Wilmington NC Real Estate & Relocation

Honoring Our Heroes Who Gave Their All So that We May Be Free!

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:53:11 -0600

My Dad, Dr. Gus Rogers, a family physician, was a true hero & patriot who volunteered to serve our country during WW11. He was over the age limit so he had to get an exemption to serve. He spent 4 plus years as an army filed surgeon in the heart of the trenches of France & England.

His Battalion was onboard with the British Fleets for the DDAY invasion of Omaha Beach. You can imagine the carnage he witnessed, the lives he saved, & the wounded he treated to no avail.

He came home thank God, and from what I understand, never spoke of the War again. I am certain he never forgot those who never made it home.

Today I want to honor my Dad, & all those who served in times of peace & in time of war, & remember especially those who never made it home.

GOD BLESS OUR VETS!

********************

As we honor our Veterans today
There's only so much that words can say
The gratitude & respect we feel in our hearts,
Paper & pen can not truly impart.

Images set to a beautiful song,
Is my tribute today to those who stand strong
To fight for our rights day after day.
We are so proud & thankful for you every day!

Wilmington NC First Time Home Buyer Credit~New Rules, Good Deal!

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:35:17 -0500

Wilmington NC Area First Time Buyers~ Breaking NEWS!

The $8000 Tax Credit for First Time * Home Buyers just got better! !
The U.S. Housing and Urban Development today announced that the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will now allow home buyers to apply the $8,000 first-time * home buyer tax credit toward the purchase price/closing costs of a FHA-insured home. Housing Secretary Donovan was very hopeful that this new rule action will help to stabilize housing markets by across the country by an increase if future home sales.

New Tax Credit Rules Can Help More Buyers

Originally the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 offered First Time Home Buyers a tax credit/refund of up to $8,000. The "old" guidelines allowed this credit to be received as a refund only after the Home Buyers filed tax returns with the IRS. The FHA's new rules allowing state Housing Finance Agencies and certain non-profits to "monetize" up to $8000 of the tax credit (which depends on the amount of the mortgage) so that borrowers can apply the funds toward their down payments.

Lower Monthly Payments Possible... Sound good?

First Time Home buyers * using FHA-approved lenders can apply the tax credit to their down payment in excess of 3.5 percent of appraised value or their closing costs, which can help achieve a lower interest rate.

Down Payment Requirements & Guidelines

Remember, Borrowers applying for an FHA-insured mortgage are still required to make a minimum 3.5 percent down payment on the purchase of their home. Current law does not permit approved lenders to monetize the tax credit to meet the required 3.5 percent minimum down payment, but, under the terms of today's announcement, lenders can now use the tax credit immediately as additional down payment, or for other closing costs, which can in effect create a lower interest rate & monthly payment. In addition to the borrower's own cash investment, FHA allows parents, employers and other governmental entities to contribute towards the down payment.

Projected Home Sales Expected to Climb with New Tax Credit

According to estimates by the National Association of Home Builders, the home buyer tax credit will stimulate 160,000 home sales, 101,000 of which will be first-time buyers who will receive the credit. Another 59,000 existing sellers will be able to buy another home because a first-time buyer purchased their home.

Buyer Beware! Scammers are on the Prowl!

Potential buyers should beware that their are all kinds of mortgage scammers out there, ready to pounce on the unsuspecting. It is crucial to consult with seasoned, respected financial services provider. The local Wilmington NC Area mortgage professionals that we recommend have the outstanding reputation, expertise, integrity & diligence, that every buyer deserves, and they are also FHA approved lenders.

Wilmington NC Homes for Sale

Are you ready to go shopping for your Wilmington NC area home with some Governments money? There are some terrific buys out there! Sellers are eager, prices are down, interests rates, according to the experts will not be going lower, and free money will only be available for a few more months!

Want to get moving??? Call us for more details & to see if you would like to team with us to help you achieve your goals! We'd love to show you what your money can buy. You just might be very surprised!

*Remember: definition of first time home buyer is anyone who hasn't owned a home in the past 3 years!

© Ginger Sala, Keller Williams Realty Wilmington NC Real Estate & Relocation Specialist: serves the beautiful Coastal North Carolina areas of Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Hampstead, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Topsail Island, Surf City & Leland. Wilmington NC Living truly has something for everyone!" Visit our website: CoastHomeNorthCarolina.com for Wilmington NC Area Information, Wilmington NC Schools, Wilmington NC MLS listings! Click here to contact Ginger

"Coast Home to North Carolina!"

Wrightsville Beach Park Hosts FREE Sunday Afternoon Jazz Concert!

Sat, 16 May 2009 23:02:02 -0500

Looking for an enjoyable "recession proof "way to spend a Sunday afternoon in the park? Come out Sunday for one our area's many free local concerts!

The Cape Fear Jazz Society will present a terrific outdoor concert this weekend, sponsored by the Wrightsville Beach Department of Parks & Recreation at Wrightsville Beach Park! What a great opportunity to hear some of our awesome local Jazz groups while enjoying the Harbor Island breeze!

This years line-up kicks off with Grenoldo Frazier a Fats Waller style pianist and singer.
Next up is the amazing Frank Bongiorno Trio, led by UNCW's renowned Jazz Studies professor on the Sax, Andy Whittington on piano and Doug Irving on bass.

Also on the bill, closing out the show will be The Port City All-Stars, led by El Jaye Johnson on guitar and trumpet, Kevin Kolb on piano, Teddy Burgh on reeds, Tony Mallard on drums and Mike Hanson on percussion.

Refreshments will be available! Hot Dogs Ice Cream! Bring your chairs or blankets! and Picnics and Dogs are welcome!

When: 1-5 p.m. Sunday, May 17, 2009

Where: Wrightsville Beach Park, 321 Causeway Drive

Cost: FREE!

Enjoy!

©Ginger Sala Wilmington NC Real Estate & Relocation Specialist serving the beautiful Coastal NC areas of Wilmington , Hampstead, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina & Kure Beach & Leland NC.

"Coast Home to North Carolina!"

LOL Friday! Kids Say the Dardnest Things~

Fri, 15 May 2009 18:10:07 -0500

If you need a laugh, then read through these Children's Science Exam Answers:

Q: Name the four seasons.

A: Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.

Q: Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to Drink.

A: Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists.

Q: How is dew formed?

A: The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.

Q: How can you delay milk turning sour?

A: Keep it in the cow.

Q: What causes the tides in the oceans?

A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature hates a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight.

Q: What are steroids?

A: Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.

Q: What happens to your body as you age?

A: When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental.

Q: Name a major disease associated with cigarettes.

A: Premature death.

Q: How are the main parts of the body categorized? (e.G., abdomen.)

A: The body is consisted into three parts - the brainium, the borax And the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain; the borax Contains the heart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the five Bowels A,E, I, O, and U.

Q: What is the fibula?

A: A small lie.

Q: What does "varicose" mean? "

A: Nearby.

Q: Give the meaning of the term "Caesarean Section."

A: The Caesarean Section is a district in Rome.

Q: What does the word " benign" mean?'

A: Benign is what you will be after you be after eight.

Wilmington NC Free Friday Concerts featuring Local Fav's Big Dog & Catfish Willie!

Fri, 08 May 2009 15:23:31 -0500

Its a beautiful "summer like "spring day TGIF in Wilmington NC. The Carolina Blue Skies and sunshine have ushered in a mini heat wave! A great time for to head out to the Mayfaire Town Center and catch another terrific FREE concert on the big lawn!

Tonight's performance promises some great American tunes performed by one of Wilmington's favorite bands Big Dog & Catfish Willie. They are a terrific local cover band with awesome vocals!! Their style ranges from the classic jazzy sounds of Van Morrison to down home country & country rock.

Click the link and check out Big Dog's great cover version of "Into the Mystic!" (one of my all time favs) hang out a while on their site and get a sample their awesome sound with some great streaming mp3's.

Mayfaire Concerts bring out Local residents of all ages! Its a great time for all and a wonderful opportunity to catch up with or make new freinds! Bring lawn chairs, blanket, the kids, the pooches, and consumables of your choice. Dancing is definitely encouraged! Picniking is permitted, so bring your own, or pick up great takeout from the terrific selection of nearby Mayfaire restaurants

The Mayfaire canvas goodie bags will be given away to the first 100 attendees on the first Friday of every month, filled with coupons, gifts and samples from the Mayfaire stores and restaurants.

Where: Mayfaire Town Center On the lawn behind World Market and Ulta (One block north of the Mayfaire Cinema)
When: 6pm Every Friday May 1st -September 25, 2009
Cost: FREE!!!

Hope to see you there! ENJOY!

"Coast Home to North Carolina!

Wilmington NC: Mayfaire Concert Series Kicks Off This Weekend!

Fri, 01 May 2009 20:51:31 -0500

The say the best things in life are free and we are blessed here in Wilmington NC with an abundance of "Best Things", like the free outdoor concerts that are hosted every year by Wilmington's Mayfaire Town Center .

We are off to an early start this year as the Mayfaire Music On the Town Concert Series kicks off on Friday May 1st with the popular band Big Fish. The crowd should enjoy the mix of Rock & Roll and beach music also known locally as Carolina Shag!

It's a picture perfect "Carolina Blue" spring day in Wilmington! Come out and enjoy the fun! The Mayfaire Concerts are a great place to wind down or wind up...and meet new friends! Every time we go we meet new folks. Of course our beautiful shepherd/chow Bella loves a good concert ( and meeting up with the local pooches) and she is a people magnet for sure!

Mayfaire concerts are a great time for all ages! Bring lawn chairs, blanket, the kids, the dog, and consumables of your choice. Dancing is definitely encouraged! Picniking is permitted, so bring your own, or pick up great takeout from the terrific selection of nearby Mayfaire restaurants

The Mayfaire canvas goodie bags will be given away to the first 100 attendees on the first Friday of every month, filled with coupons, gifts and samples from the Mayfaire stores and restaurants.

Where: Mayfaire Town Center On the lawn behind World Market and Ulta (One block north of the Mayfaire Cinema)
When: 6pm Every Friday May 1st -September 25, 2009
Cost: FREE!!!

ENJOY!

"Coast Home to North Carolina!

Speechless Sunday: Beautiful Blossoms!~Happy Springtime to You!

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 23:56:35 -0500

When we moved from New York into our North Carolina home in the month of December, I did not expect to be seeing fall foliage! I was so excited by the sight of this lovely tree in our back yard that was fully dressed to the nines in a spectacular display of vibrant golden & crimson tones! "We have fall foliage!!!" I excitedly called to me husband! Come see! ! Coming form the northeast we were so thrilled to see the colorful autumn leaves!

The Bradford Pear tree is a favorite accent tree in our North Carolina residential landscape planting. Its one of the first trees to set out buds and the last to loose it leaves in late December. It transitions from exquisite springtime blossoms to shiny green leaves, to a stunning display crimson & gold foliage lasting from fall into early winter. Its an eye catching tree for sure! We are blessed to have a nice one in view of our back kitchen windows and deck!

Happy Spring!

"Coast Home to North Carolina!

Wilmington NC Makes Forbes List Best in Business, Again!

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 01:52:53 -0500

Wilmington NC Moving on Up!

Wilmington NC is on the move...last year #38 this year #13 in overall rankings on Forbes List of Best US Cities for Business & Careers! Wilmington ranks even higher in the category of cost of doing business coming in at #3! right behind its NC neighbors Greensboro & Asheville!

This years criteria included 2 new categories for selection: projected job growth and the lowest number of subprime mortgages as a percentage of total mortgages over a three-year period.

In addition to Wilmington, our North Carolina cities to the west made strong showings on Forbes List. Raleigh came in at #1 with it's close neighbor Durham taking the 3rd spot. Asheville #6, Winston Salem #18 and Charlotte #19.

                          Forbes Ranked 200 Metro Areas

Forbes rankings include 200 largest metro areas (populations over 240,000) as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and are based on nine factors which include:

    * five-year historical job & income growth
    * projections of job & income growth
    * migration trends
    * business cost index
    * labor, tax,
    * energy costs
    * office space costs
    * cost of living index, which factors in housing, transportation, food and other household expenditures.



                                More Positive News for Wilmington

Builder Online named Wilmington # 14 out of 75 housing markets studied in the country. The markets were ranked by population trends and job growth, the state of home prices & the rate building permits, which they say may be the single best ongoing indicator of builder confidence in a market. They combined all these metrics to produce a score for each market.

Read the complete article on Wilmington NC by Builder Online Here

Wilmington NC: A great place to do business and a terrific place to call home! Thinking of relocating to our beautiful coastal area? We'd love to tell you all about Living in Wilmington, our wonderful new "hometown".

"Coast Home to North Carolina!"

Wilmington NC: The Sporting Life for Spectators!

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 02:46:31 -0500

Sports Lovers are you thinking of relocating to Wilmington NC? It's good to know that you won't have to leave your favorite spectator sports behind!

Sports mania is alive and vibrant in the Wilmington NC area, and although the teams and the size of the crowds may be different, the enthusiasm and team spirit remain! Here's a guide to what you can expect as a Cape Fear Sports Spectator

Wilmington NC Spectator Sports

BASKETBALL

The Wilmington Sea Dawgs of the ABA League has its home games in the Schwartz Center at Cape Fear Community College. Wilmingtonians are thrilled with the new addition of this pro team to the community!

BASEBALL

The Sharks Wilmington’s own semi-pro baseball team are in their season 12. Opening game is the May 28 this year. Games are played at the Legion Stadium Sports Center.

SOCCER

Soccer is alive and well in Wilmington NC, our own pro league is in its 12^th year. The fan base grows every year. Wilmington Hammerheads soccer team games are fun for the whole family and feature crowd participation contest at all home games Hammerheads soccer team is a member of the United Soccer Leagues Second Division.

COLLEGE SPORTS

UNCW Sports

UNCW Seahawks Men’s & Women’s Basketball rock! They are on a winning streak...Games at the Trask Coliseum. Read the latest on UNCW Mens Seahawk Basketball

Seahawks Baseball fans were thrilled with their recent winning seasons! Games at Brooks Field. The Seahawks Swim Team had a record year last year.

UNCW has a full roster of Sports including Golf, Volleyball, Track & Field, Tennis. The Seahawks Swim Team had a phenomenal record year last year. Catch the action at UNCW.

CAPE FEAR COMMUNITY COLLEGE

CFCC Mens Basketball team is hot. For the 6th year in a row it is a contender in the Conference Playoffs. Womens Sports Teams at CFCC include Golf, Volleyball, Soccer. Men also compete in Soccer and Golf.

WILMINGTON NC HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS

Our town has some awesome high school sports teams with raving fans. The Locals went wild this year when Wilmington's Hoggard High School Football Team won the NC State Football Championship! read: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED - HOGGARD WINS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP!

High School Basketball is a big draw here in Wilmington the home town of Michael Jordan who led his Laney High School the Alma Mater to many wins. Laney is still a formidable contender. The Laney Girls basketball team is competing in the Conference Championship for the 6th year in a row. Hoggard and New Hanover finished right behind the Lady Bucs in the regular season standings and will certainly be formidable foes.

The Wildcats New Hanover Boys Basketball team has won 13 Conference Championships and is entering this years conference play on-top was top. Laney or Ashley High School are also competing in the first round play.

There is so much more going on in our local sports scene. Check out the Cape Fear Sports Report for all the latest Local Sports News and Events

PLAY BALL!

by Ginger Sala, Broker, Realtor®, ASP Wilmington NC Real Estate & Relocation Specialist serving the beautiful Coastal NC areas of Wilmington , Hampstead, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina & Kure Beach & Leland NC.

Buying a Foreclosed Home or Potential Foreclosure Property

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:44:00 -0500

So many buyers think buying a foreclosed home is easy as pie, and always a win win. As with any Real Estate purchase, education & preparation is the key to success. My good friend Bill Gasset, a top agent in Massachusetts has written a terrific synopsis of the foreclosure sale process. As he mentions, states will differ in their Foreclosure sale procedures & in the legal particulars. Our state, North Carolina is a deed of Trust State. Most foreclosures in NC are non- judicial, with a time frame of 3-4 months to closing. Courthouse foreclosures are much less common & allow for the owner in default to redeem their property within 10 days. Contact us for more info on Wilmington North Carolina Foreclosures, REO Properties, and pre-foreclosures for sale! Thanks Bill, for permission to republish this great post!

Via Bill Gassett Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate (RE/MAX Executive Realty):

Are you considering buying a foreclosed property? Why not after all there are plenty of them all around the country and they can typically be bought at a discount to the present market value.

Buying a foreclosed home however, is not for the timid at heart and there are many things that buyers need to consider. If you have ever watched a late night infomercial you would think buying a foreclosed home can be bought for 50 cents on the dollar and immediately re-sold for a boat load on money. Don't plan on it!

Foreclosed homes generally can be purchased anywhere from 5%-20% below the current market value. Along with the chance for immediate equity comes a lot more risk. As a buyer of a foreclosed home you need to prepare yourself for a significant amount of due diligence.

As a twenty three year veteran to the Real Estate industry, I would highly recommend having an attorney represent your interests. One of the 1st things an attorney will do is a title search to see if there are any liens or other liabilities on the property. Things like unpaid taxes, mechanics lines, or court judgments are all possible land mines. The sooner you determine the legal status of the property the better as this will help determine if it is worth it to put in an offer.

The last thing you want to have happen is to think you just bought a home for $400,000 but then find out there is $75,000 worth of liens on the property.

Having your financing already lined up is a very important consideration as well because these kind of transactions tend to move very swiftly.

Unlike a traditional Real Estate transaction everything is "buyer beware". You will be buying a home in many cases in "as is" condition. In many cases a person who has lost their home because of financial difficulties probably has not had the funds to keep up with the maintenance.

There could be any number of problems that are not readily apparent. Issues with some of the more expensive components of a home such as heating, plumbing and electrical systems are all possible. Don't be surprised if there has been vandalism by the previous home owner or other vandals either.

I have gone in plenty of foreclosed homes where the owner has taken out their anger on the home. I have been in homes where the entire kitchen was removed. Some of the other more common issues today is the copper plumbing being taken out of a home. I know that may sound crazy but it happens!

Still interested in buying a foreclosed home? Here are the three scenarios when buying one:

A pre-foreclosure where you buy directly from the home owner before the bank takes over.

At an auction where you may be in competition with other buyers.

From a Real Estate company or the bank itself. This is known as an REO aka Real Estate owned.

In a pre-foreclosure you get to do all your various due diligence including any home inspections and a title search to make sure there are no liens. In a pre-foreclosure the owner signs over the deed to you and you take title to the property. In this scenario you acquire the mortgage a must bring it current giving the bank any missed payments.

Buying at an auction typically carries the most risk but also can come with the greatest reward. Auctions are handled differently from state to state. Some are held right at the property and others at the local court house.

Many times with an auction you are not allowed to inspect the property prior to the scheduled auction date. These types of sales tend to bring out more "investor" types as these properties can be bought on many occasions for a price that could warrant a "flip" where the buyer turns around and re-sells the property.

A buyer going to an auction will need to come up with a good size deposit and will be expected to show they have the ability to complete the purchase.

The REO scenario is usually the least risky as the bank has acquired the property and has wiped out the liens through purchase. Once a home is Real Estate owned many banks will list these homes with a Realtor. The buyer gets clear title, is most often allowed to inspect the home, and is allowed to have a mortgage contingency.

A few other very important considerations in the foreclosure process in the "pre-foreclosure period" and the "redemption period".

The pre-foreclosure period is the time between a previous owner's notification of default and the point when the property can be sold by the lender.

This time period is also when the existing owner can make good on the note and keep their home, or sell it themselves. So the shorter the pre-foreclosure period, the more advantageous it is for the new buyer.

The redemption period is the time when the previous owner is allowed to buy back the home after the lender has sold it. Again, the shorter this time period, the better it is for the buyer.

Some states have no redemption period, making it an optimal situation for someone to purchase.

These time periods vary depending on the State the property is located in. Knowing the exact redemption period is critical because you could end up losing time and money if the previous owner ends up taking back the home.

Most of your efficiency as a buyer depends on whether the state in which the property is purchased uses mortgages or deeds of trust for real estate transactions.

When a state uses mortgages, it means they also conduct their foreclosure proceedings through the courts. These transactions tend to take longer and have a range of potential problems. When a state uses deeds of trust, the foreclosures are non-judicial and tend to resolve quicker and with far less head aches.

In Massachusetts the primary means on foreclosure is non judicial (no court action). If the deed of trust, however, does not contain a power of sale language,(language in the mortgage that allows the mortgagee to sell the property) the lender may seek judicial foreclosure.

As few as 75 days may pass from the time a property owner receives a notice of default until the property is sold at a public foreclosure auction sale.

As you can see there is quite a bit to know when buying a foreclosed home. In addition to having a good attorney a knowledgeable local Realtor can be very important as well in helping to determine the market value.

If you are a Massachusetts home owner and have come across this article and may be potentially facing a foreclosure there are options to avoid this potential situation. See this avoiding Massachusetts foreclosure resource.

There are other options to avoid a foreclosure including a short sale which I have been successfully doing in the Metrowest massachusetts area. Here are a few articles worth reading:

Foreclosure avoiding it through a short sale or loan modification

Short sales and deed in lieu of foreclosure

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on Buying a foreclosed home was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.

Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Metrowest MA Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Douglas, and Framingham MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

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Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 23 years.

Flag on The Play? Google Gmail Offers 5 Second Do Over!

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:29:02 -0500

To use sports analogies, all of us who send email for business or pleasure have had those off times when we wished we could just whistle blow and stop the action, flag the play, take it back, push it back, foul it, .... ANYTHING... to retrieve that email which we hurriedly sent off, without first checking on our formation, right?

Well now Google has added that option to the table for it's Gmail users.

Feeling a sudden surge of regret? Forgot to add something important... like maybe your signature? Hit the send button without the including the attachments? Or worse!!!..... sent an email to the wrong person? Yikes!!!!!

Would a 5 second call back option help you?

5 seconds?? hmmmm...not much...

Isn't that about how long it takes to say "I just made a fool of myself!!! HELP!!!!"?

Try it, if you have fast fingers, your hide and your reputation might just be saved by the Gmail UNSEND feature!

Here's wishing you a sharp brain & even faster reflexes!

Disclaimer: This service is not meant to be used as a substitute for sobriety!

10 reasons to use Gmail

What's new in Gmail?

Email Responses Not Always the Best

© Ginger Sala Wilmington NC Real Estate & Relocation Specialist serving the beautiful Coastal NC areas of Wilmington , Hampstead, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina & Kure Beach & Leland NC.

"Coast Home to North Carolina!"

Speechless Sundays: Memories of Winters Past

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 22:22:47 -0600

Living in Wilmington NC, we don't see much snow. There rare exceptions of course, but today, when so many Southern States were graced with the white stuff, the coastal bands kept the snow from reaching our area. I was little disappointed as I was ready with my camera for some intriguing shots.

Nostalgia crept in for my snowy days up North, so I searched for a winter scene photo from one of my NY homes, and came up with this one.

Taken in our Hudson Valley NY home, in the Village of Montgomery. This was the view of our backyard from one of the upstairs bedrooms on a peaceful winter white day!

Looking to escape the snow in your area? Contact me about life in Coastal NC!

ginger in Wilmington NC

Written by Ginger Sala, Broker, Realtor®, ASP Wilmington NC Real Estate & Relocation Specialist serving the beautiful Coastal NC areas of Wilmington, Hampstead, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina & Kure Beach & Leland NC.

New Hanover County NC Attractions offer Free Admission to Residents Sunday March 1!

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:53:33 -0600

New Hanover County NC residents have a great opportunity to visit some of our Wilmington NC area's most popular attractions for Free this weekend as once again the Cultural Community of Wilmington NC gives back to its residents. For the 14thAnnual "Be A Tourist in Your Own Hometown" Residents' Appreciation Day will be celebrated this weekend on Sunday March 1, 2009

Unfortunately, the forecast could not be gloomier with rains expected for the entire day. I am wondering if the County will give us a RAIN check since so many of the area attractions are outdoors.

From Gardens to Battleships, from Museums to Mansions, there is surely something for all tastes,ages and interests to explore for free this Sunday in Wilmington NC

Some of the Wilmington NC area attractions opening their doors to residents free of charge on Sunday include:

Airlie Gardens

Bellamy Mansion

Battleship North Carolina

Cape Fear Museum

Cameron Art Museum

Screen Gems Studio

Wrightsville Beach Museum

Full list of free attractions and hours are available at: Cape Fear Coast

ginger in NC

by Ginger Sala, Keller Williams, Broker, Realtor®, ASP Wilmington NC Real Estate & Relocation Specialist serving the beautiful Coastal NC areas of Wilmington , Hampstead, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina & Kure Beach & Leland NC.

Photos copyright Ginger Sala and may not be used without express permission

Wilmington NC Home Buyers:: First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit May Help You!

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:14:37 -0600

Attention all Wilmington NC area first-time home buyers!! Did you know that you are eligible for a tax credit of $8,000 or 10% of the home's value, (whichever is less). This deduction can be taken on a 2008 or 2009 tax return!

After much anticipation and congressional haggling, the final details of the Stimulus Package in regards to First Time Home Buyers has been signed, sealed and presented to the public.

Some exciting details of the plan provide that even taxpayers who have paid less than $8000 in withholding will benefit from this provision! Depending on whether you owe taxes for the year, or whether you are expecting a refund, the Tax credit will either be added to you refund, or subtracted from what is owed.

Questions on the First Time Home Buyer Credit:

Who Qualifies as a First Time Home Buyer?

You may be surprised to learn that the definition of First Time Home Buyer includes anyone who has not owned a home in the past 3 years!

Are There Any Restrictions on the Home Buyers Credit?

YES!

Income must not exceed $75,000 for singles and $150,000 for marrieds ( however these buyers may receive a partial credit)
Buyers must occupy their purchased home for a 3 year minimum, otherwise the credit must be repaid.
Purchase must be made between January 1, 2009 and December 1st, 2009.

How do I claim the credit?

It will be claimed on your normal tax return on IRS form 5405 nothing else is required.
Taxpayers who have already filed 2008 returns can file amended returns to claim the credit.

Do I Have to Repay this Credit?

NO, unless you move out of your home before the 3 year occupancy requirement

According to the National Association of Realtors projections, the new Home Buyer Tax Credit will enable 300,000 buyers to purchase a home. Although we were all hoping for the Senate $15,000 tax credit proposal to pass, we are grateful for any incentive to help potential buyers to enter the market. Hopefully the economic Domino Effect of these future home buyers will be work for those in related home services fields who may have lost their jobs otherwise

Useful sites for further info:

Information about the First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit

View IRS Publication 5405: 2008 First time Home buyers Tax Deduction

Wilmington NC is terrific place to live! There are some great houses for sale in the Wilmington NC, Hampstead NC & Leland NC area! Like beach living?.. I can help you find a terrific deal on a home or condos in Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach & Kure Beach!

by Ginger Sala, Keller Williams Realty Wilmington NC Real Estate & Relocation Specialist serving the beautiful coastal NC areas of Wilmington , Hampstead, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina & Kure Beach, & Leland NC. Coast Home to North Carolina!

Speechless Sunday~Shimmering Duck

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 23:48:51 -0600

Photo taken in the Intracoastal Waterway Wrightsville Beach NC by Ginger Sala Wilmington NC Real Estate & Relocation Specialist serving the beautiful Coastal NC areas of Wilmington , Hampstead, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina & Kure Beach & Leland NC.

Coast Home to North Carolina!

Citi using Taxpayer Bailout Funds to deny Loan Mods and Foreclose on Cooperating Homeowners

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 22:54:47 -0600

Regina Brown chronicles the a tale of a homeowner victimized by a bailout banks incompetency and mean spiritedness. Warning: be prepared for a blood boiling saga! It's truly sickening what Citibank is doing to it's customers!

Via Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast:

Yes, you read that right! Unbelievable but true. I am out in the field talking to homeowners every day. Here is a TRUE story of California home owners who are fighting back and winning against these greedy giant corporate banks. It's shocking to know that OUR taxpayer bailout money is being used to support such bad business practices by lenders like Citibank. This homeowner's story has developed over the past year.

The Homeowners refinanced their house in the Spring of 2004, with a 6% ARM fixed for 2 years. No problem, they would refinance into a better loan at the end of 2 years. Unfortunately by that time, the market had changed and they couldn't refinance out of that ARM loan.

1. Due to the interest rate on the ARM loan increasing to approximately 11%, the homeowners' payments jumped from $1,800 to about $3,600 per month (not including taxes and insurance). Note that these interest rates are being charged to the homeowner at a time when the federal rates were the LOWEST ever (4 to 5%). Citi was currently servicing their loan, which had been transferred several times after their initial loan.

2. After getting behind in payments, the Homeowners first tried to negotiate with their lender Citi. Citi demanded large payments to get caught up. The Homeowner asked Citi if they could do a Loan Modification because they wanted the interest rate lowered. Citi stated that they do not do Loan Modifications. (Citi's computer called them automatically 2-3 times per day from Citi's collections dept. The homeowners had to submit a "cease & desist" letter asking NOT to be called from Citi, in order to stop the harrassing phone calls.)

3. The Homeowner was unable to make the payments and contacted the HOPE government agency for help. Citi ignored the HOPE program's request and refused to contact the Homeowner.

4. The Homeowner's attorney then wrote 2 separate letters to Citi, with no answers or results from Citi. The homeowners continued to contact Citi. They got the "run-around" of being transferred from department to department, with no answers, no rep assigned to their case, and no one to return their phone calls.

5. The Homeowners heard that Citi was now offering Loan Modifications. The Homeowners then submitted their financial form to Citi, requesting a Loan Modification. The Homeowners contacted Citi every week with no answer or reply. Finally, they got a letter denying their Loan Modification request. Citi said it was denied because the file was incomplete because an additional paper was needed. The Homeowners were never notified that additional paperwork was needed. Citi said they could not contact the Homeowner because the Homeowner had asked Citi to "cease & desist" making collection calls (they were harassing the Homeowners by having the collection dept. computer calling them twice per day). The Homeowners then pointed out that they had sent Citi a fax authorizing to be contacted on their cell phone regarding the Loan Modification. The Homeowners asked Citi why they didn't simply send them a letter requesting the additional paperwork. Then Citi stated that the Loan Modification application had been deleted from their system, and if the Homeowners wanted a Loan Mod, they would have to reapply and start the process all over again. Citi stated that their Loan Modification process was a 4-6 week process. The Homeowners pointed out that Citi had set the Foreclosure sale date only a few weeks away, and asked if Citi could postpone the sale date. They said they could not.

6. The Homeowner then hired a Loan Modification company. Unfortunately, after many attempts of dealing with Citi's senior management, the Loan Modification company was not able to obtain a loan modification because Citi refused to cooperate with them also. First, Citi said that the Homeowner didn't have enough income to qualify for the Loan Modification program. Then Citi said that the Homeowner had too much income to qualify! (Fortunately, this company offers a money-back guarantee if they can't perform.)

7. Next the Homeowner hired a legal services program to file a fraud lawsuit against Citi. After a couple of weeks, the program's lawyers could not get it filed in time because of their backlog of so many cases.   (This company called the Homeowners and told them the attorneys weren't going to be able to get their lawsuit filed before the foreclosure date. And yes, they sent the Homeowners' money back to them the next day). They received a Notice of Trustee's Sale (Foreclosure sale) from Citi. The sale date was set for January 30th.

8. The Homeowners next hired Home Defense Group to file a lawsuit against Citi. With less than 2 weeks before the Foreclosure sale date, Home Defense Group filed a very strong lawsuit against Citi. Reading from a court-certified copy, the first page says:

COMPLAINT FOR:

1. DECLARATORY RELIEF
2. VOID, CANCEL, AND SET ASIDE:
    (a) NOTICE OF TRUSTEE'S SALE UNDER DEED OF TRUST;
    (b) NOTICE OF DEFAULT AND ELECTION TO SELL UNDER DEED OF TRUST
3. CANCELLATION OF INSTRUMENTS
4. QUIET TITLE TO REAL PROPERTY
5. ACCOUNTING
6. INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
   (a) Temporary Restraining Order
   (b) Preliminary Injunction
7. DAMAGES:
   (a) General
   (b) Compensatory
   (c) Bad Faith Foreclosure
   (d) Violation of Statute(s)

9. After receiving this lawsuit, Citi postponed the Notice of Trustee's Sale (Foreclosure sale). Citi did not notify the Homeowners or the law firm. This information was discovered when searching the foreclosure public records. The Sale date postponement was postponed from January 30th to March 2nd.

10. Meanwhile, Home Defense Group will continue to work on behalf of this Homeowner until the case can be successfully concluded.

PLEASE NOTE that there is NO guarantee that ANY particular program or lawsuit will be successful on your behalf.  I have heard a rumor that some lawyers, although they had filed valid cases, were not having the success they sought.  I heard it was because some corrupt judges were siding with the huge corporate lenders, who are paying millions of dollars to try to get these lawsuits thrown out. These huge corporate lenders are afraid that losing a fraud lawsuit will set a precedent, opening the floodgates to thousands of other Homeowners who will sue on the same grounds, and the lenders will do everything possible to stop these type of lawsuits.

Although I hope and pray that these cases get heard fairly on behalf of homeowners, I can't deny that corruption, favoritism, and unfairness exist in every society. Our American justice system is not perfect, and life is not always fair. However, I feel that homeowners have a GOOD SHOT at getting some POWER back in their hands with these experienced attorneys who are willing to put their careers on the line to FIGHT back for American citizens. God bless them!!!

If you question the legitimacy of this tactic, consider this: Your lender may have sold your promissory Note and they may not own your Note -- which may mean that they do NOT have the right to foreclose, and maybe even don't have the right to collect your mortgage payment. Smart attorneys are working with home owners to make the lender PRODUCE a valid note. Here's Lou Dobbs from CNN.

According to Ohio congresswoman Marcy Kaptur as interviewed on LouDobbs.com on CNN.com, if your lender tries to foreclose on you, hire an attorney and fight back! Stay in your house, do NOT move out.

In this CNN clip called "Fight Foreclosures: Be a Squatter!", check out the video here:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2009/01/30/griffin.mortgage.squatting.cnn

Please reference my previous blog, "Bank Foreclosing? Don't Move Out, Stay in your Home" at http://activerain.com/blogsview/911789/Bank-Foreclosing-Dont-Move-Out-Stay-in-your-Home

Can Home Defense Group's program work for you or your homeowners? Contact us today to find out if your loan qualifies and you can put their powerful program to work for you.

Join my new AR group and post your blog at http://activerain.com/groups/virtualoffice

Regina P. Brown
Broker, Realtor®, e-Pro
Author of eBook "Stop Foreclosure Fast: Solutions to Save your House"

Text copyright © 2009 R.P. Brown, All Rights Reserved

Interest Rates - A quick market report - RATES GOING LOWER.. or not?

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 22:25:58 -0600

My friend Jeff Belonger offers his insight and expertise as a mortgage professional in this enlightening post on the current state of mortgage interest rates and where they may be trending!

Via Jeff Belonger -- The FHA Expert.com -- FHA Loans -- FHA mortgages - USDA loans (Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc):

Mortgage Interest Rates - They are becoming a big topic of conversation in recent weeks. About a month ago, there were many reports stating that rates will come down to 4.5%. And depending on how you look at it, we are just about there.

This is all based on a FHA mortgage ..... (Conventional rates are about 1/2 pt worse and even more so, depending on your credit scores)

4.50% would cost any where from 1 3/4 pts to 2 3/4 pts, depending on your loan amount and the state that you live in.

5.00% would cost any where from zero points to 1 pt, again, depending on your loan amount and the state that you live in.

So what is the deal? Yes, rates are very low. The MBS's (mortgage backed securities) are being bought by government funds, which have driven the rates lower. But in my honest opinion, I don't see them staying low for any time long. Don't get use to this.

So here is the problem to where I see things. Again, the MBS's are being bought and in many cases, usually become stronger and more attractive, and this helps lower rates. The 4.5% coupon and the 5.0% coupon is very cheap right now, which you would think rates would be lower. Coupled with the fact that the stock market has been losing daily, except for a slight gain today. Also the 10 year yield rose slightly today, but for the week, has been lower than in previous weeks.

What does this mean? Typically when what was mentioned above happens, rates usually come down. But the problem with this is that they are the lowest in many years. And I don't see them staying low for any length of time. If I had to put a time frame on it, possibly staying low for 1 1/2 weeks, or maybe the possibility of a whole month. But that would be pushing it. What would be my reasons for rates to increase?

Jeff's reasons.... one of the basics is that we just can't sustain low rates for the long term. This will do more harm than good. Sure, it's helped refinances to increase in recent weeks. But the purchase market has slightly increased. More and more people seem to be sitting on the fence, waiting for rates to lower. PEOPLE... listen up.... if you had plans to buy, buy now, don't wait.

Conclusion : As mentioned, we can't sustain low rates. Consumer spending is slowing, yields will rise, and there is speculation that President - Elect Barack Obama will increase borrowing to record highs to pay for his economic rescue package. With all of that, you would have the risk of inflation rising. Low mortgage rates do not always jump start the economy. If people save a $100 here or there, it doesn't get replaced into our economy in areas that are most critical. Lowering your mortgage payment on your new home, should not mean that you buy more or bigger. It should allow you to save more, hence one of the reasons why we are in this mess. This is not a fluff post or to make you happy post. It's reality and we need to see past the low rates. This post should have read, rates possibly going up, but I wanted to get your attention.

If you have been thinking about refinancing, do it now. If it makes sense 3 weeks ago, do it now. If you are waiting for lower rates, I won't feel for you when rates do go up, when they increase. Don't buy because rates are down, buy because you can afford it and think of lower rates as a bonus... or that you won the lottery.

PS.... and if you want bragging rights amongst your neighbors, co-workers, and family... put that behind you and save money, don't lose money. Besides, every borrower is different, because of credit score & LTV (loan to value), so one rate will be different than the other. That is just a fact. Don't be left behind because you wanted to brag the loudest, be a winner in your own world.

For two other good posts that give some other insights to what I didn't talk about, please read these :

Market Direction with common sense explanation by : Larry Bettag

Mortgage Rates Report - January 14th, 2009 by : Brian Brady

The Rate/waiting game by : Jason Sardi

- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - Conventional Loans - VA Loans - Mortgages -

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For more information about the 2008-2009 Tax Credit for First Time Homebuyers : 2008 Tax Credit

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags !!!!!

Copyright © 2009 by Jeff Belonger

Twitter Messages Can Be Dangerous to Your Computer Health!!! How to Protect Your PC!

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:44:12 -0600

Be careful out there in Twitterspace!!! It’s a jungle out there where “Survival of the Fittest” rules.

Just finished checking my Twitter Account and found I had 2 Direct Messages waiting for me. What could these be??? I excitedly went to check it out.

One was from an old friend on AR the other was from a new Twitter acquaintance, also an AR member. (Names omitted to protect the innocent)
The First Tweet said: "Hey look at this funny blog!" Getting ready to be tickled by a good laugh, I excitedly clicked the Link:

http://rosalierebyb.bl

(link altered to protect you)

No funny blog came up, but a serious message:

My Firefox Browser had blocked this site from automatically opening.

Why was this site blocked????

Because Firefox recognized it as a reported as a WEB FORGERY, Phishing or Malwares site.

At this point I get really suspicious because the second Tweet also had the same link! I thought I don't think my AR friend or this other "Tweeter", whom I don't even know would be sending me a Direct Message link, those are usually reserved for something important or private, I suspect somehow their accounts were compromised?

What is a Web Forgery? What is Phishing?

What is an Attack Site? What is Malware?

If you are not totally familiar with these dangers, please take the time to READ MORE about these threats, and how the Firefox Browser can protect you from these "surfing accidents!"

Also for SUPER protection for your PC get yourself a TOP Anti-Malware program such as Malwarebytes or Kaspersky.

These two programs are tried and true and attested to by Industry Techies as the best.

Warning: BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT Your Choice of "ANTI-MALWARE", "ANTI-VIRUS" PROGRAMS YOU DOWNLOAD!!!!! Some even will try to fool you with copycat sounding names!

MANY OF THESE SO CALLED "SPYWARE" PROGRAMS ARE REALLY MALWARE IN DISGUISE!!!!!

Did you hear me??? MANY OF THESE CAN REALLY BE Rogue MALWARE IN DISGUISE!!!!

So what should you do now to do to check if you may be infected and not know it? (Even if you are currently using a legitimate anti-spyware program some are less thorough at detecting malicious infections, which can mutate and fool many applications searching for it)

Do These Few Steps for a Safer Browsing Experience:

1) Download free version of Malwarebytes from Malwarebytes.org

Run quick scan, when finished view log, if any infections select and remove

2) After any infections are removed, if you aren't using Firefox: Download Firefox Browser

3) Change ALL your passwords if infections were found. It's a good idea to change passwords on social media sites regularly.

4) Come back here and comment if any infections were found!

5) REBLOG this to get the word out!

6) NOTE: Malwarebytes anti-spyware anti-malware program was recommended to me by High Tech geeks from DELL after my former paid 50 bucks a year Spyware did not detect Malware/virus on my PC which ended up completely shutting me down. Believe me this is a nightmare you don't want to happen!!! Hours of reformatting my PC, and endless days of reinstalling everything!!! The Virus even wiped out my external hardrive!

The free version will scan for you, but for REAL TIME Protection you will need the full version which unlocks realtime protection, scheduled scanning, and scheduled updating

The full version of Malwarebytes ALSO updates itself continually to keep ahead of these Rogue virus and Malware that are constantly "mutating." Malwarebytes is known for finding infections that will escape other programs!! This has saved me a few times in the last month!

You can Download Malwarebytes full version here: this costs only a ONE TIME fee of 24.95 for a LIFETIME of protection.

Kaspersky full version is another option at 79.95 per year.

*********THIS JUST IN: Twitter Under Phishing Attack!!!!!************

LIKE I SAID IT IS A JUNGLE OUT THERE!!!! MAKE SURE YOUR PC IS WEARING ITS PROTECTIVE GEAR! AND WATCH WHERE YOU WANDER!!!

Happy & Safe Surfing Friends~
Ginger

©Ginger Sala Wilmington NC Real Estate & Relocation

Wilmington NC: New Years Eve Concert Calvary Baptist Church!

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:47:10 -0600

Don't like rowdy new Years Eve parties? Or those costly New Year celebrations in the clubs? Feeling like staying home and commiserating about the awful year most of the country just survived???

Are there any New Year celebrations in Wilmington NC to lift your mood? How about celebrating in Church?

Join the Pillar Music Group under the direction of Joey Gore for a uplifting evening of Praise and Thanksgiving in song.

The glorious sounds of Wilmington Celebration Choir and guests will surely lift your spirits as we begin the New Year!

The FREE concert at Calvary Baptist Church Wilmington, NC begins at 8pm and features:The Wilmington Celebration Choir, Paula Greene, Joey Gore, Willing Heart, Sherry Watkins, Mike Kelly,Voice of Ruth, Marsha King, Angie Payne, Voices of Wrightsboro, Julie & Kevin Foss,and many more.

The concert will bring in the New Year and end at midnight. There will be an intermission time in the Church hall with cookies and beverages.

Calvary Baptist is Located at the Corner of Princess Place Drive and 23rd St. Just bring a caned food item for the needy. A Love offering will be taken.

Happy New Year!

Ginger & Roger

Wilmington NC Real Estate & Relocation Specialists

Active Rain Year in Review: How Did our AR 2008 Predictions Do?

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:15:38 -0600

What fun to wrap up the year with a review of some our "Active Rain Predictions for 2008" Those AR members that participated at the end of 2007 looked at the coming year from a variety of angles. Some like AR's own Matt Heaton were very serious, others like Manhattan Broker extraordinaire Mitch Hall could not resist delighting us with a "tongue in cheek" perspective, and of course we had the usual "off the wall" characters, (can you spell "Carnac" ) doing their thing!

Have fun reading through! I think you will be amazed at the accuracy of some of these, especially Matt and Lenn Harley, and totally entertained by the off beat humor of the not so serious AR prognosticators!

Active Rain 2008 Predictions in Review

"Taking It Serious Predictions"

Market and economic predictions for the new year

Matt Heaton
Bothell , WA
More about me…

PREDICTIONS FOR THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY IN 2008

Lenn Harley
Rockville , MD
More about me…

My predictions for 2008

Rob Arnold
Altamonte Springs , FL
More about me…

Team DiMuria Nostradamus Predictions for 2008

Team DiMuria
Katy , TX
More about me…

No Miss Cleo Here......Midori's Predictions for 2008....Let's See If I Can Quit My Day Job Next Year!

Midori Miller
Daytona Beach , FL
More about me...

Spinning Wheels and 2008 Real Estate Predictions

Jan Wood
Gallatin , TN
More about me…

"Tongue in Cheek Predictions"

2008 Real Estate / Tech Predictions

Jonathan Washburn
Seattle , WA
More about me…

2008 Predictions - Happy New Year!

Mitchell Hall - Manhattan, NY
Manhattan , NY
More about me…

Activefranus...Fearless Fran's Forecast For Further Future Faultfinders!

Fran 'The Title Man' Gaspari
Limerick , PA
More about me…

It's RAINING 2008 PREDICITONS in POETRY!

Ginger & Roger Sala
Wilmington, NC
More about me…

Predictions for 2008

Missy Caulk-
Ann Arbor , MI
More about me…

TOP TWELVE REAL ESTATE PREDICTIONS FOR 2008

Obeoman Steven Stearns
Milwaukee , WI
More about me…

The World According to WooHoo Sally (2008 Predictions)

Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman
Mililani , HI
More about me…

"Off The Wall Predictions"

Channeling Nostradamus-Predictions for 2008

Melina Tomson
Salem , OR
More about me…

My 2008 Predictions

Simon Conway
Orlando , FL
More about me…

Predictions for 2008

ARDELL DellaLoggia
Seattle , WA
More about me…

CARNAC and so it began.........

Linda Davis
Gales Ferry , CT
More about me…

Happy 2009 Everyone!

Ginger & Roger

The Light of the World Has Come! Merry Christmas Everyone!

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 01:54:03 -0600

The One who put the stars in place
And calls them all by name,
Came down to earth as a little babe
To free us from our shame.

The Light broke though the darkness
On that Holy Eve
Now His Glory shines
Upon the hearts,
Of all those who believe

May the Gift of Love He gave us,
Little child so sweet and pure,
Shine bright in us for all to see
From now and evermore!

A Christmas Shoutout to Our Active Rain Family Troops Away from Home~

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:50:55 -0600

Tonight I read, for the hundredth time, a vmail letter my Dad sent home to my Mom while he was serving in France during WW11.

It was written on Christmas Eve and details his dreams of his Christmas Eve at home.

As always reading this letter brings sobs of sadness for the loneliness he felt, and smiles of pride and thanks for his sacrifice, and for the sacrifice of all servicemen & women who will spend the holidays away from home.

This post is dedicated to the sons, & daughters, spouses, parents & dear ones of our Active Rain family who are currently serving in the military. Many of these wonderful men and women are deployed overseas and will be away from their loved ones this Christmas.

My AR girlfriends Marchel Peterson & Missy Caulk have sons currently serving and Jo Soss is missing her husband overseas.

There are so many more members here who are longing for the ones close to their heart, who can not be home for Christmas.

Lets all take a moment to send out a prayer for the safety & comfort of these honorable & brave servants of our country and let them know they are big in our hearts this season!

Enter your loved ones names, photos greetings prayers in the comments so we can lift them up in our thoughts & prayers & give them all a shout out of Christmas Joy & a big serving of THANKS for all they do for us!

Our Christmas wish for our Military family: Stay safe, stay strong & come home soon!

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Wilmington NC Area Churches Celebrate Christmas Week in Song!

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 21:23:02 -0600

Have you all have finished your shopping and have a little time left over to spend celebrating the reason for the season? Wilmington Churches have a variety of choices now through Tuesday. Here are some of the highlights!

Sunday December 21,2008

Calvary Baptist Church

The Calvary Choir presents "Once Upon A Holy Night"
Sunday December 21st @6:30 For more information call 762-5608.

Sunset Park Baptist Church

''The Name. . .Jesus'' on Sunday, a lovely Christmas Cantata will be presented by The Chancel Choir of Sunset Park Baptist Church (231 Central Blvd) will December 21st at 6 pm. For information call 762-4486.

Rocky Point Baptist Church
Rocky Point Baptist Church (50 Porters Lane) in Rocky Point will present a cantata titled ''Emmanuel, Celebrating Heaven's Child'' on Sunday, December 21st at 6 pm. For more information call 675-2535.

Tuesday, December 23, 1008

First Presbyterian Church

First Presbyterian Church (125 South Third St) continues it's Tuesday Organ Recitals for the Season of Advent Lunch is served following the concert reservation must be made by noon on Monday preceding the concert. for more information call 762-6688.

River City Reformed Church
Harpist Nancy Brennand of the South Carolina symphony accompanied by the Wilmington Symphony String Quartet will perform at the River City Reformed Church at Historic Saint Thomas Preservation Hall (208 Dock Street) the Candlelight Christmas Service of Lessons and Carols on begins at at 6:30 pm For more information call 520-0272.

Merry Christmas to You!

Ginger Sala Wilmington NC Real Estate & Relocation Specialist

T Minus 9 Days And You Still Need A Gift?

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 14:52:47 -0600

Lanette Branch wrote this wonderful post about giving gifts from the heart. I loved her tips so much, I wanted to share them with you all. What makes these special is they are keepsakes that will endure for a lifetime, (except for the baked goods) not some trendy fad that will be left behind without a thought or a memory.

Take some time to visit Lanette's blog and make a new friend!

Merry Christmas to all! Happy Holidays! Blessed New Year!

Via Lanette Branch, - Bel Air, MD REALTOR (RE/MAX 1st Advantage Realty, Inc.):

It's nine days until Christmas and you still haven't found the perfect gift for those special people on your list. What will you do?

Are you kidding me? What in the world have you been doing all year? Certainly not selling houses -- the Media said so!. You knew Christmas was coming this time last year! Uggghh...

I digress...

Here are some cool, SIMPLE, inexpensive gift ideas that you can whip up fairly quickly. Yes, they are homemade, but they won't have to look homemade, if you put a little thought into 'em--

1. Give the gift of THEM THEM. You're a blogging maniac and I know you have loads of GREAT photos just waiting to be released from your MY PICTURES purgatory. Release 'em already! This is one of my favs. I did this for my niece one year and she's raved about it ever since. I gathered a couple pix of her 2 kids (ones she had no idea I'd taken!), uploaded them to Walmart.com's photo page, then picked them up at the store an hour later. I didn't even have to buy frames since I buy frames like some women buy shoes (and always for a song!) so it was easy enough to pop some into frames, wrap 'em and call 'em a gift.

2. Give the gift of YOU YOU. Write 'em a letter. Hand write your Dad (who has everything already, right?) a letter from the heart. Tell him what he means to you, tell him about how you've come to appreciate those "mean" things he did to you in childhood (now that you are an adult w/your own lovely tykes). Tell him you remember when he first took you to the zoo, or how he always made you pancakes on the weekends. Tell him how much you appreciate the time he spends w/his grandkids now. The sky's the limit on this one. However, word to the wise, don't write a cotton' pickin' novelette...short and sweet, that's the ticket! And put it on some nice paper, too! Maybe frame it, I like frames...

3. Give the gift of Food. Yes, food! Everyone loves food. Just don't do the fruitcake thing. Decadent Chocolate Chip Cookies (yeah, that's all in CAPS, 'cause it's important!) in a gorgeous container, or your signature dish, whatever it may be, is always appreciated. There are several variations on this one, too. You could layer the ingredients for the cookies in a mason jar or some other decorative see-thru container (layer of sugar, topped w/layer of chips, layer of flour...) and top w/a bow. And you could should include the recipe (in a frame?..).

4. Give the gift of Notoriety. Write a blog about 'em. You're a blogging maniac, remember? This is similar in concept to #2 but now you're taking it to a ho nuvah level.

These are just the tip of the iceberg. Your imagination is the limit. Just keep in mind that you don't have to spend hours in the mall or all of your money (that the Media says you don't have) to give a really great, inexpensive, yet unique gift. All you need to do is stretch your creative wings and give the gift of your thoughtfulness. People like gifts like that. That eat that stuff up (see #3).

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Wordless Wednesday~Backyard Sunset!

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 23:53:02 -0600

Wilmington NC Backyard Sunset by Ginger Sala Wilmington NC Real Estate & Relocation Specialist in beautiful Coastal NC. serving Wilmington, Hampstead, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach & Leland NC.

"Coast Home to North Carolina!"