Realtors Join in Building Homes for Heroes

Realtors Join in Building Homes for Heroes by Bob Hunt There were no dry eyes today at the celebration/ceremony marking the raising of the walls of the first four homes in Habitat for Humanity's "Homes for Heroes and Foundation for Families" neighborhood in San Juan Capistrano. Homes for Heroes is a pilot project for Habitat. Fourteen of the 27 homes to be built on a 2.7 acre site here will be marketed both to combat-disabled veterans and their families and to the surviving families of deceased veterans. It is anticipated that this program will be continued throughout other parts of the country. Habitat for Humanity is widely known for its philosophy of "providing a hand up, not a handout." Families are selected to purchase Habitat for Humanity homes based upon need, good credit, household income (which must fall between 25 – 80 percent of the area's median income), legal residency in the U.S., ability to make a 1 percent down payment and to repay a long-term mortgage, and a commitment to partner with Habitat. Once a family is selected, they attend classes on home ownership, budgeting, and home maintenance. They work with a "family partner" who provides guidance and support. And, most notably, they donate 500 hours of "sweat equity" either building their own home or helping another family build theirs. In the case of the San Juan Capistrano project, families of Marines stationed at nearby Camp Pendleton were encouraged to apply. (Currently, the Orange County branch of Habitat is processing over 200 applications and inquiries.) At today's ceremony, seven of the families who will live in the eight homes in Phase One were introduced. Two of them were families of active duty Marines. One Marine, a single dad, could not be there. His duty today was to escort home the body of a fallen comrade. Today's wall-raising event was preceded by the participation last week of approximately 400 Marines and Sailors from Camp Pendleton. About 100 a day worked for four days building frames, digging trenches, and laying irrigation lines. They worked so hard, so fast, and so efficiently, that they were asked to move on to another project before the four days were up. They had done a projected four day's work in about two. Members of Combat Logistics Regiment 15, most of them are preparing to deploy to Iraq. The Homes for Heroes project particularly resonated with local Realtors®. Three nearby associations – Orange County Association of Realtors®, Newport Beach Association of Realtors®, and Laguna Board of Realtors® -- committed to raise $250,000, an amount sufficient to build one home. Their efforts, to put it simply, were just phenomenal. Individual Realtors®, brokerage offices, Women's Council of Realtors®, association staff members, affiliates such as lenders, home warranty reps, and sign companies all pitched in. They held events (one Realtor®, Michael Gosselin of Laguna Beach, even sponsored a "non event" that raised $19,000), they recycled, they auctioned, they sponsored luncheons and drawings, and they wrote checks. Need I remind anyone that when all this was going on, the market had already turned? Down, that is. The last year and one-half has not been fat times for Orange County Realtors®. This past month, the Realtor® associations topped their goal of $250,000. Excess funds will be used to help furnish one of the homes for heroes. Having raised the requisite money, today scores of Realtors®, association staff, and affiliates were on site swinging hammers and raising the walls of homes that will introduce deserving, well-chosen families to the American Dream. Don Readinger, president of the Orange County Association of Realtors®, and himself a Navy veteran, begins his public addresses by stating, "I'm proud to be a Realtor®." Anyone who attended today's ceremony in San Juan Capistrano would have been proud to say that with him. Copyright © 2008 Realty Times. All Rights Reserved.

Flower Mound Home for Sale !

Robert J Russell | RE/MAX DFW - We Did It Again Group | 972-679-9029 5217 Timber Trail, Flower Mound, TX Visit our website for more pictures and details. 4BR/2BA Single Family House offered at $209,833 Year Built 1997 Sq Footage 2,152 Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 2 full, 0 partial Floors 1 Parking 2 Car garage Lot Size 8,629 sqft HOA/Maint $165 per month DESCRIPTION Call today - don't delay! see additional photos below OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES Call 1-888-205 1690 Ext 3200 for our Audio Tour ADDITIONAL PHOTOS Seller contact info: Robert J Russell RE/MAX DFW - We Did It Again Group 972-679-9029 For sale by agent/broker Equal Opportunity Housing Posted: Jun 20, 2008, 1:32am PDT

Condo's - 1 Bed, 2 Bed & 3 Bed For Sale !

 
 
 
 
Visit http://www.robertjrussell.com for details about owning a Condo in Las Vegas!

Countrywide Delinquencies Rise

Daily Real Estate News  |   February 19, 2008

 

Countrywide Financial Corp., the nation's largest mortgage lender, says loan delinquencies as a percentage of unpaid principal balance increased to 7.47 percent in January from 4.32 percent in January 2007.

Foreclosures pending as a percentage of unpaid principal balance increased to 1.48 percent in January from 0.77 percent in January 2007.

The rise in foreclosures and late payments reached record levels in January, according to Countrywide.

Countrywide says it funded $21.89 billion of home loans in January, down 41 percent from $37.11 billion a year earlier. Average daily loan applications totaled $2.64 billion, down 6 percent from $2.82 billion a year earlier.

Source: The Associated Press, Alex Veiga, and Reuters News, Jonathan Stempel (02/15/08)

Report: Dallas-Fort Worth home prices least likely to drop

07:30 AM CST on Wednesday, January 16, 2008 By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News stevebrown@dallasnews.com Dallas-Fort Worth's housing market is the least likely of any in the country to see a decrease in home values, a new report confirms. At the same time, the chances of a house price decline rose in almost four out of five U.S. markets, according to a report released Tuesday by mortgage insurance firm PMI Group. Dallas and Fort Worth ranked dead last in PMI Group's latest forecast of cities with the biggest chance for a home price shakeout. Analysts with the California-based company estimate that Dallas-Fort Worth has less than a 1 percent chance of marked home price drops in the next two years. By comparison, cities in California , Nevada and Arizona have more than an 80 percent likelihood of falling residential values. "We're seeing an increasingly polarized market," PMI economist David Berson said in a news release. "The risk that home prices will be lower in two years has increased for many of the largest cities in the nation, although areas that saw only moderate home price gains during the 2002-to-2005 period still generally have low risks of price declines," he said. That's certainly the case in Dallas-Fort Worth, where home price appreciation during the last five years has been a fraction of the national average. "Because Texas did not participate in the double-digit home price gains in the first half of the decade, it doesn't have to take the great pain of the areas that are compensating for that now," Mr. Berson said in an interview. Now that the housing sector is in a slump, home values in North Texas have been relatively flat while they are falling in many other major U.S. cities. In 2007, the median price of homes sold through the North Texas Realtors' multiple listing service was up 1 percent from 2006. Texas markets – including the D-FW area – were also less affected by investors who ran up prices in some cities, Mr. Berson said. And most Texas cities are outpacing the rest of the country in overall economics, he said. "The state economy is doing pretty well, and job growth is above the national average," Mr. Berson said. "It's quite likely Texas will be doing better than the national average for the foreseeable future," he said. The D-FW area has gotten high marks in the PMI risk report before. And other national surveys show that North Texas ' housing market is outperforming those in the rest of the country. Even so, pre-owned home sales were down about 8 percent last year, and sales of new homes fell about 17 percent in 2007. Foreclosure rates also continue to rise. Analysts are therefore keeping a close eye on D-FW home prices for signs of deterioration. "I can't argue with the PMI risk assessment, but it doesn't mean that it still couldn't happen – just not as likely as elsewhere," said Dr. James Gaines, an economist with Texas A&M University 's Real Estate Center. "So far, most Texas markets are doing well. "The metroplex probably will do well to have positive overall appreciation, but pockets within the metroplex will have a rough time for a while." Indeed, Mr. Berson said, the Texas housing market isn't bulletproof. "There are no sure things," he said. "It's possible that some parts of Texas will see some declines in the near term." But overall, the outlook for the local housing market is good, he said. HOW RISKY IS THE HOUSING MARKET? Markets with the most and least risk of a home price decline, based on price appreciation, economic growth and affordability according to PMI Group, one of the country's largest mortgage insurance firms. An index of 100 means there is a 100 percent chance of home prices falling in the next two years. MOST RISKY Riverside , Calif. 94 Las Vegas 89 Phoenix 83 Santa Ana , Calif. 81 Los Angeles 79 LEAST RISKY Fort Worth Less than 1 Dallas Less than 1 Pittsburgh Less than 1 Houston Less than 1 San Antonio Less than 1 SOURCE: PMI Group

Cities Where Values Have Fallen the Most

While resetting rates are causing some foreclosures, falling home prices are also playing a big part in the real estate malaise.

Home owners who owe thousands more on their homes than they are currently worth find themselves unable to refinance and unable to sell at a price that will come close to covering what they owe on the mortgage.

However, according to ZipRealty, a real estate tracking firm that aggregates multiple listing service data, the decline may be reaching bottom with inventories starting to decline nationwide. Even in Sacramento and Las Vegas, inventory numbers have started to fall, if only marginally, ZipRealty says.

The following are the top 10 cities where prices have fallen the most in the last year, according to ZipRealty.

1. Sacramento, Calif.: - 18.5 percent
2. Las Vegas: - 17.2 percent
3. San Diego: - 17.1 percent
4. Tampa, Fla.: - 11.7 percent
5. Los Angeles: - 10.7 percent
6. Miami: - 10.6 percent
7. Phoenix: - 9.5 percent
8. Jacksonville, Fla.: - 8.7 percent
9. Detroit: - 7.7 percent
10. Atlanta: - 7.1 percent

10 Best Places for House Bargains

The best place to get a bargain on a home is an area where there is healthy job growth and more houses available than people to buy them.

These are markets "where you have high inventories but pliable borrowers, with lenders willing to deal," says Anthony Sanders, a professor of finance at Arizona State University.

Forbes magazine went looking for markets where the damage from risky lending hasn't been as dramatic as in some parts of the country and where employment growth will burn off an over-abundance of inventory quickly.

Here are what the magazine considers the 10 best cities for bargain house hunters.

1. Salt Lake City, Utah. Developers have gotten ahead of the demand, but the city is adding jobs more quickly than practically any place else in the country.

2. Raleigh, N.C. Another place where building got ahead of the curve, but the economy is expanding quickly.

3. Orlando, Fla. This part of the state had fewer speculators than Miami and Tampa, and it's adding jobs faster than those cities as well.

4. Charlotte, N.C. The financial industry is moving here, adding jobs, but the inventory of unsold homes is still significant.

5. Phoenix. This city had a high foreclosure rate, but the economy is growing and people are still moving here in large numbers.

6. Seattle. The city's port has profited from the weak dollar, but the housing price growth has slowed.

7. Las Vegas. This market was hit hard by foreclosures, but the growing economy makes the huge inventory less toxic than it is many places.

8. Jacksonville, Fla. The foreclosure rate is slower than the rest of the Florida cities, making the large inventory likely to improve.

9. Richmond, Va. There is only one foreclosure per 1,103 households here (compared to 1 in 33 in Detroit). Still, there are plenty of homes on the market.

10. Houston. Homes in Houston have long been a bargain. While there have been plenty of foreclosures, the population and the economy are expanding.

Source: Forbes, Matt Woolsey (02/07/08)

1317 Wilderness Trl., Crowley, Texas

MENTAL HOSPITAL PHONE MENU

Hello and thank you for calling The State Mental Hospital Please select from the following options menu: If you are obsessive-compulsive, press 1 repeatedly. If you are co-dependent, please ask someone to press 2 for you. If you have multiple personalities, press 3, 4, 5 and 6. If you are paranoid, we know who you are and what you want, stay on the line so we can trace your call. If you are delusional, press 7 and your call will be forwarded to the Mother Ship. If you are schizophrenic, listen carefully and a little voice will tell you which number to press. If you are manic-depressive, it doesn't matter which number you press, nothing will make you happy anyway. If you are dyslexic, press 9696969696969696. If you are bipolar, please leave a message after the beep or before the beep or after the beep. Please wait for the beep. If you have short-term memory loss, press 9. If you have short-term memory loss, press 9. If you have short-term memory loss, press 9. If you have low self-esteem, please hang up our operators are too busy to talk with you. If you are menopausal, put the gun down, hang up, turn on the fan, lie down and cry. You won't be crazy forever. If you are blonde, don't press any buttons, you'll just mess it up. This coming week is National Mental Health Care week. You can do your part by remembering to contact at least one unstable person to show you care. (Well, my job is done .....Your turn) "Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter.. don't mind... And those that mind... don't matter."

Sedona Arizona Estate For Sale - $1,600,000

Call Robert J Russell 1-800-856-3550 Ext 568

Homes in foreclosure up 79% in '07

Two studies cast doubt on potential for foreclosure relief

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Inman News

The number of households in foreclosure increased 79 percent in 2007, with about one of every 100 U.S. households at some stage of the foreclosure process, according to the latest numbers from data aggregator RealtyTrac.

The numbers come on the heels of two reports -- one by a consumer advocacy group, the other by an industry association -- that suggest the Bush administration's foreclosure prevention efforts will fall short of expectations.

Nationwide, RealtyTrac tallied 2.2 million foreclosure-related filings during the year on about 1.3 million homes, a 75 percent increase in filings from 2006.

Foreclosure-related filings include default notices, auction sales notices and bank repossessions. Because one home may be subject to several filings, the number of foreclosure-related filings is larger than the number of foreclosures.

Although not every foreclosure is captured by RealtyTrac, the numbers can serve as a benchmark for tracking foreclosure trends. The year-end statistics 2007 reveal state-by-state trends for the fourth quarter and December.

The foreclosure picture improved at the end of the year for some states in the Midwest and Northeast including Ohio, Indiana, New York and New Jersey. But foreclosure filings were up sharply in December in some of the states already hardest hit by foreclosure, such as California, Nevada and New Mexico.

According to RealtyTrac, foreclosure filings fell dramatically during December in Ohio (-26 percent), Indiana (-34 percent), New Jersey (-23 percent) and New York (-20 percent).

But the number of foreclosure filings during the final month of the year rose sharply in California (up 33 percent), Nevada (up 64 percent) and New Mexico (up 58 percent).

California and Florida, with foreclosure filings on 414,804 properties, accounted for about one in three of the 1.3 million homes RealtyTrac determined were at some state of the foreclosure process during 2007. Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana accounted for another 269,479 homes. All told, slightly more than half of all homes RealtyTrac said were hit by foreclosure filings last year were located in those six states.

The states with the highest household foreclosure rate were Nevada (3.38 percent), Florida (2 percent), Michigan (1.95 percent), California (1.92 percent), Colorado (1.92 percent), Ohio (1.8 percent), Georgia (1.57 percent), Arizona (1.52 percent) Illinois (1.25 percent) and Indiana (1.03 percent). The U.S. average was 1.03 percent.

The latest numbers show growth in foreclosure filings leveling out during December and the fourth quarter in crucial foreclosure states like Florida, Michigan and Colorado.

In Florida, foreclosure filings were up 6.8 percent in December compared to November, and grew 4.8 percent between the third and fourth quarters in 2007.

Growth in foreclosure filings in Michigan was essentially flat during December at 1.6 percent, and the number of filings decreased 16.6 percent in the fourth quarter.

Colorado showed a 2.5 percent decline in foreclosure filings during December, and a 3.9 percent fourth-quarter drop.

Some properties may have just entered the initial stage of foreclosure in 2007 and could be going through the rest of the foreclosure process in 2008, unless lender and government intervention efforts begin to gain more traction, said RealtyTrac Chief Executive Officer James Saccacio in a statement accompanying the release of the report.

The Center for Responsible Lending released a pessimistic report Monday that estimated the Treasury Department's HOPE NOW initiative involving voluntary loan modifications by loan servicers will prevent only 118,200 foreclosures, or about 3 percent of outstanding subprime mortgages with adjustable interest rates. The report estimated that 3.5 million families with adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) loans face interest-rate resets in the next two years.

Another study reportedly being circulated by members of the American Securitization forum estimated that the Bush administration's new FHASecure program, aimed at helping ARM borrowers who have defaulted refinance into fixed-rate loans, will help only about 44,000 borrowers.

According to a Reuters report on the study, it recommends expanding the FHASecure program to include borrowers with fixed-rate loans and seriously delinquent borrowers who have demonstrated the ability to make steady payments.

The study did not analyze the impact of a proposal to increase the maximum-size mortgage eligible for FHA loan guarantee programs from $367,000 to nearly $730,000 (see Inman News story).

A spokeswoman American Securitization Forum, Katrina Cavalli, said in a statement that the group "supports responsible expansion of FHA and other sustainable refinancing opportunities. While we are discussing a number of ideas with our members, we have not endorsed any specific proposals as yet."

Foreclosure trends in top 10 states

State	Household foreclosure rate (percent)	Total properties	Filings % change Nov.-Dec.	Filings % change year
Nevada	3.38	34,417	+64%	+215%
Florida	2.0	165,291	+6.8%	+124%
Michigan	1.95	87,210	+1.57%	+68%
California	1.92	249,513	+33.3%	+238%
Colorado	1.92	39,403	-2.5%	+30.0%
Ohio	1.8	89,979	-26%	+87.9%
Georgia	1.57	59,057	-14.2%	+31.1%
Arizona	1.52	38,568	+31.8%	+151%
Illinois	1.25	64,310	+19.7%	+25.3%
Indiana	1.03	27,980	-34.1%	+11.3%
U.S.	1.03	1.3 million	+6.83%	+75%

5604 Stone Cliff Ct - Dallas, Tx 75287

Real Estate by Robert J Russell

The Wooden Bowl

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year- old grandson.

The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered.

The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and
failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor.

When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do something about father," said the son.

"I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating,and food on the floor."

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner.

There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner.

Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.

When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction,sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone.

Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor.

He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy responded,

"Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up." The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks.

Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.

That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table.

For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason,
neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

On a positive note, I've learned that, no matter what happens, how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles four things:

a rainy day, the elderly, lost luggage,and tangled Christmas tree lights.

I've learned that, regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.

I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life.."

I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitton both hands. You need to be able to throw something back

I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you but, if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work and doing the very best you can, happiness
will find you

I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.

I've learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone.

People love that human touch -- holding hands, a warm hug, or just afriendly pat on the back.

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.

I've learned that you should pass this on to everyone you care about I just did.

Keep the Fork !

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So, as she was getting her things 'in order,' she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.

She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.

Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

'There's one more thing,' she said excitedly.

'What's that?' came the Pastor's reply.

'This is very important,' the young woman continued. 'I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.'

The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.

That surprises you, doesn't it?' the young woman asked.

'Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Pastor.

The young woman explained. 'My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful , and with substance!'

So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork the best is yet to come.'

The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'What's with the fork?' And over and over he smiled.

During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told the m that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come. Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed . They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to you.

Show your friends how much you care. Remember to always be there for them, even when you need them more. For you never know when it may be their time to 'Keep your fork.'

Cherish the time you have, and the memories you share .
Being friends with someone is not an opportunity but a sweet responsibility. 

And keep your fork.

 

Today's Topic: Respect Their Time

It's true confession time. Do you typically expect employees to stop whatever they're doing whenever you come to them with a need, a want, or some other item on your agenda? Do you ever conduct meetings that are less-than-productive due to a lack of planning or organization on your part? If you answered yes to either (or both) of those questions, I've got three words for you: STOP DOING IT! You're wasting one of the most precious resources your people have: their time.

I know, I know. Of course there will be occasions when you have a truly pressing ("legitimate") need that must be addressed immediately. But far too often, leaders interrupt employees with issues that aren't all that significant or important – merely because they want to deal with them NOW and get them off their plates. That's just plain inconsiderate. And when it comes to unnecessary or poorly organized meetings in which little is accomplished – well, there's simply no excuse for those, period.

Your people have important work to do. If they didn't, they wouldn't be there. So, make sure your meetings are necessary and well-managed. And, the next time you feel the need to interrupt someone's activities, focus, and concentration, ask yourself: Is my issue really more important than what he or she is doing right now? If it is, proceed – if it isn't, wait…and schedule a more appropriate and convenient opportunity to chat.

Bottom line: if you don't respect your people's time, eventually they won't either. Then, everyone loses.

Humor for today

During one of her daily classes a teacher trying to teach good manners,asked her students the following question: "Michael, if you were on a date having dinner with a nice young lady, how would you tell her that you have to go to the bathroom?" Michael said, "Just a minute I have to go pee." The teacher responded by saying, "That would be rude and impolite." What about you Peter, how would you say it?" Peter said, "I am sorry, but I really need to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back." "That's better, but it's still not very nice to say the word bathroom at the dinner table. And you, little Johnny, can you use your brain for once and show us your good manners?" "I would say: Darling, may I please be excused for a moment? I have to shake hands with a very dear friend of mine, whom I hope you'll get to meet after dinner." (The teacher fainted......)

Daily Real Estate News  |  January 3, 2008

 

Christmas Holiday Slows Mortgage Business
The mortgage business was slow over the Christmas holiday week, even compared with the previous year, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association weekly mortgage applications survey.

The mortgage volume index decreased 11.6 percent to 533.9 on a seasonally adjusted basis compared to the previous week. It was down 20 percent compared with the same week a year ago.

The refinance share of mortgage activity decreased to 50.9 percent of total applications from 53.0 percent the previous week.

Also, mortgage rates were down:

30-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased to 6.05 percent from 6.10 percent.
15-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased to 5.61 percent from 5.66 percent.
1-year ARMs decreased to 6.00 percent from 6.03 percent.

Source: Mortgage Bankers Association (01/03/2007)

Are you looking forward to 2008 ? How about 2013 ?

IBM Reveals Five Innovations that Will Change Our Lives Over the Next Five Years

 

 

ARMONK, NY - 18 Dec 2007: Unveiled today, the second annual "IBM Next Five in Five" is a list of innovations that have the potential to change the way people work, live and play over the next five years. The list is based on market and societal trends expected to transform our lives, as well as emerging technologies from IBM's Labs around the world that could make these innovations possible.

In the next five years, our lives will change through technology innovations in the following ways:

 

It will be easy for you to be green and save money doing it: A range of "smart energy" technologies will make it easier for you to manage your personal "carbon footprint". As data begins to run through our electrical wires, dishwashers, air conditioners, house lights, and more will be connected directly to a "smart" electric grid, making it possible to turn them on and off using your cell phone or any Web browser. In addition to alerting you about leaving appliances on when they could be off to conserve energy, technology will also provide you with up-to-date reports of electrical usage, so you can monitor how much you are spending and how much energy you are putting out, just like you can track your cell phone minute usage today. Intelligent energy grids will also enable utilities to provide you with the option to use green energy sources, like solar and wind, to fuel your home, and innovations in solar and wind technology will bring cost-efficient options to a utility near you.

The way you drive will be completely different:  In the next five years, a coming wave of connectivity between cars and the road is going to change the way you drive, help keep you safe, and even keep you out of traffic jams. Technology is poised to keep traffic moving, cut pollution, curb accidents, and make it easier for you to get from point A to B, without the stress. The cities you live in will find a cure for congestion using intelligent traffic systems that can make real-time adjustments to traffic lights and divert traffic to alternate routes with ease. Your car will have driver-assist technologies that will make it possible for automobiles to communicate with each other and with sensors along the road -- allowing them to behave as if they have 'reflexes' so they can take preventive actions under dangerous conditions. Your car will automatically tell you where traffic is jammed up and find you an alternative route to take.

 

You are what you eat, so you will know what you eat:  We've all heard the saying 'you are what you eat', but with foods being sourced across international borders, the need to 'know exactly what you eat' has never been so important. In the next five years, new technology systems will enable you to know the exact source and make-up of the products you buy and consume. Advancements in computer software and wireless radio sensor technologies will give you access to much more detailed information about the food you are buying and eating. You will know everything from the climate and soil the food was grown in, to the pesticides and pollution it was exposed to, to the energy consumed to create the product, to the temperature and air quality of the shipping containers it traveled through on the way to your dinner table. Advanced sensor and tracing systems will tell you what you eat, before you eat it.

Your cell phone will be your wallet, your ticket broker, your concierge, your bank, your shopping buddy, and more:  In the next five years, your mobile phone will be a trusted guide to shopping, banking, touring a new city, and more. New technology will allow you to snap a picture of someone wearing an outfit you want and will automatically search the web to find the designer and the nearest shops that carry that outfit. You can then see what that outfit would look like on your personal avatar – a 3-D representation of you – right on your phone, and ask your friends, in different locations, to check it out online and give their opinion. Your phone will also guide you through visiting a city. When you turn on your phone in a city you are visiting, it automatically provides you with local entertainment options, activities, and dining options that match your preferences, and then make reservations and purchases tickets for you – like a personal concierge.

 

Doctors will get enhanced "super-senses" to better diagnose and treat you: In the next five years, your doctor will be able to see, hear and understand your medical records in entirely new ways. In effect, doctor's will gain superpowers – technologies will allow them to gain x-ray like vision to view medical images; super sensitive hearing to find tiniest audio clue in your heart beat; and ways to organize information in the same way they treat a patient. An avatar – a 3D representation of your body – will allow doctors to visualize your medical records in an entirely new way, so they can click with the computer mouse on a particular part of the avatar, to trigger a search of your medical records and retrieve information relevant to that part of your body, instead of leafing through pages of notes. The computer will automatically compare those visual and audio clues to thousands or hundreds of thousands of other patient records, and be able to be much more precise in diagnosing and also treating you, based on people with similar issues and makeup.

 

 

 

Art of asking good questions..

The Art of Asking Good Questions

By Tim Hagen SaleBuilder Marketing Systems, LLC   "What do we hate most about salespeople?"…..they simply, never stop talking. How many salespeople have come into your office, sat down and proceeded to tell you every benefit about what they are selling, without ever knowing what you need. Typically, they don't ask the questions, but rather tell you what they want you to know. So, the result is, a frustrated prospect who feels as if their needs have not been met. Difficult as it may seem, this very common problem can be addressed rather simply by just asking questions and listening effectively. By doing these two simple tasks, the prospect will tell you what they are looking for and more than likely, the sales rep will close the sale.   First, a good questioning system is essential because you want to keep the client talking. If questions are asked properly, you should never have to close a client. Your objective on an initial call should be to find out what they are currently doing, what they like about what they are doing, and what would they improve. Some ways to encourage the prospect to continue talking would be to use phrases such as what else, name another, how, why, be more specific, could you elaborate, and what do you mean. These phrases will allow you to get more specific information rather than vague responses.   The goal should be for each question to generate 3 pieces of information that allow you to move to the next step. Prior to that first face to face meeting, you want to find out some of the challenges so that your initial meeting allows you to confirm their biggest challenges and what some potential solutions might be. This will allow you, the salesperson to move the process forward.   During the sales process, many salespeople fall into the trap of not asking enough questions, posing a solution and basically, leaving money on the table. An example of this might be, a car salesman who is selling cars has just sold a brand new 2005 Buick LaCrosse to a woman in her mid sixties. She requested no extra options on the car, so the salesperson assumed she was not interested in any of the maintenance packages. Later after the woman had left the dealership she ended up calling the service manager to ask if they vehicle had Roadside Assistance, he replied "no, that is an extra option you can buy at the time you purchase the vehicle." Her response back was, "I was never asked and my husband is no longer able to change a tire in the event we should have a problem, is there any way we could add this?" The service manager was happy to handle this request, however the sales rep didn't finish his questions, therefore missing out on a potential sale for himself. Essentially, he left money on the table.   Finally, after you've asked the correct questions it is important to restate what you have learned and clarify that you have it right. You can do this by restating two or three of the most vital things you learned from your conversation with the prospect. After you've gained agreement, go ahead and come up with a solution by using the phrase, "What if we… were to put together a scope document outlining what we've discussed today and schedule a time to get back together to confirm what might be some possible solutions." By using the statement "What if we…." You aren't assuming anything and you are including the prospect in the decision making process. In addition, this allows for a smooth transition in the sales process, they are basically selling themselves.   The art of asking good questions is essential to increasing sales and achieving total customer satisfaction. They are definitely going to return to a salesperson that is able to effectively identify their needs and offer solutions that solve their problem. Asking the right questions is not only good sales but outstanding customer service as well. Good questioning should be used in every level of an organization, on an everyday basis.

Merry Christmas,

 

Robert J Russell, IRES, REALTOR

International Real Estate Specialist

http://www.robertjrussell.com

RE/MAX - 972-679-9029

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