Melancholy Moments

I know by now most people believe in the benefits of positive thinking. I am constantly trying to learn techniques that can help me develop daily rituals so that I am always positive. Am I crazy for thinking it's possible? Well maybe just a little but I have more and more people that depend on me to be positive so that I can help them find the brighter side. So what about those melancholy moments?

Don't tell me you have not experienced those times where you are just feeling down but you can not manage to put your finger on why you are feeling that way. People come up to you and continue to ask what's wrong and you don't have an answer. They press and press because they either want to be helpful or want some gossip but you really don't have the answer. It starts to build momentum and soon it's like a giant snowball of negativity. It use to happen to me a lot. I can list a number of things that have gone wrong in my life but why list them cause I know it is not the reason why I am feeling that way. I have decided to stop trying to figure out why and focus more on how to change my attitude because in the end it is a choice.

My daily ritual now includes the following; from the moment I wake up I give thanks to my Lord Jesus Christ for giving me a chance at living another day so that I can try to make a difference in this world and I can fulfill the purpose that I have been put on this earth. I read some scriptures with the kids before dropping them off at school. I then go workout so that I can take care of my body and feel good about myself. Now what about those times when you are blindsided and all of a sudden you are feeling melancholy again. We sometimes go through life and we try to treat our social needs by treating ourselves to something nice, maybe dinner, a movie, or a purchase. These always seem to be quick fixes and do not last long. When money was tight I just did not have that option anymore so I had to figure something else out. I realized that a random act of kindness gets me over it quick. I am not a doctor but I am sure that the fact that helping someone makes me smile has some kind of health benefit to myself and the ability to change my attitude to one of gratitude. Give it a try and do something for someone.

Happy Thanksgiving 2010!!!

It is that time of year again when we get some time off to gather with friends and family to reflect on everything we have and not what we don't have. The simple fact that I am in the United States and able to write a blog means that I am better off than most of the world. Sure there are times when I want more and might feel bad because I don't have more but then I realize that I need to continue to show gratitude that my needs are being met.
There are people out there that are having extreme difficulties meeting their basic needs. Some people do not have family or friends to have Thanksgiving dinner with and these holidays become very difficult to handle. Please remember the impact and influence that you can have on many. I know times have been tough and we are not always in the position to give monetarily but it doesn't always have to be a monetary gift. Share a smile, greet someone, or pick up an extra 99 cent sandwich and hand it over to that guy or girl you see standing at the freeway exit. We can all do a little bit to make a difference in some one's life.
We have more entertainment options available to us today than we ever have had, yet we still hear kids say they are bored. I have noticed that my kids do not say that as much after we have volunteered somewhere to help the less fortunate. I believe the reason why is that it is very fulfilling when we help others.  That kind of service really fills the soul. A person I consider my mentor, Zig Ziglar, always says "you can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want out of life." It might sound a little selfish but if you are helping others than does it really matter that it is selfish? Even Mother Theresa once said that she considered herself selfish because everything she did was to get closer to God.
I apologize for going on and on but I am very thankful for all of my old and new relationships. I am very happy to have surrounded myself with generous people that keep me inspired. I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving and for those of you traveling please come home safely.

Losing My Ability to Express My Thoughts in More Than 140 Characters

I have not written in my blog for a long time now. I have had plenty of thoughts to write about but I am so used to using twitter that I express it in 140 characters or less and I am done. I really felt like I had to write about this because I felt like I am losing my ability to write. I think it all started when I decided I was going to write about my trials and tribulations and then all of a sudden writers block or just life got a little hectic. I am going to get back to this blog more often and hopefully contribute something meaningful that will inspire others to always keep pushing forward.

The Strangest Secret | The Strangest Secret

Enjoy this 3 minute video.
The Strangest Secret | The Strangest Secret

Going Down Memory Lane Is Like Driving While Looking In The Mirror.

 Alaina & Me

I recently got caught up cleaning my room and organizing my paperwork. It took a lot longer than I had planned because of all the old pictures I was coming across. This picture of Alaina and me was when she was around 2 1/2 years old. Her mother and I had just reconciled after our first separation. My poor baby has gone through the most out of all the children because she was the oldest and remembers most of the fights between her mother and I. I will always look at my baby girl the way I see her in this picture. 

I know a lot of fathers feel the same way about their daughters. This can also be a big problem. As we're so busy looking at our daughters as if they are babies they are growing up faster than we like. As men we forget that girls mature faster than boys. Their interest in boys is just something we don't want to talk about and as our girls fill out we fail to hug them because of that uncomfortable feeling of realizing that your baby is now a young woman. We're so focused on the way she used to be while time keeps moving forward. Similar to driving while staring in the rear view mirror, it's just a matter of time that you'll crash. 

As a single parent I've tried my best to keep things well balanced for my children. They will never have the excuse that I was absent from functions. I refuse to allow them the excuse that their mistakes are because their mom hasn't been there and when my ego is riding high I've told them that they are better off having me as a father than some kids are having both parents. I've also been told that I'm one of the cool dads but now I wonder if I was being played. I have tried to give my kids the freedom they need to make their own mistakes but I've also guided them every step and don't expect them to make certain mistakes. Time has convinced me that sometimes people don't believe you until they have made that same mistake themselves. My kids are no exception and so I've incorporated the ever famous phrase "I told you so". 

Teenage girls are a whole new species and I am definitely not an expert but I will share what I have learned so far. Back when I was a teen and started to like girls I would have to call them at home. Sometimes a parent or older sibling would answer the phone and so in a nervous tone I had to ask for permission to speak to the girl. Now most teenage girls have their own cell phones, emails, twitter, myspace, facebook and instant messenger accounts. Teenage boys don't have to go through what I went through to court a young lady. It's all easy access and most teenagers without adult supervision will push the envelope. Flirtations over text message and instant messenger programs are widely used by our teens that it's own phrase has been created, sexting. I also don't remember using such vulgar language especially if an adult was within earshot.

Recently I was shocked by my daughter and what I saw on her myspace account. I was lucky to catch it early enough thanks to having friends that are always looking out for the kids and myself. Her facebook account was very different from myspace but of course on facebook I was her friend. The internet allows people to take on different personalities and sometimes kids make themselves feel better by acting a certain way or what they think is socially acceptable amongst their friends. I have always talked to my daughter about character and if a certain action is questionable to pray on it. I have had her write about her experience and what exactly she was thinking. To make a long story short she liked the attention boys gave her by being a certain way. She did not think of the long term consequences such as college recruiters, employment recruiters, or even child predators reading what she was putting out there. Another thing she didn't think about was that the relationship with boys who liked her myspace account was only going to lead to one thing and it wouldn't be a relationship worth having. I gave her a lot of freedom and it was all based on trust. I regret not listening to Dr. Laura's advice against teens having these social networking accounts. I am now convinced that our kids need to learn how to socialize face to face and be who they really are and not be so quick to use their cell phones to text. I have cut off my daughter's phone and accounts. I might one day pick up a phone for emergency reasons only but it will not have text functions or a camera. For now she will always have change on her to use a pay phone. 

I was so caught up looking at my girl as my baby that I did not even think she was capable of speaking in a vulgar tone. I am still disappointed but at the same time happy that it was caught and I have been able to talk to her about the consequences. She didn't fight me on giving up her phone because she is more concerned at gaining my trust again. Well it's either that or she felt that I was going to beat her because I was so upset. I was able to keep my composure and I was amazed at how much she cried just from me telling her that I was disappointed and didn't trust her anymore. I like to encourage adopting changes to technology but I still believe there is so much more value in learning how older generations communicated and developing valuable relationships by being able to be yourself. God help our children and our parents to provide the proper guidance.

Learning to Dance In The Rain | Learning to Dance in the Rain Movie

Learning to Dance In The Rain | Learning to Dance in the Rain Movie

Forget The Lemons Just Give Me The Lemonade

Here's a link for a coupon to Corner Bakery Cafe. Free Pomegranate or Mango Frozen Lemonade with the purchase of a lunch or dinner entrée. Enjoy!

Free Lemonade

Oh Thank Goodness, It's Not Just Me! | Oh Thank Goodness, It's Not Just Me! Movie

For all of you beautiful women. Enjoy!
Oh Thank Goodness, It's Not Just Me! | Oh Thank Goodness, It's Not Just Me! Movie

Nature's Inspiration | Nature's Inspriation Movie

iNature's Inspiration | Nature's Inspriation Movie

As many of you begin your so called dreaded Monday. Take 4 minutes of your day to watch this movie. Enjoy nature's inspiration and you'll see that this week will be a great one for you.

Change is Good... You Go First | The Change Is Good Movie

A little movie for those of you managing people or even trying to manage your family. Yes sometimes the principles in business can be used in your family or vice versa. Enjoy!
Change is Good... You Go First | The Change Is Good Movie

Can The Kids Tell That I Love Them?

Recently my son took a spill at the skate park. I have always been tough on these kids and expect them to brush it off. Matthew did just that and didn't cry. Little did he know that after his second fall he had fractured both arms. He still waited patiently with his little brother while I ran some errands for work and took my daughter to a tournament. By the time I picked him up he told me about the fall and how his arms were starting to hurt. I thought he sprained it and what I was looking at was swelling. We iced and wrapped and then iced and wrapped some more. Two days later I tell him that the swelling is not going down and let's just get some x-rays on the left arm. The x-rays confirmed a fracture but we decided not to go to the emergency and wait until Monday.

Matthew was so tough and never complained about a thing. The doctor snapped his bone to make it straight and that was the only time Matthew shed a tear. The doctor looked at me and said "that's one tough boy". I guess he expected a lot more yelling. 

In hindsight I feel really bad that we waited so long. I don't want to change how tough I am with them cause my role is to be a father. There mother should be the sensitive one and I feel bad that she's not around but I decided long ago that if I try to play both roles that I would fail. I push these kids to give everything 100% and to be accountable for all of their actions. The fact that he didn't cry scares me cause I wonder if he did that for me or if he really has a high tolerance for pain. 

I know the purpose God has for me is to take care of these 3 kids and possibly take on more when these 3 are off in college. I try to be there for everything and sacrifice a lot of business. This is possible because of other people in my life that the kids and I are really grateful that they're in our lives. I hope and pray that the kids notice that everything I do is out of an unconditional love I have for them. I pray for guidance and patience so that I can raise these 3 to reach their full potential. I guess once in a while I just need to remember to take a break and give them a hug.

212 Degrees, The Extra Degree | 212: The Extra Degree

212 Degrees, The Extra Degree | 212: The Extra Degree

The Power of Teamwork Movie | The Power of Teamwork Movie

The Power of Teamwork Movie | The Power of Teamwork Movie

Great little movie on the power of teamwork and achieving synergy. When you achieve synergy with your team you can accomplish anything you set as a goal.

WTH Does Mario Know?

I have never claimed to be like Bo Jackson and start my own "Mario Knows..." campaign. As a matter of fact I think the only thing I do know for sure is that what I do know is that I have made tons of mistakes and have learned from them. It is this mindset that keeps me learning and sharing what I learn.

The other day I had a conversation with someone and they were telling me that at first they could not comprehend why I shared so much on the social networks. They admitted to me that what they thought was that I gave so much advice for a person who hasn't shown much success at anything. I loved the honesty and I engaged the conversation even more. As my blog states I share my opinion on almost anything. They were also right that I have failed at almost everything, marriage, finances, career, weight loss, and even at my goal of retiring at 35. I set that goal when I was 18 but never wrote it down. Wow, I should just give up. Maybe I would have had I not learned from others that failure is just an event and it's not a person. I'm sure I heard that from someone in my mastermind alliance.

What I did learn from all of my mistakes is that I was just learning what to avoid in my journey to becoming a success. I had to remind myself of this daily. It is so easy to allow negativity to take over. Thoughts constantly ran through my mind about quitting, things would just be easier if I was dead, what can I contribute to anyone now, etc... I have been in those dark places and had I not had more faith I probably would have done something selfish.

So I am not someone who has made millions and is deeply in love with his soul mate. What I am is someone that is not a quitter. I am an everyday person that is sharing his experiences so that others may know they are not alone. The tips and experiences I share are not for everyone and it is not me trying to be arrogant. It is for that one person that needs it that day. If 1 person out of 300 has benefited than I have done my job for the day. So please don't ever take it as Mario thinks he knows everything when it's more like Mario knows some mistakes I should avoid or just skip over my post. My feelings will not be hurt.

It's Only T-Ball

Don't repeat those words around the Burbank Parochial League, http://www.bplbaseball.com. This league has one of the most competitive t-ball divisions I've seen. This, I believe, has been one of the biggest draw to this league besides being one of the few winter leagues around. For the most part parents and coaches are civil.

I have the pleasure of managing for a second year the St. Robert Bellarmine Mets. This is a great group of kids who have managed to go undefeated through the regular season. In t-ball you get some kids that are more interested in playing with the grass than paying attention to the game. That was not the case with my kids. Okay, maybe just a few but they kept it to a minimum. I want to credit this to a new approach I took with the kids. I also coach coach for my kids' school and since it's a catholic school, I'm required to take some training courses. Thank God I did because I ran across the University of Notre Dame's "Play Like A Champion" training. You can find more information at http://www.playlikeachampion.org.

I was able to implement what I learned and had a successful season with all the teams I coach from my win-less girls' basketball team to my undefeated t-ball team. How can someone say that their win-less team had a successful season? I also use to judge success based on records. This program kept me focused on what my job as a coach of young children really is and that if I do my job right I will develop champions.

Whether we were winning or not I was able to teach and keep the game fun for the kids. What my kids have learned is that sports is about competition. When people compete there's always one that is crowned but we can not forget about what that competition did for everyone. It brings out everyone's full potential. For that reason is why we always pray before a game and ask God to keep us focused so that we can give it our best and bring out the best in our competitor.

Competition can also bring out the worst in some people when not approached the right way. We get into this win at all cost attitude. I know sometimes my parents freak out when I do this but I try to mix up the players and their positions. I don't want to win and find out that I hurt someone's feelings because I didn't play them enough. I want to encourage the smaller kids to come back to the sport.

Well my t-ball team starts playoffs next weekend and if they lose in the first round I wouldn't care, okay just a little. I already know that my team is a success. Today the kids told me what they have learned and that is to have fun, be a good sport, try our best, pray that everyone is safe, and thank the parent who brought the snacks :).

DIY Car Wash Saves Money

We are in a recession, wait I think they are saying we are out. Doesn't really matter on an individual basis because you can choose to participate in a recession or adapt and go about living your life. I choose to adapt. I don't have the luxury of going to a car wash and waiting for my car to be washed anymore. I have found an alternative that not only saves me money but time and I get a little bit of exercise.

I know DIY (Do It Yourself) isn't a new concept in real estate but it was a forgotten concept when it comes to our cars. I just want to share this option with our local community because I have found it very beneficial. Zeavy Car Wash is a do it yourself car wash located at 520 S. Victory Blvd in Burbank between Verdugo and Alameda. This is one of those car washes we used to refer to as a Coin-op but they now take visa/mastercard or debit cards w/ those symbols. If you do swipe a card it's a minimum charge of $5 for 10 minutes. This is plenty of time for my Honda Accord. You will need coins for use of the vacuums. They have a spot free rinse that I use and I have to admit it works. I don't hang out and dry my car, I just drive off and I don't have any water spots or streaks. If you have change and are really fast you can get it done for as little as $2.25 for 4 minutes. I've done that a few times too when I just needed a quick rinse.

If you feel the need of tipping someone one to wash your car feel free to have your children help you. One of my fond memories as a kid was when my dad allowed me to help him with the car. Funny how parents can make work seem like fun and a privilege.

Consumer Responsibility

Just yesterday I was listening to to talk show hosts arguing. What's funny is that they refused to understand each other and acknowledge each different point of view whether right or wrong. You don't always have to agree with someone but you can understand where they are coming from if they make a good argument.

The topic was capitalism and free markets. The disagreement happened only because one of them saw a gray area and does not see everything as absolute when it comes to theories. What they both failed to recognize was the consumers responsibilities in a free market society.

It's obvious that we all have information at our fingertips in this new age. We would love to have all corporations to be responsible and have their factories go green and pay their employees well. The problem is that corporations have a fiduciary duty to their shareholders and first and foremost is to make a profit. The other problem is that business is very competitive and a corporation that is environmentally and employee friendly is going to have higher costs and therefore have to price their product or service higher than the competition. Most consumers choose by price. Even my own friends will ask me for a discount because the other guy is offering a discount and who cares about experience or trust but they look at price first. Competition drives corporations to find cheaper (less expensive) labor and other ways to lower the cost of doing business. Yes I know that they haven't figured out that their executives are overpaid but that's another issue for another blog.

This is where we, the consumer, need to be responsible. If we reward corporations, small businesses, and restaurants for being socially conscious they will see a higher demand and more profit for their product or service. Competitors will have to do the same in order to survive. Magazines publish lists of family friendly and employee friendly businesses and I know there are sites out there that publish names of companies that are socially responsible. We as consumer need to show our support by patronizing these businesses.

I welcome everyone to post any websites that may be helpful to all consumers. In the next few weeks I will also publish a list.

Letter to our 44th President

Dear Mr. Obama,
Congratulations on a well run and successful campaign. Your campaign persevered and got your message of hope and change through to the American people. My ideology is not in line with yours or your party but obviously it is with the majority of Americans. What I do see in you is a man that has the ability of bringing people together and I hope you are successful at reaching across the aisle and making your administration an inclusive one. The economy and war that you will inherit is going to be a challenge for your administration. The country is looking to you to get us out of this recession and to bring our men and women home. As commander in chief I am sure that you will come up with a withdrawal plan that will allow us to claim victory and see a more stable Iraq. Judging from the reactions to your victory I believe that the American people are already feeling more confident and we'll probably start seeing a jump in our consumer confidence index.

This was a very historic election. The two campaigns brought out voters in record numbers. I am so happy to see that people took advantage of their right to vote. I don't like talking about discrimination because I feel that our country is a lot further ahead of our shady past than what we are given credit for but your election as the first African-American president has confirmed that. You, Governor Palin, and Senator Clinton have shown the world that the United States is continuing to move forward. I hope this progression eventually results in no more hyphenated Americans. Boys and girls from different backgrounds all have hope of one day becoming President of the United States.

I hope that one of the lessons you will take from our outgoing president is that you can not continue to increase spending. Tax cuts work when you also cut spending. People are tired of these executives that make millions of dollars getting bailed out. Any economist will tell you that if there is demand then you will find someone willing to supply at a market price. If a company fails then another company will snatch up its assets and continue to supply the demand.

Early on in your campaign you spoke of personal responsibility. This is a term that I did not associate with your party. Your party loves social programs which just creates bigger government and inefficient practices. I believe in charity and giving people a chance but lets leave that up to our churches and non-profits who can do this more efficiently than the government. You yourself have proven that if you work hard in this country that the opportunities will present themselves.

One last item that did not sit well with me is when you spoke about your position on pro-choice. You mentioned that you would raise your girls with morals and values but if they made a mistake you would not want them to suffer the consequence of that mistake. This is what personal responsibility is all about. There are consequences to our actions and we must pay the price. This is what makes us grow as human beings. We were not given a "do over" button in the form of abortion. I am a single father and both my children were not planned. I have come to believe that my life has been planned by my God and those two children are the best thing that ever happened to me. Am I paying the price, of course but it has made me a better person. Will I teach them to be irresponsible how I was, of course not. I too plan to teach them morals and values but if my son or daughter do have an unplanned pregnancy then they will have to pay the price and in the end they will discover for themselves that the price is worth it.

Mr. Obama I wish you a lot of success during your presidency and I will keep you and your family in my prayers.

Sincerely,

Mario Villagran

McCain vs. Obama (none of the above)

I will make this disclosure first, I am an independent and I find myself more in line with the libertarian party. I agree with Larry Elder when he says that there is not much difference between the two parties. I also would like to recommend that people read two books by Larry Elder, "Showdown" and "The Ten Things You Can't Say in America".

With that being said I feel both candidates are very similar when it comes to policies. They both came out and supported this bailout plan which is going to cost billions. Where does this money come from? Yes you guessed it, it comes from our taxes. The market will always correct itself but we come from a society that is always looking for the quick fix. The other day I heard an economist say that we are still paying for FDR's "New Deal" and now they are talking about a "New Deal 2". Many economist argue that government involvement actually prolongs the recovery process. I believe it because the government is trying to get involved in price fixing. Prices were too high and now they are coming down to what the market can really support.

Many of our crashes if not all were driven by greed. Greed in a lot of ways is like Love, because they both blind us from making rational decisions. The Great Depression happened only after a market run that inflated stock prices. People were purchasing stocks with borrowed money and when the market turned south they just didn't have the money to meet the margin calls. This sounds very familiar to the present housing crisis we are having. People started to buy homes with no money down thinking that the market was never going to stop going up. When some of these lenders started to demand that people make more than the negative amortization payment then they walked away from their homes. Then came the snowball effect and it is getting so bad that even people who invested large sums of money are beginning to walk away.

I was convinced to vote for the libertarian candidate and I still might because I just can't bring myself to vote for either one of the candidates because they are both about spending and taxing. I do believe that the McCain camp has it right by saying they should continue to cut taxes and reduce spending but the support of the bailout proved that he is willing to jump on the bandwagon just like everyone else and support misappropriation of funds. Let's face it not one of these executives of these financial institutions is going to reduce their salaries or bonuses in what could be perceived as one of the worst years in regards to performance.

Senator Obama is a very likable individual. He is very elegant and presidential. The message his camp is sending is for change and hope. What has he really done that convinces me that he can offer change for the better and hope that we are not attacked again. Will terrorists find a way to establish cells in the U.S. with a president that welcomes them with open arms. We will continue to be a target to terrorist governments that oppose democracy. We have a system that works but we are slowly moving our democratic and capitalist country to a socialist one. We have to get rid of our progressive tax system and reduce taxes all around to encourage investment and spending. This is how a market corrects itself.

Our president is commander in chief first and our country's job is to protect us. I would rather take that fight over there and help those people establish their own democracies so that we can have a friendlier global environment. President Bush is a man that the media and everyone else loves to hate but we have not been attacked since 9/11. He has done a great job at spreading democracy overseas but some of his biggest mistakes were out of control spending and encouraging sub-prime lending. We were entering a recession when he first took office and reducing taxes created a recovery but business cycles have to take their course and eventually the recession would find it's way back.

My point is that either candidate will have a very tough first term. I am sure that confidence levels will go up with whoever wins because people have lost their faith with the current president. I will vote libertarian because I believe that this is the next party that will eventually get this country back on the right track. It will not happen overnight but it has to begin somewhere. We need to get back to the fundamentals and what our founding fathers intended for this country and we need to get away from big government. I will pray for both candidates and I will support my new president but I would like to encourage everyone to read and research on your own and let your voice be heard. This is our personal responsibility.

If Senator McCain can actually reduce taxes and reduce spending then I believe he is better for our country. Senator Obama's plan of giving taxes back to middle income people is flawed because the majority of taxes is paid by the top 10% income earners. We should really abolish the IRS and our progressive tax system.

Loan Modifications

Loan Modifications seem to be the next industry to boom. There are so many people that owe more than their house is valued and with the economy in a downward spiral some of these people are having a difficult time making their mortgage payments. Companies are starting to issue layoff notices and they have also cut down on bonuses and overtime. Most people I know depend on the overtime to survive. Banks have also frozen many home equity lines of credit (HELOC) in this credit crunch. We are a society that uses debt as leverage so that we can have the birthdays and holidays that we all feel we deserve. Well we've gotten a huge wake up call.

What do people do now? The federal government has given people a free pass to walk away from their mortgage obligations and not pay taxes on the amount of debt that is forgiven. This was done with the mortgage debt relief act but one problem is that the state of California has not conformed to that law. People are still facing a big state tax bill when they are foreclosed on or even short sell their home. Since the passage of this law foreclosures have risen and so have rents. People who leave their homes now are looking at expensive rentals plus paying rent does not provide you with a tax write-off like paying mortgage interest does. Loan modifications seem to be one of the best solutions out there. Last week the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chairperson, Sheila Bair, proposed an initiative to set guidelines and standards for loan modifications. Today, October 29, it was announced that Sheila Bair's proposition to the banks and lenders is to modify more loans and for the government to guarantee those modifications. Peter Barnes also reported, on the Fox Business Network, that the government is encouraging mortgage servicers to modify loans and the government will guarantee these modified loans.

Well lenders were already starting to modify loans. Companies like Green Credit Solutions (GCS) have been doing it successfully for a couple of years now. Green Credit Solutions is a company that I refer people to because I've researched their track record and most importantly they work hand in hand with the Department of Real Estate (DRE). You can look them up at http://www.getgreencredit.com. They are an attorney assisted company that gets results. Borrowers do have the option of negotiating themselves or getting free counseling at places like http://www.hopenow.com. Just like everything else sometimes it is just better to pay someone to negotiate for you because it can be time consuming. I myself negotiated for a client successfully and didn't get anywhere for another client. It really depends on the bank but I would not try it on my own anymore. This is why I refer clients to GCS.

With the federal government guaranteeing these troubled loans, I am predicting that more mortgage servicers are going to be more flexible with loan modifications. This means that there is going to be a larger number of borrowers calling for help. For the average person getting through to the lender is going to be near impossible. If anyone would like to talk about their options please feel free to contact me via email at mvillagran@dovproperties.com or call me at (818) 416-7511. Why do I make myself available? The more people I help the more referrals I will get. It's that simple. "Ain't no such thing as a free lunch", well this is the closest that you are going to get.