Are you tired of dealing with negative people? Are you trying to find ways to cope in relationships with a spouse, an employee (or anyone for that matter ) and still keep an upbeat attitude?

Here are 3 great ideas to help you deal with negative people in your life.

1. Pick your battles. Have you heard of the book “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff”? The title says it all. If you stop worrying over the little things you will have more time and energy to focus on the bigger, more important things. This will ultimately reduce your stress level and you will come across as a pro-active person.

2. Look inward. Be in control of your emotions- don’t let others drive how you act and react. Lately, I have been trying to step back and think before I act. By doing this simple step I keep control of my emotions which keeps my defenses down. That in turn diffuses any conflict I might be having with someone.

3. Maintain a positive attitude and learn to set boundaries. Your attitude in life has an affect on those around you. If you set your mind to be as positive as possible, this will rub off onto others, which may impact how they interact with you! If you find that you are constantly dealing with a negative person, you need to ask yourself how much more effort can you give to the relationship and then set boundaries so it won’t adversely affect you, your life or your work.

Some situations, such as having to work with a negative person, you cannot avoid. You can, however, refuse to let their negativity affect or control you.

Take advantage of these simple strategies to help make your life a more positive one.

Do you know about the new Fannie Mae 105% refinance loan? Contact a local mortgage broker to check out the rules. If you don’t have a local broker, log onto NAMB.org to find a local chapter near you; they can help you find a broker.

If you are a real estate investor and trying to obtain conventional lending, here are 3 considerations to keep in mind about today’s market.

1. You can now have up to 10 investor loans that are Fannie Mae (government backed) provided they are full doc (income verified, assets, tax returns etc)
2. The days of no money down are done. If you are buying real estate as an investment, you better have 25-30% down or don’t bother with bank financing.
3. New limits. Used to be the maximum loan amount from a conventional lender is $417K. Today there is talk about raising this to $719K

Creative financing is alive and well for investors who seek to buy and hold. Know your options both on conventional lending and creative financing before you buy!

I hope to see some of you this weekend at the Sovereign Society event in Bermuda. There will be many featured speakers on the topic of international investing.

Most of us keep our investments close to home, however, there is a growing trend of those who wish to invest in other countries, currencies and more!

Join Hugh Bromma and me as we educate investors on how to acquire an asset in your IRA or Individual (k) plan that invests offshore. Missing this event? Log onto www.theentrustgroup.com and download the handout.

Hope to see you in Bermuda!

Hate to network? Are you not a “people person”? Does staying home and reading a good book sound better to you then the “forced smile” of meeting strangers? If so, it’s time to turn your introverted behavior into a positive. Be a great listener!

The next time you are at a business or networking event try this one simple tip to get the conversation going. Ask open ended questions.

Here are some examples:

How did you get into your job, your industry, etc.
Where do you see the economy going? Why?
What do you like most about what you do?
What internet sites do you frequent to help you grow your business?

By asking open ended questions you get to listen and learn about others and who knows, you might also pick up some tools for your own business.

Happy Networking!

Take advantage of this opportunity to buy while mortgage rates are down. Florida, Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and California are all on sale!

Fixed rate mortgages have fallen but if you decide to go the traditional financing route, you better check your credit first. A credit score of 750 or higher is a must for a documented investor loan. The days of the no doc loans are over!

Does it make sense to buy now? Prices are falling amid a glut of unsold homes. This includes the growing number of foreclosures. I cannot predict the future, but for me I think it’s time to start shopping!

At some stage (I feel anyway) the real estate market will have to bottom out. Even if I don’t buy at rock bottom prices, I think now is a good time to start looking. What about you?

Scam artists are alive and well! The latest? Phony financial companies advertising they can save homeowners that are in foreclosure. How do they find these homeowners? Surprisingly, it is quite easy for a scammer to search through the public records to find homeowners who are behind on their payments. They then contact the homeowner and promise (for a fee) to negotiate with the lender to save your home.

How do you know if they are for real? If it will work? Don’t take a chance.

If you are behind on your mortgage your best course of action is to contact the lender directly to see if you can work something out. You do not need a third party to negotiate on your behalf.

With the numbers of homeowner’s getting loan modifications for a more affordable mortgage on the rise, the lenders will not be surprised if you contact them. Be persistent and keep calling until you get the right person on the line!

Most importantly, be wary of anyone who contacts you with promises!

I took some time recently to go to get a manicure/pedicure. When I am in town, I like going to Kim. She has owned her own nail salon for the last 15 years since coming to California from Vietnam.

When I got to the salon on a Saturday there were no customers in the salon. I thought this was strange considering the salon is usually packed.

Kim was very quiet through most of the service. When I asked her how business was going she admitted she was worried. “People are not treating themselves to things they don’t need” she said. “So far I am hanging in there but if this lack of traffic continues I will have a problem.”

The unemployment rate in California is almost 11%. One in nine people are on food stamps. Kim and I discussed the current events in our own neighborhood. She went on to say “maybe I am the lucky one, I have no money in the market and if my business goes down, I will just do something else. It cannot be any worse then what I have already been through.”

As a single parent and sole breadwinner to a 15-year-old son, Kim has many financial responsibilities. She can no longer afford health insurance for herself (thankfully she is in good health) but she still provides insurance for her son.

Sure, she is stressed about her business and her future. Her entire life savings is in her salon. But her attitude about herself and her situation is one I wish I could emulate. “We only have so much control over things we can control. Situations that are not in our control we can do nothing about. I prepare for the worst but believe in the best.”

I got more then I bargained for with my mani/pedi. I got wise women advice.

We can all learn a lesson from Kim. Things may not be rosy, but with the right attitude perhaps we can see the forest for the trees. Thanks Kim!

April 15th is just two days away! Save money on your taxes by taking advantage of these 4 last minute deductions.

1. Job-search expenses. Check out irs.gov to see if you qualify for a deduction while searching for that new position.
2. Hybrid cars. You might be eligible to earn up to a $3,400 credit if you buy a hybrid. Contact your local auto dealership as this credit applies to only a limited number of vehicles sold in the U.S. each year.
3. Eyeglasses and contacts do count toward medical expenses.
4. You can deduct 14 cents per mile if you drive to and from volunteering activities for a charity.

Here are 3 easy things you can do to improve your leadership and credibility.

1. Meetings. Start meetings on time, have an agenda and turn your cell phone or Blackberry off! There is nothing worse then having a phone ring or your Blackberry beep in the middle of a meeting, especially one where you are in charge.

2. Lead by example. Morale in a company starts from the top. If your employees see a leader who listens to their concerns, takes others into consideration when making decisions and shows gratitude to the people who helped them accomplished a goal, they will react in kind.

3. Negativity is not necessary. Focus on the positive side of things in your company, in yourself and with other important connections. The result will be a positive outcome and you will be seen as a true leader.

Until recently, real estate investors were only allowed four loans from a conventional lender before having to go to private sources. Now Fannie Mae has changed the rules. With a stimulus plan to help real estate move, Fannie Mae will now allow investors with the right criteria up to ten loans. Log on to the Fannie Mae website for more information.

If you are in the market for investment property, it pays to compare. Check this out!!