Second Self Virtual Assistance

No, I'm Not Lying...I'm Really 39!

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:15:58 -0600

No, I'm not lying. I'm really 39! I swear! It sounds like I should be wink-wink, nudge-nudging and saying that I'm "39" with air quotes around it. But, I am quite happy about turning 39. I have never felt more comfortable in my own skin than I do now. And next year, I get to turn 40. This isn't my last ditch attempt at hanging on to my youth. Truth be told, from the time I was 10, I have always felt about 30. So, you see, the more birthdays I get, the younger I really am. This is nicer since I am on the other side of 30 now.

A few years ago, I took my son (who's birthday is 2 days before mine) and my niece (who's birthday is 3 days after mine) to Disneyland. We went to the special office where you declare you are there to celebrate your birthday and get a cute little sticker that pronounces both your name and how old you are. To my son, they asked how old he was. He told them "12". To my niece, they asked how old she was. She told them "12". The kid behind the counter pulled out a sticker. I saw him squirm and knew he was trying to figure out how exactly to ask me what my age was or even if he should ask me. To save him the embarrassment, I simply told him "36". His shoulders relaxed and a big smile came over his face. I told him, "I'm 36 and I'm in Disneyland. I don't care who knows it." The rest of the day, we were each greeted with a smile, a "Happy Birthday" and felt very special.

You're only as old as you feel! I'm not lying...I'm really 39!

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant

New Guidelines for Mammograms - Seriously?!

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:40:04 -0600

A government task force has released new guidelines for mammograms. Instead of the annual mammogram from the age of 40 that is currently in effect, the task force recommends that women don't start getting mammograms until the age of 50 and then only every other year. They also said that breast self-exams don't work and shouldn't even be taught to women. As a person who has personally known women who survived breast cancer as well as one who has had close friends and even my own grandmother die after a breast cancer diagnosis, this is an outrage to me. My biggest concern is that, if insurance companies follow these guidelines, they won't cover the cost of mammograms for women under 50 if they choose to be proactive about early detection. Further, if women ages 50 and older decide they want an annual mammogram instead of one every other year, will insurance companies cover that?

The key to survival of breast cancer is early detection. I know of several women who detected a lump that didn't show up on their annual mammogram but was instead found during their monthly self-exam. So, the idea that self-exams do absolutely no good is ludicrous to me. Some of the more famous women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and survived include Olivia Newton-John, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Ethridge, Edie Falco, Ann Jillian (all in their 40s when they were diagnosed) and Christina Applegate (who was 36 when she was diagnosed). They would not have been so fortunate for early detection if they had followed these new guidelines.

Are the new guidelines for mammograms really a way for insurance companies to save money or are they an honest look at what works best? You will have to be the judge. But answer this question for me. Are you willing to gamble the life of your mother, sister, wife, cousin, daughter, granddaughter or friend?

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant

Beans Beans the Magical Fruit

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:13:31 -0600

For some reason, when I was pumping gas the other day (appropriate, no?), the song "Beans, Beans the Magical Fruit" came to mind. Can you see why that might be?

Apparently, "So nice, you'll taste it twice" is considered a great advertising campaign. Of course, if you're buying your lunch at the gas station's convenience store, I guess you're not a real "stickler" for quality.

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

LOL Friday: The Drinking Was the Worst!

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:49:39 -0600

This is one of my family's absolute most favoritest commercials in the world. If you don't have a Kaiser Hospital in your area, you've probably never seen this before. This little boy is cute, hilarious and poignant all at the same time. Enjoy!

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

Help Make Terminally Ill 5-Year-Old Boy's Wish Come True

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:37:56 -0600

The Cosmic Cow's Carra Riley sent me a message on Facebook from one of her other Facebook friends telling me about this heartbreaking/heartwarming story that I wanted to pass along to everyone else in hopes that you, dear Active Rain members, will help this little boy and his family create a legacy of help and hope for other little kids.

Little Noah Biorkman is a typical 5-year-old boy: he loves Christmas. However, what is atypical for this little guy is that he has been fighting cancer since he was 3 years old. When it went into remission in late 2007, the family was overjoyed. But, a year later, Noah experienced a relapse. Currently, Noah is in hospice care in Michigan after being diagnosed with end stage neuroblastoma. Both he and his family have come to terms with the fact that Noah most likely will not make it to Christmas. But, instead of focusing on the negative, they have decided to make the most of the time Noah has left in this world. Christmas was brougth to Noah this weekend.

After the family had put out Noah's request to receive as many Christmas cards as possible, they were overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and wishes from all over the world, including a package from as far away as Hong Kong. So far, they have received around 8000 cards. The family is forever grateful to all these people for showing such tremendous support to their little boy. Since the Biorkman family has received so many packages, they have set up a trust fund in Noah's name and have asked that, in lieu of gifts, please send a card with $1 inside and they will donate all money received in Noah's name to the University of Michigan's neuroblastoma research center and the Michigan Make-a-Wish chapter. Please send a card to the family. If you wish to also send them a gift, please make a donation instead of anything you are comfortable with.

Cards can be sent to:

Noah Biorkman
1141 Fountain View Circle
South Lyon, MI 48178

Thank you, Carra, for letting me know about this story. It is heartbreaking as well as heartwarming. My card and donation are in the mail tomorrow. I hope more people join me in this.

Click here to view the video of Noah's story on Click on Detroit.

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

My Son, The Genius

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:27:27 -0600

This is a series of texts between my son, the genius, and I yesterday between his classes:

Genius Son: "Guess what. I got B's on both of my last two tests."

Momma Genius: "Which class?"

G.S.: "They was math."

M.G.: "Way to go!"

G.S.: "LOL. I is a mad genius. We must celebrate with Survivor and chocolate strawberries."

M.G.: "Why don't we celebrate with you not getting anything else taken away because you acted like an idiot, genius? (and Survivor & chocolate strawberries)."

G.S.: "Sounds fair. I am a genius. LOLOLOLOLOLOL."

M.G.: " You is a mad genius, doooood!"

Apple doesn't fall very far from the tree, does it? He had his X-box taken away earlier in the semester when we found out he wasn't completing all his work in his math class, thus causing his grade to suffer. That's where the "not getting anything else taken away" comes from. Behold! My son, the Genius!

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

The Truth is Out There (And it Hurts)

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:16:13 -0600

THIS IS HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN OUR OWN COUNTRY! We must stop this immediately!

Have you noticed that stairs are getting steeper?

Groceries are heavier and everything is farther away. Yesterday, I walked to the corner and I was dumbfounded to discover how long our street had become!

You know, people are less considerate now, especially the young ones. They speak in whispers all the time! If you ask them to speak up, they just keep repeating themselves, endlessly mouthing the same silent message until they're red in the face! What do they think I am...a lip reader?

I also think they are much younger than I was at the same age. On the other hand, people my own age are so much older than I am. I ran into an old friend the other day and she has aged so much that she didn't even recognize me. I got to thinking about the poor dear while I was combing my hair this morning and, in doing so, I glanced at my own reflection. Well, REALLY NOW - even mirrors are not made the way they used to be!

Another thing, everyone drives so fast these days! You're risking life and limb if you happen to pull onto the freeway in front of them. All I can say is their brakes must wear out awfully fast, the way I see them screech and swerve in my rear view mirror.

Clothing manufacturers are less civilized these days. Why else would they suddenly start labeling a size 10 or 12 dress as 18 or 20? Do they think no one notices? The people who make bathroom scales are pulling the same prank. Do they think I actually 'believe' the number I see on that dial? HA! I would never let myself weigh that much! Just who do these people think they're fooling?

I'd like to call up someone in authority to report what's going on -- but the telephone company is in on the conspiracy too. They've printed the phone books in such small type that no one could ever find a number in there!

All I can do is pass along this warning: WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!

Unless something drastic happens, pretty soon everyone will have to suffer these awful indignities.

PLEASE TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO WE CAN GET THIS CONSPIRACY STOPPED!

PS: I am sending this to you in a larger font size, because something has happened to my computer's fonts - they are smaller than they once were.

One of my most absolute favoritist commercials ever:

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

Wordless Wednesday: He Works Hard for the Money

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:17:55 -0600

If you have ever seen a dancing cow in your neighborhood, then you might know what restaurant he is promoting:

This little guy (or gal, you can't really tell) is always working his/her tail off to tell everyone to not both with eating beef. It's so passe. "Eat More Chikn". I saw him/her dancing on the corner when I went to pick up some lunch today. Chik-Fil-A is a fantastic fast food restaurant with tons of healthy food to eat that tastes fantastic. Had to share!

Save the cows! Eat More Chickn!

**These photos were taken by my very own camera and are my property. However, if you like what you see and want to use them for yourself, please let me know. I might give my permission, I might not. I gotta hear the reason first. ;-)**

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

Homemade Chavez Chili Recipe

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:18:37 -0600

When the weather changes, I like to make homemade chili. You can either go completely from scratch by buying dry pinto beans, soaking them overnight, sifting through and rinsing them out before putting them into the slow cooker and then making your own rue. But, I like to keep things simple. So, here is the quicker method for a great wintertime chili.

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground maple sausage*
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cans pinto beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can stewed, diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried Oregano
1 tablespoon Allspice
1 tablespoon Coriander
1 tablespoon Cinnamon
1/2 medium chopped white onion
Cheddar cheese, shredded

*You can use any ground meat you like. I like ground maple sausage because it has a rich flavor with a hint of sweetness in the maple. Jimmy Dean sausage is the best.

1. Heat the minced garlic over medium heat and then brown the sausage*. Drain.

2. Add beans, tomatoes, sausage and spices to pot. Stir.

3. You can either leave the pot on a low flame on the stove for an hour and a half or you can put it in a slow cooker at the lowest setting for a few hours. I prefer the slow cooker because of the "set it and forget it" theory of cooking.

4. When it's all heated up and you can't stand to just smell it anymore, it's done.

5. Add chopped onion and cheddar cheese as garnish on top and serve.

Yummy!

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

5 Easy Ways to Be a Happier You

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:18:23 -0600

Happiness really is a state of mind. If you think it, you can be it. Here are five easy ways that you can be a happier you:

1. Enjoy your own company. If you like being with you, other people will, too. And, you'll never be alone if you are fine with being by yourself.

2. Smile and/or laugh. Not only does this usually elicit the same response in others, but it releases a chemical in the brain called "serotonin" that makes you feel happy.

3. Wear fuzzy socks. OK, they don't HAVE to be fuzzy. But, slipping on some warm socks and wiggling your toes makes you just feel cozy and happy. Especially against the chilly winter weather.

4. Sing! You don't have to be Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston. Just pick up a hairbrush, turn the radio up loud and sing and dance along to your favorite song. If you're in the car, turn the radio up as loud as you dare and sing to your heart's content. Don't worry what people in the other cars think. They're probably doing the same thing.

5. Chocolate. Yeah, too much is a bad thing. However, indulging in a little dark chocolate when you're feeling blue is not only a health benefit, but a nice little mood booster as well.

There are tons of other simple, easy ways for you to be a happier you. What do you do that makes you happy?

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

A Howling Good Time on Halloween!

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:09:54 -0600

My son and I love Halloween. In fact, you could say we have a "howling" good time! I waited until the last minute to buy and carve the pumpkin because a carved pumpkin doesn't last very long. I took the video below with a daytime and nighttime view of part of our Halloween display to share. This is merely a taste. If you want to see more, you'll have to come by next Halloween!

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistance - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

Happy Halloween!

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:54:35 -0500

From my little serial killer to you:

Have a safe and savory Happy Halloween!

I hope you have a howling good time.

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around

LOL Friday: A Walk on the Wild Side

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:44:21 -0500

When my son and I were at the store the other day, we walked by a whole rack of these. So, you know I just HAD to take a photo and share:

These delightful little "blankets with sleeves" now come in fun animals prints for you to endulge your "wild side" (it even says so on the box!). For those of you with absolutely no motor skills to maneuver the complexities of a blanket but are aware of your keen fashion sense, the leopard-print Snuggie is just the thing for you!

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around

Hallelujah Harvest Halloween in Moreno Valley CA

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:16:12 -0500

For a safe and uplifting alternative to trick or treating on Halloween night, make it a point to com to the Calvary Baptist Church's Hallelujah Harvest in Moreno Valley on Saturday, October 31st, 2009 from 6:30-8:30pm. There will be carnival games, a bounce house, face painting, trick or treating, lots of candy and more. And the best part? It's absolutely FREE to kids and their parents. Come on down and have some Halloween fun!

View Hallelujah Harvest in a larger map

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

A Halloween (Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:41:06 -0500

Next to Christmas, Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year. The little guy on the left is the Grim Reaper, there are gooey eyeballs and ears in the glass, the tapered candles bleed, but my skull candle does not. I have to keep the eyeballs and ears inside the house until the night of Halloween because the local neighborhood cats love to come up and take them away to who knows where. This is only a very small bit of my Halloween decorating fun. Yes, I'm weird. So what!

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

I Don't Need a Blog...Period!

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:13:53 -0500

"I don't need a blog...period!" These are the actual words spoken by one of our clients as she was being informed that, while SEO is great for working her site, social networking was an even better tool with even bigger results. She wasn't buying it. (Notice the "period", just in case we didn't understand how much she meant it.) No matter how many times or how many ways we told her how important social networking is in a Web 2.0 world, she didn't budge. If Google, Microsoft and Yahoo! understand the importance of social networking (as seen with their agreements with Twitter to begin providing status updates in real-time on their search engines), then why can't I make a Realtor® in the Midwest understand that her blog posts are an excellent way to get her name out to hundreds of thousands of potential clients in just a few minutes a day? How many thousands of dollars have been spent in the past with postcard mailings, open houses and those notepads that EVERYONE has lying around with a photo and contact info on them that are only used for scrap paper? Social networking is only a fraction of the cost of these things and takes just minutes a day. It seems that some people get stuck on the "social" part and forget completely that, what it really comes down to is "networking".

"But everyone knows who I am. Why do I need to waste my time with a blog?" Sure, you may be a big star in your neck of the woods. But, why limit yourself to ONLY your neck of the woods? It's called the "World Wide Web", not "Joe Shmoe's Neighborhood". Think about the fact that more and more people are using the internet to purchase a home, whether in their own city, across the country or even internationally. If you only set your sights on the local market, you're short-changing your potential. And a blog is an excellent way to let people from all over the web know that you are the expert in what you do. It opens the door for potential clients to get to know you a bit before they decide if you are the right representative for them. And it only takes a few minutes a day. The same people who say "I don't need a blog...period" are the same ones that will be running to catch up with the rest of the industry when their competitors take all the action from them. Don't let that be you!

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

Are You Marketing Your Blog?

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:35:54 -0500

Are you marketing your blog or are you just writing it? Yes, Word Press, Blogger, TypePad and Active Rain allow for a certain amount of "Google juice". But, are you simply posting your blog on one of these platforms hoping that someone reads it...sometime? Or are you actively marketing your blog to those readers surfing the internet, hungry for the knowledge you know that only you can impart? If you aren't actively marketing your blog, you may be missing one of the greatest opportunities to get your voice heard.

There are several great blog directories that you absolutely MUST add your blog to, such as Technorati and Blogarama (just to name a couple). Automated submission tools like Pingomatic can get your blog pinged and sent to a couple dozen different services on the web. And, by adding your RSS feeds to several feed managers, such as Feedburner, you can get your posts listed in record-breaking time. Don't forget to add these RSS feeds to all your social networks as well to keep track of any post you list in real-time.

If you don't know how or where to add your blogs and RSS feeds, feel free to contact Second Self Virtual Assistance. Second Self is always ready to lend a helping hand to get your voice hear. You are marketing your services. But, are you marketing your blog?

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

Full Moon at Halloween

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:23:25 -0500

I've blocked out any possible offensiveness for those readers with a more delicate nature and sensibility. But, for the more adventurous of you (and I KNOW there are a few), click on the photo to see the full "uncensored" version, if you dare! You've been warned!

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

DWI in a La-Z-Boy?

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:12:16 -0500

Apparently, you can get a DWI while operating ANYTHING with a motor. A Minnesota man was arrested after plowing his motorized La-Z-Boy into a parked car. His blood alcohol level was 0.29, more than three times the legal limit. This motorized bad boy was tricked out with a stereo and cup holders. Who says Minnesota doesn't know how to party!

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

Adventures of a Bingo Whore!

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:45:56 -0500

I have created a new Word Press blog that I thought I'd share with everyone here on Active Rain: Adventures of a Bingo Whore. There is a story behind my "Bingo Whore"-ness, but you'll have to visit the blog to see what that is! My philosophy is that everyone has a story. I am happy to share my story with you on Adventures of a Bingo Whore. Please check it out and let me know what you think.

Thanks,

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant

Paranormal Activity Lives Up to the Hype!

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:09:11 -0500

"Paranormal Activity" lives up to the hype! As a movie buff (and a horror movie buff to boot), I was so excited when I saw sneak previews online for "Paranormal Activity". What stood out was that this low-budget movie (made only for a little over $10,000) decided to forgo showing scenes from the movie. But, instead, showed the audience reactions to special screenings and that got me hooked. My husband (absolutely NOT being a fan of horror movies) declined to go with me to the special preview viewing being held at midnight on September 24th in Los Angeles. None of my friends were able to go with me either. So, I had to wait for its wide release to happen last Friday. Luckily, my son is a HUGE horror fan like his Mama. We made a date to go see a matinee after school on Friday. One of the perks of being an independent contractor is that you can take time off for such things. I took the perk!

If you love horror movies, you are going to love "Paranormal Activity". It takes place in a suburban San Diego home of boyfriend and girlfriend Micah and Katie. Katie has apparently been having trouble with some entity around her since she was 8 years old. Because they have been experiencing unexplained "bumps in the night", Micah decides to get a video camera. That's when all hell breaks loose. It got to be that every time they would show a night scene in the bedroom, the gooseflesh would stand out on your arms in anticipation of something truly terrifying happening. And it just got more and more intense as the movie went on. In the fashion of "The Blair Witch Project" (which I happened to love, by the way), we never actually SEE what this "entity" looks like. But, we don't have to. Imagination can be far worse than reality. It got to be that even lights turning off and on in the hallway made you cringe. The "thump...thump...THUMP"-ing you hear on the stairs takes up residence in your brain for a while.

And the ending is one for the recordbooks. I hadn't been that scared or creeped out since the little girl came out of the television set at the end of "The Ring". The ending to "Paranormal Activity" stayed with me for a couple of days afterwards (similar to the vision of Mike standing in the corner at the end of "The Blair Witch Project" stayed with me for a few days). But this was on a much more intense level. In fact, I had to have the television on to sleep Friday and Saturday nights. When I would wake up and turn the TV off, I couldn't fall back asleep until I turned the TV back on. This movie was absolutely fantastic!

Again, if you are a horror fan, you HAVE to see this movie. "Paranormal Activity" lives up to the hype!

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

But would we have Disneyland?

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:25:46 -0500

Greg wrote an absolutely wonderful post and I just had to share it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Makes for great food for thought, doesn't it?

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

Via Greg Cook (First Time Home Buyer Network):

Over the last few months the subject of government involvement in the real estate business has been debated on Active Rain at great length (talk about an understatement), and I don't expect to change the views or opinions who think that all government involvement in the Real Estate business has been a disaster.

But, the fact is "it's just not true!", but what is true is the government has been successfully involved in the real estate business for more than 70 years and were it not for at least two of the programs, most of us wouldn't have the title Realtor or Mortgage Banker/Broker.

Now before you go labeling me a "socialist", I'm not advocating that the "Barney Frankian" form of government involvement is the solution either, in fact the "Frankian" theory of "housing for everyone" is probably number one on the list of causes for our current dilemna.

What does this have to do with Disneyland?  This past weekend my wife and I visited Disneyland for my birthday (got in free!). Now I have been to Disneyland hundreds of times. I was raised seven miles from the Magic Kingdom (when you're a kid seven miles is close enough to bike there but way too far to bike back). When my kids were younger, my mom worked there, so we got free admission. Needless to say, I have seen everything the Magic Kingdom has to offer many, many times but this past weekend I was able to view it from a completely different perspective.

We stayed at a local hotel and the morning after our excursion I was standing on my 14th floor balcony and saw the areas surrounding Disneyland in a new light. It was a magnificent day and I could see all the way to the ocean. But as I pulled my field of vision closer I noticed tens of thousands of homes and I paused to reflect on how it all happened.

Disneyland opened in 1955 as Walt Disney's dream, but at the time it was little more than an amusement park in the middle of orange groves. Interstate 5 the main north-south thoroughfare in California wouldn't be completed for a few more years and Los Angeles was still the primary employment center of Southern California. There were more orange groves than houses at the time.

As I overlooked all these houses, I realized none of this would have existed without government assistance and I think they did a darn good job of it.

In 1934 the federal government created the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) which provided for low down payment loans and perhaps more importantly long term 20 or 30 year loans. Up until that point, financing for homes was either non-existent, required large down payments and was short term.

If not for FHA (and later VA) how many of those families would have been able to make the westward migration after the end of WWII, and buy the affordable housing that would eventually surround the "happiest place on earth"?

The charters of Fannie Mae and later Freddie Mac were the second steps in creating the housing market as we know it. By putting the "full faith and credit" of the United States government behind mortgage backed securities, Fannie and Freddie created investment grade instruments with interest rates that were competitive in the market. The replenishable source of funds, allowed the mortgage market to grow to meet the ever increasing demand. Their higher loan limits, also allowed those wishing to buy a home above entry level, a source for financing at competitive interest rates.

The two most significant events in the United States real estate market had nothing to do with the houses, nothing to do with indoor plumbing or electricity, nothing to do with mass production but everything to do with financing and how people were able to buy mass produced tract homes with indoor plumbing and electricity.

I'm won't justify the excesses of the past few years, but I think seventy plus years of getting it right, can't be ignored. We need to hold our government accountable but don't dismiss what they're trying to do because most of the time they seem to get it right.

Millions of families had and have the "American Dream" of homeownership, but unless they have a viable way to pay for it, it remains just that a "DREAM!"

You Know it's Hot When...

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:18:09 -0500

As a tribute to my Lake Havasu family and since there's been alot of chatter about the weather amongst my Facebook friends today, I thought I would present: You know it's hot when...

1. You have to bring your CDs into the house with you because they will melt if left in the car.

2. You need to use oven mitts to buckle your seatbelt and drive the car because the steering wheel and stick shift feel like you're taking a roast out of the oven.

3. You brush your teeth with hot water because that is the only thing coming out of the cold water tap.

4. You can't even hop into the pool to cool off because it feels like a great big hot tub. (Bring on the margaritas, boys! Momma wants to cool off!)

5. You plan all your errands around dropping the kids off at school in the morning. Anything after 8:30am is just crazy talk!

6. You keep an ice chest in the car for your dairy items. Otherwise, things melt and spoil before you get home from the grocery store, which is located about two miles from your home.

7. You see "air conditioned garage" as a necessity, not a luxury.

8. It is considered thrifty when it only costs you $400 a month to cool off a 1200 sq ft home...seriously!

9. Absolutely no (and I mean NO) car dealer offers leather seats as an option. Only a masochist would derive pleasure from having their skin adhere to their seat.

and most important of all...

10. Everytime the evening news comes on, the answer to the "Hottest Place in the Country" is always "Lake Havasu"!

I love you guys in Lake Havasu, but I won't be back out until it chills out a bit. Thanks!

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

2009 Great California Shakeout Today

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:42:43 -0500

At 10:15 this morning (October 15, 2009), millions of Californians will be participating in the Great California Shakeout today, a simultaneous earthquake drill. The Shakeout is designed to help prepare Californians in the event of a 7.0 magnitude or higher earthquake. Schools, government offices and businesses around the state will be shown safety measures, such as dropping down low, covering themselves under a heavy piece of furniture for protection and holding on until the shaking finishes. Californians will also be shown how to check the utilities and where to turn off the gas to prevent possible fires or explosions from possible gas leaks. It's also a good time to make sure you have an earthquake kit prepared, which includes enough food, medicine, water, clothing and medical supplies for 3 days for each member of the family or business. I certainly hope you get to participate in the Great California Shakeout today.

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant

Wordless Wednesday: Devoted Husband

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:10:11 -0500

This would be funnier if it didn't hit so close to home! (LOL...tear)

I'm thinking this husband needs to read Ralph's glowing tribute to the fairer sex. What do you think?

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!