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Christy Hempel - Sr. Loan Officer

New law will be enforced starting today....

This weekend news and the lighted signs along our Houston highways remind us not only to "click it or ticket" and "Seat belts all the time, all riders, every ride" is not only a new campaign to remind Houston area drivers to wear their seat belts but could also be kicking off the new year of seat belt laws for our children too.

Last September a series of new laws regarding drivers and riders in Texas including laws regarding cell phone and texting while driving as well as new laws regarding booster seat use. The law regarding booster seats gave parents a "grace period" where from Sept. 1, 2009 to June 1, 2010 parents could obtain the booster seat they needed for their children. Warnings were issued. But starting today parents will no longer receive warnings but tickets, fines and possibly even greater prosecution for not having their children in a booster car seat.

What is the new child safety/booster/car seat law in Texas?

See the answer at http://www.securemtgonline.com/HoustonRealEstateBlog

Christmas for the Kids!!

Looking for a great way to get your son, daughter or grandchildren into the Christmas spirit. Here is an interactive Santa Claus Card that will surely get the kids going. I did this for my 9 year old son last year and he loved it. When the email came in with his name on it from Santa he was like " no way ".

By typing some non personal information about your children and downloading their picture, you get a personalized video where Santa Claus speaks directly to your children by calling them by their name (first only).

Santa Claus obviously knows how old the boy or the girl is, moreover he has their file in his lap and their picture on his photograph album ( you upload your own photo).

He reminds them of their promises to deserve his gifts (good work at school, be wise...etc.) and the very gift they want. Eventually he answers one of the questions the children usually ask (how does Santa Claus know ...?).

This is a very fun way to start off the Christmas Holidays and a great way to interact with the kids.

Link: http://www.securemtgonline.com/SantaClaus

Senators agree to extend home buyer tax credit




WASHINGTON — Senators agreed Wednesday to extend a popular tax credit for first-time home buyers and to offer a reduced credit to some repeat buyers.

Look like the tax credit is going to be extended. Even though it has ways to go, this is a big step in the process. As all of you know it provides up to $8,000 to first-time home buyers but is set to expire at the end of November. When the Commerce Department came out on Wednesday and said that new home sales fell 3.6 percent in September, some industry representatives blamed uncertainty about the tax credit.

So, what do the Senators in Washington do? They agree to extend the existing tax credit for first-time home buyers. Not only due they extend it but they add a little something special on to it as well. They are offering a reduced credit of up to $6,500 to repeat buyers who have owned their current homes for at least five years, said Regan Lachapelle, a spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

read entire article: http://www.securemtgonline.com/HoustonRealEstateBlog

Prestigious Tournament

As many of you know my youngest son plays the coolest game on earth. He plays for a local ice hockey organization called the Houston Wild. This team is made up of 10 year old kids from across the Houston metro area.

They mainly travel up to Dallas and take on very stiff competition as Dallas has about 5,000 kids age 8-18 playing hockey where as Houston has about 500 in the same age range. At the Dallas Labor Day Tournament this team came in 2nd out of 15 teams in there bracket and was just invited to a very prestigious tournament over Presidents Day, in Colorado Springs,Co. because of how they are doing. The tournament is invitation only and will have about 20 teams from across the United States in attendance.

Link to tournament: http://www.csaha.com/tournament/pday/pdthome.asp

The team had already scheduled a golf tournament for November 22, 2009 and several of you have responded with much help and we thank you.

We still have plenty of room for those who want to put together a team or maybe do some sort of sponsorship. With an invitation from a tournament of this magnitude fund-raising work becomes even more important.

for more information http://www.securemtgonline.com/GolfTournament

Not only are we doing a golf tournament, we have also started a turn in your electronics program, so if you have some unwanted electronics laying around go to: http://hockey_tech.gazelle.com

Charitable Golf Tournament

Squirt A Hockey Team

2009 Golf Tournament and Fundraiser

Tournament Date: Sunday,November 22,2009

Time: 9:30 am check in with 11:00 am Shotgun start

Location: Houston National Golf Club, Houston, Texas

Goals:

Establish a charitable golf tournament for the benefit of the Wild Squirt A Hockey

team that is open to the entire Houston Wild Club and the general public. The proceeds will

be used by the Squirt team to underwrite the extraordinary costs for attending competitive

travel hockey tournaments.

Tournament Format:

The Wild Squirt Golf Tournament is open to EVERYONE. The format

will be a shotgun start and will follow team scramble play. Mulligans and special shots such

as "a foot wedge", "a 1 putt green", "free toss onto the green", etc. will also be available for a

nominal charitable contribution. There will be prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places, plus closest to

the pin and long drive contests.

For more information and registration: http://www.securemtgonline.com/GolfTournament?c=2