10 inspirational quotes than can improve yourself

"Life With Woody" 10 inspirational quotes than can improve yourself

It might take a little coffee or probably a few rounds of beer or any other booze you could get your hands on when it comes to relaxing after a hard day's work. Well, yeah I'm guilty about that one as well, unless I'm caught dead wearing a lampshade over my head after a few rounds of vodka… half-naked! Okay, bad example and I apologize to everyone reading this after getting nightmares about me in that state of drunken stupor.

Just don't ask how it happened, please.

But what's really interesting is that how do people go through the usual part of life when faced with vein-popping stress? I mean, the new age thing like Zen or yoga is one of the good things and it actually works. Is there room for the intellectual side of people who can actually smell the roses-in-a-can while on the move? It kind of had me thinking that there really must be something in this 'mind-over-matter' thing.

Humor is indeed the best medicine there is whenever you are. I mean anyone can pay good money to listen to a comedian just to make you wet your pants after laughing so hard. Despite of what's been happening, and to those who has gone though the ordeal, it's better to just laugh while facing the troubles with a clear mind than anger with a clouded vision. One of my favorite celebrities of all time may have to be Woody Allen. Now this is one guy who gives you the in-your-face bluntness that he pulls out with gusto, even without even trying. You can talk just about anything with a man, and he's bound to mock the subject and you'll end up laughing rather than being upset about it.

Woody Allen has this to say:

1. "Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons." It sounds good to me, I mean the practicality of all things does involve money but it doesn't have to take an arm and a leg to get it.

2. "I believe there is something out there watching us. Unfortunately, it's the government." 'Nuff said.

3. "There are worse things in life than death. Have you ever spent an evening with an insurance salesman?" This happens to be one of the classic ones. I mean the issue about life's little problems isn't all that bad, until 'he' shows up.

Sure, relationships can get complicated, or does have its complications that probably any author about relationships is bound to discover it soon. We follow what our heart desires, unless you're talking about the heart as in the heart that pump blood throughout your body.

4. "Love is the answer, but while you're waiting for the answer, sex raises some pretty interesting questions." And if you want more, just keep on asking!

5. "A fast word about oral contraception. I asked a girl to go to bed with me, she said 'no'." It sounds, 'practical', I think.

And when it comes to everyday life, he really knows how to make the best out of every possible scenario, and it doesn't involve a lawsuit if he strikes a nerve.

6. "Basically my wife was immature. I'd be at home in the bath and she'd come in and sink my boats." I never had a boat in my bathtub before. Just staring at it while soaking in hot water makes me seasick already.

7. "I am not afraid of death, I just don't want to be there when it happens." If it rains, it pours.

8. "I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose." It could get worse when you're guzzling on beer… or mouthwash, and it happened to me once!

9. "If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans." At least he doesn't smite us with lightning, and I'm thankful for that.

And despite of what may happen to all of us in the next ten, twenty, or even thirty years, I guess we all have to see things in a different kind of light and not just perspective. I can't seem to imagine life without any piece of wisdom that could guide us. Whether we're religious or not, it takes more courage to accept your fears and learn how to deal with them is all that matters when it comes to even just getting along.

And to sum things up, here is the last nugget of wisdom to go by… however, whenever, and wherever we may be.

10. "The talent for being happy is appreciating and liking what you have, instead of what you don't have."

What Are Safe Plastic Numbers To Use?

What Are Safe Plastic Numbers To Use?

After writing about what the plastic recycling numbers listed on the bottom of plastic containers mean, I have been swamped with questions about which ones are considered safe plastic numbers and which ones are not, especially in the area of food and drink.

Please bear in mind that a lot of research is still ongoing, and new information is coming to light all the time. One example is BPA (Bisphenol A), where a barrage of recent studies have shown the harmful effects of that plastic on the endocrine, neurological, and sexual reproductive systems, as well as on fetal and infant brain development and behavior. It’s therefore impossible to say with absolute certainty whether any particular industrial material, including plastic, is absolutely safe under all circumstances.

Here’s what we do know: some plastics are definitely dangerous or risky, sometimes when heated and sometimes when used under any circumstances. Others are safe if used properly, based on current knowledge and research (or at least based on what I know.)

Here are a few questions I’ve gotten recently, with some answers that hopefully help to demystify the issue of safe plastic numbers:

1) What are considered to be safe plastic recycling numbers?

The absolute safest plastic numbers, especially for storing food, are:

• #2, HDPE, a usually opaque plastic used for milk jugs, detergent bottles, juice bottles, toiletries and the like.
• #4, LDPE, used for things like plastic bags, food storage, bread bags, some food wraps, squeezable bottles.
• #5, polypropylene, used for a wide variety of applications such as yogurt cups, medicine bottles, ketchup and syrup bottles, and straws.

2) What about #1 (PET) plastic?

Current knowledge is that this plastic is generally safe, and is used for things like plastic water bottles. However, in another example of how research is still emerging, an article published in the November 2009 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives provided evidence that PET #1 plastic may leach endocrine disruptors, depending on how it’s used and at what temperature. More research is definitely needed here!

The other concern about #1 plastic is that things like water bottles are intended for one-time use, whereas many people refill them and use them continuously. That increases the chance of the plastic harboring bacteria you might ingest, since it’s difficult to wash and doesn’t resist high temperatures.

3) What plastic numbers contain BPA?

The primary culprit for BPA is plastic recycling number 7. BUT NOT ALL PLASTIC #7 IS BPA! Plastic #7 is a “catch all” category that includes many kinds of plastic that don’t fit the classifications of the other numbers. For example, bioplastics made from sugarcane and corn also carry #7, and these are kinds of plastics we definitely want to encourage people to use.

So the key here is to do your research, and not panic if you see #7 plastic. Many manufacturers of items like athletic water bottles that were previously making them out of BPA are quickly transitioning to other materials in light of the emerging evidence of health concerns.

4) Is it safe to heat up foods touching plastic in the microwave oven?

Personally, I would never do this for ANY plastic, no matter what the number and no matter what the manufacturer says about safety. One problem here is plastic #3, or PVC, which is used in some plastic cling wrapping for food. There are phthalates in PVC, material-softening chemicals that leach from PVC and could interfere with the endocrine system. So I would minimize touching food with this kind of plastic, and definitely not microwave food with it.

As for the other plastics, the risk is yours to take. For my part, I only use glassware or non-plastic plates for heating food, with a paper towel or wax paper to cover it.

5) Is it safe for kids to chew on straws and sippy cups made out of #5 plastic?

I listed #5 as one of the safe plastic numbers, but when it comes to kids do you really want to chance it? The bottom line is that we BELIEVE this plastic is totally safe and therefore theoretically should be OK to chew on. But new information is always coming to light about plastics, and it’s impossible to know with absolute certainty. If it were my children, I would discourage them from chewing on these objects by removing them as soon as the kids are done using them, as well as frequently replace them.

6) Are styrofoam cups safe?

Styrofoam or polystyrene is plastic #6. The general consensus of the medical literature appears to support the view that this type of plastic is safe. There are some nagging concerns, however, such as the Japanese study by Sakamoto Hiromi, about whether and how much polystyrene can leach into food and hot drinks. Given the doubts, my personal view is not to use it for things like hot coffee, using safer mugs instead.

7) Should I use a food container/sippy cup/whatever that doesn’t have a plastic recycling number on it?

I don’t know why some plastics don’t come with a recycling number. In one case I was able to find it by looking it up online, but in other cases I’ve been out of luck. If you don’t know what kind of plastic it is, you can’t know whether it could potentially be harmful or not. To be on the safe side, I would stop using anything without a plastic number on it in favor of an equivalent product that does.

10 ways to empower your communication

"A Piece of Blarney Stone" 10 ways to empower your communication

The Blarney Stone is a historical stone, or actually part of the Blarney Castle in Ireland where it was believed that kissing the stone can grant you the gift of gab. Yeah, it seems strange in this day and age, but who are we to question tradition? It's not like I'm saying that Santa Claus doesn't exist (OOPS!).

There is so much to know about conversation that anyone, even I, could ever realize. You can go though watching talk shows; radio programs; clubs dedicated to public speaking; ordinary conversations; certain rules still apply when it comes to interaction through words. It may sound tedious, I know, but even though it's your mouth that's doing the work, your brain works twice as hard to churn out a lot of things you know. So what better way to start learning to be an effective communication is to know the very person closest to you: yourself.

1. What you know.
Education is all about learning the basics, but to be an effective speaker is to practice what you've learned. My stint as guest at every Toastmasters' meeting I go to taught me that we all have our limitations, but that doesn't mean we can't learn to keep up and share what we know.

2. Listening.
It's just as important as asking questions. Sometimes listening to the sound of our own voice can teach us to be a little bit confident with ourselves and to say the things we believe in with conviction.

3. Humility
We all make mistakes, and sometimes we tend to slur our words, stutter, and probably mispronounce certain words even though we know what it means, but rarely use it only to impress listeners. So in a group, don't be afraid to ask if you're saying the right word properly and if they're unsure about it then make a joke out of it. I promise you it'll make everyone laugh and you can get away with it as well.

4. Eye Contact
There's a lot to say when it comes to directing your attention to your audience with an eye-catching gaze. It's important that you keep your focus when talking to a large group in a meeting or a gathering, even though he or she may be gorgeous.

5. Kidding around
A little bit of humor can do wonders to lift the tension, or worse boredom when making your speech. That way, you'll get the attention of the majority of the crowd and they'll feel that you're just as approachable, and as human to those who listen.

6. Be like the rest of them
Interaction is all about mingling with other people. You'll get a lot of ideas, as well as knowing what people make them as they are.

7. Me, Myself, and I
Admit it, there are times you sing to yourself in the shower. I know I do! Listening to the sound of your own voice while you practice your speech in front of a mirror can help correct the stress areas of your pitch. And while you're at it you can spruce up as well.

8. With a smile
A smile says it all much like eye contact. There's no point on grimacing or frowning in a meeting or a gathering, unless it's a wake. You can better express what you're saying when you smile.

9. A Role Model
There must be at least one or two people in your life you have listened to when they're at a public gathering or maybe at church. Sure they read their lines, but taking a mental note of how they emphasize what they say can help you once you take center stage.

10. Preparation
Make the best out of preparation rather than just scribbling notes and often in a hurried panic. Some people like to write things down on index cards, while other resort to being a little more silly as they look at their notes written on the palm of their hand (not for clammy hands, please). Just be comfortable with what you know since you enjoy your work.

And that about wraps it up. These suggestions are rather amateurish in edgewise, but I've learned to empower myself when it comes to public or private speaking and it never hurts to be with people to listen how they make conversations and meetings far more enjoyable as well as educational.

How Can I Get Out Of Debt?

 People can find themselves in debt difficulty for a number of different reasons, but what options are available to resolve a financial issue?

When taking out credit, we generally look at our current financial position and base our repayments on what we can afford according to our current income. We do not tend to look at what could be around the corner.
This more often than not creates immediate risk to us and our families.
Recently a large business in Lincolnshire had to close their doors leaving over 700 people without a job. Suddenly, these people found themselves in a position with no income.
Some of these people will have borrowings with no savings to fall back on; they will now find themselves in a situation where they simply do not have the money to keep up with their financial commitments until they are able to find a new job.
This is just one of the reasons someone kind find themselves in financial difficulty.
Being in a position to some people is unknown territory and they are just not sure where to turn and ask for help.
There are solutions put in place for anyone who finds themselves in position where they no longer repay their debt at the amount set by their agreement.
Your financial position will generally determine which option is suitable when considering ways to resolve a debt problem.
Options available may also depend on whether your borrowing is secured or unsecured.
Generally for personal unsecured debt, options such as a Debt Management Plan may be suitable. Alternatively, if you have a fair amount of income (although it may not be enough to meet current monthly agreed payments) an Individual Voluntary arrangement could be an option.
The most important thing to remember if you ever find yourself in financial difficulty is to make sure your creditors know exactly what is going on.
Some creditors have a bad reputation for being unsympathetic to those who have found themselves in debt difficult. Because of this, some people are afraid to talk to them. Their situation is bad enough without a creditor giving them a hard time over the phone.
The Office of Fair Trading have guidelines that all creditors should abide by, so it is worth reading up on your rights so that if a creditor does work outside of the guidelines, you will recognise this and this will help you inform your creditors you know what rights you have and how you are protected.
If you find it too difficult to talk to your creditors, you can authorise a third party to deal with your debt on your behalf. As long as you have authorised them, your creditors must respect your wishes.
There are a number of financial companies that help people with debt problems. These companies can explain options that available and encourage you not to over commit yourself into anything that may cause more stress.
It is also important to be wary of banks offering refinance. Refinance could be a good option, however, consider the interest you will be paying back on top of what you borrow.
Don’t be tempted by quick fixes, such as borrowing more money, if you know in a few months time you will find yourself back in the same situation.
Regardless of your financial situation, whether you are dealing with personal debt or business debt, there is always a solution. Do not be afraid to seek help and face your debt on. Do not put letters unopened in the bin or in a drawer hidden away.
As long as your creditors are aware of the situation, they can consider whatever proposals are put before them when coming to an agreement on the best way to repay the debt.

Should you Buy, Sell, or Stay way in this Market

After a turbulent week that pulled almost every financial assets down to earth, investors wonder whether now is the time to buy, sell, or hold on to financial asets. Some  have been calling in popular financial experts for advise and comfort.

"Should I sell my stocks in my 401K account?" asked recently a financial investor, calling in a financial  expert on a popular TV show.

"How old are you?" asked back the financial expert.

"Forty five years old"
"You don't have to worry. You don't need the money for another 15 to 20 years. Markets will come back. They always come back."

Investors and financial professionals love clichés about the performance of certain asset classes over the long-term. They do offer comfort of the mind, especially when markets move against investor bets, but they can be very costly for investors who stick with them.

Here we unveil and defy three of those Clichés:

Clichés 1: “Gold always goes up. You cannot lose money in gold.” Really? What if you purchased gold around 1982, when the metal was around $800 an ounce and sold it around $260 in the early 1990s? You collected no interest or dividend over ten years, and lost close to 70 percent of your principal! Obviously gold doesn’t always go up. But what if you kept your position until now? You certainly doubled your money, but that took 20 years—a 3.6 percent annual return, hardly beating the return of a money market account.

Cliché 2: “In the long-term, stocks always outperform every other asset category.” This is a well-searched proposition in the finance discipline, and in many cases it is true (provided that dividends are re-invested), but it isn’t always true. The performance of Japanese stocks over the last twenty years is a case in point. The Japanese Nikkei Index is down 70 percent. Yes, 70 percent over twenty years!

Clichés 3: “Real estate always goes up.” This is also a well-researched proposition, and it is generally true, but not always true. US investors who purchased real estate in the early 1980s and sold in the late 1980s fared well, but those who purchased real estate in the late 1980s and sold in the middle of the 1990s did lose money. And, of course, there is the case of the Japanese real estate, where investors lost 40 percent of their money over the last twenty years.

The bottom line: Certain assets outperform other assets most of the time, but all the time; and this can be dangerous to investors financial health, as the they can suffer significant losses.

Libyan rebels say they are attacking Tripoli

TRIPOLI, Libya   Libyan rebels said they launched their first attack on Tripoli in coordination with NATO late Saturday, and Associated Press reporters heard unusually heavy gunfire and explosions in the capital. The fighting erupted just hours after opposition fighters captured the key city of Zawiya nearby.

Gunbattles and mortar rounds were heard clearly at the hotel where foreign correspondents stay in Tripoli. NATO aircraft made heavy bombing runs after nightfall, with loud explosions booming across the city.

"We planned this operation with NATO, our Arab associates and our rebel fighters in Tripoli with commanders in Benghazi," Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, the head of the rebel leadership council, told the Arab satellite channel Al-Jazeera. Benghazi, hundreds of miles east of Tripoli, is the rebels' de facto capital.

Abdel-Jalil they said chose to start the attack on Tripoli on the 20th day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which fell on Saturday. The date marks the ancient Islamic Battle of Badr, when Muslims conquered the holy city of Mecca in A.D. 624.

A couple hours after the rebels said they had attacked Tripoli, state television ran what appeared to be a live audio message by Gadhafi. He did not appear on television but sounded like he was calling the message in on a poor phone line which crackled at times. He announced the time and date twice to prove that he was speaking live.

Gadhafi condemned the rebels as traitors and "vermin" who are tearing Libya apart and said they were being chased from city to city — a mirror image of reality.

"Libyans wanted to enjoy a peaceful Ramadan," he said. "Instead they have been made into refugees. What are we? Palestinians?"

Government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim appeared on Libyan television to deny there was an uprising in Tripoli. But he acknowledged that there was some kind of unusual activity.

"Sure there were some armed militants who escaped into some neighborhoods and there were some scuffles, but we dealt with it within a half hour and it is now calm," he said.

The claims from both sides could not immediately be independently verified.

If the rebel did indeed attack Tripoli, it would be the first time in the 6-month-old uprising. The rebels made early gains in the revolt, capturing most of the east of the country and rising up in a few other major cities such as Zawiya and Misrata. But Gadhafi's forces fought back and until a week ago, the civil war had been mired in a stalemate.

Last weekend, rebels from the western mountains near the border with Tunisia made a dramatic advance into Zawiya, just 30 miles west of Tripoli, and captured parts of the city.

Gadhafi appeared increasingly isolated as the fighters advanced closer to Tripoli, a metropolis of 2 million people, from the west, south and east and gained control of major supply roads into the capital.

After hard-fought battles for a week in Zawiya, the rebels finally wrested the city's oil refinery, central square and hospital from Gadhafi's forces and drove them out in a major victory on Saturday that clearly swung momentum in their favor.

Hours later, the attack on Tripoli was claimed.

Col. Fadlallah Haroun, a military commander in Benghazi, said the battles marked the beginning of Operation Mermaid — a nickname for Tripoli. He also said the assault was coordinated with NATO. Haroun told the AP that weapons were assembled and sent by tugboats to Tripoli on Friday night.

"The fighters in Tripoli are rising up in two places at the moment — some are in the Tajoura neighborhood and the other is near the Matiga (international) airport," he told the Arabic satellite channel Al-Jazeera. Tajoura has been known since the beginning of the uprising in February as the Tripoli neighborhood most strongly opposed to Gadhafi's regime.

Earlier Saturday, the government organized a trip for reporters to the airport to show them it was still in government hands.

A representative for Tripoli on the rebel leadership council told the AP that rebels were surrounding almost every neighborhood in the capital, and there was especially heavy fighting in Fashloum, Tajoura and Souq al-Jomaa.

Those three neighborhoods have been bubbling with discontent ever since the beginning of the Libya uprising. They paid the highest price in deaths when protesters took the streets in anti-Gadhafi protests, only to be met with live ammunition by government militiamen.

"We don't have exact numbers yet, but we are hearing that many fighters have fallen — very likely over 100," said Mohammed al-Harizi.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jeffrey Feltman visited Benghazi on Saturday.

"Gadhafi's days are numbered," he said. "The best case scenario is for Gadhafi to step down now ... that's the best protection for civilians."

In Benghazi, there were thousands celebrating in the main city square, shooting fireworks and guns into the air, and waving the rebel tricolor flag.

The taking of Zawiya, a city of 200,000, cleared the last major hurdle to a rebel march on Tripoli from the west. Rebels said Gadhafi's troops put up little resistance before fleeing their posts in Zawiya's hospital and multistory buildings around the main square — another sign suggesting that the Libyan dictator's 42-year-old regime is crumbling.

Trucks and cars packed with rebels as well as civilians drove around Zawiya's central square, honking horns, flashing V-for-victory signs and yelling "Allahu akbar" or "God is great!" An ambulance crew posed for photos on the sidewalk while a rebel called through a loudspeaker on his truck, "Zawiya is liberated!"

Still, regime troops kept firing rockets and mortars at the city from positions in the east even after rebels said they drove them out, and thunderous booms echoed across the city. The central hospital was hit by mortar rounds early Saturday, several hours after it was taken by rebels. The attack badly damaged the operating rooms, punching a hole into one of the outer walls. Metal slats from the ceiling were strewn across the floor, and soot-covered the operating tables.

Rebels also claimed that they captured the city of Zlitan, 90 miles (140 kilometers) southeast of Tripoli, after more than two months of fighting.

"Zlitan is now completely liberated after a severe fight, and for the first time I can say we have control over it," Bani told reporters Saturday.

In Zawiya, fighters were bogged down around the central square for much of the week, held back by mortar, rocket and anti-aircraft fire from Gadhafi's troops. However, on Friday afternoon, rebel reinforcements arrived and pushed toward the square and the hospital, driving out regime forces before nightfall, said 21-year-old rebel fighter Mohammed Abu Daya.

The rebels said Saturday that they were now driving Gadhafi's forces even farther east, toward the village of Jedaim on the outskirts of Zawiya.

Gadhafi's forces fired rockets and mortars at the city, killing a doctor his wife and their 9-month-old baby when a mortar hit their home, medics said.

Zawiya's main square was covered with traces of the recent fighting. Nearly every window in the surrounding hotel, banks and government office buildings was shattered, and bullet and shrapnel holes marred every wall. Shelling had collapsed two floors of one of the five buildings near the square that had been used as Gadhafi sniper positions.

The dead bodies of two government fighters lay in the square's central plaza, covered by blankets. Rebels held their breath as they passed the bodies, which some said had been there for days.

Zawiya native Faiz Ibrahim, 42, took great pleasure in walking safely through his hometown's central square. Ibrahim, trained as an engineer, had taken up arms to defend the city early in the uprising, but went underground when Gadhafi's forces retook the town. He came out of hiding as soon as rebels from the south entered the city.

"We praise God that we can come here now that we have liberated the square," he said, his Kalashnikov rifle over his shoulder. "We have to see all the destruction that it took to get them out."

___

Associated Press writers Rami al-Shaheibi in Benghazi and Hadeel Al-Shalchi in Cairo contributed to this report

Seller Financing: An Idea Whose Time Has Come

Do you want to sell your house but have figured out that buyers are as scarce as snowflakes in the Arizona desert? If you've owned your home for a long while and have equity in it, your best bet might be to offer seller financing.

Seller financing essentially means that you will act as the bank when the bank won't. It's an idea whose time has come because of tighter lending qualifications. According to the National Association of Realtors, there's already been an uptick in the number of homeowners who carry loans for their buyers.

But a couple of measures kicking around in Washington may unintentionally throw a wet blanket over seller financing -- effectively ending a practice that could actually revive the comatose housing market.
First is the SAFE Act (Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing). Intended to regulate mortgage loan originators, the SAFE Act is silent about whether Mom and Pop sellers are subject to the new rules. HUD guidelines suggest that as long as you are not being compensated as a loan originator -- paid points and fees and the like -- and the house you are selling is your own, you probably aren't covered by the SAFE Act's provisions. Probably.

And then there's the Dodd-Frank Act, which is working its way through the regulatory process right now. Buried deep in its 179 pages are restrictions that could also cause problems for sellers who want to offer a financing package to whomever buys their house. Dodd-Frank regulations exclude individuals who sell up to three homes in a 12-month period, but leaves a lot of unanswered questions. For example, the new regulations don't exempt the home's builder, so what about folks who had custom homes built for themselves? What if you want to finance the sale of your second home, or an income-earning property you own? All unaddressed -- and therefore unanswered -- questions.

The result of these measures, if only because of the chilling fear they instill, could be crippling. Ken Trepeta of NAR says both measures create a "significant gray area," and that's not a good thing.

Consumers "Kicked to the Curb"

Will people continue to provide financing once these regulations kick in? For now, Vince Scott, CEO of Intero Real Estate Services, thinks owner financing is a great idea.

He says that he's had to go into "creative financing mode" several times for his business as a "fix-and-flipper." Six months ago, he and his partners paid $350,000 for a 2,800 square foot foreclosure in Reno, Nev. They put about $70,000 into repairs and renovations and relisted the property at $549,000. When offers were not forthcoming, they moved to Plan B: providing the financing to the buyer. The house sold quickly.

Scott requires at least 30 percent down on short-term loans of interest-only payments at between 7 percent and 9 percent. "If we can get enough down and the buyer is otherwise credit-worthy but just needs time to get past a short sale -- three years -- this is a good business decision."

In all the cases where Scott has provided seller-financing, the buyer was either turned down by a lender or knew they would be so they didn't bother applying. So far, Scott has not had to repossess a house.

He notes that the foreclosure process in Nevada is faster and simpler than in other states, so if it became necessary to invoke it, he'd get the house back fairly quickly. That said, people being foreclosed on sometimes trash the property and it can take months to physically evict someone, so lending a buyer money is not without risk.

Still, Scott says, it's the right thing to do both from a business standpoint and a moral one.

"Consumers have been kicked to the curb," he says.

And owner financing is an alternative whose time has perhaps come.

"There are plenty of people who have cash on hand, good jobs and pay their bills on time, but got upside down in their homes and let them go," Scott said. "Banks won't lend to them even though they are good credit risks."

Nowadays, Scott says, it's just as much about "neighbor, helping neighbor ... good old-fashioned American Spirit."

That may be, but there is also financial risk involved when individual home owners offer to play banker. Just how safe is it for a home seller to carry the financing for someone who likely couldn't get a loan from a bank, especially if that buyer has a tarnished credit rating because they walked away from another property?