Ann Arbor and Saline Michigan Real Estate

2916 Sharon, Ann Arbor, Not a Short Sale

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:55:16 -0600

For sale in Ann Arbor, priced at $135.000. (not a short sale) 2916 Sharon in Ann Arbor.

Charming bungalow, on a bus route with easy access to University of Michigan and downtown Ann Arbor.

Wonderful fenced back yard with separate gardening area, 2 car garage and a finished basement.

Hardwood floors throughout, new windows,updated electrical and plumbing. Cute and affordable.

Virtual Tour

Flickr Photos

Ann Arbor Real Estate Details of 2916 Sharon, Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor Real Estate Talk

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Missy Caulk & Team can be reached at 734-216-2822 or email: Missy@MissyCaulk.com

Our TEAM of 6 buyer associates are available to help you relocate to Ann Arbor, Saline, Dexter, Chelsea, Milan, Ypsilanti Township, Clinton, Manchester, Whitmore Lake, or throughout Washtenaw County, MI.

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Purchasing a HUD Home-Misconceptions and Advantages

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:05:13 -0600

Ann Arbor and Saline residents, want to buy a HUD home ?

Here are some things you need to know.

Note the sentence that says, "The process for buying a HUD home is different from a normal home purchase. Access to view HUD homes and place bids is restricted to a HUD approved real estate agent."

The Missy Caulk Team is approved to help you submit bids on HUD homes. We have access for you on the McBreo Website.

Thanks to Deanne, for the re-blog.

Via Deanne Olivas (American Allstar Realty):

When purchasing a HUD home, there are misconceptions to replace with facts and advantages to consider. The following is information about the purchase of Arizona HUD homes.

First, exactly what is a HUD home? When a home is purchased with a FHA (Federal Housing Administration which is a sub-agency of HUD) insured loan and the borrower defaults on the loan, the lender may file a claim against the FHA insurance fund and convey ownership to HUD who then sells the home at market value to get back some of the loss from the foreclosure.

One misconception I have heard is that HUD homes are always in poor condition. I find that just like bank owned or short sales, HUD homes can be very clean and well taken care of or a disaster or anywhere in between. One of the advantages to a HUD home is that before HUD homes are listed, HUD orders an appraisal and property/pest inspection of the home. Anyone can go to the HUD website http://www.mcbreo.com/and read the report to see the condition of the property before viewing it.

If the property inspection determined that the property needs repairs but less than $5,000 and the buyer is using an FHA insured loan, for the home to be eligible for the FHA loan an escrow repair is established to cover the costs of the repairs to the home. The costs of the repairs are included in the loan amount and repaid by the borrower as part of the house payment.

It is advised that a potential buyer conduct their own home inspection by hiring a competent inspector. HUD homes are sold in "as-is "condition and HUD makes no warranties or quarantees about the condition of the home and will make no repairs. This is also the case in the purchase of a lender owned foreclosure property.

Another advantage for owner occupants (person that will live in the home as his or her primary residence within 30 days of the close of escrow) who are interested in purchasing a HUD home is that during the first 10 days a HUD property is listed to the general public, there is no competition from investors. Bids from Owner Occupant Purchasers only are accepted. All bids placed by Owner Occupants that are submitted during those ten days are opened on the 11th day and are considered as though they were received simultaneously. If there is no winning bid during those ten days the bidding is opened to include investors.

Another misconception is that HUD provides loans to persons who would not under other circumstances qualify for a loan. HUD does not provide financing for its properties. Before a person can place a bid on a HUD home they must be pre-approved for a real estate loan or have proof of sufficent cash to purchase.

A great advantage for those who do not have the downpayment required for a typical loan is that a buyer can purchase a HUD home for as little as $100 down. It is important to discuss the costs with an experienced lender and the price to bid with a HUD approved agent. Before a bid can be submitted, the buyer must have on deposit with the real estate broker an earnest deposit check. If the purchase price is $50,000 or less the required check amount is $500. If the purchase price is more than $50,000 the check amount is $1,000. Any unused portion will be reimbursed to the buyer at close of escrow.

The advantage of the sealed bid process is it eliminates many of the hassles associated with the typical lender owned or preforeclosure transaction where bidding wars and long waits are common. If during the first ten days of owner occupant bidding, no offer is accepted, bids are reviewed daily and the bidder with the winning bid is notified the following day. If more than one acceptable bid is placed, the bid with the highest net amount to HUD wins the sale.

If you have hesitated about considering purchasing a HUD home, realize that these properties open up another opportunity for purchasing a home at an afforadable price. With the assistance of an experienced HUD approved agent and a lender who understands the process, replace the misconceptions with facts and consider the advantages of purchasing a HUD home.

The process for buying a HUD home is different from a normal home purchase. Access to view HUD homes and place bids is restricted to a HUD approved real estate agent. For a partial list of AZ HUD homes http://www.eastvalleyphoenixhomes.com/hudhomes.html).

To get a list of all HUD homes that meet your criteria or to discuss if a HUD home purchase would be in your best interest, call Deanne Olivas, an approved HUD agent, at American Allstar Realty 480 452-5567.
Deanne Olivas

American Allstar Realty

480 452-5567

http://eastvalleyphoenixhomes.com

Wordless Wednesday, Afternoon Delight in Ann Arbor

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:11:08 -0600

Afternoon Delight in Ann Arbor Michigan.

Everybody is doing it. Using Facebook to promote their business.

Are you?

Yummy Menu...great breakfasts.

I actually won an award from posting this photo on Flickr from Schmap Detroit Guide. I don't really think of myself as a photographer, I just enjoy taking photos.

But, it was nice to get the recognition on one of my favorite restaurants in Ann Arbor.

One of the benefits of blogging on Activerain, is enjoying taking photos of my community.

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My Favorite Quotes for the Week of November 16-November 22, 2009

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:46:37 -0600

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate
cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. We must learn to
live together as brothers, or perish together as fools.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

He who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it much easier
to do it a second and third time, till at length it becomes
habitual; he tells lies without attending to it, and truths
without the world's believing him.

Thomas Jefferson

"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost."

John Quincy Adams

“Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American Revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capital can plan our lives for us... better than we can plan them ourselves.”

Ronald Reagan.

John Hancock: 1st Signer of the Declaration of Independence: "Resistance to tyranny becomes the Christian and social duty of each individual. ... Continue steadfast and, with a proper sense of your dependence on God, nobly defend those rights which heaven gave, and no man ought to take from us."

History of the United States of America, Vol. II, p. 229.

“In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.” -

Thomas Jefferson

“I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.”

James Madison

Feel free to add your favorite quotes.

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Speechless Sunday, My Sons Wedding

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:55:43 -0600

Matthew Michael and Shelley Faye Caulk

November 6th, 2009

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Ann Arbor Michigan is One of Top 15 Cities for Commuters to Live In

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:46:52 -0600

Ann Arbor is ranked in the top 15 cities for commuters to live in.

In a new report published this week by US News and World Report and featured on Yahoo Real Estate, it was said:

Ann Arbor, Mich.  Average commute time: 18.4 minutes .

Non-car commuters: 27.5 percent

Since it is one of the best-known college towns in America, it shouldn't be surprising that Ann Arbor is not car-heavy. Many of the city's major employers, such as the academic journal service JSTOR, the weather service Weather Underground, and the headquarters for Google's AdWords service are based downtown. That centralized location and Ann Arbor's compact nature make commuting easy for walkers, bikers, and bus riders.

Slide Show

Read more on Ann Arbor Best Places to Live

Homes to buy in Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor Area Market Report by School District, October 2009

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:47:46 -0600

Each month the Ann Arbor Area Board of Realtors publishes our annual market reports. In Ann Arbor our MLS is searched by school district.

Here is the October Market Report for the Ann Arbor Area.

Ann Arbor in Photos.

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10 Reasons Why The Holiday Season Is A Great Time To Sell

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:46:07 -0600

Ann Arbor and Saline Sellers, should you try to sell during the Christmas Holidays?

Via Kim Boekholder, Murray Utah, Sandy Utah, Salt Lake County, Utah MLS Listings, UT (Relocation, Short SalesK.W. Utah Realtors, Associate Broker ):

10 Reasons Why The Holiday Season Is A Great Time To Sell. Below is a list of reasons why now is the time to list.... Don't wait until spring.

*Sellers are dropping out of the market for holidays, less competition

*Buyers who are looking in the winter tend to be more serious buyers.

*Singles, couples, and empty nesters tend to wait while school is in session to buy, less competition for them.

*Interest rates are at an all time low

*Buyer scan buy more house right now.

*February and March produce the highest amount of homes sales, but November and December and January don't have as many homes for sale so there is a higher ration of homes sold to those for sale.

*The holiday spirit can help sell your home, you decorate for your guests, but buyers will find your home more charming while it is decorated for the season.

*Most homes are never cleaner and never smell better, or are better decorated than during the holiday season.

*If you don't want to move during the holidays you can negotiate possession for your own convenience.

*Sellers can usually negotiate their best deals during the holiday season.

Sellers who take their homes off the market or postpone selling them during the holidays won't save any money; they will simply postpone their own dreams and perhaps find more competition when they decide to enter the market again.

Are you ready to postpone your dreams or are you ready to move ahead and live your future now?

Kim Boekholder, Keller Williams, Moving to Utah? Moving Around Utah? Contact me for help

Follow me on Twitter:

Subscribe to my blogs:

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To View all homes throughout Utah and real estate tips http://www.kimshomesforsale.com

Share this information with others. Thank you

iUtah - Utah      For Utah places to go and things to do. KSL's community Calendar.

p.s. "By the way, if a friend or family member you know could use a caring and competent agent, I would enjoy meeting them. Thanks for thinking of me with your referrals. I am certified in short sales, foreclsoures, buying, selling, investing, luxury homes, relocation.

Kim Boekholder Associate Broker,

Keller Williams Utah Realtors, Chair Ambassador Murray Chamber

Specializing in Short Sales and Relocation

Mobile: 801-580-5624
Fax:     801-303-8556
boeks@msn.com

Keller Williams a great place to hang your license.

Friday, the 13th. Are you Superstitious?

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:36:11 -0600

Today is Friday the 13th. Are you superstitious?

I'm not.

I'm going to sell a house today.

No I'm going to go sell two houses today!

Many people are scared silly on this day, won't fly...won't get married...and won't conduct business as usual.

Now go have fun and do some business.

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Executive Home on the Huron River, close to St. Joes, Private and Secluded

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:38:44 -0600

6140 First Street is an executive home located on the Huron River in Superior Township. Over 3.29 Ac in a secluded, private setting, with an electric gated entry.

Custom designed and built by Naturewood Inc.

Virtual Tour

Download the flyer

Flickr Photos Stream by Missy Caulk

Ann Arbor Real Estate

Blog on 6140 First Street

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Honoring Our Veterans...Wordless Wednesday

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:08:52 -0600

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Make Mine Freedom....

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:50:19 -0600

What was it like in 1948?

How Much things cost in 1948 ?

Average Cost of new house $7,700.00

Average wages per year $2,950.00

Cost of a gallon of Gas 16 cents

Average Cost of a new car $1,250.00

Loaf of Bread 14 cents

LB of Hamburger Meat 45 cents

Israel declared an Independent State

Harry S. Truman was U.S. President

I was not born yet....

The more things change the more things stay the same.

Enjoy the video, it is a 9 minute cartoon from 1948 but well worth it.

Speechless Sunday, Knights Steak House

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:30:33 -0600

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Comparing present homebuyer tax credit to extended version

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:26:13 -0600

Ann Arbor and Saline Michigan Residents, below is a chart comparing the Extended Version of the Tax Credit to the one that is expiring on November 30th.

Charts are so much easier to understand.

Homes for sale in Ann Arbor and Saline.

Via Jim Lee, Knoxville Tennessee Realtor® (Realty Executives Associates):

Below is a chart prepared by the National Association of REALTORS ® comparing the new changes to the Homebuyer Tax Credit.

The biggest change is that current Homeowners are now eligible if they sell their current homes and then buy AFTER the date of enactment of this extension which is November 6th, 2009.

Because of widespread incidents of fraud, purchasers must now attach documentation proving they actually bought a qualifying home to qualify for the credit.

Additinally the income guidelines have been increased, now a single taxpayer can qualify if they earn up to $125,000 and up to $225,000 for married taxpayers.

The rationale for increasing the income limits and expanding the credit to existing homeowner is that it should encourage more higher priced home purchases. Currently the existing tax credit was driving mostly lower end purchases.

Jim Lee, CRS, ABR, GRI, ACRE, NAR Certified e-PRO Trainer
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Visit my blog: www.KnoxvilleTennesseeRealEstateBlog.com
Realty Executives Associates, Knoxville, Tennessee
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(865) 693-3232, My Personal Toll Free # 1-800-662-2488 ext. 163
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Click here to subscribe to my blog and get up to the minute news and reports about real estate in the greater Knoxville, Tennessee area.

Election Day November 3rd, 2009 in Washtenaw County

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:58:13 -0600

Today is election day, in Washtenaw County, November 3rd, 2009.

Where do you vote?

When you go to the link above it will take you to the site you vote at. Many folks know,but it can be different in mid-year elections. Once you have doe that you can click to see what and who is on your ballot.

I vote in Pittisfied Township, we only have one question on our ballot.

We ae voting for or against a millage called the Regional Enhancement Millage Proposal. This year there has been strong opposition to this millage. Many people feel the public schools have not done enough to reduce the cost of their budgets.

There is a great post on A2chronicle that goes into the pro's and con's of the milage proposal. I would recommend reading this unbiased report of checking out some of the links to see the pro's and con's before voting. I think Mary did a great job of being fair to both sides.

Below is how it will read on the ballot:

REGIONAL ENHANCEMENT MILLAGE PROPOSAL
Pursuant to state law, the revenue raised by the proposed millage will be collected by the intermediate school district and distributed to local public school districts based on pupil membership count.

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Washtenaw Intermediate School District, Michigan, be increased by 2 mills ($2.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 5 years, 2009 to 2013, inclusive, to provide operating funds to enhance other state and local funding for local school district operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the intermediate school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2009 is approximately $30,000,000?

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IRS announces a new tax receipts form 4506T-EZ

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:51:43 -0600

Saline and Ann Arbor residents, IRS Announces a new tax receipts form 4506T-EZ.

This form will make it easier for you if you need to modify, refinance, or sell your home short.

Read this post by Richard Zaretsky, attorney from Florida that does alot of work with short sales and foreclosures.

Via Richard Zaretsky, Florida Real Estate Attorney (Richard P. Zaretsky P.A. ):

            Michael Lampert Esq., the tax attorney who is Of Counsel to my law office has alerted me that on October 21, 2009 the IRS issued a new form, 4506T-EZ, entitled "Short Form Request for Individual Tax Return Transcript". This new form will make it easier for homeowners trying to short sale, modify, refinance or finance their mortgages to obtain their tax return transcripts.

            A transcript is a computer print out that includes most line items on the original return. Many lenders accept the transcript as a substitute for a copy of the original tax return for income and other verification purposes.

            Many of you that do short sales or loan modifications are familiar with the old 4506T form usually requested by lenders as part of the request documentation. This new form is a simplified ("EZ") form of the 4506T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return. It is only for obtaining copies of 1040 series (including 1040A and 1040EZ) individual income tax returns. It can be filled out online, printed, and then submitted by fax or mail. Upon the taxpayer's request, the transcript can be sent directly to a third party, such as a lender. It is expected that a request will take 10 days to process.

            As a reminder, taxpayers still should keep copies of their original return in a safe place. Copies of the actual tax return can be obtained by filing form 4506, Request for Copy of the Return, usually at a cost of $57 per return and a two month time frame.

            Taxpayers also should be careful to fill out all parts of the form, including the years requested and who is to receive the information. Remember that once the IRS sends the information to a third party, such as a lender, the IRS has no control over what a third party does with the information.

Copyright 2009 Richard P. Zaretsky, Esq.

Be sure to contact your own attorney for your state laws, and always consult your own attorney on any legal decision you need to make. This article is for information purposes and is not specific advice to any one reader.

Richard Zaretsky, Esq., RICHARD P. ZARETSKY P.A. ATTORNEYS AT LAW, 1655 PALM BEACH LAKES BLVD, SUITE 900, WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA 33401, PHONE 561 689 6660 RPZ99@Florida-Counsel.com - FLORIDA BAR BOARD CERTIFIED IN REAL ESTATE LAW - We assist Brokers and Sellers with Short Sales and Modifications and Consult with Brokers and Sellers Nationwide! Shortsales@Florida-Counsel.com New Website www.Florida-Counsel.com.

See our easy to understand articles at:

TABLE OF CONTENTS - SHORT SALE AND LOAN MODIFICATION ARTICLES

Economic Cancer: That Sense of "Entitlement"

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:46:58 -0600

Ann Arbor and Saline Michigan, Do you feel entitled?

When did we start to think we were owed more than Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Via Janet Guilbault California Mortgage Banker/Broker:

When did we start to feel entitled?

In the Depression of the 1930's, the jobless father of 4 asked the farmer if he could work on the farm for a day in exchange for food to feed his family.

In the Depression of 2010 do we just take the food from the farmer because, after all, you and your family are entitled to eat?

Are we:

Entitled to a life better than our parents had?

Entitled to own real estate?

Entitled to dis-own real estate?

Entitled to be bailed out?

Entitled to a job?

Entitled to health care? And to social security when we grow old?

You would sure think so by what surrounds us.

Why work? Why pay your bills? Why take care of your health and your finances? Why respect what others have earned?

Do we take the course that will help us? Or do we just help ourselves to what others have produced?

When did we start to believe that America owed us more than life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?

Is it because the government has redefined the word "rights" to include never needing to suffer?

Is it because a generation came of age when stock market wealth and real estate equity made it seem like real work was obsolete?

Did 100% stated income loans with a few years of teaser rates train us to believe the American Dream was what every American deserved?

Did plastic in our wallets make it seem like our rights included unlimited gratification?

Somehow, we have lost our way.

Let us hope to sprout fresh green grass across America we do not need to completely kill the roots.

Written by Janet Guilbault, Mortgage Banker/Broker and Direct Lender Based out of the San Francisco Bay Area

Pittsfield Township to Hold to Master Planning Sessions

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:51:11 -0600

There will be two open Master Planning sessions for the residents of Pittsfield Township.

November 9th at Carpenter Elementary School, in Ann Arbor from 7 to 9

November 12th at Harvest Elementary School, in Saline, from 7-9

As a resident of Pittsfield Township I am thankful the township is engaging the residents into the critical imput on the Master Plan.

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City of Saline Launches a New Web-Site BeSaline.com

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:15:22 -0600

The City of Saline launched, BeSaline web-site as a comprehensive web-site for all things around Saline.

Looking for things to do in Saline, look no further as there is always something fun and exciting to do, never a dull moment. There are great places to eat in Saline, fun places to shop, and great parks and entertainment for families in Saline.

The Arts in Saline, is where you can find great entertainment from the Saline Fiddlers, Saline Big Band, Fiddlers ReStrung, the New Horizon Band, and the Two Twelve Arts Center.

Discover the parks in Saline as well as all the upcoming events in Saline.

Be Saline is a place where people say hello with a smile. Saline is a place where you can raise your children without lowering your expectations.

If you like to twitter about Saline, I also have a site where you can add your twitter feed. Just use the #(hash tag) #a2bnsaline and it will automatically post your information. Check it out and you will find our Superintendent and many principals tweet.

You can also follow them on Facebook.

Think you would like to live in Saline, begin your home search here.

Check back often to BeSaline for all the latest and greatest. Come join us!

You can also follow them on Facebook.

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Google Maps...New Feature for Real Estate Listings

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:22:36 -0500

Today Google announced a new feature for Real Estate.

The announcement is that you can now search for homes on Google Maps. I had heard "something" was coming. Tonight I had the opportunity to check my listings and see how they were showing up.

First you have to make sure ONE of your sites is syndicating to Google Maps. This is NOT Google Base.

When I check 5-6 of my listings the first one to show up was from my VFlyer of that listing. Another big syndication site taking advantage of this new feature early on it ListHub.net.

According to the Google Blog:

First of all, we've made it easier to find real estate listings. Now, you can simply select "Real Estate" from the 'More' button on the top right of any Google Map to discover listings. From there, it's a simple matter to refine your search using the left hand panel - price, bedrooms, bathrooms, and so on. Of course, you can still pan the map to search for the perfect neighborhood and it'll automatically update with more listings.

Here is a visual I did on my listing at 170 Whitlock in Saline, MI so you can see it.

See the link to VFlyer.com this takes the consumer straight to my vflyer.

One the map side you will see the Google Map.

View Larger Map

Go though and check your listings and see how they are being syndicated. Actually I didn't check all of mine, just enough so that I could see how this would work.

I think it is a really great feature as the it gives buyers or sellers one more way to find you and the listing goes right back to you with your contact information. More questions just read the Official Google Blog.

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Government tries to take down US Marine

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:03:06 -0500

I am asking you to comment on the original authors blog.

Just too alarming to not get the word out to folks in Ann Arbor and Saline.

Via Simon Conway (Picket Fence Realty):

This is Marine Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani. For more than 20 years, the Colonel has had your back. He's had your back three different times in Iraq including the second battle of Fallujah; once in the first Persian Gulf War and has also served in Panama.

It has been said by his superiors that Col Chessani has unlimited potential and value to the Marine Corps. That he has demonstrated moral courage and that he is a superb leader.

And now on December 1, 2009 he is facing a Military Board of Inquiry (BOI) to figure out if he is guilty of misconduct and should be demoted in rank. All this because of the "Haditha Massacre" - a "massacre" that quite literally never happened.

The question must be asked. Why is the Government going after this fine Marine Officer? Someone who represents the very best America has to offer? And why are they doing it on a trumped up charge? What is the purpose of trying to destroy this truly great American hero?

Let's take a step back first. Almost four years ago to the day (November 19, 2005) a Marine convoy was moving through Haditha in Iraq - a terrorist stronghold. A roadside bomb exploded and the convoy took casualties. One United States Marine dead and two more seriously injured when the bomb went off under a Humvee. Gunfire directed at the Marines started immediately from the ambushing insurgents who were holed up in nearby civilian-occupied home.

The officer at the scene ordered four Marines - at great risk to themselves - to storm those homes from where the terrorists were firing. What happened next was a house-by-house, room-by-room battle in which nine terrorists were killed. There were also 15 civilian casualties who might have been shot by the Marines or the terrorists or a combination of the two. Obviously the death of civilians is always terrible - but not as common an occurrence as some people might think.

The bottom line here is that the colonel IMMEDIATELY reported those 15 deaths to his superiors. In fact the Pentagon had his battlefront report within 24 hours. NOT A SINGLE superior officer - including generals - thought it unusual. NOT ONE OF THEM suggested an investigation. In fact those officers went so far as to commend Lt Col Chessani for a job well done.

Then along came Time Magazine. MASSACRE they screamed. John Murtha jumped on the bandwagon accusing the Marines of cold blooded murder - even saying there was no firefight! He said the Marines were stressed from being in country for too long.

The Liberals went nuts. Our brave military were torturers; murderers; rapists - and of course, responsible for the "Massacre at Haditha" - that has a nice ring to it, don't you think?

The largest investigation in the history of the NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Services) .........

Take that in again!!! - The largest investigation in the history of the NCIS including 65 full time agents went on a year-long, multi-million Dollar digging trip - targeting the Colonel and his four enlisted men.

The Government has LOST at every stage of the criminal process. The four marines have been cleared. At one point they were charging Lt Col Chessani criminally. The Government's case? He did not file the proper paperwork. Had he been convicted he would have faced two and a half years in prison!!

One of the military judges who heard testimony in the case, had the following to say about the Government's evidence and pursuit of this national hero.

"To believe the government version of facts is to disregard clear and convincing evidence to the contrary and sets a dangerous precedent that, in my opinion, may encourage others to bear false witness against Marines as a tactic to erode public support of the Marine Corps and mission in Iraq. Even more dangerous is the potential that a Marine may hesitate at the critical moment when facing the enemy..." - Military Judge, LtCol Paul Ware, USMC

So now he faces this BOI. There are no rules of evidence as we understand them. No cross examination; no subpoena of witnesses. The Government merely has to prove misconduct by a preponderance of the evidence - not beyond a reasonable doubt. The Board could demote him or force him to retire. He could lose his retirement and health benefits for himself and his family.

And at the end of the day, the Government is charging him with failing to report a criminal incident which EVERYONE now understands DID NOT TAKE PLACE!

On Monday of this week Brian Rooney - one of the owners of the Pitsburg Steelers and a Marine Reserve Major himself - was my guest while I was filling in on 540 WFLA. It's a fascinating interview and you can here it BY CLICKING HERE - the top of Hour Two on 10/26/09.

Brian is one of the attorneys representing this Marine through the non-profit Thomas More Law Center. They are doing it for free. They will examine thousands of pages of reports; personally interview witnesses and travel the 2,000 miles to the BOI in California - an event that is expected to last for weeks.

Please check out their website and see if you can help. They are all that is standing between this Marine and Governmental crucifixion! - http://www.thomasmore.org/

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!!

Make sure Lt Col Chessani understands just how much we Patriots get it!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(Copyright © 2009 By Simon L Conway All Rights Reserved.)

Simon Conway is the two-time winner of the FIVE STAR Best in Client Satisfaction for Real Estate Agents in the Orlando area.

Please give me a call if you have questions about the Central Florida real estate market. You can reach me on 407 876 8200. Also visit my web site at www.simonconway.net or www.move2orlando.net

Live like you are dying and list like you're bank owned.

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:42:39 -0500

Ann Arbor and Saline...List your home like it is bank owned.

Steve has some great points on it is less painful to hold on than to move on.

Search homes for sale in Ann Arbor and Saline

I tell many Ann Arbor and Saline buyers that you are trading equity in a home that more meets your current needs.

Via Steve Loynd, Alpine Lakes Real Estate Inc., Loon Mt, NH.:

Live like you are dying, the lyrics of this Tim McGraw song speaks volumes to many different people.

As I listened to what this song is advocating, It occurred to me many sellers should heed this lesson. They put a price on a property that they think "someday" it may sell for. If moving on with your life requires the sale of a property you own...there is not an infinite amount of time to accomplish this sale. Life is Short.

What got me thinking about this, is I have several short sales a bank owned sale and a probate property that are pending. With these sales the process to close will be longer (in some cases much longer) than the time it took to find a buyer. The price was right, the buyers where motivated and the sellers showed their willingness to sell, by pricing the property to sell.

List like the market is dying. Life is Short.

#1 If you are going to buy after this sale...the sooner you sell the sooner you are in the buyers shoes (you are merely trading equity...if you buy a replacement property).

#2 Moving on is far less painful than hanging on (how many months of mortgages, taxes, insurance utilities will be spend holding...after you admit you want to sell).

#3 You may be better off renting for a time (dropping the major maintenance costs and healing your credit may put you in a better place in the long run than draining your savings, while waiting to score on unrealistic re-sales).

My Bucket list doesn't include living in a home I can't afford...and waiting for someone to over pay me for the same privileges. Life is Short.

                                                                                                                      Steve Loynd, White Mountain New Hampshire real Estate Expert

   steve@alpinelakes.com toll free 800-926-5653 /cell 603-381-7898

    MLS search and Realtor web site: www.alpinelakes.com

    My outside Blog: www.steveswhitemountainblog.com

   Lincoln NH & Local interest site: www.localism.com/nh/lincoln

Enhancing Relationships Through Our Blog Posts

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:24:56 -0500

We have a ton of content that we have posted on if we have been blogging for any amount of time. Now some posts if we use the long tail stay on Google for a long time. Others posts may drop down if we don't keep fresh content coming. But,there is a way to keep those posts alive and doing their job of continuing to educate consumers and associates.

Several ways I have used to keep that content alive are as follows

In March of 2009, I took the plunge and had a new web site created by Dakno, using my old domain name MissyCaulk.com. I had struggled on what to do for 3 years, as I had worked hard to get that site up from beyond page 49 to page 1 and I didn't want to just drop it even though I did not desire that site anymore.

One of the great features about my Dakno Web-Site is the ability to create as many pages as I want to with Agent Back Door. This makes the site updated with fresh content. I no longer have to call up my web-master and wait 3-5 days to get something changed.

One of the pages I started was Community Information. This page includes Blog Posts I had written here on Activerain over the years on Saline History, Ann Arbor History, Ann Arbor Best Place to Retire, University of Michigan Top 100 Hospitals and Ann Arbor and Saline Schools.

The second place I have used Blog Content is on the Pages for Buyers and Sellers. Both of these pages are from blog posts I had written on Activerain. I have literally filled my neighborhood pages from all my blog posts on Activerain they have been about local neighborhoods.

Why reinvent the wheel?

I have recently hired two new Buyer Agents and just this past week, Kim emailed me and asked for help with getting a data base set up. Rather than write it all down again, I remembered that during the MakeOverToTakeOver Contest that was sponsored by Activerain in 2007, one of our challenges had been to write on our data base.

I found the post and emailed it to Kim.

Rarely a day goes by that I don't get at least one email from someone on Activerain that has questions about lead management, registering on web-sites, my Tiger Lead Site or various other topics.

If I have written on it, which I usually have I answer their question and send them the post.

Last year I received a phone call from a consumer who was considering moving to Saline. She had heard Saline Schools were good and had questions on them. Since all my children had attended Saline, it was easy to tell her as much as possible about them. BUT, the main thing I did was go into my blogs on Activerain and send her all the posts on Saline Schools for her reading.

Lastly, many times when we set up our profiles on different Social Network sites, they would like a blog. I usually just go to my Activerain Archives find a older post, post it there and bring it back to life.

If someone has asked a question on Trulia Voices and I know there is a post I have written, I will link to that particular post rather than just my main blog or web-site.

With the TAG Box on the right side bar it is easy to find the old posts we have written and use them to help one another out, serve the consumer and bring it back to life.

Saline Michigan Market Reports October 24th, 2009

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:31:34 -0500

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Missy Caulk & Team can be reached at 734-216-2822 or email: Missy@MissyCaulk.com

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7 Day Market Reports for Ann Arbor

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:30:23 -0500

7 Day Market Reports for Ann Arbor.

If you want to stay current on the trends, you can sign up to receive weekly, bi-weekly or monthly reports on Ann Arbor Real Estate Talk.

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Missy Caulk & Team can be reached at 734-216-2822 or email: Missy@MissyCaulk.com

Free Home Evaluation

Search the Ann Arbor Area MLS.

Google Profile

Market Reports in Real Time Updated Weekly

Profit from Technology for Realtors and Lenders