ENGAGE IT!

Ever driven a car? Of course you have, but what makes it move?

You enter a car with a standard transmission, place it in neutral, and start the engine. It idles - waiting for what? The engine is running, but you are going nowhere. What must be done to get to your destination?

Your vehicle is like your mind and body. Goethe says, "Are you in earnest? . . . Boldness has genius, power and magic in it." He questions whether you are in earnest . . . calls attention to the fact that there is genius, power and magic in boldness. It's like your vehicle idling in neutral. It has the power to take you wherever you want to go . . . yet is goes nowhere - until what happens?

"Only engage," urges Goethe. The only thing keeping you from moving is your willingness to engage. Place the transmission in first gear, and what happens? You begin moving - slowly at first. Moving the gearshift into 2nd, your movement speeds up. As it does, you are soon in 3rd, and well on the way to your destination.

Goethe speaks of achieving your objectives in life: "Only engage, and then the mind grows heated . . . ." In other words, put your life in gear - get started - get moving! When you do . . . when your "mind grows heated" . . . that which you desire to achieve will be attracted to you.

So - what do you say? Are you in earnest?

Perhaps one of these properties were on your list. Here they are:

This chart shows the numbers of modifications currently in process.

Some of the dept to income ratios are shocking for modifications. The modification program does not work for many and after you see the numbers you'll know why. The median front end, or housing dept to income ratio was 44.8% of the income but combined with total debt, the median dept to income ratio was 79.7%. Yes, nearly 80% of the income of the borrower went to servicing debt.

After the HAMP modification, that total debt to income for all debts went to 63.5%. That is a huge amount of debt even after modification. This explains why there are still failures and drop outs after the modifications take place and why it has not been the big success the government had hoped for. It also shows why banks have not been quick to act in completing this program since they often end up foreclosing on the property any way.

Details may be found here.

LIVE WITH PASSION!

When you're ready to ride, don't wear your Nikes. Put on your boots and spurs, and let your horse know you mean to ride hard. Then - ride with passion.

How many times have you thought of achieving a dream - only to spend more time in the dreaming and planning than in the doing? No problem - we all do it from time to time. The old nemesis - fear of failure and the unknown - haunts all of us occasionally, keeping us from reaching our objective.

Think back to the last time you took action with a burning passion! Were you competing for a gold medal, fighting for your life under adverse circumstances, or vying for the heart of your beloved? Something was motivating you to the limit, and you refused to quit.

So, what's your passion right now - today? Maybe it's an education, a new career, getting in shape, having more freedom, money & status, or closer family ties. Whatever your desired direction in life, put on your spurs, mount your horse, and hit the trail! There's no greater joy in life than putting everything you've got into an achievement - and then realizing you've overcome all the obstacles.

Ride hard, buckaroo!

Call me for any addtional information you might need!

Brightwood, Rhododendron, Welches and Government Camp saw three closed sales for residential properties for the month of July. Two of these homes were foreclosures. Here are the sales:

Looking for a great location on a creek with no highway noise and everything completely remodeled from top to bottom? This is it. It's tucked away on Camp Creek and has two bedrooms, a loft, high vaulted ceilings and knotty pine throughout. You'll love the windows which look out to Camp Creek and the big sunny deck. User friendly Camp Creek is great for kids and pets. Only 15 minutes to skiing and one hour from Portland. Enjoy this Mt. Hood National Forest gem in the foothills of the Cascades! Leased land.

Total listings and inventory is increasing. Pending sales hit 45% less than 2009. Marketing times are increasing. For these three properties, despite the fact that they were foreclosures hit 232 days for a sale.

This is a wonderfull home completely remodeled from top to bottom. A floor to ceiling fireplace with woodstove insert is perfect for cool mountain evenings. The great room is open and perfect for family and friends to gather. It's an entertainer's delight with slider to the multiple level deck on the river side of the home. Master bedroom is on the main and two more bedrooms on the lower level. There is zero yard work with a natural setting. The location is at the end of a cul de sac and the Sandy River is a quick walk down from the house. Attached two car garage too. Amenities include a pool, tennis courts and lodge for association owners. Recreational lovers can have easy access to hiway 26 and it's only 15 minutes to skiing and five minutes to a 27 hole golf course. Enjoy the Mt. Hood National Forest practically in your back yard. Perfect home for full time or recreational use.

Meanwhile back at the ranch the MMI- the Monthly Mortgage Insurance Premium is getting raised from .55% to .85%-.90% depending upon the loan to value of the loan. This means your monthly payment will go up and you will be paying more for the same loan thereby potentially not qualifying for as much loan as you did prior to September 7th. With this rise in payment it essentially means a decrease in the loan amount by 4-5% to get the same monthly payment (a lower purchase price so the loan amount is lower).

Why is HUD doing this? To cover their operating costs and to cover anticipated losses. As a buyer, there are pluses to having an FHA loan. The main benefit is when you decide to sell your home these loans are assumable if the new buyer qualifies. This is an attractive prospect if they, HUD, doesn't increase the interest rate for the assumption. They seem to change the rules as administrations come and go. I'm not sure if this is a locked in guarantee or not!

ELIMINATE THE BOX!

It was refreshing to read the article entitled "Thirty Under Thirty" in the REALTOR(r) magazine. Thirty agents under the age of thirty talked about their approach to real estate, and most seemed to "think outside the box." They didn't appear to be bound by conventional rules of marketing conduct. Think back to when you were a young child. You were totally uninhibited by rules, so you weren't afraid to try new things.

Back then, there wasn't even a "box" to confine your thinking or actions. You did whatever worked for you. Then, you began to grow up and your parents, then your teachers, began building a box for you. "Stay in line, be quiet, don't touch this or that," they admonished. "Good little girls and boys don't talk back, eat snacks between meals, or chew with their mouths open. "The rules got more sophisticated as you got older, and you began to conform. Now you're all grown up, comfortable in the box the world built for you, and it's not so easy anymore to "think outside the box".

Not so for the newcomers - the youth of the real estate industry. They are enthusiastic, energetic, and with their "no rules" thinking, they're going to mop up on those competitors who are too comfortable in their box. If you've been in the business for more than ten years, you have one powerful advantage over the newbies - real estate wisdom. You're a survivor and know your way around the business. Now it's just a question of combining that base of knowledge with some of the unfettered new thinking of the under 30 crowd. Old dogs CAN learn new tricks, after all!