Help for Ohio Countrywide Mortgage Customers
Are you a CountryWide customer? Are you having trouble keeping up with that monthly mortage payment? There might be a light at the end of the tunnel.
In October 2008, Bank of America announced a home retention program that will provide an estimated $8.4 billion in permanent payment reductions to help an estimated 400,000 Countrywide customers nationwide. Meaning? In many states, Ohio included, help could be on the way to people who are in financial hardship with their mortgages and you may * be eligible for a loan modification (new loan terms, new loan rates).
Here are some of the facts about the Countrywide National Homeownership Retention Program:
So who is eligible?
Confusing? The government has provided a website for you to visit to find out if you are one of the 7 to 9 million homeowners who may
be able to benefit from Making Home Affordable. Visit here.
Need urgent help? Contact the Homeowner's HOPETM Hotline: (888) 995-HOPE
* My disclaimer: I am NOT an attorney or a tax professional. I am a licensed Realtor. I simply write it as I see it. If you are facing financial hardship or have ANY questions regarding your mortgage, do not rely on what I write. Please consult an ATTORNEY or TAX ACCOUNTANT!!!
Thanks for reading!
Kelley A. Weimer
a house "SOLD" name!
Professional Real Estate Services for Preble County OH and beyond; including Eaton, West Alexandria, Brookville, Lewisburg, Germantown, Camden and Lakengren.
Published Tuesday, May 05, 2009 12:17 PM by Kelley Weimer
Namely: The children.
Back in the day, going to school meant many things. It meant a solid education. It meant learning to work with and respect different types of authority figures. It meant developing social skills with others.
Today, school still means something. But I'm afraid the focus isn't where it should be. The focus now is on test-taking. Or should I say, test-passing? I'm refering to the Ohio Achievement Tests, required for grades 3-8. My son started taking the OAT's a few years back. His first year of testing...a few days before the test, he came home to me and said "Mom, my teacher told me if I dont pass the test, I cant go to fourth grade". WHAT? This is a straight-A student. He cant go to fourth grade if he doesn't pass? What if he just isn't a good test taker? What if, like many folks young and old alike, he doesn't do well under pressure?? Well then, telling him he wont pass his grade should certainly help a bunch (insert sarcasm here).
I'd love to say this was a one time occurance, but apparently, scare tactics are not all that uncommon. Case in point, a 7th grader that my family knows, in a school in Preble County, was told just last week that "if you kids dont pass the OAT tests, the school might have to shut down".
What kind of thing is that to say to a child? Children have no concept of "empty threats" vs. facts. You tell a child the school will close if they dont pass a test and what that child hears is "If you dont pass, you will not see your friends anymore".
I guess while I'm on my soapbox, here's another gripe....getting all the letters and phone calls the week before the OAT tests, reminding parents to have their children get a goods nights' sleep and eat a good breakfast before they come to school. Gee, good thing they told me. Otherwise I'd just stick with our usual school night routine of a 1am bedtime and Mountain Dew for breakfast.
Why is it so much more important to have a sensible school routine on OAT test week than any other week of the year? Why is it so much more important that kids show up for school and do the best they can during OAT test week vs any other school week? And who is laying so much pressure on these teachers that they feel the need to threaten children regarding the passing of a test?
It just makes me afraid of where the focus has gone in our school system....
do your best, learn your best? or Do or die.
Thanks for reading!
Kelley A. Weimer
a house "SOLD" name!
Professional Real Estate Services for Preble County OH and beyond; including Eaton, Brookville, West Alexandria, Camden, Germantown, Lewisburg and Lakengren.
*** This blog is entirely my opinion and does not represent the opinion, fact or view of any other individual.
Hmmm...no one really knows at this point if there is a future left at this company. Lets start with a little history first:
Founded in 1984 as a subsidiary of Nihon-Plast Co, Ltd. (Japan), Neaton Auto,located in Eaton OH, has been a top supplier of products to the automobile industry. Neaton supplies such products as:
Steering wheels
Air Bags
Instrument panels and related parts
Ventilators
Interior and exterior trim parts,
all for top producing Auto Manufacturers including Honda, Saturn and Nisson.
Back in the day, Neaton Auto was THE company of choice to work for in the Preble County area. Well, at least one of them. Neaton offered perks including an excellent retirement program, company-wide week long shut downs at Christmas and over July 4th week, yearly cost-of-living raises,excellent vacation plans, attendance bonus, shift premiums, state-of-the-art working enviornment, as well as unheard of extras like tickets to the Beach Waterpark, Kings Island tickets, a company Holiday party, company summer picnic, kids holiday party with Santa and gifts, and much more.
Of course, back in the day we all had opportunities that we took for granted. Opportunities and perks that most of us would kill for now! Neaton Auto employees included. Because, just like GM, FORD, and many other auto manufacturers, Neaton is feeling the pinch. And employees are getting scared.
Cut backs began in December of 2008. All temporary associates were let go. January hit, and raisies were taken back. Attendence bonuses and the like were erased. Then, third shift was deemed "non-essential", and all third shift employees had to make the switch to second or first shift. And all of the sudden, you've got people tripping over each other and the musical chairs game begins. The janitory dept. is scaled back, so now instead of making a part, some folks at Neaton are cleaning the restrooms. But hey, a paycheck is a paycheck in this economy.
"Black Thursday" came up soon enough. Approximatly 30 people were "let go". Call it a lay-off, call it "firing", call it what you want. Around 30 people lost jobs. People with seniority. People with good attendanace and good work history. But, they were all deemed "non-essential". That word seems to come up a lot. Non-essential. Sort-of an umbrella term for whatever or whomever needs to be taken care of.
Last week, word came around the plant that approx. 100 people still need to go. Options are few:
A. Quit now and take a severance. At first sight, a lump sum looks pretty attractive. But believe me, it runs out all too soon. If you dont need or want another job, if you dont need the insurance coverage, if you haven't worked 20 years and racked up more vacation than you'll ever realize anyplace else, this might be the option for you. If not..
B. Take the "voluntary" lay-off. Expect to see 80% of your take home pay in unemployment benefits. 80% ain't bad. EXCEPT: its based on your last 26 weeks of work. And for the majority of Neaton workers, the last 26 weeks of employment has been 32 hours a week. So, 80% of a 32 hour week. Ouch.
C. Ride it out. If Neaton doesn't get enough volunteers for the first two options, the last option will be to fire what is needed to complete the "100 number". Word has it, this will be based upon work performance, as well as overall attendance. So those folks who are good workers and actually SHOW UP to work should have no worries.
My husband is an employee of Neaton Auto. He has been since 1991. So we have seen the heyday of Neaton, and we have seen the bad times now as well. The belt tightening has had an affect on our family, and an affect on our wallet. But he is resolved to ride it out. Because like most things in the world, its all cyclical. Real Estate. Wal-Street. Politics. Gas prices. Crop values. Manufacturing. Its the roller-coaster of life folks.
Neaton Auto has always made wise business decisions. I think the company as a whole has a great head on its shoulders, and the dark time will pass. Maybe that's my own little pipe-dream. It seems like the hope and dream of many in this community though. Time will tell.
Thanks for reading!
Kelley A. Weimer
A house "SOLD" name
Professional Real Estate Services for Preble County OH and beyond; including Eaton, Brookville, Lakengren, Germantown, West Alexandria, Camden and Lewisburg.
Take a look at some of the fabulous Lakengren Architecture!
Spectacular Waterfront Estates...
Secluded and peaceful...
Pretty Cape Cods...
Beautiful Bi-Levels...
Cutting edge contemporaries...
And rustic log homes...
Looking to make a move to Lakengren? Whether its just a summer home in mind or all year resort-living is more your style, contact me today for the best that Lakengren has to offer!
Kelley A. Weimer
a house "SOLD" name!
Professional Real Estate Services for Preble County OH and beyond; including Eaton, Lakengren, Brookville, Germantown, Lewisburg, Camden and West Alexandria.
Looking to buy a home in Lakengren? These items below might help you decide.
35 miles West of Dayton
Less than an hour to Cincinnati
10 minutes to Richmond Indiana
Over 200 acres of water
10 miles of shoreline
Watersports include: skiing, wakeboarding, tubing, jet skiing, fishing, and cruising
No horsepower restriction on main lake
Clean lake, well stocked with fish and spring fed as well as creek fed.
5 smaller lakes, perfect for fishing
Swimming pool
Baby pool
Marina with gas and bait. Currently seeing a remodel!
Lodge with public meeting rooms, great restaurant (Beare's) and private beach.
24-hour security
Gated access manned 24-7
Recreation areas
Picnic areas.
Tennis courts
Poker Runs on the boats
Easter Egg Hunt
Jack Block Day (summer fun-day for kids)
Skiing shows
Dances at the lodge
Holiday party with Santa
Annual Halloween Walk
New Year's Party at Lodge
Fishing Tourneys for adults and kids alike
Bass Club
Garden Club
Women's Club
Summer water aerobics class
Ski Club
Dragons Men's Club
Card Club
Christmas Lights Club
Community clean up events
Public utilities including water, sewer, natural gas, cable, electric
A stunning variety of homes and architectural styles from fabulous waterfront estates to A-frames, picture perfect brick ranch homes to spectacular contemporaries' and everything in between.
Want more info? Like a tour? Contact me today!
Kelley Weimer
a house "SOLD" name!
Professional Real Estate Services for Preble County OH and beyond; including Eaton, Lakengren, Germantown, Brookville, Lewisburg, Camden and West Alexandria.
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Helping YOU reach your real estate dreams! Preble County Ohio and beyond including Eaton, West Alexandria, Camden, Germantown, Brookville, Lewisburg, and Lake Lakengren. Stress free, honest and fun.
Hi there! It's another beautiful day here in Preble County Ohio and I'm so glad you've stopped by! Preble County is located in the Southwest area of the great state of Ohio. Go Bucks!
It is a very rural community, and we love it that way! Eaton is the county seat and has a small town feel with all of the conveniences of a bigger city. In addition, there are several other smaller Villages that make up the county, including West Alexandria, Lewisburg, Camden, Gratis, and Lakengren; a peaceful gated community with several lakes for water fun!
Preble County has about 44,000 residents total. I have been a resident here since 1988 and can't tell you how wonderful this community is. We have the beauty of the changing seasons, a close-knit community of folks always willing to lend a hand to others in need, and the advantage of being off the beaten path, yet only minutes away from major cities such as Dayton and Cincinnati, as well as Richmond Indiana.
This is a place for living peacefully. A quiet farm community, with great schools, historic and state-of-the-art places of worship, dedicated sports organizations, and cultural offerings as well. Eaton is home to historic Fort St. Clair, established in 1792 and now home to walking trails, a Holiday festival of lights, and more. The area really does offer the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!
In addition, the City of Eaton offers a gated community living about 7 miles SW of town, at a place called Lakengren. This picturesque area is surrounded by rolling plains and offers residential-resort style living to those folks interested in life on the lake. The area offers 22 miles of fabulous homes, and the landscape is painted with mature trees, winding roads, stunning homes both large and small, and of course, sparkling lakes.
I'd love to be your tour guide to this beautiful place I call home, and help you find a home of your own. Whether you are considering full time living on the lake, or looking for a second home or summer vacation place, Lakengren will have something for you! And you can always see more pictures and get more information on Eaton and the surrounding areas at my web site!
Some would say there are two sides to most people; the personal side, and the professional side. I make it my goal on a daily basis to combine these two as best as possible to provide real, honest, heart-felt attention and service to all of my clients. It's that important!
The personal side: I'm a lot like you probably! I am a mother,a wife, a daughter, sister and friend. I'm a dog lover, and enjoy scrapbooking and all things real estate! I live in Lakengren, Eaton Ohio, with my husband of 15 years and my two great kids! I am also the proud owner of an overgrown golden retriever named Ted...
I am an alumni of Eaton High School, and also a member of the Omicron Sigma Sorority, which is a community group that does lots of fun things as well as many events to give back to our local neighbors and those in the area that are less fortunate.
I like to bake, camp and travel with my family. We love the lakengren community; the swimming and fishing, sledding in the wintertime, and the amazing colors of fall. I am an avid reader and always doing my best to learn new things I can apply to home and work! I am also the proud sponsor of a really hard working boys soccer team. These boys, including my son, constantly remind me of the definition of teamwork, and sportsmanship, 2 traits valuable both on the field and off!
The Professional side: I have been a licensed Realtor since 2002. In 2008, I hitched my wagon to the biggest star in Eaton, Country Mile Realtors, the County's largest real estate brokerage.
In addition, I am a proud member of:
Dayton Area Board of Realtors
Cincinnati Board of Realtors
Ohio Association of Realtors
National Association of Realtors
I am also a proud graduate of the Floyd Wickman S.M.A.R.T. program, an intensive 7 week course focusing on PRESSURE-FREE buying and selling skills. I also received the designation in January of 2008 of Master Sales Professional, an honor bestowed on less than 1% of all Realtors nationwide!
Whats that mean for you?
Simple! FIVE CORE VALUES by which I guide my life:
Here are a few other things that make a difference:
1. I am a one-woman show! Meaning? I work alone, and I work for you! I am beside you, from start to finish. When you call, you get me, not an assistant you've never met. When a problem comes up, I am the one to handle it, not some random member of a team. You are number one to me, and my time, service and personal attention are what you get!
2. I LOVE the net! Meaning? If you are buying, it's as simple as one phone call to find that dream home. I am plugged in to the latest, hottest properties. 24-7! If you are selling, you won't be able to get on the web without seeing your home! I am a firm believer of "more is more" when it comes to Internet presence, resulting in premium exposure for your property, and a premium sales price!
3. I am full time! Meaning? Real estate is how I make my living. It's not a hobby. It is my passion! I am passionate about the business of buying and selling, and I want you to experience this passion in the hard work and commitment I put forth every day!
4. First class company! Meaning? I work with the rolls royce of real estate brokerages. Country Mile Realtors is made up of the areas top producing agents. We carry the most inventory. We advertise in a wide variety of print and web publications. This means that when you get me, you also get the advantages of a top notch real estate firm, a company that prides itself on customer satisfaction and daily results!
5. Communication! Meaning? Even though we live in an automated world, personal touch still makes the world go round. When you hire me, you will never have a doubt about how hard I am working for you! I guarantee to speak with you weekly. I guarantee to provide you with updates on the market so you will never have to question where your home stacks up. I dont stick a sign in the yard and disapear. I become part of your team, and you a part of mine. Together lets work to make your real estate dreams come true!
Come see me today! www.buypreblecounty.com
or read me: www.kelleysellspreble.com!
Kelley did a wonderful job in finding us the home of our dreams. What could have been a difficult experience was made simple due to Kelley's constant hard work and communication with us. - Bill and Mindy
For a real estate experience made real easy - call Kelley Weimer. She's the go-to gal for your real estate needs! - J. Tester
Kelley didn't sell our home...she helped us keep it. We were facing the real possiblity of losing our home, and Kelley came in, talked with the bank on our behalf, and made it possible for us to not only stay in our home, but LOWER our payments as well. Not your typical service from a real estate agent, but will will never forget her and her help! John & Dorothy
Kelley,
I just wanted to thank you for helping me every step of the way. I really appreciate it all. You did a lot for me. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise because they are missing out if they don't have a Realtor like you. - Nikki
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