IYPnow.com

Auto Insurance

2011-04-29T10:40:00.000-07:00

Today's blog has been submitted by Dennis Barnes.
Lowest Cost Car Insurance Policy is Simply Not Enough Coverage: Yes, legally it gets one driving. But what happens after an accident? Take for instance a legal car insurance policy that only had $25,000 available in property damage coverage per accident. What if the car that was hit by the less expensive car insurance driver had a brand new car worth over $25,000 or if someone's property was damaged and the repairs were over $25,000? It is easy to see how these legal car insurance minimum limits could be exhausted quickly and the less expensive or cheap car insurance driver is the one who would then have the responsibility to pay the rest. If that cheap car insurance driver did not have the means to pick-up the tab… it’s how are you going to pay the repair bill?

Dennis Barnes is a licensed Insurance Agent with PEXA INSURANCE AGENCY in Roseville California. If you have questions regarding your insurance policy call Dennis @ 916.717.2700. You can also read more about Dennis on http://www.iypnow.com/.

2010-12-10T09:32:00.000-08:00

THE FOLLOWING Q & A POST ON SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING IS COURTESY OF e3media A LOCAL NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ADVANCED INTEGRATED MARKETING FIRM.....

Top 8 Most Commonly Asked SEO Questions

The following is a list of the top questions we typically receive from our clients:

#1 Q. How long will it take to get my site listed in Google's natural or "Organic" listings?
A. This depends on many factors. Be aware that getting "listed" and getting good positioning in the search engine results pages (SERP) are two entirely different things. Getting listed is fairly easy but the most important issue is getting good organic positioning so we will discuss this here.
In short, it could take anywhere from one month to up to several years to achieve favorable positioning in Google.
Some determining factors on achieving good position are:
1. Web Site Optimization - Is you site optimized correctly for your relevant keyword phrases?
2. Inbound Links - Do you have many relevant, high PR (Page Rank) links that point to your site? This is as important as the optimization itself!
3. Search Engine Friendly Site - Does your site have any barriers that would block search engine spiders?
4. How long has your site been online? The newer the site, the longer it will take to achieve good positioning due to all the factors listed here.
5. New sites generally have a zero or very low Page Rank. Established sites that rank at the top generally have a higher page rank. Page Rank is gained by building inbound links from authoritative and credible sites like http://www.iypnow.com/.
6. How much competition do you have? New sites in highly competitive categories have an uphill battle. There are no quick solutions so settle in for the long haul. With perseverance, proper execution, and lots of hard work, good results can be achieved.
7. Use "White Hat" or Ethical SEO techniques ONLY.
These are only some factors that will affect how fast your site will get good positioning in Google and Yahoo.
Beware: There are many unscrupulous SEO companies out there that will tell you they can get you front page positioning in two weeks. That should raise a big red flag with you.

#2 Q. Should I participate in the PPC (pay per click) or Sponsor links at Google, Yahoo and MSN or focus strictly on organic optimization?
A. Organic optimization alone is not a true "Marketing Plan". A true online marketing plan includes sponsor link setup and management. There may be a time when you can take your Sponsor links offline but if your positioning drops in the organic listings due to algorithmic changes, you still have a backup plan that can be quickly enabled to drive traffic to your site.
Many of our customers that have a #1 listing in Google still keep their sponsor links enabled.

#3 Q. How much will it cost to participate in the Sponsor link programs (pay per click)?

A. Cost to participate in Sponsor link AKA Pay Per Click plans such as Yahoo Sponsor Search and Google Ad Words, which provide sponsor results in many search engines and directories, is based on several factors.
We must determine the number of phrases you wish to promote, the cost per click of the particular keywords you wish to promote, the position you wish to maintain, the competition for the phrase and the frequency of the clicks. Therefore, it's virtually impossible to determine the exact budget amount you will need initially. However, we can we can work within just about any budget you set.

#4 Q. Google is the only search engine my customers use. Why should I submit to the other search engines?

A. While Google is currently the #1 search engine right now you cannot discount the traffic you will receive from Yahoo, Bing and Ask. These are still very viable search engines that are used by millions of loyal followers. Current Stats break down something like this:

(Rough Estimates)

Google: 60%

Yahoo: 30%

Bing: 7%

Ask: 3%

Consider this, Yahoo is probably the Webs top portal and Bing is owned by the top OS software developer (Microsoft) and searching with IE using the Address bar defaults to the Bing engine and now these two are combining forces.
Therefore; if you are not in these search engines you are losing market share.
We have always been surprised to see the traffic from Yahoo and Bing when running log file analysis on multiple sites. Another way to look at it is "Don't put all your eggs in one basket".

#5 Q. Do I really need to submit my site to directories both free and paid?
A. Absolutely. Directory inclusion is just as important as the site optimization itself. Directory inclusion builds inbound links that increase your credibility with Google. Without this credibility or Page Rank your site will not have a chance to gain position in Google's competitive environment.
Some of the directories we link to also include "Deep links" which link to your sites internal pages.

#6 Q. Will you optimize our site without including us in the directories or doing any link building?
A. No. There would be no point. Link building is absolutely essential to optimization success.

#7 Q. Why should I pay for an organic optimization plan once I gain good positioning?
A. Good organic placement is a moving target. It is not like a static "Yellow Page Ad" that never changes. Organic positioning is never guaranteed and always subject to change. Once you stop worrying about your great organic placement, you competitor hasn't and is still working to overtake you. We monitor organic placement of our customers and continually make recommendations that will help them maintain good organic positioning for their phrases. We also maintain the inbound links, making sure they are renewed and not dropped. In addition we perform additional directory inclusion, link building, code tweaking, copy writing, page additions and ongoing consulting. Optimization is not a "submit and forget" proposition. It's an ongoing process to stay on top.

#8 Q. Can you optimize my page for my top 20 keywords?
A. No. A single page cannot be optimized correctly for that many keyword phrases. The general rule of thumb is one keyword phrase per page and the maximum of two. We generally optimize sub pages for your other relative keyword phrases. If a page does not exist that's relevant to the phrase, we may create a new page specifically for those phrases.

To find out more about the services that e3media offers please visit their website: http://www.e3media.us/.

Current State of Affairs for Distressed Home Mortgages and Owners

2010-11-13T09:59:00.000-08:00

The contributors for today's blog are Rick Stalker and Donna Burnet both are Certified Distressed Property Experts.....

In an uncertain real estate market and troubling national economy, too many homeowners are faced with the immense challenge of maintaining a mortgage payment by living paycheck to paycheck, taking a large pay cut, having to pay unexpected medical bills, or losing their job entirely. In addition to perhaps having little to no savings and little available credit, the situation can be very grim. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, 250,000 families enter into foreclosure every three months, and the most common cause of foreclosure is that the borrower never really had a chance. Having one’s home foreclosed upon, on top of these hardships, only compounds matters by effecting a huge credit hit on the homeowner and making it much more difficult to gain back their lifestyle in addition to causing severe emotional stress.

What is the current state of affairs for help with underwater home mortgages? Nationally one in six mortgages are in some sort of a default, this equates to over 20 million households across America. More underwater homeowners are being added this statistic every single day. Many of those underwater are in the high appreciation home areas, namely, California, Nevada, Arizona and Florida. So what is a home owner to do?

HAMP, HAFA, Lions, Tigers and Bears, oh my, confused, you bet. It is our job with numerous specialty training and certificates spending every single day working with distressed home owners and it is still confusing!

First off; BEWARE OF COMPANIES OFFERING LOAN MODIFICATION SERVICES. Most modifications can be applied directly by the home owner. In addition, if you have questions regarding applications, there are government assistance organizations to help you. All free of charge. In our opinion, unless you are working with a trusted attorney or CPA you should NEVER pre- pay for loan modification services. We hear horror story after horror story from home owners who have prepaid loan modification companies and these companies are now either out of business or haven’t done anything for their client. Additionally, just don’t assume every attorney is well versed in this arena.

Banks with the help of federal and state programs are working with “certain” home owners. This help comes in the way of Loan Modifications with or without principal reductions to the mortgage balance. These programs are complicated and not all lenders cooperate in every program. Basically, it gets down to debt to income, ability to re-pay and how much help is needed. Secondly, and possibly most important, even if you qualify and are approved, you need to ask the tough question, does the program make sense for you and your family? For example, a home owner paid $500,000 for their home in California. Let’s assume they took out a conventional 80% LTV (Loan to Value) which means they put down $100,000, $400,000 was financed. (this is assuming the home was never refinanced or monies being borrowed against the home) The home estimated worth is approximately $300,000. In most cases, even if a loan modification is granted, very few offers include any principal reduction. Even with an aggressive interest rate which in many cases is for 3-5 year time period the home will take years to get back to par. In the Sacramento area we generally see approximately 8-12 years to get the home back to par. Is this worth it?

(We helped develop a financial tool that helps calculate a very clear picture on the time table which we would gladly review with your specific situation)

This is the primary reason you hear and see so many homes that are classified as a “Short Sale”. In general terms this means negotiating with the bank to accept a sale for less than what is owed on the house. In many if not most cases it is a viable alternative to foreclosure. The general strategy is to sell the house now, utilize the Debt Relieve Act, minimize the credit ding, get the families financial situation in order and have an excellent chance to re-enter the market at the current reduced home prices.

The first question many people have is, if the bank is going to take a loss no mater what, why won’t my bank just reduce my principle to current value and let me keep it? Unfortunately, this currently is not an option and frankly we just don’t see it happening any time soon. In a nut shell, the lenders want skin in the game. In fact, sellers must sign what is called “an arms length agreement” meaning you are not selling for any personal gain, to any family member, friend or business associate. A short sale must be listed with a licensed real estate agent or attorney. It is our strong recommendation you consult with an agent or attorney that has a lot of experience working with short sales and loss mitigation. It is not the time to work with your newly licensed friend or relative.

At HomeStalkers and The D&R Group, we have helped hundreds of local Sacramento home owners solve their distressed home situation. Many times just meeting for an hour and discussing options or analyzing a loan modification offer can put home owners on the correct path. Nothing gives us more satisfaction than receiving an appreciative hug and for giving honest, professional advice and service.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at (916) 580-0316 or by email at rstalker@kw.com For more information you may also want to take a look at our blog site: http://www.avoidforeclosureadvice.com/

If needed, we will schedule a time to sit down with you, discuss our specific situation and help get you on the right path. This is all free and there is absolutely no obligation. Even if you decide a short sale is your best solution rest assured that ALL of our fees are paid by your lender.

Rick Stalker & Donna Burnet, GRI, CDPE, Masters Club, HAFA Certified
The HomeStalkers and D&R Group
916.580.0316
DRE # 01395880 & 01002254

IYPnow.com Mobile Application

2010-07-28T18:20:00.000-07:00

Businesses can now be searched via your mobile device by logging onto http://www.iypnow.com/

WELCOME TO OUR BLOG

2010-06-11T17:26:00.000-07:00

The IYPnow.com blog has been developed to share insights on the business economy according to the current activity and forecasts from local business owners and leaders. All information will be candid comments from our clients who advertise on http://www.iypnow.com/.