Club Chaos Agents - All Things Hollish, Wacked, and Jacked

I met a gentleman at his place of business earlier this week. To protect his privacy, I will not discuss specifics about his dilemma, but his story is one that is being repeated all over the land.

It started with a dream. A dream that he and his family could start up and run a successful business that would provide employment for them all and a healthy return on investment.

Research indicated a demand for the services that the new business would provide. The plans were carefully put into place to get the project up and running as quickly as possible.

A suitable piece of property was procured and construction commenced. But like so many other new businesses, progress was thwarted by unexpected construction obstacles and multiple compliance and inspection issues.

Dealing with multiple bureaucracies is never easy, but when the stroke of a pen can cost you $30,000, it’s very easy to get in over your head before you know it. Still, there was a viable potential to overcome all of the delays and unexpected expenses and make the business profitable.

But then the economy took a sudden downturn, and the demand for the service provided by the business evaporated. It was as if someone had flipped a switch from “on” to “off” and all of a sudden the solvency of the venture was pushed to the precipice of disaster.

The man had not only invested his money, but had poured his heart and soul into the business. It was a labor of love, and so much more than mere dollars and cents.

The only comfort that I could offer him was that many others were struggling to survive as well. Business owners now spend more time dealing with cash flow, credit, compliance and overcoming potential enterprise killers that they do selling their products or providing their services.

He then told me that he was tired.

I know how he feels. I’m in the real estate business.

USDA Loans – Rural Housing Loans

The Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (USDA Loans) will likely be exhausted by the end of April, 2010. This is a message that was delivered from the National Office in Washington D.C. as of today.

It was then stated that once funding is exhausted, the Agency will not issue Conditional Commitments “subject to receipt of appropriated funds.”  This is because the agency is not certain when additional funding will be available. And this might not be known until October, when the new budget comes out.  This is important to know and to understand.

This is a good reminder for all borrowers, realtors, and loan officers that aren't aware of this.  If you are a buyer that has been pre-qualified for a USDA loan, you need to speak to your loan officer as soon as possible. If you are realtor that has a buyer or the listing agent that has received a pre-qualification letter stating that the buyer has been pre-qualified for the USDA loan, someone needs to contact that borrower so they can contact their lender.

On another note, please beware of those web sites that offer USDA Loans,yet these sites make you think that you are dealing directly with the USDA themselves. I have come across several out there that look and feel like it was directly from the USDA them self.  I wrote about it here : Misleading advertising when it comes to shopping for mortgages and USDA loans and FHA loans - Misleading advertising as government agency sites.

For more information on USDA loans, please read :

USDA Loans - The Rural Housing Loan - The Basics

UPDATE :  For anyone that wants to read more about this, please read this post by Gerry Suarez.  He goes into some detail about the seriousness of this. Please read :

USDA Rural Development loans expecting to run out of funds by late next month

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For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags!

Copyright © 2010 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc

A few weeks ago I wrote about average holiday cards. I suggested that companies should create their own holiday to stand out and do something different or dare I say remarkable.  Well next week we are going to have some fun.  March 14 is Pi day and we are celebrating all things math.  Keep in mind this is an education company so this works for us but if you can get creative with your business there is no reason not to have a Pi party of your own.

Maybe serve pie at all your showings this week. Or give pies out at your closings.  I am sure you will find something interesting to do and have people thinking WOW, this is a fun person to work with...

What is Pi Day?

Pi Day means that 3/14 is the day when people the world round (some people, anyway) celebrate the invention of that wonderful number, 3.14, known as Pi. (Actually, you can roll Pi out to 3.141593 and then keep adding numbers infinitely to the right.)

Need a brush-up on how Pi works? We have a fun and educational explanation of Pi (and our Pi Day promotional offer) on the StraighterLine Blog.

Let me know what you think about this approach to educational marketing.

Oh and if you are in the area (N. NJ) give me a buzz and I will treat you to some pie.

Related Post
Education Marketing

Related Training from StraighterLine
College for $99 a Month

Moving To Kentucky - Kentucky Relocation - Lexington KY - Kentucky Real Estate

I Love Kentucky News!

Central Kentucky's Weekly Real Estate Email Newsletter

Read all about it!

Get the latest edition hot off the press!

Each week, I publish Central Kentucky's only weekly newsletter on the latest real estate listings, relocation and moving, listings sold, local events, giveaways, homebuyer and home seller tips, fun and entertainment. Delivered fresh each and every Thursday. 

I Love Kentucky News!

I write articles create links, buttons and take most all the pictures.

The picture above is of the Kentucky River just south of Lexington, KY .

If you are shopping for a home or relocation to Kentucky...Why pick up a stale home's magazine

when you can have all the hottest new listings delivered to your email? 

 Subscribe today to stay informed each week.

Read the Herald Leader Interview with Lizette Realty discussing Kentucky Relocation.

REQUEST A KENTUCKY RELOCATION PACKET!

Finding a new Kentucky home or buying real estate has never been so easy!

Just click on one of the links below.

Lexington KY Residential Homes For Sale

Lizette Fitzpatrick- Principal Broker at Lizette Realty.

#1 featured Kentucky Realtor on Active Rain.

For more information on Lizette, Kentucky Horse Farms, Lizette Realty, Madison County, Fayette County, Richmond or Lexington KY real estate click on Lizette.us.

 Copyright © 2010 By Lizette Fitzpatrick, All Rights Reserved

*Moving To Kentucky - Kentucky Relocation - Lexington KY - Kentucky Real Estate*  

Bechtel Parsons - Blue Grass Army Depot - Richmond KY Relocation - Homes For Sale

Have you accepted an offer of employment with Bechtel Parsons in Richmond KY? Congratulations!! Your work most likely be at the Blue Grass Army Depot.

Now it's time to get started on your Richmond KY relocation and find some homes for sale.

It may be that you will want temporary housing before you buy a home.

Many new Bechtel Parsons employees do that.

Even if it is for a month or so... you will need to start looking at permanent housing.

It just makes sense for families and interest rates on mortgages are so low right now.

Time to build equity.

To get in the loop with what is going on in Richmond and Central Kentucky you might want to subscribe to "I Love Kentucky News".

Each week, I publish Central Kentucky's only weekly newsletter on the latest real estate listings, relocation and moving, listings sold, local events, giveaways, homebuyer and home seller tips, fun and entertainment.

Delivered fresh each and every Thursday. I Love Kentucky News

The picture above is of Keeneland Racetrack in Lexington, KY.

If you are shopping for a home or relocating to Kentucky...Why pick up a stale home's magazine when you can have all the hottest new listings delivered to your email? 

Subscribe today to stay informed each week.

Next you may want to plan a scouting trip to Richmond KY to see the layout.

Where Bechtel Parsons is located near the Blue Grass Army Depot, shopping, schools, hospitals, churches, entertainment and homes for sale.

Springtime Central Kentucky Tour With Relocation Clients

There are many places to stay for your brief trip but to really enjoy Richmond in a historical way, I recommend The Bennett House Bed & Breakfast downtown. If you are looking for something trendier there are many new hotels on exit 87 off I-75.

One thing we send new Bechtel Parsons employees is a welcome packet filled with local information and maps of the area.

 We can tailor this with more specific items if you let me know some of your interests.

Richmond is really a fabulous place in the heart of KY. Lots of new shopping and restaurants and convenient to everything on I-75 with 7 exits in Madison County!

If you are looking for homes for sale, we can send the listings to you to review as soon as they are listed on the MLS.

Need a local lender? Not a problem...we can assist you with one that can help you get your financing together for a successful closing on a new home.

Read the Herald Leader Interview with Lizette Realty discussing Kentucky Relocation.

REQUEST A KENTUCKY RELOCATION PACKET!

Finding a new Kentucky home has never been so easy!

Just click on the link below.

RICHMOND KY HOMES FOR SALE

RICHMOND KY TOWNHOMES & CONDOS

Lexington KY Residential Homes For Sale

Lizette Fitzpatrick - Principal Broker at Lizette Realty.

For more information on Richmond KY homes for sale. click on Lizette.us.

Copyright © 2010 By Lizette Fitzpatrick, All Rights Reserved 

Bechtel Parsons - Blue Grass Army Depot - Richmond KY Relocation -

Homes For Sale

I have been attending many of the Pine Bush Central School District Board of Education meetings and and budget forums recently in an effort to support the continuation of high quality educational programs for our District.  As I pointed out at the first forum I attended, the reputation of our schools will directly affect each and every one of us in the communities that make up the District. Whether we have children in the system or not our property values and future saleability of our homes and other real estate is influenced by how desirable the schools are to prospective home buyers and businesses who are considering a move to our community.  

As a parent I am hoping that our children will receive the kind of educational opportunities that will excite them and keep them motivated.  I also pointed out that we need to work together to find creative solutions so we can maintain programs and minimize impact on our schools.  It is no secret that I value the Music Programs we offer here and I was very happy to see that the proposed budget kept the Music Programs that might have been eliminated.

That having been said I think that we need to acknowledge that we are in financial crisis and need to get real about it.  I, myself, am trying hard to make a living in a year that so many have lost so much.  I work as an Associate Real Estate Broker here in Pine Bush.  I do not get a regular paycheck, I work on a commission only self employed basis.  On March 10, 2010 received my first commission check of this year for a rental placement of $220.00.  I have paid out over $2500.00 so far this year for the privilege of keeping my Realtor standing , continuing education, and business expenses which, if you do the math, puts me way in the red. Most of the other Real Estate Agents I speak with have similar stories to tell. Many of us have had deal after deal fall due to mortgage and appraisal issues, buyers loss of job, or other problems that home sellers and buyers are facing in this economy. My commissions are my main contribution to my family budget.  I have some steep expenses with one in college and two high school students.  We are trying to do the best we can.

Many of the people in our communities are facing trying times from forces beyond their control.  I am lucky that my husband who works in construction is still working but many of our friends and relatives are not.  Some have been out of work for a year or more now. Retirees who were secure in their investments in stock markets and funds lost so much.  The very homes that they live in whose paid up walls were what they believed to be a secure investment in the future have lost value and now they face a future with less.  Families are losing wage earners as one or both parents take pay cuts or lose jobs all together.  It is reality.  

I applaud the work that the Administration has done to pare down the budget.  I am so pleased that they have found a way to save programing and minimize the tax increase but it is still a tax increase.  I think we still have some work to do to find those creative solutions that will allow us to move forward with great programs and little or no increases.  

I find, as I review the projecting 2010-2011 budget, that the first item on the Increases is contractual pay increases. These are increases across the board to administrators, educators, and support staff. Might I suggest that the unions and individuals who have these hard won contracts agree that they will freeze wages where they are in order to save TWO MILLION Dollars.  I do understand that this affects your family.  I do understand that to accept such a freeze you will be sacrificing a lot.  But we can lower the tax increase even further and save some of the programs and positions that are being considered for cut. These very positions that teachers and staff stood up to defend in prior forums and Board meetings.  Please consider giving a little to save a lot.

I know that this may not make me as popular around the schools but understand that I love our teachers and the school staff.  I am trying to save more of your jobs while asking each of you to give a little bit.  This does not even ask you to take a cut it asks you to not take an increase.  It asks you to think outside the box as you plan for next year and order your supplies and materials.  I hope that you will hear my plea and follow through by offering to forgo increases in favor of the future of our children and this community.    

I urge the Board of Education to take a tough stand in negotiations of all contracts this year, not only in salary and benefit areas but in contracts for goods and services.  Can we do it better and cheaper by changing the way we do things?  YES WE CAN!    

Not long ago, I was asked by my friend Mike Price to host the "Carnival of Real Estate", which is essentially a gathering of blog posts each week about our industry.  Sounds like fun to me, so I said a hearty "Yes!".  Since I've held lots of contests during my blogging career, I have a little experience in this arena.  :)

First of all, if you took the time to submit something this past week, I thank you all for your submissions.  We all take pride and a great sense of ownership of our writing, and I know firsthand that it can be a personal thing.  With that in mind, I appreciate you all giving me a chance to review your hard work.  This is my first time judging this particular competition, and I consider it an honor.

There were just over 20 submissions, and there were six that I felt really stood out:

First Place -  Searching for Real Estate Made Easy: Geo-Fences Plus Mobile Phones by Chris Thorman of SoftwareAdvice.com.  This is simply an awesome blog post.  It has many solid elements:  it’s informative, current, and well-written.  It has helpful graphics and good organization.  The anecdote at the beginning makes the post more interesting and draws the reader in.  Everyone loves technology, and the internet is certainly the best place to come up with new ways to use it.  Kudos.

In Second Place, I would put this rant (if I may call it that): Can I get proof of a competing offer? The answer may surprise you by Jay Thompson, the Phoenix Real Estate Guy.  For those of you who know Jay already, it should come as no surprise that he wrote a terrific post on a compelling topic.  If you haven't had the situation Jay describes come up yet in your real estate career, you will!  I myself have written/ranted on the same subject, and I think it’s a topic most of us have some opinion on.  That fact, and the opener mentioning “slam my head into a wall” draw the reader into the story.  Jay also expresses some strong opinions in his post, which makes it more interesting and comment-worthy.  His structure and grammar are clear and accurate, and he makes good use of the medium with his tone and subject.

Third Place: What are Mortgage Accelerator Programs? by Jim Wang 

This is an article-type post that is truly informative.  It’s conversationally written and Jim doesn't talk down to the reader.  It seems well-researched, and the advice it gives seems wise.  It's also well-structured and well laid out.

Fourth place goes to 10 Most Common Mistakes of 1st Time Home Buyers by Robert Buchholz.  This is a very informative post that could actually help some new buyers, if they follow the advice therein.   If I were a rookie Realtor, I might print this out to give to my buyers, and Robert Buchholz’ name would be there, too, which can only help Robert’s business.  That’s part of the “big idea” of blogging!

Honorable mentions: Hey You Pessimists (Yes you, homeowners): It’s Not Quite That Bad… by Amy Bohutinsky and Investors: Should You Get Your Real Estate License? by J. Scott.  Both of these are well-written and informative posts.  “Not Quite That Bad” has some very interesting & encouraging research with a “killer” graphic.  Which of us could not do with a little good news these days?  “Investors: Should You Get Your Real Estate License?” attempts to give a brief yet through review of the issue, and seems very helpful.

All in all, there some terrific posts for the carnival, and it made my decisions difficult.  In fact, I had to call in some help (my wife read them, too).  I applaud you all.  Keep on making the RE.net a more informative, interesting, and helpful place.

Photo credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleur-design/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/joelzimmer

Maryland Is Beautiful...

The wonderful thing about hanging out with writers who produce Localism posts is the fact that if you read their blogs you kinda know where you want to go and what you want to see when you get there. I had breakfast with Margaret Rome this morning after I checked out of the Hilton and am having lunch with Audrey June Forshey at her office right now. I will be having dinner with the incomparable Lenn Harley tonight. I'll admit to being a wee bit nervous because she's my hero (LOL). I keep hearing, "we're gonna have fun," echoing in my brain. I'm grinning like an idiot in anticipation because we are (LOL). ;-)

I am thrilled to still be here meeting and greeting Rainers.  I have a lot of eye candy to share with you from our sight seeing later on. At some point before I return to New York City I'm going to take you on a tour of Maryland and show you what I've experienced with my friends during our down time. I also promised the kids I'd show them something interesting before I return home. They likes planes, trains, automobiles, boats and birds. Lately Noah has been into trees (LOL).

Stay tuned... I got a lot of eye candy already and am still collecting more so this may take a while... I have a checklist but may have to do a few cross offs (LOL). ;-)

I would like to take time out of my calculated wandering about to thank Audrey June Forshey and Maria Carpenter for being such wonderful hosts to me this afternoon (and allowing me to high-jack their Internet accounts so I can say hello to my Facebook and ActiveRain peeps before I get back on the highway).

I would also like to say a big thank you to Margaret Rome for inviting me to such a lovely business event. She is a thoughtful friend and knows how much my shorties love to feed the birds so she took me to a lovely, quiet spot to enjoy them after breakfast. When I get to Lenn's house I'll show you what I enjoyed most about it. They were surprisingly friendly and walked right up to us.

My kids would have loved it. They are gorgeous... simply gorgeous. :-)

With less than two months remaining to enter into a contract to purchase a home and qualify for possible tax credits, the level of buyer activity will elevate to frenzy in the immediate days ahead.

The last minute buyers will compete for what remains in an artificially diminished inventory, and many will be force to “settle” for a property that does not meet all of their expectations.

But what will happen in the days after April 30, 2010? Many predict that the market will grind to a halt because buyers have come to depend on tax credits as part of the value proposition, and that once eliminated, there will be little or no reason to purchase real property.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. Real estate has never been more affordable, and even though there may not be an immediate cash benefit via a tax credit, the opportunity to purchase value-priced real estate will continue to encourage buyers across the board to continue to invest in piece of America.

And the inventory of homes available for purchase will become normalized as buyers are motivated by the true market forces of supply and demand rather than a dangling carrot on a string.

So while there may be a few weeks of lower activity as the market stabilizes, eventually we will return to a market driven by a broader spectrum of buyers that are drawn to a better selection of properties at historically low prices.

Which should lead to a long, hot summer of real estate sales!