Have you ever wondered what you could live without? I have some friends that don’t own a TV. They have 3 children and no television. I live in a family that has more TV’s than people! Could you give up TV? What about the internet? Could you possibly give up the internet or are you like me and have a job that reply’s on you being able to email and work online
How about sugar, eating at chain restaurants or fried foods? Have you ever thought about giving up any of these foods that have been proven to be bad for you? I know it’s hard but have you ever thought about just saying no? If not, maybe you would rather give up arguing or bitterness; yelling or cussing. All these things have potential to poison the body or soul yet most of us never consider giving them up; if just for a time frame. Why is that? That’s what I’m thinking about these days.
If you know me you know that I have been around a while. If you don’t know me yet you’ll just have to take my word for it! In all that time I have seen interest rates go up into the teens and plummet to about the same place we are right now for a thirty year fixed mortgage. Four and a half is about as good as it gets for a fixed thirty year mortgage and as we have all become very aware, a thirty year fixed is where you want to be.
Place on top of that the tax credit for up to $8,000 for a first time home owner this year and you have the perfect time to buy a home if is the right time for you. By that I mean you have to be ready for a home and to qualify for a home. I would be more than happy to give you someone you can talk to so you can find out if you qualify. Once you know you qualify, and then we can start looking for a wonderful place for you to call home.
You can add to that the availability of properties to look at and the willingness of sellers to deal and you have just about the most favorable climate to buy that I have ever witnessed! If you have any questions about interest rates, the tax credit, properties or anything else about home ownership, please don’t hesitate to call me. I would love to help you!
It is the time of year that most people have developed a love hate relationship with; love the weather hate the spring cleaning! Though you may not like what you’re going to have to do this spring here are a few tips that can help you and help others as well.
- Once you go through your closets, garage, shed and office you are going to find some thing that you no longer need or use. Consider giving these items to Goodwill Industries or Southern Thrift. Both of these help others in Nashville and surrounding areas.
- Go through you cupboards and kitchen cabinets as well and check all the dates on the food you have not touched; if they have expired, throw them away. If they have not expired and you no longer want that food, consider giving it to a food pantry like the Second Harvest Food Bank. These food Banks are having a difficult time keeping up with demand right now so if you don’t want it or won’t eat it, give it away. (Again, if it has expired, throw it away!)
- Think about growing fresh food this season and sharing with the food banks; it’s legal and your donations are protected by law. It’s becoming much easier to grow your own even with limited space and in the city. There are Urban Gardens available that allow you to grow organic in a space as small as 3 ft x 4 ft with up to 54 plants!
When times get tough it’s time for us to pull together. Those of us who have can do a lot this spring and summer for those who have lost jobs or just aren’t as fortunate as the rest of us. After all, we live in the Volunteer State!
Though this has been a difficult time for many Realtors, my business has continued on in a “steady as you go” way. I have been able to complete my CRS Certification during this time as well as list and sell homes. Have there been times I have wondered if I’m doing the right thing; of course there has been but the proof is in the pudding and I am convinced that without BNI and the people I have come to know in the Metro Chapter, I would not have been able to keep it going this year.
While other Realtors have retracted I have practiced what I have learned in BNI and other organizations before this and have reached out and expanded my reach and my business and my business has grown in a down market. I am writing this to encourage you to do the same and to get involved in a BNI group; hopefully the Metro Chapter.
The Metro Chapter is having a Visitors Day on May 19th, 2009 at the East Park Recreational Center on Woodland Dr. in East Nashville from 7:45 AM – 9:45 AM. If you would let me know that you are coming I will make sure there is a space for you. The cost is $10.00 and you will get to meet other likeminded marketers as well. If you have never been a part of a group like this you owe it to yourself to come see what we are about. I hope to see you there!
In today’s mortgage market, credit hasn’t dried up but it sure has tightened up so that many people are left on the sidelines due to credit scores, lack of down payment and MI restrictions. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has tightened up it’s lending as well but still remains one of the easiest places to qualify for a loan mainly due to the fact that it provides the mortgage insurance and has less restrictions than conventional loans.
You only need 3.5% down payment with a FHA loan, compared to the 5% with a conventional loan, and that can come in the form of a gift. FHA loans do not have the tiered credit restrictions, no income cap or geographic restrictions and no pre payment penalties. You can also finance part of your Mortgage Insurance in with the loan thus lowering your monthly payment for easier qualification purposes. The interest rates continue to be very competitive with conventional rates and the appraisal process has been streamlined as well. Check with your favorite lender or loan officer on these and other benefits to the FHA loan program.
On February 17th of this year, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax act. In the body of the act is a very good thing for first time home buyers. You are a first time home buyer if you have never owned and home or are not currently on the deed of another home or have not owned a home in the last 3 years. For those who fall into this category and who purchase a home between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009 you have access to this credit that can be as high as $8,000 depending on the house you purchase and your income.
If you are single and your income is more than $75,000 per year or married with a joint income of over $150,000 per year, you will need to check with your accountant to see how much you will qualify for, if any. You will also be expected to live in the home for at least 3 years or you will be required to pay the credit amount back in full. Two things to note: you can take the credit as soon as possible after your purchase by amending your 2008 taxes or wait until next year when you file your 2009 tax return and this credit applies to all kinds of housing that includes, mobile homes, yachts, travel trailers, etc. The definition is any type of place that has a bedroom and a working bathroom.
Everywhere I go these days I am hearing about more and more people starting their own gardens and growing their own vegetables and herbs. Some talk about price while others talk about growing organically. Personally, I will be spending my time on the lake but I do know there are some great things out there for those who would like to start growing their own food.
One of these is raised beds. I have been told by a couple of people who deal in these things that they are a great way to get started and are easy to keep weed free as well as grow organically. Raised beds are perfect for many people because they don’t take up as much space as most other types of gardening since the roots can grow down and not just outward; it creates a smaller footprint; can be set up on patios and decks with the proper base and has minimal bending for people with back injuries because it is raised and there is no tilling involved! If I was going to garden and raise my own food, this is the way I would go so I wanted to pass it along to all of you who would love to get started in this endeavor.
Wow! That’s all I have to say about the reports I have heard this week about the dismal home sales in February. If all you listen to is the news you would think the market is tanking! What you didn’t hear is how many more homes sold in February over January. That’s right; there was a 40% increase in sales of homes from January 09 to February 09. Why didn’t the news report that? My guess is that it just doesn’t make the same amount of impact or cause people to fear like the dismal report does. So let’s look at the numbers.
Home sales in 2008 really didn’t fall off until late summer or early fall. We had the increase in foreclosures but not the decrease in sales. So to compare last years market with this year’s market doesn’t tell you if home sales are currently moving in a positive or negative direction; it simply reinforces what we all know, which is the market overall is down. However, looking at the previous month (January) and comparing it with February gives us the current climate and direction of the housing market here in Nashville Tennessee. Once we do that we see that we are in fact going in the right direction.
Though statistics are important, we all need to look at who is delivering the message and if they have a motive. What’s in it for them? Is this information presented in such a way that it is trying to get me to have an emotional response? Is it possible they aren’t telling me everything? Once we do this we realize there is often more than meets the eye, or ears! After all, is it not the same people that are delivering the gloom and doom of the day that were telling us it was all good about this time last year? Hmmm.. it is good to be a critical thinker these days!
Let’s face it; we live in Tennessee, the Volunteer State! So what’s keeping you from getting out and doing a little volunteering? It can’t be the lack of places to volunteer because there are charities all over Nashville and the surrounding areas that need your help. From helping the hungry at the Second Harvest Food bank to swinging a hammer building a Habitat of Humanity home; helping the homeless at the Nashville Mission or just going through your closest, sheds and garages and donating to the Goodwill are all worthy causes that can easily be done by anyone. So ask yourself; why not you?
You don’t need money; just time to give. And if you really want to make an impact, take your entire family with you; kids and all. Show them the meaning of giving and watch how quickly they learn how love and caring can change the world! If you need some ideas, type into the Google Search bar; Tennessee Volunteering and start looking through the items that come up and find something that you love or you think you would love and go for it!
Last year about this time, one of my friends lost their dryer and decided not to buy another one. Well I thought they were crazy but now I realize how much energy they are saving every single day! It’s amazing at the few things you can do to save energy and make your home a cleaner, happier, healthier and cheaper place to live!
Just sealing the ducts can boost your efficiency by 20% and who hasn’t heard about changing out your light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs but why? What’s in it for you? Well you save approximately $20 each per year in high use areas. So if you have 10 bulbs that you change out in high use areas that turns into $200.00 of cold hard cash!
Another great tip that costs you nothing but time is to pull that refrigerator out and clean the coils about twice a month. Changing your HVAC filters quarterly or more often if you have a plethora of dogs and cats can help you maintain those units. You will also want to get those units maintained every two years as well. The better you take care of your home the better it will work for you and your family. It is possible to do your share.
