REALiTY BiTES
REALiTY BiTESi turn REALTY into REALiTY
Happy New Year!
Today marks the beginning of the Year Of The Dragon in the Chinese lunar calendar. Actually, this year is considered the Year of The Water Dragon which happens only once every 60 years. In Chinese culture, the dragon is considered to be the most powerful symbol in the Chinese zodiac. Read the rest of this entry »
Re-Think What You Say For Better Results
If Only I Could Take That Back!
How many times have you said something and wished afterwards that you could have taken those words back. Imagine how the outcome could have differed if you had just re-phrased your words. Sometimes, how you say or write something can be just as important as the meaning you are trying to convey.
I’m reminded of one of my favorite movies starring Bill Murray. Groundhog Day is the perfect example of how one man could change the outcome just by changing his behavior. And the best part? He got to do it over and over until he got it right! I can’t even count the number of times I have wished for a “rewind” button in situations where I’ve said the wrong thing at the wrong time. Usually, my brain works faster than my mouth, but sometimes, the opposite happens and I get into trouble.
My boss shared a short video with me that was touching, and I wanted to pass it on to others as well. So, in the spirit of sharing, watch this video and see if you can change what you say in future conversations.
Would You Approve A Loan For This Person?
I subscribe to many real estate resources, and one of my favorites is The REsoure.tv. The two guys on the site have very insightful thoughts that they share with their viewers. As a Realtor, I find it very useful since I don’t have the time to do the in-depth research the way that these guys do.
Today’s video is a spoof on lending requirements. Check it out!
Don’t Forget To Wash Your Hands…
In the never-ending quest to conserve water, some entrepreneurial folks come up with some pretty wacky designs. It’s a well known fact that the biggest water wasting room in the home is the bathroom. In fact, 75% of indoor water use comes from the bathroom alone! Of that, the toilet uses 25%, with the remaining from the shower/bathtubs and faucets. I’ve seen and read about some pretty interesting water saving efforts, and have even tried some myself. Before the invention of low-flow toilets, I put rocks and other weights in the toilet tank so that less water would be used when flushing. Who knew that toilet tanks could house more than just a stash of drugs? Read the rest of this entry »
Top 10 Real Estate Websites
Disclaimer: The websites presented are my own opinions, and not the results of some analytic gobbledygook. The determination and ranking of these sites is completely random (with the exception of #1). I will share the links to each of these sites along with my reason for inclusion in the list. With no further ado, let’s take a look, shall we? Read the rest of this entry »
I Blame Starbucks For My Composting Addiction
Addiction – Part II
It all began one winter day back in 1996. I remember it all so vividly. You never forget your first time, do you? You can read about my first time [read here] if you really want… From that day forward, I’ve been downing mochas on a regular basis. The byproduct of making coffee is of course coffee grounds, and being the naturally inquisitive person that I am, I started reading about how coffee grounds could be used as compost in the garden for acidic plants. I’m never one to just dabble, because when the addiction hits, it hits hard. Read the rest of this entry »
The Road To Addiction Has An Innocent Start
From Candy To Coffee
Like nearly every other Seattle-ite, (Or Woodinville-ite), I’ve become addicted to that syrupy brown goodness we call coffee. In my case, it’s espresso, and it all started about 15 years ago during one of my very long meeting sessions at Microsoft. Up until that point, I had never, ever, ever had a cup of coffee. Never. That’s 33 years of living without drinking the brown liquor. So I was standing outside the conference room, and there happened to be an espresso bar. The gentleman barista coaxed me over to talk to him because he was bored. Read the rest of this entry »
Zillow Wrong Again?
Don’t Believe Everything You Read On The Internet
I’ve written about this before in a previous blog post [READ HERE], but it’s nice to have my thoughts backed up by an independent and respected entity. This short video interview from The Wall Street Journal summarizes how Zillow’s Zesstimates can be so far off the mark.
A Woodinville Example
Let’s take a look at two homes in Woodinville, WA where I live. These homes are currently listed for sale and are situated about 1.5 miles apart in desirable, rural areas. I have had the opportunity to visit both homes and feel that aside from the interior design choices made by the respective owners, they share many similarities with regard to quality. Read the rest of this entry »
HARP Eligibility Test
The New & Improved HARP
In my last post [read here], I shared the recent news about new changes to the HARP program. Before you run out and celebrate, you may wish to take this little test provided by Zillow.com to see if you meet the specific criteria needed.
New HARP Guidelines
Now May Be The Time To Refinance Your Home!
On Tuesday, The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced changes to the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) in an effort to help eligible borrowers who may benefit from refinancing their mortgage. As a result of the announcement, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be making the following changes, noted below. These changes are designed to assist borrowers who have demonstrated an acceptable payment history on their existing Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac mortgage loans, but may not have been able to refinance in the past, due to their home appraising for lower than the amount the borrowers currently owe. Read the rest of this entry »
