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Wednesday, May 19, 2010
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With escalating gas prices and perhaps an increasing desire to watch the budget and stay a bit closer to home, there's a great option available to those who want to have a sense of adventure without traveling very far: playing 'tourist' in your own town.
Even if you do have glamorous travel plans on the radar for the year ahead, playing tourist in your own town offers a chance to have some fun and see your usual surroundings in a brand new way. All it takes is the intention to do it, and a sense of fun and adventure.
Almost every locality has certain facets that make it unique: the natural environment, historical sites, tourist attractions, walking trails, hometown diners, architecture, or quirky local treasures. When you decide to play tourist in your own town, you set out to discover some of the things that you might otherwise take for granted.
Try setting aside a day every once in awhile to learn more about the lesser known facets, or experience familiar ones in a new way. You'll not only gain a greater
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| Posted by dawnmitchell at 3:22 PM |
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Monday, May 17, 2010
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It's a buyer's market. Doesn't that mean that buyers get what they want? Doesn't that mean that home sellers are making all the concessions, submitting to purchasers demands on everything from price breaks to whether or not the hall chandelier stays?
Yes, buyers hold the cards these days.... But, call it a curse of human nature - having ample choice and negotiating power can sometimes be too much of a good thing leading to a tinges of regrets. Experts say "buyer's remorse" can happen in both a soft and boom markets. But it's a malady that can be avoided. Here, some tactics for buyers on how to purchase with confidence..... read more
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| Posted by dawnmitchell at 12:56 PM |
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Wednesday, April 28, 2010
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About a fifth of all IRS examinations done by mail in the past six months were for people claiming the credit, National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson told a congressional committee Thursday -- the filing deadline for individual tax returns.
The audits mean big delays in getting refunds -- as much as five months -- just as Congress and the Obama administration hope that tax refunds will spur economic growth and the homebuyer tax credit will improve the housing market.
Read more.......
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| Posted by dawnmitchell at 12:16 PM |
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Wednesday, April 21, 2010
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The following are some questions that will help you decide whether you?re ready for a home that?s larger or in a more desirable location than your current one.
If you answer yes to most of the questions, it?s a sign that you may be ready to move.
Have you built substantial equity in your current home?
Look at your annual mortgage statement or call your lender to find out. Usually, you don?t build up much equity in the first few years of your mortgage, as monthly payments are mostly interest, but if you?ve owned your home for five or more years, you may have significant, unrealized gains.
Has your income or financial situation improved?
If you?re making more money, you may be able to afford higher mortgage payments and cover the costs of moving.
Have you outgrown your neighborhood??????????????????? read more
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| Posted by dawnmitchell at 11:12 AM |
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Buying a home is perhaps the most arduous, expensive and, ultimately, valuable acquisition you'll ever complete
Just one mistake could mean disaster -- perhaps the worst mistake you'll ever make.
In order to avoid titanic trip ups during such a trying transaction, buyers should get to know the most common home buying blunders.
To know them is to avoid them.
?Going solo: Buying a house is a complex transaction. It should be a team effort. You'll need a REALTOR?, lender, inspector, insurer, perhaps a lawyer, and other team members to help you through each step of the way. Team build before you start the search.
?Love at first sight: If you believe in fairy tales you probably shouldn't be buying a home. You won't live happily ever after if you emote your way through the home buying process. Your home should fit your real needs, not your yen for drama. Buy a home that fits your budget and your lifestyle........... read more
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| Posted by dawnmitchell at 11:05 AM |
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Monday, March 29, 2010
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Overview of Home Affordability Modification Guidelines
Loans must have originated on or before January 1, 2009.
Mortgages must be for a single-family residence with a loan balance no greater than $729,750.
Loans can only be modified once beginning March 4, 2009 through December 31, 2012.
Home cannot be vacant or condemned and must be a primary residence?not investor owned.
Interest rate can be lowered to as low as 2 per cent and the term of the mortgage can be extended to a maximum of 40 years in order to maximize the reduction in loan payment.
Borrowers will need to provide an "affidavit of financial hardship", their most recent tax return, and two recent pay stubs.
Service providers will be required to follow a sequence of steps that modify the loan in order to reduce the monthly loan payment to no more than 31% of gross monthly income.
Homeowners who make their payments on time are eligible for up to $1,000 of principal reduction payments each year for up to five years.
For more information read:
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| Posted by dawnmitchell at 10:47 AM |
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Wednesday, March 17, 2010
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Social media for busy professionals
Online social media networks are becoming very important to the people we want to reach. For the week ending March 13, Facebook was reported as the most visited Web site in the U.S. This was the first time it surpassed Google for an entire week!
No wonder more and more business professionals are using social media. But it does take time. To make sure you're using that time well, here are some tips to get the most out of online networks.
1. Keep your eye on the goal. The ultimate goal in using a social media platform is to get involved in conversations that create online relationships or produce followers for your business.
2. Schedule specific times for social media each day. Experts suggest spending 30 minutes on social media in the morning after checking emails and 30 minutes later in the day. It may be hard at first to do everything you want in 30 minutes, but you will get more efficient as time goes on. Keeping to an hour a day means you're not taking time
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| Posted by dawnmitchell at 11:11 AM |
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Tuesday, March 16, 2010
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Seeing Weak Recovery So Far, Federal Reserve Leaves Rates Unchanged
The Federal Reserve left its benchmark interest rate near zero on Tuesday, affirming its view that job growth and other economic indicators remained weak as the United States slowly pulls itself out of recession. The Federal Open Market Committee, the Fed's chief policy-setting arm, left the Federal Funds target at zero to 0.25 percent, where it has been since December 2008. As it has said since March 2009, the committee said the rate was likely to remain "exceptionally low" for "an extended period." Most economists have taken that language to mean that the Fed would not begin tightening monetary policy until later this year at the soonest.
Read More:
http://www.nytimes.com?emc=na
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| Posted by dawnmitchell at 5:31 PM |
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Monday, February 15, 2010
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"IT AIN'T OVER TIL IT'S OVER." Yogi Berra. And whether you find those words deeply wise or simply puzzling...The Fed has told us repeatedly that their massive purchasing program of Mortgage Backed Securities is just about over - and this translates to home loan rates rising in the near future.
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| Posted by dawnmitchell at 9:35 AM |
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