Steve Tacoma Homes, Fircrest Wa, UP Fortson

HOMESandWEALTHinTacoma

IT PAYS TO KNOW(A check list to add to your prosperity and contentment.)

PROBLEM(maybe): YOUR ROOF. A good roof should last you 30 years. That's why most of us don't even look at the roof until we are selling the house or the roof leaks. El Wrongo! Just as you check your oil regularly to be sure you don't run low, you should check your roof from time to time. A leak might be a small patch. Left uncorrected it could lead to a flood and that's always trouble.

While you can climb up the ladder and look it over yourself, I recommend calling an expert roofer. They can spot dried or curled shingles before they cause you trouble and it's usually a small fee. If you're roof needs replacing, they usually waive the fee and give you a free estimate. There are several good roofers around. Currently, I recommend Pedro and P&C Roofing.

Also, someone needs to look over your roof once or twice a year; be sure it is free from leaf accumulations or moss. Either one is bad for roofs. When it comes to cleaning or working on your roof, whether you do it or bring in hired help, I don't like people walking on roof shingles. A single crack can cause a leak which is always troublesome. Same goes for high pressure washing. It's fun to play squirt gun but those machines have pressure that cn break or crack your shingles.

My preference: whoever cleans your roof should work from a ladder using an ordinary garden hose or chemical treatment.

PROBLEM: YOUR CREDIT REPORT. Your credit report is a legitimate inquiry when you are asking to borrow money. But lately, people find that credit reports are being used to block them from job openings, insurance, and home ownership. Even on line daters may use your credit report as a screener. Usually without your consent.

If you think your report must be OK because you pay your bills and return all your library books on time and are a good guy, consider what these good guys discovered in their credit reports. The Chamber of Horrors:

* A lady's car was ticketed for overtime parking, ticket blew away or otherwise, unapid ticket turned over to collection, became loaded up with late penalties and interest and showed as delinquent account.

* A lady was deemed a good credit risk and so was frequently invited by retailers to open up a credit account. She accepted just to have them if she should someday need them. Then she found she was rated down because of such a large volume of "open lines of credit".

* A gentleman had several retail accounts and bankcards; was in the habit of charging up to the maximum on each ( usually $100 or so ) and then paying off the entire balance at the end of the month. El wrongo! The Credit reporters penalize you for this. For them, you look better if you run the account up to about half of the max and then pay it off slowly. (?)

* A guy shopping for a car did some comparative shopping. Thereby he allowed several different dealerships to "run his credit" for him. The mere fact of calling for a credit report counts against you. Repeat it enough times and it can lower your score.

SOLUTION: Check your credit report to see what's there. I would skip the commercials that sell you your own report because you are entitled to a free report at least once a year. To get all 3 reports at once, you can go to www.AnnualCreditReport.com or if you like being placed on hold you may call 1 877 322 8228.

Then show your report to a friendly banker or insurance man and ask if there company would mark you down for something therein. (For home mortgages, I recommend Mel Schckenbrock, PNC Mortgage: 222 1104. For Insurance I use Scott Seitz, Solomon Insurance, 566 1069 or Randy Melquist 759 6922.

IF YOU HAVE FALSE OR UNFAIR NEGATIVES ON YOUR CREDIT REPORT, you could begin vigilante action and probably drive yourself to exasperation. The mind set is that you are a deadbeat and scofflaw and it's their job to ruin you and they have a whole bagful of unfair tricks to throw at you. So if you want to change it, you probably need a professional.

I'm very wary of most "credit cleaners"; I have found them to be flakes who milk their clients for money and achieve little. In any case, you will need to be very clear about your costs and the results you can expect. The two credit counselors that I have faith in:

SHAWN STEWART, Guiding Hands, 877 908 9990.

MARY JO LAMB, MJL Consulting 253 514 8506

Cleaning up your credit report will cost you a few dollars and, like most paperwars, it will require time and patience. So you might want to begin before you need the action.

PROBLEM: BUGS AND MICROBES IN YOUR HOUSE. Something most of us prefer not to think about, so we don't think about it. Until we want to sell the house. Then we have gnashing of teeth, remorse and regret, anger ( usually aimed at the pest inspector, and furious, expensive last-minute repairs.

In my experience, about 1 out of 3 homes in our area have termites, ants, rot (most often around kitchen and bathroom fixtures) , mildew, rot, or some other organisms having dinner on our wood members. Guess what: in fact their insect e mail system is inviting their friends and relatives to come in an join the feast!

SOLUTION: Just as it pays to have a medical checkup now and then even when you feel healthy, so it can pay to have a pest inspection now and then even though your house feels OK. Maybe every 5 to 10 years. Worst thing would be you pay a small fee and learn that you're OK. Even if he spots sbugs or rot and you have to pay a bundle to have it repaired, you can be sure that's a good deal less expensive than letting it sit there while the microbes silently take their 2nd and 3rd helpings of your house.

WHO TO CALL: Personally, I have never had a good experience with the heavily advertised national chains. And I worry about the guy who searches for problems and then offers you a bid to correct the problems that he finds.

For me the best in the business would be Bradford Inspections: 405 9238. He is not the cheapest but in 20 years, I have never had a client who did not agree that Brad Cyrier was worth more than his fee.

PROBLEM: INADEQUATE INSURANCE COVERAGE. Fire insurance on our home is required by our mortgage banker ( plus our own Common Sense ). Minimum auto insurance coverage is required by state law and our own sense of fairness. The people who sit, fat-dumb-and-happy with Grampa's insurance protection are underinsured and wide open to unsustainable loss and lawsuits. Consider what happens to:

* the guy who has the minimal $50,000 auto liability policy and then totals out somebody's Ferrarri? (MSRP: $86,000.) Or, as happened recently in Japan: 6 Ferarris, 2 Lamborghinis, and 1 Mercedes. {I can't count that higho.})

* the lady who allowed a relative to drive her car to pick her up at the Mall. Unfortunately the kid took out a 37 year-old heart surgeon with a forecasted 20 year career of at least $500,000 per. The lady's liability limit: $100,000.

* a great many of my contemporaries who think they are well-insured with Medicare plus a supplemental. Statistics tell us that about half of them will need extensive care in some level of nursing home. Medicare covers about 4 months. After that they will pay out-of-pocket til their cash runs out ( which won't be long at $4000 to $6000 per month). After that we don't throw people out in the street. Medicaid will pay for the lowest level of care. You are welcome to visit these places but nobody enjoys going there. AND, the staste places a lien on all your property and your estate to cover those bills.

This is not a rare occurence. It happens right here and happens all the time.

* My brother, who had excellent medical insurance, was run down in a crosswalk by an uninsured driver. Broke his leg which, fortunately healed up in a little over 6 months. But, he was unable to work during that time and with 4 children, was never more than 1 paycheck away from financial disaster. (Hmm! Sound like anyone we know?) He had life insurance but no disability insurance.

The fact is that most of us carry life insurance but nothing to replace our income if we are in the hospital and unable to work. The fact of the matter is that for most of our life death is far less probable than disability.

SOLUTION: I would be charry of a quick fix here. The best beginning is to meet with a reliable, truly professional insurance agent for a comprehensive review. And here's the part I like. In many cases, once you pay for the basic, minimum coverage, the extra coverage or rides will cost you just a few dollars more. And you'll feel better knowing that even when Fate deals you a bad hand, you can cover your responsibilities.

I don't like cheapy insurance coverage sold from the back of old magazines and which arrive carrying more fine print and legal loopholes THAN <<<XZXZXZX>>>. I prefer to put my trust in a local, responsible insurance agent who lists his home number in the phone book. I have had very good results with:

GABE MAUSTEN SCOTT SEITZ RANDY MELQUIST

Bankers' Life Solomon Insurance Massachusets Mutual

564 8521 566 1069 759 6922

PROBLEM: No estate plans. Benjamin Franklin, frquently wise, said "nothing is certain but death and taxes." We can't do much about taxes except gripe, which doesn't seem to make a difference. But many of us shy away from wills and trusts where a little preplanning will be a great boon to our family and heirs.

Some of you have attained or are heading toward a net worth in the 7 figures; there couold be estate taxes in your future. [Diane Colclough: call Steve; 272 4208)}But if you're only starting out with total assets that you hide in your freezer compartment, you may find that a few standard legal forms could spare your heirs the expense and exasperation of probate. And they will be thankful that you took the trouble to leave a neat package rather than a motley mess. For professional guidance call:

TIM WILLIAMS, Atty. RON HENDRY, Atty. ALICE ASKOV, We the People

1111 S Fawcett # 101 98402 902 S. 10th, 98405 6109 93rd St. SW, 98499

591 7088 272 2206 588 8811

(I hope you will pardon me for mentioning something many people don't like to think about it. Here's why I do it. Once you have executed your will, trust, power of attorney, medical power of attorney, medical directive, and "Living Will", you're set for life and never need to think about it again. You can walk down the street with a smile on your face, knowing that your family and heirs will bless you because you have acted in a correct and responsible manner.

PROBLEM: Your bathtub. Modern Americans have transformed the family bathroom from a neccesary evil to a resplendant chamber; a showplace. We are proud of our bathrooms and want them to reflect well on us. OK.

But what if your bathtub has a nick? a scratch? a blemish? Replacing a bathtub is hugely expensive and you have to find a Chuck Norris to wrestle the tub into its assigned space. And having a crew work over your bathroom not only runs up a bill in the thousands but is also a major invasion of your home.

Solution: Many times, small nicks and scratches can be easily touched up with a special enamel. Your tube will be looking good again for just a few minutes of your time and less than $5.00. Go to :

Lincoln Hardware

3726 S. G St., 98418

472 1425

I offer this check list as part of my attempt to help you take care of your HOMESandWEALTH.

STEVE FORTSON

Turn Key Real Estate

1310 -C- North I St.

1 888 301 4221

SUNDAY CONCERTS AT THE ANTIQUE SANDWHICH SHOP!

One of the great advantages of living in Tacoma is that we are a music city. And one of our best offerings comes to you every Sunday at the Antique Sandwich Shop, a local institution going on 4 decades.

CURRENT SCHEDULE:

The Antique is located in Ruston near the entrance to Point Defiance Park. (If you come in via N. Pearl, watch the speed trap as you leave Tacoma and enter Ruston.) Parking is a challenge but the Sunday concerts are worth it.

All Sunday concerts start at 3 PM but seating is every man for himself so you want to arrive early. All the food, pastry and salad is homeade and tasty but you will order at the counter as you enter.

THE ANTIQUE SANDWICH COMPANY SUNDAY CONCERTS

5102 N. Pearl, Ruston, Wash. (From SR 16, exit at 6th and Pearl. North on Pearl for some miles, corss the city line into Ruston and look left as you pass through the last traffic light on 51st. Park wherever you can.

This page sponsored by:

STEVE FORTSON

Turn Key Real Estate

1310 C North I St.

Tacoma, 98403 For all your real estate needs, you can call: 1 888 301 4221

HOW TO OWN A HOME OF YOUR OWN AND STOP PAYING RENT. FOREVER!

Renting your home is no shame;but it doesn't put you financially ahead.

In any Real Estate market home ownership has advantages (for those who can pay for them):

* tax savings,

* equity build up,

* pride of ownership,

* ontrol over you domain,

* dogs-cats-hamsters, and

* PRIVACY. And in today's market it's even better:

OWNING IS CHEAPER THAN RENT! Today, in Tacoma, Pierce County, JBLM, Fort Lewis, McChord, Fircrest, University Place, Midland, Parkland, I can show you modern, 3 bedroom homes that you can own for under $750 per month!*

So it's time to ask yourself: why are you writing your rent checks month after month achieving none of the benefits of ownership and not putting yourself ahead?

If you are sure you can live in Pierce County for at least the next 2 years ( and hope to be here for more ) I can make you become a homeowner. That's good for my business and it's good for you. Here's my free offer:

Just make a "comment" here and include phone # and address*. At my expense I'll mail you my brochure showing you how you can exploit today's market conditions to become a home owner and save cash in the process. The next step will be up to you. No cost; no obligation. You can't lose.

Sooner or later, this market will turn up and there will be a shortage of good homes. And rent rates will start going up. Interest rates will go up sooner although I can't tell you when. So if you agree that it's time for you to start putting your rent dollars to work for you, please tell me now while I can help you.

STEVE FORTSON

Turn Key Real Estate

1310 -C- North I St.

Tacomak 98403

1 888 301 4221

* Sorry. I need your mail address because the brochure is not on line at this time. If you're concerned about privacy, etc. use your work address or any other place where you can receive what I mail to you. I will use your phone # to call and make sure you received what I sent. I will never call you again without your express permission.

TACOMA REAL ESTATE MARKET COMEBACK; Elections Point the Way.

I usually avoid predicitions of the Real Estate Market. It's hazardous and besides my clients can make so much money in today's market, why speculate on the future. But, according to Sir Isaac Newton, what goes down must come back up.

And the best time to make money in any field is when money is changing hands and I want my clients and the people they know to have a chance to get some for themselves. So I'm going out on a limb here as I ask you to l follow the reminder of Isaac Assimov:

CONSIDER THE OBVIOUS!

Republican Bob Turner won handily in a special election for New York's 9th District; a district that has not returned a Republican since the days of Herbert Hoover. His campaign promise: stop Obama.

If you don't recognize this as a watershed event then you have not seen Congressional Democrats running for cover and racing to distance themselves from the President. What does this mean for Real Estate?

(At least some) Democrats will be busy this year trying to reverse government policies which are seen as stifling the economy ( with the resulting low level buyer confidence and slump in real estate prices). No less a partisan than James Carville has called upon the President to "panic" and reverse engines, beginning with a massive purge of his closest policy advisors. If the Dems are not sharp enough and quick enough to make it happen, the GOP will sweep the nation in 2012 and get the job done. Either way, recovery will begin within a year or two and the Real Estate Market will see rising buyer demand and rising prices.

At the same time the Echo Generation will be moving into the quest for good housing. This is numerically the largest population bulge in our history, larger even than their parents', the Baby Boomers. Just as they start trying to buy homes, they will discover a housing shortage. Why? Because since 2007 our new housing starts were off by 30-50%.

You don't have to be brilliant to make money. Just be a little brighter than the average guy. If you, or the people you know, have ever thought of buying a home or aquiring a string of rentals for profit, the time to buy is now--before the next boom. Put another way: by the time Time Magazine reports the return of the Real Estate Market, you will be competing with the crowd and it will be too late to achieve that bargain price.

TACOMA REAL ESTATE MARKET COMEBACK: Elections Point the Way.

If I can show you how to be a smart buyer at this time, please let me know. Meanwhile, I would love to start a dialogue on this topic so please put your view down as a comment.

YES! YOU CAN STILL BUY A HOME IN TACOMA OR PIERCE COUNTY WITH ZERO DOWN. BUT

there's always a catch. So before I scetch 5 different programs for zero down,let me put you on notice: I can also show you a list of creative techniques that can help buy your home with very low down. And I can show you ways to raise that cash. Now, 5 programs for you to be a homeowner with zero down. (Be patient; each item is a bit long and tedious; but these requirements are complicated and I want you to be informed at the start.

* VA Loans with zero down. Of course everybody knows that veterans have the privelege of 100% financing. Are you also familiar with other features of VA lending?

a. You can skip the MIP (Mortgage Insurance Premium. {Does not insure you, it insures the lender. But most non-VA buyers have to pay for it and it can be quite expensive.}) Vets can skip it and save serious money . Yea!

b. If the seller agrees, he can pay your closing costs for you. (Double zero down.) Yea!

c. If the seller agrees, he can also pay off some of your credit accounts, qualifying you for the loan. Yea! Yea!

d. VA loans now require extra funding--and other special--fees. While you can even borrow the money to pay these fees, they must be paid back at some time. Eventually you'll pay cost for that zero down privelege.

My recommendation: have a serious talk with your mortgage lender. Bring pencil, paper,and calculator. You may wish to continue renting awhile and save up for a minimum down payment. Then again, zero down let's you become a homeowner immediately.

* USDA Loans with zero down. YES, the Agriculture Dept. is guaranteeing home loans. And you don't have to be a farmer to qualify. It's the government's "Rural Development Program". Your home must be in a rural area, but we are frequently surprised at the built-up areas that they define as "rural". Your Real Estate Broker should be able to bring up a map of acceptable areas. Things to know:

a. You must qualify by family income and family size.

b. Not all banks are set up for USDA Loans.

c. USDA financing can be used for new construction. (But with so many existing homes available today at bargain prices, why would you want to undergo the mayhem of new construction?)

For elgible buyers buying an elgible home, this is a very nice program. Get it while it lasts!

* DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE: a Federal Program to help renters become homeowners; administered by local government (City of Tacoma, City of Lakewood, Pierce County etc.) operating under federal guidelines. They loan you the cash for the down payment and some of your closing costs. AND you repay on YOUR schedule. You could pay it off all at once, or over 20 years. Or you could sit on it for 20years and pay it off then.

The good news: ZERO INTEREST! So if you want to delay payment, it costs you nothing. BUT:

* Available only for certain areas. (Not North Tacoma.)

* You must qualify with a "low income". If you're making big bucks, you may not be elgible. but, depending on family size, "low income" can include some fairly big numbers.

* You must live in the house; whenever you sell or move out, the 2nd mortgage comes due.

* There may be "recapture"; if you eventually sell your property and make a gain, the feds may require you to share that gain with them.

* This is a federal government program; be prepared for inane bureacratic red tape. But if you can be patient, you will eventually know the pleasure of being a homeowner.

RENT-TO-OWN? (a/k/a Lease Option, etc.). A sound idea. You move into the house, confidant that at some pointin the future you can qualify for a loan. Let's you buy in the future at today's prices and meanwhile you are living in a home that you KNOW will become yours. Some sellers will even let your rent payment build up credit toward your down payment. Can be good. But usually it's not. Why?

* Most rent-to-own buyers are extremely casual about their choice of home. Any home will do; it's just a rental. Right? Later, they realize that the house has defects, they don't like the neighbors, and the inlaws don't want them living in that part of town. So they move out after having paid top rent rates for some years.

* The lease-option papers need to be carefully structured;all the negotiation is done at the start. When it comes time to convert to ownership, buyers are surprised to discover everything was set in stone years ago.

* Why is the seller being so nice to you? AT a time when sellers can have the sale financed (sometimes with zero down), get all their money right now and never a worry about the next payment. And not even a cash down payment to protect the seller from what the buyer may be doing to his house! It could be OK but you need to know what is the seller's game here.

In marketing hard-to-sell properties, houses that are ugly or badly located or seriously overpriced, one of the first suggestions is always: "give it easy terms". Most rent-to-own properties are unattractive, over priced, or substandard. Some are all three.

I am not condemning lease-option arrangements. But buyers need to be very clear on why they seek this special arrangement and what it costs them. I myself have bought property with this arrangement; it can solve certain problems and give you the advantage of owning now rather than later. But keep your cool and demand a clear statement of all pertinant facts.

Usually, the best approach is to pick a good Realtor, employ him as your Buyer's Agent. That enables you to compare your lease-purchase with regular terms.

FANNIE MAE My Community Loans. A new home loan program to encourage homeownership. Like all federal programs it is filled with special treats for special people etc. But it advertises easier down payments (zero down?) and easier credit requirement. Even available for owner-occupied multi plexes.

WANT TO BUY A HOME WITH ZERO DOWN OR VERY LOW DOWN? TACOMA PIERCE COUNTY FORT LEWIS MCCHORD AFB FIRCREST? Just leave me a "comment" here with some contact info; tell me a little of your situation and what you need to become a homeowner. If you are serious in your intent, I can almost always make you an owner in 1-2 years; usually sooner. And if you find that zero down is not desirable or not possible for you, I may be able to guide you to unknown sources for down payment cash.

If you sincerely want to own a home of your own, it's probably time to stop dreaming and start acting. Just leave me a comment or call me directly. I'll be glad to get you started.

STEVE FORTSON

Turn Key Real Estate

1310 -C- North I St.

Tacoma, 98403

1 888 301 4221