Since banks want to cut their losses, they offer cash packages as an incentive for delinquent homeowners to sell their houses. Foreclosure cases can be dragged out for years. Consequently, the house in dispute falls into disrepair. In these cases, the banks can be out thousands of dollars. To avoid costly expenses and devalued houses, banks offer cash to get people motivated to sell their houses quickly and efficiently.

Process of short sales

Short sales means selling a house for less than what it’s worth. In short sales, the bank forgives the outstanding debt owed on the house. Banks have been reluctant to accept short sale deals in the past. However, compared to losses on foreclosures, short sales prove less damaging. A person behind on their loan payments can be offered a way out, though they still lose money on the investment made into the house. On average, short sales receive a discount of about 14 percent, which is still less than the 22 percent for foreclosures. 

Many factors determine if a bank will offer an incentive to homeowners to sell their houses, including where the homeowner resides and which bank was used for the loan. Because of its lengthy foreclosure process, Florida, in particular, is known to be one of the states where banks offer cash handouts. Both Wells Fargo and Bank of America have run test programs in Florida, offering up to $20,000 to homeowners to sell rather than enter foreclosure. Those programs may be expanded to other locations. There are similar incentive packages being offered in states such as New York, Washington, Arizona, and California.

Basketball fans from everywhere look forward to the Slam Dunk contest during the NBA All-Star Saturday Night. It can be exciting to watch players compete for the title. Here is a list of some of the best slam dunks in the history of the competition.

Gerald Green

Back in 2007, Green put on a Boston Brown jersey and landed a slam dunk over the head of Nate Robinson. Green was also a runner up in the 2008 NBA Slam Dunk contest. He won McDonald’s All-American Slam Dunk Contest in 2005. He plays for the Los Angeles D-Fenders in the NBA Development League.

Dwight Howard

Ousting Green for the 2008 title was the center for Orlando Magic, Dwight Howard. He has been a six-time All-Star and has helped his team win three division titles and a conference title. He has been named the Defensive Player of the Year three times.

Have you ever watched a science fiction movie, observed something really cool, and said, “I wish that were real”? You’d be surprised to know how many things that were made up on television have become realities. Here are some useful and some useless but cool ones.

Hydrogel Lenses

These contact lenses are not just cool because they change color, but for the reason why they do so. They contain tiny nanoparticles that react with human tears and change color based on a person’s glucose levels. This can alert diabetics to their blood sugar levels without drawing blood.

The Sleep Box

The sleep box is exactly what the name implies - a box for sleeping. It can be used at airports or other places where you may be stuck spending some time. It is large enough to hold a bed and an LCD television, and also provides luggage space. It has wireless access in case you want to work in private.

Kids have a way of annoying the most patient of parents. And if patience isn’t one of your virtues, then you’re really in trouble. It may seem like some people were just born with an extra helping of patience, but it is actually a trait you can develop with a little practice. If you have kids, you can be sure to get plenty of time to practice.

Give Them a Chance

Before you assume that they are going to do something you don’t like, wait to see what is actually happening. After hearing the same instructions over and over, kids do begin to remember what they have been told. You might be surprised to find out that your kids actually do what you want them to.

Give Them a Choice

If you expect a battle over something, give them a choice. Choose two things that you are okay with and let them pick one. Letting them feel that they have some say, may prevent an argument. For instance, if your little one hates almost everything you cook for dinner, pick two somewhat healthy things and let them choose one.

If you have decided to start your own business, one of the most exciting parts is to choose a name for your company.  You may spend quite a bit of time selecting just the right name and enlist the help of friends.  You may already know just what name you want to use.  However, once you choose a business name, there are several things you must do to be able to use it.

1.  Find Out if You Can Use It.

You must check to make sure the name you have chosen is not already legally protected.  If you choose a name that is already protected by a trademark, you will be required to change it and can end up with a lawsuit.

Check with the state where you will be conducting business to make sure the name is free.  You can do this on the state’s website and look at their database of company names.  You should also visit the US Patent and Trademark Office website for their free search tool.  You can check to see if your business name is listed.

Every business will lose some customers over a course of time. Some customers move, others no longer need the service, or their life situation changes. The problem arises when more customers leave because they are unhappy with some aspect of your business.

Should you care about losing customers? Yes! Loyal customers refer their friends to you and help your business grow. Is there any hope of getting them back? Again, the answer is, “Yes!” Here are some things you can do to get your customers back into the fold.

Find Out Why They Left

You will not know what to change to make your customers happy if you don’t know what you did wrong. You need to find out if it was the service, the price, or some other reason that caused them to leave. You need to know if they went somewhere else or just decided to do without your service or product. Let them know you want to make things right with them, but you need to know what went wrong. 

Some people make New Year’s resolutions to get rid of them, while others make a fresh start on their birthday - whatever time of year you choose to make a change, everyone wants to break a bad habit. The trouble is that people often fail to permanently get rid of the annoying bad habit. Here are some tips to improve your chances of being successful.

1.  Analyze Your Bad Habit.

Before you can get rid of a bad habit, you have to know why you do it in the first place. For instance, if you want to quit watching too much television, you have to know why you do it. Are you bored in the evenings? Do you automatically turn it on when you walk in the door? By understanding why you do certain things, you can figure out how to break the habit.

2.  Decide on a Replacement.

It is much easier to break a bad habit if you replace it with a good one. Using the example mentioned above, instead of watching television you could read a book or pick up a hobby. A bad habit can leave a void in your life. Filling this void with a new habit will make it much easier to give up an older one.

The internet is a valuable resource for entrepreneurs and small business owners. There is plenty of information on accounting, marketing, business strategy, and any other topic you may need to know about. However, most business owners don’t have the time to browse the web to find these resources. Here is a list of 10 websites that will be beneficial to almost every new entrepreneur and small business owner.

Business Owner’s Tool Kit

From cost-cutting tips and checklists to case studies and startup advice, this site is loaded with information. The best part is that it is free, which means you don’t have to add another cost to your already strapped budget.

Startup Nation

This website has useful information for anyone who is just starting their business. There are forums where you can learn from others with similar goals. You will find articles filled with information that pertains to you, as well as advice from experts and those “who have been there.”

The best TV theme songs tell a story and introduce what the show is all about. Here are the top ten theme songs that are instantly recognizable, set the tone for the whole TV show, and will be in your head for the rest of the day.

Cheers

The sweet and poignant theme song opened with the title, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name.” Indeed, over the course of the show, people came to know all the characters and followed their lives inside the bar. Gary Portnoy, who created the iconic song, also created the song “Every Time You Turn Around” for the TV show Punky Brewster.

MASH

The theme song for this show perfectly reflects the black comedy of the show. Even the title of the song by Johnny Mandel is haunting: “Suicide is Painless.” The song was originally used in the Robert Altman movie that inspired the TV series. The show used an instrumental version without the lyrics, which just added to the melancholy feel of the song. 

There are differing opinions on whether the traditional business card is obsolete in today’s digital society.  With social networks and online profiles, does anyone even need a business card anymore?  While not everyone would agree, many people think it does still have a place.  The key is to update your business card and know how to use it along with digital media.

1.  Introduce Yourself

The business card has traditionally been used to introduce you to prospective clients or other business associates you may later do business with.  That is still a valid use for today’s business card.  However, to make it effective, it needs to contain your email address, website, and any other digital information you may have.  

Most people will use it to add your email address to their list of contacts on their email account.  They may also bookmark your website before they set the card aside.  It is still a handy way to get your information out in a quick, quiet way.  It will only be useful if it contains your electronic information since that is how more people are communicating today.

You probably already know that listening to your ear buds or headphones on maximum volume can cause hearing loss. However, new data from Injury Prevention shows that people are starting to suffer injuries from listening to their headphones while crossing the street.

The data shows that the number of serious injuries and deaths to people walking while listening to their headphones has tripled in seven years in the United States. Between 2004 and 2011, there were 116 crashes involving pedestrians who were wearing headphones, 81 of which resulted in deaths. Between 2004 and 2005 there were just 16 such cases, but by 2010 - 2011, there were 47 cases. 55 percent of the victims were struck by trains, while the other 45 percent were struck by cars, buses, trucks, tractor trailers, or bicycles. The majority of the victims (68 percent) were male and the median age was 21 years. The data excludes cases that involve mobile phones, including hands-free phones.

Listening to portable devices, like portable audio cassette players, compact disc players, and even boom-boxes is not unheard-of. However, more people are starting to buy and stay plugged into their phones and portable devices all the time. Such devices tend to grow on people, so it feels normal to be constantly plugged-in. However, it is not the best idea to be plugged-in while walking. Ear-buds or headphones can cause sensory deprivation. 29 percent of the crash cases involved a warning that was not heard.

If you run a home based business, it can be confusing what deductions you can claim as business expenses. Thinking about an IRS audit can be scary. If you follow these guidelines, you can deduct legitimate expenses from your income.

1.  Your Home Office

This does not mean that you can count the family room if you write articles while watching television. What it means is that you must have a space that is designated as your home office, and used for no other purpose. It does not have to be an entire room; it can even be a section of the family room. The basic rule is that it should be obvious to anyone that it is your office.

If you measure the square footage of your office and divide it by the total square footage of your home, you will know the percentage that you can deduct from utilities and other home expenses.

2.  Auto Expenses

If you use your car for business travel, you can count mileage and parking costs. You will have to track and maintain a separate record of these expenses.