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Morning Coffee

by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"To have a friend, you must first be a friend."
- Unknown


ARE YOU RELATED?

In the long distant past, all generations of a family lived in the same town, if not just across the road or down the lane. Each member of the family knew all the good - and the bad - about every other member (as well as all the neighbors). They worked together, played, and prayed together.

Today, families are scattered throughout the country. What we call relationships now are often only acquaintances introduced through business situations or chance meetings. They may be casual and based only on a single shared interest, i.e. golf, fitness, children's school activities, etc. These relationships may lack depth and rarely go beyond that single shared interest.

Even with family relations more scattered and unavailable to us on a day-to-day basis, our human side still has a need and desire for deeper relationships. The good news is that they are not only possible but also available to us with just a little effort.

A single common interest through school-aged children may result in having lunch together. The lunch may reveal that both individuals appreciate the arts, with one being an amateur photographer and the other a proficient watercolor artist. Further conversation may find that both are caring for aging parents, have endured similar life challenges, or witnessed brilliant successes.

In short, deep relationships, akin to those shared by families in the past, are still possible. Yes, they must be cultivated. They don't just passively occur as in the daily activities of a family. The result is the same, however, as these relationships can provide a richness to life that is missing in their absence. Try to find some missing relations today!

Mt. Hood FHA Loans to Tighten!

by Liz Warren

If you are contemplating using an FHA loan for your purchase in Welches, Government Camp, Rhododendron or Brightwood, take note! HUD secretary Donovan is promising in 2010 qualifying for an FHA loan will tighten up with credit qualifications and higher fees.

Changes may include the following:

1. A higher downpayment requirement from 3.5 to 5%.

2. Seller paid closing costs reduced from 6% down to 3% of the loan amount.

3. Higher mortgage insurance premiums! Currently 1.75%

4. Higher credit standards.

Bottom line, look for 2010 to cost a buyer even more to get a loan with stricter guidelines.

If considering purchasing a home now, get your application in before things tighten up even further.

 

Monday Morning Coffee

by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"Take your life in your own hands and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame."
~ Erica Jong


BAN THE BLAME!

"The dog ate my homework." Teachers hear that one every week. "Jimmy made me do it!" Parents hear that one often, too. Fast-forward a few years to the college student with bad grades, and you hear, "The professor doesn't like me." Then, before we know it, we're all grown up. Now we hear, "My manager didn't give me enough time to complete the project," and, "She doesn't understand me," or, "The customer wasn't honest with me, so I couldn't close the sale."

Where do these fabrications of blame originate? They probably begin in our childhood imagination - and that's also where they should stop. Blaming comes easy since we tend to do it when the person blamed isn't around. Who's going to dispute our blame claim?

Take a moment to re-read the first part of today's quote: "Take your life in your own hands . . ." What a breath of fresh air emerges from that phrase. By accepting responsibility for our life and all its actions, we no longer need to alienate those around us by blaming. We can live a no-excuses life.

We either accept the low classroom grade without complaint - after all, we earned it - or we change our approach to homework the next time. We simply allot enough time to complete our manager's special project on deadline, or be willing to be employed at a lower level on the food chain. We invest ourselves more deeply in our personal relationships, or accept a less-than-fulfilling bond with those we love.

As quoted before, "All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts." If you're tired of perpetually being on the defensive, ban blame from your life - forever. It's a wonderful way to live stress-free!

Mt. Hood Winterization Tips

by Liz Warren

Old man winter is heading to Mt. Hood from Government Camp to Welches, Brightwood and Rhododendron. Here are a few tips on keeping those pipes from freezing in your cabin or vacation home. You might want to download these tips and post them in your property for future use.

 

Displaying blog entries 11-14 of 14

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Liz Warren
Merit Properties Group - Keller Williams Realty PDX Central
Box 131
Welches OR 97067
Direct: 503-705-3090