Check These Items Before Hiring a Home Health Care Provider

When selecting a home health care provider to assist either yourself or a loved one it is important to get all the facts in regards to a specific provider before you sign on the dotted line. Because the provider will be charged with taking care of someone who has special needs, you want to be sure that those needs will be met in the best possible way. Failure to sufficiently look into a home care provider can have disastrous results that could end up leaving you or your loved one in a very rough spot.

Here are some items to check before you hire a home health care provider:

1. Are They Licensed: Some states will require special licensing in order for a home health care provider to operate in a legitimate manner. If you live in such a state then you need to ask the home health care provider you are considering to furnish you with proof of their licensing before you hire them.

2. Are They Accredited: There are certain types of accreditation that home health care providers can earn. Some of the more well know accreditations are JCAHO, CHAP, and Medicare. If the home care provider you are looking into has one or more of these accreditations that means they have passed rigorous standards and tests in order to obtain them.

3. What Does the Patient's Bill of Right Look Like: A patient's 'Bill of Rights' will cover all the expected responsibilities of the caregivers, the agency, and the patients alike. It is in your best interest to read through this thoroughly and make sure that you will be okay with all the provisions contained within.

4. How Do They Supervise: Some home care providers will assign supervisors to oversee the activates of certain staff members and some act more like a referral service with no monitoring whatsoever. Be sure to find out how the home health care service you are looking at operates so you can be assured that you or your loved one's caregiver will have someone overseeing them and making sure they are doing an adequate job.

5. What's Their Accountability: What happens if a staff member misses an appointment? What happens if a staff member calls in sick? Does the home health care provider you are considering have an accountability plan in place to ensure that there will always be someone to assist you or your loved one with the your required needs? This is critical to find out ahead of time as the last thing you want is to have someone who requires special assistance be unable to get it due to a lack of accountability. homecarereviews.net Home health care is a wonderful resource to use provided you find a worthy home health care provider. By knowing the answers to some key questions beforehand, you can rest assured that you or your loved one will be provided with the very best care form a home health care service you will be able to trust.

Jason Kay recommends reading homecarereviews.net home care reviews before choosing a provider for you or a loved one.

For Many Agency Owners, Cross Selling Is A Missed Opportunity - Part 1

At this point in the industry cycle, it's a good time to get creative. Increasing concern over the long-term viability of contingents following the settlement between Marsh and the New York Attorney General's office is certainly the highest profile worry. Besides this issue, many market factors also are at work. Rate softening persists in many product lines, with no immediate end in sight. Increased competition continues, particularly for middle-market clients and consumer confidence is on the downturn.

Look to the horizon

In many cases, agency owners choose to stick with their niches, which is certainly a viable strategy during good times. But when facing tough competition and product slippage, consider horizontal product and service sales opportunities.

Most middle-market P/C operations provide a predictable set of products to their clients. Thus, it's hard to establish differentiation between your firm and one down the street. Clients are becoming more transient and more sophisticated about solving risk problems. Today, clients require more insurance options and coverages than many agencies have to offer. This is especially true of a commercial client.

The solution to this increasingly common situation is cross-selling.

This article will discuss how to structure a successful cross-selling program, and Part Two will address the keys to success, pitfalls, and what to expect in the way of marketplace response.

Here's a hypothetical: A commercial client wants to provide long-term care for employees, or a more comprehensive policy for executive management. Or perhaps they would smile upon additional perks for the executive team offered by a disability income program.

Beyond benefits, many executives could benefit from a package of financial planning tools, such as wealth transfer, estate planning, or insurance that would fund repurchase liabilities within an ESOP. Look at these options holistically, perhaps offer to design a complete program of executive benefits. Don't worry if the skills are not available in-house yet.

Think about the rest of the employees at the client's firm. They certainly purchase personal lines coverage for their homes, auto or life insurance needs. Is this something you can provide? How about group benefit insurance?

If the client is interested in alternative risk financing, offer to be the link for the third party administrator services for the client's self-insurance programs. How about offering access to captives and risk retention group solutions?

How to get there?

When considering how to offer new products and services, many agency executives see a big learning curve, and an even bigger capital investment. That comes from the "I need to acquire a firm with these skills, or hire someone who has them" camp. There is a better way.

The best solution is often to enter a joint venture with two or three other firms who share the same geographic footprint but have disparate core product specialties. Compare this route to the two other options: acquiring or hiring.

An acquisition might be an attractive option to some. With the cost of capital low, many firm owners see it as a way to build a more diverse business. But this route actually could be more costly, because it definitely presents greater economic risk.

If an acquisition is chosen, try the joint venture route first. See if the situation is workable, and build in some safeguards. A first right of refusal under change of control or exercisable call/put options ensure that the investment in the relationship won't be for naught. It might not be romantic, but it will in many cases create greater immediate economic returns and less stress over the potential success of an acquisition.

Perhaps hiring new staff sounds like the best route. But there exists a speed-to-market issue. Even the most successful producers typically require two or three years to build relationships and get systems operational. Consider that initially the wrong specialist may be hired, and the firm must absorb the expense of having to go back to the drawing board. Consider also that the new products and services will have back-office technical requirements, and accessing a new market is time-consuming and carries costs.

Creating a unified front

Joint ventures are contractual relationships among several parties that typically operate under a common, branded, fictitious name. The relationships can be highly customized, addressing each firm's issues over ownership, operations, revenue and risk-sharing. Such an arrangement, if structured properly, is paying dividends for firms throughout the industry every day.

One way to structure it is through a contractual referral agreement, which does not create an actual joint venture. In this situation, clients will perceive that they are getting service from two separate entities, and may be suspicious of "referral fees" adding to their cost. In a true joint venture, the resulting company is considered a common business entity from a legal perspective. Cohesive branding ensures that clients will feel they are receiving a complete, undiluted package. Along with working together under the joint venture name, each partner also may retain its own ownership structures and operations.

Strategically, the best option is to aggregate core product skills among several firms and to funnel all those products and services into the new, rebranded entity. This minimizes shareholder risk and enhances the change for reciprocal cross-selling among two or three firms. It adds economic value to each firm, as they are able to lower their client acquisition costs through the relationship. And it creates greater client leverage, which should increase retention rates and profit margins.

While a joint venture is not the answer to business growth in every situation, many markets contain this untapped potential.

Steven Wevodau
Industry News Websites:
stevenwevodau.net stevenwevodau.net (Merger & Acquisition News)
stevenwevodau.info stevenwevodau.info (Life Insurance News)

Home Based Business: Your Ticket To Ultimate Freedom

Due to the hardships brought on by our country's current economic situation, many people are looking to a Home-Based Business as a means of income. Job loss due to downsizing or other reasons, is motivating people to find alternate ways of supporting themselves and their families. A successful home-based business can afford you a comfortable lifestyle in regard to both working environment and monetary reward.

If you have decided you would like to start a home-based business, there are several issues that need to be thought-out and realized in terms of legality. You must consider the legal issues as well as your local zoning regulations, in addition to any restrictions on the use of your property for business purposes. Municipal policies determine what types of businesses can be run from your home. These regulations vary by city, so you will want to do some research in this area. You can look up the regulations for your town by visiting the local zoning board or law library. You will also need to talk to an accountant or read information from the IRS on the issues of tax deductions regarding home businesses.

Another consideration is that many home-based businesses require state licenses for things like child care, auto repair and private investigation. After you have researched your town's regulations on home businesses, be sure to contact your local government office and ask about what agency, if any, regulates your planned business and what you need to do to obtain a license.

Avoid a costly mistake and look into obtaining business.educationeasy.net business insurance. Your home-owners policy may not provide enough coverage especially for things like equipment damage and even client injury if you will be conducting meetings in your home.

Once you've got all of those issues satisfied, you should be thinking about the internal workings of your business. Staying organized requires a good deal of effort for some people, but it benefits you greatly in the long run. If you will be receiving and sending large amounts of mail and/or packages, it might be better to set up an external mail service. Then designate an area of your home to be used for sorting and also preparing out-going mail. You don't want to cover up your workspace with papers and boxes which may become misplaced and disorganized. A separate email account used solely for your business is another way to ensure consistent communication with your customers. Customer service is what will make or break your business so it is wise to stay on top of things within your devised system to ensure satisfaction and ultimately bring in repeat business.

Your home based business [home-based-businesses-online.info] headquarters. Articles and multiple resources to explode your income and give you freedom.

Spyware - What Is It and Why Should I Care?

What is Spyware? Is it related to Hardware?

Well, no, Hardware is the physical parts of your computer while Spyware is a fairly new term that refers to software that gathers and then sends information about your Web surfing habits to its own Web site. It is often installed in your computer in combination with a free download that you selected from the Web, but it is occasionally installed just by visiting a Web site. Just as there are many types of computer viruses, Spyware is actually a broad category of malicious software, and known now as Malware, intended to intercept or take partial control of a computer's operation without the user's informed consent.

Spyware transmits information in the background, without announcing itself, as you move around on the Web. Because of this "stealth" aspect of the software it has been given the name: Spyware. It's also known as "parasite software," "scumware," "junkware" and "thiefware, and a lot of other names that I can't mention in a 'G' rated article!

Sometimes, It Might Even Tell You It's Spyware

The license agreement for your software that everyone accepts without reading may actually state that you are installing spyware and explain what it does. For example, it might say that the program performs anonymous profiling, which means that your habits (where you go on the Web) are being recorded, not your information individually. Such software is used to create marketing profiles; for example, a 60 year old man who goes to Web site "A" often goes to Web site "B" and sometimes to Web site "C". These profiles get gathered into a statistical report and is most times sold to advertising or marketing agencies.

Spyware may also deliver competing products in real time as you surf the Web. For example, if you go to a Web page and look for a certain type of automobile, an ad for a competitor's vehicle might pop up. Or, if you're on a site looking for a recipe, an ad might pop up for a new cookbook. These are very targeted ads, meant to get the attention of the Web 'surfer', but for the most part, they are just annoying!

Why are they infecting me? I didn't download anything!

Merchants place ads with spyware advertisers because they feel their promotions are focused. In fact, many feel that the Internet has opened up the most intelligent marketing system the world has ever seen. Merchants say they are targeting prospects that are really interested in their products, and spyware vendors argue that as long as they treat users anonymously, they are not violating privacy.

This is a very 'iffy' definition that walks a fine line. Most of the time, the Spyware is wrapped in a 'helpful', free program that claims to do 'fun' things or assist you as you learn the Web.

There are also spyware programs that keep changing your home page in your browser to a particular Web site. This is known as a Browser Hijack and is one of the most difficult types of spyware to remove from your system.

Why are these little windows getting on my computer?

Some of the Spyware programs just keep popping up ads all the time, even if you are not connected to the Internet! If you see this happening on your computer, it is a sure sign that you have Spyware lurking somewhere! Nevertheless, once you have detected spyware, it can be eliminated with the correct types of programs, although, with some amount of difficulty at times.

How do I get rid of these nasty programs!

Spyware blockers can detect an invasion of spyware into your computer and have become as popular as antivirus programs. These are programs that you must pay for, due to the sophistication of the program in blocking the spyware from coming into your computer in the first place!

Written by Debbi Baird, Co Owner, PC For Seniors Author of many technical articles in ?plain English? for the ?Older Generation? and Trainer / Tutor / Consultant in the Palm Beach, Florida area. Go to pcforseniors.com pcforseniors.com to find more information on computers and The Internet in the ?How Do I ?? section of the web site! Also, check out our Hot Sites! Listing for links to great places to go online for Seniors!

Minding Our Elders: How Long Can I Do This?

When was the last time you listened to a bird? Noticed tree leaf buds bursting open on a spring day? Enjoyed a child's laugh (even your own child or grandchild)? Can't remember? You're caring too much. That's right, you are caring for other people too much and cheating yourself out of living your life. You also may be cheating yourself out of your health. Caregiving can be the most exhausting thing you do, emotionally, spiritually and physically. You want to do what is right. But how much is too much.? And when it is too much, where do you go for help?

The following scenarios from the people I interviewed for Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories, tell of the toll caregiving can take. Diane and her husband wanted to keep her husband's aunt in her own home. They had promised to do so years earlier, when the aunt had said, "Don't ever put me in a nursing home!" So, when the aunt became ill and incapacitated, they hired 24-hour in-home care. The only problem was that, as we know too well, life happens. So do holidays. And that is where finding people to fill shifts can be a problem. One Christmas, Diane nearly gave up. Diane tells about a Christmas where the scheduled workers bailed.

"It didn't help that I had injured my knee at work, and needed surgery. I found the floor at (the aunt's) house better than the couch, so I was sleeping there. About three o'clock in the morning she hollered, 'Anyone out there?' I dragged up from the floor to see what she wanted. 'Can I have some water?' She keeps a glass of water by her bed, but I went and got her some more, and then tried to get back to sleep.

"I no more than fell asleep when I heard, 'Do you think I could have some juice?' Then she was yelling, impatient because I was taking so long getting up off the floor! I got her the juice, and barely got back to sleep, when she hollered again. By then it was about five, so I just stayed up."

Diane knew she was compromising her own health to do what she was doing - but what's the choice? Sometimes you are next up to bat and you just do it. But - long term? That's when the real damage is done.

Michelle had been the primary caregiver for several elders in her family. Her beloved step-father's death was the last. She also struggled, during all of the years of elder caregiving, to help her son, who is bi-polar. Michelle was still trying to recover when I interviewed her for Minding Our Elders. Her closing words to me were:

"The channel running through all of this was my son's problems. And then my own health. I've been diagnosed with clinical depression. It has all taken its toll.

I still wonder if I made the right decisions. When you're young, you don't think that you're going to grow old and die. You just don't realize all of this. If I knew I was going to die - as Mom knew - would I do anything different? If I knew that today was my last day on earth, how would I live?"

Diane and Michelle were good, decent people who wanted to help others, especially those they cared for. But they, like most caregivers, often forgot to love and care for themselves. The promises made in days gone by, dusty now because circumstances have changed, can chain us to unrealistic expectations. We make promises when things are good, only to find, years later, that keeping those promises could kill us.

The numbers of ailing elders a family can pile on one caregiver can be daunting (thus, my 20-year stint as a caregiver). Yet we keep doing and doing and doing. We keep caring for others and ignoring ourselves. We keep saying, I can do this one more day. Just one more day. And one more day. Until, after years of self-neglect, we discover the breast lump or have a heart attack or stroke. And then the elders we were caring for need to go into a nursing home, because we can't be there for them. Worse, we can't even be there to help them adjust. We are too ill.

Is this what they'd want for you? No. Go to mindingourelders.com mindingourelders.com and find links and agencies. The elder locator is great. Senior Approved Services is terrific. Your local Area Agency on Aging can assist you in many ways. Find someone to help. Someone who can point you to respite care. Put yourself on your list of people needing care. And don't put yourself last.

Search until you find someone who can help your ailing elders from time to time, so you can sit on a park bench and listen to a bird sing. See tree buds burst into leaves. Hear - really hear - children laugh. When you go back to your elders, refreshed, with a lighter heart and maybe a story or two, you will all be better off. Even if they complain that the respite worker didn't make the tea right, or kept the window open too far - even then - you will all be better off. Because then, you may have a chance to stay healthy and vital, so you can continue to take care of your loved ones.

For over twenty years author, columnist and speaker Carol Bradley Bursack cared for a neighbor and six elderly family members. Because of this experience, Carol created a portable support group ? the book ?Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories. Her sites, mindingourelders.com mindingourelders.com and mindingoureldersblogs.com mindingoureldersblogs.com, include helpful links and agencies. Carol?s column, ?Minding Our Elders,? runs weekly, she speaks at many caregiver workshops and conferences and has been interviewed by national radio, newspapers and magazines.

Nurse Staffing Business - Software For You

Given the high insist of nursing specialized in the United States, more and more health care expert and even simple persons as well have began to appear into the potentials of the Nurse Staffing commerce.

The Nurse Staffing commerce of course deem too be talented when it comes to the opportunity and the receiving potentials to entrepreneurs. A lot of nurses have actually measured venturing in this line of commerce. With the breathing skills that they posse and the available information as well, makes it no hesitation easier for them to go with this.

As a nurse though, you no longer have to see yourself as the one providing the health care service. You are currently your own person in charge; therefore as the business proprietor, you have to be watchful of all the things unswervingly allied to this. What this means is that, you would have to study more and consequently carry out errands to make sure that operations runs effortlessly and you are able to administer it.

As you consider this business, you would almost certainly like to get yourself a little which will make it more suitable for you to take out tasks. This way, you are clever to ensure development and output as well in your asset. Nurse recruitment software is the ideal choice in serving you attains your goal. This software will be able to assist you in a lot of ways you can picture.

A nurse staffing software makes sure that in order is accessible to every one worried. This will make in no doubt that the information necessary can be made accessible online. This software also reduces the possibilities of mistake in data admission. It is able to put jointly the functionalities of both face office and back bureau tasks and concern. The software also provide you all that you need ý" be it tracking, activities on sales, searches and placements. You can also use this in supervision orders, payroll processing, treatment and even invoice.

Consider in invest in a nurse staffing software at the present. Why danger running the all the functioning tasks when you can with no trouble use software to create it work easily for you. Go online at this time and obtain yourself this software. It will put aside you a lot of money, headache and occasion as well.

Nursing Care Plan Software For Effective Nursing Plans

Creating a nursing plan is built-in as one of the everyday jobs of nurses. This is an significant task which they have to do as a custom to make sure that a patient's fitness is restore and that they will be healthy on their way to revival. With this being said, a nursing diagram will comprise tasks and particulars perform by a harbour.

It will also serve as means of talking or communicate the needs of the tolerant when it comes to healthcare. This must also be comprehensible and object enough for co-nurses and team member to read and go after. This nurse care plan also show or display details about the enduring such as his or her analysis results, form or other responses or ask for.

For More Information See: startanursinghome.com How to start a nursing agency, visit startanursinghome.com startanursinghome.com

There's More Than One Way To Work From Home

One question that many people have is, "How many ways are they to work from home?"

Well, my answer is, as many as you can think of. It is not surprising to see people working from home, in weird areas that you could never imagine. This is especially true for people who are using the internet. In this article, let us just go through a few ways that you can work from home.

1) Becoming a tuition teacher

Do you have a passion for teaching? If yes, you can always be a tuition teacher. I am sure there will be parents who are looking for extra academic help for their children, especially those who are weak in their studies.

You can try to advertise your services in tuition agency if there is any. If not, you can ask your friends to look out for you. Maybe they know children who need extra help. Parents care for their children very much. They will be willing to pay you a good fee for your service.

Of course, if you want to earn a full time income, you will want to have as many students as possible. /there can be two arrangements. Either you go to the student's home or you can have your student come to your home.

2) Start an internet business

An internet business is getting more and more common. There are many people who managed to do extremely well. Some of them even became a millionaire as a result. You may not aim to become a millionaire but it is definitely possible to earn a relatively good income on the internet.

There are many different business models on the internet. In fact too many to list here. Some of them are affiliate marketing, online publishing, eBay, membership sites and many more.

3) Becoming a freelancer

You can also be a free lancer. Common free lance jobs include graphic designing, programming, writing, website design etc. In fact, with sites like Kasamba, it makes it easy for people of any profession to offer their services online.

You can also consider free lance websites like RentACoder and elance. There are many people there looking for free lancers. You can always try to bid for a project that you are interested in.

I have only provided 3 ideas here. There are many more ways that you can work from home. Just think about what you want to do and what you can offer. I am sure you will be able to come out with ideas that suit you.

Discover how a dishwasher stumbled upon the internet and affiliate marketing and started earning $10,000 per month within 24 months.

You will also receive a newsletter and a free 325 pages guidebook, "The Science of Making Money Online" that shows you how to avoid scams and what it really takes to succeed in any work from home business [residualincomecash.com].

Visit [residualincomecash.com] to find out more.

How To Protect Your Home While You Are Away On Vacation

Properly securing your home while on vacation, you will be assured of peace in your house when you return. Ideally one of the best ways to protect your home is with a state of the art security system. These are readily available from many companies.

Placing the security firm's signs in your well lighted yard will help make your home less appealing to criminal activity. Many security firms have round the clock monitoring and direct links to the law enforcement agencies.

There are a few other suggestions you should keep in mind to protect your home while you are away. Unfortunately with our busy lives today it may be very difficult to find someone willing and able to stay there while you are on vacation. If you cannot find someone to stay at your home there are other things you can do with a little preparation to keep your home safe. Try to find a close friend or neighbor who can keep an eye on your home for you, reporting any suspicious behavior.

Secondly it is imperative to have a house that still looks occupied. Your friend or neighbor can pick up the mail daily, pick up newspapers daily, and tend to any plants that need care, shovel the sidewalks in the winter and check on your home daily. These things will help to deter a criminal who happens to be looking for a house to burglarize. Putting a motion sensor taping of a dog barking is an effective deterrent. It may also be a good idea to have a neighbor walk up and down your sidewalks and driveways in the winter if you are unable to have them cleared of snow while you are away from home.

A lot of people depend on their neighbors to help keep an eye on their home. If you are comfortable this is generally a great idea. Remember to leave them access to your home with a key. Do not leave a key unattended anywhere!

Another excellent and inexpensive deterrent for criminals are lighting around the exterior of your home as well as changing lights on the interior. The light changes can easily be controlled by set timers or sensors. However it is best to set at varying times instead of using any routine. This will give a sense of someone occupying the premises. Remember to give your neighbor or friend , whoever you depend on to watch your home, a key, that way they can get in and look around and tend to plants, mail, etc.

Above all always notify police of any disturbances as soon as possible when you return from your trip. The number one way however to prevent burglars is to lock your doors!

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as cheap travel packages [cheaptravelpackagesonline.com] at [cheaptravelpackagesonline.com]

Do Non Profit Credit Counseling Services Help That Much?

With the economy the way it is today, more people are struggling with paying bills and just basic living expenses. How do you manage from day to day or month to month? Many, many people are out of work and struggling to figure out what to do. Do I need to go to credit counseling is a question many are asking themselves. How do I go about it and how do I know who to trust and is dependable? There are many places out there who are not honest and once they have your business they don't take care of your bills and you are left with a higher debt than before. These companies get a status of saying they are a non-profit organization like churches claim this legitimately. The consumers are paying a fee for their services and it is not a contribution from them. This is why you need to be careful and search to find a counseling company that is really there to help and not take advantage of you.

Is this a good practice to find a credit counseling system to help you? Yes, I believe it is and it can give you the help you need. These counseling systems used to be a valuable help and were an honest way to get that help. It showed your creditors you were trying to do the right thing and wanted to be responsible. But over time too many people saw a chance to make money and gain profits. They didn't care about the consumer or his situation. One way to find out if a company is legitimate is to call and ask about their services. You can ask about classes or resources they offer. If you don't get a satisfactory answer, then the best bet is you don't want them. They have an obligation to give you advice on your situation so you are aware of the choices you can have.

A credit counseling person through a home mortgage agency is a reliable source. These agencies offer options on dealing with finances and how to do better with them. They give you ideas on how to manage your income and debts. You will want to see if a company is legitimate by checking them out with the Better Business Bureau, also check with them to see complaints listed and check on the rates charged to you for this service.

NOTE: By researching and comparing the best bestcreditcounselingservices.com credit counseling services in the market, you will determine the one that meets your very specific financial situation.

Hector Milla runs the bestcreditcounselingservices.com BestCreditCounselingServices.com website - where you can see his best rated credit counselling agencies.

The Making Homes Affordable Program

Introduction

Using money from the "Troubled Asset Recovery Program" (TARP) legislation passed last year to bail out the banks, President Obama has enacted a plan through the Treasury Department to help "at-risk" homeowners by giving incentives that will enable you to refinance directly with your current lender at today's low interest rates and help keep you in your home. The eventual goal of this "Homeowner Stabilization Plan" is designed to rewrite the terms of approximately 9 -10 million mortgages to provide assistance for "at-risk" homeowners who might otherwise lose their home without new mortgage terms. Over $100 billion dollars have been allocated to support the implementation of this plan. Homeowners with eligible mortgages held by Fannie or Freddie will be eligible for refinancing. Homeowners with private mortgages may be eligible for subsidized loan modifications. The plan has now been initiated as of March 4, 2009, but only accepts borrowers who entered into their loans prior to January 1, 2009. The last date that the plan is currently slated to accept new participants is December 31, 2012.

The Nuts and Bolts of the Program

If your mortgage is held by Fannie or Freddie, you may be eligible to refinance if 31% of your monthly income is greater than or equal to the monthly payment on a 30 year fixed mortgage at the current market rate. The property in question must have lost market value to the point where you have less than 20% equity, and are thereby unable to refinance on the open market. While properties with some negative equity (that are slightly "underwater") are eligible, the loan cannot be for more than 105% of the market value of the property.

If your mortgage is NOT held by Fannie or Freddie, or, if it is and and you don't meet one or more of the other criteria, you may be eligible for a five (5) year loan modification. The goal of the modification is to reduce your monthly payment to 31% of your gross (pre-tax) monthly income. This is accomplished by temporarily reducing the interest rate on the loan. If the interest rate required to reduce the monthly payment to 31% of income is less than the payment on a 30 year fixed loan at the current market rate, the interest rate on the loan is then gradually stepped back up on a yearly basis until it matches the current market rate at that time of participation.

In trying to get to a monthly payment that is 31% of your income, the lowest effective interest rate that a lender may offer is 2%. If a 2% interest rate does not result in a monthly payment that is 31% of your income, the lender might, in some circumstances either extend the term of the loan or forego principle on the loan. Principle forbearance might be on a permanent basis, but more likely it will be on a temporary basis resulting in an eventual balloon payment.

The major distinction between these two types of mortgages under the MSA is that 1) mortgages held by Freddie and Fannie could be eligible for refinancing and 2) Mortgages that are privately held may qualify for loan modification.

There is a widely held notion, fueled perhaps by the lack of valid information on the MSA, that it is only available to homeowners with mortgages held by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Although the MSA makes a distinction between Freddie and Fannie mortgages and private mortgages, the relief available is actually very similar. The MSA categorizes Freddie and Fannie mortgages separately from other mortgages, because Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are now, in effect, owned by the federal government and must conform to the direction of the Treasury Department.

* TARP and the MSA

The power to implement the MSA was given to the Treasury Department under the TARP legislation. TARP was passed by Congress in January of 2008. Although known for the bailout of major investment banks, TARP also has a provision related to troubled mortgages.

Indeed, TARP provides the Treasury Department the means by which to leverage better rates from mortgage companies. Under the guidelines for the MSA put out by Treasury thus far, if a lender has received any financial assistance under TARP (most mortgage lenders), the lender is obligated to participate in the MSA and to renegotiate new terms for struggling mortgage holders.

Under § 2 (9)(A), TARP defines "troubled assets" as,

Residential or greeneasylife.com/CommercialLoan commercial mortgages and any securities obligations or other instruments that are based on or related to such mortgages, that in each case was originated or issues on or before March 14, 2008, the purchase of which the Secretary [of Treasury] determines promotes financial market stability.

TARP, § 2 (9)(A.)

Thus, the definition of "troubled assets" to be purchased by the Treasury explicitly includes residential or greeneasylife.com/CommercialLoan commercial mortgages ... originated or issued on or before March 14, 2008." Id.

TARP delegates the implementation of the program to Treasury, providing that the Treasury will develop its own regulations in implementing what "troubled assets" to purchase. TARP. Section 101 (Purchases of Trouble Assets) provides for the Treasury to determine what troubled assets to purchase and under what guidelines:

Authority - The Secretary is authorized to establish the TARP to purchase and to make and fund commitments to purchase, troubled assets from any financial institution, on such terms and conditions as are determined by the Secretary.

TARP § 101 (a) (1)

Thus, TARP gave the Secretary of the Treasury the authority to determine what "troubled assets" to purchase and under what guidelines. It is under this framework that the MSA was developed and announced by President Obama in February, 2009, and now implemented.

* Goals and Guidelines

The following is a highlight of what information is now available to consumers. The MSA is aimed at "at risk" mortgages. The primary goal is to " provide access to low-cost refinancing for responsible homeowners suffering from falling home prices." Department of the Treasury.

One of the reasons for implementation of the MSA is that mortgage rates are currently at historically low levels, providing homeowners with the opportunity to reduce their monthly payments by refinancing. But under current rules, most families who owe more than 80 percent of the value of their homes have a difficult time securing refinancing. (For example, if a borrower's home was worth $200,000, he or she would have limited refinancing options if he or she owed more than $160,000.) Thus, millions of responsible homeowners who put money down and made their mortgage payments on time have - through no fault of their own - seen the value of their homes drop low enough to make them unable to access these lower rates. The MSA is designed to help people in such situations.

For many families, a low-cost refinancing could reduce mortgage payments by thousands of dollars per year. For example, consider a family that took a 30-year fixed rate mortgage of $207,000 with an interest rate of 6.50% on a house worth $260,000 at the time. Today, that family has $200,000 remaining on their mortgage, but the value of that home has fallen 15 percent to $221,000 - making them ineligible for today's low interest rates that generally require the borrower to have 20 percent home equity. Under the Treasury refinancing plan, that family could refinance to a rate near 5.16% - reducing their annual payments by over $2,300.

Working with the FDIC, other federal banking and credit union regulators, the FHA and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Administration has developed guidelines for sustainable mortgage modifications for all federal agencies and the private sector - bringing order and consistency to foreclosure mitigation. The guidelines include detailed protocols for loss mitigation as well for identifying borrowers at risk of default.

The Treasury Department has also issued the following summary of the benefits they expect to make available to eligible homeowners under the MSA:

* Focusing on Homeowners At Risk: Anyone with high combined mortgage debt compared to income or who is "underwater" (with a combined mortgage balance higher than the current market value of his house) may be eligible for a loan modification. This initiative will also include borrowers who show other indications of being at risk of default. Eligibility for the program will sunset at the end of three years.

* Reaching Homeowners Who Have Not Missed Payments: Delinquency will not be a requirement for eligibility. Rather, because loan modifications are more likely to succeed if they are made before a borrower misses a payment, the plan will include households at risk of imminent default despite being current on their mortgage payments.

* Common Sense Restrictions: Only owner-occupied homes qualify; no greeneasylife.com home mortgages larger than the Freddie/Fannie conforming limits will be eligible. This initiative will go solely to supporting responsible homeowners willing to make payments to stay in their home - it will not aid speculators or house flippers.

* Special Provisions for Families with High Total Debt Levels : Borrowers with high total debt qualify, but only if they agree to enter HUD-certified consumer debt counseling. Specifically, homeowners with total "back end" debt (which includes not only housing debt, but other debt including car loans and credit card debt) equal to 55% or more of their income will be required to agree to enter a counseling program as a condition for a modification.

* Shared Effort to Reduce Monthly Payments: Treasury will partner with financial institutions to reduce homeowners' monthly mortgage payments.

- The lender will have to first reduce interest rates on mortgages to a specified affordability level(specifically, bring down rates so that the borrower's monthly mortgage payment is no greater than 38% of his or her income).

- Next, the initiative will match further reductions in interest payments dollar-for-dollar with the lender, down to a 31% debt-to-income ratio for the borrower.

- To ensure long-term affordability, lenders will keep the modified payments in place for five years. After that point, the interest rate can be gradually stepped-up to the conforming loan rate in place at the time of the modification. Note: Lenders can also bring down monthly payments to these affordability targets through reducing the amount of mortgage principal. The initiative will provide a partial share of the costs of this principal reduction, up to the amount the lender would have received for an interest rate reduction.

- "Pay for Success" Incentives to Servicers : Servicers will receive an up-front fee of $1,000 for each eligible modification meeting guidelines established under this initiative. Servicers will also receive "pay for success" fees - awarded monthly as long as the borrower stays current on the loan - of up to $1,000 each year for three years.

- Responsible Modification Incentives: Because loan modifications are more likely to succeed if they are made before a borrower misses a payment, the plan will include an incentive payment of $1,500 to mortgage holders and $500 for servicers for modifications made while a borrower at risk of imminent default is still current.

- Incentives to Help Borrowers Stay Current : To provide an extra incentive for borrowers to keep paying on time under the modified loan, the initiative will provide a monthly balance reduction payment that goes straight towards reducing the principal balance on the greeneasylife.com mortgage loan. As long as the borrower stays current on his or her payments, he or she can get up to $1,000 each year for five years.

- Home Price Decline Reserve Payments: To encourage lenders to modify more mortgages and enable more families to keep their homes, the Administration -- together with the FDIC -- has developed an innovative partial guarantee initiative. The insurance fund - to be created by the Treasury Department at a size of up to $10 billion - will be designed to discourage lenders from opting to foreclose on mortgages that could be viable now out of fear that home prices will fall even further later on. This initiative provides lenders with the security to undertake more mortgage modifications by assuring that if home price declines are worse than expected, they have reserves to fall back on. Holders of mortgages modified under the program would be provided with an additional insurance payment on each modified loan, linked to declines in the home price index. These payments could be set aside as reserves, providing a partial guarantee in the event that home price declines - and therefore losses in cases of default - are higher than expected.

Source: Dept. of Treasury.

5. Plan Effectiveness and Other Guidelines.

The Treasury has further announced guidelines to maximize the effectiveness of the plan:

o Protecting Taxpayers: To protect taxpayers, the Homeowner Stability Initiative will focus on sound modifications. If the total expected cost of a modification for a lender taking into account the government payments is expected to be higher than the direct costs of putting the homeowner through foreclosure, that borrower will not be eligible. For those borrowers unable to maintain home ownership, even under the affordable terms offered, the plan will provide incentives to encourage families and lenders to avoid the costly foreclosure process and minimize the damage that foreclosure imposes on lenders, borrowers and communities alike. Moreover, Treasury will not provide subsidies to reduce interest rates on modified loans to levels below 2%.

o Counseling and Outreach to Maximize Participation: Under the plan, the Department of Housing and Urban Development will also make available funding for non-profit counseling agencies to improve outreach and communications, especially to disadvantaged communities and those hardest-hit by foreclosures and vacancies.

o Creating Proper Oversight and Tracking Data to Ensure Program Success: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be responsible - subject to Treasury's oversight and the Federal Housing Finance Agency's conservatorship - for monitoring compliance by servicers with the program. Every servicer participating in the program will be required to report standardized loan-level data on modifications, borrower and property characteristics, and outcomes. The data will be pooled so the government and private sector can measure success and make changes where needed. Treasury will meet quarterly with the FDIC, the Federal Reserve, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Housing Finance Agency to ensure that the program is on track to meeting its goals.

o Limiting the Impact of Foreclosure When Modification Doesn't Work: Lenders will receive incentives to take alternatives to foreclosures, like short sales or taking of deeds in lieu of foreclosure. Treasury will also work with the GSEs to provide data on foreclosed properties to streamline the process of selling or redeveloping them, thereby ensuring that they do not remain vacant and unsold.

The Treasury has also announced guidelines, recognizing that "clear and consistent guidelines for modifications are a key component of foreclosure prevention." Dept. of Treasury.

These include:

* Working with the FDIC, other federal banking and credit union regulators , the FHA and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Administration is in process of developing guidelines for sustainable mortgage modifications for all federal agencies and the private sector - bringing order and consistency to foreclosure mitigation. The guidelines will include detailed protocols for loss mitigation as well for identifying borrowers at risk of default; the Administration expects to announce these guidelines by Wednesday, March 4 th

* Applying Guidelines Across Government and the Private Sector: Treasury will develop uniform guidance for loan modifications across the mortgage industry by working closely with the FDIC and other bank agencies and building on the FDIC's pioneering role in developing a systematic loan modification process last year. The Guidelines - to be posted online - will be used for the Administration's new foreclosure prevention plan. Moreover, all financial institutions receiving Financial Stability Plan financial assistance going forward will be required to implement loan modification plans consistent with Treasury guidance. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will use these guidelines for loans that they own or guarantee, and the Administration will work with regulators and other federal and state agencies to implement these guidelines across the entire mortgage market. The agencies will seek to apply these guidelines when permissible and appropriate to all loans owned or guaranteed by the federal government, including those owned or guaranteed by Ginnie Mae, the Federal Housing Administration, Treasury, the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, Veterans' Affairs and the Department of Agriculture. In addition, these guidelines will apply to loans owned or serviced by insured financial institutions supervised by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Office of Thrift Supervision, the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the National Credit Union Administration.

* Requiring All Financial Stability Plan Recipients to Use Guidance for Loan Modifications: As announced last week, the Treasury Department will require all Financial Stability Plan recipients going forward to participate in foreclosure mitigation plans consistent with Treasury's loan modification guidelines.

* Allowing Judicial Modifications of greeneasylife.com Home Mortgages During Bankruptcy for Borrowers Who Have Run Out of Options: The Obama administration will seek careful changes to personal bankruptcy provisions so that bankruptcy judges can modify mortgages written in the past few years when families run out of other options. (These have not yet been implemented - see below.)

* How Judicial Modification Works: When an individual enters personal bankruptcy proceedings, his greeneasylife.com mortgage loans in excess of the current value of his property will now be treated as unsecured. This will allow a bankruptcy judge to develop an affordable plan for the homeowner to continue making payments. To receive judicial modifications in bankruptcy, homeowners must first ask their servicers/lenders for a modification and certify that they have complied with reasonable requests from the servicer to provide essential information. This provision will apply only to existing mortgages under Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac conforming loan limits, so that millionaire homes don't clog the bankruptcy courts. (Please see below, the details of this part of the Plan have not yet been approved by Congress.)

* Bolster FHA and VA Authority to Protect Investors and Ensure Loan Modifications Occur: Legislation will provide the FHA and VA with the authority they need to provide partial claims in the event of bankruptcy or voluntary modification so that holders of loans guaranteed by the FHA and VA are not disadvantaged.

Treasury Dept.

6. FHA and "Community Support"

The Treasury has also implemented guidelines under the MSA to provide for:

* Ease Restrictions in Federal Housing Administration Programs, Including Hope for Homeowners: The Hope for Homeowners program offers one avenue for struggling borrowers to refinance their mortgages. In order to ensure that more homeowners participate, the FHA will reduce fees paid by borrowers, increase flexibility for lenders to modify troubled loans, permit borrowers with higher debt loads to qualify, and allow payments to servicers of the existing loans.

* Strengthening Communities Hardest Hit by the Financial and Housing Crises: As part of the recovery plan signed by the President, the Department of Housing and Urban Development will award $2 billion in competitive Neighborhood Stabilization Program grants for innovative programs that reduce foreclosure. Additionally, the recovery plan includes an additional $1.5 billion to provide renter assistance, reducing homelessness and avoiding entry into shelters.

Treasury Dept.

7. Modification of Mortgage by Bankruptcy Trustee

As noted above, part of the Plan is to give bankruptcy trustees the power to rewrite mortgages. Congress is still negotiating the question of what power a bankruptcy trustee will have to modify a mortgage in bankruptcy. Currently, a trustee does not have the power to change the terms of a mortgage to avoid foreclosure. One intention of the MSA is to give bankruptcy trustees the power to modify terms to avoid foreclosure where it is possible, however Congress is still debating the details of that prong of the Plan.

All sources of info for this article were compiled from the most current guidelines available from the Treasury Department and no information was taken from private sources.

Jim Tily is a legal researcher specializing in real estate law.

Currently, there is a widespread lack of information and confusion regarding the program described in this article.

There is a useful website where you can use an interactive form to determine if you are eligible.

homeaffordplan.com homeaffordplan.com bridges the information gap by offering a general summary that is both abstract but complete and substantive, and offers the only form currently available to the public which allows them to determine, based on the dollar amounts specific to their situation, exactly what they are eligible for.

To see if you might be eligible under the Plan, please visit: homeaffordplan.com homeaffordplan.com

Is Your Elderly Loved One Meeting Their Nutritional Needs?

Why Do Dietary Needs Change With Aging?

The American Dietetic Association estimates that women over age 50 need 1,600 to 1,800 calories per day and that older men need about 2,000 calories per day.

There are a number of differences for the elderly population when it comes to eating a nourishing diet:

1. As saliva production decreases, so does the ability to make stomach acid that easily digests our food. Dietary changes may be needed to ensure that nutrients are still being processed.

2. Senses deteriorate with age, including the ability to taste and smell. This can mean overuse of salt and sugar in some diets since the flavors are not as easily detected. Too much salt and sugar can lead to other health problems such as type 2 diabetes.

3. It's important to keep a stable body weight and not over or under eat. If the caloric intake is not adjusted for the decreased physical activity, then people easily put on weight and this can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes and other illnesses. Not eating enough can lead to osteoporosis, memory loss and other conditions.

4. Eating alone can be depressing for some people, so they might often forgo preparing or eating meals for one.

5. Many medications can affect appetite and taste for certain foods. Always check with a medical professional to see if medicine may be affecting your diet.

Proper Hydration

Fluids help nutrients flow through the body and do their job. Hydration is an essential part of a healthy diet, and Dr. Remig points out that many older adults have a "decreased thirst mechanism" and may not realize that they are thirsty. In home caregivers, individuals and caregiver agencies should remind seniors to drink plenty of water with meals and throughout the day.

Proper Nutrition

Specific nutritional needs evolve as bodies age. For example, although 85-percent of adult bone mass is acquired by age 18 in girls and age 20 in boys, older adults need more calcium and Vitamin D in their diets to maintain healthy bones.

A healthy diet should include protein from eggs, dairy, fish, meats and poultry; whole grains and other carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables; fiber; healthy fats that are found in fish, oil, nuts and foods fortified with omega-3 fatty acids.

Nutritional and Dietary Support

Many of the challenges to maintaining good nutritional habits for the elderly can be finding the right in home caregiver or caregiver agency to help with buying groceries and delivering groceries and meals.

Being able to drive to the supermarket, to afford groceries every week, and having an appetite are the biggest challenges for the elderly population. Other obstacles to a healthy diet for seniors can include illnesses such as homewatchcaregivers.com/dementia-care-tips.aspx Alzheimer's. People with Alzheimer's forget what their favorite foods are, that it's time to eat, and tend to like really sweet foods. Often the only way to get them to eat is to sweeten up foods, such as adding honey or brown sugar to a bowl or oatmeal with fruit and low-fat milk.

Homewatch CareGivers is the largest, most experienced international provider of full-service in-home care for people of all ages - including seniors, children, veterans, the chronically ill, and those recovering from medical procedures. We invite you to visit the Homewatch CareGivers website ( homewatchcaregivers.com homewatchcaregivers.com ) where you can read articles related to home health, Dementia Care Tips and home care news; or download PDF home care resources. From health care coordination and hospital discharge planning to home care transportation and daily living assistance, let our family of caregivers care for yours.

Mobile Home Park Due Diligence

When you put a mobile home park under contract you will definitely want to have a stipulation in the contract that will allow you confirm what the seller has said so far as well as evaluate the overall feasibility of the purchase. Due Diligence will look at the physical, economic, demographic and market feasibility of the project. This time period is usually between 30 and 60 days. In conducting your due diligence you are looking to identify anything that poses a potential issue and that you are able to change or fix. These usually deal with the cleanliness of the park (junk & trash piled up), mismanagement, lack of rule enforcement, collections, expenses that can be reduced.

But more importantly you are looking for those problems that you may not be able to fix or that will be very expensive to fix. These types of issues usually deal with the size of the lots, reputation, problems in local market, flood plains, drainage problems, bad configuration of lots, water, sewer, electric, and gas line problems.

In conducting your due diligence you may call on experts in surveying, accounting, marketing, financing, plumbing, electrical, and legal.

Ask the Seller to provide you with the following (if applicable):

1. City, County and State Permits and Licenses

2. Sewer Plant Records and Readings

3. Water Well Tests and Compliance Records

4. Existing Surveys or Environmental Reports

5. Water and other Utility Meter Reading Records and Formulas

6. Property tax bills for the last 2-3 years

7. Copy of current insurance policy and binder showing premiums and coverages

8. Current staffing list including position, wages, job descriptions

9. Any drawings and maps of the park and infrastructure and size of lots

10. Any Contracts that will be transferred to buyer at closing (laundry, trash, phone)

11. Signed Rules and Leases for each resident

12. Bank Statements

13. 2-3 years Tax Returns

14. 2-3 years Profit and Loss

15. Certificates of Occupancy

16. List of Capital Expenditures for the last 3 years

17. Listing of any current park infrastructure problems(water, sewer, gas, electric)

18. Rent Roll with specific homesite number, name of resident, move-in date, monthly rent, current balance, additional charges, number of occupants, and a brief history of the resident (good resident / bad resident, special circumstances, etc)

19. Names and phone numbers of all of all contractors used in the last few years - plumbers, electricians, propane, gas, roto rooters

As you are receiving this information from the Seller you will want to evaluate it with the other information you receive from outside sources.

52 basic areas to cover in the Due Diligence period not necessarily in any order:

1. Park Location Issues: Is it close enough to shopping, employment, schools, transportation. Will potential residents be able to find the park?

2. Flood Plain: Is the park located in a flood plain? If so, when was the last time it has flooded? If the park does flood, are the homes high enough to remain undamaged? Do the homeowners have flood insurance?

3. In most cases, buying a park in a 100 year or 500 year flood zone will not come back to bite you. However, you should definitely understand the risks involved. Most of the time your renters will just have to carry flood insurance and your lender will require the same for your buildings and utility connections.

4. Noise Problems: Loud outside noise can often be a deterrent for living in a certain mobile home park. Being located close to highways or busy streets and also nearby trains can be very annoying to potential residents.

5. Find out if the park is required to be licensed and if so that it has the required license. You will want to check that the park is operating in compliance with the license. If a park has 50 units but is licensed for only 25, you may have potential problems. The license may be issued by the State, County, or Local authorities. Often it is issued with the State Board of Health. Some cities have laws that state that if a certain percentage of the homes in a park that has "grandfathered" zoning are destroyed, then those lots will not be allowed to be rented again. This can happen from fire, tornado, hurricane, etc. Check the local codes.

6. Review any park inspection reports conducted by the State Board of Health or other City/County inspectors. In some states, especially those where licenses are required, the state does an annual inspection and produces a report with notices of any violations. It is good to see these violations and be sure that they have been corrected.

7. If you are considering hiring the current management you may want to have friends or associates make a few calls to the property and see how the management handles the calls. Also, if you visit the manager's home and it is not kept up good and they have a set of rules for themselves it may be an indication that you should look for other management.

8. After you have the park under contract and usually after you have the owner's permission it is definitely a good idea to interview some of the current park residents. They are usually full of information when it comes to finding out how the park is actually operating. You will often hear about water problems, sewer problems, and any other common problems by talking to the residents.

9. Another good source of information would be the local mobile home dealers. They usually know about most of the parks and can give you information on the parks reputation, whether they have in the past and will in the future refer the park to potential residents, etc. You might also find out if they have trade-ins or other reasonably priced homes for sale.

10. If possible, you will want to visit the park at various times of the day, morning, noon, after dark as you will be able to see the park as it is. It is also advisable to see the park during the week and on the weekends. This will give you a better indication of parking, occupancy, lighting, as well as noise level.

11. The local Chamber of Commerce is also a wealth of information. They can give you information on population trends, new and current employers, potential plant shutdowns, as well as the general market conditions of an area.

12. Local Real Estate Brokers can also provide a wealth of information on the area and market and real estate outlooks.

13. Good school districts are often a great place to own parks. Many times these districts are in wealthy areas of the city and less affluent people are often looking for affordable housing in these areas to allow their children to be in these good school districts.

14. Contact the Property Tax Office: to check tax rates and whether taxes are current. Learn what their assessment procedures are so that you can estimate how much you will be paying in taxes if you purchase the park.

15. Verify the rent rolls as well as copies of receipts to verify that the amount actually collected is being reflected correctly. Often times, park owners forget to tell you that they give some people discounts (seniors, friends, relatives, etc).

16. For insurance purposes make sure to verify the pet restrictions as well as the enforcement of such. Most insurance carriers do not allow dangerous breeds of dogs or even dogs over 20 - 30 pounds.

17. Water Lines: what are they made of? Are there signs of water leaks? Is the water pressure acceptable? Many times you will have some areas of the park where the water pressure is much lower than the rest.

You can review bills from the utility companies from the same month over a couple years to locate any major problems/leaks.

18. Sewer Lines: typically you will have problems with older sewer lines: clay pipe and thin walled plastic pipes. Clay pipes will allow large tree roots to start growing inside which will start causing backups. In addition clay & thin walled sewer pipes will also tend to crumble and then plug up. You may be able to have a camera check out the pipes as well as have them professionally blown out with high speed water jets as periodic maintenance.

19. With electric service, you will want to check whether the electric is above ground or below ground. If above, you will generally be responsible for the main electric poles so take a look at the electric poles to see if they are rotting near ground level. These can be quite expensive to replace. Another potential electric issue is that most of the homes now require 100 to 200 amp service. Many of the older parks have electric service with 30-50 amps service. This will usually require an upgrade which will usually cost $500-$800 in parts and labor to upgrade.

20. Gas service. If you are responsible for the gas meters and lines then you may want to have the system pressure tested as a small gas leak can cause your service to be shut down until it is located and repaired. It is also a good idea to have this done on a routine basis to avoid potential problems.

21. Fire Hydrants located nearby. A question your insurance company is sure to ask.

22. Trees: Many times you will see a park that is full of large beautiful trees and it may look real nice. However, these trees will definitely cost you down the road. You need to keep them trimmed, remove old and dead trees, cleanup the leaves every year, as well as auger sewer lines that become filled with tree roots.

Falling branches are often one of the most likely insurance claims.

23. Roads: are the roads in good repair, do they need to be resurfaced, are they wide enough, are there speed bumps, etc? Roads that are not maintained are often one of the most widespread complaints you will get from your residents.

24. Drainage Problems: It is advisable to know how a mobile home park drains after heavy or sustained rains. Even if the park is not in a flood zone, it can have a horrible problem with standing water and puddles. Getting rid of the excess water can be costly and difficult.

25. Sewer Plants: when a mobile home park has an actual sewer system, lagoon, or is on septics this is another area in which you should definitely find out as much as possible. You want to know how the system operates, whether it is meeting the EPA guidelines, what it costs to run, what upgrades have been made, whether it is running at full capacity, do you need to have a licensed operator, how many hookups it is licensed for, etc?

26. Lift Stations: are they adequate, do they have warning lights, are there backup pumps?

27. Walk property during the day and at night. You will uncover many problems such as smells, dog barking, parties, hidden trash & junk, water leaks, sewage puddles, old electrical boxes

28. Water Wells: what type of system, how deep are the wells, water pressure, any prior violations or problems, backup systems, what does it cost to operate, if the owner is the Licensed operator are there operators in the area that are available and reasonable to operate, can you send your manager to classes to obtain the operators permit/license. How many spaces is it licensed for?

29. Who pays what? Utilities, Cable, Mowing, etc: find all those hidden expenses that the owner takes care of cheaply (does he haul the trash to the dump?). If the trash is not being hauled off, what are the residents doing with it?

30. History of Rent Increases: have the rents been increased on a regular basis?

31. Count the lots - some may have been combined and many parks have weird numbering schemes.

32. Late Fees: take a look at the bank deposits and compare with the rent roll. When are the rents coming in, are late fees being charged?

33. Security Deposits: get a certified list of Security Deposits from the owner. If later on, someone claims to have a deposit that is not on that list you have it in writing from the owner.

34. Check the leases: is there any strange language in the leases? Are they month to month. Are there long term leases that will make it difficult to raise rents or submeter water?

35. Hazardous Materials: don't even consider buying a park without having a Phase 1 environmental study done. If there are any underground storage tanks, above ground storage tanks, chemical drums, buried waste, lagoons, stained soil, gas pumps, auto repair shops, electrical transformers, asbestos in building, etc., you may be liable to the US Gov't for millions in cleanup costs.

36. When looking at a park make sure you check into anything that does not seem right. Are there easements that don't make sense, are there oil wells on the property, etc.

37. It is also advisable to obtain a current or recent survey of the park. You want to be sure you are buying what you think you are buying. Are some of your mobile homes over the property line. Are there fences or sheds over the property lines. With a new owner, the adjoining land owners may use this time to enforce some of these issues. Check the legal description with the survey and with your contract and warranty deed.

38. Seller says the property can be expanded. Make sure the current zoning will allow the proposed expansion. Also make sure that it is feasible: Where can you tap into the water, sewer, and other utilities? Does the current water wells and sewer plant have the capability to service additional homes. What are the impact fees. What are the likely costs to expand.

39. Lot Sizes: one of the biggest issues with older mobile home parks is that they were built for 10-14' x 50-60' homes. As most of the newer homes are 16' x 80' and up, this can become a real issue when replacing homes or filling vacant lots. In addition, some cities/counties are requiring homes to be a certain age. Thus, moving an older 12' x 50' home into your park may not be an option.

40. Vacant sites. There are 50 sites and 10 vacant. Are these 10 sites ready and able to take new homes. Are the water and sewer lines marked? Is there gas and electric? Does the electric need to be upgraded before accepting a new home. What are the setback requirements? What age of homes can be moved into the park? Are the lots in such an arrangement where a home can actually be placed into each lot without moving other homes around?

41. Are the current units tied down? Many older parks have units that are in there and were never installed properly including being tied down according to code if even at all. I have experienced this twice in the past. One time a tornado hit one of my parks (actually 2 parks next to each other). All in all we lost over 40 homes out of 100 and the homes that were actually tied down and installed correctly were much less damaged than the ones that were not. Another time we had some high winds in one of my parks and 2 of the homes just blew over as they were not tied down. 42. Street Lights: drive through at night. Who is responsible for the street lights? Who will change the bulbs. If a light goes out who will fix it.

43. If at all possible get a plat map. If one is not available ask the owner to draw one to the best of his knowledge and locate any cleanouts, shutoffs, etc. This is important to have in case of line breaks and other emergencies in the future. The seller may not be around to help.

44. Does the park have adequate equipment to operate? If the current owner has a pickup, tractor, mower, make sure to negotiate for this as it will come in handy in the future and you don't want to have to start buying all of this the month you take over. It is a good idea to get a list of all the supplies and equipment currently being used to operate the park and have it included in the purchase.

45. Market Survey: Find out what other parks are charging and what it includes, find out their vacancies, move in incentives, reputations, etc.

Compare the costs of renting single family residences(SFR's), Apartments, Duplexes, with the cost of buying a mobile home and paying lot rent.

What does an SFR of comparable size sell for in the area. What are the payments on buying an SFR and buying a MH and paying lot rent.

Also, find out what other parks restrictions may be for the age and types of homes. It may be that your park will fill the niche of having only newer homes or the older homes.

46. Visit the planning department to see if there are any new parks that are going to be built as well as the location of any vacant land zoned for mobile home parks development.

47. If you are going to buy the park and in the process buy homes to rent or sell, you might want to place some teaser ads in the local newspapers to see what type of response you get. If you don't get any calls it may be a good indication of the market and the feasibility of filling the park up.

48. Find out the eviction laws. What is involved in the process: time frame, forms required, etc. Also, check with other park owners/managers in the area to see what their experience is.

49. Zoning: can homes be placed anywhere in the county which creates huge competition. What age must a home be to be moved into a county, and what are the other restrictions on homes being moved in, sold, etc.

50. Also, if a city has extended or is going to extend utilities to your location are you required to hook on and if so at what cost?

51. Get in contact with the local agencies as they can be a great source of information: police, planning, engineering, utility, and building departments.

52. Removing abandoned homes - consider making seller pay for this - at least find out what it will cost and what options you have to get rid of the abandoned homes.

53. If the park you are buying has rental units or rent-to-own units, make every effort to check these out. You will not only see how the units are being taken care of by the residents, you will also get an indication of the way the current owner runs his business. If you find holes or soft spots in the floor or walls, bad carpeting jobs and such, this may be an indication that the owner is not only doing quick fixes on the homes but also in the park maintenance as well.

The more thorough you are in the due diligence phase, the better you will understand the property as well as the potential problems that may occur specific to the property. In addition, you will be much more comfortable taking over the property and most likely have plumbers, electricians, and other contractors on board to aid you in the future.

When doing your due diligence, there are some things that you just cannot change and the risk will just be too high to proceed. Other things may just be too costly. Other areas of the due diligence may discover smaller problems that you should be able to change with proper management and operations and can lead to quick equity increases.

If this is your first park or you would rather have an experienced professional help you in the process, you can find one on MobileHomeParkStore.com

mobilehomeparkstore.com/articles/from-mobile-home-park-articles.htm To view articles on Mobile Home Park Investing click here

About the Author:

Dave Reynolds is regarded as one of the leading Manufactured Housing Industry experts. He has purchased over 50 mobile home communities, 100's of mobile homes, and through his Mobile Home Parks website, he has helped thousands of investors buy and sell mobile home parks. Mr. Reynolds has also authored and co-authored some very informative books on investing in Mobile Home and RV parks and is co-founder of MobileHomeParkCollege. He can be reached at 1-800-950-1364 or via email at