Robin's blog: real estate, Texas, organic gardening, wildlife, photos, and lots more

Cat food recall follow-up: what to feed your kitty friend

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:23:17 -0600

Thank you to everyone who stopped by and commented on my previous post, as well as my ActiveRain friends who reblogged it to reach a wider audience. I wanted to follow up with more information based on some of the comments.

Because of the high level of mercury in tuna fish, cats shouldn't eat a large amount of it. Besides not feeding your cat high amounts of canned or fresh tuna, try not to always feed a tuna-flavored dry food.
Tuna and raw fish have another, potentially deadly, effect on cats: they prevent the cat from absorbing a crucial nutrient, thiamine. The lack of this ingredient is what caused the cats to get sick from the recalled cat food I blogged about.
A diet of 100% canned food isn't a panacea either. Studies have linked hyperthyroid disease to the chemicals lining pop-top cans. It is still a tentative link, but it's suggested that you store the remaining canned cat food in a glass container in the refrigerator instead of leaving it in the can.
Finally, as one cat-owned person pointed out, milk isn't good for cats--it causes diarrhea, at the least. Yuck! And raw eggs, liver, or raw meat can cause food poisoning.

So if you don't cook fresh poultry and fish for your cat, the next best thing seems to be a blend of at least 50% canned food and 50% high-protein, low-carbohydrate-filler dry kibble.

I am trying to get Miles and Kitty to eat canned food at least once a day. News flash: cats are stubborn about trying new things, so a lot of it is going to waste. But I'll be persistent. If they can get used to using the Litter Robot, they'll get used to eating canned food!

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

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How to send flat rate packages to our troops!!

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:24:44 -0600

Marchel has some great information on sending care packages to our service members at APO addresses. Also, she suggests you check out Soldiers Angels.

Another great organization is Any Soldier, which has a list of specific items the troops need.

Whatever your feelings about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, our men and women in the military are spending the holidays away from home and family, and would appreciate something to help them feel better about that.

Thanks, Marchel!

Via Marchel Peterson Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro ABR (Results Realty):

It is hard for out troops being away from friends and family during the holiday season. This makes it an ideal time to send them a flat rate package. Last year at this time our son was in the middle of his second tour of Iraq and he loved getting goodies from home. With him doing two tours I learned the ins and outs of sending him flat rate packages. On our son's first tour he was based at a town called Hit just northwest of Ramadi; the base was so small they really didn't even have a PX to speak of. For 6 months of his tour he was on the graveyard shift so if we didn't send food he was pretty much stuck eating MRE's. Needless to say I became an expert at sending care packages so I am going to pass my knowledge forward as I know there are many other soldiers like him who would love some extra care packages.

If you don't know a soldier but would like to help a soldier you can adopt a soldier through Soldiers Angels. You adopt them for the duration of their tour though, it is not just a one time thing. Our son told me there are a lot of soldiers that are alienated from families for one reason or another and don't receive much. Soldier's Angels sounds like the remedy for that problem.

Figuring out how to send these packages was a learning experience. The first time I sent one I arrived at the post office with this big heavy box and spent something like $30 in shipping. I happened upon a really nice postal worker. He saw I was shipping to an APO in Iraq and turned me on to Flat rate shipping provided by our USPS. He told me that I could send several of the flat rate boxes for less than it would cost me to send the one big box.

When I sent him boxes on his first tour there were only two sizes available but there are now four different sizes of flat rate boxes.  The two smaller boxes hold about the same amount but are made totally different. One is long and narrow and the other is short and squatty. The new larger box holds about 50% more and since I found out about it I have used it exclusively. It cost me $10.95 to ship using this box and I can make it as heavy as I want to. Normally this flat rate box cost $12.95 but the postal service gives a $2.00 discount when you ship to an APO. To be quite honest I'm not even sure what the current charge is on the smaller box as I now only use the large one. Any amount of material may be enclosed as long as the box is not modified and the contents fit inside. .

These boxes are provided to us free from our USPS and you can pick them up at most post offices prior to shipping. The only time I had trouble finding them was the Christmas season as the post office was having problems keeping them in stock. At the same time you pick the flat rate boxes up you will also want to pick up some "Customs Declaration and Dispatch Notices" and some priority mail address labels. You will need to fill out the Customs Declaration and you are going to need to put in a description of what you are sending. It says detailed but you can just write things like 6 cans of soup, 2 packages of crackers, candy, 3 cans of tuna etc. That will suffice for detailed. You will need to put in a value and I always marked treat as abandoned. You will then need to date and sign the form. You have to press hard as there are 6 copies to go through. I always filled out an address label also and put it on the box. I had a postal worker tell me to fill both out just in case the customs declaration came off.

I am sorry but there are no short cuts to standing in line. YOU CAN NOT USE THE SPEEDY CHECK OUT MACHINE. My neighbor did that the first time she sent a package to her son and it came back to her because she had not added the customs declaration page.

The soldiers love getting useful stuff. Our daughter is a flight attendant for a charter company that moves our troops and she told me that someone sent some marines off with lei's which they proceeded to give to the flight attendants. The thought was nice but I think they would have preferred something that was useful to them. I sent things like soup, tuna, crackers, summer sausage, non-perishable cheese, candy. You get the idea anything that is non-perishable. At Christmas I always sent homemade cookies and candy to our son.  He isn't that crazy about sweets but he always shared them. You can be assured that if the soldier you are sending to doesn't like what you sent they will pass it on to someone that does.

So should you hear about someone that is stationed over in Iraq or Afghanistan you now know how to mail them a box of goodies using these wonderful flat rate boxes provided to us by our postal service.

Amazingly I found these packages typically got to their destination in less than a week. Whether I was sending them to Germany (as that was where our son was first stationed) or Iraq they always arrived. One time I sent the package to his old Germany APO address and the package went back to Fort Hood and then on to Iraq (it took about a month but it arrived safe and sound). About the only time I did not us the flat rate boxes was when I sent Ramon noodles or the time I sent an air mattress bed as it didn't fit.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you are buying or relocating to Spring Texas and need help from a professional REALTOR®, Marchel can be reached at Marchel@AgentwithResults.com or by phone at 832-721-8332.

If you would like information about Spring TX please visit my websites at www.AgentwithResults.com and at www.ResultsRealtytx.com. The AgentwithResults site is rich in Content about Spring and the surrounding areas of Tomball, The Woodlands and Magnolia. If you prefer pictures with your content then visit my ResultsRealtyTX site.

Want to find out about new Spring TX properties immediately as they come on the market, then click here to sign up for a free automatic notification of new listings.

Click the button to the left to search our local MLS.

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Copyright © 2009 Marchel Peterson, All Rights Reserved. *How to send flat rate packages to our troops!!*

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

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Cat food recall - what to feed -- and not feed -- your pet

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:45:26 -0600

Another cat food manufacturer has issued a recall of two varieties of dry cat food. Diamond Pet Food's Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat and Premium Edge Hairball cat food was recalled after 21 cats became sick from thiamine deficiency.

Visit this website for information on the symptoms of thiamine deficiency and what to do about it if you suspect it in your cat. If you bought one of these brands, take it back for a refund.

Cats are 100% meat eaters in the wild, so monitor their consumption of vegetables and greens carefully. (My cat likes asparagus and broccoli leaves.) Dogs are omnivorous, and can safely enjoy a snack of cantaloupe, or cooked carrots, broccoli, or green beans.

Here is a list of foods you should not allow your pet to eat:

Chocolate
Onions or garlic
Grapes
Raisins
Yeast dough
Alcohol
Tobacco
Marijuana
Moldy or spoiled food
Wild mushrooms
Large amounts of raw fish
Potato, rhubarb or tomato leaves
Large amounts of raw liver
Large numbers of macadamia nuts
Fruit pits
Corn cobs

And of course, don't let your curious pets get into any kind of drugs. Aspirin and ibuprofen are lethal to cats.

Cats fed primarily dry food need lots and lots of water. There is strong evidence that eating dry food instead of canned leaves cats dehydrated and leads to kidney and bladder problems.

Whatever food you give your cat, make sure it is not cheap crap! It should have high-quality protein as its first/primary ingredient, not grains, which are used as filler and to hold the pellets together. High-quality food costs more, but your cat will have to eat less of it. And he's worth it anyway!

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

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Wordless Wednesday: a museum in San Diego

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:01:03 -0600

While I was in San Diego for the NAR conference, I walked to the convention center from my hotel most mornings. I usually tried to catch one of the buses in the afternoon, thank goodness, because it got surprisingly chilly by the end of the day. On one of the days that I didn't get a bus, I walked back and paused across the street from this intriguing looking museum to take its picture.

Some recent posts:

Forbes ranks San Antonio, Texas, second fastest recovering real estate market

Greg Nino inspired me to try this out. What do you think? Have I aged at all?

Hay, wear is that thing cauld spell check? Eye kneed too yews it.

Speechless Sunday: Guess who I went home with last night?!

Alamo Heights: a great place to live in San Antonio, Texas

The San Antonio housing market is tilted towards buyers -- and sellers

Terrell Hills: a great place to live in San Antonio, Texas

Bad MLS photos: come on, agents, would it kill you to use a flash?

Friday's Fotos: an often overlooked insect on a delicious plant

Fed up with real estate? Want to make big money working from home? Check it out!

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

Why not subscribe to this lovely blog?

Three friends meeting and celebrating. Thanks, ActiveRain!

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:35:11 -0600

One of the best things about attending the NAR conference in San Diego was the chance to finally meet Russel Ray and Jim Frimmer, whom I have gotten to know through ActiveRain.

Russel and Jim picked me up, took me to the zoo for an evening tour on the upper deck of the bus, and then took me out to dinner. We went to a great Mexican food place in the Hillcrest neighborhood called Baja Betty's. They had an incredible list of margaritas and a huge variety of different tequilas. I was hoping a margarita would fend off the cold I felt coming on, but alas, it was not to be. Next time I go to San Diego, I will definitely head back there--with Jim and Russel, of course!

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

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Wordless Wednesday: a beautiful building

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:04:10 -0600

I was recently inspired by 'Rainer Teresa Boardman to explore HDR photography. But not being willing to go to the trouble of taking multiple exposures, instead I hunted for some Photoshop plug-ins to help me achieve the same effect. I got pretty close with a couple of filters to adjust highlights and shadows on these photos, taken at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

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Thanksgiving Sunday Open House results

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:50:17 -0600

Like many other agents, I haven't had much luck with open houses. Now I know why--I am not doing them anywhere near as well as Jim does!

Check this out:

Via Jim Frimmer, San Diego Mission Valley Realtor (Century 21 Award):

I know there are many people who don't like doing open houses, and many more who won't even do open houses, but I'm one who both enjoys doing them and does them.

In fact, I like doing them so much that if I don't have a listing of my own that I can hold open, I'll ask someone from my company if I can hold their listing open.

What's interesting is that although so many people say that open houses don't work -- and we might have to get a definition of what "don't work" means -- no one has ever denied me the opportunity to hold their listings open. Doesn't that say something? I think it does, perhaps about the agent's own laziness if nothing else.

During my first few years as a Realtor, May 2005 to mid-2008 specifically, I had open houses every Saturday and Sunday, and sometimes on Thursday or Friday. I didn't do it just willy nilly, though. I did it with the intent of determining what worked and what didn't. I kept track in an Excel spreadsheet of what I was competiting against -- the open house next door or down the street, good weather, bad weather, Chargers or Padres home games or television games, etc.

With records now from four Thanksgiving Sundays, and competing Chargers televised and home games, I had already determined that it would be worthwhile to have an open house today, and it was!

I had 36 visitors, of whom only 8 admitted to being lookers from the neighborhood. I made some great contacts and got some very good comments on my Open House Survivor Kit, neighborhood game, and CD of home maintenance and safety tips. Two people even called me back a few hours later to tell me how much they enjoyed my Open House Survivor Kit.

I think I made an impression on them, and while nothing may come of these in the short term, I'm in it for the long term anyway, and I'd be willing to bet that at least one of these 36 turns into something in the future. I'll be tracking!

If you're a newbie Realtor, or someone who thinks that Open Houses are old fashioned, I just wanted to give you some inspiration. And for naysayers, perhaps it truly is in one's attitude, presentation, and the power of positive thinking.

♫♪♪♫♪♫♫♫♪♪♫♪♫

I'm available 24/7, so feel free to contact me by phone or email.

Jim Frimmer, Realtor
Century 21 Award Mission Valley
California DRE License #01458572
619-729-5701
jimfrimmer@century21award.com
Mission Valley Condos Information

♫♪♪♫♪♫♫♫♪♪♫♪♫

15 recent blog posts:

Are legally binding contracts no longer legally binding?

Get your Clients to make Top 10 and Bottom 10 lists

How to get rid of your ActiveRain boredom

We weren't the only ones enjoying Thanksgiving sunshine yesterday

Wordless (nature) Wednesday: My your nails are lovely!

San Diego County home prices continue their climb

Can someone help me with setting up a Facebook business page?

Chevrolet's new logo?

Fire season is upon us

San Diego State University announces its new real estate center

A Level II Drought Alert is not conducive to showing properties

The Federal tax credit for home improvements expires November 30

What do you do when communications cease?

Will I need a cover for my car?

Wordless Wednesday: "Son of Cloud"

My favorite ActiveRain Groups:

ActiveRain Convention Station
ActiveRain Guerrilla Marketing Station
ActiveRain History Station
ActiveRain Library Station
ActiveRain Nature Station
ActiveRain Symphony Station
ActiveRain Travel Station

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

Why not subscribe to this lovely blog?

Speechless Sunday: a cat tries to figure out how a mirror works

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:11:19 -0600

I am slowly returning to health after catching a cold while I was at the Realtor conference in San Diego. I took a few days off work to recover, and it seems to have helped. My cats, Kitty and Miles, have been keeping me company while I hung around the house watching movies. I took this photo of Kitty while she was checking out her reflection.

Some recent posts:

Forbes ranks San Antonio, Texas, second fastest recovering real estate market

Greg Nino inspired me to try this out. What do you think? Have I aged at all?

Hay, wear is that thing cauld spell check? Eye kneed too yews it.

Speechless Sunday: Guess who I went home with last night?!

Alamo Heights: a great place to live in San Antonio, Texas

The San Antonio housing market is tilted towards buyers -- and sellers

Terrell Hills: a great place to live in San Antonio, Texas

Bad MLS photos: come on, agents, would it kill you to use a flash?

Friday's Fotos: an often overlooked insect on a delicious plant

Fed up with real estate? Want to make big money working from home? Check it out!

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

Why not subscribe to this lovely blog?

Forbes ranks San Antonio, Texas, second fastest recovering real estate market

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:42:11 -0600

Actually, San Antonio never got as "sick" as other major real estate markets. In Forbes magazine's online ranking November 19, it rated San Antonio second (behind Omaha) in its list of the 100 fastest-recovering real estate markets.

Sales prices didn't zoom upwards as they did in other cities, since there is still plenty of land to build. When the bubble burst, San Antonio was not hit as hard. In addition, Bexar County foreclosure rates are not as high in proportion to other markets either.

A diversified and growing economy is the other major factor for San Antonio's success. Both the amount of time on the market and sales prices are lower than the national average.

Thus, San Antonio remains an outstanding place to invest in residential real estate. Single-family homes near the military bases, insurance giant USAA, the South Texas Medical Center, and the universities are reasonably priced and easy to rent.

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

Why not subscribe to this lovely blog?

San Antonio Realtor finds romance, history, and fine seafood at the Coronado Boathouse

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:19:39 -0600

On my first evening in San Diego, here for the NAR convention, I was treated to a fabulous dinner at the Boathouse in Coronado. Although I am staying in the Gaslamp Quarter, which is teeming with great restaurants, I was glad to not have to make any decisions on where to eat.

Even after a long day traveling, and with little sleep the night before, I could see that the Boathouse was something special. My friend told me that it was built before the Hotel Del Coronado as a sort of exercise in building before construction started on "the Del." It is located right across the street from the hotel.

Besides the charming architecture, the restaurant has a lovely, romantic ambiance. I expected it to be dark, but it turned out to be quite open and welcoming. There are fabulous views of the yacht club and the bridge to downtown San Diego from practically every table.

Enough history--how was the food?

I started with some oysters on the half shell. The cocktail sauce had a dollop of horse radish, and the oysters were attractively arranged on a bed of seaweed and ice. The special that evening was sea scallops, served on a bed of rice pilaf with asparagus spears. The sea scallops were perfectly cooked--tender and tasty, as was the asparagus. My friend shared some of his Caesar salad with me, and it was excellent. The dressing was piquant and garlicky, nearly as good as mine. I pride myself on my Caesar salad. Our waitress asked him if he wanted anchovies. In many restaurants, that isn't even an option. A true Caesar salad should have them.

Now I wonder why I passed on the dessert--I guess I was just too full. There was a creme brulee with raspberries, some sort of decadent chocolate-lava cake, New York cheesecake, and Key lime pie, among others. All the desserts are made on the premises at the Boathouse. I may have to take the water taxi and go back for coffee and dessert tomorrow before I head back home to San Antonio.

So maybe I didn't find romance after all (I already have a romantic husband back home taking care of the kitties--I hope). But you could try to find it, and enjoy a wonderful lunch or dinner on the waterfront, at the Boathouse. Here is another link to their website, where you can check out their menu. The phone number is 619 435-0155.

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

Why not subscribe to this lovely blog?

Margaritas and Flesh Eating Fish Unite in Altamonte Springs Nail Salon

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:27:48 -0600

Anniversary reblog!

I really don't know how I missed this post a year ago. How many of you rushed to Altamonte Springs to take LaShawn up on her kind offer?

Check it out:

Via LaShawn Norden, REALTOR, (321) 377-0157 Your Real Estate Advocate in Florida (RE/MAX Central Realty):

I know, with a title like this one, how could you NOT read this post???

For those of you who appreciate a good margarita while having fish nibble at the dead skin on your feet, Bahama Nails & Spa in Altamonte Springs, Florida should be your next destination!

Ok, I'll admit it, when the owner, Trish, told me last week that she was getting Dr. Fish flown in from Turkey and that they would be the new "guests" in my pedicure party, I was wondering if I was hearing her right...I mean really, fish that will eat the dead skin off my feet as I sit in the pedicure chair enjoying an "adult beverage?"

Hmmm, I thought, maybe she'd been testing out one too many of those margaritas in preparation for the arrival of her friendly fish???

But, I'm here to report that Trish was not only totally sober, but her salon is one of the first to offer this new "cutting edge" service in all of Central Florida!

According to the research I've done, Garra Rufa fish, AKA Dr. Fish, do exist and are now being used in some of the most well-respected spas in New York and California as a pedicure treatment used to remove excess and dead skin from the feet. Although more well known in Turkey and China, this new "trend" is certain to gain attention in the Orlando area!

To experience it yourself, I'd suggest calling Trish at Bahama Nails & Spa at (407) 865-6111 or visit them in their Altamonte Springs spa which is located at 954 N. State Road 434, Suite 1003, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714. Altamonte Springs is located in Seminole County Florida, which is approximately 12 miles North of Downtown Orlando.

I'm planning a trip in myself next week...

If you or someone you know is seeking an agent who not only is knowledgeable about the real estate market, but is also up on fun and trendy events, openings and services being offered in the Seminole County area, I'd welcome the opportunity to hear from you! Feel free to call me at (321) 377-0157 or email me at LaShawn@LaShawnNorden.com.

I'd be happy to treat you to your first Dr. Fish Pedicure at Bahama Nails & Spa!

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

Why not subscribe to this lovely blog?

Greg Nino inspired me to try this out. What do you think? Have I aged at all?

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:44:56 -0600

Greg inspired me to check out yearbookyourself.com. I have actually had some of these hair styles, I am ashamed to say. Guess which photo is closest to my actual senior yearbook picture?

Which hair style should I have kept?

Which one is the most horrifying?

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

Why not subscribe to this lovely blog?

Hay, wear is that thing cauld spell check? Eye kneed too yews it.

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:01:28 -0600

Okay, I don't mean to be mean (I love homonyms!), but this listing agent could use some help. Spell checking the remarks on the MLS would be a good start.

Agent Remarks: From Main make turn on Maple to the end. who know quality will love it. Owners live here for 13 years and enjoy this home seet pleashure who know quality will love to have it this majestic home.

Remarks: Costum home on N. Central area, OWNER WILL FINANCE WITH 30 % DAWN exelent location is 4-2-2 the 4 BR is an office an is on first floor ideal, home for professionals who work from home, this home has open areas with magestic woof stairs, nice family room and big kitchen with 42" cabinets, biuld in oven, islan kitchen and granite counter tops,2 livings plus game room, 2 dining, 2 C. Garages + 8 parking spacies

Note: Street names changed to protect the guilty. The house has been listed with the same agent for 479 days. A couple of the other listings have been on the market even longer.

Here's another one:

ALL YOUR DREAME ARE REALITY ON THIS BEATIFUL HOME HAS 5 BR WITH MASTER DAWN 4 UP STEAIRS WITH ANOTHER BIG SIZE ROOM CAN BE ANOTHER MASTER WITH 4 WALKING CLOSETS OR MAKE A TEATER AND EACH BEDROOM HAS WALKING CLOSETS FIRE PLEASE, NICE ENTRY WITH CEALING TO SECOND FLOOR, FORMAL LIVING W/DINING CONVINATION GREAT KITCHEN WITH DISWASHER AND REAL WOOD KITCHEN GABINETS

Do the sellers know that their homes are being advertised on the MLS like this? Yeesh.

Some recent posts:

Speechless Sunday: Guess who I went home with last night?!

Alamo Heights: a great place to live in San Antonio, Texas

The San Antonio housing market is tilted towards buyers -- and sellers

Terrell Hills: a great place to live in San Antonio, Texas

Bad MLS photos: come on, agents, would it kill you to use a flash?

Friday's Fotos: an often overlooked insect on a delicious plant

Fed up with real estate? Want to make big money working from home? Check it out!

Friday fun! Advertising a listing on the MLS with lots of--okay, four--photos

A sad comment on our industry: another Realtor attempts celebrity estate hoax

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

Why not subscribe to this lovely blog?

Barrington Illinois Short Sales - Tips for Sellers - Dual Agency - Advisable or Not?

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:20:20 -0600

Corinne has an excellent series about the pitfalls of short sales. Just thinking about this particular scenario, dual agency, gives me chills.

Take it away, Corinne!

Via Corinne Guest. Barrington IL Real Estate - Broker - Listing Agent - Luxury Homes (Royal Advocate Realty-Realtor-REO-Short Sales ):

Barrington Illinois Short Sales - Tips for Sellers - Dual Agency - Advisable or Not?

In my first short sale blog this month we talked about Pricing Your Short Sale Listing in Barrington IL.
Then I discussed Advertising Short Sales and how they deserve more effort than some may care to give.

Now we are going to move on to perhaps what may be a critical decision, Dual Agency.

Definition of Dual Agency: Licensed agent acting on behalf of the seller and buyer of the same property.

First lets see what a Realtor can do for both the buyer and a seller in any dual agency situation. I am specifically addressing sales so have excluded verbiage related to leasing.

Treat all clients honestly

Provide information about a property to a buyer.

Disclose all latent material defects in the property that are known to the licensee.

Disclose financial qualification of the buyer to the seller.

Explain real estate terms.

Help the buyer arrancge a home inspection.

Explain closing costs and procedures.

Help the buyers compare financing alternatives.

Provide information about comparable properties that have sold so that both seller and buyer may make educated decisions on what price to accprt or offer.

Now let's se what a Realtor cannot disclose to clients when acting as a dual agent.

Confidential information that Licensee may know about a client without that clients permission.

The price the seller will take other than the listing price without the permission of the seller.

The price the buyer is willing to pay without the permission of the buyer.

A recommended or suggested price the buyer should offer.

A recommended or suggested price the seller should counter or accept.

These points should be explained to any buyer or seller when they list a property for sale and at the time a buyer wants to buy any property. In any real estate transaction this should be seriously considered and discussed so both parties fully understand the points. Now we will consider this in relation to short sales in Barrington Illinois and any other areas.

As the listing agent I am going to discuss with a seller pricing of the property based on comparables and condition of property, and add to that my knowledge of how short sales work and what is likely to be accepted by a bank. We will talk about how to deal with all offers that come in especially with regard to price and "low ball" offers. My job is to price to get a buyer and then have that offer approved by the lender/s.

So think ahead to an offer coming in where I am also the buyers agent. The buyer cannot ask me what to offer, he has to make his own decision in regards to price. I present this offer to the seller who also cannot ask me whether he should accept the offer in regards to price. Who in this situation is the only person that can advise the seller? You've got it, the listing agent..

Here is an example. Let us say the property is listed at $250,000. A buyer comes along and wants to buy. I show him the comp sales and he decides based on what he sees and his knowledge of short sales that he is going to make an offer of $99000. (Yes folks that's $150,000 less than asking price). I have not been able to advise the buyer what he should offer if he is truly interested in buying or why his low offer is unlikely to get accepted. I take the offer to the seller, who needs advice, how on earth can the seller make an informed decision about whether to accept the offer and send it to the bank for approval when I cannot help them. Let's now say the seller decides to take the offer and send it to the bank. The property is flagged as under contract and the showings are likely to stop cold.

Not only have I not acted in the best interests of the buyer or the seller, I am now also a fool, because I know the bank are most likely to say NO! So as you can see Dual Agency for short sales are not advised. It is a situation that requires more input from an agent than a normal sale.

Short Sales = No Dual Agency

So if you have to list your home as a short sale, consider dual agency and how it works. It clearly is not in your best interests. If your listing agent happens to find a buyer for you, don't be concerned, we all have agents we have worked with before or in our office that can step in and represent the buyer.

I help sellers with short sales in other areas in addition to Barrington. Lake Zurich, Hawthorn Woods, Kildeer, Long Grove, Deerfield, Inverness, Deer Park, Cary, Algonquin, Lake In The Hills, Fox River Grove, Schaumburg, Palatine, Hoffman Estates, Arlington Heights, Rolling Meadows, Buffalo Grove, Wauconda, Island Lake are just some of the suburbs I will help clients with short sales. Whether you have a condo or a luxury home, if a short sale is what you need, call me for a free consultation.

The next short sale tip will talk about what to do with offers.

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

Search all properties at http//www.realestateinbarrington.com

Contact Corinne Guest ABR, e-PRO, GRI, Broker, Royal Advocate Realty Licensed Realtor® in Illinois, 847-381-6328 to list your property for sale or to buy a property in Barrington, Lake Barrington, North Barrington, South Barrington, Barrington Hills, Inverness and Deer Park, as well as Lake Zurich, Hawthorn Woods, Kildeer and Long Grove in Lake County Illinois.

Call me today at 847-363-3686.

Copyright © 2009 By Corinne Guest, All Rights Reserved. Barrington Illinois Short Sales - Tips for Sellers - Dual Agency - Advisable or Not?
Corinne Guest
Broker/Owner
Royal Advocate Realty
Barrington, IL, 60010.
Cell: 847-363-3686
Direct Fax: 847-381-1413
email: info@corinneguest.com
www.realestateinbarrington.com

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

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Speechless Sunday: photos from my holiday in Crete

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:54:02 -0600

I finally cracked yesterday and set up a Facebook account. I was going through my old photos to populate my wall with them, and found these. The first one seemed appropriate for today. It's a roadside shrine in the mountains of Crete. I had a great vacation in Crete and would like to go back some day and explore further.

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

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WE'RE FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND WE'RE HERE TO HELP - - ALL WE WANT IS YOUR MONEY AND YOUR HOME . . . . A RANT!!

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:54:04 -0600

Lenn always watches out for consumers, home owners, and tax payers.

Hey, wait a minute--that's us!

Via Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate:

WE'RE FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND WE'RE HERE TO HELP. . .

ALL WE WANT IS YOUR MONEY AND YOUR HOME!!

* * * * HARD CORE REAL ESTATE TALK * * * *

The new Fannie Mae program to "help" home owners in trouble is, IMO, the biggest fraud to come from the government in recent memory and there have been, IMO, a serial bombardment of government perpetrated frauds on the American home owner in the past year.

Trademarked the Deed For Lease, or D4L, a reading of the guidelines for this program along with the concomitant Deed In Lieu of foreclosure guidelines, the bottom line of the result of these programs, whether intended or not is: THE HOME OWNER LOSES THE HOME.



"Honey, did the government agree to help us keep our home?"

"Not exactly Dear, but the government says that they might agree to take our home and let us rent it for a year. They'll let us know after a credit review, but there are a few things. . . . . "

NOT ALL BORROWERS WILL BE ELIGIBLE.  The guidelines require that the borrowers (home owner) agree to certain occupancy rules, not unreasonable on first reading. However, some of the details will limit elegibility, such as:

Marketable title is able to be conveyed (a title insurance policy is required).

If there are subordinate liens secured against the subject, lien releases can be obtained.

1. Everyone has title insurance, don't they?? Sounds simple enough, right?  Perhaps, perhaps not.  Title insurance policies are always a condition of a mortgage loan. However, they are optional for a borrower.  Over the years, I have spoken with many home owners who did not obtain title insurance for their property, often at the advice of their agent. Go figure.

2.  What might that subordinate lien be?

Subordinate Lien: Subordinate-loan. mortgage whose priority is below that of another mortgage, like a second or third mortgage or a home-equity loan.

Could it be a HELOC or simple Second Trust? During the years that FannieMae pushed, yes pushed and purchased the Alt-A loan and the numerous Sub-Prime loans, a plethora of subordinate liens were created and used. Often created at the time of purchase or later through subsequent borrowing against equity or refinance. The funding sources, often private investors, made these loans and recorded a proper lien in good faith based on the qualifications of the borrower at the time. Second Trust Notes are a commodity. They are traded, discounted, bundled and traded again and again. Sooner or later, someone is going to want to collect on that note. What's the incentive for the second trust holder to release? Recent experiences with Short Sales would indicate that second trust holders are becoming quite recalcitrant when asked to release a second trust note.

Second mortgage: A mortgage obtained by a home owner for a loan against equity or in excess of market value (often up to 125% of market value). The second, or third mortgage is subordinate to the first or primary mortgage.

WHY DID FANNIE MAE MAKE RELEASE OF ANY SUBORDINATE LIENS A CONDITION OF THE D4L (Deed For Lease)? Is this condition of the D4L the usual "government guideline glitch" tossed in to decrease the numbers of borrowers who would qualify? Or, is it simply a reflection of the "guideline stew" that can usualy be used to describe any of the government program to help home owners in trouble that have been promulgated in the past two years?

WHY ARE HOME OWNERS IN TROUBLE ALWAYS SUBJECT TO LOSS OF THEIR HOME? The American home owner isn't looking for a handout ala TARP, created to help banks in trouble to the tune of about a $Trillion Dollars, give or take a few $Billion Dollars.

TARP: Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) Information.   The operative word to describe TARP is "Relief". Where is the "relief" for the troubled American Home Owner??? The banks qualifying for TARP got into trouble by trading in securities that were primarily backed by sub-prime mortgages, often mortgages that should not have been written. The mortgage instruments were then bundled, converted to marketable securities, MBS,and sold to investors in the USA and around the world. Investors clamored for more, more, more of these wonderful securities. Fannie Mae and mortgage investors created more and more and more such instruments secured by the primary residences of American Home Owners.

O.K. SO WE GET IT. The government was there to help the Wall Street and Main Street banks that invested in and sold the MBSs to the tune of multi-Billions of Dollars of tax payer money.

FAST FORWARD TO 2009 and THE FANNIE MAE, HUD and any government program to help distressed American Home Owners. The one theme that is pervasive is that THE HOME OWNER LOSES THEIR HOME.

MORTGAGE MODIFICATION IS A JOKE.   The programs designed by HUD and Fannie Mae may do one of several things.

They may REFINANCE your loan to a lower interest rate. The home owner still owes far more than the market value of the home and will probably not be able to sell for many, many years.

They may MODIFY your loan to a lower monthly payment. The home owner still owes far more than the market value of the home and will probably not be able to sell for many, many years.

Is it any wonder that, to date, the government programs to "help"the American Home Owners have failed?

THE INSIDIOUS NEGATIVE EQUITY. The only true mortgage modification that would help the American Home Owner would be a REDUCTION OF THE PRINCIPLE BALANCE of THE MORTGAGE. Is there any government backed, financed, promulgated or regulated program to reduce the principle balance of mortgage loans secured by home owned by distressed home owners?? NO.

The government now says, through Fannie Mae, that if you own a home that is not FHA, VA, etc. financed or insured, the government may take your home and rent it back to you for 12 months. No doubt the government will find some way of spending more tax money to create a new program to market these "assets" that were formally HOMES.

For folks who hold the opinion that the American Home Owner doesn't deserve any help to keep their home, after all, they signed a contract, didn't they, it's an opinion that has my respect.  However, what was the opinion of the same folks when the government gave Wall Street and the Big Banks a $Trillion Dollars or more??? Oh, I forgot. The government didn't ask for our opinion. That was the biggest "cram down" in history. I propose that a "cram down" for American Home Owners is long overdue.

One thing for sure. I believe that the American Home Owner would be a better partner in saving the American economy than the average Wall Street Investment Bank or Big Bank. The American Home Owners will again become a consumer. They will buy and sell real estate. They will go to the mall. They will take vacation. They will help the national economy. What did the Wall Street Gangs do with the $Trillions of tax money handed to them through TARP?

Later.

Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988.

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

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Speechless Sunday: Guess who I went home with last night?!

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 09:56:02 -0600

I went to a star-studded Halloween party last night. And who should I run into but this famous celebrity? He reminisced a lot about New York and Miami. Then after intoning one-liners all night long, he finally told me with a deadpan face that he wanted me to take him home.

So I said okay.

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

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Alamo Heights: a great place to live in San Antonio, Texas

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:04:35 -0500

Alamo Heights is a close-in subdivision in the north-central area of San Antonio, Texas, located south of Loop 410 and just north of downtown. It is an incorporated city in Bexar County, which includes the San Antonio metro area.

The bungalow-style home to the right is typical of the "Cottage District"; it recently sold for $320,000

The neighborhood is convenient to shopping, several good restaurants, parks, such as Brackenridge Park and the San Antonio Zoo, the Witte children's museum and McNay art museum, and numerous retail centers. There are many small service businesses and restaurants located on the main thoroughfare, Broadway. Trinity University and the University of the Incarnate Word are nearby.

The location close to Highway 281 is convenient for commuting to the rest of the city. Alamo Heights is also situated close to Fort Sam Houston and Brooke Army Medical Center, one of the area's largest employers.

The 3,800-square-foot home to the left was constructed in 1912 and sold recently for $750,000

The Alamo Heights Independent School District is considered the most prestigious school district in San Antonio. Neighborhood development began in the 1920s, thus, many of the homes are set on pier-and-beam foundations, while newer ones are on concrete slabs. There is a large range of prices and styles.

Some of the homes have swimming pools, but many are situated on city lots under 0.17 acre in size and were not built with parking areas; thus, the yards are too small for pools. Most of the homes have been remodeled and updated, except for many smaller bungalows and homes in the "Cottage District" of Alamo Heights. There are a few large homes built from the late 1990s up to 2008 on infill lots, but tear-downs are rare.

And as you can probably tell, Alamo Heights is another of my favorite neighborhoods!

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

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Wordless Wednesday: enchanting landscapes

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:20:46 -0500

When our friend Andrea came to visit from Italy, we drove to Santa Fe. On our last day there before heading back home to Texas, we visited the Puye cliff dwellings and drove around and through Chimayo. The amazing scenery made me think back to how when we crossed the state line, we had been chuckling at the license-plate motto: "New Mexico, Land of Enchantment."

Well, after a couple of days in New Mexico, I fell under its spell, too.

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

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are you an out of state or out of country investor

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:47:26 -0500

The low low low asking prices of real estate in Detroit are well-known. Plus, TIME magazine is focusing on the city as part of a year-long study, so more investors are becoming aware of the city as a long-term investment possibility.

Russ has some valuable advice for them in his post:

Via Russ Ravary - Michigan Homes for sale - Michigan Real estate & Mortgage info (Remerica Hometown One):

and have a few thousand bucks to invest. But is Detroit the place to invest your money? Sure you may have never heard of such low home prices. Yes homes in your country or state may be much higher. In fact they may be hundred of thousands of dollars higher. But just because a home is $500 or $1000 or $10,000 doesn't mean it is a bargain.

What will be your return on investment?

what will be your downside?

what will it cost to bring up to code or to saleable condition?

what is Detroit and rental market like?

what will it take for your investment to be worth more money?

what are local professional investors doing in the City of Detroit.

I myself would not buy investment homes in the City of Detroit. I would put my families or friend's money there either. I don't know of any investors that have done well in the City of Detroit. In the suburbs yes, but not in the city.

I have to be a little more specific why not to buy in Detroit

poor school system in the city of Detroit. Nobody will want to move to Detroit from the suburbs because the school system is so bad and unsafe for their kids.

High crime statistics

High home and car insurance rates

Poor city services in my opinion

high property taxes - they could be as high as $3000 for that $500 property - hard to get the high property taxes reduced.

Detroit is unfriendly for investors and property managers - hard to evict and landlord is responsible for people leaving cars or dumping garbage or leaving personal property to be removed. have to board up the house when vacant.

when home is vacant very likely the furnace, the copper plumbing, and the hot water heater will be stolen. Anything valuable has a chance of "walking" how will an out of town investor know when the tenant is gone?

too many great investment homes in the suburbs which will give a better return on investment. Sure not $500 but you'll still have a home intact when it is vacant

My advice buy in a city that the homes will increase in value quicker. Call me if you want to know what makes a good investment home.
May life treat you and your family well today.

Russ Ravary your Metro Detroit real estate agent

Metro Detroit real estate and relocation information website

Oakland County Lake front homes and Livingston County waterfront real estate information website

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

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HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR CONVENTION

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:18:31 -0500

This is a very useful post from Donna! I'm going to the NAR convention for the first time in San Diego, and I appreciate her helpful tips on how to make the most of it.

Via Donna J Stephens (Prudential Ambassador Real Estate Co.):

I have been to Nebraska State Conventions, National Association of REALTORS® Conventions, CRS Sellabrations®, and Prudential's Conventions. I was on the committee that plans the Nebraska REALTORS® Convention for several years and Chaired the Committee in 2001. (Nebraska hosts over 800 REALTORS® at their convention. The cost of the convention is figured in our Association dues and is free to the members who pre-register and attend.)

As with most things in life, it's up to you to find value in attending a convention. You get to choose how to spend your time. I will tell you how I plan ahead for conventions and how I have made the most of my time at them.

First you select the convention you want to attend. If you sign up early you can usually save lots of money. You can also save money by watching the airline fares and buying your ticket when rates are down. Another way to save money is to find a quality hotel near the convention hotel. I like to attend with REALTOR® girl friends and share the cost of the room. Besides it's more fun when you have someone to laugh with.

When I get the schedule for the convention I go through it with a fine tooth comb. I like to use a highlighter and select the classes, instructors, WCR and CRS meetings, meals, and parties that most interest me. I seek advise from seasoned REALTORS® so I don't miss out on anything exceptional. For instance, seasoned REALTORS® know the best parties and how to get a ticket, like certain banks or CRS parties at National Convention. They know the extraordinary instructors and popular classes to take. If they have been to that city they will coach you on touristy stuff.

After I select the events that most interest me I sit down with my calendar and see how many of them I can fit into it. Some things will conflict and I will have to choose. It's so much easier to plan this ahead of time! If I am visiting a new city, I plan tourist time. When I went to Washington DC for the first time I planned a couple extra days to see the city. I usually take a kazillion photos. Okay, now you need to add camera and batteries to your list of things to take.

Watch for some classes that may be offered prior to the scheduled convention dates. Often a one or two day course for CRS is offered in advance of the convention. These cost extra, in my opinion, because they are worth it. If you are interested in getting your CRS designation you may want to plan to go early and attend these classes. Again, this takes planning ahead!

There are many things to do that are included in your convention registration fee. Conventions offer generous vendors displaying their wares, offering expert advise and giving away hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars worth of prizes in drawings. TAKE LOTS OF BUSINESS CARDS! Drop them in the fishbowls/baskets for the drawings. You can't win if you don't enter! My cousin/real estate partner, Marlene, won a television while at the CRS Sellabration® in Hawaii in 2008!

I have found conventions useful in quality and selection of classes. You will find free/included courses on technology, forclosures, buyers, sellers, you name it, it can probably be found. Here's the link for the National Convention. Check it out!

To get the most out of networking at convention, I plan a small gift with my business card to pass out to REALTORS® that I personally meet. One year I took a Dumdum sucker and put a tag on it that said something like, "Don't be a Dumdum, call Donna with your referrals" and my card was attached. Another time I had a friend make fishing flies and my note said, "Cast your referrals to Donna". Go to lunches, meetings, classes and always sit with people you don't know. Meet new people and pass out your cards. Tell them about your business and ask about theirs. Meeting new people with similar interests is fun! Networking brings you business. Referrals are great! It's awesome to send referrals to people you have met!

CONVENTION TRIPS ARE TAX DEDUCTABLE! TALK TO YOUR TAX GUY!

Most important Things to take with you:

COMFORTABLE SHOES FOR WALKING!

CAMERA & BATTERIES

A COUPLE HUNDRED BUSINESS CARDS

Yes there is value in attending a convention.

It takes some planning ahead and using your plan once you get there.
"I am never too busy for you or your referrals!"

Donna J Stephens, CRS, GRI

Prudential Ambassador Real Estate, 13340 California Street Omaha, NE 68154

(402) 598-5117

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

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Speechless Sunday: a hummingbird moth found on my first morning in Santa Fe

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:48:13 -0500

You all know how I feel about hummingbird moths. Or maybe you don't! If that's the case, here are some links to my previous posts about these unique moths:

Hummingbird moth

The hummingbird moths are back in my garden - and in someone else's

Hummingbird moth entertains visitors to the Big Apple

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

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The San Antonio housing market is tilted towards buyers -- and sellers

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 09:49:00 -0500

San Antonio recorded 1,561 single-family home sales in September, according to the San Antonio Board of Realtors. That's a 2 percent decrease from the total for September 2008. Pending home sales in September numbered 1,494. That's about 11 percent more than at the same time in 2008.

There is an 8-month supply of homes on the market this fall in San Antonio, declared the Board of Realtors. Prices have remained stable, around the $151,000 median at the same time in 2008. The market is considered slightly better for buyers than sellers, and a hot July and August market showed that first-time buyers in particular were purchasing homes and taking advantage of the tax credit. Homes priced lower than $200,000 were the best-selling.

In the last 30 days, according to MLS statistics, 644- three-bedroom single-family homes sold for an average price of $139,400 in Bexar County.

Four-bedroom homes, numbering 295, sold for an average price of $212,200. The average time on the market for these two major segments of the real estate market was around four months.

To the left is an "average" 3-bedroom according to the MLS, and below is an average 4-bedroom. Actually, they are both above average in that their time on the market was significantly less than the average.

These numbers right off the MLS paint a slightly different picture than the broad-brush view, since statistics vary wildly by neighborhood, price range, and area of the rather large San Antonio metro. A balanced market is considered to be one in which there is a 6-month supply of inventory. These MLS numbers don't include many new homes, of course.

Average numbers obviously don't tell the whole story, although they give us a good overview. And home buyers want a home that is above average, anyway!

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

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Debt To Income Changes Announced Today, This Is Urgent

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:42:52 -0500

Melissa has some news we should all know about, since so many mortgage loans are being insured by FHA these days.

Via Melissa Kulikoff (Texas Loan Officer):

Debt to income ratio maximums are being changed for FHA effective today. All loans with Debt Ratios that exceed 50% must fund by 11/30/2009. These loans must also be locked by November 1st. If they do not fund, no lock extensions will be granted.

The debt to income ratio is the percentage of the borrowers gross income that goes towards their mortgage payment and other debts. In the past, we were able to close FHA loans with ratios at 55% and higher, rarely over 60%.

I urge you to contact your loan officer and find out what their policy is. This is also going to cause another wave of applicants with higher ratios scrambling to close by 11/30 regardless of whether they are a first time home buyer or not. Some banks may allow you to go a few days past the deadline, but not mine.

I also heard that Conventional debt to income ratios are going to be limited to 45% regardless of down payment in December. Right now, with 20% down on a Conventional loans we can exceed 55% with strong credit.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I rather be the first one out to notify my AR friends.

As always, please feel free to contact me with comments or questions regarding this post.

Melissa Kulikoff
Texas Loan Officer

Residential Lending Services
cell: 210-849-9030
email: melissa@mkulikoff.com
For Home Loan Information

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

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Terrell Hills: a great place to live in San Antonio, Texas

Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:40:45 -0500

I have lots of favorite neighborhoods. Terrell Hills is one of them. It's not only a neighborhood, it's an incorporated city, located north of downtown and west of Fort Sam Houston. My favorite neighborhoods have one thing in common: lots of trees. The homes in Terrell Hills have trees and a lot of character, varying quite a bit in architectural style, size, and price. Most of the homes range from the high $200,000s to the $600,000s.

To the left is a cottage-style three-bedroom home with a covered patio and detached garage that sold for just under $200,000

The neighborhood includes two school districts: Alamo Heights Independent School District and North East Independent School District. There is not a huge difference in home prices between the two school districts, although Alamo Heights ISD is more prestigious.

Large lots are the norm in Terrell Hills, averaging at least 0.25 acre, and dotted with mature live oaks, pecans, and mesquites. The older homes have pier-and-beam foundations, while those built in the 1960s and later tend to be on concrete slabs.

On the right is an updated and expanded four-bedroom, four-bath home with swimming pool that sold in the $650,000 range

There is a wide range of home prices, from "tear-downs" to some of San Antonio's most expensive mansions. Many of the homes have swimming pools. Most of the homes have been remodeled and updated, but the interiors might still be considered out of date because of lower ceilings and more interior walls than are used today. Others are larger homes built from the late 1990s up to the present on lots from which the original homes have been removed.

Whenever I am near Fort Sam Houston, Brackenridge Park or the zoo, or heading south from downtown, I like to take a detour through Terrell Hills.

Some recent posts:

Bad MLS photos: come on, agents, would it kill you to use a flash?

Friday's Fotos: an often overlooked insect on a delicious plant

Speechless Sunday: another strange being appears in my garden in Cibolo - Schertz, Texas

Fed up with real estate? Want to make big money working from home? Check it out!

Friday fun! Advertising a listing on the MLS with lots of--okay, four--photos

Did President Obama deserve to win the Nobel Peace Prize?

A sad comment on our industry: another Realtor attempts celebrity estate hoax

After the rains - what appeared in our garden in Cibolo - Schertz, Texas

My roof is leaking, and more rain is on the way to the Cibolo - Schertz area

Robin Rogers, Realtor, Broker-owner, ABR, TRC, CRS

Also Cat Owner, Photographer, Smartass, Aspiring World-Class Drummer

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