Michael Adams

Events near Somerset 08873

Sunday Recital Series

Category: Concerts/Music Events 09/07/2008 - 03/31/2009

5 Paterson St.

New Brunswick, NJ 08901

www.christchurchnewbrunswick.org

732) 545-6262

Myth and Modernity: Ernst Barlach's Images of the Nibelungen and Faust 02/21/2009 - 06/07/2009

Category: Art

Nassau Street

Princeton, NJ 08544

http://artmuseum.princeton.edu/

(609) 258-3788

Rutgers Historical Tour 02/28/2009 - 02/28/2009

Category: Historic Events

71 Hamilton St

New Brunswick, NJ 08901

http://ruinfo.rutgers.edu/visitingRU/historictours/

(732) 445-5745

The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen 03/01/2009 - 03/01/2009

Category: Theatre

15 Livingston Ave.

New Brunswick, NJ 08901

www.statetheatrenj.org

(732) 246-7469

Princeton Country Dancers' Community Family Dance 03/01/2009 - 03/01/2009

Category: Concerts/Music Events

45 Stockton Street

Princeton, NJ 08542

www.princetoncountrydancers.org

(609) 924-6763

All About Maple Syrup 03/01/2009 - 03/01/2009

Category: Family/Festivals

103 College Farm Road

North Brunswick, NJ 08902

www.agriculturemuseum.org

(732) 249-2077

Piles of Paperwork -02/28/2009

Franklin Township Public Library

Are you buried under paperwork? Professional organizer Eva Abreu teaches us how to carve time from busy schedules to work on personal documents. Cut through the piles of piles, decide what to keep, what to toss, what to shred and what to organize and have on hand in case of an emergency.

Registration is required, call the reference desk at 732-873-8700 X#111.

Diverse Cultures, Diverse Sounds, Musical Instruments from around the world - 02/28/2009

Franklin Township Public Library

What can we use to make music bedisides our voices? Participants will expreience a multisensory explorationof music by seeing nd touching instruments from around the world and learn a little about the culture that created each instrument.

Registration is required. Call the reference desk at 732-873-8700 x#111

Theater Workshop: Create-a-Play 03/01/2009

Franklin Township Publick Library

"Create-a-Play" is an interactive workshop for children, ages 5-7. Children will use a favorite story to create a unique short play using theater games, storytelling and creative dramatic techniques. This workshop is sponsored by the New Jersey Theater Alliance and New Jersey Library Association.

To register for this free program call the Children's Department, 732-873-8700 ext. 112, or email Amanda Decker, adecker@franklintwp.org.

Theater Workshop: On your Feet 03/02/2009

Franklin Township Publick Library

If you're itching to act and are between the ages of 8 and 12, this is the workshop for you! "On Your Feet" is a one-hour workshop that will focus on creating stories off the top of your head and sharing them with others. This workshop is led by theater professionals from the George Street Playhouse and is sponsored by the New Jersey Theater Alliance and the New Jersey Library Association.

To register for this free program, call the Children's Department, 732-873-8700, ext. 112 or email Amanda Decker, adecker@franklintwp.org.

Update your home's interior colors

Regardless whether you plan to place your home on the market for sale or if it is just time to freshen your space, one of the most cost effective ways to spruce up your home is with paint. According to Dutch Boy paints, the average consumer spends 2-3 months to plan a home painting project. Driving the trends in color this year are the economy, nature and fashion.

Economy - With the down economy on the minds of many, it is not surprising interior home colors would trend towards the more conservative or neutral. These include light blues, lavenders, grays and beiges. Dutch Boy paints suggest adding a splash of bright color as accents.

Nature - The influence of nature encompasses the environmental movement which looks to bring the outdoors into the home's atmosphere or ambience. Colors here include shades of green, blue, yellow, brown and white. Valspar at Lowes offers examples of these palates.

Fashion influences suggest more saturated and intense colors often found within one's own wardrobe. Fashion tones can introduce a sense of fun and culture. These colors might include shades of red, linen, navy and orange. Pantone provides an online video addressing current fashion trends.

For more information about how to choose the perfect color and frequently asked questions for staring your project visit www.dutchboy.com

To find additional decorating ideas and advice on interior home colors, read Color Forecast 2009: All Things Bright and Beautiful

You will also find that Lowes offers additional information on how to choose paint and other decorating tips.

Contact me for a Lowes discount coupon* or get a coupon directly from Lowes.

*Restrictions apply

Obama's $75 million plan to save the day

NYT- Seeking to stabilize the floundering housing market, President Obama is offering a plan to help as many as 9 million families refinance their mortgages or avoid foreclosure, according to a summary released by the White House Wednesday morning.

I must admit that I have reservations about the plan President Obama is reported to have in the effort to stem the tide of rising home foreclosures. While I fully understand and agree that "something" must be done to normalize the struggleing housing market, in order for the overall economy to rebound, I think the proposed plan falls short.

Where the plan falls short is there is no mention of homeowners who are playing by the rules and are making regular payments regrdless of the interest rate, current home value and/or falling incomes. Many families struggle, but stay above water and Obama's plan seems to make them invisible. Help is afforded to only those who follow the rules and are on the "verge" of defaulting under Obama's proposal

The President will release his plan, later today. In the meantime, here's what the media is reporting what we should expect. Where do you fit on the housing pyramid and what do you think of the plan?

Will it motivate buyers currently on the fence?

Here's what Congress is proposing for home buyers, now - Temporary credit for home buyers: The bill increases the size of an existing temporary and refundable first-time home buyer credit to $8,000, up from $7,500. It also removes the requirement under current law that the credit be paid back if the buyer stays in the home for at least three years. And it would extend the credit's expiration date to Dec. 1, 2009, from July 1. Those eligible for this credit must have purchased a home after Jan. 1, 2009, and before Dec. 1, 2009. The full credit is available to those making $75,000 or less ($150,000 for joint filers).

This is NOT the final language of the bill, but a summary of what congress has agreed upon; subject to a final vote and the signature of President Obama.

Prior to the current agreement the Senate proposed a tax credit up to $15,000. So my question is would an $8,000 tax credit be enough incentive for you to purchase your first home or move up to a larger/more expensive home?

For a complete summary of the proposed stimulus package, click here

If you have questions concerning how the stimulus might affect your ability to obtain a mortgage loan, contact your personal mortgage advisor or Matthew Zimmerman from Century 21 Mortgage. Contact Matthew at: 732.267.8527 or email him at: matthew.zimmerman@mortgagefamily.com Tell him Mike Adams sent you.

A Reliable Source of Information

Freddie Mac offers great advice and information to home buyers and refinancing homeowners on how to avoid the pitfalls of predatory lenders. Freddie Mac's "Don't Borrow Trouble®" campaign exposes eleven common borrowing mistakes. Below are the top five tips. To learn more, click here

• Say NO to "easy money." If a solicitation is really interesting, get it in writing!
• Shop around. Borrowers should talk to several lenders to find the best loan for which they qualify.
• Understand the loan terms. Borrowers should compare loan terms from different lenders.
• Find out about prepayment penalties. Borrowers should know if the loan offered to them has a prepayment penalty.
• Make sure documents are correct. Borrowers should never falsify information or sign documents that they know to be false.

Years ago, the State of New Jersey enacted an anti-predatory law, known as the New Jersey Homeowners Security Act to protect consumers. For more of what New Jersey consumers should know about predatory lending go to the Department of Banking and Finance.