Turn around...don't drown!!!
Here in South Texas, especially San Antonio our roads flood very quickly. We have lots of low water crossings and streams that can quickly turn into raging rivers. If you are going to try to navigate the area during heavy rains take a minute to check out the low water crossings that might be on your route and do your best to avoid them!! Here is a great resource for that: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/data_central/San_Antonio_Low_Water_Crossings.html
We had a string of storms roll into the area last night and have hung around all day, this is the result.
I took this picture while heading to a walk through. It is just one of many here in San Antonio and chances are when we watch the news tonight there will be at least one story of someone who ignored road blocks or low water crossings and had to be rescued from their stranded vehicle. I really hope we can avoid this but only time will tell! So please...be smart, turn around...don't drown!!
I hope you all have a great weekend!
Behind on your mortgage...what now?
photo courtesy of: http://www.flickr.com/photos/respres/2539334956/
The details of the story are different for every situation but the plot is becoming more and more common. The problem is by no means the end of the world, but when you and your family are going through it, it can be very scary and upsetting. What problem am I referring to? Being behind on your mortgage. Many people think that they have but two options: catch up on payments (which for most families is nearly impossible) or let your house go back to the bank (foreclosure).
There is also the embarrassment factor, it is not easy to talk to strangers about finances and personal struggles. There are so many reasons people find themselves in this situation; illness, loss of job, divorce, market conditions, type of loan(s), and the list goes on and on. What is really important is that people understand they do have options. They can survive this and get to the other side. Here are some of the options homeowners have when facing mortgage default.
photo courtesy of: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thetruthabout/3189812973/ 
1. Catch up on your payments- yes this one is a no brainer and for most families not very realistic unless they have a bonus, inheritance, or winning lottery ticket in their future.
2. Let your home go to foreclosure - this is probably the worst case scenario for most families but unfortunately it is also probably the most common, only because they don't realize there are other solutions.
3. Loan Modification- No matter how difficult the conversation might be, TALK TO YOUR LENDER! You do not have to pay someone to negotiate a loan modification for you. Most lenders will work with you if they can. There will likely be a lot of paperwork involved but many times, lenders are willing to reduce interest rates, extend loan to decrease payment amount, etc. Most of the time - the lender does not want your home! The government also has many resources available through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In addition a local Realtor® can be a great resource for information, many have years of experience helping homeowners save their homes.
4. Short Sale - A short sale is a type of sale where the lender agrees to accept less for the home than what is owed on the mortgage. When the value of the home has dropped and the home will not net enough to pay off the balance, the homeowner can many times get the lender to agree to a short sale. This will allow the homeowner to avoid foreclosure and still walk away from the home without a balance hanging over their head. Many Realtors® are short sale experts and have experience negotiating with banks. They can also give you information on what type of documentation the banks will require before they will even consider a short sale.
These are just a few options available to families who are struggling to pay their mortgages. The bottom line is communication. If you are unable to keep up with your bills keep talking with your lender, find good local resources, and if necessary enlist the help of a reputable local Realtor®. Finally don't forget the free resources available with the U.S. Government.
One last note, there are many unsavory characters out there who will bombard you with "quick fix, easy out" solutions if you only pay them X$ or turn your personal information over to them. DO NOT TRUST THEM! If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. None of the paths through this dilemma are easy but you can get through it and see light at the end of the tunnel!
photo courtesy of: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tacitrequiem/2884214731/
San Antonio Spurs: Are you ready?????
In honor of the San Antonio Spurs season opener, I thought I would dedicate wordless Wednesday to their season schedule.
I am a sports fan (primarily dedicated to football and basketball). I devote most of my time and energy to watching the Texas teams - Spurs, Cowboys, Longhorns, Texans. I do, however, watch other teams as well - I just can't promise to root for them! I am a San Antonio girl and so I am a huge Spurs fan! I am looking forward to this NBA season and I will end this post with three little words "GO SPURS GO"!
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schedule courtesy of: http://www.nba.com/spurs/schedule/
Halloween in San Antonio and the surrounding areas
Halloween can be a time for family celebrations and while many events cater to older crowds and young adults, many of them are family and children friendly. Below are a few events in San Antonio and the surrounding area that folks can enjoy during this Halloween season. Some of these are strictly for adults and older children but many of them are perfect for children!
Six Flags Fiesta Texas
"Fright Fest" begins with "Last Chance Legends" in Purgatory Hall; "Creature Feature" in Sangerfest Halle with monsters singing and dancing; "Scream and Shout, Sundance Saloon Show" in the Sundance Theatre, and "Roni y Los Vampiros" in Teatro Fiesta with Roni Garza and his musical troupe.
Days/hours of operation: Saturdays & Sundays in October.
Open noon-9 p.m. Saturday, noon-7 p.m. Sunday.
Admission: $31.99-$46.99 plus tax.
Interstate 10 West at La Cantera Parkway, north of Loop 1604
(210) 697-5050 or (800) 473-4378
SeaWorldAdventurePark
"Howl-O-Scream" continues with "Jack's Pumpkin Bash," "Shamu's Rockin' Creep Show"; and the HauntedForest! Visit the "PirateUniversity" for children 11 years and younger from noon-6 p.m.
Days/hours of operation: Open 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday.
Admission: $38.99-$48.99 plus tax. Kids younger than 3 get in free.
Ellison Drive at Westover Hills Boulevard off Texas 151 (west of Loop 410; inside Loop 1604),
(800) 700-7786
TerrorMansion
Haunted house with 23 rooms features Freddy, Jason, Michael, Leatherface and Jigsaw.
Days/hours of operation: 7 p.m. Fridays-Sundays and Thursdays through October.
Admission: $15. $2 discount coupons available at Papa John's, PartyCity, Regal Cinemas & Helio Communications locations.
414 W. Laurel St.
(210) 226-2666
Nightmare on Grayson
San Antonio's longest-running haunted house returns with nearly 12,000 square feet of rooms filled with ghouls, ghosts and other scary creatures.
Days/hours of operation: 7:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday, Oct. 12-14, 18-21 and 25-31. Closing times vary. Admission: $13. FestEvil, featuring live entertainment, vendors and games, costs $2 extra.
201 E. Grayson St.
(210) 979-5522
San Antonio Zoo Boo
Zoo Boo is a non-scary event held at the San Antonio Zoo right before Halloween each year. Kids can take part in a costume contest, face-painting, games and much more.
3903 North St. Mary's Street.
Ripley's Haunted Adventure
Take I-37 and take the Commerce Street exit, (Exit 141) and go west. Turn right and at the 4th traffic light onto Alamo Plaza Street. Go 2 full blocks and we are on the left, directly across from the Alamo.
Family "Trunk or Treat" at YMCA
‘Trunk or Treat' at Braundera Family YMCA. Various vendors and others will join in the fun by gathering at the Braundera YMCA to give away treats out of their cars. No more walking from house to house in the dark - children can walk from ‘trunk to trunk' in one large area to fill up their candy bags! Kids can also enjoy face painting, a moon bounce, and an obstacle course. Come dressed in your Halloween costume!
Admission: Free to the Public
San Antonio Ghost Tours
Private Limo Tour, AlamoCity Ghost Tours, The Alamo Ghost Hunt Tour, The Haunted Palace Tour
For More info call Alamo Tel: (210) 225-1391, ext.13
Fax: (210) 354-3602
Email: dstewart@thealamo.org
Where you can find a pumpkin patch, corn maze, safe trick-or-treating, hayrides and other Fall and Halloween fun near you! Many are still open in November! Be sure to scroll down the page, some pages are big! !
Twitter Live!
Many people are flocking to the latest social networking tool called Twitter. When I first started "tweeting" I was like most people, I really didn't get it. I didn't see the point, I mean really, randomly sending out bits of information (in 140 characters or less) to strangers. So I started very slowly, then I started observing and trying to learn from the people on Twitter that really seemed to get something out of it and who were able to give something back. Slowly, my momentum started to build and I actually started to have some engaging conversations with people, it became educational and fun!
A few months into my Twitter travels, I came across a post by @nanpalmerothe link was a "twit-vite". This is an invitation to a twitter event (aka tweetup). This particular event is a monthly lunch called #BMPR (business media public relations). So for the last three months I have been attending this lunch and have actually had the chance to meet in person some of the entertaining and witty folks I have been following all this time.
This month's #bmpr was held at The Oak Hills Country Club in honor of the ATT Championship Series that is being held here in San Antonio this weekend. The topic was Social Media for Social Good. We had speakers from the San Antonio Food Bank, San Antonio Blood and Tissue Center and Hugs for Holly. All three of these organizations are using social media (twitter, Facebook, etc) to spread their message and increase their effectiveness.
The other thing that I am learning and loving about Twitter, is that no matter where you are in your twittercation the people out there are ready, willing and able to share knowledge and help others. If you are on Twitter and in the San Antonio area make it a point to come to the next #bmpr and if you are in another area, I highly recommend trying to search for local tweetups and start turning the online connections into real live ones!
Oh and if you are on Twitter I would love to have you follow me and vice versa...you can find me at @sahomesales.
After teaching high school science for 9 years, I decided to dedicate my time to educating homeowners and homebuyers. I love helping people understand the process of buying and selling homes.
I graduated from Schreiner College with a degree in Biology, then moved to San Antonio to start my teaching career. A few years later I received a masters degree in multidisciplinary sciences from the University of the Incarnate Word.
During my nine years in education, I taught Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Environmental Science. I also coached volleyball, track and cross country for 5 of those years.
I have been married to my college sweetheart and we have three wonderful children. A daughter who is 8 years old and two boys who are 6 and 4.
Being a former teacher, I am very familiar with the local school districts. I specialize in finding the perfect home for my clients!
Do you have any good testimonials that clients have provided you in the past? Be sure to add them here.
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