Housing Market Poised To Return To Normal!!

By 2012 according to BusinessWeek. Yippee.

Why Are We Building New Homes?

According to CNBC, new home and apartment construction rose 17.2% in May, another positive sign that the housing market may be stabilizing. I dunno, shouldn't we be selling the backlog of unsold homes first before building new ones? Just a thought.

Nice Pants?

I've had some strange requests for notarizations over the years, but how about being asked to notarize a document swearing to the length of a 200 foot pair of pants? Hey, we've got a giant Paul Bunyan statue in Michigan, maybe he'd like a new pair of pants.

World's Longest Trousers

Expert Tips For Becoming A Successful Notary Signing Agent

Texas signing agent Brenda Stone has been a leader and mentor in this industry for many years. Much of my marketing has been based on her example. This includes developing a visible web presence and networking with other experienced signing agents. I've talked about the wonderful reverse mortgage e-book that Brenda developed; I believe it's a must read if you're getting started with reverse mortgages. Well, Brenda has now begun sharing her knowledge as a writer for The American Association of Notaries. In addition to a print publication that you can purchase for $19 a year, the AAN provides a FREE monthly e-newsletter. You can sign up for the newsletter here. This month's articles by Brenda (which can be accessed after signing up) include great tips for obtaining notary and document experience. If you're just starting out or still feeling some apprehension about loan signings, I encourage you to sign up.

FBI Prepares For Financial Fraud

With a large amount of money available from government mortgage bailout plans, the FBI is anticipating a wave of fraud and corruption as nefarious scammers look to take advantage of unsuspecting homeowners. Many of us have already seen this, with so called loan modification or foreclosure rescue companies that require thousands of dollars from homeowners hoping to stave off foreclosure. These rescue companies require certified nonrefundable funds up front, with absolutely no promise or commitment to do anything. The FTC has already filed lawsuits against five mortgage modification and foreclosure rescue companies, and also sent warning letters to 71 others "that are marketing potentially deceptive mortgage modification and foreclosure assistance programs."

One legitimate place to find help is through the federal government's Hope Now program at http://hopenow.com.