily sell them in case of financial problems.

The yellow metal has and will always be one of the most important and valuable assets that one can own. Diversifying ones portfolio is a good financial strategy. Sometimes investing only in paper currencies can prove to be in our detriment. Especially because paper currencies can lose value from one day to another unlike gold.

If you consider that investing in physical gold is not a good financial strategy for you then you can rest assure because there are other ways in which you can invest in the precious metal. Two examples are gold shares and gold accounts. So you could do a little research and then start investing in the gold product that you feel more comfortable with.

Learn from professionals how buying gold can help you in times of recession.…

If you have been following the news closely enough, you may already have got the news that, number of short sales in the mortgage or rather the real estate market is increasing. It has suddenly become the favorite option for the underwater homeowners. However, with this another thing is experiencing the surge too, and that is mortgage fraud. So, if you too are one of those underwater homeowners, beware of the situation and be cautious while finalizing a sale. Moreover, it is not only the frauds, but also the other effects of short sale, which you will be required to consider.

The rising short sale

With Nevada leading the pack, Maryland, Washington D.C., are some of the states which are fraught with several instances of mortgage and short sale fraud. With the national average on Fraud Risk Index with regards to mortgage fraud, standing at 146, it is 245 is Nevada, and 150 in Maryland, and Washington D.C.

Instances of short sale have increased in the last couple of months, and this means there has been an increase in the number of distressed homeowners too. Now, fact is that frauds thrive in the distressed market and this is because, people seem to become more desperate to get at least some form of help. So, it becomes easier to dupe people in dire need. Real estate agent Lolita Ellis has said that 90% of home sales within the County of Prince George are short sale.

What is a short sale?

Short sales are in general opted for when the property values lower, or if there had been inflated appraisals. This results in the lowering of the property value in comparison to the mortgage amount. So short sale means an agreement where a lender agrees with the homeowner, to get much less than what is owed by the homeowner. This is because, in case of a short sale, the sell off happens where the amount which is smaller than the present balance of the mortgage.

Now, there are various consequences of a short sale. It has a negative effect on your credit, though not as high as that of foreclosure. Then, you definitely are going to lose your home. Moreover, you can also fall prey to short sale scams.

What are the different types of short sale scams?

There are various types of short sale scams that can pose as a loss for the sellers too. One of these is undisclosed payments. This also proves to be dangerous for both the lenders, and the buyer too. These payments can be the ones that are made “outside the escrow” or off the statement, with regards to settlement. Now, this happens when the lenders reduce the commission amount to be paid to the real estate agents. It happens when the lenders asks for the sellers to receive no benefits with regards to finances, from the sale. In case of two mortgages, the primary lender in some cases cap payments to be given to the junior lender. So, the second mortgage lender starts taking advantage of the highly motivated sellers. They may be asked to make the “outside of escrow” or “off the settlement statement“.

Another common scam is the predatory short sale negotiators. Some scam artists, posing themselves as short sale negotiators promise to show good results, with regards to short sale, for a certain fee. However, in most of the cases, such scam artists do nothing in return for the money.

So, this is what you will be required to be aware of, while trying to short sale your home. Avoid being desperate, and be careful about the people with whom you are going to deal.…

When you get your first credit card, you use it only for necessities but when you get to know how easy it is to use this plastic cash, you start increasing your expenses. The result is more credit cards and debts than you can manage. This is the story of a majority of the people who use credit card.

When you have credit card debts, you know you are in deep trouble. But when your credit card debts increase, exercising a little will power and consolidating your cards will help you get out of the debt. Given below is the 5-step process in which you can consolidate your credit card debts –

1. Compile a list Of All Your Cards and Debts

The first step you must take to get out of debts is to make a list of all the credit cards that you own and the balance against each card. Note down the rate of interest on each card. Compiling this information is essential so that you can decide the best way in which you can consolidate your card.

2. Look for Cards with Lower Interest Rates

A number of companies offer credit cards with low rates of interests. If your income is fairly good and your credit report is also healthy, then you can avail these low interest cards. But first research them and compare the interest rates. Read the fine print to know the terms of each card.

3. Pay off Outstanding Card Debts with Your Savings

A very simple and easy way to pay off all outstanding credit card debts is to use the cash in your savings. If you have sufficient cash, then repaying the debt can save a lot of interest. Otherwise, pay off the higher interest balances.

4. Get Equity Loans

For homeowners, using home equity credit is another option. You can use the equity in your home to establish a line of credit. The interest rates of equity loans are much lower than credit card interest rates. An added advantage of equity loans is that they are tax deductible. Therefore, this can serve a dual purpose.

5. Close Credit Card Accounts

Whichever method you choose to pay off your outstanding credit card debts, make sure that you do not use that card again. Cut it off after you close the account so that you are not tempted to use the card. You can do this at least for high interest cards. Keep one card to use in times of emergency and close the other accounts.

For more sound guidance on how you should use credit cards to your advantage and not disadvantage, you can visit the Bank of the Internet website. Getting a credit card is not too difficult. The difficulty comes when you are unable to control your expenses and the debts pile up. Before you use any of the above-mentioned options to pay off your credit card debts, understand the terms of each type of loan or home equity so that you do not regret your decision later on.…