Paula Burt, REALTOR®, SFR, RECS

THURSDAY, MAY 12th, 2011, WAS KELLER WILLIAMS' 3rd ANNUAL RED DAY. Tens of Thousands of Keller Williams Real Estate Agents all across the United States & Canada participated in our "Give Where You Live" day of Volunteer Service to our communities.

Here in York, PA, our Market Center opted to Volunteer at our Local Libraries, since they were recommended as one entity whose funding has been cut the most and are one of the most in need. The York County Library System has various small Libraries in some of the small communities throughout the County, in addition to the Main Library in Downtown York.

Three of us, pictured above, worked on Grounds Maintenance at the Collinsville Library in Brogue, PA, a very small rural village south of York. We weeded the gardens around the building, did some mulching, and washed windows for them.

A few others from our Market Center worked at the Kreutz Creek Valley Library Center in Hellam, PA, another small rural community, but larger than Collinsville/Brogue. They also did gardening work, including placing cement blocks for a retaining wall.

The majority of agents from our Market Center worked at the Main Library for our York County Library System, Martin Memorial Library, in downtown York. They also did some gardening in a small garden near the Children's section, did sweeping and cleaning of the public sidewalks and drive areas around the building, and also had the opportunity to do actual Library work.

All in all, it was a great day in York, PA, for our Keller Williams' 3rd Annual RED Day, which is dedicated each year in honor of Keller Williams Realty's Vice Chairman of the Board, Mo Anderson, whose birthday is May 12th.

For more information on RED DAY 2011, check out this link: http://www.kw.com/kw/redday.html.

Please feel free to re-post!

Copyright 2011 by Paula Burt

Saturday, May 14th, 2011, is the day the United States Postal Service has set as the day for the National Association of Letter Carriers' "Stamp Out Hunger" Food Drive.

This is the week to go through your cupboards and pack a few of the extra non-perishable foods you may have on hand to give to the Food Banks. Just make sure the expiration dates are current! And/or when you go to the store today or tomorrow, stock up on a few extra of the generic sale items, also un-perishable, of course. Any BOGOs (Buy One, Get One), 4/$5.00, 10/$10, etc. - and pack them up too. Heck - if you hadn't planned on shopping, go ahead and go just for this!!

Saturday morning, put the bag or box out by your mailbox and the Letter Carrier will pick it up and take it for delivery to the local Food Bank.

Get all the information you need at this site: http://www.helpstampouthunger.com.

With the downturn in the economy, the Food Banks can't keep up with the demand, which is bigger than ever and growing larger every single day!

Check out this page for some videos and other info: http://www.helpstampouthunger.com/learnMore.aspx.

This is real simple, and does not need to cost very much at all. Just do it!!! And while you're at it, make it a habit to do this every week, or at least once per month, all year long! It won't cost you very much, and will be greatly appreciated by those who truly need the help. It also doesn't cost anything but your time to visit the Food Bank and/or Community Center in your area and lend a hand sorting & distributing, either, so do all you can.

Our neediest citizens, especially the children, THANK YOU for doing whatever you can to contribute to the National Association of Letter Carriers' "Stamp Out Hunger" Food Drive this Saturday, May 14th, 2011!

(Please feel free to re-post!)

Copyright 2011 by Paula Burt

When IS it okay to give out my Social Security Number? When you do, is it safe? Do they keep it private? How can I know that they do keep it private?

#1 IN A SERIES TO HELP YOU PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY:

Do you give your Social Security Number when you apply for a loan or a mortgage, apply to rent an apartment or home, go to the doctor's office, dentist's office, pharmacy, when you apply for a credit card, apply for a job, want to cash a check, or open a bank account?

When exactly IS it okay?

Well, here's the short answer: NEVER!

Here's the long answer: NEVER, EVER, EVER give out your Social Security Number to ANYONE, EVER! Under NO circumstances should you ever give it to anyone over the phone, unless you initiated the phone call and know to whom you are speaking and what their purpose is (such as a lender who is going to pull your credit score & record to determine if you qualify for a mortgage or loan)!!

Having said that, there may be legitimate reasons why someone would need your Social Security Number, one of which would be to obtain a Mortgage or apply to rent an apartment or house, or to obtain employment. But before giving it, make sure you stay in control. There are 3 questions you need to ask anyone who asks you for it, whether verbally or on a form of any kind.

1) Why do you need it? The answer may be "We require it as ID to have as part of your file." THIS IS NOT OKAY!! If they say"To check your Credit Score to see if you are Credit-Worthy to obtain this loan" or "to process your paychecks if you are hired" then these are legitimate reasons. If that's the case, then ask...

2) What will happen to me if I don't give it to you? An acceptable answer would be "Then you won't get the loan/mortgage, or job" or "You won't be able to rent/lease this house/apartment." If it is absolutely required for a good reason, then ask...

3) How will you keep it safe? If they say "By putting it in your file" (whether they keep it locked up or not), or "in our computer program file" - then these ARE NOT acceptable answers. Tell them you will write it down and stand there, over their shoulder, while they check your credit on the computer or on the phone. When they are finished, you take the piece of paper with you to shred, or make them white it out in front of you. Explain to them that you take protecting your identity information seriously, and will not allow it to be "out there" for anyone else to access, in any way, shape, or form. Make sure that they or you white it out on any print-outs they make, too. (Employers will need to keep it on file, as this serves the primary purpose of the card/number in the first place. Just ask them to limit its use to the payroll department and to safeguard it!)

NEVER CARRY YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER IN YOUR WALLET OR ON YOUR PERSON!! Identity thieves use them to set up a new identity in your name, which will ruin your credit and cause your life to be a living hell while you try to undo the damage done!

To sum it up, When is it okay to give out my Social Security Number? NEVER!! Except... when absolutely necessary, but you need to stay in control of its use and storage always!

Copyright 2011 - Paula Burt

(Written from my notes taken during a presentation by a representative of the PA Attorney General's Office on 5/2/2011)

BREAKING NEWSFLASH! Scores: GOOD- INFINITY!! EVIL- ZERO! Osama bin Laden is DEAD!!!

As Real Estate Agents, most of us try to stay away from anything political or religious in public, but... that is not what this is about. This is about a VICTORY of GOOD over EVIL, for as I said earlier on Facebook: "It appears an EVIL, EVIL wart has been removed from the face of the earth!!!

Somehow, though, it just feels wrong to be glad that anyone has died, but can God really be disappointed we are relieved, even pleased, that someone who has killed, tortured, and maimed so very many of His innocent children has been eradicated? I think not..."

Maybe Mark Twain said it best! "I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure."

We need to continue the vigilance, though, because, as we have heard over the past 10 years, there are many crazies bin Laden and his ilk have trained and brain-washed, and THEY are still out there, likely to be greatly incensed over this!! I PRAY that we are wrong, but doubt it highly. Of course, they said they did take out all those around him at the same time. I guess we will see...

We can breathe a HUGE, collective sigh of relief now, but let's continue our vigilance so as to not be caught off guard ever again! Unfortunately, this may not be over, I'm afraid...

But for now, the ENTIRE WORLD may rejoice that one of the most EVIL of humankind is with us no more!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH to all of the men & women who serve our great Country so well, putting their lives on the line for us every day, especially those who have paid or will pay the Ultimate Sacrifice! MAY WE NEVER TAKE THEM FOR GRANTED!! ...and THANK GOD none of our "operatives" were killed or injured in this victorious battle on Sunday, May 1st, 2011!! GOD BLESS AMERICA, today & every day!

There's a Black Hole in our Living Room!

...or maybe it's in the office!

It could be in the Bedroom, but I'm not sure about that.

What I DO know is that our gorgeous Shih Tzu, Boo, has found a place - SOMEWHERE - to secrete some of his belongings.

Isn't he ADORABLE?

Boo & His Famous Grin (No, it is NOT an under-bite!)

So far, we cannot find his long furry (unstuffed) Racoon toy or the remote control for the tower fan, plus a few other things I cannot remember...

Thank God it's Spring! I figure by the time I get done with my spring cleaning, we will have found where the Black Hole is and will have retrieved the missing items, AND probably find a few other things we don't even know are missing (or at least haven't yet associated with Boo's antics)!

Do you have a Black Hole, and where do you think it is?

By the way: All homes I sell, whether as Listing Agent or Buyer's Agent, are 100% Black Hole FREE!!!

PROMISE!!!!!