Norco Offical Horse Town USA Blog

WHO COUNTS ?

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:23:06 -0500

There is a writing that says, "People come into our lives, some pass by unnoticed, some for a day, some for a season, some for a year, and some for a life time."

Who would you think could impact your life the most? Some would say right away, why, those that stay for a life time. But that's not necessarily so. What about a car accident? What took just a second can impact you for a life time. What about the person you have known for a life time that really isn't a family member or friend? Maybe the impact isn't anything much at all.

If you think about it, could you say that there are those that you like more than you feel, they like you? What do you do then? After all there are personalities that we just don't feel comfortable around.

I have found that there are times when friendships become as strong a family ties. You can care about the wellfare of these individuals as you would for family member. What is so special about these individuals? Can you find yourself in the position of caring about them more than they care about you? The short answer is, YES.

As we go about our lives with the day in and day out minutia giving no thought to these individuals, they are thinking about us. Now don't get me wrong here, I'm not talking about stalking. I'm talking about people we know who have a healthy caring for us.

I just received a call that got me to thinking. I like to think of myself as a caring person. I listen to those I'm with. I interact when called to. And I do think of these individuals that I see as on the periphery of my life. But here's the catch. They don't know they are on the periphery. This seems to me to be a catch 22. The call I received was from my stepmother. My fathers last wife. She calls me about once a month. It's not that I don't think of her, I do. It's not that I don't like her, I do. But since my fathers passing I just don't have that much to say. She lives with her only child and he and his wife take good care of her. I seem to think about her when I busy doing something else and I think..."I'll call her when I'm done here", and then something else comes up and I forget. Shame on me.

This lady just spent 3 weeks in the hospital because they found, in an ordinary doctors visit, she had Hodgkin's. Now it's true I had been thinking about her a lot in the last month but just didn't stop long enough to call. What would a call have meant to her? A lot. What would it have cost me? A few minutes of my time, I'm NOT that busy. Shame on me. She almost died; an individual that loves me without condition. What a loss.

Can we really say any of us have that many individuals that care that much about us? If we can say yes to that question then we are rich indeed. My father said, "if you can count 5 tried and true friends when you die then you have lived and died a rich person for sure." Dadism was, "read every book to the end, if you find just one morsel of education, help or wit then your time was not spent in vain." I would say the same thing about the individuals we meet along life's path.

I was gone from AR for almost a year. When I came back I noticed so many who were here and active have not posted for over a year. Where are they? What has happened in their lives? Do they need support from friends? Are they going through a bad spell in their lives? I know we are busy but what could we do?

The lesson in this for me is to pay closer attention to those that want my attention. A client, a neighbor, an AR member. After all in this life, it's not WHAT we do, but HOW we have done it.

THE LEAST OF US MAY BE THE BEST OF US

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Sat, 30 May 2009 16:43:54 -0500

OK I'm fed up right now. I just don't want to take it any more. That is how I feel. I know I'm not alone but let's step up and try to do something. What? I don't know yet but something. Where are people's minds? I know when they bought that cute little kitten or puppy they must have loved it. They were cute and cuddle. They fed it, played with it, hopefully took it to the vets on a regular basis. And yet, when they are facing eviction, foreclosure or what ever, they never give a thought to what they are going to do with the pet that loves them so very unconditionally. It's not like one day your life is going well and the next you are out on the street. You have been given notice. Even if it is only 30 days. And yet it seems the last thing you give thought to is your pet. I know right now a lot of shelters are full, rescue groups are brimming over, but where there is a will there is a way. Why in the world would you go off and just let your pet be locked up in your house where there is no food, water, the heating or air conditioner isn't working due to the electricity being cut off and not a person around? What in the world were you thinking? That it is better to leave that animal locked up without anyone to care for it, than to take it to someone that would? Is your mind set that if you can't have it no one else can?

I don't know where your mind is but I do know one thing. You are not a good person at all. There is a very old saying, "A society is measured by how it treats it's old people, children and animals. Well you just flunked out of the human race.

It is so totally unfair that the person that the person who must go in and inspect your home after you vacate is faced by tiring to salvage what you have caused. How many starving animals have Realtors found? How many scared and lonely pets have they had to rescue? I am shocked that you didn't leave your children behind also. I don't want to hear any more that you couldn't find a place to rent that would take animals. That is such a flimsy excuse.

Animals (pets) love us when no one else will. They don't care how we look or sound. They don't care what your religion is or isn't. They don't care about your politics or what your profession is. All they care about is giving you love and in return all they ask for is a little food and care.

Let me end this rant with this. SHELTER! RESCUE GROUP! GIVE AWAY!

COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Sat, 30 May 2009 11:19:29 -0500

If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch, 'Who's on First?' might have turned out something like this:

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.

ABBOTT : Your computer?

COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.

ABBOTT: What about Windows?

COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?

ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?

COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?

ABBOTT: Wallpaper.

COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.

ABBOTT: Software for Windows?

COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?

ABBOTT: I just did.

COSTELLO: You just did what?

ABBOTT: Recommend something.

COSTELLO: You recommended something?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: For my office?

ABBOTT: Yes

COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?

ABBOTT:! Office.

COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!

ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Window's.

COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?

ABBOTT: Word

COSTELLO: What word?

ABBOTT: Word in Office.

COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.

ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.

COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?

ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue 'W'.

COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue 'w' if you don't start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?

ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.

COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?

ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.

COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?

ABBOTT: One copy.

COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?

ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.

COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?

ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

(A few days later)

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?

ABBOTT: Click on 'START'

Author Unknown

i bought one of the first computers that came out. It really was a glorified word processor. Shortly there after I moved to a third world country where I lived for ten years. During that time the Internet came and established itself. When I moved back to the states and bought my new computer I felt like I should have offered my computer tech a room in my home. This joke is kind of the way I felt back then. Enjoy!

CAN WE PAY FORWARD OUT OF THIS MESS?

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Thu, 28 May 2009 14:30:03 -0500

Yes, I know we have all heard the bad news of today's housing, economics, jobs, healthcare and more. Not only have we heard about it adnauseam, quit a few of us have or are living it. But I just have to get my few words in.

This has certainly been a year of firsts. A new president, not a first, but this one happens to be "African American" and that IS a first. There are new programs for America to numerous to mention. Some good, some... we just have to wait and see. How these programs effect you and me is what is important. Because you see the entire United States is made of yous and me's. If it effects you, sooner or latter, it will effect me and visa versa. It is easy for those who have not really been affected by losing a home or job to say, well just roll up your sleeves and get busy. It's not always that easy. Here in America we are big hearted and yet we have a way of feeling..."if it doesn't effect me directly it's not my business." I have heard quite a few individuals say those without jobs are "losers." They are not taking into consideration those that lost their jobs due to downsizing or the company closing it doors. And if you think right now it is easy to get a new job, go out and try it.

I am old enough to remember what the recovery of the Depression of 1929 was like. Yes, I had the ration books and still do. EVERYTHING was rationed, food, i.e. sugar, coffee, salt and so much more. Gas was rationed tires were impossible to obtain and did you know they stopped making new personal cars? Yep! They did. I think they began again in 1948 but I might be off a year. In those days everything went to the war effort, not so today. Now you might wonder what all this has to do with us today.

Well, people were made homeless by the tens of thousands. There were soup kitchens (as they were called in the day). There were people; whole families sleeping in the parks and streets. Sound familiar?

Now we always have had and I guess we will always have homeless people. It's sad but true. However not like today. When it is so bad that they are setting up tent cities in cities parks then you know we are in deep trouble.

When the unemployment rate is quoted by the government it is only telling us about those that are still on the unemployed rolls, not the ones that are still jobless and have run out of benefits. So you can add hundreds of thousands to the number that you hear on your TV news.

Each person represents someone that has a family, either a husband/wife and children or parents. Therefore one unemployed person can effect at the very least two to six or more individuals. Of course when an individual loses their income they cannot buy or pay for goods or existing credit, homes, cars, credit cards, utility bills and on and on the story goes.

Yes, there are thousands of homes on the market right now which is what interests Realtors, but if you are not qualified to handle the foreclosures then you are left to work with the buyers only. What's the problem with that you say? Well, in trying to close the gate after all the horses bolted out, we are now trying to go back to where we were many years ago. Large down payments, I'm not saying that is bad, I am saying it really limits our buying market. If our buyers get a second for the down payment they are right where we were when we got into this mess; huge monthly payments.

Will we get out of this mess? Of course we will, but we won't get out of it by 2010 like the news would like you to believe. Until we can find work of all of the unemployed it won't matter what the president does. In order to buy, pay and have credit you must first have a job. That is going to take a while when you consider all of the companies that have failed in this economy and the millions that are now out of work...

Well, what do we do, you ask? I say we help all of those that have been caught in the battle of the economic war. How? Food banks, babysitting, paying it forward, gently used clothes donations, anyway we can. All of us know someone that has been affected that we could help without affronting them. We need to start a movement within our industry. Each and every company could start a food drive by bringing in non perishable food and giving it to the food banks. Did you know that the food banks are running out of food for the homeless? Well they are. To those of us that have an income what is a can or two of vegetables or fruit, a box of crackers, raisins for a child's lunch. What about going through your closets and getting rid of the clothes you and your children don't use any more? Shoes that are gently worn are also needed. Toys your children have out grown or don't play with any more. And don't forget about the animals. Dog and cat food is needed also. It is a wonderful thing to PAY FORWARD and I know as Realtors we can do a great job.

Let us hear how you and/or your company are getting involved and helping in this time of need in our country. I know we will hear wonderful stories of acts of kindness.

Just a statement

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:49:34 -0500

My father was someone I thought was very special. Now I guess we can all say that about our dads. Although my father has not been with me for 15 years now, I still hear his voice guiding me, laughing with and at me, supporting me and always encouraging me. I still miss him so very much and I guess I will until I'm not here any longer. I raised my children on "Dadisums."

With Father's Day close at hand I thought I would share one of them with all of you. It seems to be so true. It's sad, but it is true.

"You are only as good as what you did TODAY." So I always try to do my best each and every day.

I would love it if you would share with the rest of us what you remember from your father that has stayed with you until now. Let's see if we can enlighten each other via our Dads.

NUMBERS DON’T LIE

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 14:20:39 -0500

I am going to reprint this as I received it from California Bankruptcy website. One reason is, I don't want you to think this is made up and yes, I know we are not to copy information directly. However, this so staggered me that I just had to pass it on.

We all know to well that the housing market is in deep trouble. We have talked it to death. It seems to me there are two camps in the thinking of the on going situation, those that say their business couldn't be better and those that are really struggling to stay afloat in the business.

Just to let you know I live in California and I am one of those struggling and that story is for another blog.

2008 Q1 FORCLOSURE STATS SHOW DIRE STATE OF INDUSTRY.

Foreclosure statistics for the first quarter of 2008 were released this week, and, as predicted, things are getting worse for the housing market. Q1 of this year saw a 23% rise over foreclosure filings from Q4 2007, and 112% rise over Q1 of 2007.

In raw numbers, around 650,000 homes have between repossessed, or 1 in every 194 households in America.

-foreclosures increased in 46 states and in 90 of the nation's 100 largest metro areas.

-previously "safe" areas saw massive foreclosure filing: Connecticut saw 300% increase, while Massachusetts saw a 260% increase.

-the worst area for foreclosures is the Southwest, specifically California, Nevada and Arizona. Foreclosure hit 1 of every 54 homes in Nevada, and 1 in 44 homes in Las Vegas. Stockton, California remains the epicenter of the crisis, with 1 in 30 homes being foreclosed, with Riverside/San Bernardino coming in second with 1 in 38 homes foreclosed.

If we were to look at the total economy of the United States, and especially California, Nevada and Arizona you will see that the gas has gone from $3.00 per gallon a year ago to $5.00 in some areas now, and at the least $ 4.89 per gallon. Food costs across the board have gone up in the first quarter by 6%. People are not buying cars, furniture, going out to eat, remodeling their homes, going to movies, theya re opting to do their own yard work instead of having a gardener. and they are not going on vacations the way they were a year ago. People area cutting back in every area of their lives and most if not all of this began with the housing market tumble.

People are holding off selling their homes in the most devastated area due to the glut of houses they can buy for less because they are foreclosures.

For the nay sayers I would say this, IF your market is good and you are still making the same money you did a year ago they I bless you and hope it continues, for those of you paddling in my boat, just put on your life jacket and keep rowing.

BLACK AND WHITE?

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:09:32 -0500

Black and White

(Under age 40? You won't understand.)

You could hardly see for all the snow, and you got the day off school to play with sleds, but you also had to shovel the driveway.

It was your job to cut the grass on the weekends. No one hired a "yard maintenance" fellow to do it for you.

To get good reception on the TV you would spread the rabbit ears as far as they go and if that didn't work you would hang a coat hanger off one of them. We even had to get up to change the channels, once in awhile adjust the horizontal and the vertical.

We would pull a chair up to the TV set so we could see better. Our TV was round.

"Good Night, David. Good Night, Chet." The nights when Ed Sullivan came on the entire neighborhood would come to our house to watch.

My Mom used to cut chicken, chop eggs and spread mayo on the same cutting board with the same knife and no bleach, but we didn't seem to get food poisoning.

My Mom used to defrost hamburger on the counter AND I used to eat it raw sometimes, too. Our school sandwiches were wrapped in wax paper in a brown paper bag, not in ice-pack coolers, but I can't remember getting e coli. We had neighbors ( and we did sometimes too) to borrow a cup of sugar or an egg or whatever.

The term cell phone would have conjured up a phone in a jail cell, and a pager was the school PA system.

I remember the boys trying to kiss all the girls and not one parent sued for sexual harassment.

Almost all of us would have rather gone swimming in the lake or the irrigation canal instead of a pristine pool (talk about boring), and there were no beach closures then.

We all took gym, not PE, and risked permanent injury with a pair of high top Ked's (only worn in gym) instead of having cross-training athletic shoes with air cushion soles and built in light reflectors. I can't recall any injuries but they must have happened because they tell us how much safer we are now. We all had to "change" for gym and shower after gym.

Flunking gym was not an option - even for stupid kids! I guess PE must be much harder than gym. Who remembers calisthenics? I sure do! We did them everyday.

Speaking of school, we all said prayers and sang the national anthem, and staying in detention after school caught all sorts of negative attention. In grade school standing in the coat room was so embarrassing because all of the other kids made fun of you for getting into trouble. It wasn't something to laugh at or make you more friends.

We must have had horribly damaged psyches.

What an archaic health system we had then. Remember school nurses? Ours wore a white uniform and a hat. She also gave the inoculation shots when the time came for our shots or boosters.

I thought that I was supposed to accomplish something before I was allowed to be proud of myself.

I just can't recall how bored we were without computers, Play Station, Nintendo, X-box or 270 digital TV cable stations.

Oh yeah, and where was the Benadryl and sterilization kit when I got a scrape and what was an allergy? I could have been died!

We played 'king of the hill' on piles of gravel left on vacant construction sites, and when we got hurt, Mom pulled out the 48-cent bottle of Mercurochrome (kids liked it better because it didn't sting like iodine did) and then we got our butts spanked.

Now it's a trip to the emergency room, followed by a 10-day dose of a $49 bottle of antibiotics, and then Mom calls the attorney to sue the contractor for leaving a horribly vicious pile of gravel where it was such a threat. I didn't act up at the neighbor's house or in stores or restaurants either; because if I did, I got my butt spanked when I got home. I remember riding home in the car with my mom and she would say, "You know when you get home you will get a spanking for doing...." About 10 minutes from home I would start crying because my mom always kept her promise.

I remember a friend from down the way coming over to play and she fell off the horse we were riding. Little did her Mom know that she could have owned our house. It was a society run amuck.

To top it off, not a single person I knew, was ever told, that they were from a dysfunctional family. How could we possibly have known that we needed to get into group therapy and anger management classes? We were obviously duped by so many societal ills that we didn't even notice that the entire country wasn't taking Prozac! How did we ever survive?

LOVE TO ALL OF US WHO SHARED THIS ERA, AND TO ALL WHO DIDN'T; SORRY FOR WHAT YOU MISSED. I WOULDN'T TRADE IT FOR ANYTHING. WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER?

WHAT BUBBLE

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:34:41 -0500

I will tell you right now that the information that I have posted is from Wikipedia

The information was so voluminous and in depth that I just didn't want to be accused of, or run the risk of, putting my own spin on the material.

I am older than most of you on Active Rain and I will tell you in my entire lifetime I have never seen such a debunkel in the housing market, ever. This is such a serious matter for so many families. Yes, some will recover to buy another day, but there are those that will never recover from losing their homes and or their jobs due to what has happened in the housing market.

The time for pointing fingers has passed. Each industry has had their part, as have a few of the home buyers, the sad truth is, we are here. The time has passed for saying that this "market correction" will weed out the bad Realtors. Too many good agents have had to leave the profession and try to find work elsewhere. The sad truth is they did not have the money to sustain themselves while the market corrected.

I know we are all hearing about the glut of buyers there are in the market right now. Yes, it is true that there are buyers out there, but with the regulations in the mortgage industry and the regs getting tighter most of those buyers don't or won't qualify. Gone are the days of 100% financing unless you have AAA credit. Yes, I know there is one major company that will still consider 100% but that is a crap shoot at best. Also, gone are the day's of unstated. It is harder now for the buyer in the market. What buyers are there, think they can get a home that was selling for $700,000 six months ago for $230,000 now.

It is time to start educating the buyers to the fact that the day has returned when they now (again) have to save for the down payment and closing cost ( in some cases) of 20/30%. Rude awakening for the younger market that is used to getting houses their parents only dreamed of having and then going into debt to furnish it in grand style.

It is time for the agents that are left and are doing well to consider how they are and will continue to market themselves to help the market regain some of its allure. Not in false promises or making a killing on the backs of those less fourtunate.

I guess you can tell I have seen some of the above and it makes me nervous. I have seen agents tell their clients although they will have to take less for the home, they are selling it will sell.

I know not all states have not been as badly effected as California, but they have all been effected to some degree and it is time that we recognize that when you dance you have to pay the band.

I know the following material is long but I would be interested in hearing what you have to say about what you are experiencing in your market.

Wikipedia

Bubble bursts

The booming housing market appears to have halted abruptly for many parts of the U.S. in late summer of 2005, and as of summer 2006, several markets are facing the issues of ballooning inventories, falling prices, and sharply reduced sales volumes. In August 2006, Barron's magazine warned, "a housing crisis approaches", and noted that the median price of new homes has dropped almost 3% since January 2006, that new-home inventories hit a record in April and remain near all-time highs, that existing-home inventories are 39% higher than they were just one year ago, and that sales are down more than 10%, and predicts that "the national median price of housing will probably fall by close to 30% in the next three years ... simple reversion to the mean."^[15] Fortune magazine labelled many previously strong housing markets as "Dead Zones;"^[16] other areas are classified as "Danger Zones" and "Safe Havens." Fortune also dispelled "four myths about the future of home prices."^[78] In Boston, year-over-year prices are dropping,^[163] sales are falling, inventory is increasing, foreclosures are up,^[17][18] and the correction in Massachusetts has been called a "hard landing".^[164] The previously booming^[11] housing markets in Washington, D.C., San Diego, Phoenix, and other cities have stalled as well.^[165][166] Searching the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service (ARMLS) shows that in summer 2006, the for-sale housing inventory in Phoenix has grown to over 50,000 homes, of which nearly half are vacant (see graphic).^[19] Several home builders have revised their forecasts sharply downward during summer 2006, e.g., D.R. Horton cut its yearly earnings forecast by one-third in July 2006,^[167] the value of luxury home builder Toll Brothers' stock fell 50% between August 2005 and August 2006,^[168] and the Dow Jones U.S. Home Construction Index was down over 40% as of mid-August 2006.^[169] CEO Robert Toll of Toll Brothers explained, "builders that built speculative homes are trying to move them by offering large incentives and discounts; and some anxious buyers are canceling contracts for homes already being built."^[170] Homebuilder Kara Homes, known for their construction of "McMansions", announced on September 13, 2006 the "two most profitable quarters in the history of our company", yet filed for bankruptcy protection less than one month later on 6 October.^[171] Six months later on April 10, 2007, Kara Homes sold unfinished developments, causing prospective buyers from the previous year to lose deposits, some of whom put down more than $100,000.^[172]

As the housing market began to soften in winter 2005 through summer 2006,^[173][174] NAR chief economist David Lereah predicted a "soft landing" for the market.^[175] However, based on unprecedented rises in inventory and a sharply slowing market throughout 2006, Leslie Appleton-Young, the chief economist of the California Association of Realtors, said that she is not comfortable with the mild term "soft landing" to describe what is actually happening in California's real estate market.^[176] The Financial Times warned of the impact on the U.S. economy of the "hard edge" in the "soft landing" scenario, saying "A slowdown in these red-hot markets is inevitable. It may be gentle, but it is impossible to rule out a collapse of sentiment and of prices... If housing wealth stops rising... the effect on the world's economy could be depressing indeed."^[177] "It would be difficult to characterize the position of home builders as other than in a hard landing", said Robert Toll, CEO of Toll Brothers.^[178] Angelo Mozilo, CEO of Countrywide Financial, said "I've never seen a soft-landing in 53 years, so we have a ways to go before this levels out. I have to prepare the company for the worst that can happen."^[179] Following these reports, Lereah admitted that "he expects home prices to come down 5% nationally", and said that some cities in Florida and California could have "hard landings."^[20] National home sales and prices both fell dramatically again in March 2007 according to NAR data, with sales down 13% to 482,000 from the peak of 554,000 in March 2006 and the national median price falling nearly 6% to $217,000 from the peak of $230,200 in July 2006 . The plunge in existing-home sales is the steepest since 1989.^[21] The new home market is also suffering. The biggest year over year drop in median home prices since 1970 occurred in April of 2007. Median prices for new homes fell 10.9 percent according to the Commerce Department.^[180]

Based on slumping sales and prices in August 2006, economist Nouriel Roubini warned that the housing sector is in "free fall" and will derail the rest of the economy, causing a recession in 2007.^[27] Joseph Stiglitz, winner of the Nobel Prize in economics in 2001, agreed, saying that the U.S. may enter a recession as house prices decline.^[181] The extent to which the economic slowdown, or possible recession, will last depends in large part on the resiliency of the U.S. consumer spending, which now makes up approximately 70% of the US$13.7 trillion economy. The evaporation of the wealth effect amid the current housing downturn could negatively affect the consumer confidence and provide further headwind for the U.S. economy and that of the rest of the world. The World Bank recently lowered the global economic growth rate due to a housing slowdown in the United States, but it does not believe that the U.S. housing malaise will further spread to the rest of the world. The Fed chairman Benjamin Bernanke said in October 2006 that there is currently a "substantial correction" going on in the housing market and that the decline of residential housing construction is one of the "major drags that is causing the economy to slow"; he predicted that the correcting market will decrease U.S. economic growth by about one percent in the second half of 2006 and remain a drag on expansion into 2007.^[182] The White House Council of Economic Advisers recently lowered their outlook for U.S. economic growth in 2008 from 3.1 percent to 2.7 percent and forecast higher unemployment, reflecting turmoil in the credit markets and residential real-estate market. The Bush Administration economic advisers also revised their unemployment outlook and predict the unemployment rate could rise slightly above 5 percent, up from the current unemployment rate of 4.6 percent.^[183]

Others speculate on the negative impact of the retirement of the Baby Boom generation and the relative cost to rent on the declining housing market.^[184][185] In many parts of the United States, it is significantly cheaper to rent the same property than to purchase it; the national median mortgage payment is $1,687 per month, nearly twice the median rent payment of $868 per month.^[91] However, the appreciation of home prices in many parts of the country has lured many renters to become homeowners. Yet the appreciation of home values far exceeded the income growth of many of these homebuyers, pushing them to leverage themselves beyond their means. They borrowed even more money in order to purchase homes that were far more expensive than their ability to meet their mortgage obligations. Many of these homebuyers took out adjustable-rate mortgages during the period of low interest rates to purchase homes of their dreams. Initially, they were able to meet their mortgage obligations due to their low "teaser" rates in the first few years. However, as the Federal Reserve Bank exercised monetary contraction policy in 2005, many homeowners were stunned when their adjustable-rate mortgages began to reset to much higher rates in mid-2007 and their monthly payments jumped far above their ability to meet the monthly mortgage payments. Some homeowners began to default on their mortgages in mid-2007 and the cracks in the U.S. housing foundation began to appear.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 14:55:19 -0500

OK so call me crazy. I thought Active Rain was for those connected in some way with the building industry. Did I miss something?

I know it has been several months since I worked AR but I was floored when I was answering the posts that had arrived while I was gone. I came upon a post sent from AR. One Anna Johnson. She was telling me in here note that she had an investment deal she wanted to to take a look at. In as nice a way as possible I told her that at this time I wasn't interested in any other venturers and not be to surprised if I said no. I thought that would be the end of it.

I went to AR and checked and sure enough she is a member with 196 points. I thought well if she is new it might take her some time to get her profile in shape to post and also to ge the hang of AR.

Well later that night I got a reply from her..........it was one of those darn letters from the individuals that are, "poor refugees without parents, but whoes parents have left them $7,000,000. and they have to have help getting it out of the country of origin.

Who would have thought? NOT ON AR TOO! I was bombarded with those darn things for the longest time last year but thought the had given up.

I would be interested in knowing if anyone else had heard from her or do I just have "stupid" tattooed on my forehead?

Color me livid.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY #22

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 23:56:51 -0500

Quote Of The Day

" Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."

- Albert Einstein

As some of you who like my posts and are faithful readers have noticed I have been absent from ActiveRain since the end of the year.

I want to thank all of-you that sent inquires as to my health and wellbeing. I will briefly tell you how my New Year started and then I will attempt to answer each of you individually day by day.

On Jan 1,2008 I made a trip to Texas to visit my daughter and had a delightful time. Om my return trip via American Airlines I boarded the plan only to be held at the boarding gate for two hours before the plane was allowed to take off. Now normally I don't partake of the meal (?) they offer to SELL you because I value not only my health but my taste buds as well, but not being a breakfast eater and having spent almost 4 hours in the terminal and the airplane before take off I thought what the heck, I bought one of their "gourmet" sandwiches. Which I did. I ate that with a coke to choke er, ah, swallow it down. On arriving home I had dinner which my son, who is NOT a gourmet cook thoughtfully fixed for us. It didn't go down very well and the next morning I really didn't feel very well. In fact the night before I felt very nauseated. As the day progressed I felt worse and I realized by the end of the day I was really sick. I wasn't sure if it was the airline food or the recirculated air they talk about, but not being prone to the flu I thought more about food poisoning. But as the days went buy with frequent (every ten minutes) runs to the bathroom, I soon realized I must have the flu. I was down in bed for six weeks and was about to go to the doctor when I started feeling better. But it was a tough six weeks. It took another three weeks to get my strength back.

Then an unexpected move came up and I have been busy packing and unpacking trying to get settled so I could get back to work.

Not that any of you really wanted to know this much but I thought I would let you know I'm still here. I wasn't just being, or ignoring those who were kind enough to write.

I guess I have to agree with the quote. Being a very healthy person most of the time, I don't count my health as a blessing as often as I should , so from now on, I will count that which can't be counted more often and I will ignore that which can be counted....except for you my dear friends and readers.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY # 21

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 12:02:28 -0600

"The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat."
- Napoleon Hill

After the dream comes Desire. If you have lost your desire you have certainly lost your dream. When that happens it is time to go back to square one and dream again.

If you are not dreaming of your Real Estate Career and it's success then you should reconsider what it is you do what out of life. It is no sin to admit that you chose the wrong profession, however it is a sin to stay in Real Estate if you don't Desire to help those in need of finding or selling their homes. Look to that which makes your heart sing and you will find your dream and the desire will be there.

By finding your dream your desire will set the world on fire.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY # 20

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 11:52:58 -0600

"To predict the behavior of ordinary people in advance, you only have to assume that they will always try to escape a disagreeable situation with the smallest possible expenditure of intelligence."
- Friedrich Nietzsche

In our profession, have you noticed that most (certainly not all) individuals will do the least they can get away with? After all why take two (necessary by law) steps if one might squeak by?

Either these people don't care that they are causing more work for their fellow agents, or they are so egregious they don't know. Either way, it is taking a risk with their business not to mention their license and ours.

The journey is made one step at a time, not two giant steps.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY # 19

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:07:10 -0600

"We have met the enemy and he is us."

Pogo

In todays market of the housing debacles there are so many fingers pointing at others in our industry that it looks like a pointing war. My Grandmother always said, "when you point your finger at someone for what you imagine they have done wrong, remember there are three fingers pointing back at you." Yes, it is true we are in a fine kettle of fish right now and it is not only effecting every phase of the housing market but it is bleeding into the rest of the economy as well. But it is well to remember there is enough blame to go around. It is not just the mortgage market, or the Realtors, or inspectors or any of the other professionals connected to the housing market. The client holds some of the blame as well, but more than that it is all of us. Who can stand up and say they didn't want their share of the pie when the market was booming?

Yes, we have met the enemy and he is us, but the question here is will we recognize him when we meet again? And we will meet again.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY # 18

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 17:18:26 -0600

"If man does find the solution for world peace it will be the most revolutionary reversal of his record we have ever known."
- George C. Marshall

In our time in history there is so much talk by the populace concerning the war in Iraq, and even more political posturing for who is to blame and should or shouldn't we be there.

If we look at the history of man from the beginning of our recorded history, war has been our constant companion.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if in this coming year we could give out the Nobel Peace Prize for the individual who came up with a workable plan of avoid war?

The gain would be immeasurable.

QUOTE OF THE DAY # 17

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 14:39:05 -0600

Some people think fast is better when doing any task. Some think slow and steady is best, but beware of those that think fast and sloppy is the way to go. I have run into so many real estate agents in the recent market that are becoming sloppy. You would think if they have less to do they would take it slow and GREAT!

Now is not the time to let you apathy show through. Now is the time to make clients for life.

THANKSGIVING

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 00:52:29 -0600

Bella and Ginger

HAPPY THANKSGIVING. May you be with all of your loved ones and remember that means your four footed ones too.

THANKSGIVING

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 00:50:22 -0600

To Alexander and the Group;

My prayer is for all of you to remember why you are greatful this Thanksgiving and say "I love you to those close to you."

HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

THANKSGIVING

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 00:12:03 -0600

To all of my faithful readers, and the rest of Active Rainer's;

May you all have the most wonderful Thanksgiving with the ones you love.

Be thankful for what you have, where you live and who you are.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

QUOTE OF THE DAY #16

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:09:30 -0600

"Every man is guilty of all the good he didn't do"
- Voltaire

My grandmother used to tell me, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

How many times have you thought "I think I will do that for that cause or person," or "I should have done that?"

At that moment in time we really mean to do the thing we thought of. We really mean to help that person. But we put it in the back of our mind and then forget it? It is true we all live busy lives. But how many of us put aside time to help those that need our attention? How many times have you thought,"my ten dollars won't make that much difference?"

However, in your heart of hearts you know that isn't true. It is a momentary bandage to help cover the guilt.

'We have become isolated in our lives with email, blackberry's, cell phones and Internet. We can talk to hundreds of people through these inventions without ever seeing a face. With out ever really touching a life.

Like Voltair said, what are you guilty of at this time in your life? We don't like to let others see into our souls that much, but they also say confession is good for the soul. :)

WHAT CAN WE DO

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:15:37 -0600

I know there are differing sentiments concerning the war in Iraq. Some think we should be there, some think we should leave and there are those that think we should never have gone. I do believe there is one thing we can all agree on and that is, it is our men and women over there fighting. They are there because our government ask them to go. They have left their lives here in the USA on hold and gone in our stead. They have left all that is familar to them, home for them and love to them, for us.

I think it is important no matter what your thoughts on the politics of the war are, that you let the men and women of the armed services know that we support THEM.

FOLLOW THIS LINK AND LET'S PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND FIND A WAY TO LET THEM KNOW WE THE HOUSING PROFESSIONALS CARE.

http://www.youtube.com/v/ervaMPt4Ha0&autoplay=1

AAADD- KNOW THE SYMPTOMS.....PLEASE READ!

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 15:04:41 -0500

Thank goodness there's a name for this disorder.
Somehow I feel better, even though I have it!!

Recently, I was diagnosed with A.A.A.D.D. -
Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.
This is how it manifests:

I decide to water my garden.

As I turn on the hose in the driveway,
I look over at my car and decide it needs washing.

As I start toward the garage,
I notice mail on the porch table that
I brought up from the mail box earlier.

I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.

I lay my car keys on the table,
put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table,
and notice that the can is full.

So, I decide to put the bills back
on the table and take out the garbage first.

But then I think,
since I'm going to be near the mailbox
when I take out the garbage anyway,
I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my check book off the ta ble,
and see that there is only one check left.

My extra checks are in my desk in the study,
so I go inside the house to my desk where
I find the can of Coke I'd been drinking.

I'm going to look for my checks,
but first I need to push the Coke aside>
so that I don't accidentally knock it over.

The Coke is getting warm,
and I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke,
a vase of flowers on the counter
catches my eye--they need water.

I put the Coke on the counter and
discover my reading glasses that
I've been searching for all morning.

I decide I better put them back on my desk,
but first I'm going to water the flowers.

I set the glasses back down on the counter,
fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote.
Someone left it on the kitchen table.

I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV,
I'll be looking for the remote,
but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table,
so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs,
but first I'll water the flowers.

I pour some water in the flowers,
but quite a bit of it spills on the floor.

So, I set the remote back on the table,
get some towels and wipe up the spill.

Then, I head down the hall trying to
remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day:

the car isn't washed

the bills aren't paid

there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter

the flowers don't have enough water,

there is still only 1 check in my check book,

I can't find the remote,

I can't find my glasses,

and I don' t remember what I did with the car keys.

Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today,
I'm really baffled because

I know I was busy all day,
and I'm really tired.

I realize this is a serious problem,
and I'll try to get some help for it,
but first I'll check my e-mail....

Don't laugh -- if this isn't you yet, your day is coming.

Author Unknown

Boy am I closer than I like to think. Except for real estate, when I am at home trying to get things done this is about it.

I grew up in a big house. I guess it had about 3000 sq ft and for that day and the area that was a pretty big house. So I have always liked the space and room that a big house offers. About 6 years ago I could clean (I mean deep clean) that big house in two days. One for up stairs and one day for down. Now it takes me a week and I wonder what I did all day. I'm busy, I'm running all day. But when I look at what has been accomplished...well let's just say it isn't what I used to do.

How about you? Do you find your self side tracked? Slowing down? Well, like I say if you don't, don't laugh at us olders because your day is coming no matter what you say about it now! It's not so bad, after all they say staying busy keeps you young...Yeah right!

OH BOY HERE WE GO AGAIN

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:09:21 -0500

Yep stand by. The Feds just cut the interest rate again by a quarter of a point down to 4.5%. Now the phones will ring with people thinking that they can get a loan at the benchmark of 4.5%.

I would guess that only 1 out of ten people will understand that isn't the interest rate on ALL loans. As we the professional are caught trying to explain to them what this means, we are labeled sharks, while the client laments that another company will give the client that interest rate. We are left to say, "I wish you luck." However that doesn't pay our bills.

Will this bring to an end of the blood letting in our profession? I don't think so. There are other particulars that are impeding buyers from qualifying for a loan that goes above the bench mark of FHA. One of those things is MONEY! It's that simple. Money for a hefty down andclosing costs. OK back to the drawing board. How are you handling this?

MY WEEK AT THE GYM

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:21:49 -0500

If you read this without laughing out loud, there is something wrong with you. This is dedicated to everyone who ever attempted to get into a regular workout routine. Dear Diary,

For my birthday this year, my daughter (the dear) purchased a week of personal training at the local health club for me. Although I am still in great shape since being a high school football cheerleader 43 years go, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.

I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Belinda, who identified herself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear.

My daughter seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress. MONDAY:

Started my day at 6:00 a.m. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Belinda waiting for me. She is something of a Greek goddess - a thinly built female, dancing eyes and a dazzling white smile. Woo Hoo !! Belinda gave me a tour and showed me the machines. I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which she conducted her aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring!

Belinda was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time she was around. This is going to be a FANTASTIC week-!!

TUESDAY:

I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door.

Belinda made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air then she put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. Belinda's rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT-!! It's a whole new life for me.

WEDNESDAY:

The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot.

Belinda was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members. Her voice is a little too perky for early in the morning and when she scolds, she gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying. My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Belinda put me on the stair monster. Why the h*** would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Belinda told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. She said some other s*** too.

THURSDAY:

Belinda was waiting for me with her vampire-like teeth exposed as her thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn't help being a half an hour late; it took me that long to tie my shoes.

Belinda took me to work out with dumbbells. When she was not looking, I ran and hid in the restroom. She sent another skinny cow to find me.

Then, as punishment, she put me on the rowing machine -- which I sank.

FRIDAY:

I hate that cow Belinda more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic, anorexic little cheerleader. If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat her with it.

Belinda wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps! And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me those stupid barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich. The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher.

Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?

SATURDAY:

Belinda left a message on my answering machine in her grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing her made me want to smash the machine with my planner. However, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel.

SUNDAY:

I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year my daughter (the little rugrat***) will choose a gift for me that is fun like a root canal or a hysterectomy. I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with
diamonds!!!

Author Unknown

How can I tell you about the way I feel after I work out. What is a work out to me? Carrying the groceries from the car, taking the garbage out, and don't forget about the workout my fingers get as I sit here and type all night. Then there is bending over to plug in the vacuum, or lifting my BIG cup of coffee. Now we are talking serious work out here. How about sharing your work out schedule with us.

What Are YOU Doing?

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 11:25:43 -0500

I know this is a site that is for the professional in Real Estate Industry. But as I read this I had the thought, "What difference will it all make if there is nothing left to sell or anyone left to see it too? I have been concerned with this for a very long time, but what to do is always the problem. What can one person do to help heal the earth? It is no longer exceptable to say, "Let Washington fix it." or Let someone else fix it I don't have time." It IS YOUR problem and it is my problem.

You and I might not be here 30 or 50 years from now, but what about your children and grandchildren? ANd for you that are in the industry you will be here in 30 years. What will you have left?

I learned in high school that if one eco system is threatened then all of civilization is threatened. It is no longer acceptable to say, " I'm busy I don't have time."

What are you doing? What WILL you do? How can you justify not doing anything? Let's put our heads together and see what we as an industy can do.

http://www.well.com/user/davidu/extinction.html

MADE WHERE?

Roberta Lee-Norco Corona Riversid Homes For Sale (Century 21 Olde Tyme) — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 00:16:34 -0500

Joe Smith started the day early having set his alarm clock (MADE IN JAPAN) for 6 am. While his coffeepot (MADE IN CHINA ) was perking,and her had his first cup of coffee (MADE IN BRAZIL), he shaved with his electric razor (MADE IN HONG KONG ). He put on a dress shirt (MADE IN SRI LANKA ), designer jeans (MADE IN SINGAPORE ) and tennis shoes (MADE IN KOREA ). After cooking his breakfast in his new electric skillet (MADE IN INDIA ) he sat down with his calculator ( MADE IN MEXICO ) to see how much he could spend today. After setting his watch (MADE IN TAIWAN to the radio (MADE IN INDIA ) he got in his car ( MADE IN GERMANY ) filled it with GAS from (Saudi Arabia) and continued his search for a good paying AMERICAN JOB .
At the end of yet another discouraging and fruitless day checking his Computer (Made In Malaysia), Joe decided to relax for a while. He put on his sandals (MADE IN BRAZIL ) poured himself a glass of wine (MADE IN FRANCE) and turned on his TV ( MADE IN INDONESIA), and then wondered why he can't find a good paying job in AMERICA ..

Author Unknown

This would be funny if it weren't so true. Out sourcing has become a way of life in America. I know that Washington says it is the way we keep the balance in the GNP and the GNI and the GNE but if they really had studied their history they would know that it is the beginning of the end for any civilization which cannot sustain themselves. Not only that but we are forgoing growing corn for people to put gas (ethanol) in our cars, and our new insecticide is kill our bees. Go figure. It is amazing to me that we have hung in there as long as we have. What do you think about all of this?