We Did It Again Group Blog

Will Rates Go Lower?

2010-11-14T20:31:00.001-06:00

Historic, low home loan rates have been about the only thing stable in the economy these days. This low level mark breeds complacency, especially with the buzz in the air that rates may go even lower. But the question hangs in the air like humidity on a southern summer day - will rates go lower? And if there is a chance, should you wait and see or move forward now?

More Quantitative Easing
The buzz that began earlier this fall stemmed from talk coming out of the Federal Reserve that they were considering another round of Quantitative Easing in an effort to stimulate the sluggish economy.

What is Quantitative Easing? Here is what Wikipedia says:

The termquantitative easing(QE) describes a form ofmonetary policy used by central banks to increase the supply of money in an economy when the bank interest rate, discount rate and/or interbank interest rate are either at, or close to, zero.

"Quantitative" refers to the fact that a specific quantity of money is being created; "easing" refers to reducing the pressure on banks.

During the first round of quantitative easing, implemented during the credit crisis, the Federal Reserve bought Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS) which helped drive home loan rates lower. Lower rates resulted from these purchases because of supply and demand. When there is more demand, prices move higher and yields (interest rates), which move inversely to prices, move lower.

The Federal Reserve announced their new bond-buying program at their monetary-policy meeting on November 3 and they will be purchasing $600 billion in Treasuries through June 2011. This second round has been dubbed by the media as QE2.

Here's the Difference
With the new program, the Federal Reserve will only be purchasing Treasuries. Both Treasuries and MBS are bonds and compete for the same investment dollar. There is a natural spread between Treasuries and MBS. If the yield of Treasuries goes down because the Federal Reserve is buying $4 billion to $5 billion in Treasuries per day, it would likely help MBS move down in yield (interest rates) and up in price as well to remain competitive. This natural spread is the reason many anticipate mortgage rates improving.

Another camp speculates that MBS may get disappointed by QE2, like a jealous suitor, and sell off. A sell off would mean price deterioration, resulting in higher yields (interest rates). An old-time trader's saying goes something like this, "Buy on the rumor and sell on the news." Since all this QE2 talk began, the bond market has (for the most part) had a small party. Could this be the "buy on the rumor" behavior? If so, then that would take us down the path of thinking that "sell on the news" will follow.

But How Low Can They Go?

Assuming the market responds favorably and MBS improve, it is probably unlikely that rates will move significantly lower than they are today. For lenders to be able to offer a mortgage rate around 3.625% to 3.75%, it would require significant trading by Wall Street investors in the 3.0% coupon. This coupon has seen very little activity.

In addition, lenders have been slammed with refinance volume and are running at, or over, capacity. Also, processes have slowed due to new government guidelines and lenders increased attention to compliance. With processes moving slower, lenders are requiring longer lock periods which impact interest rate pricing. They may look to further manage capacity by regulating their volume through the interest rate offered.

"Wait and See" is full of risk. If MBS improve, and if lenders pass on the price improvements to the borrower, it is highly likely the benefit in interest rate will be incremental. That's a lot of "if's" to hold onto for a hope of small gains.

The downside risk is far greater than the upside potential for rates to improve. If QE2 is not well received, the bond market would sell off and mortgage rates would suffer. History shows us this can happen much more quickly than any improvement.

With these incredibly low interest rates, there may not have ever been, nor ever be again, a better time in our history to purchase or refinance your home. The waiting game could be risky and the opportunity may disappear.

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Sites like Twitter

2010-10-26T06:44:00.001-05:00

I have been investigating inside the web to find other sites like Twitter but which links are "do-follow" (it gives more relevance to the linked pages on search engines like Google).

I found two: Identi.ca and Tuppy.com. Both work in the same way than Twitter and Facebook: create a profile, for free, and start posting public messages which can contain links, files, and so on.

My main concern was to obtain good backlinks for my blogs. With Identi.ca and Tuppy.com I have been able to do that.

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Market Condition in Park Cities

2010-10-05T16:10:00.001-05:00

The market in the Park Cities seems to have finally stabilized. The homes that are selling are the ones in prime locations, pristine condition and priced right. There are still so many sellers that can not wrap their heads around the fact that they have to take a lower price for their home. If a seller bought in 2006 or 2007, he probably paid top dollar and will take a loss if he has to sell. It's an awesome time for buyers to find fabulous deals for the first time in the Park Cities compared with prices in the past. Young couples trying to get into the school district should definitely stretch in this market to get into the school district. The million dollar and under market seems to be selling at a brisk pace (if priced properly). Pricing is still key! Older homes are having a difficult time selling because there are so many newer constructions that are distressed or going for short sales. There have been several "high end" sales in the last few montsh....$11,000,000! The $3-5,000,000 range is definitely slow unless the price was reduced from $5 million down to $3....or $3 million down to $2.5 It's definitely an interesting market! Keep in mind, if it's priced competitively or under market, it will sell. It has to "stand out" in this market or it will sit.

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Bank of America delays foreclosures in 23 states

2010-10-01T20:00:00.001-05:00

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Bank of America is delaying foreclosures in 23 states as it examines whether it rushed the foreclosure process for thousands of homeowners without reading the documents.

The move adds the nation's largest bank to a growing list of mortgage companies whose employees signed documents in foreclosure cases without verifying the information in them.

Bank of America isn't able to estimate how many homeowners' cases will be affected, Dan Frahm, a spokesman for the Charlotte, N.C.-based bank, said Friday. He said the bank plans to resubmit corrected documents within several weeks.

Two other companies, Ally Financial Inc.'s GMAC Mortgage unit and JPMorgan Chase, have halted tens of thousands of foreclosure cases after similar problems became public.

The document problems could cause thousands of homeowners to contest foreclosures that are in the works or have been completed. If the problems turn up at other lenders, a foreclosure crisis that's already likely to drag on for several more years could persist even longer. Analysts caution that most homeowners facing foreclosure are still likely to lose their homes.

State attorneys general, who enforce foreclosure laws, are stepping up pressure on the industry.

On Friday, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal asked a state court to freeze all home foreclosures for 60 days. Doing so "should stop a foreclosure steamroller based on defective documents," he said.

And California Attorney General Jerry Brown called on JPMorgan to suspend foreclosures unless it could show it complied with a state consumer protection law. The law requires lenders to contact borrowers at risk of foreclosure to determine whether they qualify for mortgage assistance.

In Florida, the state attorney general is investigating four law firms, two with ties to GMAC, for allegedly providing fraudulent documents in foreclosure cases .The Ohio attorney general this week asked judges to review GMAC foreclosure cases.

Mark Paustenbach, a Treasury Department spokesman, said the Treasury has asked federal regulators "to look into these troubling developments."

A document obtained Friday by the Associated Press showed a Bank of America official acknowledging in a legal proceeding that she signed up to 8,000 foreclosure documents a month and typically didn't read them.

The official, Renee Hertzler, said in a February deposition that she signed 7,000 to 8,000 foreclosure documents a month.

"I typically don't read them because of the volume that we sign," Hertzler said.

She also acknowledged identifying herself as a representative of a different bank, Bank of New York Mellon, that she didn't work for. Bank of New York Mellon served as a trustee for the investors holding the homeowner's loan.

Hertzler could not be reached for comment.

A lawyer for the homeowner in the case, James O'Connor of Fitchburg, Mass., said such problems are rampant throughout the industry.

"We have had thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of foreclosures around the country by entities that did not have the right to foreclose," O'Connor said.

The disclosure comes two days after JPMorgan said it would temporarily stop foreclosing on more than 50,000 homes so it could review documents that might contain errors. Last week, GMAC halted certain evictions and sales of foreclosed homes in 23 states to review those cases after finding procedural errors in some foreclosure affidavits.

Consumer advocates say the problems are widespread across the lending industry.

"The general level of sloppiness is pervasive around the industry," said Diane Thompson, counsel at the National Consumer Law Center.

Vickee Adams, a spokeswoman for Wells Fargo & Co., said Wells' "policies, procedures and practices satisfy us that the affidavits we sign are accurate."

Mark Rodgers, a spokesman for Citigroup Inc., said the bank "reviews document handling processes in our foreclosure group on an ongoing basis, and we have strong training to ensure that appropriate employees are fully aware of the proper procedures."

Mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac said Friday they're directing companies they work with that collect loan payments to follow proper procedures.

In some states, lenders can foreclose quickly on delinquent mortgage borrowers. By contrast, the 23 states in which Bank of America is delaying foreclosures use a lengthy court process. They require documents to verify information on the mortgage, including who owns it.

Those states are:

Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont and Wisconsin.

AP Business Writer Christopher S. Rugaber contributed to this report.

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Who is Robert J Russell

2010-07-27T06:50:00.001-05:00

Do you need a Speaker for your next event ?

Call Robert J Russell - check out his Speaking website: http://robertjrussellspeaker.weebly.com/speaker.html

Watch the video - Who is Robert J Russell > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcUlvMoPwyA

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Remember the '70's ? They are coming back!

2010-07-22T05:43:00.001-05:00

What instantly comes to your mind when we talk about the 1970s? Needless to say, only two things instantly strike our minds, hip hop music and the retro fashion.

It was the era when fashion industry was growing in Europe. From the mid 1960s, American impact on Indian silver screen was visible. The Indian culture was blending with the Western. First thing this blend brought was the change in fashion.

In the 1970s bobby print shirts, short jackets, bell bottom pants, big goggles, skirt-blouse and thin sarees had become the first choice of Bollywood's glamour icons. Bollywood divas like Mumtaz, Sharmila Tagore and Asha Parekh sizzled in thin sarees, while B'wood's first super star Rajesh Khanna, action man Dharmendra and the angry young man Amitabh Bachchan made the bobby print shirts and bell bottom pants favorite among people. Eventually, these things went out of fashion, but with the launch of 'Om Shanti Om' in 2007, the retro theme made a comeback. The fever gripped the nation when Karina dazzled in a retro style saree in song 'zoobie doobie...' from superhit movie '3 idiots'. The theme was again used in movie 'Once upon a time in Mumbai'. In one of his recent movies, Akshay Kumar has worn a leather jacket and a scarf around his neck. So, what's retro about it? Remember, Rishi Kapoor wearing a leather jacket a scarf in his first movie 'Bobby'. Even Vinod Khanna used to wear it the same way.

It's not only the silver screen that's gone 40 years back. The ad-filmmakers are also using it widely. The Dairymilk chocolate ad 'Aaj pahali taarikh hai...' was instant hit. A recent ad of Vivel soap features characters dressed like Jitendra and Leena Chandavarkar in famous song 'Dhal gaya din, ho gayi sham…' from 1970 movie 'Humjoli'. The two hippy-type looking guys in the commercial of Cadbury's Five Star chocolate are also dressed up the old fashioned way. Oh! will it be right to call it 'old fashion'.

The retro mania doesn't end here; the theme is also used in many TV serials during scenes especially having old songs. Needless to say, it's also popular in theme-based parties. Well, so much projection of the style on the screen was bound to make an impact on people. Broad checks, short jackets, bell bottoms, lacy hairbands, big goggles and many other accessories of the 70s have hit the market and are doing a great business.

Well, the blend of old and new is also seen. The bell bottoms are now low-waist jeans and bobby print is used on modern styled dresses too. The tops have reduced a bit in length and slight changes have taken place in designs of sarees.

When I asked a young girl wearing a short top and a bell bottom jeans, why she was dressed like that, she instantly replied, "It's the 'latest' fashion." Hmmm, seems she has never seen Zeenat Amaan or Parveen Babi.

Well, the fact of the matter is 'retro' is no more retro, which means 'old'. And with more and more films and commercials using the theme the fever is surely increase in future. Who knows, one day the picture on a city road may become identical to the one taken 40 years back. Picture abhi baki hai dost!

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Thinking of a greeting card - think about this

2010-07-16T05:37:00.001-05:00

A need that people essentially struggle to fill in their lives is the longing to be appreciated. Showing appreciation for others can have a profound and lasting impact on your relationship with them although it may seem like an easy and simple thing to achieve. A good way to accomplish this is to send a greeting card. There's nothing like the feeling of finding an unexpected card in the mailbox. We open that piece of mail first all the time.

Whenever you need to wish your friend or acquaintances happy and belated birthday, or wish your near and dear ones merry Christmas, or send your beloved one happy valentines day wishes or just say hello or give a "get well soon" message to your bosom friend , you just go to a greetings card outlet or visit an online greetings card website and send the desired card. Are you wondering what greeting card is all about and how did it begin? This article is for you if you have the desire to know.

Greeting cards are several of the nicest things we will ever get in our lifetime. When was the last time someone made you cry with a simple card that had a short, heartwarming message? You could perhaps still feel the emotion that overwhelmed you when you first read it if it wasn't too long ago. Greetings cards may be the cheapest that we can buy someone, but they sure are the richest in meaning. Whether it's for a best friend or grandma whom you haven't seen since you were a grader, a card is always appreciated, especially when it arrives with a personal and some hugs and kisses.

Especially those you make yourself, possibly nothing can be nicer than cards except others cards. Homemade cards work even apparently most impersonal of reasons for giving such as for business purposes and never fail to cheer up anyone's day. A nice, personalized note surely can't be beat, so if you want to make all the best and warmest impressions on your receiver, create your own card and say it in your own words which is probably the best way to say it, anyway, whatever it is.

These days, you don't even have to worry about creating the actual card as there will be many tools you can use. You can download a lot of different software that are dedicated to creating personalized greeting cards on the Internet. Although, not everyone will be eager on doing things themselves. So if you think you only have a message but not the means to actually put it in a nice-looking card, there are websites as well that will do it for you for a very cheap price. After all, what's important is your message. Creating a design on the card by drawing it yourself may be great with kids, it just won't work when your receiver is your boss' wife or maybe your boss himself.

Make use of those software that could come much in handy, especially the holiday season if you want to be able to deliver your most honest and personal yet decent message to someone. Or then again, if computers are not your thing, simply find a website that will give you the cards you want with your own message and a great professional look to boot.

Those cards can even open a lot of opportunities for you whether you make your own cards using software or buy them from a website. These days when people when people put a premium on the convenience offered by the world online, a home based greeting card business sure sounds like a great way earn more income.

Explore the possibilities as you plan to put up your own greeting card business by searching the Internet for websites that can help you do just that. If you want proof that this venture works, you can check out review sites where you'll find people with their own greeting card businesses already taking flight. Find out what they have to say about the websites that opened opportunities for them and made them a success.

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Are you on Facebook - Check out our page

2010-06-29T21:27:00.000-05:00

A big thank you to everyone who's become a fan on Facebook. If you haven't yet, we invite you to join the group .

The tips we give out aren't paid for or sponsored in any way. We're extremely grateful to have our loyal readers, because as we've mentioned in the past, our mission is to help people all over the world.

However, when you think of Robert J Russell, we hope that you will visit our website first!

Visit us online at http://www.robertjrussell.com or by phone at 972-679-9029. Thanks!

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Create your own home stimulus package

2010-05-07T06:30:00.001-05:00

The Federal Government's Homebuyer Tax Credit may have expired on April 30, but just because Uncle Sam has turned off the financial spigot aimed at housing doesn't mean home buyers still can't get "something extra" during their purchase. The keys for buyers today are how they negotiate and structure the terms of their offer.

While some terms can involve things like leaving the drapes and light fixtures, others involve money upfront and money over time. Depending on the amount of the purchase price and the loan, the amount homebuyers can save can be significantly more than the tax credit that just expired.

This month, YOU Magazine turns to national mortgage expert and consultant, Jim McMahan. McMahan is Director of Training and Education at LoanToolbox, the leading education provider to thousands of mortgage professionals across the country.

The Fed Checks Out
Both March and April of this year saw the ending of two important stimulus programs that were designed to benefit the housing market. In March, the Federal Reserve ended its program for purchasing Mortgage Backed Securities, which helped keep home loan rates low. April brought the end to the tax credit for home buyers. The tax credit was up to $8,000 for qualifying first time buyers and up to $6,500 for qualifying repeat purchasers.

Just because these programs have ended doesn't mean that home buyers can't seek credits from the seller to accomplish something similar. Successful investors will tell you that money is made when you buy something right with favorable terms, not just when it is sold.

What's More Important? Low Rates or Tax Credit
In a recent survey by Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services, an overwhelming majority of those polled found that when factoring in either low interest rates or the tax credit, low rates were far more important in a decision to purchase a home now.

There's a good reason for this statistic. For example, if you purchase a home for $300,000 and finance $270,000, and your interest rate for a 30-year fixed rate loan was 5.25% versus 4.75%, you would pay nearly $30,000 more over the term of the loan. This is a significant amount of money!

Since the Fed's Mortgage Backed Securities purchase program ended on March 31, there has been much volatility and price swings in the markets. Rates overall are off their lows and are often quoted above 5.00% today with no points.

Looked at from another perspective, if prospective home buyers are waiting for home prices to decline a bit more before purchasing a home, but interest rates push higher towards 6.00% in the meantime, waiting could well cost those home buyers more money in the long run.

In fact, let's say a home buyer delays a transaction but receives a $10,000 reduction off that $300,000 home. If, in the meantime, rates were to rise .75% to 6.00% and the buyer financed 90% of the purchase price, the amount of total payments over a 30-year term would be over $35,000 more than paying the $300,000 purchase price and the 5.25% interest rate.

An Idea to Save Money Up Front and Over Time
When negotiating the sales price for a home, in many respects what the buyer is negotiating for is not only what the sales price of a home will be but also what the monthly payment will be. After all, unless someone is paying cash for the property, the terms consisting of the purchase price, the down payment, and interest rate on the mortgage will all factor in to what the monthly costs of the home will be for the buyer.

Many buyers focus on the sales price when negotiating and this is understandable. A home is typically the largest transaction home buyers have been involved with and the price paid factors in immensely on what it will cost them each month.

However, in negotiating the terms of the contract, a buyer can also negotiate to have the seller contribute money from the proceeds to allocate towards the buyer's closing costs. This money can be used towards either the reduction of cash required to close and/or a reduction in the interest rate on the mortgage.

Double Bonus by Seller Paying to Lower Rate
It's easy to see the benefits for buyers to have a lower interest rate on their mortgage. Even when compared to paying and financing less for a home, the accumulated costs when compared to financing a larger amount with a lower interest rate offer a buyer lower total costs over the time a mortgage is in effect.

However, one aspect of this situation not often considered is that the IRS treats points paid up front to lower a mortgage interest rate as pre-paid interest, regardless of who pays the fees. This means that when buyers negotiate to have the seller pay the costs to lower their interest rate, they receive the benefit of deducting them on their income taxes in the year the home is purchased.

If the costs to reduce the interest rate are 2.00% to obtain a lower interest rate, the $5,400 in this scenario, 2.00% of $270,000, would be deductible as pre-paid interest, netting additional money back to the buyer at tax time.

Time to Look at Your Options
Many guidelines have changed in the past few years, so the first thing home buyers should do is to seek a pre-approval from their mortgage professional in advance of writing an offer to purchase a home. In addition to determining exactly what home buyers can qualify for, pre-approval gives home buyers a stronger negotiating position since they will be perceived by the seller as a cash buyer.

In addition, home buyers who would like to investigate seller paid points as an option may find that they can purchase a little more expensive home.

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Health Insurance Reform

2010-03-23T07:37:00.001-05:00

A weekly compilation from Aetna of health care-related developments in Washington, D.C. and state legislatures across the country

Week of March 22, 2010

Late in the night Sunday, the House of Representatives helped President Obama deliver what no other President has been able to do -- a significant reform of the nation's health care system. The process is complicated by the fact that the House first had to pass the Senate's version of health care reform, and then pass a package of fixes that the Senate will have to take up separately through a "reconciliation" procedure requiring only a simple majority vote. To help figure out what health care reform will look like if the reconciliation bill is adopted, a number of news organizations are offering their own summaries or guides to the changes, including: The New York Times, USA Today, and the Chicago Tribune. Also, you can read online what theCongressional Budget Officehad to say about the bill it estimates will cost $940 billion over the next decade.

Federal

On Sunday, the House approved the previously passed Senate version (219 to 212) of health care reform, which sends this measure to the President for signature on Tuesday.The House also approved (220 to 211) the House-initiated "fix" to this Senate bill (called the Reconciliation bill) to revise items in the Senate bill that are repugnant to the House. This Reconciliation measure has to be approved by the Senate (scheduled for this week) to legally change the Senate bill. While Republicans in the Senate have more procedural tools at their disposal to derail the Reconciliation bill, the very nature of a reconciliation bill is that it only takes 51 votes, rather than the "normal" 60 filibuster-proof votes in the Senate on such major items as health care. Therefore, it seems likely that the Senate will indeed approve the changes, though perhaps not this week. If there are any changes on the Senate floor to the Reconciliation bill, even one word, it would have to go back to the House for yet another vote.

Since the beginning of the year, Congress has extended for one month at a time two health-related items: 1) suspension of imposition of a 21 percent cut in doctor reimbursements under Medicare; and 2) continuation of worker eligibility for a 65 percent subsidy to pay for COBRA coverage. The end of March deadline will be extended yet again through April, once the Senate agrees with the extenders bill passed by the House last week. Both chambers have passed a lengthier extension of these two items (the "doc fix" would go through September and the COBRA item would go to the end of 2010) as part of a separate larger bill, but with no compromise in sight Congress may have to extend these two items yet again at the end of April.

States

COLORADO: The bill requiring maternity and contraceptive coverage in individual policies and eliminating pregnancy as a pre-existing conclusion took a turn for the worse last week.Originating in the House, the measure had been amended to only require that a coverage option be provided. The Senate, which was expected to accept the bill as amended, passed a version requiring that coverage for reproductive services be included in the majority of the individual plans marketed by a carrier. At the request of the governor, the bill has now been referred to a conference committee.

CONNECTICUT: The Insurance and Real Estate Committee reported out a number of bills of interest last week, including: An Act Concerning Rate Approvals For Individual Health Insurance Policies-- the committee substituted language 1) removing the ability of AG and Health Care Advocate (HCA) to bill the plans for consultants, 2) removing the ability of the HCA and AG to appeal to the court, 3) narrowing the filing time frame for the approval to 120 days, and 4) starting to define terms and processes. The Committee's Republicans all voted no on the bill, indicating that they were concerned that the Committee hadn't gotten it right yet. An Act Concerning Appeals of Health insurance Benefits Denials -- the bill currently requires that upon the request of a member that a health plan provide all specific documents and information that were NOT provided by the enrollee or their provider that were considered in the denial. An Act Concerning Standards in Health Care Provider Contracts-- although a "standards in contracting" bill was enacted into law last session, providers continue to push for even greater limitations on contracting, including prohibitions on down-coding of claims. Other bills reported out include bleeding disorder coverage bill, a bill that would require hospitals to charge uninsured patients no more than 110 percent of Medicare, and a bill that would raise the medical malpractice threshold requirements for various providers.

GEORGIA: The legislation imposing limitations on the use of rental networks was deferred after Aetna helped educate legislators about the need for further amendments to the bill.Most importantly, the bill still does not contain an exemption for the requirements of ERISA plans and non-ERISA self-funded plans. Aetna continues to work with the legislators on this issue and anticipates the bill may be heard next week. No further action has been taken on the House bill imposing a 1.6 percent tax on the premiums of health plans. Indications from the Governor's office are that it may decide not to pursue this bill. However, we are watching the issue closely.

INDIANA: The legislature adjourned March 13 with no resolution to the major issues in Indiana.Specifically, the Republicans were unable to move a bill to delay imposition of new taxes to support the unemployment compensation fund or authorize a ballot initiative to permanently cap property taxes, and the Democrats were unable to move their agenda on education funding, creating jobs and providing greater assistance to the unemployed. With the exception of a bill dealing with emergency medical treatment of employees covered by workers' compensation, no insurance bills survived. Bills defeated included a push by the Indiana State Medical Association (ISMA) to allow providers to pick and choose the plans offered by an insurer that they would participate in and an initiative that would have required health insurers to provide extensive data to Indiana DOI regarding premiums and loss ratios. In addition mandatory recognition of assignment of benefits for out-of-network providers and the Indiana Dental Association's initiative to prohibit dental plans from imposing or negotiating fee schedules on non-covered services were defeated. Of note is that ethics legislation did pass both houses, and it is expected that the Governor will sign the bill impacting lobbying registration and reporting; it also limits who may serve as a lobbyist.

MISSOURI: With eight weeks to go in the legislative session, the House overwhelmingly approved the "Freedom of Health Care Act," which would send voters a constitutional amendment to prevent them being compelled to participate in any federal health care plan. The "yes" votes included all House Republicans and more than a third of Democrats. The Senate gave final approval to a bill requiring health plans to cover the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders. On the budget front, Governor Nixon cut another $126 million in state spending, which means he has now vetoed or withheld almost $850 million from the budget the General Assembly approved last May. Because falling revenues show no immediate signs of improving, further cuts appear certain before the fiscal year ends on June 30. Analysts are projecting a $500 million shortfall in the budget blueprint the Governor proposed in January, prompting serious talk about restructuring state government and broad promises of bone-nicking budget cuts. One large target is the Medicaid program, and a preliminary draft of the appropriations bill is holding $100 million for physician services contingent upon a $300 million windfall that might come Missouri's way if the U.S. Congress extends the federal budget stimulus package.

NEW JERSEY: The governor recently gave his fiscal year 2011 budget address to a joint session of the legislature, outlining his plan for addressing a $10.7 billion state deficit.The proposed budget calls for drastic cuts across all sectors of government including: schools districts, FamilyCare (the state health program for the uninsured), the earned income tax credit, and the elimination property tax rebates. In contrast to past years, there were no new proposed tax increases. However, some cost shifting is anticipated in the form of increased assessments on individuals and businesses. Of note is a $2 million expenditure increase at the Department of Banking & Insurance, which will be borne by insurers in the state. In his effort to stimulate the state economy, the governor proposed discontinuing a 4 percent corporate business tax surcharge as well as allowing the surtax on high income earners to sunset. Further analysis will be done in the coming months, as the legislature begins its deliberation of the budget, to determine what, if any, impact the budget could have on Aetna. The budget must be signed by into law by June 30. The Senate unanimously confirmed Tom Considine as the next commissioner of the Department of Banking & Insurance. During his testimony before the senate judiciary committee, Considine advised that Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey application to convert to a for-profit entity has been put on indefinite hold at the request of Horizon. In addition to Considine, the senate confirmed Dr. Poonam Alaigh as commissioner for the Department of Health and Senior Services.

NEW YORK: According to data recently released by the Department of Insurance to bolster the Governor's demand for prior approval of insurance rates, New York HMOs had premium increases of 17 percent on average this year, with some increases as high as 51 percent. The data showed that premium changes varied widely between companies and between counties. The state continues to claim that reinstating prior approval will save $70 million. A coalition of insurers, business groups and providers strongly opposed the prior approval proposal as a measure that would impose price controls on insurance. In both press statements and full-page ads, the coalition underscored that reinstating prior approval ignores the real reason for rising health insurance premiums-increases in the underlying cost of health care services-and does nothing to address those costs. Real reform is needed that addresses the underlying costs of care, reduces the hidden taxes and ensures that health plans can continue to provide coverage to New Yorkers. The prior approval opposition group includes the Health Plan Association, the Employer Alliance, the hospital associations HANYS & GNYHA, the Business Council of New York State, the National Federation of Independent Business and several upstate business alliances.

OKLAHOMA: Two bills seeking to streamline state employee health insurance benefits, in an effort to improve choice and lower costs, passed the House last week. The bills are based on recommendations made in a report by Milliman Inc. to the Oklahoma State Employee Health Insurance Review Working Group, which met during the interim last year. The report was requested to examine the functions of the Employees Benefit Council (EBC) and the Oklahoma State Education and Employees Group Insurance Board (OSEEGIB) and to determine if a duplication of efforts existed between the two agencies. The report concluded that the functions of the two groups should be integrated to form a new organization focused not only on the payment of health and other insurance claims but also on the wellness of the covered individuals; one oversight board should be created that would include members from backgrounds that include medical and employee benefits, as well as those from legal and fiscal backgrounds; the new organization should include a stronger wellness component; the state employee benefit allowance is artificially inflated and should be recalculated; and more choice is needed in rural areas of the state. The bills now move to the Senate for consideration.

WASHINGTON: Legislation authored by Democrat Eileen Cody to allow health insurance consumers the opportunity to purchase health insurance across state lines failed to gain traction in the legislature, despite support from the small business community and an endorsement from the chair of the health committee.Although some regional insurance carriers had expressed concerns, the main opposition came from chiropractors and mental health providers who believed that provider protection laws would be uncut by the legislation.

Resources

Transforming Health Care in America
America's Health Insurance Plans
Insurance Available Online

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Save the Smartest Way Possible

2010-03-05T20:38:00.001-06:00

The annual "America Saves Week," an event organized by more than a hundred organizations to encourage consumers to sock money away, wrapped up at the end of February. It's not having a huge effect, at least according to the latest numbers -- the January personal savings rate fell to 3.3 percent from 4.2 percent in December, the lowest rate in 15 months, the Commerce Department reported this week.

If savings behavior isn't changing, consumer attitudes may be. A recent Gallup poll found 62 percent of Americans say they enjoy saving more than spending, while 35 percent reported the reverse. Back in 2006, respondents were split about 50-50 on the question. Moreover, 57 percent say they are spending less money in recent months than they used to, up from 50 percent last July. Among the newly frugal, 38 percent say this spending pattern is the "new normal," while 19 percent say the budget cuts are temporary

The poll didn't examine how people are saving, but the latte-by-latte route is being challenged by some. "If you look at the things you spend the most money on, that's where you can save the most money," says Elisabeth Leamy, author of the new book "Save Big" and a "Good Morning America" consumer correspondent.

Leamy offers a hundred ways to save thousands of dollars on five top costs -- homes, cars, credit, food and health care. She argues that it's easier to squeeze money out of the big stuff than to pinch pennies. "I would rather focus ferociously on getting rid of junk closing costs when I buy a house or do the research every few years when I need to buy a car, than scrimping and struggling to save every day," she says.

The book offers step-by-step instructions to minimize closing costs on a house, negotiate the price of uncovered medical procedures and save on auto insurance, among other tips. Some suggestions are straightforward. You can save $9 a month by keeping your tires properly inflated, or save tens of thousands by buying a used car and paying cash rather than financing. (Been there, done that, it works; the only exception was the Kia we bought during the Cash for Clunkers program.)

Wiser Use

For consumers whose finances aren't particularly complicated, Leamy is a big advocate of pre-paying your mortgage. For example, suppose you take out a $200,000 mortgage for 30 years at 6.5 percent interest. The monthly payment is $1,264.14. Let's say you can afford to round up your monthly payment to $1,300, paying an extra $35.86 a month. You'll save $23,900 over the life of the loan.

But for me, this is the trickiest part of personal finance. There are multiple goals crying out for that extra $35.86 -- a fund for emergencies, college, retirement and those little expenses that make life worthwhile right now (like a vacation to Florida, especially if you lived on the East Coast this winter).

If you carry credit card debt, the best use of that $35.86 is paying down those cards as quickly as possible, because the high interest rate is dismantling your road to riches brick by brick. Three simple steps: 1) Take five minutes to call each card company and see if they'll lower your interest rate. 2) Make all your minimum payments on time and in full and shovel the extra $35.86 toward the highest interest-rate card. 3) When it's paid off, shift that minimum payment plus the extra $35.86 to the next card, and keep rolling until you are free of credit card debt. (Watch out for debt pay-down scams that charge you for that same advice.)

Next, I would allocate that $35.86 toward an emergency fund equal to three month's living expenses in a savings account. Personally, I keep my emergency fund in my checking account, because I get 3.5 percent interest on deposits up to $30,000 if I use my debit card 10 times a month. I know I can only spend the amount above my emergency fund "base." This works remarkably well if you're disciplined. (Rule of thumb: If you've had more than one overdraft charge this year, don't try this, because you don't have enough control of your finances to make it work.) First get a budget.

Now, let's assume you're free of revolving debt and have managed to save three month's living expenses. The next place I'd put the $35.86 is in a retirement account. If it grows at 5 percent for 40 years, you're looking at $32,864 (assuming a 2 percent rate of inflation). Click here for a method to compare the value of an extra mortgage payment to a 401(k) contribution.

Can We Have It All?

Frankly, I think you could make a good argument for splitting the $35.86 between a retirement fund and a vacation fund, because the days are long, life is short and all you take with you are memories.

Unless, of course, you have kids; then maybe you put one-third of the $35.86 to retirement, one-third to vacations and one-third to college. For instance, I used to make an extra mortgage payment but eventually allocated the money to my kids' 529 college savings plans. Why? Inflation on college tuition is running 7 percent. My returns over the last three years averaged 3 percent. The only way to reach our goal is to save more (and practice jump shots, on the outside chance the kids could ride a sports scholarship through college like their dad.)

Old-fashioned American optimism (and clever advertising) suggests we can have it all. Doing the math often demonstrates otherwise. At a certain point it comes down to making choices about the big things we want in life and setting goals to reach them, and then, as Leamy puts it, "buckle down and do the work."

It would be wonderful if America Saves Week inspires someone to skip a $3 latte and save the cash -- but even better if it gets people to think about what they really value, and use their money accordingly.

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Google's New Aardvark - Move aside Facebook

2010-02-23T21:09:00.000-06:00

Afterlaunching Buzz last week, Google have continued on the social track by now acquiring social search service Aardvark.

The deal, rumoured to be worth around $50 million, could see Google use the social search engine as an answer to, well, Yahoo! Answers. Through IM, Twitter and e-mail, Aardvark lets you ask full-text questions and then takes your social connections and attempts to identify the best person within your network (or extended network - friends and family) who might be able to assist in giving that answer.

Here is how Wired explains the concept behind Aardvark:

Users who sign up give (Aard)Vark access to one of their social networks - Facebook, LinkedIn or the e-mails in their contact list. Users then say what things they are confident answering questions about (e.g. chess, cooking, country music). Vark then routes future questions - such as what's the best country band out of the south from the 1970s or where's a good sushi restaurant near Santa Monica - to the right person. A series of algorithms keeps tuning the targeting by watching if a user's answers are quick and useful, deciding whether their friends are also experts, and checking if a user is online or has been asked to answer too many questions recently.

The news was confirmed by Aardvark CEO (and ex-Googler) Max Ventilla who emailed TechCrunch with the following: "We can confirm that Google has signed a deal to acquire us but have no further comment."

So I'm afraid that's all the news we have so far folks, but if we hear anything more, we will be sure to let you know.

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Foreclosures and Short Sales - Which one would you like ?

2010-02-11T21:28:00.001-06:00

Find Foreclosures Across the Country

Foreclosures: What Are They?

Foreclosure occurs when a bank repossesses a property because the owner fails to pay the mortgage. Foreclosure is not a quick process, however. Usually, foreclosure occurs when the homeowner, or borrower, misses several payments. This is called a default and starts the foreclosure process. Banks and homeowners have several options when faced with foreclosure. The home can be sold in a pre-foreclosure sale or short sale, can go to auction, or can be taken over by the financial institution and become a bank owned property (REO).

How Do Foreclosure Sales Work?

Pre-Foreclosure Sales

In a pre-foreclosure sale, a property may be bought from the homeowner of the financial institution holding the mortgage prior to the start of the foreclosure process. Generally, the seller is relieved of financial liability and the buyer is able to obtain a house at or below market value.

Auction

Some banks may place a foreclosed property into an auction to try and regain the lost amount on the defaulted property. The price for an auctioned house may begin at the outstanding amount of the mortgage, and any buyer of an auctioned property will often have to take possession of the property in an "as is" state.

REO (Bank Owned Property)

If the auction fails to attract any bids, the property may be assumed by the bank and become an REO property. If this happens, the bank will list the REO property with a brokerage, like RealEstate.com, REALTORS®, and attempt to sell the bank owned property as a normal real estate transaction. However, the bank may be willing to simple recoup the loss on the foreclosed loan.

How Can Buyers Benefit?

Buyers can obviously benefit from buying foreclosures at deep discounts off market value. Buyers may also look at foreclosed properties as investment opportunities. Buying a foreclosed property often means the buyer must be able to pay with cash and it is important that the buyer understand the local laws surrounding foreclosures and REOs. To find out more about Foreclosures, Pre-Foreclosures - visit http://www.robertjrussell.com

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Search the MLS!

2010-02-06T19:40:00.000-06:00

Are you looking for a house?

Complete MLS Search Engine FREE to you. Get new listings emailed to you the day they go on the market. Ask me how to set this up for you.

http://www.ntreisinnovia.net/cgi-ntr/BR_login?0479382

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A Fresh Look at Financial Security

2010-01-20T21:21:00.001-06:00

Tips for Sound Preparation in a Not-So-Sound Economy

We've seen a lot over the last few years. From the collapse of the housing market to large financial institutions closing their doors, our economy is going through unprecedented change. If this state of flux has you wondering about your financial future, we urge you to read on. A little insight and a lot of helpful advice await you.

Our Experts
Enter Terrence Meyer, Jr. and Ed Conarchy.

Meyer is a financial representative for the Strategic Financial Group, Northwestern Mutual, in Los Angeles.

He asserts that for Northwestern Mutual, the goal is not to find the hottest new product. Instead, the philosophy is one of long-term and conservative approach, something he ascribes to as well when he works with clients.

Ed Conarchy is a nineteen-year veteran of the mortgage industry outside the Chicago area. He is also the founder of National Advisors Network, a registered investment advisory firm, and part of the Mortgage Success Source Faculty. Wearing two hats allows Conarchy to give both mortgage and investment advice holistically, something he sees as the future of financial planning.

"As a mortgage planner I was constantly being asked about both," Conarchy explains. Considering the fact that mortgage advisors have access to client information such as income, credit score, taxes and assets, Conarchy felt it made sense to bridge the gap by earning his investment advisor credentials.

The State of the Economy
Over the last several years, people have seen that economic conditions, as well as the housing market, can change quickly.

When asked about his thoughts on rebuilding the economy, Meyer believes it would take a very long time. In his words, "The playing field has changed, and it's not done changing."

Conarchy agrees with Meyer's sentiment. Relating it to the subject of the housing crisis, he says the drop in home values and the overly large inventory of foreclosures are not going away overnight.

Meyer believes that more accountability and government scrutiny are sure to come, something he sees as being positive, but hopes will not have unintended negative effects. While he believes more stringent barriers need to be put in place in order to prevent this type of collapse from happening again, he says it would have to be done in a way that does not "crimp the engine that makes the economy go."

Conarchy feels that while a correction in the supply and demand of homes needs to take place, another necessary component to preventing any further collapse in the housing market is a change in how we view our mortgages and our homes.

"We've always been taught our home is one of our greatest investments," says Conarchy. "And the key to financial security was our ability to pay our mortgage down as quickly as possible." The problem, however, is that the paradigm for financial freedom has changed.

Mr. Conarchy says that while lenient loan requirements started the ball rolling with the housing crisis, what got many people in trouble was they bought too big of a house. According to Conarchy, the idea of buying a home with the intention of selling it at a higher price when the time calls is the equivalent of putting the majority of your money into one stock.

Unfortunately for many people, occurrences such as layoffs, injuries, or the inability to refinance an adjustable rate mortgage put them in a position where they could no longer afford their home. For any potential home buyer, Conarchy suggests they go into it, "Planning for the worst and hoping for the best."

Conarchy believes you should start by looking at a home as the place where you live, as opposed to the investment that is going to bring you financial freedom. Look for a home you can afford if times were to get tough, and at that point search for the best long-term loan you can find. After you purchase your home, concentrate less on paying off the mortgage and more on using any non-essential income for the following goals: saving for retirement, paying off high interest/non tax-deductible debt, creating a 12-month fixed-expense rainy day fund or investing into diversified investments that carry some form of liquidity.

Mr. Meyer believes there are two perspectives every family and business owner should focus on.

The first is offense, or the use of your income directed at financial goals such as buying a home, sending a child to college, and ensuring a comfortable retirement. The second is defense, which beckons the following question: in the event of injury, layoff, or premature death, what measures can you put in place to protect against the interruption of your financial goals? According to Meyer, not having adequate insurance coverage and retirement resources are examples of his point.

While these two methods should go hand in hand, Meyer says for many people it is difficult to strike the right balance and they become entangled. The role of a financial professional is to help clients untangle these priorities, understand their individual needs, and provide them with solutions in conjunction with sound principles and expert advice.

Speaking of the individual, we asked our experts about the financial concerns of their clients.

"It's all about trust," Meyer claims, referring to their trust in him and his company. People want to know that the company helping them achieve financial security will likely be there in the long haul when the need is realized.

Mr. Conarchy says for his clients during this recent downturn, "It's been all about going upside-down on their mortgage." But, he claims that type of worry only occurs when people view their home as an investment, rather than a residence. He urges us to think of our homes like we do our cars, choosing them for lifestyle and need, not as our investment accounts.

The way Meyer sees it, balancing your offense and defense is more important than ever before. It's all about taking personal responsibility for your financial security.

"The myth," Meyer says, "is many people think they will need less income at retirement. The reality is they would want to maintain their same lifestyle and often experience little change in expenditures."

Parting Advice
Meyer suggests meeting with an educated and experienced individual (or team) to do a needs analysis for your family or business. It is also important to work with a strong company and do your research on financial strength.

The key here is to start and take action. Review your goals periodically and stay vigilant about your preparation. The objective is to remove the emotion from your financial decision making. In doing so, you are taking a step forward to securing your financial security.

Conarchy urges people to not give away their liquidity by prepaying their mortgage. Instead of focusing on debt elimination, turn your efforts toward wealth accumulation, but without trying to predict the future of the market.

"Manage your mortgage," says Conarchy. Make sure you have a competitive rate and that you are paying it on time. Don't think of your mortgage as the lump sum bank debt. Rather, think of it as a monthly bill. In terms of refinancing, pay attention to the net monthly after-tax savings in relation to what the refi will cost and how long it will take to break even. If the refi can pay for itself in less than one year then it's a good deal.

Conarchy wrapped things up by stating you should have one major goal with your personal finance - obtaining financial security. This he says has nothing to do with not having a mortgage payment. If you can't sell your home or get money out of it when you need to then what good is it? "I'd much rather have a big mortgage and a big bank account than no mortgage and nothing in my bank account," he claims.

"Our parents didn't have investing tools like IRAs, 401Ks and 529s like we do," says Conarchy. All they knew was to use their house as an investment, so paying it off made sense. He points out that the rules have changed, but somehow the mantra didn't. "Always remember," he says, "Banks will never loan you money when you really need it."

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Cup of Coffee Pork Roast

2010-01-15T08:39:00.000-06:00

Recipe For January!

It's a cup of joe -- as in java -- that brings this poignant pork roast to life. To say it's brewing in goodness would be an understatement.

Main Ingredient

Pork

Cooking Method

Sautée Bake

Difficulty

Easy

Course/Dish

Meat

Makes

6-8 servings

1 Cup of Coffee Pork Roast

Created by The MDM Team, Sunday, 17 February 2008

It's a cup of joe -- as in java -- that brings this poignant pork roast to life. To say it's brewing in goodness would be an understatement.

Ingredients

3 lb. pork roast, trimmed of fat
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup coffee
2 bay leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 onions, sliced
Additional coffee and soy sauce as needed

Methods/steps

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Heat oil in large skillet over high heat, and then sear meat on both sides. In a large roasting pan, combine one onion and remaining ingredients. Transfer browned meat to roasting pan and top with second onion.
Cover and bake 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Baste every hour with juices. If liquid begins to boil away, add more coffee or soy sauce as needed. Use pan juices to make gravy. Use no salt.

Additional Tips

Ready in 4 hours

For more information about Food - Visit http://www.robertjrussell.com - you won't find any recipes on this site - but I think you might like it!

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How do you Motivate Yourself ?

2010-01-14T08:35:00.000-06:00

A long time ago, my exercise routine consisted of walking daily. I felt that my body was ready to kick it up a notch. The gym was suggested to me. I wasn't crazy about it initially, but decided to give a try. I realized after a couple of visits that I actually liked it.

I knew that one of my initial challenges would be to commit going to the gym regularly. How would I go about doing this? I knew that I wanted to motivate myself … or perhaps coach myself. So I defined goals and incentives (e.g. rewards) for achieving those goals. For instance, one reward was that for each week I would go the gym, I would purchase songs from iTunes. Listening to the new songs on my iPod, while exercising, not only felt great, but also motivated me to continue my exercise commitment.

What are some ways that you motivate yourself? I would be interested to get your feedback, thanks.

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Government health insurance option appears doomed

2010-01-09T20:19:00.001-06:00

WASHINGTON - Senior House Democrats have largely abandoned hopes of including a government-run insurance option in the final compromise health care bill taking shape, according to several officials, and are pushing for other measures to rein in private insurers.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other senior Democrats told President Barack Obama in recent meetings they want the legislation to strip the insurance industry of a long-standing exemption from federal antitrust laws, officials said. That provision is in the House-passed measure, but was omitted from the bill that the Senate passed on Christmas Eve.

They also want the final measure to include a House-passed proposal for a nationwide insurance exchange, to be regulated by the federal government, where consumers could shop for private coverage. The Senate bill calls for a state-based system of exchanges.

Additionally, House Democrats want to require insurers to spend a minimum amount of premium income on benefits, thereby limiting what is available for salaries, bonuses, advertising and other items. The House bill sets the floor at 85 percent; the Senate-passed measure lowers it to 80 percent for policies sold to small groups and individuals.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the negotiations are private.

The maneuvering comes as the White House and majority Democrats intensify efforts to agree on a final measure, possibly before Obama delivers his State of the Union address late this month or early in February.Government intervention into the insurance market is one of the most contentious issues to be settled. Others include the fate of a Senate-passed tax on high-cost insurance plans, bitterly opposed by some labor unions; the extent to which abortions could be covered by insurance to be sold in the new exchanges; and the amount of money available to help lower-income families purchase coverage.

Liberals long have pressed to include a government-run insurance option in the legislation, arguing it would create competition for private companies and place a brake on costs.

House Democrats included it in their legislation. In the Senate, it drew opposition from Democratic moderates whose votes are essential to the bill's fate. Even attempts to include an expansion of Medicare for uninsured individuals as young as age 55 - widely viewed as a face-saving proposal for liberals - had to be jettisoned.

Given the opposition in the Senate, Pelosi, D-Calif., signaled late last year she did not view a public option as a requirement for a final compromise. Asked in an interview Dec. 16 whether she could support legislation without it, she said, "It depends what else is in the bill."

More recently, she listed her goals for a House-Senate compromise without mentioning the provision she long has backed.

"We are optimistic that there is much that we have in common in both of our bills and that we will resolve or reconcile this legislation in a way that is a triple A rating: affordability for the middle class, accountability for the insurance companies, and accessibility to many more people in our country to quality, affordable health care," she said.

While Obama favors a government option, he has said repeatedly it is only a small part of his overall effort to remake the health care system, and is not essential.

Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., have expressed optimism about chances for a swift agreement, but there appears to be relatively little maneuvering room. That is particularly true in the Senate, where 60 votes will be needed to overcome a Republican filibuster, and any change carries the risk of alienating a Democrat whose vote is crucial.

The bill's future is further complicated by a scheduled Jan. 19 election in Massachusetts. Some polls show Democrat Martha Coakley in a closer-than-expected race against Republican Scott Brown and an independent contender. The winner will replace Sen. Paul Kirk, who became the 60th member of the Democratic caucus when he was named to his seat as successor to the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.A Republican upset would deprive Democrats of their 60th vote.

Some House Democrats say the proposed government insurance option remains alive, although they speak publicly of its possible demise as long as insurance companies aren't let off the hook.

California Rep. Xavier Becerra, who's on the leadership team, said House members would only be willing to abandon the public plan if they were certain the final bill achieves the goals they want, as Pelosi described.

"We're willing to give up what's good for America as long as we get something good back," he said.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, also a member of the leadership, agreed.

"I think the House is very much of a view that before they'd consider dropping the public option" they have to be assured of a bill that achieves the goals they wanted the public option to meet.

But officials said little if any time has been spent in White House meetings on the issue, and there was scant discussion of it during a conference call for members of the Democratic rank and file earlier this week.

By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent David Espo, Ap Special Correspondent

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Start your own Social Network

2010-01-07T21:52:00.001-06:00

Many people ask me how I get so much business....and it is a very simple answer but you may not believe it but I have my own Social Network.

Some people use Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace etc - I use the Robert J Russell Social Network

If you would like to join the Robert J Russell Social Network - simply click on this link:

http://robertjrussellsocialnetwork.ning.com/profiles/members/

Come Join us today !!

Robert J Russell - 972-679-9029

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Obama backs high-end health plan tax

2010-01-06T21:26:00.001-06:00

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama signaled to House Democratic leaders Wednesday that they'll have to drop their opposition to taxing high-end health insurance plans to pay for health coverage for millions of uninsured Americans.

In a meeting at the White House, Obama expressed his preference for the insurance tax contained in the Senate's health overhaul bill, but largely opposed by House Democrats and organized labor, Democratic aides said. The aides spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was private.

House Democrats want to raise income taxes on high-income individuals instead and are reluctant to abandon that approach, while recognizing that they will likely have to bend on that and other issues so that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., can maintain his fragile 60-vote majority support for the bill.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and four committee chairmen met with the president Wednesday as they scrambled to resolve differences between sweeping bills passed by the House and Senate. The aim is to finalize legislation revamping the nation's health care system in time for Obama's State of the Union address early next month.

Despite the dispute over the payment approach, Pelosi, D-Calif., emerged from the meeting expressing optimism.

"We've had a very intense couple of days," Pelosi said. "After our leadership meeting this morning, our staff engaged with the Senate and the administration staff to review the legislation, suggest legislative language. I think we're very close to reconciliation."

Congressional staff members stayed at the White House into the evening to continue work, and a conference call of the full House Democratic caucus was scheduled for Thursday. Obama is taking a more direct role than ever, convening Oval Office meetings Tuesday and Wednesday of House Democratic leaders.

The House and Senate bills are alike in many ways. Both impose first-time requirements for almost all Americans to purchase health insurance, providing subsidies for lower- and middle-income people to help them do so, though the subsidies in the House bill are more generous. Both establish new marketplaces called exchanges where people can go to shop for and compare healthinsurance plans. Both would ban unpopular insurance company practices including denying coverage to people with pre-existing health conditions.

Differences include whom to tax, how many people to cover, how to restrict taxpayer funding for abortion and whether illegal immigrants should be allowed to buy coverage in the new markets with their own money. The House bill covers about 36 million uninsured Americans over 10 years, costing more than $1 trillion, while the cheaper Senate bill covers about 31 million.

House Democrats are steeling themselves to abandon establishment of a new government insurance plan opposed by moderates in the Senate, but in return hope to get the Senate to rescind insurers' antitrust exemption, make subsidies more affordable and agree to establishment of national rather than state health insurance exchanges, among other things. Obama has signaled his support for the House position on the subsidies and other areas, aides said.

The difference in how the bills are paid for is emerging as among the toughest disputes.

The House wants to increase income taxes on individuals making more than $500,000 and couples over $1 million, which would raise $460 billion over 10 years to pay for the bill. The Senate wants to tax insurance companies on plans valued at over $8,500 for individuals and $23,000 for couples, raising $150 billion. Most analysts say the insurance tax would be passed on to consumers, and organized labor is strongly opposed, as are House Democrats, some of whom contend that the tax would violate Obama's campaign pledge not to tax the middle class.

"We did in our house bill something that protects middle class Americans from having to pay more for health insurance," Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., a member of the House leadership, said Wednesday. "So far we want to stay to that principle."

House members "have been very clear on that issue and working with the president to stick to what he said when he was campaigning for president, we're trying to make sure this does not affect middle class Americans," Becerra said.

Obama has defended the tax as a way to drive down health costs.

"I'm on record as saying that taxing Cadillac plans that don't make people healthier but just take more money out of their pockets because they're paying more for insurance than they need to, that's actually a good idea, and that helps bend the cost curve," the president said in an interview with National Public Radio just before Christmas. "That helps to reduce the cost of health care over the long term. I think that's a smart thing to do."

In the end the House likely will have to accept the insurance plan tax at some level - say starting with plans valued at $25,000 or more, with carve-outs for certain union professions - but it might not happen without a fight.

A provision in the Senate bill to increase the Medicare payroll tax on high-earners could provide some middle ground, although that measure would raise only $87 billion over a decade.

By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Write

(This version CORRECTS that Obama's State of the Union address to be early next month.)

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Avoid Home Damage from Frozen Pipes

2010-01-05T16:13:00.001-06:00

Texas Department of Insurance

AUSTIN - Texas weather can change quickly, especially in the winter. A fast-moving cold front can cause temperatures to drop below freezing within hours. Outdoor pipes, pipes in unheated areas, and pipes that run along uninsulated exterior walls can burst if the water in them freezes and expands. This can shatter pipe seals or the pipes themselves, sending water pouring through your house. You can avoid thousands of dollars of damage to your walls, ceilings, carpets, and furniture by taking a few simple measures to protect your home.

Before the Freeze

·Protect faucets, outdoor pipes, and exposed pipes in unheated areas by wrapping them with rags, newspaper, trash bags, or plastic foam.

·Insulate your outdoor water meter box and be sure its lid is on tight.

·Cover any vents around your home's foundation.

·Drain and store water hoses indoors.

·Protect outdoor electrical pumps.

·Drain swimming pool circulation systems or keep the pump motor running. (Run the pump motor only in a short freeze. Running the motor for long periods could damage it.)

·Drain water sprinkler supply lines.

·Open the cabinets under sinks in your kitchen and bathrooms to allow heated indoor air to circulate around the water pipes.

·Set your thermostat at a minimum temperature of 55 degrees, especially when you're gone for the day or away for an extended period.

·Let indoor faucets drip; it isn't necessary to run a stream of water.

·Make sure you know where your home's shut-off valve is and how to turn it on and off.

·If you leave town, consider turning off your water at the shut-off valve while faucets are running to drain your pipes. Make sure you turn the faucets off before you turn the shut-off valve back on.

·If you drain your pipes, contact your electric or gas utility company for instructions on protecting your water heater.

If Your Pipes Freeze

·If a pipe bursts and floods your home, turn the water off at the shut-off valve. Call a plumber for help if you can't find the broken pipe or if it's inaccessible. Don't turn the water back on until the pipe has been repaired.

·If the pipe hasn't burst, thaw it out with an electric heating pad, hair dryer, portable space heater, or towel soaked with hot water. Apply heat by slowly moving the heat source toward the coldest spot on the pipe. Never concentrate heat in one spot because cracking ice can shatter a pipe. Turn the faucet on and let it run until the pipe is thawed and water pressure returns to normal.

·Don't use a blowtorch or other open-flame device. They are fire risks and carbon monoxide exposure risks.

If You Have a Loss

·Contact your insurance agent or company promptly. Follow up as soon as possible with a written claim to protect your rights under Texas ' prompt-payment law.

·Review your coverage. Most homeowners and renters policies pay for property repair. In addition, most policies pay for debris removal and for additional living expenses if you have to move temporarily because of damage to your home. If you can't find your policy, ask your agent or company for a copy.

·Home owner's policies may require you to make temporary repairs to protect your property from further damage. Your policy covers the cost of these repairs. Keep all receipts and damaged property for the adjuster to inspect. If possible, take photos or videos of the damage before making repairs. Don't make permanent repairs. An insurance company may deny a claim if you make permanent repairs before an adjuster inspects the damage.

·Most home owner's policies do not cover loss caused by freezing pipes while your house is unoccupied unless you used reasonable care to maintain heat in the building; shut off the water supply; and drain water from plumbing, heating, and air conditioning systems.

* Visit http://www.robertjrussell.com for any Real Estate related questions

* Visit http://www.InsurancePricedRight.com for any Insurance related questions.

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Texas study confirms lower autism rate in Hispanics

2009-12-29T21:21:00.001-06:00

Hispanic kids are less likely than their non-Hispanic white counterparts to be diagnosed with autism, and socioeconomic factors don't seem to explain the difference, according to a new study in Texas schoolchildren.

"These findings raise questions: Is autism under diagnosed among Hispanics? Are there protective factors associated with Hispanic ethnicity?" Dr. Raymond F. Palmer of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and his colleagues write in the American Journal of Public Health.

Other research has shown a lower risk of autism among Hispanic individuals, while one study found that Hispanics with autism were typically diagnosed later than autistic children of other ethnic backgrounds. Autism could be under diagnosed among Hispanics, Palmer and his team note, given that these children are less likely to have health insurance and more likely to have trouble accessing medical care.

To investigate the factors behind the difference in prevalence, the researchers looked at data on 1,184 schools in 254 Texas counties, calculating the number of children in kindergarten through 12th grade in each district who had been diagnosed with autism.

For every 10 percent increase in Hispanic schoolchildren in a given district, the researchers found, the prevalence of autism decreased by 11 percent, while the prevalence of kids with intellectual disabilities or learning disabilities increased by 8 percent and 2 percent, respectively.

The reverse was seen as the percentage of non-Hispanic white children in a district increased, with the prevalence of autism rising by 9 percent and the prevalence of intellectual and learning disabilities falling by 11 percent and 2 percent.

The observed relationships remained for Hispanic children after the researchers accounted for key socioeconomic and health care provider factors, although "urbanicity" of a district, median household income, and number of health care professionals did explain the increased percentage of autism among districts with more non-Hispanic white kids -- a finding the researchers call "curious."

Whether lower autism prevalence in Hispanics is attributable to other, still-unexamined socioeconomic, health care delivery or biological factors "remains a crucial area for further research," Palmer and colleagues conclude.

SOURCE: American Journal of Public Health, December 2009.

http://www.robertjrussell.com

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How to hide files in .JPEG Pictures

2009-12-21T21:24:00.001-06:00

If you're looking to hide files on your PC hard drive, you may have read about ways to encrypt folders or change the attributes on a file so that they cannot be accessed by prying eyes. However, a lot of times hiding files or folders in that way requires that you install some sort of software on your computer, which could then be spotted by someone else.

I've actually written quite a few articles on how you can hide files and folders in Windows XP and Vista before, but here I'm going to show you a new way to hide files that is very counter-intuitive and therefore pretty safe! Using a simple trick in Windows, you can actually hide a file inside of the JPG picture file!

You can actually hide any type of file inside of an image file, including txt, exe, mp3, avi, or whatever else. Not only that, you can actually store many files inside of single JPG file, not just one! This can come in very handy if you need to hide files and don't want to bother with encryption and all that other technical stuff.

Hide File in Picture

In order to accomplish this task, you will need to have either WinZip or WinRAR installed on your computer. You can download either of these two off the Internet and use them without having to pay anything. Here are the steps for creating your hidden stash:

Create a folder on your hard drive, i.e. C:\Test and put in all of the files that you want to hide into that folder. Also, place the image that you will be using to hide the files in.

Now select all of the files that you want to hide, right-click on them, and choose the option to add them to a compressed ZIP or RAR file. Only select the files you want to hide, not the picture. Name it whatever you want, i,e. "Hidden.rar".

Now you should have a folder that looks something like this with files, a JPG image, and a compressed archive:

Now here's the fun part! Click on Start, and then click on Run. Type in "CMD" without the quotes and press Enter. You should now see the command prompt window open. Type in "CD \" to get to the root directory
. Then type CD and the directory name that you created, i.e. "CD Test".

Now type in the following line: "copy /b DSC06578.JPG + Hidden.rar DSC06578.jpg" and press Enter. Do not use the quotes. You should get a response like below:

Just make sure that you check the file extension on the compressed file, whether it is .ZIP or .RAR as you have to type out the entire file name with extension in the command. I have heard that some people say that they have had problems doing this with a .ZIP extension, so if that doesn't work, make sure to compress to a .RAR file.

And that's it! The picture file will have been updated with the compressed archive inside! You can actually check the file size of the picture and see that it has increased by the same amount as the size of the archive.

You can access your hidden file in two ways. Firstly, simply change the extension to .RAR and open the file using WinRAR. Secondly, you can just right-click on the JPG image and choose Open With and then scroll down to WinRAR. Either way, you'll see your hidden files show up that you can then extract out.

That's it! That is all it takes to hide files inside JPG picture files! It's a great way simply because not many people know it's possible and no one even thinks about a picture as having to the ability to "hide" files. Enjoy!

For information: Visit http://www.robertjrussell.com

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If Danny Cahill Wins the Biggest Loser, Bunn-O-Matic Corporation ® Will Donate up to $25,000 Worth of Coffee Brewers to Charity

2009-12-08T19:14:00.001-06:00

BUNN, a leader in beverage equipment, is pleased to announce that if Danny Cahill is named The Biggest Loser champion, they will donate a home coffee brewer for every pound he loses to a non-profit hunger relief organization. Danny owns a BUNN home coffee brewer and the company wants to show their support for his inspirational weight loss journey.

Springfield, IL (PRWEB) December 6, 2009 -- BUNN, a leader in beverage equipment, is pleased to announce that if Danny Cahill is named The Biggest Loser champion, they will donate a home coffee brewer for every pound he loses to a non-profit hunger relief organization.

BUNN GRX-B Home Coffee Brewer

But why Danny and not one of the other contestants?

BUNN is committed to our customers and wants to recognize Danny as an inspiration of what is possible when you are committed to a goal

Contact:
Lisa McCloud, Director of Marketing, Retail Division
Bunn-O-Matic Corporation
800-352-2866
http://www.bunn.com

Lisa McCloud, Director of Marketing, is a fan of the show and has been following Danny's weight loss progress throughout Season 8. During episode 812, she saw that Danny has a BUNN coffee brewer in his home in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. "As a fan and a BUNN employee, I was very excited to see that Danny owns one of our coffee brewers!" commented Ms. McCloud. "His success this season has been a true testament to hard work and dedication. These are qualities that we admire and that represent the products and services that we provide to our customers. We want to do something to support Danny in his final push to the finale and are guessing that he will lose between 225 - 250 pounds. That equates to up to $25,000 worth of coffee brewers that could be donated."

"BUNN is committed to our customers and wants to recognize Danny as an inspiration of what is possible when you are committed to a goal" said Aimee Markelz Tracy, Senior VP Retail Division. "We're excited to see the finale and wish Danny the best of luck."

About BUNN

Bunn-O-Matic Corporation (BUNN) is a pioneer in the beverage equipment industry. BUNN was founded in 1957 and built on innovations including the first flat-bottom paper coffee filter for commercial use and the first pourover coffee brewer. Today, BUNN continues to innovate commercial beverage equipment and home coffee brewers from its global headquarters in Springfield, Illinois and provides comprehensive service to customers throughout the world. For more information, please visit www.bunn.com or call 1-800-637-8606 or +1-217-529-6601. Find us on Facebook at http://facebook.com/BUNN or follow our news on Twitter at http://twitter.com/BUNN.

To find out about Real Estate or Insurance visit: http://www.robertjrussell.com

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Tiger Woods Design

2009-12-01T20:36:00.001-06:00

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Videos

2009-11-26T22:41:00.000-06:00

Videos

Are you shopping on Black Friday ?

2009-11-26T22:15:00.001-06:00

NOT ME - but I am going to do it all online and make money on my own purchases - you can too - Sign up to Blastoff - it's free !!

Hundreds of Retail stores online that PAY YOU $$$$$$ to shop here!

http://my.blastoffnetwork.com/viralvideo/223487891

http://www.robertjrussell.com

Robert J Russell, IRES, REALTOR, Broker

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Extended Tax Credit for HomeBuyers and Homeowners

2009-11-23T19:29:00.001-06:00

The popular first-time homebuyer tax credit that was scheduled to end this month is being extended. President Obama signed a bill that extends the up to $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers for seven months. An additional incentive for the housing industry is for homeowners. The $6,500 tax credit will benefit some existing homeowners who are also buyers and whose primary residence has been owned, used, sold, or being sold within at least five consecutive years of the previous eight years. The legislation is part of a bill that also extends unemployment benefits.

Bruce Walker, Director of Marketing, RealEstate.com Reportedly, the credit would be available for people earning up to $125,000 a year and couples making up to $225,000 per year. This is an increase from the current income limits of $75,000 and $150,000, respectively. The extension of the first-time homebuyer credit lasts through June of next year. Buyers must sign a contract by the end of April 2010.

The incentives come at a good time for the housing industry. "We're getting into a historically slow time of year. You have the holidays and folks just aren't in the market to buy a home. I think now, you're going see a little bit more interest and we may see some upticks through the end of the year that could carry some momentum into the first part of the year which is traditionally the heaviest homebuying season," says Walker.

He believes these incentives will not only cause more homes to sell but will also have an impact on related industries. "I think one of the areas that will get a secondary benefit is going to be the home improvement industry. When someone buys a home they will often put additional work into it to make it their own. They'll paint, put up wallpaper, and hang current rods. They may clean floors -- so that home improvement sector is going to see, I believe, a secondary lift as well," explains Walker. What this means to consumers? "When they see that home prices have dropped, there's going to be fear in the market and people are going to wait to see other people get involved -- get back into the market. So, as consumers are pushed off the fence with these incentives I think we will see a strengthening of the housing market as a direct result and people are going to get re-engaged," says Walker.

But some wonder are the incentives a risk that will cause homeowners to later default? "People have been skeptical of the economy for the last year or longer," says Walker.

Economists with the National Association of Realtors estimate that approximately 2 million people will take advantage of the tax credit this year.

http://www.robertjrussell.com

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More Than 1 in 4 Homes for Sale in Price Reduction Report Have Seen Reduction

2009-11-21T07:45:00.001-06:00

RISMEDIA, November 21, 2009-Trulia, Inc. has announced that 25.6% of homes currently on the market in the United States as of November 1, 2009 have experienced at least one price cut during the past 12 months. More than 40% of the top 50 major metros across the U.S. are experiencing price reduction levels above 30%, significantly higher than the national average. The average discount for price-reduced homes continues to hold steady at 10% off of the original listing price.

Northeast Continues with Most Homes Reduced
The Northeast continues to see the highest level of price reductions, with 29% of current listings experiencing at least one price cut - Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire are all seeing over 30% of listings with price reductions. (Regions according to the U.S. Census Bureau)

-Northeast - 29% of listings with price reductions
-Midwest - 28% of listings with price reductions
-West - 25% of listings with price reductions
-South - 24% of listings with price reductions

"With mortgage rates still low and the expansion of the tax credit to trade-up buyers, we could see significant inventory - both new and 'shadow inventory' - hit the market during the next four-to-six months," said Pete Flint, Trulia co-founder and CEO. "Inventory levels this quarter are poised to be atypical of a normal real estate market, which could create tremendous pressure on sellers to price their homes competitively and move their property before the tax credit expires on April 30th."

Cities experiencing significant increases in percentage of listings with price reductions from June 2009 to November 2009 include:

-Kansas City, MO - 59% increase in price reductions
-Colorado Springs, CO - 43% increase in price reductions
-Omaha, NE - 39% increase in price reductions
-Louisville, KY - 37% increase in price reductions
-Milwaukee, WI - 30% increase in price reductions

Cities showing signs of the highest percentage of declines for listings with price reductions from June 2009 to November 2009 include:

-Las Vegas, NV - 34% decrease in price reductions
-San Jose, CA - 25% decrease in price reductions
-San Antonio, TX - 18% decrease in price reductions
-Los Angeles, CA - 16% decrease in price reductions
-Oakland, CA - 16% decrease in price reductions

Luxury Market Still Hardest Hit
Luxury homes (those listed at two million dollars and above) continue to bear the brunt of discounts being offered with an average of 14% being slashed from the original asking price compared to the national average of 10%. Additionally, luxury homes represent less than 2% of all current listings on Trulia, but are responsible for 25% of the $28.1 billion in home price reductions.

For more information, visit www.robertjrussell.com.

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The World's Top Developments by Robert J Russell

2009-11-15T21:54:00.001-06:00

Alinari at Rosemary Place :: Sarasota, FL :: View Details
	An eclectic enclave in the center of the arts, on the edge of the bay, in an unbeatable location, Sarasota is fast becoming one of the most desirable destinations on Florida's Gulf Coast. The appeal of this vibrant city and its intimate neighborhoods is hard to resist. In this artistic setting, nature provides the ultimate brushstroke, giving Alinari residents a private showing of brilliant emerald hues in the sparkling waters of Sarasota Bay and, from the top floors, the Gulf of Mexico.
Altura :: Asheville, North Carolina :: View Details
	With a focus on Wellness and Environmental Sustainability, our 240 acre development is located just seven (7) minutes from Downtown Asheville, NC, offering Grand Estate Homes, Condos, Villas, and Cottages - 85% have views! Amenities such as a proposed spa hotel, 24 hour concierge service, "Pathways to Peace" nature trails, park, garden area, swimming pools, restaurants and retail all add to hip urban living in the Mountains of North Carolina.
Aqua :: Naples, FL :: View Details
	With prices starting in the $2 Millions; Aqua, Naples' most elegant new address, offers a unique and private waterfront lifestyle for refined sensibilities, with amenities that include concierge services, a private yacht harbor with direct access and membership to Naples' most exclusive yacht club.
Ara Macao :: Placencia, Placencia Peninsula :: View Details
	The Ara Macao Resort & Marina, a master planned, residential resort community and marina, is located on the Placencia Peninsula on the southern coast of Belize, a sunny region highly prized for its great weather, turquoise water and beautiful sand beaches. The community is being developed on a 600+ -acre waterfront estate containing approximately one mile of Belize beachfront real estate on the Caribbean Sea. Contact us today to learn more about this rare opportunity.
Barker Block :: Los Angeles, CA :: View Details
	The Barker Block is a new living concept by The Kor Group, the creators behind some of the most contemporary and sought after hotels, destinations and designer residences. And now you can own this signature style in a home that showcases our obsession with design and detail, as well as our ability to create intriguing settings, social areas and gathering spaces. The Barker Block has been crafted to offer inspired homes and a true neighborhood living experience.
Bell Tower Park :: Fort Myers, FL :: View Details
	Bell Tower Park is an Award winning private gated community located in the heart of south Fort Myers. Minutes from fine dining, shopping and other retail shops. A park like setting of stylish carriage and courtyard homes, surrounding lakes and nature preserves. Residents enjoy an array of amenities including a 2 resort pools, tiki bar, 6,000 sf clubhouse, fitness center, social area, tennis courts and sport court, play area and miles of shaded nature trails. Attention to detail, included features, and architecal attention to details make this an outstanding community.
Bleu Claire :: Longboat Key, FL :: View Details
	Nestled along the pristine coastline of Longboat Key is a new level of exclusivity to define beachfront living, the taste of luxury, the reward for a lifetime of accomplishment: Your inspiration. Your dream. Your Bleu Claire. Designed to evoke the feeling of a retreat from the everyday, Bleu Claire on Longboat Key is inspired by the villas of the French Riviera. The community's understated elegance reflects the beauty of its natural surroundings and the enchanting views of the Gulf of Mexico.
Bonita Bay Highrises :: Naples, FL :: View Details
	Three waterfront parks; 12 miles of biking and walking paths; 90 holes of golf; private beach park on the Gulf of Mexico; tennis and swim center; fitness center; marina club with storage for more than 400 boats, fuel and service, a ship's store and restaurant; wine club; Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary for demonstrated excellence in environmental planning, wildlife-habitat management, resource conservation, waste management, and outreach and education. Four additional high-rises are in development.
Bridlegate Ranch :: Bandera, Texas :: View Details
	Bridlegate is conveniently located near the bustling community of Bandera yet poised amidst the Hill Country's scenic beauty along the gentle Medina River, Bridlegate features nearly 4 miles of Medina River frontage, 2 to 5 Acre homesites with premier riverfront homesites available, tremendous Hill Country views, majestic Live Oaks, quality covenants to protect the integrity of the land, clubhouse with pool, tennis court, fitness center, guest suites, equestrian facilities with riding trails and a private property owners' park on the river for tubing, fishing, and relaxing. Buyers can purchase now and build when ready as well as choose their own custom builder. Bridlegate is being developed by Southerland Communities, a premier developer of Hill Country acreage communities.
Brookfield Homes Hawaii :: Honolulu, HI :: View Details
	Brookfield Homes Hawai'i offers three exclusive resort communities on two of the Hawaiian islands; each of them are adjacent to gorgeous beaches, championship golf courses, tennis clubs, fine dining, and rejuvenating spas. Our communities also offer their own luxurious recreation villages designed for outdoor gatherings, swimming, and fitness. On the Island of Kaua'i we offer you Nihilani at Princeville and PiliMai at Po'ipu, resorts of unparalleled natural beauty. On the Big Island we offer you KaMilo at Mauna Lani, one of the most renowned resorts in the world. These three resort communities define what it means to feel at home in Hawai'i.
Chinquapin :: Cashiers, North Carolina :: View Details
	Nestled contentedly in a rolling expanse of the Cashiers area of the Blue Ridge Mountains, there exists a place where home settings and amenities emerge naturally from the land-as if they always have been. It's a place surrounded by pristine national wilderness, so you know it always will be. It's a place where new beginnings and new discoveries spring naturally from every moment out of the spectacular beauty that is Chinquapin.
Citrus Square :: Sarasota, FL :: View Details
	A new concept on in-town living is coming to a neighborhood set apart by a new pedestrian-friendly, tree-lined streetscape with quaint open square and distinctive lampposts. Great city location on Orange Avenue just three blocks to Main Street. Walk to your favorite downtown Sarasota restaurants, shopping, and cultural arts.
Cliffs Communities :: Asheville,NC and upstate SC, North and South Carolina :: View Details
	Named CNBC's 2007 World's Best International Development, The Cliffs Communities include eight private, residential mountain-lake communities located between Asheville, North Carolina and Greenville, South Carolina, bordered by hundreds of thousands of acres of protected forests, crystal lakes, streams, and waterfalls. Members enjoy eight championship golf courses, spectacular clubhouses, restaurants, wellness centers and spa facilities. Plus, access to The Cliffs international vacation properties in British Columbia, Chile and the Bahamas.
Copper Ridge :: New Braunfels, Texas :: View Details
	Located just five miles west of New Braunfels on Highway 46 in the New Braunefels school district, Copper Ridge is a distinctive acreage community with homesites available on a ridgeline that offer spectacular long distance views with level building sites as well as homesites with large trees and open meadows. This community of 1+ acre tracts will also be secured with a gated and guarded entrance and will have curbed streets, high quality covenants and a homeowners' park with resort-style pool, pavilion, sports courts and walking trails. Buyers can purchase now and build when ready as well as choose their own custom builder or use one of Copper Ridge's designated showcase builders. Copper Ridge is being developed by Southerland Communities, a premier developer of Hill Country acreage communities.
Cristal Beach Resort :: Cabrera, Dominican Republic :: View Details
	Cristal Beach is a luxury residential condo resort on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic with the utmost attention to natural beauty and detail. We offer 2 and 3 bedroom units with the highest finishes along with all ocean views, direct beach access, resort style pool, jacuzzi and many more amenities for you and your guests.
Firefly Cove At Lake Lure :: Lake Lure, NC :: View Details
	Set within the natural beauty of Lake Lure and the surrounding grandeur of Chimney Rock State Park, Firefly Cove, with its rich historical past, offers its residents an unparalleled waterfront and mountain lifestyle. Residents will enjoy the Village Commons area which includes the Community Lodge with Billiards and Fireplace Gathering Lounge, Heated Swimming Pool and Outdoor Amphitheater. Also, all residents have direct lake access and may enjoy the Boathouse, Canoe and Kayak Area and Lakeside Docks for fishing, swimming or boating.
Florida Lifestyle Homes :: Fort Myers, FL :: View Details
	Florida Lifestyle Homes can provide one-stop shopping for your custom home in the most prestigious areas of Southwest Florida. We have used our financial strength and experience to inventory a substantial portfolio of spectacular home sites in Lee County's luxury home communities of Cape Harbour, Renaissance, Verandah, as well as, Collier County in Quail West, a Ginn Club community. If you are already an owner of a home site or if you have a home site in mind that is not in our inventory, we would be happy to build your dream home where ever you choose. We are proud to have been selected as a preferred builder in the most exclusive waterfront and golfing communities in Southwest Florida.
Hacienda :: Placida, Florida :: View Details
	Located between the tranquility of the sunrise over Charlotte Harbor and the fiery sunset on the Gulf of Mexico is a magical stretch of Florida's Intracoastal Waterway. Here lies Hacienda, the perfect Waterfront community Nestled among the oldest and most unique tropical destinations on Florida's Gulf Coast.
Hampton Lake :: Bluffton, South Carolina :: View Details
	Located in Bluffton, South Carolina, Hampton Lake is true lakefront living located minutes from Hilton Head Island, Beaufort and Savannah. The 165-acre freshwater lake with fifteen miles of shoreline, is surrounded by a 340 acre nature preserve, offering a total of over 500 acres of open space in this community of just over 900 acres. Lakeside Amenity Village was recently honored with the "Best Community in America" Award by The National Association of Homebuilders and Professional Builder Magazine.
Hermosa del Mar :: Playa Hermosa, :: View Details
	Located in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, and only 20 minutes away from Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia, Hermosa del Mar is nestled along the sparkling sands of Playa Hermosa with crystal clear waters flowing across the exotic tropical scenery...soothing ocean breezes await you in what will without a doubt become your private refuge.
Hidden Harbor :: Fort Myers, FL :: View Details
	Unprecedented, Unparalleled, Unbelievable...All these words have been used to describe Hidden Harbor. Yet there are no words that fully do justice to the beauty, serenity and uniqueness of this one-of-a-kind residential community, conveniently located midway between Fort Myers and Naples. Come, experience Hidden Harbor's Unspeakable perfection yourself
Jade Condo Hotel Residences & Beach Club :: Manuel Antonio, :: View Details
	From its stunning perch overlooking the best of Manuel Antonio, Jade Resort Residences & Beach Club will become your personal connection to "Paradise on the Pacific". Jade (Wyndham) Condo Hotel Residences and Beach Club features 190 spectacular designer suites and a private beach club that rivals everything else in Costa Rica.
KaMilo at Mauna Lani :: Kohala Coast, HI :: View Details
	KaMilo at Mauna Lani a luxurious resort lifestyle with open spaces, outdoor living, awe-inspiring landscapes, and a true sense of community. Located within the world famous Mauna Lani Resort on the sun drenched Kohala Coast of the Big Island, Brookfield Homes Hawai′i is proud to offer KaMilo, a private, gated enclave containing a mix of single-family and paired homes ranging in size from 2,599 to 3,781 square feet. Our residences are configured with 2-4 bedrooms and up to 4.5 baths and all with 2-car garages.
Laguna at Riviera Dunes :: Palmetto, FL :: View Details
	Laguna at Riviera Dunes, situated directly on the beautiful Manatee River, offers a laid-back escape from downtown condominium living at an extraordinary price. Begin and end your day with breath-taking views of the Manatee River or the magnificent Riviera Dunes Yacht Basin. Enjoy relaxing by the pool and private clubhouse. And while you'll savor the casual Florida lifestyle, a short drive places you in the midst of fine dining, exquisite shopping and exciting cultural activities, making Laguna at Riviera Dunes the perfect seasonal or year round home.
Lely Resort :: Naples, FL :: View Details
	A close-to-everything Naples location, three championship golf courses and a cosmopolitan atmosphere amid lush natural surroundings has made Lely Resort one of the most sought after addresses in Naples. Lely Resort offers 13 spectacular unique neighborhoods.
LifeSmart Homes at Hampton Lake :: Bluffton, South Carolina :: View Details
	Introducing the Cottage Imagination Collection, the first single family homes in the LifeSmart Series, starting at $315,000. These efficiently designed, simpler, more environmentally conscious homes actually live larger while creating financial freedom by reducing living costs. You'll enjoy all the award-winning - newly completed - amenities offered at Hampton Lake, only now at prices nearly half of what you're used to seeing.
Mercato :: Naples, FL :: View Details
	Mercato is a main street community located on 53 acres designed to provide ultra-convenient, pedestrian friendly environment to those who reside there as well as the Naples community. Consisting of 92 units of residential over retail The Strada is reinventing urban living. 300,000 square feet of retail and boutiques space including a 50,000 square foot Whole Foods Market; renowned restaurants including Capital Grille; luxurious multiplex movie theatre and just minutes from the Gulf of Mexico.
Naples \| 701 :: Naples, FL :: View Details
	Naples \| 701 has a distinct tucked-away feeling that hits as soon as you enter the property. Every square foot of space is engineered for optimum use - from closet room to kitchen appliance placement, with sleek fixtures and bright spaces. It's everything you need, and nothing you don't.
Nihilani at Princeville Resort :: Princeville, HI :: View Details
	Find your home on Kaua'i's majestic North Shore, in this rare opportunity to live in highly acclaimed Princeville Resort. Nihilani comprises 100 thoughtfully crafted homes with golf course and Bali Hai views on this magnificent bluff between the mountains and the sea. These award-winning townhomes are beautifully designed in the plantation style to reflect indoor-outdoor living, while featuring current home innovations. Enjoy spacious lanais, two-car garages and a private outdoor recreation center situated within beautifully landscaped gardens.
Oasis :: Fort Myers, FL :: View Details
	At The Related Group we believe that the Oasis experience is made of moments. As your private luxury resort, Oasis is designed to capture those moments. Brilliantly placed on 17 acres of tropical paradise overlooking the Caloosahatchee River and surrounded by intriguing landscapes and breathtaking waterscapes, Oasis offers an unparalleled experience in luxury Gulf Coast Living. Whether taking a dip in your beach-entry swimming pool, boating on the Gulf of Mexico or calling the valet to bring your car for an evening of dining and theatre, each moment at Oasis will be filled with luxury touches and special experiences.
Ocean Springs Place :: Biloxi, Mississippi :: View Details
	Located in the #1 Emerging Market in the United States and eleigeible for GO Zone bonus depreciation benefits. A turn key operation for investors including property managment, forgiveable loans ( up to $73,000 )administered by SRAP through HUD. Our Ocean Springs development is sitting on 260 acres that is owned and designed by a local Ocean Springs developer and resident. The development is built with the end user in mind. Of the 779 total lots available, only 330 will be available to investors. 218 of which are luxury duplexes and 112 are brick single family homes with various floor plans and designs.
Pacifico :: Playas del Coco, Guanacaste :: View Details
	Pacifico. A reflection of all the good life has to offer. A place for the adventurer and the romantic. Well-planned for practical living with an exotic flair. A new place but not unfamiliar. Fresh ideas and possibilities surrounded comfort and quality. Careful consideration of the environment, the natural surroundings, the village neighbors and the sea ensure a harmonious existence will all that makes this place such a special place to live. Pacifico is a place to be discovered. Its amenities to be experienced. Its essence unable to be captured in words or in art. It's not natural. It's supernatural.
Paseo :: Fort Myers, FL :: View Details
	Paseo. The way to say "journey". Our way of saying a wonderful place to live. Stock Development presents an exciting new Ft. Myers community designed with a blend of inspired residences, all a stroll away from the Paseo Village Center. With plenty of places and spaces for family and friends to meet and celebrate life. Priced to move you!
Perrone Construction:: Sarasota, FL :: View Details
	As Sarasota's premier builder of luxury waterfront residences since 1980, Perrone Construction's reputation for unparalleled excellence is widely acknowledged throughout the community. Our dedication to quality and our commitment to our client remain as strong today as ever. Repeat clients and referrals from former clients account for a good deal of our business, and to our company, this is the highest compliment that we could receive.
Pili Mai at Po'ipu:: Koloa, HI :: View Details
	Experience ocean, golf course or mountain views at Po'ipu's newest neighborhood. Nestled amidst the fairways and greens of Kiahuna Golf Club, PiliMai offers the comfort and casual luxury of plantation-style architecture coupled with state-of-the-art amenities and a convenient location. Choose from seven inviting floor plans designed to maximize views and privacy, with a private recreational village to include pools, spa, exercise center and gathering pavilion. Discover the experience of island living on Kaua'i's sunny South Shore.
Roco Ki:: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic :: View Details
	Set along the dramatic headlands and pearl white beaches of the Dominican Republic's fabled eastern shore is a world that offers rich culture, awe-inspiring scenery and a wealth of adventure. This is the place that will redefine luxury living for a new generation. Here is a world where the past is honored; the present is celebrated; the future is boldly envisioned. Welcome to Roco Ki.
Savannah Preserve At University Place:: University Park, FL :: View Details
	Touch remarkable quality, enjoy spectacular design. Come exclaim over upgrade upon upgrade - acres of granite in kitchens and baths, glass block garden showers, lanais with incredible views from these brand new carriage-style condominium homes. Come hear yourself say the unheard of. "Finally. Now this is worth it." Not to mention, "What a terrific University Park location." Situated near Lakewood Ranch and the new University Town Center Mall.
Shadow Lakes:: Wills Point, Texas :: View Details
	Shadow Lakes offers a relaxed country lifestyle just 35 minutes from Dallas. Shadow Lakes' offers choice 1-5 acre homesites on open meadows, in secluded woodlands, or private lakesides. Shadow Lakes was designed to preserve the peaceful, natural setting of the Texas countryside. An unobtrusive infrastructure of underground utilities, a central water supply, and sensible covenants will help preserve the country experience. The community features two stocked lakes, community pool with pavilion, sports fields and walking trails in a private 200 acre property owners' park. Buyers can purchase now and build when ready as well as choose their own custom builder or use one of Shadow Lakes's designated showcase builders. Shadow Lakes is being developed by Southerland Communities, a premier developer of acreage communities.
Summer Cove on Siesta:: Siesta Key, FL :: View Details
	Only Summer Cove on Siesta offers sophisticated, modern, island living on Siesta Key that's move-in ready with a 100% money-back guarantee. While most high-end island communities in the area are selling ideas and pictures, Summer Cove offers buyers the real thing. And by real thing, we mean gorgeous landscapes, luxurious interiors, private elevators, exceptional water views, and the finest in modern, upscale amenities from the low $1 millions.
Sunset Falls at Bald Creek:: Waynesville, North Carolina :: View Details
	A 300 acre gated community ideally located between Asheville and Waynesville, Western North Carolina. Greeters cottage, gated entrance, paved roads, and underground utilities are in place. Elevations from 3,200 feet to 4,300 feet. Long range mountains views, gentle topography. Lots from 1.3 acres to 4.55 acres. Hiking trails are complete, crystal clear steams, and a planned clubhouse with fitness center, swimming pool, outdoor pavilion & BBQ area. The first two homes are under construction at this time, both over 3,000 square feet.
Tarpon Point Marina:: Cape Coral, FL :: View Details
	Tarpon Point Marina is a resort-style community featuring five unique residential villages of single family estate homes, coach homes, and condominium towers. These distinct neighborhoods are sculpted within the community's waterways, preserves and canals, taking full advantage of its spectacular setting at the southern tip of Cape Coral where the waters of the Caloosahatchee River and Glovers Bight empty into San Carlos Bay and the Gulf o f Mexico beyond. The focal point is an existing deep water marina offering direct access to the Gulf of Mexico. Tarpon Point Marina also features The Resort at MarinaVillage Residents Club, a waterfront retail village with a 19 story luxury Residents Club, offering 1/12 fractional ownership and with resort and hotel services featuring waterfront restaurants, shopping, Esterra Spa and Salon. Daily boat shuttle to Fort Myers Beach, boat and Kayak rentals, charter fishing services, ship store and Harbor Master, Captains lounge.
TerraMont:: San Antonio, Texas :: View Details
	TerraMont is a hill country estate acreage community located in the vibrant and growing city of San Antonio. Poised on the ridgeline of the hills near La Cantera, most of TerraMont estates share a view of the spacious interior nature park and distant hills, while others have coveted views of the city skyline - especially dazzling at night. This is truly a unique opportunity to possess Hill Country property located within the city of San Antonio at great pre-development pricing. The community features a gated and guarded entrance, community pool with pavilion, sports courts and walking trails in a private property owners' park. Buyers can purchase now and build when ready as well as choose their own custom builder or use one of TerraMont's designated showcase builders. TerraMont is being developed by Southerland Communities, a premier developer of Hill Country acreage communities.
The Cove at Celo Mountain:: Burnsville, North Carolina :: View Details
	The Cove at Celo Mountain elevates the North Carolina mountain living experience to the peak of quality, beauty and enjoyment. Tucked in the spectacular Blue Ridge Mountains approximately 35 minutes from Asheville, NC this dynamic, engaging, boutique community of luxury home sites, lots, villas and cottages is a property that wholly reflects its exquisite natural landscape. Located near historic Burnsville in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, The Cove at Celo Mountain offers a fully rewarding lifestyle and a grounded sense of community deeply rooted in regional values and traditions. Rediscover an America you thought was long gone; Discover a lifestyle where natural beauty meets simple elegance; Discover The Cove at Celo Mountain. Start making your "memories for a lifetime" today.
The Fairways at Savannah Quarters:: Pooler, GA :: View Details
	Epcon maintenance free , lock and leave community in Westbrook at Savannah Quarters. A private gated community on a Greg Norman signature golf course. Townhome's for active adults, young professionals, single again adults.
The Fitzgerald:: Asheville, NC :: View Details
	The Fitzgerald sits on storied grounds. A hallowed mountain setting that caught the eye of E.W. Grove nearly a century ago. This land became the inspiration and foundation for the legendary Grove Park Inn that still entices and charms visitors today as it has for generations. It is here, on this historic site, that The Fitzgerald living experience offers itself to a limited few fortunate enough to make this dream location their home.
The Ivy Naples Grande:: Naples, FL :: View Details
	For those who want Naples' exclusivity, championship golf and oceanfront elegance, there is The Ivy. Offering more than 3,000 square feet of living, the spacious homes feature the finest interior appointments and grand architectural details. While the private clubhouse provides the residents with the perfect place to meet and socialize with family and friends.
Vivante:: Punta Gorda, FL :: View Details
	Set in the heart of the tranquil coastal town of Punta Gorda, this luxury community features gorgeous condominium residences, a Grand Clubhouse, beautiful walking paths and magnificent views of Charlotte Harbor.
Western North Carolina Homes and Land:: Whittier, North Carolina :: View Details
	All our developments and lots have mountain views and or water views. One of our developments has direct river front lots. All lots have access to the Tuckasseeggee River via a 600' private recreational area. Our lots are the best around at great prices!!

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8 fat fighting foods

2009-11-15T05:59:00.001-06:00

Combat fat! Your allies in battling bulge? Foods that do the work for you. These edibles have proven lipid-melting powers that help you slim. That's a win.

By Veronica Byrd

Almonds Almond joy! Dieters who ate 3 ounces of these nuts every day reduced their weight and body-mass index by a solid 18 percent compared with an 11 percent drop in the no-nut group, a study in the International Journal of Obesity found. Almonds are high in alpha-linolenic acid, which can speed the metabolism of fats. Stick to 12 per serving.

Berries Vitamin C-loaded fruit such as strawberries and raspberries can help you sizzle up to 30 percent more fat during exercise, suggests research from Arizona State University at Mesa. Blend a vinaigrette of 1 cup berries and ¼ cup balsamic vinegar.

See our tips about Real Estate: http://www.robertjrussell.com

Cinnamon This spice could make your waistline nice. Sprinkling ¼ teaspoon on your food may prevent a postmeal insulin spike-this increase normally occurs after you eat and "signals the body that it should store fat rather than burn it," explains Lauren Slayton, R.D., of New York City. Add a dash to your oatmeal, yogurt or coffee.

Mustard Hello, yellow. The spice that gives mustard its color, turmeric, may slow the growth of fat tissues, a study in the journal Endocrinology notes. Eighty-six mayo in favor of any mustard; sprinkle turmeric on cauliflower and roast for a tangy side.

Oranges Prevent pound creep with this citrus star: It contains fat-torching compounds called flavones. Women who ate the most flavones had a significantly lower increase in body fat over a 14-year period, a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds. Snack on slices or drink freshly squeezed OJ (with pulp!) for the biggest payback.

Soybeans These green gems are rich in choline, a compound that blocks fat absorption and breaks down fatty deposits. Add ½ cup edamame to a salad.

Sweet potatoes Trade up to sweet taters. They're high in fiber, which means no drastic insulin jumps and thus less fat packed onto your hips. Bake a small sweet potato-think of two bars of soap as a portion size-and top with a dollop of lowfat or nonfat cottage cheese.

Swiss cheese Holy cow: "Calcium-rich foods reduce fat-producing enzymes and increase fat breakdown," says Michael B. Zemel, Ph.D., director of the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Put toe to toe with some of its cheesy counterparts, Swiss is a heavy hitter in the calcium department; layer a slice on a lunchtime sandwich, or stack some on high-fiber crackers.

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Are you avoiding the detours on the road to success ?

2009-11-13T23:11:00.001-06:00

RISMEDIA, November 10, 2009-Here at Buffini & Company we've coached over 50,000 people in a one-on-one capacity, and have dedicated ourselves to studying, researching and supporting people through the growth process. One thing I've noticed recently is that people are taking a step back and beginning to examine some of the practices they employ in their business.

When the market is flying high and sticking a sign in the yard brings in multiple offers it can be easy to think you're doing better than you necessarily are. The harsh reality is, however, a tougher market always exposes the real truth behind how you're actually doing. And some of us have gotten off track. Below, I detail "The Five Detours on the Road to Success."

1. Lack of Accountability

Every human being does better with accountability because we truly cannot see our own shortcomings; outside perspective is the best way to gain clarity on our patterns.

2. Loss of Motivation

Motivation, by its very nature, is designed to dissipate so we need to seek it out continually. As my friend and mentor, Zig Ziglar, says: "Motivation is like bathing. You have to do it on a daily basis!"

3. In Need of Direction

Once you get things moving and gain some momentum you actually need more direction than you did when you were just starting out. This is borne out by countless people who work their whole life and have nothing to show for it.

4. Isolation

All you have to do is watch the "Animal Planet" documentary on predators in the wild to know how detrimental isolation can be: Predators never attack the pack; they always look for the isolated, hurt, wounded, and lost, the ones who've stopped moving forward. Self-employed people are more predisposed to this isolation than anyone else.

5. Drift

While "isolation" is a predator, "drift" is a killer; it's the "silent assassin" because we don't know how far and how fast we've drifted until something catastrophic happens.

As you can see, the "Five Detours" are things we all face and it can be easy to get off track in both business and our personal lives. But let's examine the solution side of things. If there are detours, then rest assured there are also rules of the road to get you back on track.

Stay on Track with These Rules of the Road

1. Stay Accountable

While it may not be natural to seek out accountability, let's just have a look at what happens in its absence. Tiger Woods - the greatest golfer in the world - recently missed the cut at the British Open. Just so happens it was the first time in five years he didn't bring his coach to a tournament.

2. Brainstorm and Network with Others

We humans do much better when we mastermind together, which is why we facilitate networking at our events, as well as in our Coaching programs and Small Groups. Surround yourself with positive, resourceful, successful people, because they'll lift you up rather than drag you down.

3. Plan Daily Doses of Motivation

Just think of your daily motivation like an essential vitamin, with nothing but positive, good-for-you side effects. Plan daily doses by listening to affirming CDs in your car or by reading good books - just a few lines here or there will go a long way.

4. Follow the System

You know you're in need of direction - everybody is. And we've developed a system that works. Now, I know that few people ever follow the system 100%, but what if that means you're missing out on a 30% jump in your income?! Would that be worth increasing your commitment to the lead-generation activities by just 10%? The Referral Systems work; but only if you do!

5. Work with a Coach

A Coach has the expertise, tools and strategies to help you get your business cranking. That accountability and direction will help you avoid drift - the deadly killer.

This much I do know…there's a reason our Coaching Members averaged $192,000 in income in one of the worst markets we've seen…

The fact that you're still in business means you have weathered the storm and, as I've said before, a recession is a terrible thing to waste. Follow the rules of the road and you'll be launching a great new year.

For more information: Visit http://www.robertjrussell.com

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Obama Signs Homebuyer Tax Credit Extension

2009-11-09T05:15:00.001-06:00

RISMEDIA, -President Barack Obama has approved the first-time homebuyer tax credit extension which will extend the tax credit until April 30, 2010.

The extension is part of a $24 billion economic stimulus bill that will extend the $8,000 tax credit for homebuyers who are purchasing their first home from the current November 30 deadline and expands the program to offer a credit of $6,500 to homeowners who have lived in their current home for at least five years and are seeking to relocate.

The following details apply to the homebuyer tax credit expansion:

Who is Eligible
-First-time homebuyers, who are defined by the law as buyers who have not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase, may be eligible for up to an $8,000 tax credit.
-Existing homeowners who have been residing in their principal residence for five consecutive years out of the last eight and are purchasing a home to be their principal residence ("repeat buyer"), may be eligible for up to a $6,500 tax credit.
-All U.S. citizens who file taxes are eligible to participate in the program.

Income Limits
Homebuyers who file as single or head-of-household taxpayers can claim the full credit ($8,000 for first-time buyers and $6,500 for repeat buyers) if their modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is less than $125,000.
-For married couples filing a joint return, the combined income limit is $225,000.
-Single or head-of-household taxpayers who earn between $125,000 and $145,000, and married couples who earn between $225,000 and $245,000 are eligible to receive a partial credit.
-The credit is not available for single taxpayers whose MAGI is greater than $145,000 and married couples with a MAGI that exceeds $245,000.

Effective Dates
-The eligibility period for the tax credit is for homes purchased after Nov. 6, 2009, and before May 1, 2010. However, home purchases subject to a binding sales contract signed by April 30, 2010, will qualify for the tax credit provided closing occurs prior to July 1, 2010.

Types of Homes that Qualify
-All homes with a purchase price of less than $800,000 qualify, including newly-constructed or resale, and single-family detached, townhomes or condominiums, provided that the home will be used as their principal residence. Vacation home and rental property purchases do NOT qualify.

Tax Credit is Refundable
-A refundable credit means that if the amount of income taxes you owe is less than the credit amount you qualify for, the government will send you a check for the difference.

-For example:
-A first-time buyer who qualifies for the full $8,000 credit who owes $5,000 in federal income taxes would pay nothing to the IRS and receive a $3,000 payment from the government. If you are due to receive a $1,000 refund, you would receive $9,000 ($1,000 plus the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit).
-A repeat buyer who owes $5,000 would pay nothing to the IRS and receive $1,500 back from the government. If you are due to get a $1,000 refund, you would get $7,500 ($1,000 plus the $6,500 repeat buyer tax credit).
-All qualified homebuyers can take the tax credit on their 2009 or 2010 income tax return.

Payback Provisions
The tax credit is a true credit. It does not have to be repaid unless the home owner sells or stops using the home as their principal residence within three years after the purchase.

The www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com site is being updated. Check the site next week for more detailed information on the new tax credit.

To find out more about buying or selling a house - visit: http://www.robertjrussell.com

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What Realtors can learn from Football

2009-11-01T20:53:00.001-06:00

Are You Ready to "Tackle" Your Way to the Top?

Thankfully, the college football season kicked off this past week. As a huge sports fan, this just may be my favorite time of year. Between college football, professional football (kicking off this week), baseball pennant races, the PGA and NASCAR playoffs and hockey training camps, the Fall is a great time to be a sports fan. It's also a great time to be a Realtor.

Proper Expectations are Created During the Recruiting Process

When you became a Realtor, what were your expectations? My guess is no one gets started hoping to be "just average." Maybe you didn't necessarily want to be the superstar but you certainly wanted to be on a great team and have a chance to earn playing time.

College programs look for players with the right skills, work ethic and personalities that they can combine with the players they already have and the systems they run to continue to work towards a championship season. It also helps to understand a team's "system" so they can make sure the players that are recruited will fit in nicely. They promise to train, coach, provide maximum exposure to the best tools available and welcome you to their school and family of alumni, fans and supporters.

Real estate brokers should be doing the same thing, especially in today's ever-changing landscape. If you're with a full service company, you probably met with a Branch Manager or Recruiting Coordinator who discussed how the company can help you get to where you want to be with substantial training, coaching, maximum Internet exposure and national branding.

Training Camp - Turning "Role Play" into "Game Play"

I have never heard of many players who look forward to the grueling days of pre-season training camp. Sure, they are excited to be back with their teammates, back on campus (their "home away from home") and just weeks away from starting another season. In August, everyone starts with an equal chance of hoisting the National Championship trophy at the end of the season. But unless they love pain, they're never looking forward to two-a-day practices, wind sprints and coaches in their faces for three weeks.

It is clearly evident once the season kicks off that the players (and teams) who give 100% effort in this phase of their season will earn the biggest payoff once the games begin. As the old saying "practice the way you play" infers, the more you can put yourself in "game situations," the more prepared you'll be.

Does your company offer a thorough training program? Do you take advantage of training opportunities such as scripting sessions, skill building workshops and on-line educational opportunities? Do you have a written business plan showing how your "season" is going to play out? Are you "lifting weights" by practicing scripts, learning about contractual changes and studying market inventory so when you're in a game situation, you'll react accordingly?

Just like most football players don't like the sweat equity required in August, they know it will help them in the trenches of a close battle with a equally prepared conference foe late in the season.

Will you be ready when face-to-face with a Seller who has a tough objection? Will you be confident when a co-op agent send you a counter offer and tells you you're in "multiple offers"? Will your training help you "act" like a skilled professional instead of "react" like a Rookie when it counts?

Preseason Rankings Matter...But That's Why They Play the Games

Do you ever wonder how people who are part of those pre-season rankings determine who gets their votes? Do they base it on the number of players returning each season? Do they look at the schedules of each team and try to determine the number of wins and losses each team will have? Do they vote for their favorites or perhaps their alma mater?

It certainly helps to start the season towards the top of the rankings because if you do what you're supposed to do (i.e. win games), you'll be at the top when the season ends. If you lose however, you'll need to climb back over people...sometimes with victory and sometimes with a little pizazz and P.R. for good measure.

Much of a team's pre-season rankings can be attributed to their reputation. Can the media (or those voting) count on you handle the pressures of a big game or will they assume you'll choke in a pressure situation? Many people didn't think BYU could beat Oklahomaduring opening week but a untimely injury to Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford and a determined effort by Max Hall and his underdog BYU Cougars led to the first big upset of this season.

What does your personal marketing say about you? Will people have a preconceived belief about you before they meet you? Are you playing for one of the "big names" in town or will you need to have a few "upsets" to start becoming known as a challenger?

One thing is for sure - people love an underdog, so don't worry about your pre-season rankings. A skilled, confident and determined agent can deliver a quality presentation to any Buyer or Seller with the proper preparation. Just don't get caught reading your own press clippings and start believing how good you are. All it takes is one slip up to dramatically affect a season. Treat each client as if they are the only "game" on your schedule and deliver the services you know you can with enthusiasm, energy and service.

League championships and individual awards can't be won in week one but that can be lost. Titles aren't given out during the season just like commission checks won't be earned during a deal, so always be prepared for fourth quarter comebacks and pre-closing obstacles. Until the clock strikes zero or the HUD-1 statement has been signed, remember that the ball is still in play.

Your Schedule Plays a Big Role in Your Success

It's been said by many "experts" that Florida's schedule this season sets up well for the Gators to return to the National Championship game at the end of the season. As a Florida alum (Class of 1991) I am very proud and excited for our chances but will certainly reserve getting too excited until they arrive in Pasadena in January 2010.

In many cases, these schedules are determined years in advance, usually before any of the current players were even a candidate for recruitment. College players don't get to choose who they will play but once that first ball is kicked off in early September, play the games they must.

No questions asked, no excuses about "not being ready," and certainly a team would never just not show up.

A Realtor will be much more likely to succeed when they prepare and follow a consistent schedule. There are basically two sets of activities that should be on most Realtor's schedules: Business Development and Business Support.

What area do you think most agents spend their time on? That's right...business support. Where do you think they should be spending most of their time, effort and energy? You got it...business development.

You see, business support activities will never tell you "no!" Business support activities are easier and usually don't involve any self-esteem impacting events. But it won't take the business-saavy agent long to realize that without business development, there will be no "business" to support.

In addition to the weekly business meetings that will keep you updated with your office, company and industry, a schedule should involve prospecting activities (lead generation calls, follow up visits to FSBO's and Expired listings), listing appointments and buyer counseling sessions, showings and closings. It will also require time for coaching, training, script practice, follow up, inspections and computer research.

Just like a balanced team will need to practice offense, defense and special teams, a good Realtor should be sure to include personal activities into his or her schedule including things like church, children's activities and appointments.

Avoid the Big Injury

Just like Oklahoma will need to proceed without their Heisman Trophy winning QB Sam Bradfordfor an undetermined portion of their schedule, making sure you stay in "playing condition" throughout the season will be a huge key.

Be sure to find some time in your schedule for physical exercise, maintain a healthy diet and listen to your body. Until you've been in this business for a while, you never realize how exhausting the role of a Realtor can be. Don't succumb to the fast paced, fast food filled world of real estate. One sure way to avoid exhaustion is to drink plenty of fluids.

Buy In to What the Coaches Say...and Don't Believe What the Media Might Say

In football and in real estate, your coaches/managers are looking out for your best interests. Magazines, reporters and web sites are looking to sell papers or gain subscribers and readers.

Good coaches and managers will help hold you accountable to the activities needed to achieve the levels of success you desire or expect (see above). They will strive to show you how your actions can positively affect your future.

The media will usually provide detailed accounts of what wasn't done and who was negatively affected.

Only you can choose who you will listen to.

Play with Emotion...Play to Win

No matter how loud the crowd cheers or no matter how good the band sounds playing the fight song, the success of a team will be determined by how well it executes once the whistle blows. Don't winning teams play with passion and enthusiasm? Don't winning teams execute each and every play as if it determines the outcome of the game? Don't winning teams have leaders who step up and challenge their teammates, encouraging them to give it all they've got?

The same philosophy applies to Realtors. No mater how shiny your name tag, what type of car you drive or who designed your suit, it still boils down to how well you know how to deal with people. Are you excited to help people achieve their goals? Are you confident in your ability to help people solve their real estate problems? Do you believe you are the best person for the job?

It's Game Time

So there you have it...a few things that Realtors can learn from college football. As the cool temperatures of Fall arrive and people break out their college sweatshirts to cheer their schools on, think about the "big game" you're facing in your real estate career right now. We're just a few ticks away from the 4th quarter - where games are often won or lost. Will you be ready to execute when your number is called?

Good luck to you and your team as you move through the season.

Down...set...hike!

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Luxury Real Estate

2009-10-29T05:34:00.001-05:00

While most luxury real estate marketing professionals are still reeling from the downturn in the market and working harder than ever just to keep up, some are seeing the enormous opportunity that the new era of the internet has to offer and they are starting to reach for the gold ring. Yes, there is a gold rush out there. But, what may not be obvious is what the new gold looks like and how to find it.

The new gold is all about identifying an uncontested niche in your marketplace where you can add extraordinary value; then staking your claim to ownership of that new market space. It is about cashing in on who you are, what you are most passionate about and leveraging the new media tools to reach and connect with your ideal clients in a focused manner.

What Is the Catch?

You need to know who you are, what you stand for, what you are passionate about what you can do better than anyone else in your marketplace. You need to discover you unique voice. Only then will the new media tools make any sense to you in terms of their potential to tap the gold reserve that awaits you. The tools are meaningless otherwise. Only when you become "follow-worthy" will you attract and retain your audience, and also convert that audience into cash flow.

You Must Discover Your Golden Voice

The blog is a great example of a new media tool that is useless without knowing your unique voice. Luxury real estate agents have been hearing, for a couple years, that they need to blog. They have been promised that Google will magically send traffic to their sites if they just spew "content". Never mind that the content that they are writing about or the stories they are reporting are of any interest to a target market. Forget the idea of original content. After mindlessly regurgitating other people's information, most agents abandon their blogs within 60 days concluding that it was a waste of time and was of little value in terms of generating immediate leads, let alone transactions.

What an awesome tool the blog is for those who have discovered their unique "golden" voice, a voice that is "follow-worthy"! Blogs offer anyone the opportunity to become a syndicated columnist because followers can subscribe to their "column", keep up on the latest installments and also engage in discussion with the author and other followers. Plus, it is virtually free! So, is the help you can get from your silent marketing partner, Google. Google wants to help create a perfect match between you and your potential audience, your ideal potential clients because they sell more ads when users experience better search results.

Right now, there is an abundance of unexploited marketing niches right under your nose, where you can become the undisputed market leader. But, you will not perceive these untapped "gold mines" if you do not know your own mind. You first need to discover your own golden voice.

For more information on Luxury & International Properties visit: http://www.robertjrussell.com

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Can a Blog Help your Business ?

2009-10-26T21:02:00.001-05:00

So you have been thinking of creating a blog right ? Well, the time is now to get a blog. A blog, if done right, can act as a

direct and indirect mechanism that brings large amounts of qualified visitors to your site, many of whom may become customers.

This is mostly related to the way blogs interact with search engines and the traffic I am speaking of will come from search
engines, mostly Google.

Before I explain how you can do this to help your website, let me first give some background on how search engines work, Google in
particular.

When it comes to optimizing your website (or blog for that matter) for search engines you must always keep in mind two
things: on-page optimization and off-page optimization.

On-page optimization is the elements of a Web page that better optimize it to be found and ranked well in the search engines.
These elements can include on-page content such as the actual sentences and paragraphs on the page, the headlines (or headers
or Hx tags), the links, the links' text, the title tag and much more.

Off-page optimization means the things that are done on sites besides your own, namely link-building. Off-page optimization is
the process of creating links (or causing others to create links)on other websites that point to your site. Inbound links as these
are often called have a major impact on how well you rank in search engines. Generally speaking, the more inbound links, the
better. But the quality of the sites with these inbound links, or the way the search engines perceive the sites, is even more
important.

To rank on the first couple of pages on the search engines requires work on both on-page and off-page optimization.

Two additional and important pieces of information that you'll need to understand are related to site content and internal
links.

Search engines also very much love new, original and quality content, and they like to see your website regularly adding this
kind of new content. You don't need to add pages every day, just add pages at the same rate over time. So if you add a page a week
to your site, keep it at around that same pace, or increase or decrease gradually.

A website can be considered a living entity in a sense. It certainly shouldn't be static. It should grow over time. And the
fantastic thing about content is that the more of it there is on your site, the more chances you have of getting found in the
search engines.

The idea that inbound links help your search engine rankings that I explained above can be extended to your own internal pages as
well. In other words, the more links to a particular page coming from other pages within the same site will boost that page's
rank as well.

Think of it this way. If you had a ten page site, including a product page and every page on the site contained a link to your
product page and, if all other things were equal, your product page would rank higher than the rest of your site's pages (besides
the home page which is given a little extra weight).

Now let's consider what would happen if there were only you and your competitor in your industry (if only that could be true!)
and your site still had those ten pages while your competitor's site contained one hundred pages. Furthermore, your competitor
set it up the same way as you where he added a link to every page on his site that pointed to his product page. If all other things
were equal, his product page would outrank your product page every time. Why? Because he had 100 internal links pointing to his
product page and you only had 10.

If you put all these pieces together now, on-page optimization, off-page optimization or link building, content creation and
internal linking, can you begin to see why a blog may be a good thing? A blog helps with all of these.

A blog that is regularly updated is providing a mechanism for adding fresh content on a regular basis. Plus, it's so easy to
use a blog that anyone can use them, so even if you or your employees don't know a thing about Web pages and HTML, you'll
still be able to add new content to your site.

Consider this. If you add fresh, quality content to your blog on a regular basis by writing posts, something the search engines
love, and within each post you link to an important page within your site, let's say your product page for instance, you're now
building links to help your rankings using your blog. With this additional link your product page gets that much more boost in
the search engines.

Remember how I explained that links from within your own site help your rankings? Adding links within your blog posts pointing
back to your other important pages that you want to rank well is a great way to help your rankings.

And every time you publish a new post, you're giving the search engines one more entry point into your site. Your site will
quickly get bigger, and with each new page your site gets more visible.

Keep in mind that the links you make within your blog posts should be relevant. Only link to your product page from a post
that has to do with your products. And also, blog posts ought to be useful to your site visitors. The less you talk about your
products and instead offer useful, free information that people can use, the more traffic and repeat visitors you'll get.

Remember that people really don't care about you, your website or your products, they only care about how you can help them. If
you sell furniture, a blog post about how to find the best deals on furniture would be far better than a post about how your
chairs are the best in the world.

One important thing to remember is that if you plan on creating a new blog for your business as a way to augment your website be
sure you put the blog on your actual domain. This means that you would not use a remote service like Blogger.com. Instead, you
must have the blog on your business website's address (or domain). For example, if your website address is
http://www.yoursite.com/ then your blog should be located at http://www.yoursite.com/blog or http://blog.yoursite.com/

By adding a blog to your business website you are creating a way to get more traffic. You'll get direct traffic from your posts,
which get indexed by the search engines and drive traffic to your site from searches. And, you'll get indirect traffic from your
other site's pages ranking well in the search engines because they have links pointing to them from your blog posts.

You'll be regularly adding fresh content to your site, which search engines love, thereby creating more ways to be found in
the search engines at the same time. And each post provides a new opportunity to create a link or two to other pages and blog posts
on your site, thereby boosting those pages' rankings.

Like I suggested at the beginning, if your business website doesn't have a blog, go get one.

Visit http://www.robertjrussell.com

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A Day of Computer Prohibition!

2009-10-22T20:47:00.001-05:00

Imagine a day coming to the office and discovering that the Internet lines are down. Is it still possible for companies to operate in these circumstances? Definitely a bad day for the average company big or small, but these circumstances would be very different for the Internet marketer. Let us see why.

Not withstanding the fact that many big companies such as hospitals, airports managements do have their private "generators" to deal with such situations, the computer in the office world can be summed up in three grand chapters namely communications, information and data processing. For the Internet marketer, if these basics are obviously similar they do not tie him down to his computer due to him having created an automatic follow-up for the majority of them.

It would be interesting to test a day in the office with no Internet access. Are people still capable of hand-writing a message to their colleagues, using a flowchart or even conceiving one? How many offices out there have foreseen an emergency plan and are set-up for such a day, heaven forbid and is it conceivable? My point is that we are very much addicted to our computers granted that they do increase the speed of daily chores, they have albeit indeed stolen human contacts and personal touches and have made every monthly bill from these conglomerates all but humane.

Conversely, the Internet marketer - and we all need to be one* - should enjoy a day or two of computer prohibition sprinkled into our weekly lives. We would use that time very productively by visiting our friends, taking a walk and thereby doing some public relations (in a small manner) as well as taking a little distance from our business to conceive some possible improvements to its approach and future; business that in any case runs without our constant presence, because that is how it must be setup. One website, an auto-responder are the basics, and upon these two essentials an empire can be build with all compatible ramifications that in time get included. The "job" of the marketer will then profit from when the office is closed due to the dreaded local Internet failure.

To find out about internet online marketing visit http://www.robertjrussell.com

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SEO - Search Engine Optimization

2009-10-19T21:31:00.001-05:00

Learning how to get rated by the search engine can be a daunting task. What I have learned is that you don't need to be an expect. Learn to do what you are good at, writing, sales, coaching etc. Get some good content going. Get your blog SEO ready. Start to look for info on You Tube and Google for free, on how to get your site listed on the first page of Google. I have found many free You Tube video that show me how to get higher ranking. Also you can shop around to get out sourcing prices to have someone do it for you. There are so many opportunities and ways to use search engine optimization. Get a coach to help you with things that are hard for you. Start writing out a plan of action steps that you can do daily. A Daily method of operation. Include at these one action step for SEO. Just relax and take one step at a time. You can do it!

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$8000 Home Buyer Tax Credit

2009-10-12T20:18:00.001-05:00

Another quick blog post for We Did It Again Group Blog:

Quick passage by the House last week of a bill extending the $8,000 home buyer tax credit next year for military, diplomatic and intelligence personnel serving overseas increases the odds that Congress will agree to an extension, maybe even an expansion, of the entire credit program well into 2010.

The White House is also signaling that it sees the overall tax credit program -- currently set to expire November 30 -- as an important element in cutting the unemployment rolls and stimulating new jobs next year.

After an economic policy strategy meeting last week in the Oval Office involving President Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, congressional aides said Democrats generally support an extension of the housing credit.

Reid already has made clear he wants an extension. He is co-sponsoring a Senate bill that would do so for six months.

Congressman Charles Rangel, chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, sponsored the one-year extension of the credit for military and other personnel serving overseas, and is reported by aides as favoring an extension for the entire program.

The White House has not publicly committed to an extension, but has confirmed that the President is seriously examining that option.

An unexpected development that emerged following last week's White House meeting was the possibility of opening up the credit to a broader group of buyers next year - people who sell their current homes and buy a replacement home.

Though details were scanty, Capitol Hill sources said one option on the table would be to provide a tax credit -- most likely at the $8,000 level -- to replacement home buyers whose incomes do not exceed some limit.

The current credit phases out for single taxpayers with incomes above $75,000, and married purchasers earning $150,000.

A politically sensitive issue hovering over the entire debate on extending the housing tax credit is its cost - what it would add to the federal budgetary deficit. Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Economy.com, estimates that widening the credit to all buyers through next August could cost the government upwards of $30 billion.

Rangel's 12-month extension of the credit for service personnel is estimated to cost more than $300 million, but it's mainly being paid for through an increase in penalties levied by the IRS on taxpayers who fail to file corporate or partnership returns.

The New York Times reported that one possible solution to the cost problem would be to divert money not yet spent out of 2009's $800 billion stimulus legislation.

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Home Value by Square Foot

2009-10-03T21:03:00.001-05:00

One of the biggest determining factors in determining comparable value is square footage.

When comparing the square footage of homes always try to keep comps as similar in square footage as possible. Figuring out the price of a home on a square footage basis is an excellent way to compare apples with apples. It becomes more complicated when one home has been renovated and another needs work. Don't compare a newly built home's price per square foot with an older home's price per square foot.

There's Square Footage and There's Square Footage

A square foot is defined as a two-dimensional square measuring one foot on each side. If you are looking at a home that seems a little smaller than the stated square footage, it might not be your eyes. Real estate brokers tend to measure square footage by inside room dimensions. Developers like to measure the exterior of the building. This can add considerable square footage to the home.

You also need to find out exactly what has been factored into the equation. Does the total measurement include basement space? Garage space? Deck space? Space on staircases? There's no standard way to measure square footage. Sellers will include every nook and cranny and buyers won't.

Do not solely compare the size of the land the property sits on and the price of the property. Lots sell for different prices than homes and the cost varies greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood. For example, if the house is in terrible shape, or is considered a "tear-down," a developer may only want to pay for the price of the lot, since tearing down and hauling away the existing structure is an added expense.

Side-by-Side Comparison

In some areas of the country, agents do not want to be liable for representing a total square footage of the property. Total square footage is not indicated on the listing sheet, but room dimensions are shown. The room count may not include bathrooms, hallways, closets, and other spaces. You might have to compare every room side by side and guesstimate total size.

In this instance, estimate the total square footage by multiplying the dimensions of each room. For example, if the bedroom is 10 feet by 12 feet, then the area, or square footage, is 120 square feet. Add up all of the room dimensions for a total square foot measurement. You may still have to estimate hallways and other spaces, but it gives you a good estimate.

After determining the size of the home you desire, the equation is simple. Just divide the listing price by the number of square feet and you will get the price per square foot. For example, a 1,000-square-foot condo priced at $300,000 costs $300 per square foot.

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It's always to your advantage to buy a home with a reasonable cost per square foot. A home with a square footage cost lower than other homes in the neighborhood might be a great deal. On the other hand, the home may have a lot of other things wrong with it that need renovation, and unless you had remodeling in the budget, it might not be worth it to you.

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Looking for a House, Foreclosure or Short Sale ?

2009-10-03T08:32:00.001-05:00

Home Buyers Scouting Report (HBSR) Express. Shared via AddThis

Total Number of Home Listings Down in August

2009-09-28T21:31:00.001-05:00

RISMEDIA, September 24, 2009-The number of homes for sale declined nearly 3% in August 2009, compared to July, and is down more than 23% compared to a year ago, according to a monthly local market survey of home listings based on Multiple Listing Service (MLS) data in 25 metropolitan markets conducted by the national real estate brokerage ZipRealty.

Other highlights from ZipRealty's August Housing Inventory Index include:

-Housing inventory in the San Francisco Bay Area declined 7.6% in August, compared to July, and is down 48.9% year-over-year- the largest month-over-month drop across the 25 markets surveyed.
-Other markets with significant month-over-month declines include Orlando (5.1%), Washington, D.C. (4.7%) and Boston (3.9%).
-Salt Lake City remained statistically unchanged in August with no movement tracked in inventory.
-The worst may be over in Las Vegas, with home listings declining 3.4% in August but the median list price unchanged for the fifth consecutive month. Inventory in Las Vegas is now at the lowest level ever tracked by ZipRealty in the four years that ZipRealty has tracked this information.
-The Florida housing market continues to show signs that it has yet to hit bottom, as housing inventory and median list prices slipped in Miami, Orlando and Tampa. Inventory in Jacksonville increased slightly (.01%), though the median list price declined 1.39% to $177,000.

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Do you have an Insurance License ?

2009-09-28T11:16:00.001-05:00

Do you have an Insurance License ? Shared via AddThis

Short Sales Spread across Real Estate Market, Leaving Frustration in Their Wake

2009-09-26T21:54:00.001-05:00

^{RISMEDIA, September 26, 2009-(MCT)-A few years ago, few people in the housing market had ever heard of a short sale. Mention the term today and people, whether they are homeowners or real estate agents, just roll their eyes.The practice, which involves selling a property for less than the amount owed on the mortgage, has grown in popularity as an exit strategy for financially strapped homeowners because it doesn't ding a credit report as deeply as a foreclosure. But because the transactions have to be approved by first and second lien holders, they are languishing. Some real estate agents try to steer clear of them entirely and even specify in their listings that a property is not a short sale.}

In mid-May, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner announced plans to streamline the process by offering financial incentives to mortgage servicers and investors that accept short sales, much in the same way that they are rewarded for refinancing or modifying troubled mortgages. Four months later, homeowners, real estate agents and lenders are still waiting for specific details of how the plan would work. A Treasury Department spokeswoman said an update on the program is expected in a few weeks.

Meanwhile, homeowners like Dallas O'Day are in limbo. O'Day, a Chicago attorney, and his family relocated from California in June 2004 and bought a Mediterranean-style home in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood for $395,000. They rewired the house, stripped and refinished the wood floors and the woodwork, and did other work to restore its charm. Last year, personal circumstances prompted them to list the home for sale just as the housing industry's meltdown was picking up steam. With no takers and no longer even expecting to break even on his investment, O'Day relisted the 2,700-square-foot home in January as a short sale.

Four months and three price reductions brought the house down to $384,900, at which point a potential buyer made an offer in late May. O'Day accepted it and submitted the paperwork to the lenders holding first and second mortgages on the home. He has yet to receive a response. Meanwhile, the family has moved into an apartment, the refrigerator has broken in the home and there's evidence of mold in the basement. "The only thing we keep hearing is they keep wanting current payroll stubs, bank statements and taxes," said O'Day's real estate agent, Pam Decker at Prudential Biros Real Estate in Evergreen Park, Ill.

"What has astonished me is that in the presence of one of the softest housing markets I can remember, we're hitting up on four months and they've just had a person assigned to look at it, that they would move at such a glacial pace," O'Day said. "My expectation is I'll be renting until whatever blemish is gone. I've just accepted the fact that at some point it'll be foreclosed upon because I just don't think the banks will pull it together. I feel like I've done everything I can do."

During the second quarter, 14% of all home sales were short sales and they were made primarily to first-time buyers who may have more flexibility to deal with the long wait times, according to a survey by Campbell Communications. The sales volume could be much greater. Two out of three short sales never close. "In general, you have to have three offers for every completed short sale," said survey designer Thomas Popik. "The first offer, the buyer walks before they get a yes or no. On the second offer they walk a good part of the time. The third offer is the charm because it's been in process long enough at the lender that the lender knows they want to do this.

"Home buyers are now putting in half a dozen verbal offers, hoping that on one of them the lender will say yes. What this is doing is bogging down the approval process at the mortgage servicers. It's just gotten to the point that everyone has started engaging in unproductive behavior. It's a vicious cycle."

The process of getting a short sale approved involves a packet of documents that includes bank statements, tax returns, letters explaining any other sources of income and a hardship letter explaining why a short sale is being sought. After the packet is submitted to a mortgage servicer, it has to be entered into the system, a person has to be assigned to it, and an appraisal has to be ordered for the property. On average, it took loan servicers 91/2 weeks to respond to a short sale offer, Campbell's survey found.

"You've got to stay on top of these banks," said James Orrico, a real estate agent at Professional Residential Brokerage LLC in Oak Brook, Ill. "I call on my files every day. If you don't stay on top of them, you'll lose it."

A number of factors are contributing to the delay. Lenders say their top priority is keeping people in their homes, and their own and the government's loan modification programs are taking the bulk of their resources. "The modification program was just like an atom bomb that dropped on servicers," said Matt McCabe of National Short Sale Center, a company that acts as a negotiator between borrowers and mortgage lenders. "They had a really hard time reacting to that increased demand."

Also delaying the process is that if a home can't be saved, servicers are keen on trying to recover as much as possible for what could be multiple investors and that requires a fair amount of due diligence. "The challenge is buyers always want to pay as little as possible and sellers want to receive as much as possible," said Tom Kelly, a spokesman for JPMorgan Chase, which services 10.3 million mortgages. "The bank is the server in the middle."

From a prospective buyer's standpoint, purchasing a short sale property can be preferable to a foreclosure because if the borrower stills owns the home, he or she is likely to take better care of it.

However, with so many distressed properties for sale, and other homes selling conventionally at drastically reduced prices, there's a wealth of inventory available allowing buyers to get a quick yea or nay to their offer. Some buyers make offers on multiple short sales or write the offers so they can walk away if a lender doesn't respond within a certain time frame.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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Another Terror Related Threat hits Dallas and other Cities

2009-09-25T15:29:00.000-05:00

An extended period of relatively little news about domestic terrorist threats was shattered this week. A spate of arrests and reports of fearsome plots have Americans back on edge and struggling to make sense of the suspects and continuous headlines. Below, the recent developments:

-- Last week authorities raided several New York City properties in connection with the arrest of Najibullah Zazi, a legal immigrant from Afghanistan living in Denver who authorities said Friday is believed to have been plotting an attack on the New York City subway system on Sept. 11 similar to the 2004 attacks in Madrid. The AP reported that Zazi criss-crossed the globe hunting for materials to make hydrogen peroxide bombs for al-Qaida, enlisting associates equipped with stolen credit cards to help him purchase massive quantities of hydrogen peroxide, acetone (the main component in nail polish remover) and a component to make the compound called TATP, the main explosive used in the London terror bombings of 2005. Zazi, who operated a coffee cart in New York and drove an airport shuttle in Denver, continues to maintain that he is not a terrorist. He has been transferred to NYC to face charges.

-- On Thursday a Jordanian named Hosam Maher Husein Smadi, 19, was arrested in Dallas after he parked a car he believed to be loaded with explosives, but were in actuality fakes supplied to him by an undercover FBI operative, in front of a downtown Dallas skyscraper. Undercover Arabic-speaking agents first made contact with Smadi, who's been living illegally in a small Texas town north or Dallas, after they discovered him championing jihad against the U.S. on an extremist, anti-American website. The relationship between the undercover agents and Smadi culminated with the FBI supplying him with a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac laden with what Smadi believed was an explosive device similar to the one used by Timothy McVeigh in the Oklahoma City bombing that could be detonated by cellphone. He was arrested immediately after trying to detonate the impotent explosives.

-- Michael Finton, who also goes by the name of Talib Islam, was arrested in Illinois on Wednesday for allegedly plotting to blow up a federal building, an act which led him to being charged with attempted murder of federal employees and attempting to detonate a weapon of mass destruction. Finton, who authorities say idolized American citizen turned Taliban soldier John Walker Lindh, visited Saudi Arabia in 2008 and returned wanting to take action against Israel. He mentioned his intentions to an undercover law enforcement source, who in turn introduced Finton to an undercover FBI agent, who then arranged to supply Finton with an explosives-laden vehicle, just as the FBI did in the Smadi case. On Wednesday, Finton parked the vehicle in front of a federal building in Springfield, Illinois and was arrested after he attempted to detonate the fake bomb with a cellphone.

-- Daniel Patrick Boyd and Hysen Sherifi, two men arrested last month in North Carolina and charged with plotting terrorist acts overseas, were indicted yesterday for conspiring to murder U.S. military personnel by bombing the Marine base in Quantico, Virginia. The official indictment against the two provided little information outside of accusing Boyd and Sherifi of obtaining maps of the base and spending considerable time monitoring its activity. Prosecutors say that Boyd, a U.S. citizen, spent time in terror camps located in Pakistan and Afghanistan and fought on the side of Afghanistan against the Soviets in the early 1990s. Sherifi, a native of Kosovo, is a legal U.S. citizen.

-- Two men seen recently taking an extensive number of photographs of the Philadelphia subway system have raised concerns for authorities. Thus far, neither man has been positively identified, though police are hoping to track them down to question them on "the nature or the reason for taking the photographs."

Case officials say the individual incidents do not appear to be linked. As for advice to a worried public, for now it's a return to familiar advice: Remain vigilant, says the Department of Homeland Security, and report any suspicious activity to the FBI via their internet tips line ( https://tips.fbi.gov/ ) or by calling 1-800-CALLFBI.

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Overworked is your middle name

2009-09-24T21:17:00.003-05:00

In these troubled times, a man must do everything he can to keep his job lest he end up just another depressing statistic/exemplary member of a vibrant homeless community. Given how high the stakes are (trash as clothing is so 2001), it can be tempting to work your face off an effort to stay at the top of your boss's do-not-fire list. When you wake up under your desk at 3 AM covered in highlighter fluid, though, it's time to reassess your priorities; things have taken a bad turn. Sound familiar? Check our checklist to find out if it's time for a vacation.

You dream about your boss.
You know the dream. The one where you're in the shower, and suddenly your boss shows up and demands a rewrite of the report you submitted weeks ago. You flip out and reach for the nearest towel, but he (or, if you're lucky, she) takes no notice of the awkwardness of the situation and instead berates you for not using Times New Roman (Ed Note: Obey). Unless this dream turns into a hot fantasy involving soap on a rope and domination by a woman in a power position, you're in desperate territory. When even sleep isn't safe anymore, it's time to take a break.

Portions of your face twitch uncontrollably.
Once your friends start mistaking you for a stroke victim, you need to face the fact that you've been logging a few too many hours under the glowing light of the office fluorescents. At this point, your only options are to spend a week "working from home" or check yourself into a rehab facility, and until the 12 steps are covered by your crappy healthcare plan, it looks like you're in for five days of reality TV and mid-morning naps.

People have started to comment on your paper coffee-cup fortress.
Art is a valuable pursuit, but not when it's made out of moldy sandwich wrappers and taking over your workspace. It doesn't matter how many extra projects you complete ahead of schedule if you become the office hoarder by working so hard you're unable to dispose of your trash in a timely and civilized manner. Sure, every once in a while it's fun and healthy to work out your mental roadblocks with a little pencil architecture or stapler

Every conversation you have begins and ends with "at the office" or "while I was at work".
Just like nobody wants to talk to the guy who can't complete a sentence without mentioning his Warcraft avatar, the always-talking-about-work dude becomes the no-longer-has-friends dude faster than you can say "avatar". If your dinner companion's eyes glaze over every time you open your mouth, then you're well on your way to becoming a one-trick pony who is likely to find himself the proud owner of the loneliest fantasy football league.

You're more turned on by pivot tables than by the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.
Yes, we know. It is super awesome when equations update themselves at alarming speeds, especially when it leads to a pat on the back from the boss and the possibility of a raise when the economy rebounds in 2011. But there is no excuse for letting work take the place of more earthly pleasures, even if it seems like The Most Important Thing Ever right now. Excel will never love you back the way you want it to, and it gets mad insecure when you dabble in Open Office. You don't need that kind of stress in your life.

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