Local Opportunities

Over the past several months, there have been talks of recession. With the stock market fluctuating and home starts at the bare minimum, these times can raise a few eyebrows. Here are several tips on how to save a few bucks so you're not bogged down by the recession bandwagon.

1. Be practical. Go Local! - With gas prices sky rocketing, look to local stores and vendors for services and products you need. Local merchants are venturing into e-commerce and online services. Why travel 15-20 miles when you can do all your shopping online?
2. Know before you go. Research! - Use map quest, Google maps, and other mapping services to make sure that you don't get lost before your trip. If you are still adamant about driving to places of interest, make sure you don't get lost! Go online and find out what your neighbors think about certain services. You can even use Yooyak's services to find out what others are saying about contractors and other local services. With spring time comes landscaping, so check out the local contractors and make sure your neighbors agree that they are credible.

We hope these tips help you get through spring and this so called "recession". Remember to use Yooyak and help other folks through your Yak Backs!

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Keep your eyes and ears open for the latest local news!

Housing Bust

America's kingpin of mortgages is on a collision course with bankruptcy.
Its name: Countrywide Financial.

If it goes under, the impact on U.S. financial markets will be immediate; the damage to the U.S. economy, long-lasting.

So don't write this off as just another, fleeting chapter in the housing bust story.
Countrywide is the GM and Ford of the mortgage industry, originating $340 billion in loans in the first nine months of the year — more than the mortgage subsidiaries of Bank of America and Citigroup combined.

http://www.moneyandmarkets.com/Issues.aspx?NewsletterEntryId=1216

Home Builders' Cat Walk - Remodeling

The decline in the real estate market is having a tremendous impact on contractors also.

"In an effort to curb losses in the stagnant real estate market, many local home builders are diversifying their portfolios to include remodeling. And it's causing a few problems. Davis, an 18-year-old remodeling company, has reported the firm's business has dropped by nearly 25 percent this year since home builders entered the market. So far, the company has already laid off seven employees."

"We are way off," Davis said. "It's really cutting in significantly. I knew this slow down was going to come. But I didn't take into consideration other builders getting into remodeling."<sup>1


1</sup>http://www.theledger.com/article/20071124/NEWS/711240318/1001/BUSINESS

Can't find good help

Great services are tough to find. The bigger they are, the harder they charge. After several bad quotes, it was time to end my search for contractors. How frustrating! Fortunately, word of mouth referrals saved the day. Months later, I walked into a renovated home. Thanks to word of mouth.

"With the recent mortgage crisis, many people are choosing to remodel their home rather than sell. Shawn Bowman of California Dream Builders is helping homeowners create a custom remodel of their homes to make them seem like new."<sup>1

1</sup> http://www.prweb.com/pdfdownload/553587/pr.pdf