Credit Card Debt Relief – Can an Expert Negotiator Win You a 60% Reduction?

In the current recession debts are growing by leaps and bounds. Instead of filing for bankruptcy one should first attempt the other debt relief options like debt settlement program, which has become the most popular. Even if you have multiple creditors pressuring you to make payments or if you have medical expenses, high limit credit cards or business loans or if your debts are due to taxes you should first consider going for debt settlement programs and if you hire a professional negotiator, the chances increases for you of having a better reduction.

A professional negotiator can reduce your debts to up to 60% making it easier for you to pay off your debts faster. The reason behind this is that when an individual negotiates with the creditors himself, they, considering individual naïve, do not listen to him. They use their terminologies which an unprofessional person do not understands thus creditors defeat him making him pay to them by any means. In contrast with that, a debt negotiator or a debt settlement firm knows very well how to arbitrate with the creditors. They are professional people who are well educated or trained to perform this service. Creditors are likely to hear them because it becomes very difficult to defeat them. Moreover many debt negotiators have established relations with creditors so that they can easily convince the creditors to reduce the debts.

Professional debt negotiator sketches a realistic payment plan making it affordable for you to pay. In addition to that all the calls, letters and discussion are handled by the debt negotiator. He also help in freezing the payments made to the creditors by the borrower and starts it again after settling the deal. The best negotiators do no impose personal bias in conversations. They allow documentation to carry the load and speak for itself. Creditors generally agree to negotiators because they know that if they do not agree then they would also face the consequences of bankruptcy, so creditors evaluate the documentations prepared by negotiators carefully, and determine the maximum recovery available.

Now days, it is quite difficult to distinguish between a real debt settlement company and a counterfeit. There are many fraud companies in the market from which the consumers need to stay away. So before you join any settlement firm, do a thorough research. It is important that you do not fall into a trap and keep spending instead of meeting the desired output.

Winning the Battle and the War – Negotiation Success

Everyday we enter into a variety of negotiations with prospective employees, current employees, and vendors. Though the situations are different, there are some basic guidelines that will ensure negotiation success.

It is important to remember that the most successful negotiations are entered into and conducted with good faith. This does not necessarily mean giving into every demand or sacrificing your position, but it does mean going into negotiation sessions with the intention of listening, compromising when necessary, and with the spirit of fairness. One good way to establish good faith is to make an initial offering that affirms your willingness to meet your opposition half way. With a vendor it may be a flexible delivery schedule or with a prospective employee with a benefit offer. Choose something with which you have some flexibility and concession will not adversely affect your company’s position.

Remember, prior to entering into negotiations, do your research. See what other businesses are doing, talk to associates, and use your networking contacts to see what other companies are offering. Check what the market is for goods and services, salaries, and benefits. Failure to know what other employers and businesses are offering can cost you money or failure to secure contracts. The internet is a valuable resource, as well as trade association publications, and your contacts in your industry. What are other companies paying for goods, offering in vacation time, and bidding for contracts? You won’t know where to start or what compromises you can make if you don’t know what others are doing. Conducting negotiations with out research is like going in blind.

Success in negotiations starts with good listening skills. Watch your adversary’s body language and behavior closely and gauge their intensity and stress to determine their priorities. Parties to discussion frequently give clues to points that are negotiable and those that are “deal breakers.” Don’t get caught up in the emotions and stress of discussions and lose sight of your opponent’s position. Listen and communicate carefully and without excessive emotion. We have all seen examples of high stakes negotiations where voices are raised, fists are slammed on tables, and the parties stalk out of the room. Sometimes these shows of power make a big impression but deals are settled after the storm passes. Quiet confidence can make as big an impression as raised voices.

Much of your confidence can come from having realistic expectations. Your research will tell you what you can reasonably expect from your challenger. Also, knowing your own budget and company’s needs will tell you what you can live with. Expecting an unrealistic outcome can cause you to loose the war and the battle. As in any battle (and negotiations can be looked upon as battles) is to know the lay of the land. Where are your strengths, where are obstacles to success, and what is your objective? How do you define success? If you are in a contract negotiation with a prospective employee can you offer tuition reimbursement instead of a higher salary? In a negotiation with a vendor can you allow an extra week in delivery in favor of better credit terms? Negotiations are a dance and the way you follow and compensate for your partner’s moves can pay off and make the dance much more pleasant.

Documentation is an important part of the negotiation process. Document your research results and bring them with you to any discussions. Don’t rely on your memory and if at any point you need to do further research, close the session and make arrangements to resume after you have had a chance to check out any points. Take careful notes and with meetings where the stakes are high, audio or video recording can be helpful. For instance, if you are negotiating with a union or collective bargaining unit, an audio or video record can protect you in potential litigation. In normal day to day negotiations careful note taking should suffice. Your notes should be maintained in confidential files. It goes without saying that all final settlements should be in writing and reviewed thoroughly before signing.

The watch word for negotiation success is caution. The commitments you make will have far reaching consequences for your business and taking your time and being cautious will ensure that the obligations and benefits you are negotiating for will be the ones that will enrich your company.

Make Your House Presentable With Cost-Effective Home Staging

The main objective behind the home staging process is to actually make your house presentable to the buyers, so that it eventually gets sold as quickly as possible. Many people think that staging a house would cost them an arm and a leg, and thus prefer to keep away from it. However, the fact of the matter is that even by keeping your expenses down, you can impressively beautify your home, as home staging does not require major reconstruction. Listed below are some of the ways in which you can successfully stage your house without spending a fortune.

Generally, a house is divided into different parts namely the living room, bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom. Now let us see how each of these parts can be managed up so that the buyers fall in love with your house at the very first sight.

* Living room – To make sure that the buyers see themselves settle in your house with their family, remove the family portraits or similar items, which can give the living room a personal touch. Besides, also remove the items, which you think are making the room appear crowded. It is also a great idea to repaint the room using neutral colors. It would give new and fresh look to your house. Give your furniture a slightly different arrangement. If you have old furniture, then you can make use of new slip-covers. However, it is still does not look presentable, then you can consider renting some new furniture pieces.

* Bedrooms – Again you can repaint the rooms using soft neutral colors for a brighter look. To make the rooms look more spacious and open, limit the furniture. Too many chairs, couches and dressers would make them look crammed. Besides, to make your closets look bigger, you can store most of your clothes somewhere else. Also, personal articles should be removed as the buyers then may not be able to see it as their own new home. It is also a great idea to purchase new bed sheets, pillows and comforters to create a clean and bright look.

* Kitchen – Well, this part of the house is expected to be the messiest of all. Therefore, cleaning it calls for more attention. Especially, if the cabinets and counter-tops have turned slightly unattractive with age, then you would be required to perform a thorough cleaning. Besides, it is also advisable to repaint your kitchen using colors, which can make it look more spacious. Besides, get the defective fixtures and leaky faucets replaced.

* Bathroom – Put as much effort and time in cleaning the bathroom, as you did while cleaning the kitchen. If you can afford, then get old bathroom fittings replaced with the new ones. Also, purchase new towels and place them on towel racks. To enhance your bathroom’s appearance, you can even put an attractive vase of fresh flowers at a suitable place.

Completing the home staging process is a walk in the park for those who have some artistic or creative flair. Even if you are not one of those, the process can still be quite easy if you take into account all the suggestions stated above.