Whether you are digging out of a mountain of debt or just overcoming a molehill, I have suggested in previous posts these five steps:

STEP ONE: Know your debt situation
STEP TWO: Be cautious as revenue improves
STEP THREE: Don’t (necessarily) pay down debt early
STEP FOUR: Call your lender first if you’ll miss a payment or a covenant
STEP FIVE: Invite your lender over

Even if you are delighted with your lender and the bank or credit union they work for, it’s time to court other lenders. Develop relationships with lenders from other financial institutions in case you need them.

Does that seem unloyal? This is not about loyalty (even if your lender implies it is). I have talked to more lenders who are frustrated at their inability to make loans that make sense.

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The housing market in the Tri-State appears to have rebounded and continues on the upswing.

The fact that the first-quarter sales of this year have outpaced last year confirms that to be the case, said Chris Dickson, president-elect of the Evansville Area Association of Realtors.

“2010 is a good year for real estate in this area,” he said.

Dickson said the latest statistics from the association shows a 28.4 percent increase in the number of single-family homes sold in Vanderburgh, Warrick, Posey and Gibson counties this past March compared with the number of sales in March 2009.

Pending home sales also appear on an upward surge nationally, likely in response to the homebuyer tax credit, said the National Association of Realtors.

Its March index won’t be released until May 4, but the national association reports sales showed a healthy gain in February.

According to the Evansville Area Association of Realtors, a total of 307 homes were sold in Vanderburgh, Warrick, Posey and Gibson counties last month, compared with 239 sold in March 2009.

The increased activity caps off a strong first quarter, which saw the number of homes sold increase by 11.4 percent over last year’s first quarter.

A total of 650 homes were sold in the four-county area this January through March, compared with 582 sold last year during the same period.

Dickson attributed the increase to historic low interest rates and plenty of mortgage money available from local lenders, even though the requirements for approval are tighter.

He said, “Buyers also are very active now because they need to be under contract by April 30 to qualify for the federal tax incentives.

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Raise Credit Scores

In the business world, a strong FICO credit score rating is necessary during the early stages of business financing especially if your small business credit reports are not strong enough.

Due to the current economy and credit markets, banks and lenders are looking at both personal FICO scores and business credit scores. No

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This report is for Active for Sale and Sold statistics for homes and condos in Aliso Viejo. This article is generated by the realtor professionals at eVantage Real Estate here in Orange County, CA. Today, there are 35 detached homes for sale, which have a median price of $369,900 with an average price per square foot of $314 . These homes are priced from a low of $210,000 for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1,246 square foot home situated in the subdivision tract called Other . On up to a maximum price of $1,145,000 for a fine home boasting of 5 bedrooms, 5 baths, with 3,722 square feet of living area, which is located in the Canyon View Estates Tract.

Currently, for attached condos there are 81 units active for sale in Aliso Viejo . The median price of these condominiums is $349,900 and the average price per square foot is $280 .

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A new program from the White House will support markets which finance SBA loans.

The White House has launched a new program to aid small businesses, the Washington Post reports.

The program, implemented last month, is a dramatically reduced version of the White House’s initial plan to use $15 billion to aid Small Business Administration loan markets.

Because those markets recovered on their own, the new program uses only $21 million, and is in place as a backup in case SBA lending falls again.

According to the paper, administration officials say that helping small businesses get credit is still a top priority and a major component of the strategy to address high unemployment around the country.

Another proposal, introduced in January, could mean good news for entrepreneurs.

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Vendor Credit Lines

Qualifying for a bank loan or other traditional sources of business financing can seem like an impossible task if you’re like most small business owners that haven’t even begun to establish credit in the name of your business let alone have any type of business credit scores.

You probably believe that you have no other choice but to use your personal credit but let me share with you a viable alternative before you slap down your plastic.

Vendor credit lines also known as trade credit is when a company extends credit to your company in order to allow you to buy its products and services upfront but defer the payment for a later date.

After you purchase a product they will issue an invoice which must be paid according to the terms of your agreement. If y

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Companies are increasingly realizing that they can get a significant number of targeted prospects on their web sites through search engines and usually at much lower cost than by using traditional marketing methods. Performing a proper keyword research is a basis of a successful search engine marketing campaign, but determining and optimizing the right set of keywords for your business can be very challenging.

Narrowing down a large number of search phrases that your customers might use to the most relevant, and adding multiple variations, plurals,  or misspellings of those phrases are the main techniques in keyword research. Here are some tips that might be of help to you when searching for the right set of keywords for your company:

Avoid short phrases.

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The Dallas / Ft. Worth Metropolitan area, commonly referred to as the DFW Metroplex and has a population of more than 4 million, making the DFW Metroplex the 4^th largest metropolitan area in the country. Dallas is centrally located and is within a four-hour flight from most North American destinations. DFW International Airport is the world’s third busiest airport.  Throughout Dallas one will enjoy the best shopping in the southwest, four-and five star hotels and restaurants, the largest urban arts district in the nation, 13 entertainment districts and much, much more.  Dallas is also known for moderate weather, year-round sports and true Southern hospitality. 

Dallas is also a leading business and meeting city. In 2

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New small business entrepreneurs don’t always have a mentor or expert in their corner to help them wade through the rough road of starting a new business. However, you could get the help from financial investment giant Goldman Sachs through their 10,000 Small Business initiative.

The initiative is a $500 million program that is intended to help the American economy by aiding small business growth and job creation in disadvantaged communities. Small business owners can get education, advice, and even capital through the program. Goldman Sachs says it realizes that small business growth is a key factor in the American economic growth and stability, and they are committed to address the key barriers for small business growth.

How Goldman Plans to Help

Here is a look at the program highlights:

• Education – Entrepreneurs can get business savvy through educational programs at community colleges, universities, and other educational institutions. Bus

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