I have the best hair stylist. She's not the best just because she's talented. I like her. I love her! I have had 10 solid years of compliments on my hair to prove her value. She's been there by my side through broken hearts and job changes. We've sipped cocktails and been to baby showers. I went to her baby's baby shower! We have the same friends and I adore her, her daughter and her grand daughter.
My stylist is STELLAR! An old salon owner she worked with years ago let me come to a hair show with thousands of sylists in Orlando a few times. I pretended to be the receptionist. The smell of delicious hair products and 10 foot slick ads for hair products made me want everything that was there. There were stages with incredible hair stylists cutting hair. I raised my hand and volunteered to get a new do. I bought $18 bottles of conditioner at cost. I bought boxes of OPI nail polish at cost. I got a $120 hair flat iron at cost. It was SO exciting!
My wonderful stylist didn't hate me... she still kept making me gorgeous...
My husband would cut his own hair if I let him. I want him to have cool edgy hair so he goes to cool edgy hair guys. This cool guy did such an incredible job with my husband that I let him do my hair. It turned out beautiful. I felt like a Victoria's Secret super model for the first 8 weeks. I've gone to him a few times.
The last time I got my hair done I went to a salon that my same smart chic client friend gets her hair done at. Her hair is perfect. That's not easy to achieve in Key West's 90% humidity and 90 degree weather. I thought it must be her hair stylist that made her and her hair so pretty. After I got my hair done I did not suddenly have perfect frizz-free hair. My style was not suddenly super trendy. WHY? I don't get it! My hair is anti-trendy. It doesn't hold a cool style. It always goes back to where it started. It's thick and heavy. Even when they thin it it's THICK.
Now I'm fixated on this male sylist that the same same pretty, fun. smart friend recommended. I've seen him do his magic... It's not the first time I've been unfaithful to my lovely hair sylist. She has been there for me through thick and thin. After the euphoria fades the itch for something new and cool comes back. Later I go back to her and she gives me a new, dramatic, incredible sytle and I wonder why I ever went to anyone else.
For 2 weeks I've been picking up the phone and hanging it up. Yesteday I called Blown Away 2 times and got voice mail. I called the salon again today. MY stylist answered the phone. They have caller ID. I couldn't hang up. I had to tell her I was calling to make an appointment with Hays. She gave me an appointment on August 18th. That's a long time from now. I could hear her hurt on the other side of the phone. I didn't know what to say to make it better because there was simply nothing I could say... Will she take me back if Hays isn't everything my friend says he is?
Maya Thomas
Realtor®
Exit Realty Old Island Key West
1511 Truman Avenue
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 522-1398
MyRealPro@gmail.com
www.ShowcasePortfolioProperties.com
If you think you are being price gouged there is a hotline you can call to turn in the evil doer or cheater business. Call the Attorney Generals hotline at 1-866-9-NO-SCAM (1-866-966-7226).
It is illegal to raise the price of gas, ice, water or other needed hurricane supplies when a storm is approaching. The best thing that you can do is be prepared so that you don't need to buy these items at the last minute.
Make a list of the items that you will need for hurricane season and go buy them. Then make a hurricane evacuation plan. Exchange phone numbers and addresses with family members. Come up with a method to communicate effectively such as Facebook or MySpace.
Your pets may not be welcome everywhere so if you are going to be staying in a hotel make sure you start making calls early and find a hotel on each side of Florida and in 2 or 3 central locations that fit your budget and allow pets.
Be sure to take a moment to think about the people who live on your block. Are there elderly people or people with ailments or injuries that need help? Stop by and ask them what you can do to help them prepare. Share your emergency plan and encourage them to make a plan and let them know that you would be honored to help them if you are needed. Be a Good Samaritan. It's so important that we all help each other in times of need.
If you are taken advantage be sure to make a complaint. If enough people stand up for themselves then things are going to change and people will be punished and the world will be a better place and it will all be because of you! Be safe!
Maya Thomas
Realtor®
Exit Realty Old Island Key West
1511 Truman Avenue
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 522-1398
MyRealPro@gmail.com
www.ShowcasePortfolioProperties.com
The Federal Reserve will buy 300 billion in bonds and 750 billion in mortgage backed securities by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to fund the liquidity. The 1.2 trillion dollar surge available money will lower interest rates and credit card interest rates, There has never in the history of our country been a better time to invest in real estate. If you have reservations about buying now because you are worried about the price of real estate declining then you should read my article about EquityLock Financial.
Maya Thomas
Realtor
Exit Realty Old Island Key West
1511 Truman Avenue
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 522-1398
www.ShowcasePortfolioProperties.com
As if it weren't bad enough that we've already been through this. I bought during the bubble and saw my insurance nearly doubled every year for the first 3 years. That was back when I had a HORRENDOUS insurance agent and Citizens was trying to make everyone go bankrupt or force them into foreclosure. Back before we all knew exactly what a short sale what and what to do with it. I'm happy as peach pie with my current agent Sue Cherrybon with Johnson's Insurance on Big Pine Key.
If only I was a buyer today! That's what everyone will be saying 5 years from now. People will cry, "I could I have NOT known prices would go back up!?"
There are 1,066,304 Citizens insurance policies in effect. If everyone paid $1,000 per policy that would be $1,066,304,000. That is a billion dollars. In Monroe County I don't think anyone pays less than $2,500 a policy. There are people paying $17,000 annual policies.
Fair Insurance Rates for Monroe County (FIRM) fought hard to reduce insurance premiums in Monroe County. Heather Carruthers and Teri Johnston are amazing women. They keep us informed.
The state run Citizens Insurance is feeling needy and underpaid again. This could cause a few more people into short sale or foreclosure. Citizens is claiming that Wilma losses are the cause. Citizens refused to pay on my hurricane damages and dozens of people I know. What has happened to premiums homeowners paid for the multiple decades with virtually no big payouts in Monroe County? Where did those billions go. Uh O, I probably shouldn't have asked that question.
Citizens wants to adjust the replacement values on homes. The amount my home was insured for doubled the 2nd year and then went up at a good clip every year after that. I had my builder give me a replacement estimate and my value was far less than I had been paying for during the last 4 years. If you bought your home more than 5 years ago you may need to get a replacement value appraisal if you think you are being over charge for insurance to dispute the bill. You could consider talking to a builder in your area and paying them for an hour of their time to write you an estimate for your insurance agent.
Maya Thomas
REALTOR®
Exit Realty Old Island Key West
1511 Truman Avenue
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 522-1398
www.ShowcasePortfolioProperties.com
MyRealPro@gmail.com
It's easy to get wound up and in a big hurry when a homeowner needs our help. We can't be any good to any of our clients if we don't have a system and a schedule to manage our day. The phone rings all day. The computer work piles up quick. The daily To Do list needs attention! Get the new listings in the MLS, change the status on the deals that went under contract or fell out of contract, get the buyer to the bank, web site updates and new listings, checking and returning emails, contacting new clients, fielding calls from new clients, making brochures and listing packages and printing listing agreements, writing contracts and delivering contracts, checking the HUD for tomorrows closing, sending the title commitment to the listing agent for our buyer. Our days are slammed start to finish.
We take the best care of all of our clients by having good systems in place. When a homeowner calls and has decided to let go of a house that is killing them and giving them sleepless nights the first reaction for many of us is to drop everything and run out the door.
When you call a Realtor® this is an example of what you can expect to hear.
"Hello Michelle!
There will be a few papers you'll need to gather before we meet. Do you have a pen handy or would you prefer that I e-mail you the 5 things?"
The Realtor® will then go step by step on the phone over the short list: "We'll need...
• A Hardship Letter
• 2 pay stubs from each borrower
• 2 months bank statements, all pages, for every borrower
• 2 years of W2's for all of the people on the mortgage
• An authorization letter so that their lender can talk to me.
When you have all the papers ready call your Realtor®.
She'll say, "Hi Michelle, That was fast. I thought it would take you a day or two!"
I ask whether the morning or afternoon is usually easier for you to meet for an appointment and if you know where my office is. Then we'll make an appointment to meet.
It could take 90 days or 9 months to get to the closing table. Depending upon the situation you may decide to move out of the home, stay in the home and make the payments or stay in the home and not make the payments. I'll ask what you intend to do and answer your questions. I'll recommend that you talk to an attorney and an accountant and explain the over all idea of what will happen in the process so you understand.
Be prepared to set some money aside if you have a 2nd mortgage. Many 1st mortgages ask for money too. The lender will call it a "cash contribution" and may attempt to refuse to close the transaction if you won't kick in some cash. The cash can come from you, the buyer, a family member or a combination. This will depend upon your circumstances and your ability. We'll talk about what's going on in your life that brought you to this spot.
If you are considering a short sale call a Realtor® and find out what your options are. The longer you wait the fewer options you will have and the less likely that the Realtor will be able to help you. After you take that first step you'll feel so light and free like the world has been lifted off of your shoulders.
Maya Thomas
REALTOR®
Exit Realty Old Island Key West
1511 Truman Avenue
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 522-1398
www.ShowcasePortfolioProperties.com
MyRealPro@gmail.com
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I am familiar with every neighborhood from Key West to Big Pine Key. I know the inventory and will help you buy the best home for the best price.
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