Traci Gregory, Financier

Victoria, Australia bushfires, from someone who's living it . . .

I just received this from one of my Australian connections on Linked In.  I had NO idea the bushfires were so extensive in Australia.  Here it is in her words:

Dear Traci,

I am taking a minute to email all of my LinkedIn connections in relation to the horrific Bushfire situation in Victoria, Australia.
I live in the rebuilt township of Cockatoo, Victoria; the worst hit town, obliterated in the 1983 Ash Wednesday fires in which 75 people died and 2,545 homes were lost, total land area burnt was approximately 2,100 km².

On the weekend I evacuated my young family ahead of the warnings that the fire conditions on Saturday 7th January 2009 would be worse than those on Ash Wednesday, and they were.
Thankfully our area was spared this time around, however many areas weren’t.

The current situation is that there are 25 fires still burning out of control and a total 152 fires burning in Victoria yet to be declared safe, 173 people are confirmed dead and over 750 homes lost, 3,218 km² of land burnt, and still more to come.

I personally have dear friends still missing in Kinglake and Narbethong, including two children aged 6 and 3, and several other friends are thankfully safe, but without homes.

It cost $1.3 billion (in today’s adjusted terms) to rebuild after Ash Wednesday. Victorian citizens, Corporate and Government have already raised $28 Million, however it will take much more to rebuild after this devastating event.

I am making a heartfelt appeal to anyone who can spare a few dollars to please make a donation to the Australian Red Cross, Victorian Bushfire Appeal 2009 on this link, every single dollar counts.

Please could you also share this email with your professional networks, or on blogs, etc.

Thank you for your consideration and for sparing a thought for all who have lost beloved ones, animals, homes and memories.

Kind regards,

Katherine

Posted via web from Traci's posterous

Was the problem on Wall Street elevated testosterone? and not subprime mortgages?

You really must read this article . . .

Mistresses of the Universe

Nicholas D. Kristof, writing in the New York Times tells us that

"At the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, some of the most interesting discussions revolved around whether we would be in the same mess today if Lehman Brothers had been Lehman Sisters. The consensus (and this is among the dead white men who parade annually at Davos) is that the optimal bank would have been Lehman Brothers and Sisters."

"Wall Street is one of the most male-dominated bastions in the business world; senior staff meetings resemble a urologist’s waiting room. Aside from issues of fairness, there’s evidence that the result is second-rate decision-making."

And, the same conclusions are being reached around the world: The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences -- Endogenous steroids and financial risk taking on a London trading floor; Stanford University, and The Journal of Economic Theory.

So that's the job I'm applying for . . . Mistress of the Universe.

Read his full article here . . . The New York Times.

Posted via web from Traci's posterous

You're losing access to one of your credit scores after February 14th

Experian has fired Fair Issac, and Fair Issac will not sell Experian credit scores to consumers after February 14.  Well, Happy Valentines to you, too.

Experian will sell FICO scores to lenders, but with Experian not selling to consumers, you're now flying blind about that score if you've been working to keep up with your credit record and keep track of your scores.  You will, after the 14th, only have access to TransUnion and Equifax.

Ironically, lenders are making credit standards higher and tougher, and qualifying for all kinds of credit is getting harder.  The benchmark score of 680, which was the score necessary for any mortgage loan in recent years, has been replaced with a "good" score of 720, and interest rates on mortgages are driven specifically by credit score. 

So, knowing your score is important unless you have scads of cash in your personal safe and don't want to ever borrow again (Not a bad idea, but my own safe is lately out of the stacks of cash . . . )

Tom Quinn, vice president for scoring at Fair Isaac said, “We are surprised that Experian made such a decision, particularly given what’s going on in the national economy and with consumers being concerned about their credit standing.  Their decision means that consumers will no longer be able to see or manage their scores based on the Experian data.”

Experian computes another score and they will provide it to consumers . . . but since it isn't the one that goes to lenders, who really wants or needs it?  I suppose people who don't know it isn't used in credit decisions will continue to buy it, and that may be the reason for Experian offering it . . . it is all about money, isn't it?

You can read full details on The New York Times

Posted via web from Traci's posterous

Performing & Non-Performing Note Pools

We've recently partnered with a successful NYC trading company headed by bank industry professionals. They buy performing and non-performing pools of notes of $3mm and up.

Commercial and residential mortgages, auto, aircraft, marine, credit card and write off pools.

If you are a Banking or Credit Union Executive, Portfolio Manager, Lender, Hedge or Pension Fund, Buyer/Seller or direct Agent I'd be interested in talking to you. For more information, please contact me at 404-578-6145, or email: mailto:traci@tracigregory.com

Posted via web from Traci's posterous

Performing & Non-Performing Note Pools

We've recently partnered with a successful NYC trading company headed by bank industry professionals. They buy performing and non-performing pools of notes of $3mm and up.

Commercial and residential mortgages, auto, aircraft, marine, credit card and write off pools.

If you are a Banking or Credit Union Executive, Portfolio Manager, Lender, Hedge or Pension Fund, Buyer/Seller or direct Agent I'd be interested in talking to you. For more information, please contact me at 404-578-6145, or email: mailto:traci@tracigregory.com

Posted via web from Traci's posterous

Just What is Plan B?? A lesson from Hollywood, of all places . . . Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler

After struggling for the last two years as a Mortgage Banker, I experienced a true epiphany reading ESPN.

I’ve worked in Mortgage Banking for almost 21 years . . . the first few were part time, extra money from loans years and then I decided to make it my main focus. In just a few years I was making decent money. In the last five years, my income zoomed upwards and I felt that I’d finally reached the top of my profession in my location and looked forward to socking money away for the next five to seven years and retiring happily.

Banks began failing in 2007 and I got a little nervous . . . my programs were disappearing, my phone was not ringing, those applications weren’t showing up like magic in my in box . . . and like everyone else I hoped, blindly that it was a little dip in the market and we’d be back to normal soon.

Read the full article here . . . .              

Posted via web from Traci's posterous

Just What is Plan B?? A lesson from Hollywood, of all places . . . Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler

After struggling for the last two years as a Mortgage Banker, I experienced a true epiphany reading ESPN.

I’ve worked in Mortgage Banking for almost 21 years . . . the first few were part time, extra money from loans years and then I decided to make it my main focus. In just a few years I was making decent money. In the last five years, my income zoomed upwards and I felt that I’d finally reached the top of my profession in my location and looked forward to socking money away for the next five to seven years and retiring happily.

Banks began failing in 2007 and I got a little nervous . . . my programs were disappearing, my phone was not ringing, those applications weren’t showing up like magic in my in box . . . and like everyone else I hoped, blindly that it was a little dip in the market and we’d be back to normal soon.

Read the full article here . . . .                 

Posted via web from Traci's posterous

Just What is Plan B?? A lesson from Hollywood, of all places . . . Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler

After struggling for the last two years as a Mortgage Banker, I experienced a true epiphany reading ESPN.

I’ve worked in Mortgage Banking for almost 21 years . . . the first few were part time, extra money from loans years and then I decided to make it my main focus. In just a few years I was making decent money. In the last five years, my income zoomed upwards and I felt that I’d finally reached the top of my profession in my location and looked forward to socking money away for the next five to seven years and retiring happily.

Banks began failing in 2007 and I got a little nervous . . . my programs were disappearing, my phone was not ringing, those applications weren’t showing up like magic in my in box . . . and like everyone else I hoped, blindly that it was a little dip in the market and we’d be back to normal soon.

Read the full article here . . . .                 

Posted via web from Traci's posterous

Now I have Equipment, Machinery, and Rolling Stock Financing

We can now secure from $20,000 to $500,000 in financing for most commercial equipment. 

Up to 100% financing on the cost of new or used machinery and equipment. Terms and rates structured to meet the schedule and needs of our customers.

We will finance: 

•   General business equipment
•   Machine tools & industrial equipment
•   Construction equipment
•   Food processing equipment
•   Material handling equipment
•   Medical equipment
•  Transportation & automotive handling equipment
•  Waste management equipment
•  Printing & graphic arts equipment
•  High-end commercial vehicles

Posted via web from Traci's posterous

Knoxville Catholic Tourney, Knoxville, TN December 08

First Match, 3:22 pm - Watch Video

Posted via web from Matt Fiore