Conrad Venti

We must have a passion for what we do in life. This man encapsulates the meaning of a niche. And he loves it. Simply beautiful.

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To view the original visit my blog @ conradventi.com

With the constant change in our industry, economy, and culture I have to say I spend plenty of time on the web. Pretty much every aspect of my job involves some need associated with the good ol' WWW. Much of my time is consumed by communicating via email, updating blogs (conradventi.com, blog.ventiscafe.com, and my family blog), and keeping up with friends, family, and business associates on social networks such as Facebook. The new way of online communication, also known as Web 2.0, allows business or people like myself to communicate with clients in an interactive fashion. Blogs are good examples of Web 2.0.

A good amount of my time is also consumed with research. I spend time on lender and bank websites researching product guidelines as change is more prevalent than ever. The constant flow of information on news websites also makes the WWW a primary resource for up to date stories. Many recent headlines have been focused on the economy and Obama's new administration. After the approval of Obama's new American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, I quickly turned to Google to help me find details of the new programs for home owners.

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To view original visit Conrad's Strong Foundation.

The thought of money management, budgeting, saving, etc. is on the minds of many of my clients. Consistent news of our economic recession forces many to think about their personal finances as a whole. As I advise my clients from the financing perspective of real estate, a personal budget or financial plan plays a large part in the analysis. Regardless of how much money one makes or how much debt one has, a common theme I can see in our culture today is that it is easier to make money than it is to manage money.

Money management/financial planning/budgeting are simply missing from our basic fundamentals of education in our country. Because the lack of financial education has been prevalent for so long, we are now seeing the consequences. One of the easiest ways to start taking control of your money management is to create a budget. Below I have outlined a basic 7 step plan to help begin a strong financial foundation.

Some tools that may be helpful in creating your plan: a calculator, pencil and paper or an excel spreadsheet.

1. Analyze your INCOME. Write down your monthly income. Make sure you using your net income (after tax). Add any steady miscellaneous sources of income to this number.

2. Make a list of your EXPENSES. Begin by writing down your fixed expenses (i.e. mortgage payment, auto loans, insurance). Next, write down your variable expenses (i.e. eating out, entertainment, or any other bill or expense that doesn't have a consistent payment). It would be very helpful to spend some time looking through past bank statements and credit card statements to get an average of these numbers.

3. Identify NEEDS and WANTS. Clearly define what you absolutely need and categorize the rest as "wants". As you look through your expenses be honest about the category for each of those expenses. The perception of a "need" has changed over the past couple of decades, going "back to the basics" will help you with this categorization. Get rid of anything that you can pinpoint as a clear waste of money.

4. Analyze your SAVINGS. If you have a savings plan, review it and make any necessary adjustments. If you don't have a savings plan, begin with the goal of having $1000 set aside for emergencies. Step up the goal as you can (three, six, or nine months of income saved).

5. Define short term and long term GOALS. Start by making a list of short term goals (i.e. starting the savings plan, paying off a credit card, saving for a vacation). Then move onto long term goals (i.e. retirement, college tuition). Review these goals at least every three months.

6. COMMUNICATE: Talk about it. Communication between spouses is absolutely vital. Everyone must be on the same page in order to be successful. Use your budget or financial plan as a educational tool for your children. It is never too early for children to begin learning how to manage money.

7. If necessary visit an ADVISOR. There are many areas of needs that can come to the surface when revisiting or starting your financial plan. If you need help with determining tax question, call your CPA; if you need help with investments, call your financial planner; if you need help with real estate questions, call your real estate agent; if you need help with your mortgage, call your mortgage advisor. These are just a few examples of advisors that may help you build your strong financial foundation.

I am here as a resource for you. Please ask questions regarding any of this information. If you need help in finding an advisor to meet any of these needs I would be happy to pass along the name of a trusted professional.

Posted 11/4/2008 - to view original click here - www.conradventi.com

The roller coaster ride on Wall Street has drawn an amazing amount of attention in recent months. Regardless of a win from John McCain or Barack Obama today, the issue of the regulation of Wall Street will be loudly spoken about in the coming weeks. Each candidate has a completely different regulation plan than the exiting president.

The Economists' Voice offers a great summary of each party's history and what we can expect to hear from each candidate:

While the presidential candidates have been diverted by critical issues ranging from Barack Obama’s taste in lettuce to John McCain’s condo, it’s hard to deny that, once elected, serious questions involving economic regulation—everything from housing finance to alternative energy mandates—will be front and center. And here, at least, the divisions are clear: Obama would use a heavy hand to push the economy back on track, while McCain would do his best to put the free back in free markets. Or maybe not.

Ever since the New Deal, Democrats have largely accepted the label as the party of regulation—defenders of the weak from the vagaries of soulless capitalism. Republicans, for their part, position themselves as the nemeses of the social engineers and do-gooders who would sap the economy of vigor.

But once in office, reality bites. Thus, with more than a little encouragement from Detroit, Ike committed the GOP to the biggest public works project in history—the Interstate Highway System. Richard Nixon imposed price controls to contain inflation, while Ronald Reagan protected the swooning steel industry from foreign competitors and the first President Bush championed market intervention in the name of cleaner air and accommodations for the disabled. The second Bush hasn’t stood on principle either, lavishing seniors with heavily subsidized prescription drugs and supporting bailouts for both investment bankers and the giant private mortgage insurers. Democrats, of course, have been no better at sticking to their script. Carter deregulated airlines and trucking, while Clinton deregulated telecommunications and nuclear enrichment as well as opening the door to cheap Mexican imports.

Thus, while Obama and McCain may both lull true believers with the bromides of an earlier generation, a subtler mix of ideology and interest group muscle is bound to drive the regulatory agenda once elected. Consider just a few of the big choices ahead.

Housing Finance

The idea that Wall Street prefers Republicans to Democrats (and vice versa) is badly dated—just ask Chuck Schumer, a member of the Senate’s finance and banking committee who has collected $1.4 million in campaign contributions from the securities industry in the last five years. But more than money drives the parties toward similar policies on financial regulation. The financial industry has become so critical to keeping the economic machinery moving and the fallout from a financial crisis has become so difficult to predict, that no president would let principle stand in the way of preventing the failure of a major financial institution.

Yet, as the bumpy road to the latest housing legislation shows, ideological divisions still have consequence. Conservative senate Republicans, who viewed the $300 billion in loan guarantees given to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae (the nominally private housing insurers) as another step toward the socialization of the mortgage market, staged a brief, embarrassing rebellion before bowing to White House pressure. If the housing market does not rebound next year, one can expect a far more interventionist fix from Obama than McCain. And more generally, where Republicans are inclined to view information disclosure as the key to financial market health, ongoing disruption of Wall Street could trigger Democratic regulation of everything from short selling to hedge fund behavior to asset securitization.

To view the complete article click here: regulation-after-bush Source: "Regulation after Bush" Robert Hahn and Peter Passell The Economists' Voice: Vol. 5 : Iss. 4, Article 5. (2008) http://www.bepress.com/ev/vol5/iss4/art5 http://www.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?context=ev&article=1389&date=&mt=MTIyNTgzNTUzNA==&access_ok_form=Continue

I mentioned in my post on Friday that the report for US existing home sales came in higher than expected at a gain of 5.5% over 2007. The number is encouraging considering the current state of the economy. According to Willamette Valley MLS, local home sales prices are showing a small decrease of 2.5% from 2007. With a gain in home sales and a small decrease in value, the numbers show that people are beginning to take advantage of the opportunity at hand.

With the financial markets trying to find some direction and the government's intervention into those markets, we have obviously entered into an economically unstable time. Although times like these make it easy to point out the obstacles for each of us, I think it is more important to find the opportunities.

We are fortunate to live in the Willamette Valley where home sales didn't appreciate at too abnormal of a pace. We are still greatly affected by the downturn of the real estate and mortgage market, but the recovery will be much less painful than those in areas where values were ridiculously abnormal. Opportunity is knocking for first time home buyers or those looking to start an investment portfolio. Although, it is not the best time to think about upgrading your home (simply because you won't maximize your investment on your current residence), it has never been a better time to buy your first home or investment property.

Many have the excuse that financing is not available, however, that can be overcome with education and planning by a knowledgeable resource. With a plethora of homes currently on the market in the Willamette Valley, values are competitive and sellers are motivated. New construction is also an area of opportunity. Many large builders in the Salem area put their efforts into 50+ unit subdivisions. Unfortunately, much of the commercial financing used for construction is longer available. Builders too are motivated, making yet another opportunity for someone looking to purchase. '

If you want to discuss opportunities that may be at your finger tips please don't hesitate to call or email conrad@conradventi.com. Don't forget that opportunities are never lost…someone will take the ones you miss!