Is the government doing enough for those who served and creating "Housing for Veterans" and their families?

Those men and women who have sacrificed their lives to keep our country safe and out of harms way should have special exceptions in many cases. Housing is definitely one of them. Yes VA has the guaranteed loan, but how does that really help the veterans themselves, it does not. Yes, the veteran can get in with no down payment, as long as a funding fee is paid, but is that enough?

I am not big on creating more government backed programs, but think about what these dedicated individuals have done. They have given their lives, many are permanently disabled, many have residual affects from their injuries, and many do not have roofs over their heads as they cannot get jobs. Should their be special exceptions, you betcha!

Those that are fortunate to land jobs when discharged should be able to obtain loans with a discounted interest rate and closing cost assistance. The loan can still be backed by the Federal Government and/or State Government. Guidelines still need to be set, but ease off on some of the stringent qualifications.

These Veterans are having enough of a hard time coming back into civilian life with heavy baggage, not only physically but mentally. Some of them are out on the street, living under bridges, in card board boxes, scrambling to find shelter and food. We would not have what we have today if it would not be for the Veteran protecting our land.

Turn some of these old buildings that have been sitting vacant, and just letting them deteriorate, into shelter for them. Its nothing worse than seeing a building tore down to then have a brand new one built on the exact same parcel of land. Tax dollars are most likely not being generated on these buildings anyway that have been neglected, why not make good use of them and create housing.

Uncle Sam, please find a way to help the Veteran, as the Veteran helped us in so many ways, and yes they should have special exceptions!

How Many Hats Do You Wear?

We find ourselves in this ever demanding industry in situations that we have no expertise in, but are asked what our opinions are. If we were legally licensed in those areas of expertise, how many hats would you wear?

1. Psychiatrist
2. Psychologist
3. Pest Inspector
4. Home Inspector (anything related)
5. Septic Inspector
6. Well Inspector
7. Water Analyst
8. Family Counselor
9. Attorney
10. Appraiser
11. Marriage Counselor
12. Phone Directory Assistant
13. Mapping Coordinator
14. Taxi
15. Negotiator
16. Mediator
17. Accountant
18. Advertiser
19. Customer Service
20. Technician

How many other hats can you add, as I am sure this list will grow as my own thoughts are put into it more thoroughly.

People constantly wander why we get paid what we do. If you incorporate all of those occupations into one, can you only imagine the salary we could receive. Nobody could afford us. We have to be able to multi- task and prioritize each situation.

John Q. Public, please have compassion for your Realtor, as even though not licensed in each of these fields mentioned, we do have to have knowledge in all of those areas of expertise. Your Real Estate Agent is going to be holding your hands from the day you first make contact until when the closing bell rings and you walk away with the keys to your new home and obtaining the ultimate goal of fulfilling the American Dream of home ownership.

Do I buy the rate down or pay the higher interest rate?

This runs through a lot of our buyers minds that have some cash on hand before closing. The answer is, it has to make sense. Each point you pay equals one percent of the mortgage amount.

For an example: If the interest rate is 5.5% and I want to buy it down to 5.25% it may cost me 2 points. So for a $100,000 loan it would cost you an additional $2,000 out of pocket to do so. It would change your payment by $15.59 per month. So if you take the $2,000 and divide it by the $15.59 it would equal 128. This example shows you that you would have to own the home for at least 128 months (10.8 years) to break even with the amount of money you laid out.

The statistics show that the average homeowner owns their home on an average of 7-8 years. So in this scenario, it would not make sense at all to pay the points if you were fall into this category. If you know that you are definitely going to be in a home for all those years (10.8 or more) and without looking into the crystal ball, it would make sense to pay points.

Don't waste your hard earned money, look at the entire picture and do the calculation and ask yourself, do I buy the rate down or just pay the going interest rate. It only makes dollars and cents not to have your money fly out the door.

So again ask yourself do I buy the rate down or pay the higher interest rate?

Enjoy your home ownership.

Cell Phone Usage While Driving

Cell phone and texting ban is currently being discussed in our state Senate in PA.

It's easy to pick up a cell phone and return that business call, order a pizza for dinner or chat with a relative while you're driving.

But more studies are showing how risky that behavior is - even with a hands-free device.

And it may soon be illegal for drivers in Pennsylvania to text and talk on a hand-held cell phone.

The state Senate is expected to discuss proposed legislation on a cell phone ban soon, and local senators say they anticipate debate, including whether the offense should be primary or secondary.

With a primary offense, police could ticket drivers for simply talking on a hand-held phone while driving. With a secondary one, police would have to pull a driver over for another offense, such as speeding, before issuing the ticket for talking on a cell phone.

One bill proposes that drivers cannot use a cell phone while they're driving unless they're using a hands-free device, such as an ear bud or BlueTooth.

Another bill, aimed at drivers on a learner's permit or junior license, proposes that those drivers would not be allowed to use a cell phone at all.

Some drivers praise a ban on texting and talking on the cell phone.

Some people park and then use the phone.

Others say a complete ban on talking on the phone would be extreme.

A lot of us say, when someone is calling, we don't want to ignore it. We will often tell the caller that we are driving and ask if we can call them back.

Some legislators say they're OK with allowing drivers to talk on a cell phone using a hands-free device, even though one study showed that it's not any more safe.

In a study released by the National Safety Council last month, researchers found that drivers using cell phones - whether hand-held or hands-free - have a tendency to "look at" but not "see" objects. They look out the windshield but do not process everything to they need to know to respond to unexpected situations and hazards.

Distracted drivers experience "inattention blindness," similar to that of tunnel vision, the study states.

Some states have passed legislation making it illegal to use a hand-held cell phone while driving, but these laws give the false impression that using a hands-free phone is safe, the report states.

Some senators, question where legislators draw the line between personal freedom and protecting the public.

Other activities, such eating, listening to books on tape or talking to the children in the backseat, are distracting, too.

The cell phone has changed the way our economy does business these days.

At least with a hands-free device, drivers can keep both hands on the wheel of the vehicle. If legislators find that they didn't take a big enough step, they can revisit the issue.

Should a cell phone ban be a primary offense - at first? The state has received good compliance with its seatbelt law, which is a secondary offense.

Some drivers say a new law banning texting and talking on a hand-held phone will not matter. Most of us know it's not a good idea to text while driving, but we still do it anyway.

And most of us talk on a cell phone while we are on the road.

One of the reasons we do this on the way home is so we can relax when we get there. People shouldn't be texting and driving. That takes hand and eye coordination, and it probably should be outlawed.

We have to question how police are going to enforce such a ban when, for example, drivers often text with the phone in their lap. I am sure most of us think that it's not such a big deal for people to talk on the phone.

As far as crashes being caused by cell phone usage, how are police really going to determine if that was the actual cause unless someone actually seen it in use. It will be very hard to enforce.

If we all just use our own common sense.

ACCIDENTS

A-voidable, C-ontrollable, C-onditions, I-nvolving, D-irectly, E-veryone, N-ot, T-hinking, S-ensibly

First Time Home Buyers - Please do not assume that you cannot purchase a home. With all the information you are hearing from the media I am sure you are very skeptical about getting any information at all.

Be rest assured, no matter how many times you buy a home it is very scary as it is most likely going to be the biggest investment of your lives. It was even scary to me every time I bought and I am in the business. By using my services you will:

• Be handled with kid gloves
• Stay informed every step of the way through the process
• Obtain a pre-approval for a mortgage prior to looking at homes, so you know our comfort zone
• As I take you through the homes I will pin point items of value and items you may want to have checked out more thoroughly from a professional in that field.
• I will be a straight shooter with honesty and integrity, not letting you get into something without knowing all the facts.
• I will help you feel comfortable with your offer by showing you first hand what comparable homes have sold for.
• Once your offer is submitted to the Listing Agency and your contract is negotiated and accepted, I will let you know where you go from here.
• Allow me to take the lead for you to guide you through this process to make this as much as a stress free decision you have to make.
• You are a customer for life, not just for today, as I am now listing and selling homes to the second generation.
• I will supply written testimonials if need be and/or phone numbers to call the people directly

First time home buyers, don't let anyone intimidate you. Know all the facts. Do your research online and if you ask me and I don't know the answer, I will find it out for you as promptly as possible.

Be rest assured, before you pull the trigger and sign on the bottom line, you will know all the facts or I will advise you to get all the facts before doing so.

By taking this First time home buyer advice, you will be well on your way to fulfilling the American Dream of Home Ownership.

Contact me for all your Real Estate needs in Red Lion, PA or any where in York, PA.