Cardboard Home

Pass me an airsick bag, will you? And while you’re at it, give me back my Tums.

Watching the stock market drop like an airplane hitting an air pocket and then rising only to drop again is enough to give you heartburn, even for a California finance attorney. Finance lawyers, whether they practice in San Diego, Orange County, or Palm Springs think they have seen it all when it comes to seeing finance fraud in litigation cases. But the testimony we have been hearing about the fraud in the financial markets is enough to turn your hair white, if you have any left.

Yes, there were professors from esteemed institutions of higher learning saying that the bailout proposal Congress passed wouldn’t solve the problem, and yes, they may have been right, but neither them being right nor the passing the bailout bill hasn’t calmed the financial markets in the U.S. or the rest of the world. The Dow has been dropping 300, 500, 600, and nearly 700 points now for, well, I’ve lost track of how many days it has dropped. Many are now routinely calling it a stock crash. Has anyone seen my 401K or IRAs? Last I saw they were going down the sewer.

Does anyone have some milk for my stomach?

Yes, there are also people out there saying that the financial bailout was a bad idea all around. That it rewarded the rich, and those foreign investors who got sucked into buying our financial stocks. As it turned out, they may have needed it just as much as we do. Last I heard, Iceland was facing bankruptcy as a country and now that their markets are falling like leaves, it’s throwing more wood onto our own fire sale on Wall Street.

Does anyone know if alcohol and Tums are a bad combination?

Reports are that the Federal Reserve and foreign central banks are making hundreds of billions of dollars and euros and other currencies available for the world’s banking systems to boost the amount of money available for lending so banks will feel confident to start lending to one another and to businesses again. Anyone feel confident yet?

Has anyone seen my bottle of scotch?

I think we just learned what it was that scared Hank Paulson, George Bush and all the rest of the usual suspects who testify to Congress that the world was in effect going to come to and end if the bailout plan wasn’t passed. Well, it turned out they were almost right, despite passing the Bailout Plan. No the world isn’t coming to an end, and we don’t have a depression like in the 1930s, but in case there is something more that our leaders know that is still going to cause something else to implode, could they just tell us exactly when it is set to implode? I want to make sure I have my head ducked under something.

Isn’t Tagamet good for an upset stomach, or is that Pepto Bismol?

Yes, I know that all is not good in the world of credit card balances, student loan programs, home mortgages, equity lines of credit, construction loans, corporate debt, auto loans, commercial real estate loans and those swaps that you hear about but don’t really know exactly what they consist of on the financial channels. But, last I checked, hey, I’m still here. They still have groceries on the shelves, they still take my credit card and gas is getting cheaper by the day. Hey, Houston, Ground Control, we’re still here.

Call Attorney R. Sebastian Gibson at (800) 589-3202. Or visit our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com for answers to your questions.

If you have a real estate, mortgage, corporate or finance issue, our experienced attorneys can serve as your San Diego Corporate Lawyer or your finance or real estate attorney anywhere in Southern California. We have nearly thirty years of experience and have represented clients from San Diego to Orange County, from Newport Beach and Laguna Beach to San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara, from Anaheim and Irvine to Carlsbad and La Jolla, from Ontario to Victorville, and from Temecula and Yorba Linda to Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage, and throughout the Coachella Valley.

Those who do not wish to purchase a home may find that renting an apartment is an ideal solution for their situation. An apartment can offer many of the conveniences of home ownership such as a functional living space offering the renter the opportunity to eat, sleep and entertain in their domicile. Renting can also offer additional amenities such as meeting spaces, pools, weight rooms or exercise equipment. These types of amenities are optional and may not be available in all rental situations. This article will discuss the art of finding a rental apartment that will suit all of your needs.

Renters who are interested in finding an apartment should consider a number of factors. These factors might include their budget, location, requirements and desires. The key to finding an ideal apartment to rent is to strike a balance of these factors. For example a renter may desire amenities such as a pool, hot tub, sauna, steam room and onsite theater but these options may not be available in his budget range. In this scenario, the renter will likely have to make some compromises which may include realizing not all of the desired amenities are feasible within the current budget or making the decision to allot additional funds for rent.

Set a Budget First

Budget is one of the primary concerns for those looking to rent an apartment. For these individuals, the search for an apartment should begin with the process of narrowing down the search for apartments to those that are within the set budget. It might be worthwhile to look at a few apartments which are priced slightly above the budget. This is because, depending on the vacancy rate, there may be an opportunity to negotiate a slightly lower rate which can bring the rent of the apartment to within the renter’s budgetary constraints. Alternately the renter may decide he is willing to pay a little more for certain features such as a larger living space, more desirable amenities or a choice location.

Choose a Location

Location is a very important factor for renters to consider when searching for an apartment. An ideal location is one which is not to far from family, work or leisure activities. Again this is a matter of personal preference and will depend largely on the desires of the renter. Some renters may favor a shorter commute to work because it affords them more time to spend with their families. Other renters may not have family close by and may opt to rent an apartment further from work if it is near access to an activity they enjoy such as skiing in the mountains or surfing in the ocean.

Renters should also consider the surrounding areas when choosing an apartment. Some renters may enjoy being near social activities such as movie theaters and shopping centers while others may prefer to rent an apartment in an established neighborhood apart from the commercial areas. Likewise some renters may prefer living in an apartment where there is nearby access to public transportation while others may not favor this option.

Consider the Requirements and Amenities

Finally, renters should consider their requirements and preferred amenities when searching for an apartment. Requirements might include criteria such as two or more bedrooms, two or more bathrooms or a minimum square footage. These are criteria which the renter feels they must have in order to function in the apartment. For example a family with two children might need 2-3 bedrooms while a single person may be able to function with only one bedroom. However, a single person who works from home may require an additional bedroom to use as an office.

Renters should also consider the features they would like to have in an apartment complex. This may include access to a pool or exercise equipment, the use of a home theater for residents or meeting facilities which are only available to residents. Renters should carefully consider these options and determine which are most important to them.

PPPPP

Word count 670

Board set to meet Sunday and vote on revised agreement, expected to include an additional $30 billion equity commitment.

See the rest here:
AIG near deal on new terms of U.S. bailout (CNN Money)