DUPLICATE YOURSELF!

Watch young children on the playground and you will notice them trying to duplicate each other. One hangs upside down on the monkey bars, and soon everyone is doing the same. Check out a pre-teen with a punky new hair-do, or a new style of "radical" footwear, and soon their friends are following suit.

It continues in high school too, with "tricked out" hot cars and cell phones. So . . . is it any wonder that we attempt to duplicate each other as adults as well? We look at our desk mate's approach to getting new business, then we do the same - regardless of the fact that said desk mate is getting no results.

Is there an alternative to this senseless copy-cat approach to life? Yes - but making the change may not be so easy. You begin by looking inside rather than outside. With all the distractions competing for your attention, this may be the most difficult step. Nevertheless, take a look inside to determine your best talents and skills. Ask yourself, "What do I do well? What are my strengths? What do I enjoy doing most?"

Next, write yourself a plan that incorporates your answers into a personal action plan. Remember, you were born an original, so put that originality to work. To help the plan work, avoid distractions from those who question your new direction, and learn to "duplicate yourself".

To avoid distractions, consider moving your desk, working from a home office, or avoiding the social scene at your office. Focus your time and attention on achieving your new-found objectives. To duplicate yourself, hire assistants to prepare direct mail or update your website. Avoid all tasks that you can hire someone else to do.

In short, live and act the part of the original you really are!

Why someone would want a negative amortization loan is a story for another time.

Take a typical loan in Florida in 2005.  Sale value of the house is $250,000.  The appraisal is $300,000 - of course high appraisals didn't really happen.  The loan is 80% loan to value, or LTV.  The interest rate is 7.5%.  Principal and Interest on a 30 year loan at 7.5% is $1678.11.  The interest only payment is $1500.  The total PITI is $2344.11.

Now this is where it gets really interesting.  Wamu, Countrywide, IndyMac, World Savings, etc. all of which no longer exist, allowed you to pay back at a 1.5% rate for 5 years or until you got to 125% or the original loan.  The loan then would "recast" and now you would have to pay principal and interest to pay back the balance in 25 years, not 30.

Here are the scary details of how this worked.  The interest only payment on the original loan would have been $1500.  At 1.5% payment rate, NOT the loan rate, you are only paying $828.29.  This is $671.71 less than the interest only payment so you are adding that amount ($671.71) to the back end of the loan each month.  In effect you are borrowing $671.71 every month so that at the end of 5 years you have added $40,302.60 to your original loan.  Now you will be at 125% of the first loan and then the loan will get recast. 

Fast forward to 2010.  Now the market value of your home is $150,000 and the appraised value is $140,000.  80% LTV is now $120,000.  You now owe $300,000 at 7.5% on a $150,000 property AND you only have 25 years to pay it off.  The 25 year loan of $300,000 at 7.5% brings a new payment of $2216.97, plus the esccrow, for a new total of $2882.97.  This increases your payment by $1388.68.

Here is another problem, you owe $300,000 on a $150,000 home and are shopping around for refinance loan.  And, in 2005, you got a stated income or no documentation loan.  Today you have to verify the income that you claimed with no hard paperwork. 

This is one outline of why there are so many short sales and bank foreclosures, especially in Florida.  Even the homeowners with the very best intentions are now in very difficult situations because of the precipitous drop in housing prices that they had no control over.  Now the banks have really tightened their lending requirements, making it very difficult for even qualified borrowers to get financing.

Let's wait and see how this plays out, however, don't expect Florida housing prices to suddenly rebound to 2005 levels.  We are years away from that, or even decades.

Great location with view of Belleview Biltmore Golf Course. This light and bright home can be used as a main 2 bedroom house with 1 bedroom in-law space with bath and kitchen and great room, or as a single family with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and a great party room, atrium wall and deck overlooking golf course. Home has a fireplace, new carpeting, 1 car garage, alley access and great corner lot. Needs appliances. Sold as-is with buyer's right to inspect.

DRAW YOUR OWN MAP!

Imagine you've planned the trip of your dreams - say from North Carolina to Colorado. You've charted all the roads, have a fist full of maps just in case, and have your priorities straight in your mind. You get started on a beautiful sunny day, and begin enjoying the ride.

Late in the day, as you approach the Mississippi River, you drive straight into a bank of heavy fog. You turn on your lights, but still cannot see 10 feet ahead. Just because the highway is out of sight doesn't mean you've lost your way. Continuing on the path you've set for yourself, you soon break out into the sunshine again - still headed in the direction of your dreams.

In perspective, consider that the trip represents your life's goal - your first priority. Steering your vehicle down the highway hour by hour represents your efforts to reach your goal. The fog bank illustrates the momentary interruptions and obstacles encountered on your journey.

As day #2 begins, you find that you've come to an unexpected intersection - one that's not on your map. Confused, you pull over and examine the map closely. Stay to the right and you'll end up in Colorado. Take a left and you may arrive at an unanticipated, yet equally wonderful destination.

OK, let's cut to the chase! Sometimes your priorities change, don't they? Just as you think your goal is in sight, a new opportunity arises. Remember the saying that "life is a journey - not a destination"? What's exciting is that YOU are in control of the steering wheel, and whatever destination you choose is OK - so long as it's YOU who has made the choice.

Happy motoring!

HAFA is the program put in place to benefit homeowners who do not qualify for HAMP, or Home Affordable Mortgage Program.  HAFA was released in April of 2010 and is designed to expedite the foreclosure avoidance options for homeowners in need. HAFA, using the short sale process, can potentially save millions of homeowners the financial devastation of a foreclosure.  Since the statistics tell us that 1 in 7 homes are in default, right in your neighborhood there are people who need help with avoiding foreclosure.  A short sale process is simply selling a property for less than the mortgage amount due in order to avoid foreclosure.

Here is how someone can qualify for the HAFA Program.

They must:

1. Be delinquent on the mortgage or face imminent risk of default

2. Occupy the property as the primary residence

3. Have a mortgage that  originated on or before January 1, 2009

4. Have an unpaid principle balance no greater than $729,750 for a one unit property; AND

5. Have total monthly mortgage payments exceeding 31 percent of the gross income.

The HAFA short sale process is the primary solution to avoid foreclosure, salvage one’s credit score and move on with dignity through the process.  The following link shows lenders currently participating in HAFA: 

http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/contact_servicer.html

If you know anyone who is in need of expert guidance to navigate the short sale process, be sure they contact someone who is an expert, such as a Certified Distressed Property Expert, or CDPE.

The home of your dreams is at this address! This spacious & wonderfully designed home has it all.  You will love the long circular drive in a park-like front yard. A brick walkway leads to the double front doors graced with beveled glass. Lush landscaping, front and back, frames the home & provides beautiful privacy. For the sensitive, the home has no carpets, no smokers and no pets. Amenities include gleaming hardwood floors, updated kitchen with granite counters & wood cabinets, brick w/b fireplace,updated baths with designer tile, center stairway,  double atrium doors, tiled conservatory, black bottom pebble finish pool with spillover spa & screen enclosure, 1st floor bedroom & full bath, kitchen adjacent to family room & Breakfast nook, tree-house play area, & more... Then picture this home just minutes from the world's best beaches of Honeymoon and Caladesi Islands, Pinellas Bike Trail, quaint town centers, restaurants, shopping and 30 minutes from Tampa Int'l Airport & cultural/arts centers & you can't ask for a better place to be.

The schools that are zoned for this home include:  Ozona Elementary, Palm Harbor Middle School, and the Palm Harbor University High School.

Picture perfect 55+ condo in "Delightful Dunedin"!  This 2 bedroom 2 bath condo has been updated, starting with the plumbing & newer building roof with the AC system replaced in 2004.  New carpeting & freshly painted in a contemporary palette invites you to move right in. Nicely designed with separate kitchen exterior door, tiled & glassed Florida room with a serene lawn & pool view with a separate utility closet. Laundry room is conveniently on the floor. A low monthly condo payment includes easy care, cable, water, trash pickup, building insurance, exterior maintenance, & escrow acct. Enjoy the friendly personality of the neighborhood with a clubhouse that has a full kitchen, fireplace, pool tables, fitness equipment, library & activities. Just outside is shuffleboard & a sparkling pool & patio in a very well-kept complex. Pride of ownership shows in the condo and the neighborhood.  Walk to the hospital, quaint Dunedin historical district, restaurants, shops, and a very short jaunt to the beaches of Honeymoon & Caladesi Islands. Whether relocating or wanting a second home in the paradise of Florida's winters, you can't ask for a better place.

WHICH BOUQUET DO YOU PREFER?

Whether or not you have a green thumb, you probably know that gardens may contain either annual or perennial flower varieties. Annuals are fun to grow for several reasons: 1) they sprout quickly from seeds, 2) they flower the first year, and 3) their colors can be brilliant and most pleasing. They are also less hardy and die out at the first sign of frost. Each spring, new seeds must be planted.

Perennials are another story. Growing from seeds, they take longer to sprout and rarely flower the first year. Their colors are more subtle hues, and they require more attention in the early stages. They must be cut back in the winter and covered with mulch, and may require fertilizer in the spring. They also come back year after year, returning with stronger roots, greater beauty and abundant growth. With time, they require less and less attention, yet continue to prosper. No matter how cold the winter, they always return with renewed vigor.

Friendships and business relationships are a lot like flowers, and may also be either annual or perennial in nature. They may be quick to bloom and most enjoyable to experience, yet fade quickly at the first hint of trouble.

Others grow more gradually through trust-building and respect. They may not dazzle the senses or leave us breathless, yet they are consistent, trusting, and produce a warm glow that hardly fades when tested by adversity. These relationships grow over time, and produce an abundance of lasting beauty.

In business, as in personal relationships, the best things in life come with time and caring. When planning your life's garden this spring, why not devote your attention to the perennials? With an added touch of patience, you can look forward to the sweet fragrances to come

The 6^th Judicial Circuit Court for Pinellas and Pasco Counties recently announced the launching of a foreclosure mediation program that is hopefully going to reduce the more than 33,000 foreclosure cases currently pending on the Court’s docket, as reported by the St. Petersburg Times.  Starting this week, the first week of July, homeowners entering the foreclosure mediation program can deal directly with their lender that can lead to a solution allowing them to keep their home.  The program requires that the lenders meet with the homeowner and a certified mediator to work out a payment plan.  Options might include a loan modification, extended loan terms or a short sale.  All of these are more desirable than an outright foreclosure.  The bank does not really want to foreclose and take possession of a home any more than a homeowner wants to be foreclosed.

The Foreclosure Mediation Program is a court ordered , official and COST-FREE program. The court ordered the mediation program so that using a professionally mediated process, foreclosures may be settled before going through the full foreclosure process.  This saves the courts time and resources that are in short supply.  The court's goal is to reduce the load on the system so that foreclosures are handled in mediation and other actions can get more of the courts focus.

To qualify, a foreclosure of a homesteaded property that is filed on or after July 1 will be subject to court ordered mediation unless the homeowner declines.  For foreclosures filed prior to July, mediation is voluntary.  Lenders do not need to participate in the voluntary process.

Under the new program from the 6th Circuit Court, lenders must cover the $750 mediation fee that can be added to a foreclosure action if resolution isn’t reached. 

Florida has the nation's third highest rate of foreclosure filings, with 1 in every 174 properties.

There are more than 33,000 current foreclosure cases in Pinellas-Pasco at the moment at various stages of progress.  Just this year there have been 3,100 new residential filings for foreclosure.  There will be many more foreclosures filed in the coming months, since the housing crisis is not anywhere near over.  Under this court ordered foreclosure mediation program, homeowners in Pinellas and Pasco counties have the opportunity to get professional mediation assistance and actually deal directly with their lenders, which has been very frustrating because until this program, banks have very often ignored their  borrowers.

Have a BLAST!!!!! 

Fireworks for the 4^th of July holiday weekend.

July 3

Clearwater.  Catch a minor league baseball game, watch the Threshers win.  Game admission $5-$9.  Fireworks right after the game.  Bright House Networks Field
601 N Old Coachman Road, Clearwater, 33765

Dunedin.  Catch minor league baseball and watch the Dunedin Blue Jays win.  Game admission $3.  After 6 pm, FREE admission.  Concert after the game followed by FIREWORKS.  Bright House Networks Field
601 N Old Coachman Road, Clearwater, 33765

July 4

Madeira Beach.  FREE admission.  Madeira Beach Recreation Center and Ball Fields
Fireworks start at 9 p.m.  200 Rex Place, Madeira Beach, 33708

St. Petersburg.  Museum of Fine Arts, Jazz concert starts at 6 pm.  Fireworks follow.  $15 admission. $10 for museum members.   
255 Beach Drive, St. Petersburg, 33707

Dade City, Pasco County.  Price: $3, 10 and younger free. Pasco County Fairgrounds Fun-filled events start at 4 pm.  36722 SR 52, Dade City, 33525

Redington Shores Fireworks at 9 pm.  County Park (Redington Shores)
18120 Park Blvd., Redington Shores, 33776

Largo.  Largo Central Park.  Attempt to set world record for most people doing the Twist at one time.  Dance fee - $3, FIREWORKS FREE.
101 Central Park Drive, Largo, 33771

Safety Harbor.  Safety Harbor City Marina.  Festivities start at 5 pm.  Nominal fees for some activities, FIREWORKS FREE!!
110 Veterans Memorial Lane, Safety Harbor, 34695

Treasure Island.  Treasure Island Beach Trail Park.  View fireworks from the beach.
10400 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island, 33706

Clearwater.  Mostly Pops concert.  ALL FREE.  Spectacular fireworks display. Coachman Park
301 Drew St., Clearwater, 33756

DON'T GET TOO COMFORTABLE!

Are you enjoying the good times? Have you achieved your goals and become comfortable in the knowledge that you have reached the zenith of your life and career? But wait! Hold on just a minute. What if things were to change suddenly . . . and you ended up back at the proverbial "Square One"?

Maybe that's already happened to you a time or two. Perhaps your career took a sudden turn in a direction you hadn't anticipated, or a health problem caught you totally by surprise. What did you do then? Were you paralyzed by fear? Did you feel cheated, or angry? Did you blame circumstances for your new situation?

No doubt you are able to rationalize objectively that all of us face change from time to time, that it's a part of life. It's difficult, however, to be objective when change suddenly stares you straight in the eye.

Some answers popped up this week to the challenges of change. You'll find those answers in a short, easy-to-read book entitled "Who Moved My Cheese?" Written by Spencer Johnson (co-author of "The One-Minute Manager"), it's the story of two little mice named "Sniffy" and "Scurry" and two little people the size of mice called "Hem" and Haw." The story traces the whimsical challenges faced by these tiny characters as they travel through the maze called "real life."

If you have ever been challenged by change in your world, you'll find comfort and sage advice in this simple story. It's waiting for you to read, and it's worth the short time you'll need to absorb the lessons it contains. This is a great story - don't miss it!

Click here for the video.

This is not minimizing the horrible nature of the problem at all.  Just a peek at corporate responsibility dodging for this oil spill.  More aptly, perhaps oil gusher.

ASK "WHY?"

Beginning in the late '60s, a revolution of sorts began in this country. It was a revolution that was irreverent at times, almost always anti-establishment, and it turned many traditional social customs upside-down.

How did it begin? The young, many of college-student age, began to ask WHY? They challenged everything by asking a simple question - WHY? Why must it be so? Why is this or that the "right" way? Why can't I try a new approach? Everything that had been taken for granted by the establishment up to that time was up for grabs.

Voila! The country changed and will never be the same. Was the change all for the good? Hardly. Families suffered. The security blanket of social customs was yanked away. Collectively, we had to find a new direction, new meaning, for our lives. Was it worth two decades of turmoil? So it would seem.

Today's young families seem to be returning to principle-centered living. They are more sophisticated. They understand and adopt good personal money-management philosophies, and they still ask "why?"

The "why" of today, however, is more constructive. It has led to astounding advances in technology. When you ask a "why" today, you can locate the answer in minutes via the Internet. Audio books, motivational tapes, and "online" educational courses make it possible to become enlightened without the need for social revolution.

What about you? Are you asking "WHY?" often enough? Today, the world is yours if you know how to ask the right questions! The "ask why" generation's gift to all of us was the freedom to question and learn, guilt-free. Want to grow as a person? Start asking "WHY?"!

Feel the gentle Gulf breezes and enjoy true island living in this spacious 1BR/1BA ground floor condo in a wonderful community. Condo has the space & design to become a 2BR or enjoy the open family room design as it is. The ground floor location offers direct access to the waterfront at one door while having the convenience of covered parking & visitor parking at the other. Nice updates like porcelain tile, newer kitchen countertops, & appliances welcome you to move right in. Top of the line Rollaway Hurricane shutters offer extra protection. Premium location near fishing pier, clubhouse, pool & tennis courts with lots of neighborhood activities. Within walking distance to the Bike Trail, the ferry to Caladesi Island, Honeymoon Island & the Causeway Beaches known for kayaking, fishing, walking, biking, sailboarding & just soaking in the sun! Current lease is a month to month, but will continue renting if you are not quite ready to move in. If you are ready to watch the dolphins play or feel the tug of the fish on your line in your back yard, now's the time to buy!

WOULD YOU ENTER THE BLACK DOOR?

Many years ago, in a country far away, a ruthless dictator terrorized his prisoners. On their execution day, each prisoner was summoned for an audience with the cruel dictator. Standing face-to-face, the dictator gave each condemned man a final choice - to either face the firing squad - or go through the "black door."

Having experienced countless episodes of torture and cruelty already, the prisoners invariably chose death over the unknown terror that they imagined must lie beyond the "black door." Finally, the day came when the dictator himself lay on his deathbed. Curious, his inner circle of advisors asked him, "What lies beyond the 'black door'?" His answer? "Freedom!"

People are still making that choice today - choosing lives dampened by fear, rather than taking a chance on the unknown beyond the black door. That awful, scary feeling that comes from "fear of the unknown" is often just enough to keep us from breaking out into the clear light of day that illuminates our success.

The next time an opportunity presents itself, yet fear threatens to smother success, take time to understand your fear. Make a list of what you fear may happen. Write down the worst that could happen. Next, make a list of the benefits you would reap by taking positive action. When the benefits exceed the risks, the decision will become clear.

Get in the habit of setting clear, concise daily goals for yourself. As you set and achieve them, you will notice that "fear of the unknown" begins to fade. You will accomplish more in a day than you otherwise would in a month.

Finally, remember one of my favorite and often used quotes: "Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered. No one was there."

Wonderful short sale opportunity for a nicely designed 2/2/1 home on a corner lot in a very well-kept neighborhood. The owners replaced roof 5 years ago, installed laminate flooring in dining area, & upgraded to stainless appliances last year. Nicely painted, a split bedroom plan, cathedral ceilings, & a spacius 16'x24'screened lanai in a private setting add to the delightful personality of this home. Old carpeting has been removed in the bedrooms & family room and needs flooring. Nice residential location near Mass. Ave and Rowan Rds & a short drive to the mall, restaurants, parks, beaches & shopping.

A 30 year mortgage with no points can be had for an APR or 4.7%.  This is for a normal loan, that is less than $417,000.  For a 15 years mortgage, the rate can be as low as 4.38% with no points. 

If someone wants to go to the higher priced homes for a jumbo loan, the rates are still terrific.  A $500,000 mortgage with 20% down could be a low as 6.721 APR for a 30 year note.  For a 15 year jumbo loan with 20% down and no points, the interest rate can be as low as 6.015%.  And with points, the rates can go even lower.

These are historically low rates and can't continue forever.  Yes, this is a great time to buy real estate in the Tampa Bay area.

KNOW WHICH DIRECTION TO TAKE?

Alice had no destination in mind when she began walking - no goal or objective to be achieved. She just wanted to "get somewhere." Might there be a parallel to that simple lesson in the business of everyday living?

In the average 168-hour week, chances are good that each of us will sleep for approximately 56 hours. That leaves about 112 hours for work and play. Whether or not we know which direction to take each week, we still have that same 112 hours.

If we choose a destination for the week - in the form of some personal or business goal - then set out in that direction, chances are good we will arrive. We will have -0- hours left at the end of the week, and will have achieved our objective.

The reverse is also true. When we allow the week to happen to us, vaguely hoping to "get somewhere," yet having no destination in mind, we still end the week with -0- hours remaining. The difference, of course, is that we accomplish no worthwhile objective.

How often have we been reminded of the importance of having goals and writing them down? With clearly defined goals, we can build a roadmap to our greatest achievements. Without them, we are like a ship without a rudder, unlikely to even get out of the harbor without ending up aground on the beach.

Choosing a worthy destination for our lives is a simple task. We get to choose any direction that excites and fulfills us. Then, once chosen, we need only construct our own "yellow brick road" to take us there.

Move-In Ready! Great central location in Oldsmar near shopping, entertainment, restaurants, Citrus Park & Countryside Malls and convenient to Tampa Airport.  Spacious kitchen with pantry, open and airy floor plan, laundry room inside, and plenty of fans to keep you cool.  Triple panel glass sliders open to your own private back yard w/ pool and conservation views.  A security system and 5 smoke detectors help to keep you feeling safe and sound in your new home.  Three bedrooms upstairs including the master bedroom with large walk-in closet.  Community pool just a short walk from your front door.  New air conditioner and air handler installed in 2009.  One car garage with remotes and a reclaimed water system for watering your yard.  Offered "as-is" for the sellers convenience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TXx8rKy-Ow

Now, wasn't that better than reading pages of verbiage that just put you to sleep?  We can help, contact us.  We are Certified Distressed Property Experts, or CDPE, and know how to help you through a trying experience.