It's interesting that one of my very first posts on AR was about the Wake County Board of Education, in 2007... This fall there are FOUR seats up for re-Election. I know that many families are HAPPY with year round schools, and I think there should be a CHOICE... but I'm not sure I agree with spending all of the gas our system does (which is not good for the ecology, the economy OR THE KIDS).
I received the following this morning in my email - and I urge you to consider going to one of these events so that you can ask questions, and make an informed decision.
The October 6 Board of Education elections are fast approaching.
Please add the following event to your calendar.
This Saturday, August 29 from 7:30 - 10 at Rudino's Sport's Deck,
Cornerstone Village, Cary
hear the issues and ask question from Ron Margiotta, District 8 Board of Education Representative.
Meet District 9 candidate Debra Goldman and hear her vision.
Many of you like the work Ron has been doing. And many of you pleaded with the overall board and were ignored. The complete composition of the board directly affects our childrens' future. Four seats are open on the board this year. Its a golden opportunity. Deeply consider if you think the status quo has served us well or if we need change.
Wake Schools Community Alliance (WSCA) thinks we need change and are backing candidates who are committed to education as a first priority. Please come and hear Ron and Debra tell you why they think so too.
Information exchange is critical in this election and your vote is extremely important. However many voters are unaware of the October 6 election.
Funds are needed to spread the word. If you like what you hear, we hope you'll be prepared to support the candidates. Even $10 helps to buy rubber bands to hang mailers on doorknobs! Thank you!
For information: (919) 460-5808; redpath.sarah@yahoo.com Special Guests: Debra Goldman-D9 & Ron Margiotta-D8 (8:15-9:30pm)
We are seeing many customers purchasing in our area using the USDA Home Loan - Rural Development
Program. It does not require that you purchase a farm, although it does restrict the purchase to more rural areas. In the Triangle, meaning Wake, Franklin, Durham, Orange, Johnston and Harnett Counties - we have several USDA Offices.
Why would you care where the USDA Offices are? Because, unlike ANY OTHER LOAN PROGRAM, USDA Home Loans must be "re-underwritten" by the folks at the office assigned for your county. No switching to an office that might not be as busy... you go to the office assigned to your county.
The Government's not hiring a ton of USDA Underwriters. So, whereas in the past we could get a loan to USDA, and have them underwrite it in 3 days - it's now taking 3 WEEKS.
USDA Home Loans are ALSO underwritten by the Lender - so it's a TWO step program. You will not have a quick close with one of these puppies. GREAT PROGRAM, just not enough underwriters in some areas.
For instance, Johnston, Harnett and Lee counties (the WHOLE county qualifies) have only 2 Underwriters. We recently "lost" a week because the insurance company didn't want to give us a binder 3 weeks before closing. Sorry, but the information we put in GUS must be VERIFIED and accurate!
Who is GUS you might ask? Government Underwriting System... that's right, USDA Rural Development doesn't use the FNMA or FHLMC underwriting engines. I'm cool with that - they have their own... but they ALSO have a PERSON that has to underwrite them!
So if you are wanting to purchase a home, and you qualify for the $8000 Tax Credit
... time's a wastin'! Get to it! You will need every DAY in November to get that deal DONE and CLOSED.
If you are considering a purchase, and want to get pre-qualified in NC for a USDA Mortgage Loan, please call Steve and Eleanor Thorne, 919-649-5058... we have the lowest rates!
Why you might need to refinance:
#1: If you have an equityline - you should probably get rid of it if you can. Equity Lines allow you to pay interest only. I've been a mortgage lender for years, and people "want" to pay the equityline down, but normally they don't. In our area, the maximum FHA loan is $295,000. If you have a 1st mortgage at 5.625%, you might think it doesn't make sense to refinance with rates in the low 5s (today) - but if you look at the EQUITYLINE (or second mortgage) you have - then we might be 
saving you over $500 a month, by combining these two loans into one mortgage. Granted, you will have some mortgage insurance with FHA... but you are paying your second mortgage OFF, and building equity... AND you're saving money EVERY MONTH!
#2: There was an article this weekend in the Wall Street Journal Weekend Edition about the need to pay off your mortgage if you think you might retire one day. Okay, it's not quite that blunt - but it make the point that if you're in your 40s, you should be getting a 15 year mortgage. (click here)
#3: Owning Real Estate "Isn't a Get Rich Quick Scheme." It's an INVESTMENT - and building equity should be the end goal. If you have a 30 or 40 year mortgage... you can make an extra payment a year to bring your balance down, without refinancing, but MOST PEOPLE do not have the financial discipline to actually DO THAT. If you are one of "those people" - consider refinancing to a 10 or 15 year mortgage! You will save HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of dollars!
#4: If you follow Dave Ramsey, you know that Step 6 is "PayOff your home EARLY." There's a new "Obama" program that allows you to refinance without an appraisal (in some situations) and rates are at RECORD lows! (read more about Dave's thoughts here)
Our church First United Methodist in Cary, NC is going to hold Financial Peace University classes this fall. It's a great program, centered on having family discussions about debt, and budgets - and making decisions that make a LONG TERM difference in creating peace of mind, with less risk and less stress. If you are interested in more information on this program, there will be a preview this Sunday! (please click here.) We think it's a WONDERFUL program for the church to be offering, and we are excited about the difference this makes for our family.
If we can help - please call Steve and Eleanor Thorne, Cary, NC 919-649-5058. We have the lowest mortgage interest rates!
I live in Cary, North Carolina... a small town that somehow MORPHED itself into the 7th largest CITY in the state. Our "local" Newspaper was the Cary News... for YEARS we received our Weds and Saturday edition - this is where you really looked for the neighborhood kids playing sports, or engagements, or weddings. It's where we had updates about the Rotary Clubs, and Lazy Daze pictures with features on Cary residents who did something interesting. I LOVED it!
Then it was sold to the News and Observer in Raleigh... Then it was incorporated, and delivered as PART of the News and Observer paper. As the News and Observer shrank - so did the paper, until it was no longer located in DownTown Cary - with a staff, and photographer who ate hotdogs at the counter at Ashworths. It stopped being a "hometown" paper - in fact, I don't even look at it much anymore.
The Real Estate Section of the Cary News is pretty much gone - ditto the News and Observer. We are Tweeting our Listings, and there was a recent post about the fact that FACEBOOK will quickly make SEO a "dinosaur" term.
A friend of mine is starting the Cary Citizen. An online Hyper Local News source that organically pushes the picutres, and information I use to love about the Cary News. I can get it on my phone, on my time, in bite sized pieces I'm interested in.
I don't think we're going to stop reading the USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal is probably safe - but do we really NEED a local Newspaper? Would one that covers the State work?
If you have questions about Cary, or the Research Triangle Park area - give me a call (919.649.5058), or follow me!
So many people are waiting for mortgage interest rates to get below 5% - and then they will Refinance -
Or THEN they will purchase...
Well, with rates in the LOW 5's... NOW might be the time to act!
The thing that keeps rates ABOVE the 5% rate is simple... there are indications that the economy is recovering! (Good News in the Economy is Bad News for Mortgage Interest Rates)
"The ISM Manufacturing Index improved to 48.9 in July, jumping more than 4 points from the June score and marking the fourth straight improvement. This indicates that overall conditions remain in contraction for the 18th consecutive month, but that the slowdown is stabilizing."
Here's what the Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors Advises:
"Activity has been consistently much stronger for lower priced homes," [Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist] said. "Because it may take as long as two months to close on a home after signing a contract, first-time buyers must act fairly soon to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit because they must close on the sale by November 30."
NOW is the time to act. By next year, rates will be well into the 6% range. If you are thinking about refinancing, and consolidating your first and second mortgage into one loan (we're saving one guy over $500 a month combining his loan!)... or if you're waiting for lower rates to purchase... don't delay! Call Steve and Eleanor Thorne, Professional Mortgage Planners, in Cary, NC 919-649-5058. We have the LOWEST Mortgage Interest RATES!!
 |
|
|
I see myself differently than most loan officers in the Cary/Raleigh market. As a rare Cary native, I see myself as an expert on the area, on mortgage industry changes and factors that affect rates!
Who We Are
I am privileged to work with my husband, Steve, in an area we both love. When my family moved to Cary in1968 the population was around 7600. Today, we are the seventh largest metropolitan area in the state with a population of over 125,000! Steve and I met at Cary High School, and we remember when Kildaire Farm Road had a couple of FARMS on it and the Cary Parkway was just a good idea.
I'm second generation "mortgage." As I grew up in a home where everyone spoke about the economy and the mortgage and real estate business... I'm an Economic News Junkie and often write about events moving mortgage interest rates. It's important to me that folks understand that I'm not writing about the "gloom" and "ruin" of the mortgage industry - I'm simply looking for lower mortgage interest rates. Typically, bad news in the economy spells good news for mortgage interest rates.
Steve and I were named one of the top Origination Teams in the State (by the NC Association of Mortgage Professionals) and Mortgage Originators Magazine. As entrepreneurs, one of our companies received the coveted Triangle Fast 50 Awards by our Business Journal three years in a row.
Our Commitment
We've been involved in Mortgage Lending since the early 1980's. There is a vision that drives us to do what we do. Simply put, we want to help you create the financial strategy that allows you to live life to the fullest. That requires that together we establish goals, define priorities and determine what's most important to you.
On any given hour of a day, mortgage lending experiences subtle shifts that can create huge forces of change for our customers. We are dedicated to a life of continually educating ourselves in the broad areas of economics, politics and financial planning... and of course we stay on top of the Mortgage Industry News too!
Our Family, Our Community
As active members of the Cary Chamber of Commerce, the YMCA and our church, we have become friends and mentors to local businesses and charities. We've worked hard to raise money and awareness for the "We Build People Campaign" at the YMCA and the American Cancer Society "Relay for Life."
Our unique family dynamic includes a middle school daughter, a son who is at Western Carolina University, a small Japanese Chin (named Lucky) .
I'VE BEEN HACKED!
hi. my name is Savannah Leigh Thorne. i am Steve and Eleanor's daughter, and i feel very strongly that my mom hasn't truly explained our family. so here it is. we are a simi-normal family getting by comfortably in soccer mom territory, also known as the suburbs(not my first choice. but its ok, i still have plenty of fun). we love to do allot of things as a family. my dad and I like to go to the YMCA (conveniently located up the street from us) and play plenty of sports like tennis and swimming and on the occasion even jogging(once again, not my first choice). My older brother is one of my heros, we are 12 years apart and have way too much fun together. my mother often looks at us with a very confused face and asks us why are acting like brothers and sisters.. of course we all start laughing and say "i guess someone didn't get the memo!". speaking of my mom. something you might not know about her is that she is possibly the most creative person i have ever met. she is constantly finding new ways to make something in (or on) our house look amazing. i like to think that's where i get my creativeness from. So anyway. the last thing you should know about our happy little family is that we are very musically inclined. My dad and i will stay up all night playing guitar and piano and singing, of course my mom and brother will join in on the singing too, but its what we do. we may be embarrassing, and we do have our "un-happy" moments. but for the most part were just like ever other typically untypical family. :)
LOVE,
SAVANNAH LEIGH THORNE
Our Company
First Financial Services is a NC owned mortgage banker / broker. We are authorized to handle FHA, NC Housing, VA, USDA... and represent an array of conforming, conventional lenders. We have offices in NC, SC, Virginia and DC. Our team is built upon the same foundation we built our business relationships on. We constantly strive to build a team that embraces and adheres to the values we consider most important... as one of our clients you can be assured that everyone on our team to look out for your best interests!
In most cases we are able to allow our clients to lock into an interest rate and float down if the market improves. We educate our customers on market conditions, and the events that might change those conditions, as we help find the BEST solutions for your situtaton!
We are fortunate to have expertise in helping folks make minor changes to their credit files - as those minor changes to improve a score can make thousands of dollars worth of difference over the life of the loan.
For a more information about Cary check this out or CLICK HERE!
We are helping host RE BARCAMP for the Raleigh Area on November 6 from 10 until 4. This is an interactive meeting aimed at Raising The Bar on Social Media Marketing in the Real Estate World! Follow us #REBCRDU
If you are an agent, or a lender looking for an interesting way to get more people interacting with you, click here.
In addition to the information we post on Activerain, you might find what you are looking for at another of our websites! For instance, we have hundreds of properties (each with their own websites) at STEVE THORNE ONLINE. We also post maps, and qualifying information about ALL Government Loans at NC FHA EXPERT. We've met dozens of people this year who are struggling with ways to improve their credit - and maximize their FICO so that they can get the best rates. Because of this, we created a site dedicated to the question, 'HOW TO IMPROVE MY SCORE." We also have local housing trend information, quirky insights, and networking information about this area at this site. Triangle Area Recognition: Recent "Best Of" Awards
Men's Health
Magazine ranked Raleigh the most politically engaged city in America.
The rankings were based on percentages of active registered voters, ballots counted, percentage of income donated in the current presidential election, campaign spending, votes cast in the 2008 primary and votes cast in recent elections for governor and senate - Men's Health magazine, September 2008
Milken Institute: A Best Performing City
The Raleigh-Cary metropolitan area is ranked number two in the nation's "Top 100Best Performing Cities" in an annual economic performance index released by Milken Institute/Greenstreet Real Estate partners. The annual study ranks
metropolitan areas by how well they are creating and sustaining jobs and Economic growth. The Raleigh-Cary area rose from number 10 in 2007 - September 2008
MSNBC: America's Best City
MSNBC.com ranks Raleigh America's best city! "Raleigh, N.C., it seems, is the best place to be in the U.S. right now. It ranks No. 1 in Forbes' 2008 list and was also top in 2007 - consistent placement among these lists is truly rare. It ranks No. 2 in Kiplinger's list this year. The city is also Fortune Small Business magazine's No. 20 place to live and launch." -- June 2008
Kiplinger's: A Top Urban Area
Kiplinger's Personal Finance names the Triangle the second best urban area in the U.S. It highlighted undeniable date: population growth since 2000 of 19.9 percent; percentage of the work force in the creative class, 36.1 percent; cost of living index, 99 with 100 being the national average; median household income of $56,150; and income growth of 10.3 percent since 200. This ranking dubbed Houston the best in America and Omaha, Neb., the third best. -- July 2008
Forbes: Recession-Proof Local Economy
Forbes magazine ranks the Triangle's economy as fifth on a list of 10 recession-proof local economies. -- May 2008
Best Place For Young Adults
A study conducted by American City Business Journals ranked the Raleigh-Durham
market as the best in the nation for young adults, defined as ages 20 to 34. The
study examined 10 factors, including growth rates of employment and per capita
income, unemployment, percentage of people holding bachelor's degrees and
median rent in the nation's 67 largest metropolitan areas. Austin was ranked
second, Washington, D.C., third. Charlotte placed seventh. -- May 2008
Fortune: A Best Place To Live And Launch
Raleigh's growing tech industry, support of entrepreneurs and the $2.5 billion
renaissance downtown place the Capital City at No. 20 in Fortune's "Best Places to
Live and Launch." -- May 2008
Rachel Ray: Best CityFor Singles
Raleigh is named The Best American City for Singles" in Every Day with Rachel Ray
magazine. - - January 2008
"If we study the lives of great men and women carefully and unemotionally we find that, invariably, greatness was developed, tested and revealed through the darker periods of their lives. One of the largest tributaries of the river of greatness is always the stream of adversity."
Cavett Robert
"This day is all that is good and fair. It is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on the yesterdays."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Any mans life will be filled with constant and unexpected encouragement if he makes up his mind to do his level best each day." Booker T. Washington
"It is impossible to get the measure of what an individual can accomplish, unless the responsibility is placed on him."
Alfred Sloan
<a href="http://technorati.com/claim/jgq34izxdg" rel="me">Technorati Profile</a>
"Of course there is no formula for success except perhaps an unconditional acceptance of life and what it brings."
Arthur Rubinstein
"I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But, I can't accept not trying."
Michael Jordan
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
Powered by the ActiveRain Real Estate Network
© 2009 ActiveRain Corp. All Rights Reserved
