http://ignoregon.com/rss/beaverton Aggregated Blog Posts From Beaverton Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:55:08 +0000 en http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dpp/bigshow/all/~3/KX5BXq2n13k/big-208-trickle-of-pee.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dpp/bigshow/all/~3/KX5BXq2n13k/big-208-trickle-of-pee.html Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:06:00 +0000 An exclusive interview with Nathan Fillion. Will Bill Murray ever be funny again? A ^&*@! movie about the Angriest Man in the World. Plus Fred's Dad likes Elton John. http://activerain.com/blogsview/1771030/defendant-no-8 http://activerain.com/blogsview/1771030/defendant-no-8 Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:31:00 +0000 This past Tuesday I had an interesting day.  I was known as "Defendant No. 8."  This is how one is referred to when appearing on the Judge Joe Brown show.  Plaintiff No. 1, Defendant No. 5, etc.  My case was the 8th of the day . . . hence, Defendant No. 8. Not sure if "fun"  is the way to put it, but when Todd (associate producer) called to ask if I would appear, I immediately said . . . NO!!  Then, after several days of mulling it over, I relented.  I knew my case was strong, even though a named defendant.  I was in the right, but would Judge Joe Brown rule in my favor? (Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org)   The fact that Defendant No. 8 prevailed is beside the point.  What was fascinating was how Judge Joe Brown works his show.  Standing before him he talked for 40 minutes . . . and yet, to me, the time flew by.  And I mean that.  I was standing before a great Orator . . . the epitome of that word.  I felt I was  listening to a Greek philosopher of ancient times.  I can only imagine, back in the day, when technology hadn't been invented, the spoken word which was so celebrated and used as a form of teaching, influence and entertainment . . . was an art form.  And Judge Joe Brown has this art form -- public speaking / oration -- down pat.  It was amazing for me to listen to him. I imagine that there has to be edits made to make for good TV.  Hmmm . . . What makes for good TV in an unscripted format??  Well, for one thing, having wonderful dialouge to go through.  And that's when you get a great orator.  It was an honor for me to listen to Judge Joe Brown give his orations.  His ability to discourse in public speaking is bar none.  Yes, he focused on the case, but went into so much rich information, expounding on "common law," the obligations of a landlord, which he then gave me quite a compliment and stated, "Landlady." He acknowledged me as a Realtor® and commented about the nature of the current market, the hardships of many.  If only you could have been there with me.  You would have felt the same admiration I have for this man.  He truly is a genuine individual who understands the depths of issues that afflict and affect people.  He understands, with his heart, and his spirit -- and then -- his Orations.  OMIGOSH!!  From his deep understandings he voices his concerns, positions, and beliefs with such convictions and resolute knowledge. It was a real honor for me.  Again -- not because Defendant No. 8 prevailed.  I could have stayed here, gone to small claims court and got the same results (I had a strong hand, wink).  But to listen to Judge Joe Brown orate . . . truly beautiful to listen to. Most people have a hard time understanding Shakespeare's plays.  I akin Judge Joe Brown's discourse, his orations to be on that grand scale . . . combined with the Greek philosophers' of ancient past.  Like a play written by Shakespeare, and the speeches made by Socrates, the art of the spoken word flowed so effortlessly from Judge Joe Brown.  The people in audience are paid to be there.  I hope they can appreciate the level of intellect they are getting paid to hear.  I felt the audience should be law students.  They would certainly gain some very good legal perceptions, and similar to the time of ancient Greek philosopher's, the would be seated at the foot of a great Orator!! I'm serious, I don't even want to paraphrase what I heard.  I'd botch it up.   It was truly an honor for me.  ----------------------------------------------------------- ~ Representing Buyers Since 1999 ~ Carla Muss-Jacobs, ABR, CEBA, e-PRO, Realtor® Principal Broker/Owner EBAPortland, LLC YOUR Exclusive Buyer's Agent (503) 810-7192 / Carla@CarlaHomes.com CHECK OUT www.EBAPortland.com for Home Buyer TIPS!  All rights reserved (c) http://adisplacedbrooklynite.blogspot.com/2010/07/monocle-world-metros-were-22.html http://adisplacedbrooklynite.blogspot.com/2010/07/monocle-world-metros-were-22.html Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:58:00 +0000 So I got my latest edition of Monocle magazine, and was pleasantly surprised and puzzled by Monocle ranking of Portland al;ong side such cities as Muchen, Geneva, Vancouver BC and Kyoto as one of the world's most inviting metropolis. To be sure, Portland is tops on livability- if you are employed and making a good median wage for your profession. You can reinvent yourself, and newcomers have high levels of education. The farming sector is thriving here, and enjoy excellent support. We have a direct connection to Asia and Europe, and are enjoying modest investments from German and Scandinavian countries. We have Mayor Adams, who is devoted the city and has taken the mantle of responisbiliy for the metro area. To incorporate and start a business here is quick, efficient and of low cost. Environmental responsibility is very key here, with people walking the walk instead of merely talking about it. However, wages are low, outright stagnant in some cases. The cost of living has risen; and Portland metro area is going a time of very high unemployment. There is a huge disconnect between Portland Metro and the rest of the state that can be contentious, and the city was incredibly unfair to ask working class Oregonians of all backgrounds to fund, via taxes, condo and co-ops for rich while forgoing funding for the schools.Despite these issues, people are happy to be here. I wonder about the issues in the other metros that are listed in Monocle. http://tellerallaboutit.wordpress.com/2010/07/29/mattress-mania/ http://tellerallaboutit.wordpress.com/2010/07/29/mattress-mania/ Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:34:00 +0000 Quick!  How many mattress store jingles do you know by heart via their radio commercials? “It’s not too late to sleep like a baby…Mattress World.” “Why buy a mattress anywhere else…DING!” Honestly, I rarely, if ever, listen to commercial radio stations – I’m an NPR Addict, through and through.  But when we’re working around the [...] http://tinkrbel.net/?p=1453 http://tinkrbel.net/?p=1453 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 03:59:00 +0000 Total nub Adobe PDF question – what are the green and red lines and how do i get rid of them??? http://twitpic.com/28xdvr # RE: My Adobe issue – I figured it out… I am a nublet and my geek cred has gone down dramatically # Powered by Twitter Tools. http://joncellini.com/blog/archives/2010/07/27/one-month-3/ http://joncellini.com/blog/archives/2010/07/27/one-month-3/ Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:13:00 +0000 Hard to believe it has been four weeks already. http://activerain.com/blogsview/1766297/real-estate-crossword-puzzle-the-key- http://activerain.com/blogsview/1766297/real-estate-crossword-puzzle-the-key- Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:52:00 +0000   On Sunday I posted a crossword puzzle.  For those of you who want to check your progress -- or get a clue -- here is the KEY If you want to work the crossword, here it is: Sunday Real Estate Crossword Puzzle It was fun making the puzzle.  When I get inspired again, I will do another one.        ----------------------------------------------------------- ~ Representing Buyers Since 1999 ~ Carla Muss-Jacobs, ABR, CEBA, e-PRO, Realtor® Principal Broker/Owner EBAPortland, LLC YOUR Exclusive Buyer's Agent (503) 810-7192 / Carla@CarlaHomes.com CHECK OUT www.EBAPortland.com for Home Buyer TIPS!  All rights reserved (c) http://tellerallaboutit.wordpress.com/2010/07/27/what-is-your-quest-part-deux-year-2-paragraph-2-etc/ http://tellerallaboutit.wordpress.com/2010/07/27/what-is-your-quest-part-deux-year-2-paragraph-2-etc/ Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:43:00 +0000 Stop!  Who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side he see.  What…is your name?  What….is your quest?  What….is the air-speed velocity of an un-laden swallow? …African or European? I love Monty Python.  Furthermore, I love that we totally stole the reference back in September of ’09 [...] http://tinkrbel.net/?p=1452 http://tinkrbel.net/?p=1452 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:59:00 +0000 This guy is a Darwin award in the making… http://twitpic.com/28msoe # The no. 1 thing I learned from 18 hours of broken Internet: My guild on #WoW does not like it (I'm forbidden from having it happen again ) # Powered by Twitter Tools. http://activerain.com/blogsview/1765577/buying-a-house-now-could-be-the-best-hedge-against-inflation-ever- http://activerain.com/blogsview/1765577/buying-a-house-now-could-be-the-best-hedge-against-inflation-ever- Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:31:00 +0000 This is a post that does take into consider the loan amounts at 2010 pricing, and low interest rates.  Simple and to the point -- if you're thinking about buying . . . think seriously and read this post. Via Richard Weisser Coweta Fayette Real Estate:  Most economists agree that recent rashes of government spending will ultimately lead to significant inflation. The constant infusion of cash that is intended as a short-term solution will eventually have a long-term effect on the value of a dollar. One of the best hedges against this expected phenomenon is the purchase of a home during one of the best buyer’s markets in history. With low, low property prices and record low fixed interest rates, there has never been a better time to buy a home. But if one takes into consideration the fact that a mortgage may be repaid with inflated dollars, the deal only gets better and better. By fixing housing expenses now in terms of the 2010 dollar of today, home buyers will be immune from contrary inflationary economic forces for as long as they own their property. It’s a tremendous way to protect wealth and to meet your housing needs for decades to come.  All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of Coweta Fayette Real Estate Better Homes and Gardens Metro Brokers, Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2009. Richard Weisser REOS, E-Pro. licensed Auctioneer. 770-827-6225.Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and to search the entire Georgia MLS for free with no registration required visit CowetaFayetteRealEstate.com! Photos of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Get the latest GA Foreclosure List Updated Daily! We Do HUD bids in Georgia! 770-827-6225 ----------------------------------------------------------- ~ Representing Buyers Since 1999 ~ Carla Muss-Jacobs, ABR, CEBA, e-PRO, Realtor® Principal Broker/Owner EBAPortland, LLC YOUR Exclusive Buyer's Agent (503) 810-7192 / Carla@CarlaHomes.com CHECK OUT www.EBAPortland.com for Home Buyer TIPS!  All rights reserved (c) http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dpp/bigshow/all/~3/nSF-ST0NzR0/delta-park-at-stake-e41-she-team.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dpp/bigshow/all/~3/nSF-ST0NzR0/delta-park-at-stake-e41-she-team.html Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:06:00 +0000 SHE came from another dimension and was very boring. Riley and Buffy fight a demon for foreplay. Adam kills his mother and Xander wants to sell you something. http://activerain.com/blogsview/1763199/sunday-real-estate-crossword-puzzle http://activerain.com/blogsview/1763199/sunday-real-estate-crossword-puzzle Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:01:00 +0000 ENJOY!!  I'll post the KEY in a few days!!    ACROSS 1   A specific type of real estate 4   A specific type of real estate 5   Three little letters that mean so much to Wall St. 7   Organization founded in 1901 8   Home buying helper 9   21st century version of 'walk-away' 11   Manner of pay 14   The price is right 15   Caution: they might have a dog 16   Loan secured by property 17   Takes a while to sell 20   They've moved on 22   Some things to think about 26   Highly successful real estate network 28   Person in charge 30   Principal, interest, taxes, insurance 31   Legal agency relationship 32   Trust loyalty accounting 33   It's king 34   Has nothing to do with SS Act of 1935   DOWN 2   Lenders' number 3   No agency relationship 6   A closing must have 10   A lender tease 12   A year in review 13   Ownership from wall to wall 18   Created by a Cuomo 19   Real estate mantra 21   Court ordered 23   No listings for you 24   Cause of the "meltdown" 25   What motivates some 27   A government lie 29   Not all real estate agents  ----------------------------------------------------------- ~ Representing Buyers Since 1999 ~ Carla Muss-Jacobs, ABR, CEBA, e-PRO, Realtor® Principal Broker/Owner EBAPortland, LLC YOUR Exclusive Buyer's Agent (503) 810-7192 / Carla@CarlaHomes.com CHECK OUT www.EBAPortland.com for Home Buyer TIPS!  All rights reserved (c) http://activerain.com/blogsview/1763134/miss-bad-manners-guide-to-highway-etiquette http://activerain.com/blogsview/1763134/miss-bad-manners-guide-to-highway-etiquette Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:38:00 +0000 If you went out today -- you ENCOUNTERED the SUNDAY DRIVER!!  I know you did, because I did too. Which is why this post is hilarious!!  Also, Liz and Bill are new to Ative Rain, but are blogging maniacs!!  Their posts are good, and they are great commenters too!  Not only is this a funny, but a nice way to introduce yourself to Liz & Bill. ENJOY!! Via Liz and Bill Spear RE/MAX Elite (Southwestern Ohio):Although Miss Bad Manners suspects that Sunday evenings is the absolute worst time to blog and expect people to read, Miss Bad Manners has just completed a seven hour drive on the national highway system and felt it imperative to remind her genteel readers of the general rules of the road! Please use the Left Lane at all times!  As NASCAR has demonstrated, the inside line is the path to victory.  By establishing position there, you control the pace of the race.  The only thing that matters is that YOU get there first, time of arrival is irrelevant! Please do not make use of the cylindrical object on the left of the steering column!  Providing an indication to your competitors allows them to preempt your move for position.  Surprise them instead!  It also helps them learn the Serenity prayer! Please drive your 1993 Mustang with the growling muffler system like you are auditioning for professional racing, slaloming through the traffic and fitting into spaces that would be tight for a gnat's butt!  Considering that there are probably less than a 1000 people worldwide who make a living driving professional race cars, there is obviously a real shortage of talented drivers and perhaps a scout will observe you and sign you up!  By the way, the Quit Bitchin' bumper sticker?  Classic!  You've already told all the other drivers what you think about their opinions of your driving. If the road signs indicate a lane is about end within the next mile?  Please do NOT merge until the last thirty feet!  All those other drivers lined up and waiting for the last 1/2 mile?  Mere peons and not one of the "Special" people whose time is obviously more important!  Please continue to procreate, we have a shortage of Wall Street bankers and politicians, and Junior Biff and Little Prissy are bound to grow up just like you! Please do not refrain from texting, talking on a non hands free cell, eating your double cheeseburger while simultaneously dipping your fries in ketchup, applying makeup, shaving, reading the newspaper, typing your next blog, or loading a CD or audio book.  Your erratic changes in speed and direction, and inability to stay within your lines are important to train less attentive drivers and hone their reaction skills! If another driver honks their horn to warn you of your impending collision, please extend the universal one fingered salute as a Thank You! to indicate that you had it under control already and did NOT need their assistance!   Miss Bad Manners hopes this guide has been most helpful.  Miss Bad Manners also requests that her students inform her before venturing out onto the highways so that she may stay safely in her parlor! Regards with deepest sincerety, Miss Bad Manners The Liz Spear Team Elizabeth & William Spear RE/MAX Elite, Mason, OH Direct: 513-265-3004  Toll Free Fax 866-302-8418 MailTo: Liz@LizSpear.com  Visit: www.LizTour.com ----------------------------------------------------------- ~ Representing Buyers Since 1999 ~ Carla Muss-Jacobs, ABR, CEBA, e-PRO, Realtor® Principal Broker/Owner EBAPortland, LLC YOUR Exclusive Buyer's Agent (503) 810-7192 / Carla@CarlaHomes.com CHECK OUT www.EBAPortland.com for Home Buyer TIPS!  All rights reserved (c) http://www.hamell.net/?p=398 http://www.hamell.net/?p=398 Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:37:00 +0000 Originally posted (by me) on http://MarkeeDragon.com. Yes, this is World of Warcraft “fan fiction” written in a fit of boredom induced insomnia. As dawn broke upon the Burning Blade Ruins, Margaresk Boulderfist stretched and rolled off his bedroll. His hammer leaned against the broken walls of the hut he currently designated as “his.” A rat [...] http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dpp/bigshow/all/~3/bHF6rU-JjOU/tasty-test-4-food-that-can-kill-you.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dpp/bigshow/all/~3/bHF6rU-JjOU/tasty-test-4-food-that-can-kill-you.html Sat, 24 Jul 2010 22:11:00 +0000 We eat ICEE Popping Candy and a Pop Rocks Chocolate Bar! http://activerain.com/blogsview/1761577/for-lease-signs- http://activerain.com/blogsview/1761577/for-lease-signs- Sat, 24 Jul 2010 19:25:00 +0000 For the past several months, I've been calling our meltdown "TRICKLE DOWN PROPERTY LOSS".  Because that's exactly what it is. I've gotten used to seeing the FOR SALE signs in my neighborhood, and even noticed a few 'Auction' signs . . . but now I'm seeing the FOR LEASE signs.  While I live in a residential neighborhood, there is an area of upscale business/office complexes that string along a very large area.  Driving home last evening, I started to count 5 FOR LEASE signs.  Within three blocks, I counted five. That's A LOT!! For EACH sign, that means there's one less SMALL BUSINESS renting/leasing in that business complex.  Perhaps the business moved to another location {wishful thinking.}  Or, perhaps, the business couldn't afford to remain open. When I see FOR LEASE signs I wonder if the owner was forced to lay off employees . . . those employees have got to look for other jobs, go on unemployment, dip into their savings, etc.  Not to mention the owner and/or owners of the company.  They've got a mortgage to pay. In reading Gary Woltal post's, Do You Know What Homeowners Need?  he writes about compassion.  Then, he goes on to write about what might have caused the distressed homeowner to be . . . well . . . distressed! It's NOT only homeownersw who is distressed.  It's the business owner when they can't keep their doors open.  They cut staff, costs, and then when that fails . . . the FOR LEASE sign is posted. How many FOR LEASE signs are up in your area??   ----------------------------------------------------------- ~ Representing Buyers Since 1999 ~ Carla Muss-Jacobs, ABR, CEBA, e-PRO, Realtor® Principal Broker/Owner EBAPortland, LLC YOUR Exclusive Buyer's Agent (503) 810-7192 / Carla@CarlaHomes.com CHECK OUT www.EBAPortland.com for Home Buyer TIPS!  All rights reserved (c) http://activerain.com/blogsview/1761503/-do-not-buy-ask-us-why-buying-a-brand-new-home-without-a-realtor-and-inspector- http://activerain.com/blogsview/1761503/-do-not-buy-ask-us-why-buying-a-brand-new-home-without-a-realtor-and-inspector- Sat, 24 Jul 2010 14:44:00 +0000 For anyone looking at NEW construction this is a good post by Andi Grant, a Realtor® in the Long Beach, CA area.  This is a true life tale about buyers who might not have had: a) buyer representation when they purchased a newly constructed home, and/or b) a home inspection. I sell new construction, and as the Buyer's Realtor® I never think that just because it's new, it will be perfect. There's a lot of my own stories that come to mind, but I'll let you read this by Andi Grant . . .   Via Andi Grant | Long Beach, Lakewood, Downey CA Real Estate | Prudential 24 HR (310-508-4354 | www.AndiGrant.com):Over 10 years ago before I became a Realtor® in Long Beach, CA, I came across something that utterly shocked me!  While home shopping with a friend in a hilly area of west Los Angeles, we came across a neat row of large model homes.  There was a lot of foot traffic and activity and it looked very festive with balloons and flags as the home builder was celebrating their last phase.  As we parked across the street and got out of the car, we were immediately handed a florescent green flyer by a resident standing in their front yard.  Whoa!  It was a very detailed complaint sheet.  Just behind him lodged in a picture window was a matching large florescent green poster stating in handwritten letters, "Do Not Buy Ask Us Why!"  I then noticed there were similar posters positioned in the windows of a few nearby homes that faced the model units!  One person even had a flyer box (the kind agents use) on their front lawn filled with what looked to be the same florescent green complaint sheets!  These people were serious!   HELL HATH NO FURY LIKE A HOME BUYER SCORNED! The list detailed what some of the previous home buyers stated as being egregious and flagrant faulty building and cheap products used by the home builder!  This didn't list just a few things, this was a double-sided sheet of paper listing problems that ranged from sparking outlets, entire kitchen islands shaking when the garbage disposal was turned on, to major water leakage from bay windows and even foundational issues! In addition to that, the home buyers in what I guess was a preemptive strike to keep the home builder from claiming the issues as isolated incidents or standard home settling, used a chart listing addresses with a checkmark next to each problem.  I recall seeing more than one issue in which all participating addresses had a checkmark for the same problem. Now thinking back, I can't help but wonder how many of the angry homeowners used a Realtor® and had a professional home inspection performed prior to purchasing?  Were they under the misconception that because it was new it didn't need an inspection?  Did they also forget that the pretty or handsome home sales consultant working in the air conditioned model home office worked for the home builder and seller?  If only they had a Realtor®, a professional property inspection and knew What Questions to Ask A Builder. EVERYTHING THAT GLITTERS ISN'T GOLD My friend and I felt slightly guilty when crossing the invisible picket line as we ventured inside the model homes out of curiousity.  The interiors of the homes were absolutely gorgeous!  There was one beautifully appointed feature after another!  But as we toured each room, we couldn't help but to recall that some of those same impressive features were heavily checkmarked on the list.    EYES WIDE OPEN It was a great lesson to use professional representation when purchasing a  home!  Do not allow incentives to cloud your judgment on one of the most important decisions of your life.  In the home buying process, whether it is for a brand new home or a previously owned home, the buyer does NOT pay a commission or a fee to their Realtor® or agent.  The agents on both the buying and selling side are paid out of the proceeds of escrow by the home seller/owner or those acting on behalf of the builder.  Why not have professional representation? Call a Realtor® when purchasing a previously owned home or before registering with a new home builder or community.  Make sure it is an agent who will not leave you on your own, but one who will assist you by being readily available to answer any questions you may have, review documents with you, coordinate inspections and follow up with you throughout the entire process until closing.    If you are interested in purchasing a home new or previously owned, do not hesitate to call me at 310-508-4354!  I look forward to working with you! _______ First posted new home photos courtesy of Creative Commons This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.____________________________________________                Prudential 24 Hour Real Estate Direct: (310) 508-4354 ~ Alternative (562) 726-ANDI  ~ Fax (562) 861-0285  Email:  andi@andigrant.com    DRE # 01728424 If you or your clients are looking for a saavy Realtor® to assist with any real estate needs in the Greater Los Angeles area including Long Beach, Downey, Lakewood and its surrounding communities, do not hesitate to call me at 310-508-4354.  HAPPY CLOSINGS!   www.AndiGrant.com   ----------------------------------------------------------- ~ Representing Buyers Since 1999 ~ Carla Muss-Jacobs, ABR, CEBA, e-PRO, Realtor® Principal Broker/Owner EBAPortland, LLC YOUR Exclusive Buyer's Agent (503) 810-7192 / Carla@CarlaHomes.com CHECK OUT www.EBAPortland.com for Home Buyer TIPS!  All rights reserved (c) http://joncellini.com/blog/archives/2010/07/24/twisty-doughnut/ http://joncellini.com/blog/archives/2010/07/24/twisty-doughnut/ Sat, 24 Jul 2010 14:10:00 +0000 A Beaverton Farmers Market tradition. http://activerain.com/blogsview/1760740/kicking-it-in-downtown-portland http://activerain.com/blogsview/1760740/kicking-it-in-downtown-portland Fri, 23 Jul 2010 23:02:00 +0000 Kicking it in Downtown Portland  -- Williamette River, Waterfront Park, Hawthorne Bridge Today was a glorious day in Portland town!  I went to Waterfront Park, and was kicking it in Downtown Portland. The Portland Brew Fest was in full swing, but my friend forgot his ID, and they wouldn't let him in.  So we decided to make the best of the day, and thought kicking it in Downtown Portland was second best. Strolling up and down Waterfront Park was nice.  You forget how pretty Downtown Portland is sometimes, when you just rush by in your car. Riverfront Marina with RiverPlace Condos to the (extreme) right, Marquam Bridge If tomorrow is anything like today, I'll be kicking it in Downtown Portland again -- at the Brew Fest!!    View Larger MapClick on RED DOT to VIEW PROPERTIES FOR SALE in the AREA ----------------------------------------------------------- ~ Representing Buyers Since 1999 ~ Carla Muss-Jacobs, ABR, CEBA, e-PRO, Realtor® Principal Broker/Owner EBAPortland, LLC YOUR Exclusive Buyer's Agent (503) 810-7192 / Carla@CarlaHomes.com CHECK OUT www.EBAPortland.com for Home Buyer TIPS!  All rights reserved (c) http://activerain.com/blogsview/1760236/what-goes-up-the-derivative-game-part-i http://activerain.com/blogsview/1760236/what-goes-up-the-derivative-game-part-i Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:21:00 +0000 Lenn Harley makes good comments.  She made another one today on Richie Nagger's post:  FHA . . . Forgive & Forget . . . And so here we go . . . The greed was at the top.  And that greed did compel.  The situation -- and by situtation, I refer to the decline in property values, the foreclosure nightmare of millions, the short sales that go to the wayside, the loan mod fiasco -- isn't complicated.  Not really. If I showed you a glass of water, and asked you what it was, you'd tell me it was a glass of water.  If I asked the Chemist, or Physicist what it was, they'd could say it was a glass of water.  But, they also know how very complicated H2O really is.   2 H2O (l) H3O+ (aq) + OH- (aq) "Water is primarily a liquid under standard conditions, which is not predicted from its relationship to other analogous hydrides of the oxygen family in the periodic table, which are gases such as hydrogen sulfide.  Also the elements surrounding oxygen in the periodic table, nitrogen, fluorine, phosphorus, sulfur and chlorine, all combine with hydrogen to produce gases under standard conditions. The reason that water forms a liquid is that oxygen is more electronegative than all of these elements with the exception of fluorine. Oxygen attracts electrons much more strongly than hydrogen, resulting in a net positive charge on the hydrogen atoms, and a net negative charge on the oxygen atom. The presence of a charge on each of these atoms gives each water molecule a net dipole moment. Electrical attraction between water molecules due to this dipole pulls individual molecules closer together, making it more difficult to separate the molecules and therefore raising the boiling point. This attraction is known as hydrogen bonding. The molecules of water are constantly moving in relation to each other, and the hydrogen bonds are continually breaking and reforming at timescales faster than 200 femtoseconds.  However, this bond is strong enough to create many of the peculiar properties of water described in this article, such as the those that make it integral to life. Water can be described as a polar liquid that slightly dissociates disproportionately into the hydronium ion (H3O+(aq)) and an associated hydroxide ion (OH-(aq))." (WIKIPEDIA) To me and you -- it's only water. Now, to the brainiacs on Wall St., the financial geniuses (did I spell that right?) who brought us this wonderful meltdown, have them EXPLAIN what happened . . . NOW -- it's complicated.  Because you've asked them to explain the tangled web they wove. It's still . . . WATER!!   And for most homeowners -- I like to call them Americans -- they are currently UNDER IT!!    The maniuplations done to each and every mortgage is simple.  They used home owners' deeds of trust as tools.  They used the home owners' property, and their rights to that property, to be sold and auctioned off on the chopping blocks of . . . bonds, MBS (mortgage back securities), hedge funds, derivaties.  They did this without explaining to ANY CONSUMER how that MIGHT -- just MIGHT  -- affect them (us).  Their evil genius plot contaminated the waters of that well. What the chemist/physicist can do is baffle you with the EXPLANTION OF WATER.  It's still: WATER What the financial brainiacs did -- on Wall St., in the Halls of Congress, in the Senate -- was create their blueprint of manipulation, and made if complicated.   Our Government DIDN'T HELP! What I understand is this:  The American homeowner had their rights to property so manipulated that the WATERS were poisoined.  And now we are drowning in it.  The mortgages were manipulated.  The HAMP,  the loan mods, TARP, were tossed out, and only a FEW -- similiar to those on the the sinking ship Titanic -- were able to survive.   Those in "steerage" . . . well, you see what's happening to them.  I wish I was a political cartoonist.  I'd be penning the TITANIC -- the ship built and "billed" as UNSINKABLE "Too Big to SINK".   The life vests that were supposed to be there, were not.  The life boats that were supposed to be there, were not.  The banksters of Wall St., and our Government elect/elite would be saved, watching from a distance in their life boats as the TITANIC sinks, and people drowned. It's not complicated.  It all depends on who you ask.  Ask the homeowner . . . and they tell you they're underwater.  Ask the brainiacs . . . and it's all a formula designed to profit them, and the investors.  I-N-T-E-R-M-I-S-S-I-O-N See What Goes Up . . . The Derivative Game Part II  ----------------------------------------------------------- ~ Representing Buyers Since 1999 ~ Carla Muss-Jacobs, ABR, CEBA, e-PRO, Realtor® Principal Broker/Owner EBAPortland, LLC YOUR Exclusive Buyer's Agent (503) 810-7192 / Carla@CarlaHomes.com CHECK OUT www.EBAPortland.com for Home Buyer TIPS!  All rights reserved (c) http://activerain.com/blogsview/1760292/what-goes-up-the-derivative-game-part-ii http://activerain.com/blogsview/1760292/what-goes-up-the-derivative-game-part-ii Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:17:00 +0000 (Continued from:  What Goes Up . . . PART I) Okay, remember that it's not complicated . . . for some.  Remember, like the chemist who sees a glass of water as a scientific equation, so too, the banksters treat mortgages (amassed) as "investment vehicles" -- which  carry with them very REAL mathematical formulas.  For an example of a "PUT OPTION" formula, CLICK HERE AND SCROLL DOWN Remember it's not complicated:  SEC -- didn't regulate. AIG -- "As Lehman Brothers (the largest bankruptcy in U.S. History) suffered a catastrophic decline in share price, investors began comparing the types of securities held by AIG and Lehman, and found that AIG had valued its Alt-A and sub-prime mortgage-backed securities at 1.7 to 2 times the values used by Lehman which weakened investors' confidence in AIG. . . .  In the meantime,  New York regulators allowed AIG to borrow $20 billion from its subsidiaries"  READ ABOUT AIG Hmmm AIG LIED and inflated the portfolio values?!?  You don't say.  And because they lied . . .   "AIG was required to post additional collateral with many creditors and counter-parties, touching off controversy when over $100 billion was paid out to major global financial institutions that had previously received  TARP  money. While this money was legally owed to the banks by AIG (under agreements made via credit default swaps  purchased from AIG by the institutions), a number of Congressmen and media members expressed outrage that taxpayer money was going to these banks through AIG In January, 2010, a document known as "Schedule A - List of Derivative Transactions" was released to the public, against the wishes of the  New York Fed."    "Had AIG been allowed to fail in a controlled manner through bankruptcy, bondholders and derivative counterparties (major banks) would have suffered significant losses, limiting the amount of taxpayer funds directly used. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke argued: "If a federal agency had [appropriate authority] on September 16 [2008], they could have been used to put AIG into conservatorship or receivership, unwind it slowly, protect policyholders, and impose haircuts on creditors and counterparties as appropriate. That outcome would have been far preferable to the situation we find ourselves in now." The "situation" to which he is referring is that the claims of bondholders and counterparties were paid at 100 cents on the dollar by taxpayers, without giving taxpayers the rights to the future profits of these institutions. In other words, the benefits went to the banks while the taxpayers suffered the costs." IndyMac -- "The primary causes of IndyMac's failure were largely associated with its business strategy of originating and securitizing Atl-A loans on a large scale. This strategy resulted in rapid growth and a high concentration of risky assets. From its inception as a savings association in 2000, IndyMac grew to the seventh largest savings and loan and ninth largest originator of mortgage loans in the United States. During 2006, IndyMac originated over $90 billion of mortgages. IndyMac's aggressive growth strategy, use of Alt-A and other nontraditional loan products, insufficient underwriting, credit concentrations in residential real estate in the California and Florida markets, and heavy reliance on costly funds borrowed from the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) and from brokered deposits, led to its demise when the mortgage market declined in 2007. IndyMac often made loans without verification of the borrower's income or assets, and to borrowers with poor credit histories. Appraisals obtained by IndyMac on underlying collateral were often questionable as well. As an Alt-A lender, IndyMac's business model was to offer loan products to fit the borrower's needs, using an extensive array of risky option-adjustable-rate-mortgages (option ARMs), subprime loans, 80/20 loans, and other nontraditional products. Ultimately, loans were made to many borrowers who simply could not afford to make their payments. The thrift remained profitable only as long as it was able to sell those loans in the secondary mortgage market."  INDY MAC aks OneWest Bank Washington Mutual, Inc., was a saving bank holding company and the former owner of Washing Mutual Bank, which was the United States' largest saving and loan association until it became the largest bank failure in U.S. history.  WASHINGTON MUTUAL RIP Henry "Potter" Paulson was then head of Goldman Sachs.  He then was appointed to run the Treasury.  Of course, in this position, he was able to open up the TAX PAYERS' POCKET BOOK TO help out his "colleagues" that SCREWED UP! Bank of America -- stopped doing subprimes in early 2000's but bought Countrywide's toxic puke Barney Frank "I think this is a case where Fannie and Freddie are fundamentally sound, that they are not in danger of going under. They're not the best investments these days from the long-term standpoint going back. I think they are in good shape going forward." Barney Frank on CNBC on July 14, 2008 FANNIE MAE / FREDDIE MAC (Daddy) -- now OTC, trading at $0.23/share and a negative $-0.05/share a few days ago. Lehman Bros DOA "On September 15, 2008, the firm filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection following the massive exodus of most of its clients, drastic losses in its stock, and devaluation of its assets by credit rating agencies. The filing marked the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history LEHMAN BROS Bear Stearns DOA  The collapse of the company was a prelude to the risk management meltdown of the Wall Street investment bank industry in September 2008, and the subsequent global financial crisis and recession. In January 2010, JPMorgan discontinued use of the Bear Stearns name  THE RISE AND FALL OF BEAR STERNS CITI Group, Inc. is a large American commercial and consumer finance company, founded in 1908. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009.   ETC., ETC., ETC. Largest Bankruptcy filing in US History - Lehman Brothers Largest bank failing in US history - Washignton Mutual AIG stock dropped 60% in one day 9/16/08 - 4th quarter '08 posted a $61.7 Billion LOSS -- Greasted posted loss ever for any corporation. The Teapot Dome scandal and the Great Depression ain't got nothing on this little . . . hmmm . . . little SNAFU.  Exotic Derivatives Hedge Funds Mortgage Back Securities Stock "Puts" Naked short selling Interest Rate Swaps LIBOR Credit default swaps Naked credit default swaps Fixed-for-fixed swap -- different currencies Fixed-for fixed swap -- same currency Swap rate Interest rate cap and floor Strike Price European put options Basic fixed income derivative hedging   THIS IS THE DERIVATIVE MARKET -- [CITED: FLOW CHART]    Options Terms Credit spread · Debit spread · Exercise · Expiration · Moneyness · Open interest · Pin risk · Risk-free rate · Strike price · The Greeks · Volatility   Vanilla options Bond option · Call · Employee stock option · Fixed income · FX · Option styles · Put · Warrants   Exotic options Asian · Barrier · Binary · Cliquet · Compound option · Forward start option · Interest rate option · Lookback · Mountain range · Rainbow option · Swaption   Combinations Collar · Fence · Iron butterfly · Iron condor · Straddle · Strangle · Covered call · Protective put   Options spreads Backspread · Bear spread · Bull spread · Butterfly spread · Calendar spread · Diagonal spread · Ratio spread · Vertical spread · Intermarket Spread   Valuation of options Binomial · Black · Black-Scholes · Finite difference · Put-call parity · Simulation · Trinomial   Hey GENUISES -- Those that want to BLAME THE HOME OWNER / THE BORROWER . . . decipher this:  "A number of other variations are possible (fixed-for-fixed rate swap), although far less common. Mostly tweaks are made to ensure that a bond is hedged "perfectly", so that all the interest payments received are exactly offset by the swap. This can lead to swaps where principal is paid on one or more legs, rather than just interest (for example to hedge a coupon strip), or where the balance of the swap is automatically adjusted to match that of a prepaying bond (such as RMBS Residential mortgage-back security)." And if YOU DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND IT -- you think the average consumer, the borrower, the homeowner . . . I like to call them Americans . . . did?!? But, hey, it was the greedy home buyers.  Those bastards, they killed Kenny the housing industry using their house like an ATM.  Keep repeating the lies.  The banksters would like it that way.  It's not that complicated.  The minute the ink dried on a borrowers loan documents, those mortgages morphed into an "investment vehicle" . . . churned up into the ABOVE . . . until the banksters broke the bank. ----------------------------------------------------------- ~ Representing Buyers Since 1999 ~ Carla Muss-Jacobs, ABR, CEBA, e-PRO, Realtor® Principal Broker/Owner EBAPortland, LLC YOUR Exclusive Buyer's Agent (503) 810-7192 / Carla@CarlaHomes.com CHECK OUT www.EBAPortland.com for Home Buyer TIPS!  All rights reserved (c) http://tinkrbel.net/?p=1451 http://tinkrbel.net/?p=1451 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 03:59:00 +0000 I scored 7043 points playing #QRANK. Can you beat that? http://bit.ly/b8lZZu # Powered by Twitter Tools. http://activerain.com/blogsview/1757891/why-do-people-move- http://activerain.com/blogsview/1757891/why-do-people-move- Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:35:00 +0000 Why Do People Move? Liz and Bill Spear posted a great read:  Your Nirvana Might Be My Hades - The Fallacy of Best Places to Live Lists When I was thinking about why do people move I wondered if it had anything at all to do with what they've read on-line and/or in a published list. Sure, people will read about a particular area . . . which is why Active Rain Localism is a great tool  But why do people move to one particular area over the other?  Is the why do people move answer have anything to do with the best places to live lists, or about more definitive reasons? Paradise - Lucas Cranach 1536 My B.S. degree is in Social Science.  So this type of stuff has always fascinated me.  Although I really screwed up in the statistics component of that degree -- I don't like math -- I did find a good analysis.  The US Census has a table from 2007.  For those of you into this type of thing, you can find the table here:  US Census Reasons for Move (Note: numbers reflected in the chart are in thousands.  Example 543 = 543,000, etc.) Main reasons of why do people move include: New job / transfers To be closer to work / school To establish own household Needed larger home or apartment Wanted better home Why do people move reflected an overwhelming number that "looked at other neighborhood."  Choice of present home had "financial reaons," "room layout/design" and "size" being key factors. This data included owners and tenants, i.e., homeowners and renters.  But, it's still an interesting chart. Maybe the "other" category includes, "I read about this area/neighborhood in a 100 top cities to move to" list.  Who knows . . . Why do people move?  Well, the numbers seem to suggest it's because of practical reasons which has to do more with reality, and not the grass is greener of lists.           ----------------------------------------------------------- ~ Representing Buyers Since 1999 ~ Carla Muss-Jacobs, ABR, CEBA, e-PRO, Realtor® Principal Broker/Owner EBAPortland, LLC YOUR Exclusive Buyer's Agent (503) 810-7192 / Carla@CarlaHomes.com CHECK OUT www.EBAPortland.com for Home Buyer TIPS!  All rights reserved (c) http://tinkrbel.net/?p=1450 http://tinkrbel.net/?p=1450 Thu, 22 Jul 2010 03:59:00 +0000 I scored 7491 points playing #QRANK. Can you beat that? http://bit.ly/b8lZZu # Powered by Twitter Tools. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dpp/bigshow/all/~3/qgAxJ_78zGI/delta-park-at-stake-e40-somnambulist-expecting.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dpp/bigshow/all/~3/qgAxJ_78zGI/delta-park-at-stake-e40-somnambulist-expecting.html Thu, 22 Jul 2010 01:18:00 +0000 Kate learns a secret about Angel. A vampire from Angel's past comes to town. Cordelia is having 7 babies and Wesley got a new axe. http://adisplacedbrooklynite.blogspot.com/2010/07/janelle-monae-turns-rhythm-and-blues.html http://adisplacedbrooklynite.blogspot.com/2010/07/janelle-monae-turns-rhythm-and-blues.html Thu, 22 Jul 2010 01:08:00 +0000 Janelle Monae turns rhythm and blues into science fictionThis is someone who I have been rocking to this summer. A perfect intersection of pop music and film. http://joncellini.com/blog/archives/2010/07/21/snowcone/ http://joncellini.com/blog/archives/2010/07/21/snowcone/ Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:59:00 +0000 At the Wednesday Beaverton Farmer’s Market. http://johnochwat.wordpress.com/2010/07/21/major-league-baseball-debuts-grand-slam-of-gluttony-clubs-at-ballparks/ http://johnochwat.wordpress.com/2010/07/21/major-league-baseball-debuts-grand-slam-of-gluttony-clubs-at-ballparks/ Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:53:00 +0000 BALTIMORE — When Manny LeGros went to watch a recent Orioles baseball game, he spent much of it in the concourse instead of in his seat. Because that’s where the buffet was. With a ticket to the Orioles’ Left Field Club Picnic Perch, LeGros was entitled to an all-you-can-eat buffet of nachos, hot dogs, peanuts, [...] http://tinkrbel.net/?p=1449 http://tinkrbel.net/?p=1449 Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:59:00 +0000 Saw Inception today… Loved it! Lots of questions but I really love a movie that gives you something to talk & think about after it's over # Powered by Twitter Tools. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MikeOnPortlandRealEstate/~3/IM0e1XkbCoQ/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MikeOnPortlandRealEstate/~3/IM0e1XkbCoQ/ Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:08:00 +0000 The loss of equity in the homes of couples that want to divorce has left them stuck because they either bought at the top of the market or, on the ride up, they borrowed against the new equity they found. Without the resources to pay the difference, or an agreement on who would pay [...] Related posts:The Downside Of HOA’s HOA’s (Homeowner Associations) are a necessary evil for attached... Down Payment: A Modest Proposal There are still 100% loans out there though they are... Good Fortune Just after I listed her home my client told... http://barkpdx.com/wordpress/?p=371 http://barkpdx.com/wordpress/?p=371 Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:18:00 +0000 Welcome to BarkSpot from Bark PDX, a blog dedicated to our pets and our lives and adventures with them. Here we will share ideas, information, news, links, fun stories, anecdotes and basically everything pet and animal related. “A Perfect Home for Juicy” (A letter from a client) As many of you know, Mark and I [...] http://tinkrbel.net/?p=1448 http://tinkrbel.net/?p=1448 Tue, 20 Jul 2010 03:59:00 +0000 I scored 7603 points playing #QRANK. Can you beat that? http://bit.ly/b8lZZu # Powered by Twitter Tools. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Ikeonic/~3/YrIhVaZdYuk/twitter-all-news-you-need.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Ikeonic/~3/YrIhVaZdYuk/twitter-all-news-you-need.html Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:10:00 +0000 I spent all morning "refudiating" attacks against Sarah Palin for going rogue (Shakespeare-style!) with the English language.  Too much fun! If you're not following me on Twitter, you're really missing out. Seriously, though, I tweet a lot more than I blog so please check me out at http://www.twitter.com/ikeonic And for the record, I like very little about Sarah Palin, which a quick search of my blog posts would verify in a heartbeat.  But I dislike pointless attacks on people's misuse of the English language.. especially misspellings on Twitter.  I can find 1000 better reasons to dislike or ridicule Sarah Palin.  Picking on her for what is likely completely unintentional misuse or misspelling of a word is silly, childish and downright mean. Not to mention, every time we talk about Sarah Palin we give her exactly what she craves most:  more attention.  She's a rogue former governor who spends most of her time fundraising and pimping her books.  She needs more attention to sell more books and raise more money. Though as much as Michael Steele pimps himself I'm starting to think Palin may be a relative genius.  Hey, at least no one is calling for Palin to resign from her post as rogue ex-governor.  Could we get her to switch jobs with Steele?  Maybe she could raise some cash for the RNC.  Just saying.... Back to Twitter or Back to the Future... same difference! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Ikeonic/~3/V8tHDEJc_fI/time-to-refudiate-obamas-porkulus.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Ikeonic/~3/V8tHDEJc_fI/time-to-refudiate-obamas-porkulus.html Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:00:00 +0000 Innocent Bystanders.net charts this beautifully.  You see, in the business world, actual results matter.  Not so much with the federal government. So why is this relevant today? Because Joey Biden is using an interview with Jake Tapper to spin this inconvenient truth as the GOP's fault. As Ed Morrissey puts it so well: Joe Biden offered a flat-out, horse-crap lie to Tapper in this interview. The Obama White House got exactly the amount of stimulus they wanted, and more. The stimulus didn’t fail because Congress didn’t spend enough money. It failed because Barack Obama and Joe Biden have no idea what they’re doing, and they’re proving that much every day they’re in office.Wrong-o, Joey.  Porkulus failed to produce the results you said it would.  We're $800 million deeper in the hole without a lot to show for it.  That's why we call it...PORK-ulus! http://activerain.com/blogsview/1749697/-pretend-and-extend-elizabeth-warren-the-town-crier http://activerain.com/blogsview/1749697/-pretend-and-extend-elizabeth-warren-the-town-crier Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:04:00 +0000 Pretend and Extend While channel surfing a few nights ago, I caught the tail end of PBS "Need to Know" with host Alison Stewart.  Her guest was Elizabeth Warren, and the conversation I walked in on had to do with "Extend and Pretend."  I've never heard of:  Pretend and Extend. Realizing they weren't discussing VIAGRA, I paused to listen. Oh how the saying "ignorance is bliss" didn't ring true!  Sometimes I wish I could bury my head in the sand! And speaking of ringing . . . Elizabeth Warren rang the hand-bell of caution.  As in the days of yore . . . and yes, I did just say that . . . where the town crier would shout "Oyez, Oyez, Oyez . . ." to grab the populaces' attention, Elizabeth was sounding the bell.  I think she was saying "Oy vey, Oy vey . . ." however. Elizabeth Warren and the American Holding Company PBS Need to Know Pretend and extend is something that commercial lenders are doing with their loans.  To make them look good on the books, they will "extend" the existing mortgage so the Mortgagor will continuing paying the Mortgagee.  However, the value of the property is the original . . . not the diminished value, or the current market value. "ELIZABETH WARREN:Quite frankly, we are going to see some of that. See-through buildings, where the building has already been built, but there are no tenants in it, so you can see from one set of windows all the way over to the other. There will be some of that. There will also be some other adjustments that will be made. In some cases the mortgage lender will repossess the property and is able to sell it to someone else and get it off their books. Another possibility that in some ways is far more troubling is that the financial institution will say, "Oh, we think maybe that property is, um, maybe still worth $2 million. After all, you're making your payments, and so how about if you, the borrower, and we, the lender, hold hands and pretend-" ALISON STEWART:Is this Extend and Pretend? ELIZABETH WARREN:This is Extend and Pretend, that's exactly right. What it really means is we will pretend that this property is still valued where it was back in boom times, and we will simply extend your outstanding mortgage on this property so that you keep paying. In other words, the loan appears to all the world on the books at a high value and fully performing, when the underlying economic reality is that it's worth a whole lot less, and the odds that it will end up in collapse and default, ultimately in foreclosure, are very high. ALISON STEWART:Isn't the idea, though, to give people more time? To give these institutions more time to come up with the money, perhaps hope against hope the economy gets better? ELIZABETH WARREN:Well, that's the question. And you just put it in the right word, it's hope against hope. Here's a problem with it, the longer you pretend, the longer it takes to get the market back to where supply and demand match each other. The longer it takes to get the right price back on the commercial real estate, attract in the businesses, get the rents in the right place, and get this economy back up and booming." (Toward the bottom of the transcript) While they were discussing Commercial properties, quite a few of the loan product that was placed in the Residential arena came from Commercial.  ARM's, for example, had their beginning in the Commercial real estate world.  It wasn't long before they found their way into the Residential marketplace. This is a great tie-in article, and I suggest you take some time to read it:  To Fix Sour Property Deals, Lenders Extend and Pretend       ----------------------------------------------------------- ~ Representing Buyers Since 1999 ~ Carla Muss-Jacobs, ABR, CEBA, e-PRO, Realtor® Principal Broker/Owner EBAPortland, LLC YOUR Exclusive Buyer's Agent (503) 810-7192 / Carla@CarlaHomes.com CHECK OUT www.EBAPortland.com for Home Buyer TIPS!  All rights reserved (c) http://activerain.com/blogsview/1752245/oregon-supra-lockbox-activity-week-ending-7-11-2010 http://activerain.com/blogsview/1752245/oregon-supra-lockbox-activity-week-ending-7-11-2010 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:55:00 +0000   Supra Lockbox Activity Week Ending 7/11/10 NOTE:  The Supra Lockbox is the magic access key that allows agents to open the doors on listed property.  It also keeps statistics, and as you can see, there has been an INCREASE in activity for Oregon, which also includes Portland, OR real estate activity.  The Metro Porltand market is the largest in the State.  But this is an all encompassing Statewide stat.  Keep in mind:  This does NOT mean that sales, closed transaction, inventory have INCREASED or DECREASED.  This does NOT represent INDIVIUDAL BUYERS looking at property.  This just demonstrates how many times the Supra Lockbox was used during the week.  In last week's (week ending 7/4/10) report I wrote: The decrease of 6.6% might be due to the 4th of July weekend, which I thought would, certainly, equate to less buyer activity.  The numbers to watch, at least IMHO, are what the month of July will do compared to last year when activity level was over 20,000 and holding steady for about 2 months.  This week's report:  We're just at the same level we were two weeks ago.  The drip from the 4th weekend, and now the slight increase. If you'll notice the spikes in activity level were at the same time of the tax incentives.  They level off in May when the incentive, affectively, was over.  For the past 10 weeks activity seems to be level.  No major changes, and it's very constant.  BUYERS:  What that means for you . . . the properties you have interest in might / might not have the level of activity as expected.  These showings are for the RMLS Supra lockbox in the state.  The Portland, OR real estate market might have slightly higher levels of activity. SELLERS:  Check and see with your listing agent if the STAT above is holding true with your property.  Are you getting any more showings, or has activity level dropped?? ----------------------------------------------------------- ~ Representing Buyers Since 1999 ~ Carla Muss-Jacobs, ABR, CEBA, e-PRO, Realtor® Principal Broker/Owner EBAPortland, LLC YOUR Exclusive Buyer's Agent (503) 810-7192 / Carla@CarlaHomes.com CHECK OUT www.EBAPortland.com for Home Buyer TIPS!  All rights reserved (c) http://tinkrbel.net/?p=1447 http://tinkrbel.net/?p=1447 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 03:59:00 +0000 I scored 5067 points playing #QRANK. Can you beat that? http://bit.ly/b8lZZu # I scored 5824 points playing #QRANK. Can you beat that? http://bit.ly/b8lZZu # Powered by Twitter Tools. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dpp/bigshow/all/~3/C9-FVj67o38/big-207-willie-and-julio.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dpp/bigshow/all/~3/C9-FVj67o38/big-207-willie-and-julio.html Sun, 18 Jul 2010 23:46:00 +0000 Pierce Bronson is a Horse. Avatar makes Anna's father-in-law feel bad. Even Stephens is back for one night only. Plus Willie and Julio. http://joncellini.com/blog/archives/2010/07/18/bubbles/ http://joncellini.com/blog/archives/2010/07/18/bubbles/ Sun, 18 Jul 2010 20:56:00 +0000 An afternoon blowing bubbles at the park with the kids. Gio took a power nap. http://www.hamell.net/?p=386 http://www.hamell.net/?p=386 Sat, 17 Jul 2010 20:46:00 +0000 Sometimes city names pop up in the most interesting of places. While looking through vintage photographs on Shorpy.com I came across this interesting photograph. The caption says: “October 1939. “Mr. and Mrs. Wardlaw at entrance to their dugout basement home. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon.” Medium-format nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange for the Resettlement [...] http://johnochwat.wordpress.com/2010/07/17/our-dog-and-his-identity-problem/ http://johnochwat.wordpress.com/2010/07/17/our-dog-and-his-identity-problem/ Sat, 17 Jul 2010 15:53:00 +0000 This handsome fellow is our dog. He’s about five years old, and we’ve had him for about a year. He was a shelter dog, so we don’t know his breed, if he had an original owner, or whether he had a name. (Do you know his breed? If so, leave me a comment.) Luckily, we [...] http://tinkrbel.net/?p=1446 http://tinkrbel.net/?p=1446 Sat, 17 Jul 2010 03:59:00 +0000 Does this head look familiar? Trying to figure out how or if it is connected to Nike http://twitpic.com/25mdbv # Powered by Twitter Tools. http://activerain.com/blogsview/1748427/-the-voice-of-the-american-people-update-update-update http://activerain.com/blogsview/1748427/-the-voice-of-the-american-people-update-update-update Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:45:00 +0000 The Voice of the American People update. As some of you already know, I made an announcment last month about a project I was undertaking. "The Voice of the American People" is taking shape. The logo is done!!  You like???  I met with the web developer who showed me the mock-up layout, and approved that today.  Now for coding, coding, coding -- and hopefully a website launch in two-three weeks. The Voice of the American People will be an interactive website.  It's being developed in order to bring the VOICE of Americans who have gone through, are going through, will go through the muck and the mire of:  short sales, loan mods, foreclosures, bankruptcies, etc. to the forefront.     ----------------------------------------------------------- ~ Representing Buyers Since 1999 ~ Carla Muss-Jacobs, ABR, CEBA, e-PRO, Realtor® Principal Broker/Owner EBAPortland, LLC YOUR Exclusive Buyer's Agent (503) 810-7192 / Carla@CarlaHomes.com CHECK OUT www.EBAPortland.com for Home Buyer TIPS!  All rights reserved (c) http://activerain.com/blogsview/1748364/call-to-save-carla-s-trees- http://activerain.com/blogsview/1748364/call-to-save-carla-s-trees- Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:06:00 +0000 Deborah Garvey has used me! But, it's OKAY by me!  I love being used this way . . . she makes a point!! The funny thing is . . . when I was out this morning, and most likely Deborah was posting her blog, I was actually stopped at the railroad tracks because a large shipment of timbered logs was rolling by.  It happens all the time to me when I'm out . . . being stopped at the RR crossing, and watching car, after car of freshly logged timber roll by. It's very Oregon to see this.  We're a nice, thriving Metro area . . . but the fruits of our State do make their way into the landscape in this manner. Today, I actually had my camera and pulled it out to capture the train.  Very LOCALISM post, I thought, Unfortunately, I thought about nabbing the pic too late (I rarely have my camera with me) and I would have ended up taking a shot of the caboose. When I got back,  I "log" on to Active Rain, and saw Deborah's post! WOW -- that's weird.  I'm sure the logs were en route to DC, where they will be milled . . . and used to print out more money!! Via Deborah Garvin California Mortgage Financing (Security One Financial):So the Financial Reform Bill has passed.  All 2,319 pages of it.  No, I haven't read it...but this post is not about the bill, it's about the PAGES!  I mean, good grief, could we maybe introduce Congress to blogging about their bills and saving it to a disk.....or even a zip file, for goodness sake!! Seriously, and this is not meant is support or defense of any party or segment of government (personal opinions aside), I have questions and I WANT answers.  Which machine to you think is running more in Washington?  Is it the Money Printing Machine?  Could be.  I lost track along time ago about how many "ZERO's" follow the word "Washington".  I do know I think it would help save Carla's Trees if they would start using "Gazillion to the umpteenth power" instead of all those "ZERO's".  And, I am starting to worry that there is going to a shortage on Monopoly Money.  With the holiday season only five months away what is Santa going to do?  Put coal in the Monopoly Game?  I mean, this could get serious.......(REALLY????????) Is the Copy Machine?  Hey, this really has me worried.  2,319 pages copied how many times to how many people?  And, multiply this bill by HAMP, HAFA, FHA reforms, Refi Plus, Home Path., and XYZ bills. I am terrified our country is going to start looking like the destroyed Rain Forest.  I mean, we all know the mortgage industry kills one tree for every loan processed (whether or not it ever funds).  Heck, the underwriter won't even look at a file until it weighs five pounds! What are they doing?  Killing a tree every minute or so?  Is that why there are so many rooms in the White House?  They have to have some place to store the reams of paper?  And, what about Carla's Trees?  Have you ever been to Portland?  It's a wonderfully beautiful city...truth be told the entire Pacific Northwest is worthy of your family vacation.  But, today, I am worried about Carla's Trees. Something has to be done to save Carla's Trees!  I am calling on all ActiveRain Members and Visitors to blog Washington to plead sanctuary for Carla's Trees.  United we can stop this insanity!   Deborah Garvin loanmonarch@yahoo.com (619) 787-8212 "contact me when you need knowledge, experience and ethics in the financing process."  ----------------------------------------------------------- ~ Representing Buyers Since 1999 ~ Carla Muss-Jacobs, ABR, CEBA, e-PRO, Realtor® Principal Broker/Owner EBAPortland, LLC YOUR Exclusive Buyer's Agent (503) 810-7192 / Carla@CarlaHomes.com CHECK OUT www.EBAPortland.com for Home Buyer TIPS!  All rights reserved (c)