Help A Seller Out: 5 Tips Buyers Would Give Sellers if they Could

By Tara-Nicholle Nelson

It is a rare occurrence these days to have a home’s buyer and seller sit down around the kitchen table to make a deal. In some areas, they do still sit around the attorney’s boardroom table to close the deal, but by that time, the deal is done and the ship has already sailed on any avoidable mistakes.

So in the vast majority of home sales, buyer and seller never connect in person, never talk, and never exchange insights or information except in the most formal, written formats - despite being effective business colleagues in one of the single most important transactions of their lives. And here’s the rub: buyers sit on a wealth of knowledge that sellers crave to know, most of which could be filed under how to attract buyers and make them want to buy a home (or at least, not turn them off).  So, since buyers and sellers can’t get together, allow me to reveal a handful of helpful insider insights that the buyers I’ve worked with and connected with over the years would reveal to sellers, if they could.

1. You should see what your home looks like online.  No, really. If you did your due diligence before listing your home for sale, met with agents and reviewed their marketing plan they use for their listings, chances are good that you chose an agent who takes online marketing very seriously and said as much during your listing interview. But somehow, there are still hundreds of listings in every major city that receive a failing grade on their online presence, once the home has actually been listed.  

Every day, online listings are activated on Trulia and all across the real estate web with: only one or two pictures; no pictures at all; multiple photos that represent the home very poorly or show it in its worst light; in terms of the shots selected and included in the listing (e.g., photos focusing on the dumpster in front of the house, or the messy breakfast dishes on the table), or listing descriptions that bemuse us buyers, but would befuddle and even anger the homeowner, like the homes whose descriptions start off with the attention grabbing: “This place is a mess!”

Sometimes, there’s just a glitch along the production chain that it takes to get a property marketed; other times, there’s an actual error in judgment that took place. But it’s free for you, seller, to hop online and just do a quick audit of the way your home is represented in the same listings, virtual tours, and property websites that buyers will see.  And it’s often the only way these glitches will get caught, brought to the agent’s attention and rectified.  So you should.

2. If your home is seriously overpriced, I’ll wait for the price to come down before I even come see it.  You might be thinking the best plan of action is to list your home high, planning on the fact that prospective buyers will want to bargain the price down. And, in fact, this might be true for your area - your agent can brief you on what the standard negotiation practices in your neck of the woods are, and you two can then work together to factor them into your pricing strategy.  

That said, even in an area where homes generally go for below-asking, buyers are willing to do some basic negotiation. They are not, generally, interested in correcting a seller’s belief system about their home and its value that are clearly not based in the realm of reality.  That seems daunting and like too much work to do - as well, there are so many properties to see, and buyers have to invest so much time, energy and emotion in making an offer, they don’t like to do that in cases where the seller’s list price is so bizarrely above-market that the chances of coming to a meeting of the minds about price are slim.

If your home is dramatically overpriced, compared to the others in the area or compared to it’s market price range, most serious home buyers in the market for a home like yours will either (a) never come see it, because it doesn’t show up in the price range they are searching online, or (b) not come see it unless and until you drop the price, because it simply isn’t worth their time and energy until you correct your pricing into the realm of the realistic.

3. There are a whole lot of fish in the sea - I only have to find one.  Agents and mortgage brokers talk to buyers a whole lot about compromising, and what they can expect on the market as a whole, and such. But my reality is this: home buyers are not in the business of market analysis.  They are in the business of finding a home.  Only. One. Home.

Yes, ultimately, every buyer has to make some compromises. No home is perfect, and every person who buys a home eventually gets that. But even in a heating market like the one we’re in right now, there are lots of homes coming onto the market every single day. Any given buyer only has to find one that works for them. To buy your house - any house - that buyer really does need to feel inspired by it enough to feel like it could work for their family, their needs and their life as their home.  

If you take shortcuts when it comes to primping and prepping your home for the market, it becomes super obvious to buyers when they scrutinize it, even if it’s really priced well.  On the other hand, the homes that were well cared for, prepared and priced shine above the others, at every price point.

4. If I nitpick your house, that probably means I like it.  Every buyer’s broker has a horrific moment, at some point in their career, where they realize their buyer has been trash talking a home - its nasty wallpaper, vomitrocious carpet, silly stylistic choices, etc. and so forth - and the home’s seller has managed to overhear this diatribe.  The pool boy who was at the property turns out to be the seller’s son, the sellers turn out to have been next door or in the basement through the entire showing, or the teddy bear-cum-Nanny Cam has advanced audio capabilities.

Here’s why this horrifies buyer’s agents: the buyer that goes to all that trouble to dissect precisely what they would do differently if a given house belonged to them is a buyer who is thinking about making an offer on that very house.

The more questions, critiques, nitpicks, “What I would do’s” and such a buyer rattles off about a home, the more likely they are to make an offer on it.  Of course, the occasional curmudgeonly amateur designer likes to just rip other’s decor choices apart for the fun of it, but many otherwise lovely individuals do this when they get serious about a home as part of the exercise of visualizing the property as theirs, and envisioning themselves, their families and their stuff in it.  This is how buyers take a place that might not be perfectly move-in ready for them, and figure out how they might be able to make it work.

So if you happen to overhear a nitpicky buyer dissecting your home and verbally tearing down walls or ripping up carpet, don’t despair.  They might simply be mentally “trying on” your home as their home.

5. When it comes to staging, the bar is high. Really high.  HGTV, Houzz, Architectural Digest; all these outlets which constantly publish beautifully designed and decorated homes have influenced what the average American expects their home to look like - and yours, for that matter.  Additionally, all the do-it-yourself publications and shows along with the advent of home improvement stores which double as DIY design emporiums have given everyday people of modest means the power to live in beautiful and functional homes, without breaking the bank.  

Beyond all this, professional home staging has taken off in recent years, as data has repeatedly shown that staged homes sell faster, for more, and more certainly than homes that are not staged, nor well-prepared by their owners.  So not only is your home competing with the homes buyers are seeing on TV and in the magazines, it is also competing with professionally staged homes for sale right in your own neighborhood - homes that the very buyers who will come to see your home will also have seen, possibly right before or after they view yours!

So, if you want to and can afford to have your home staged, do.  If you can’t, you should still take the preparation of your home very seriously, and include your agent or a stager you hire for an hour of advice in the process, taking their input on things like: what furniture to get rid of; which improvements will get you the most bang for your buck with local buyers; and what paint, flooring and other finish materials will appeal to the broadest buyer segment in your area?

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These pros often also have contacts with local handy people, painters, landscapers and other vendors who can get your home ready for market in a time and cost-efficient manner.

Five tips for people who can't pay their mortgage!

Do you want to lower your monthly mortgage payment? Check out these cash-saving options.

 

Are you struggling to make your monthly mortgage payments? If you're in a little over your head and need help making ends meet, we have some good news: you may have more options than you think when it comes to lowering your monthly mortgage payment.

 

One biggie is refinancing to change the terms of your mortgage.

"It's a good time to refinance for many people because they could save a lot in interest costs due to the current low interest rates," says Justin Pritchard, a financial planner who writes the About.com's banking and loans column.

 

Of course, there are also various ways to refinance, since everyone's mortgage and personal circumstances are unique.

That's why we came up with various solutions to help you lower your monthly mortgage payment and put more cash in your hands, rather than your lender's.

#1: Lengthen Your Mortgage Term

Did you get a 15-year mortgage when you bought your home? Are you now having trouble keeping up with the monthly payments? One solution to help lower your monthly payments is to refinance to a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.

How will this lower your payments? "Because you're paying off the same principal over a longer period of time, your monthly payments are lower," says Elizabeth Weintraub, who has 30 years of experience as a realtor and writes about real estate for About.com.

However, she adds that this benefit does come with a price. Because a 30-year mortgage is paid off over a longer period of time, you will end up paying much more in interest over the life of the loan.

Now, let's see an example of how the monthly payments would change on a mortgage of $300,000 with different lengths. We'll use the current interest rates for 15 and 30-year fixed-rate mortgages as of November 21, 2012, according to Freddie Mac, an institution established by Congress in 1970 to provide liquidity, stability, and affordability to the nation's residential mortgage markets.

 

Conclusion: As you can see, despite the 15-year mortgage having a lower interest rate, having a 30-year mortgage for the same amount results in a monthly payment that's $703.26 lower. That could ease some financial pain.

#2: Refinance to a Lower Interest Rate

There's a good reason most of the chatter surrounding refinancing is about today's historically low interest rates: it's the single most important thing there is when it comes to the lifetime cost of your mortgage, says Pritchard.

This means that if you're having trouble making ends meet, refinancing your mortgage to a lower interest rate could provide some much-needed relief.

"If you lower your interest rate you probably lower your monthly payment, because the interest rate is a big part of your monthly payment calculation," says Pritchard. "So refinancing could really help out with your cash flow situation."

Here's an example of how lowering your interest rate by just 1.5 percent can change your monthly payment. Again, we'll use two $300,000 fixed-rate loans. One at 5.0 percent; one at 3.5 percent.

 

Conclusion:

While every situation is unique, as you can see, a small percentage change in interest rate can make a significant difference each month in your mortgage payment. In our case, a 1.5 percent drop in interest rate resulted in a $263.33 savings every month. That's more than $3,000 of relief a year.

Pritchard cautions, however, if you have been paying off a mortgage for many years, make sure lowering your monthly payment by starting a new mortgage is worth it since it might impact your long-term goals negatively.

#3: Say Goodbye to Your Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)

When you bought your home, did you make a down payment of less than 20 percent of the purchase price? If you did, you are likely paying private mortgage insurance (PMI), and getting rid of it could lower your monthly mortgage payment.

First, let's examine what PMI is. This is an insurance policy that protects the lender in case you stop paying your mortgage payments and default on your loan. Lenders usually require you to pay PMI when your equity (the difference between the purchase price of your home and the mortgage amount) is below 20 percent, according to a mortgage settlement guide published by the Federal Reserve, which oversees national monetary policy and banks.

The Federal Reserve adds that PMI can cost anywhere from 0.5 to 1.5 percent of the borrowed amount.

Now for the good news: You can get rid of PMI once you attain 20 percent equity in your home, based on the original purchase price, says the Federal Reserve. To cancel PMI, all you need to do is request it to be cancelled in writing. Regardless, when you reach 22 percent, the Federal Reserve says that federal law demands your PMI payments automatically stop - if your monthly payments are up to date.

Conclusion: If you qualify, getting rid of your PMI is a must-do. Don't wait until you build up 22 percent equity. If you're at 20 percent or more now, write that letter. It could save you a bundle.

#4: Ask for a Loan Modification

It never hurts to ask for something. Isn't that what mom always said? And if you're having trouble keeping up your mortgage payments, one alternative to refinancing could be to ask your current lender for a loan modification.

And just what is a loan modification? It's a change in your current mortgage terms, agreed to by your lender, to make it easier for you to make your monthly payments.

"It could change your interest rate. It could change your payments. It could change how often your payments are made. But you still owe all that money," she says. In other words, it usually doesn't change the lifetime terms of your mortgage. It merely changes the way you pay it off.

Pritchard agrees, noting that your lender may find a way to lower your monthly payments for a limited time. However, it's highly likely that you'll have to make up the difference later, he says.

"But if you've hit a rough spot today, it can be helpful until you can get back on your feet," says Pritchard.

Conclusion: Since it doesn't cost anything to ask for a loan modification, you may as well try. To do this, call your lender. But don't get your hopes up and remember that you may still have the option of refinancing to improve your mortgage terms.

#5: Get a Cash-Out Refinance

Perhaps your problem isn't that your monthly payments are out of hand but that you need cash for some other important life event: a son or daughter starting college, medical bills, or even to pay off some high-interest credit card debt. Getting a cash-out refinance could give you an infusion of money just when you need it most.

Never heard of a cash-out refinancing? Well, it's essentially the process of refinancing for an amount greater than what you owe on your home, and receiving the difference in a cash payment.

Sounds like a great way to get an influx of cash, right? Yes, it is, but it's an option that should be very carefully considered, because when you do a cash-out refinance, you own less of your home, says the Federal Reserve.

It's also good to note that there are many requirements to qualifying for this type of loan, and they vary by lender and borrower, according to Freddie Mac.

Conclusion: If you are considering a cash-out refinance, seek professional advice. And at a minimum, make sure the reason you're converting equity in your home for cash is well worth it.

 

By Terence Loose

Alaska Permanent Fund hits all-time high Read more

The Associated Press

 

JUNEAU, ALASKA — Alaska's oil wealth portfolio has hit an all-time high: $45 billion.

 

The Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. announced the fund hit the mark Tuesday.

 

The corporation tracks the fund daily. CEO Mike Burns said hitting $45 billion is a sign the Alaska Permanent Fund has not only regained ground lost during the recession but also that it is growing.

 

Burns says the fund, by any measure, has been very successful. He says the patience Alaskans have had in growing the fund is extraordinary, and says it takes a lot of political will to keep the fund off limits for use on other things.

 

Since 1977, the corporation says the fund has received more than $16.5 billion in mineral royalties and general fund appropriations and paid out $19.8 billion in dividends.

 

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2013/02/20/2795932/alaska-permanent-fund-hits-all.html#storylink=omni_popular#wgt=pop#storylink=cpy

5 Crime Questions to Ask Before You Buy a Home

By Tara-Nicholle Nelson

 

The list of question every buyer asks about the various properties during a house hunt is relatively predictable.  How many bedrooms does it have? Baths? Square footage? What are the HOA dues?  What’s the school district?  
Then, we get more specific, personalizing the questions based on our own vision, aesthetics and lifestyle needs: Can that wall be moved?  Is there space for Grandma’s dining room table? Is there a shady spot for an orchid house in the backyard?

When it comes to crime, most of us simply don’t ask any questions at all, as (a) agents might be prohibited from doing much beyond pointing us to law enforcement sources, and (b) we tend to assume most neighborhoods are either ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ low-crime or not. The truth is never so black and white. Fortunately, technology has made it easy-peasy for us to get a deeper, more nuanced, and more usable understanding of the crime that takes place in our neighborhood-to-be, which in turn allows us to make smarter decisions about which home we buy and how we live in it, once we buy it, than we could have even ten years ago.

The key to tapping into this nuanced crime information is asking the right questions. Here’s a short list of the right questions to ask about crime before you buy a home.

1.  Do any offenders live nearby? In most states, Megan’s Law and similar provisions mandate that certain individuals with histories of criminal convictions must register their home addresses with local authorities, who in turn are required to make this information available to the public. Google “your city, your state Megan’s Law registry" to find sites where you can type in an address (like the address of the home you’re considering buying) and find a list of registered sex offenders in the area. Many of these sites will also offer you a map showing your address and the relative locations of the homes of the registered offenders.  

The reality is that every neighborhood - even very upscale areas - has someone living in it who has committed a crime in the past, so don’t completely freak out if you happen to find someone in your neighborhood-to-be with a history of sex offenses. The utility of this information is that it empowers you and your children to recognize these dangers and to take care to avoid hazardous situations. That said, if you happen to have young children and notice that the Megan’s Law map has a halfway house with a dozen registered sex offenders living right next door to your target home, that information might change your decision about whether that property is the right one for you.

There is also power in following the path of the information you are given on these registry sites.  Many will surface information like what the registrants’ crimes were, when they happened, the registrants’ photos and more useful intelligence. This information can help you evaluate the degree to which you should be concerned before you buy.

2.  Was the home a drug lab?  You think your home’s former owner’s food or pet smells are toxic? That’s nothing compared to the truly unpleasant and health-impairing effects some have experienced after buying a home that turned out to have been a methamphetamine lab in a former life.  If the sellers know this about a home, they should certainly disclose it. Unfortunately, many of these homes end up sold by banks as foreclosures, or by estates, trusts, landlords or other corporate owners who don’t know the home’s past - or don’t have a legal obligation to disclose it.

Get the answer to this question to the best of your ability via this two-step process:
(a) talk with the neighbors - they often will reveal whether the house had a shady past, then
(b) search the federal Drug Enforcement Association’s Clandestine Laboratory Registry, here:  http://www.justice.gov/dea/clan-lab/clan-lab.shtml.

3.  What sorts of crimes happen in the area. Where and when do they happen? Crime happens virtually everywhere. But the details of crime patterns vary widely in various neighborhoods. One side of town might be plagued with an overall low crime rate, but the crime that does happen tends to be violent crime after dark. While another neighborhood across town might have lots of car break-ins during the day while people are at work, but not much going on after residents get back home - and not much violent crime at all.  
This sort of information can be highly useful to a buyer-to-be, as it can help you make decisions not just about whether or not to buy, but also about whether to park your car outside (or not), whether to get an alarm and where in a given neighborhood you might prefer your home to be (e.g., interior cul-de-sac vs. thoroughfare in the same area).

Trulia Crime Maps offer precisely this sort of nuanced information, allowing you to view your town and neighborhood’s crime rate in heat map format showing the relative violent and non-violent crimes that have taken place recently in different parts of town. It also provides information on crime trends, in terms of the frequency of criminal activity taking place at various hours of the day, and the most dangerous intersections in your town or area.  SpotCrime.com offers another angle on nuanced crime data, breaking down crime types with easy-to-scan icons and providing data for communities all over the country.

4.  What anti-crime features does - or can - the home have?  Review your disclosures and talk with the sellers (through your agent, of course) about what anti-crime features the home currently has. This will allow you to prepare for any upgrades, downgrades or changes you’ll want to make.  For example, if a home has security bars that were installed 3 decades ago, you might want to have them brought up to code with a fire release bar, or removed altogether.  Or, perhaps the sellers currently have the home wired for an alarm that can be armed, disarmed and video monitored remotely - if you want to continue that service, you’ll need to get that information and make the account change when you take over the other utilities and home services.

On the other hand, the home might not have any anti-crime features.  So, if there is a particular alarm or monitoring system you like, it is smart to check in with that provider before close of escrow to find out whether they can provide services to the new address and, if so, what it will cost and take to equip the home and start service up at closing.

5.  What does the neighborhood do to fight crime - and how can I help? Neighborhoods across the country fight and prevent crime the grassroots way, by maintaining strong connections between the home owners and neighbors who all have in common the desire to live and raise their families in a safe, secure, thriving place.  Don’t hesitate to ask your home’s seller and/or any neighbors you talk to about whether there are any neighborhood associations, neighborhood watch groups, email lists, social networks, regular meetings, block parties or other community connections in which you can actively participate.

Why You Feel Dizzy When You Stand Up

by Christen Brownlee

 

Not cool, brain. Not cool.

If you’re seeing stars when you get out of bed in the morning, it’s probably not because you slept with Halle Berry last night. There’s actually a name for that dizziness you sometimes get when you go from laying down or sitting to standing up: orthostatic hypotension (OH).

 

A little momentary brain static might seem like nothing, but according to a new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, OH is linked to heart failure. Could it be a danger sign for your health?

What Causes Dizziness
Franz Messerli, M.D., a physician who directs the hypertension programs at St. Luke’s and Roosevelt Hospitals in New York, says that OH happens when your blood pressure takes a dive. Usually, your body compensates when you go from sitting to standing by prompting your heart to beat a little faster (about an extra 10 beats per minute) and constricting your blood vessels, which force more blood back to your head and keep your brain on the up-and-up.

 

This process is often so precise and automatic that you won’t notice any difference when you decide to go vertical. But for people with OH, dizziness is a sign that the system isn’t working as well as it could. (Learn 5 vital signs for a healthy heart.)

Hidden Dangers
So should you be worried? Well, Messerli says, that depends. A bunch of benign reasons might cause OH, such as dehydration, taking medications like diuretics, ACE inhibitors, and beta blockers, or having naturally low blood pressure from being in great shape. (That last one actually lowers your risk of heart problems.)

And then there’s a more sinister explanation: In the new study, researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill looked at data from a different, long-term study on heart disease risk factors. Part of that study involved taking volunteers’ blood pressure when they were laying down and when they stood up. Over the next 17 years, give or take, the researchers followed these participants to see which ones developed heart failure.

Data showed that those with OH had a higher risk of developing heart failure than those without OH, even after accounting for other heart failure risk factors, such as overall high blood pressure, diabetes, and coronary heart disease. (Are you at risk for heart disease? Take our quiz to find out.)

More from MensHealth.com: Keep Your Heart Healthy for Life!

Study author Christine Jones, M.D., an internist and resident in preventive medicine at UNC-Chapel Hill, says that in some people, OH might be an early marker of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Over time, that can cause the heart to pump harder and eventually fail.

Are You at Risk?
If you’ve always had a touch of dizziness upon standing, or you know you’re dehydrated or taking one of the meds that causes OH, then you’re probably safe, Jones says. “But if you’re having severe dizziness or this is something brand new and severe, you should seek medical care,” she explains.

To rule out doom completely, have your doc check you for undiagnosed diabetes, hypertension, or early signs of atherosclerosis. “The main message for people who do have OH is to optimize your management for other heart failure risk factors,” she says. “We know that treating these problems now can help reduce the risk of heart failure in the future.”

Liveblogging Sony's Playstation 4 Press Conference

Paul Tassi, Contributor

 

 

The predictions have been made, and now it’s time to see what Sony has in store for us. We’re all 99.99% sure we’re about to see Playstation 4announced, or its alternatively named equivalent, and Sony’s big announcement press conference begins at 6PM EST. For something this big, I presume they’ll start on time.

I’ll be liveblogging the event from here, and you can follow along with livestreams via Sony or Twitch. Our own Carol Pinchefsky is at the event, and you can follow her liveblog in addition to mine. I’m viewing from afar, just like most of you.

I’ll likely start a few minutes before six, and the newest updates will be listed first in the post here. We’re going old school, so you’ll have to refresh the page to see the latest. I’ll try to keep up as best I can, and I’d love to hear what you guys are thinking in the comments.

Here we go:

8:07 – I’ll continue to ponder that strategic decision, but for now I’m signing off. Thanks to everyone who tuned in, and I’ll have more condensed thoughts about all this tomorrow morning most likely, so check back.

8:04 – Well, they just answered my question. I guess we have to tune in to E3 where they’ll announce a price and maybe actually show the system. I really have to question the idea of premiering a new console without either showing what it physically looks like or even hinting at a price. Even though there was a ton crammed into this evening, that ended on a rather sour note. You would think the finale would have been about the system itself, but they handed it to Bungie who didn’t actually show much of anything new from their game anyway. Regardless of legnth, the presentation felt incomplete without the price/product at the end, even if we did see games, the controller and hear a vague release date. It might have been better to just do it all at E3 if they were going to leave out two pieces of the puzzle that were that important.

8:02 – Exclusive Destiny content for PS4. Not sure why four people needed to stand there to make that announcement, but okay.

8:00  - Livestream now down 20% of its audience. Length (two hours now) and neverending stream lag likely to blame. Is Sony even going to go to E3 after this? What will be left to talk about?

7:58 – Thank god, it is Bungie. So, were they saving all the goodies for today?

7:57 – It’s Activision. I swear, this better be about Destiny and not Call of Duty 12.

7:56 – ONE LAST PUBLISHER. Who ya got?

7:54 – Oh god, it’s Diablo 3. People will laugh, but after playing Torchlight on XBL, I’m fully on board that a game in this style can function quite well without a mouse and a million hotkeys. And remember, through a TON of patching, Diablo 3 is actually about 100x better now than it was at launch.

7:53 – PC fanboys are losing it right now. “Console game development is in our blood.” What IS this going to be? I’m going with a resurrection of the long lost Starcraft: Ghost.

7:52 – Chris Metzen from…Blizzard? Well, that’s unusual.

7:51 – Yes, it looks like a high tech Assassin’s Creed, and that’s not a bad thing at all.

7:48 – I’d hate to be the guy who has to write interesting 140 character backstories for ten thousand random NPCs in this game.

7:46 - New rule, you have 15 seconds to hype your game before you have to start showing gameplay footage.

7:44 – This is turning out to be a much longer press event than anyone anticipated. Nearly two hours in and we still haven’t even laid eyes on the system. The Sony livestream has lost more than 10% of its audience.

7:43 – Yves Guillemot to talk about Watch_Dogs. I forgot how big that was at E3. Let’s see some more of it!

7:40 – In the end it was indeed a demo, not an actual title. “What to expect from future properties.” Then they brought out an entirely different guy to simply say they were developing a Final Fantasy title of the system. Well, duh. No name, no other info.

7:37 – This seems to be Final Fantasy meets Uncharted. Like, I’m pretty sure these guys literally have AK-47s.

7:35 – The problem with all this footage is you never know what’s using the engine, and what’s just a cutscene a lot of the time.

7:34 – Square Enix’s turn. Final Fantasy or something else?

7:33 – One thing is clear from all these games, fire looks GREAT on the PS4.

7:32 – Medieval game codename “Deep Down.” They love their codenames. This must be Erik Kain‘s GOTY 2014 due to the “Souls” resemblance.

7:30 – They’ve developed an entire new engine for PS4. Well, you’d kind of have to. It’s codename is “Panta Rei.” And whoa a NEW IP? Get out of town.

7:28 – Capcom introducing….what now?

7:27 - Every third party developer onboard with PS4. No big shock there.

7:23 - Actually looks pretty cool, though I bet it’s a lot harder than it looks. The possibilities for Little Big Planet and Minecraft are endless.

7:22 – Annnd I spoke too soon. Showing the  Move controller as a tool to virtually draw and sculpt stuff. At least you’re not waggling it around.

7:19 – I’m really liking the complete lack of movement-based games here.

7:18 – QD showing a creepy old man head that uses at least twice the polygons we saw in Heavy Rain. No actual footage however from Singularity, which is what we thought we’d see. That’s a bit disappointing.

7:17 – Cage describing gaming as the next evolution of film. It’s an idea I can get behind.

7:16 – FYI, our man on the ground, David Ewalt, says that they’ll likely wait until the end to show the console and the price.

7:15 – Here’s the one we’ve been waiting for. David Cage with Quantic Dream.

7:13 – Puzzle game on a mysterious island called Witness. Looks like an updated Myst. I think we can all applaud that concept.

7:10 – Just kidding, it’s Braid’s Jonathan Blow. Much better.

7:09 – Developers with “unique visions.” BRING OUT THE MOLYNEUX.

7:06 – Oh, it’s actually an Infamous game, “Second Son.” Cool cutscene, I guess.

7:05 – I feel like he’s describing “Heroes: The Game.” Rather, it’s Sucker Punch (Infamous) with an exclusive PS4 title about superheroes. Stick with what you know I suppose.

7:04 – Stream. Lag. Is. (buffering)  Killing. This.

7:00 – They modeled every fleck of paint and each fiber of carbon. For Elder Scrolls VI, will we see the heat rash pimples caused by leather armor chafing?

6:59 – Stream has finally stopped buffer glitching, but now its broadcasting at about 8 fps. It’s practically unbearable.

6:58 – How are you going to make a “coordinated team racing game” and not have  it be Fast and Furious branded? Come on!

6:57 – Driveclub, new racing game for PS4. Guess they got tired of Gran Turismo making a new game only every decade or so.

6:53 – The livestream just isn’t high enough quality to properly convey what this will look like. Without being able to experience the visuals first hand, it’s all a bit…generic.

6:51 – When viewing any of these games, as good as they look now, remember how much titles can grow over time using the same architecture. Compare say, Perfect Dark Zero near the launch of the Xbox 360 to Gears of War 3 years later. They’re worlds apart graphically.

6:47 – Pretty gorgeous, unfortunately this is the week we all learned not to trust demo footage thanks to A:CM

6:46 – Guerilla Games showing an actual title. It’s Killzone…Shadowfall. No more numbers!

6:45 – Michael Denny speaking now from Worldwide studios. An accent with gravitas.

6:45 – This is a very long, very vague 3rd party support video. I think Nintendo might have actually gotten more gaming A-listers for theirs.

6:43 – They’re talking a lot about downloading games, playing before the download is done, etc. They’re not eliminating discs entirely, are they? Nothing has been said either way so far.

6:42 – Having this much lag on the livestream is doing no favors to the “fastest gaming network” they’re current trying to pitch.

6:41 - Slightly odd we haven’t seen what the system looks like yet. Perhaps that’s the grand finale?

6:40 – Lag and sound drop-out starting to become an issue on stream.

6:36 – Direct assault on the Wii U incoming. “Remote play” with pictures of Vita, tablets and phones. But to be fair, a Vita + a PS4 will cost wayyy more than a Wii U and the tablet controller that comes with it.

6:36 – You can get your friend to help your noob self through a tough part of a game by virtually handing them your controller.

6:34 – Livestream spectating through PS4 directly. Twitch will be bummed, since this is Ustream based it seems.

6:32 – Shoot, I thought we’d be able to go an entire tech presentation without mentioning Facebook.

6:30 – “When your friend buys a game you’ll instantly know and can jump in and start playing with them.” Ehhhhh.

6:29 – Co-founder of Gaikai coming now, David Perry. Here comes “the cloud.”

6:28 – Preorders taken to a new level as Playstation 4 can predict what games you like and download the sequels for you ahead of time. Oh god.

6:26 – Expected  ”socially connected” spiel where you can browse the dashboard via your smartphone or tablet.  Hopefully that means they won’t have their own tablet peripheral (cough cough Wii U)

6:26 – Instantly edit and upload gameplay footage of any game as you play. The amount of YouTube clips of games will jump by 10,000% most likely, if they’re not all taken down for copyright infringement that is.

6:24 – You can play games you’re currently downloading. Are they going to announce something streaming related soon?

6:23 – You can instantly pause and resume the system. Not the game, the system. No more console boot time.

6:21 – Knack it is. Creature made up of a whole bunch of tiny objects to demonstrate the capabilities of PS4.

6:20 – Cerny is personally directing a title, new IP. Knack? Neck? I’m not sure yet.

6:20 – Unreal 4 tech demo has prety ice monsters and explosions. Also, system memory GDDR 5. 167 GB/s bandwidth.

6:18 – New Dualshock, does indeed have a touchpad, integrated Move-ish capability. Does indeed look like some of the early leak photos we saw.

6:16 – X86 CPU, Enhanced PC GPU, 8 GB Unified memory. Believe most of this was predicted.

6:15 – Development goes all the way back to 2008 for the PS4. Have to really plan ahead with this sort of thing.

6:13 – Goals for PS4 team – “Nothing comes between platform and the joy of playing.” Also wanted to hear from developers, and wanted to know what was important to them specifically.

6:12 – Mark Cerny, lead system architect coming on stage.

6:09 – And there it is, PLAYSTATION 4! Stick with what works, I suppose. No images yet.

6:07 – “The demands for a new platform were clear.” This IS a new console announcement this evening, in case there were still any doubters in the house.

6:05 – He’s talking about expanding the Playstation Vita’s uses. Not the opening I imagined.

6:03 – Andrew House on stage. “The living room is not the central focus of the Playstation, the gamer is.”

6:02 – Big stage, cool intro video. They’ve definitely created their own E3 level event here.

6:00 – Starting right on time, and now lag free, thank god.

5:59 – We have music, though it appears to be from an unaired Seinfeld episode in the ’90s.

5:58 – Two minutes out, still laggy, no sound. Very odd. 300K concurrent viewers on Sony’s stream. Jumping another thousand every few seconds.

5:50 – If you’re going to watch the Twitch stream, I highly recommend you avoid reading the accompanying livechat. It’s a fanboy moshpit and the thing hasn’t even started yet. Yeesh.

5:46 – Confirming that the lag isn’t just me, it does seem to be universal. If it’s doing this during a pre-rendered video clip, I can’t imagine it being better when the live event starts. But it needs to be.

5:40 – Make that quite a bit of lag, and this is only with 150K concurrent viewers. Hopefully this clears up for the actual presentation.

5:35 – The stream is now online if you feel like watching Sony’s trademark shapes spin around for the next 25 minutes. Noticing a bit of lag already.

Tax Season Tip: Invest Your IRS Refund In Your Home

 Zillow, Contributor

Sitting by the mailbox, waiting for your tax refund? Stop waiting and start thinking about the best ways to invest that money in your home.

 

In 2012, the average IRS tax refund was about $3,000. Your home is likely one of your biggest assets, so it makes good financial sense to take care of it. Keeping your home up to date will contribute to its longevity, heighten your enjoyment and help you sell your home if you ever decide to. So, instead of a fleeting ski weekend, why not consider investing at least a portion of your refund in your home?

Even modest investments can improve your home’s value and make it more livable. Here are five home improvement projects you may want to consider, all under $3,000:

New entry door

First impressions mean a lot. A new front door can enhance curb appeal, improve security and lower utility costs. According to Remodeling magazine’s Remodeling 2012-13 Cost vs. Value Report, a $1,137 steel entry door replacement project returns 85.6 percent of your investment. Fiberglass doors are generally more expensive, but they’re still a smart investment. According to the same report, a $2,753 fiberglass entry door project will yield a return of 65.9 percent.

Even better? Certain energy-efficient exterior doors are eligible for federal tax credits of up to $500, excluding installation costs.

Garage door

The appearance and condition of your garage door also plays a big role in your home’s overall appearance. According to the Cost vs. Value Report, an un-insulated, 16-by-7-foot garage door costing $1,496 will increase your home’s resale value by $1,132, a return of 75.7 percent.

Weatherize

For just a couple hundred dollars, a do-it-yourselfer with the most basic of skills can install insulation, caulk and door seals, reducing household energy consumption by almost 35 percent in the typical weatherized home. Willing to invest more? Windows can allow major losses of heat in the winter and cool air in the summer, requiring more energy — and money — to keep your home comfortable. Replacing old windows with Energy Star-qualified windows can reduce household energy bills by 7 to 15 percent and will shrink your home’s carbon footprint.

Paint

This may be the perfect time to kiss your dated mint bathroom or mauve rec room goodbye. A gallon of paint costs less than $30 and will provide one-coat coverage for about 350 square feet. If you think you might be putting your house on the market sometime soon, opt for neutral colors that have more universal appeal. Even if you’re staying put, a fresh coat of paint can update and personalize your space for a fraction of the cost of a total remodel.

Let there be light

Updated home lighting can enhance your decor, save on energy costs and increase your safety. Even if a new chandelier isn’t in your budget, dimmer switches will allow you to control the intensity of light throughout your home while saving electricity. A basic dimmer costs less than $10 while fancier, remote-control and programmable dimmers can be purchased for $40 and up.

Metal can or recessed lights will brighten dark corners while under-cabinet light strips can add much-needed light to kitchens, craft rooms and laundry rooms. Unless you have knowledge of electrical wiring, you’ll need to hire a pro to handle the installation.

10 Lessons I Learned from Sara Blakely That You Won't Hear in Business School

By Kathy Caprino

 

At last week’s inspiring National Association of Professional Women’s 2^ndannual networking conference, I had the opportunity to attend the keynote presentation of Sara Blakely, Founder of Spanx.  In her one-hour talk, Sara highlighted her fascinating journey from launching a start-up with $5000 in savings to becoming the youngest self-made female billionaire in history. Anyone who’s heard Sara’s story knows it’s exhilarating and motivating, but to see her live brings a new dimension to her story.  She’s fresh, exuberant, funny and completely passionate about helping women feel and look their best, and about reforming all of the misguided trends that have kept in women in painful and ill-fitting undergarments over the last 50 years.

Sara delivers surprise after surprise in her tale of phenomenal entrepreneurial success.  As I love to be “contrarian” in my work, I’m very taken with her non-conventional lessons that fly in the face of all the best business school advice we received from the business pundits and gurus.

 

Here are the top 10 lessons I learned from Sara’s journey from fax machine saleswoman to entrepreneurial superstar:

1) Fail Big – Sara’s beloved father followed Wayne Dyer’s guidance in teaching his children the power of failing big.  Each day, her father would ask – “So, what did you fail at today.” And if there were no failures, Dad would be disappointed.  Focusing on failing big allowed Sara to understand that failure is not an outcome, but involves a lack of trying — not stretching yourself far enough out of your comfort zone and attempting to be more than you were the day before.   Failing big was a good thing.

2) Visualize it – Sara is a big fan of “visualizing” your big goal, in specific, concrete ways.  She saw herself clearly on the Oprah TV show 15 years before it happened.  She simply knew it would happen.  She’d see in her mind’s eye sitting on the couch with Oprah having an exciting conversation, and wondered, “What are we talking about?”  The rest was just “filling in the blanks” to get there.

3) Don’t share your fragile idea with the world too soon.  Sara kept her idea of making a fabulous new undergarment for women under wraps for an entire year while working on developing the prototype.  Only after she was 100% committed to it and ready to launch, did she sit her friends down and explain her new direction.  Sara explains that ideas are vulnerable, fragile things.  Wait until you’re completely read to move forward before you share it with people. Meaning well, they’ll shoot it down, offering all the reasons why it won’t work.  But when they do,  you’ll be ready to deal with it.

4) Don’t take no for an answer. Sara reached out to slews of manufacturers and lawyers to help her patent her idea and create a successful prototype.  In every conversation she had with potential manufacturers, she was asked three questions: 1) Who are you? 2) Who are you with? 3) and Who is backing you?  When the answers to these three questions remained, “Sara Blakely,” no one wanted to take a chance on her, until one manufacturer called her back and said “OK.”  Why? Because he had gone home and told his daughters about the idea, and they said, “It’s brilliant!”

 

5) Hire people you like and trust (even if they don’t know a great deal about what you need them to do).  Sara hired a head of Product Development and a PR director who had been friends and supporters from the beginning.  Neither knew anything about the functional areas they were hired to oversee, but Sara trusted they’d be fabulous at their new roles, and they were.

 

6) You don’t have to go in order. Sara’s passionate commitment to her new Spanx product was so fierce, she just tackled each task in the development and marketing journey as they came up, not necessarily in the best order for a smooth launch.  She landed a Neiman Marcus deal involving placement of the product in seven stores, before figuring out how to mass produce “crotches” for the product. The Oprah show called to do a feature on her in a staff meeting in her “offices” before she had an office or a staff.  She winged it, and it all went well.

7) You CAN figure it out – you have the ability.  Sara knew absolutely nothing about women’s undergarments, patenting a new product, manufacturing, marketing, product development, website development, online commerce, and more.  But that didn’t stop her. She researched what she needed to, hired out what she couldn’t do, and marched forward with undying commitment and energy. Don’t stop yourself from pursuing an idea because you don’t think you have what it takes.

8) You can build a billion dollar business starting with $5,000.  Sara had only $5,000 in savings on that fateful day when she cut the feet off of her stockings in order to wear them under her white pants for a more flattering look (and thus, realized the world needed a new undergarment product that would be comfortable yet flattering to the female form).  From that $5,000 she embarked on designing a prototype, securing a manufacturer, naming the product, legally protecting her product, and getting the word out to potential buyers.  You don’t have to be rich to move forward with your fabulous new idea.

9) Don’t worry about the outer “stuff” until the time is right. Sara worked tirelessly from her apartment creating her product, avoiding investing in outside office space or other marketing and business tools until the product had taken off.  She didn’t have a formal website until she made it on the Oprah show and needed one.  Anything that wasn’t essential to building the product and getting the name out there simply wasn’t a priority.

10) Breaking the mold is a good thing. When Sara began to research undergarments for women and how they’d been made for the last 50 years, she was astonished.  From the absurd sizing protocols (only one average waist measure was used on all the products, regardless of the size of the garment), to how products were tested (on manikins not real people), Sara saw that the undergarment industry needed a female perspective – insights from a real woman wearing these items to shape the product development direction so the products were useful, effective, and as comfortable as possible.  She broke the mold, and developed a completely new approach to developing women’s undergarments.

Sara’s most important tip:

“Believe in your idea, trust your instincts, and don’t be afraid to fail. It took me two years from the time I had the idea for Spanx until the time I had a product in hand ready to sell into stores. I must have heard the word “no” a thousand times. If you believe in your idea 100%, don’t let anyone stop you! Not being afraid to fail is a key part of the success of Spanx.”

In the end, Sara Blakely’s story shows us what’s possible when we believe, when we’re resourceful beyond measure, and when our passion and commitment to something outside ourselves brings us to a calling.

What are you most afraid of failing at? Will you get in the cage with your fears and take a step toward your dream today?

***

2389 DUNCANSHIRE Place, Anchorage

 

2389 DUNCANSHIRE Place 82, Anchorage

 

 

Amazing reverse two story townhouse style condo in Anchorage. Click this link to view more info and photos.

 

2389 DUNCANSHIRE Place 82, Anchorage also features a fenced private yard that is perfect for barbecue parties.

 

 

This 3 bedroom, 2 bath home has all of the upgrades you desire like spacious living area, island in the kitchen, vaulted ceilings, Jack & Jill bath, oak cabinets, huge master suite w/walk-in closet, great location close to bases, shopping, and other amenities.

Simple Ways to Express Sweet Nothings

By Cathy Lara

 

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, but if you ask me, every day is an opportunity for expressing love. If you're lacking the words or you're having trouble composing rhyming couplets, these accessories and home details will help send the message, soft and clear.

 

 

by vol.25

by SB Architects

Wouldn't it be lovely to see the lyrics to your favorite song (as opposed to your usual bedhead and just-got-up reflection) while brushing your teeth in the morning?

 

by Anthropologie

Musings Tray - $48.00 »

Give the ceramic tray as is or with a rosebud, chocolates, or a small printed picture of a special moment together.

 

by MadeByGirl

Love Languages - $25.00 »

I prefer it in French. What about you?

 

by Kenny Grono

This particular sink engraving reads, "If it's not true, it's a good story." Words in marble have a certain finality, so save it for something meaningful, like your favorite quote, a child's date of birth or your wedding date.

 

by French Larkspur

Hang pages from a beloved book, your pictures together, or display a single word per page so all the branches compose a message.
Best Ways With Branches

 

by Nick Agin

Pick Your Battles Screenprint - $18.00 »

Wise words that apply to every partnership.

Add to ideabook

Chalkboard art is perfect for bathrooms where a mirror can be placed elsewhere. Scribble an encouraging message (or apology) in the morning so the day starts on a positive note.
Grown-Up Ideas for Chalkboard Paint

 

by Melissa de la Fuente

"IT'S OK" Affirmation Banner by Ashley Anna Brown - $45.00 »

Reassurance is love. And this message is about as good as a long embrace.

 

by Ballard Designs

Mr. & Mrs. Burlap Pillow with Insert - $59.00 »

Mr. and Mrs. burlap pillows would make for a fun proposal. Place them on the bed or sofa and wait for the video-worthy reaction!

How a love letter can seal the real estate deal

ByJacqueline Shannon of Zillow | Spaces

 

The residential real estate market is finally rebounding. The overall economy is improving. New families are being created at a brisk pace. But the number of homes currently on the market has dramatically declined over the past year, especially in the usual highly desirable areas. In San Francisco, inventory is down 47 percent; Silicon Valley, 45 percent; San Diego, 30 percent;Chicago, 26; and Washington, D.C., 19.

Love letters

What’s all that spell? In those and other hot markets, we’re back to the days of camping out all night to get a shot at a house in a new development. Here come all-cash offers and multiple bids well over listing price. Add in stirring emotional letters to sellers from buyers who want to stand out from all the other bidders. Here’s one from Gina in San Diego:

“As we walked through your home, both my husband and I were in love and confident that our two little girls would love it, too,” reads part of Gina’s letter to a homeowner whose house was for sale. “We can already imagine which rooms the girls will want to make their own and found ourselves smiling as we pictured them picking flowers in the garden you have so lovingly tended and (as teenagers) getting ready for school dances in front the little vanity in the hall bath.”

It worked. This letter filled with sentiments sealed the deal for Gina.

Meanwhile, Bonnie, a teacher and homeowner in North Potomac, Maryland, an upper-middle-class suburb of Washington, D.C., says she finds letters from hopeful buyers in her mailbox even though her house is not for sale.

And the Wall Street Journal reports that when Judy Blankenburg and her sister went to sell their childhood home in Silicon Valley’s Los Altos, they were “sold” on a buyer who raved in a letter about the 1938-built home’s charm, with its “majestic trees,” “lush foliage,” and a high ceiling in the living room made of knotty pine.

“My sister and I had a huge emotional attachment to that house,” Judy told the Journal. “We didn’t want it torn down.”

Pour your heart out

Your goal with a love letter is to establish a personal connection with the seller and his or her property, according to Catherine Nicholas of CADO Real Estate Group in San Diego, who worked as buyer’s agent for Gina.

At an open house, note the features you particularly love, even if they won’t transfer in a sale. The seller collects 33 rpm record albums just like you do? Mention that in your letter as well as how much you’d enjoy playing them in the 1950s-designed and -decorated rumpus room the seller created in the basement.

Nicholas, who has decades of experience in residential real estate transactions, is unusual in that she recommends that her buyers always write a letter no matter what market conditions are. She wrote a letter of her own when she and her husband, Jim Cento, bought their primary residence in Solana Beach, Calif., in 2000.

Even in a slow real estate market, she says, it helps to have established a good relationship with the sellers and their representatives. “Escrow can be really difficult,” she says. “A friendly air between the buyer’s team and the seller’s can help when you negotiate about things like getting the seller to pay for more repairs or to simply move the seller to not wait for other offers to come in.”

It’s OK to make it personal

Nicholas and other real estate pros say some buyers have increased their chances of getting an offer accepted by enclosing a family photo with the love letter. This is yet another method establishing a personal connection with the seller. They have a baby who is just starting to walk, and guess what? So do you. They have two dogs – so do you.

Getting a little personal about your financial situation can also be helpful, especially if it convinces the seller that you’re in a position to get the deal done quickly. An example is mentioning what you do for a living if you’re in a stable profession, such as nursing. Nicholas has a client who enclosed a copy of his most recent pension statement to show that he had the funds readily available to close the sale.

Don’t get too flowery with your adjectives. People toss around words like “stunning” when the object being described rarely fits the dictionary definition of that, and being too flattering can mark you as a “phony” or as pulling a “snow job.”

Remember that the spell/grammar check is your friend, but there’s no reason to ask your real estate agent to write or edit your letter or to hire a professional writer, according to Nicholas.

“I will give my buyers some bullet points of the types of things I think should be addressed and remind them of high points about the property they’ve expressed to me,” Nicholas says. But beyond that, the buyers are on their own to compose the letter. “Above all, the reason for that is that I want the letter to sound genuine,” she says. “In other words, your appeal to the seller should be… well, sincerely yours.

7974 W Scarlet Circle

 

 

 

 

 

Priced at $670,000, this Home and Hobby/Business combo can't be beat! Large home with large garage. Comes with 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 3,360 sqft, 12.63 fenced acres. 3 shops/out-buildings, one with possible living quarters upstairs. Private pond. Shops valued at $430,000. Awesome set-up!

 

For more pictures, please visit: http://pinterest.com/teamlesbailey/7974-w-scarlet-circle/

 

 

Contact: Lance Davis Senior Listing Partner & CDPE Cell: 907-229-9466 Fax: 907-696-6505 Lance@LesBaileyAndAssociates.com www.LesBaileyAndAssociates.com For more details.

10762 Briggs Cache Cir., Eagle River

 

 

Heather, who is from this home, talks about the things she loves about the place. It’s close to Restaurants, department stores, schools, medical facilities, movie theaters, parks, shopping malls and places for outdoor recreation.

 

She said, “The things we love about Eagle River
are the close knit friendly community
and neighbors. Everything is easy and
convenient to get to, shopping,
entertainment and all kinds of outdoor
activities such as kayaking, hiking,
biking, cross-country skiing,
snowmobiling, downhill skiing et cetera.

 

When we first bought the property, we
were drawn to the kitchen. The beautiful
cabinetry provides plenty of storage, the
gorgeous granite island is so useful and
the stainless steel appliances are
fabulous. The microwave is also a
convection oven to bake in.

 

The neighborhood is a sanctuary. Being
located at the end of an "L" shaped cul-de-sac,

make it a peaceful street to live
on; no unwanted traffic. The
neighborhood is beautiful and
conveniently located to anything.

 

We love hanging out at Tikatinu
Commons, it provides a variety of
shopping to please everyone, great
restaurants and a state of the art movie
theatre.

 

We love our spacious master suite. It is
such a welcoming room to relax and end
the day in with stunning views of the
mountains, beautiful bathroom with
jetted tub, separate shower and a walk-in
closet with built-in closet organizers too.”

 

You may visit:http://pinterest.com/teamlesbailey/10762-briggs-cache-cir-eagle-river/ for more photos.

 

For just $399,000, you can have this beautiful 2-story, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2 car garage, 1812 sqft home on a 13,063 sqft lot that contains a 10x12 foot shed. Porch and deck have Trex decking. Deck has stairs that lead to backyard and shed. Home is located at the end of an "L" shaped cul-de-sac. Contact: Lance Davis Senior Listing Partner & CDPE Cell: 907-229-9466 Fax: 907-696-6505 Lance@LesBaileyAndAssociates.com www.LesBaileyAndAssociates.com For more details.

Some random fun cool stuff in and out of the LBA office

The navigator and the hunter. See him in action on video below. One of the greatest leisure activities ever invented, fishing. "Don't Tase me Bro!" Our senior listing partner Lance, and our Realtor Paul is being tased by Dani, our buyer specialist who rocks. Directed and narrated by the big boss Les.

FHA Annual MIP Increases and Cancellations

From Tracy Ottinger | Mortgage Loan Officer

Hello my fellow real estate professionals!

Here is a new update on FHA monthly MIP. In summary we have two big changes happening .

The monthly mortgage insurance rate is increasing. Mortgage insurance is for the LIFE of the loan and no longer drops off when a 78% loan to value is reached. Feel free to call or email with questions.

Please carefully review the charts below regarding the revised FHA annual MIP.  The full ML is attached for your review.

In a nutshell - Annual MIP will be collected on all loans regardless of term and LTV.  Annual MIP duration time periods have been extended and the annual MIP no longer automatically cancelled at 78%, 5 years, etc.

**PLEASE NOTE – The new annual MIP rates apply to all loans EXCEPT single family Streamline Refinances that were endorsed on or before 5/31/09** 

The rate for those transactions remains at the level announced in ML 2012-4 of Annual MIP .55

INCREASE TO ANNUAL MORTGAGE INSURANCE PREMIUM

· Effective for case numbers assigned on or after 4/1/13

EXEMPTION REMOVED ON ANNUAL MIP WITH TERMS OF 15 YEARS OR LESS AND LTV <= 78%

· Effective for case numbers assigned on or after 6/3/13

· Exemption has been rescinded and Annual MIP will be required.

· Refer to chart below. 

REVISION TO THE PERIOD FOR ASSESSING THE ANNUAL MIP

· Effective for case numbers ordered on or after 6/3/13

· Previously, depending on your loan term and LTV, the annual MIP ranged from No annual MIP to the annual MIP being cancelled at 78% and 5 years.

· FHA will now collect the annual MIP for the maximum duration permitted, see chart below.

 

If you have further questions on this, please contact us and we’ll be happy to assist you.

 

Les Bailey & Associates Real Estate Team
Keller Williams Alaska Group
Direct: 907-694-1234
Toll Free: 1-800-784-2912
www.LesBaileyAndAssociates.com

Public Meetings Held Regarding Potential Impact of Eielson F-16 Move

 

By Lacie Grosvold

 

ANCHORAGE - The Eielson-based 18th Aggressor Squadron could fly away from its home base near Fairbanks forever. That's if the Air Force goes forward with a plan to move the 21 aircraft and over 500 personnel to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson near Anchorage.

 

 

Before they can make the move, they have to perform an Environmental Impact Study (EIS). Part of the process is addressing the communities with stakes in the move and hearing their concerns. They were in the Anchorage area for the second night in a row at Tyson Elementary.

Bill Popp, the CEO of the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation, said that a great influx of people could bump up the cost of housing. For his testimony, he brought new numbers about the vacancy rate in Anchorage. Anchorage has about a quarter of the average real estate supply on hand at any given time. He said the high cost of housing in Anchorage could also have a negative impact on Air Force families.

A Fairbanks realtor who has fought the move since it was announced last year agreed. Wes Madden with Madden Real Estate pointed out that the average single family residential home in Fairbanks costs about $218,000 dollars. Anchorage's average is $338,000. Even if not every family bought a house, the impact on rentals could be big.

 

 

Eagle River Representative Dan Saddler noted that growth can be good for a community. "It's not a benefit to Anchorage at Eielson's expense. It would be a loss to the entire state as a transfer," he said.

Most of those signed up to comment represented a lawmaker or group. Richard Henningsen wasn't on official business, even though he retired from the Air Force as a Lt. Colonel. He said, "My major concern my major concern is the geopolitical message that this retrenchment sends to our friends and our potential adversaries alike."

 

 

Alaska's congressional delegation has been fighting the move in Washington D.C. All three have questioned if the move will save money. Andrea Gusty, a staffer for Senator Lisa Murkowski, said seeing the savings on paper has been a challenge. "We don't know what the numbers are. The Air Force has come up with this plan saying it's going to save money, then they said it would cost millions of dollars."

Since savings is the engine driving the changes, finding if those savings are real will determine if the plan takes fight or stays grounded.

A final decision won't be made until after they release their final report in the fall.

3 Decades of Dell: From Dorm Room Inspiration to Multi-Billion Dollar Acquisition

BY JASON FELL|technology editor of Entrepreneur.com

 

image credit – Fiscal Times

 

 

Dell Inc. announced today that founder Michael Dell, along with Menlo Park, Calif.-based investment firm Silver Lake, have agreed to acquire the tech powerhouse for approximately $24.4 billion, effectively taking the company private. Techgiant Microsoft is also part of the buyer's consortium, contributing $2 billion in the form of a loan.

As a private company, it's expected that Michael Dell will have a new opportunity to position the Round Rock, Texas-based company against its rivals, including China's Lenovo, and to push the PC manufacturer further into the tablet and smartphone markets.

 

 

The deal is subject to a number of conditions, including certain regulatory approvals and a vote of unaffiliated stockholders. If all conditions are met, the transaction could close before the end of the first half of Dell's fiscal year 2014, the company says.

Founded nearly 30 years ago by Michael Dell -- then a 19-year-old college student -- Dell Inc. quickly rose to the top among PC manufacturers for consumers as well as business users. Here's a look back at the company's history and accomplishments:

1984: Michael Dell -- a 19-year-old pre-med freshman at the University of Texas at Austin -- has an idea for a new computer business he believes will change the way computers will be designed, manufactured and sold. With $1,000, he founds a company called PC's Limited.

1985: Dell designs and builds his first computer system: the Turbo PC. It featured an Intel 8088 processor running at 8MHz, a 10MB hard drive and a 5.25-inch floppy drive (remember those?).

1986: Dell releases what it says is the industry's fastest performing PC: a 12MHz, 286-based system.

1987: The company opens its first international subsidiary in the United Kingdom.

1988: After just four years, Dell goes public, raising $30 million in its IPO.

1989: Dell releases its first laptop computer, the 316LT.

1993: The "Dimension" and "OptiPlex" desktops debut for consumer and business users. Dell expands into the Asia Pacific region.

1996: The company launches Dell.com, which generates $1 million in sales per day six months after going live, Dell says.

1997: Dell ships its 10-millionth PC.

2000: It incorporates built-in Wi-Fi on its computers. Sales at Dell.com reach $40 million per day.

2003: The company expands its product portfolio with Dell-branded printers.

2004: Dell becomes China's third largest provider of computer systems and services. Michael Dell steps down as CEO but stays on as chairman of the board.

2006: The company acquires computer gaming company Alienware. Dell's share price experiences steady decline, and the company loses its lead in the PC market to Hewlett-Packard. Analysts suggest Dell needs to expand further into non-PC businesses segments.

2007: Michael Dell returns to his role as CEO. He begins a new phase in the company he calls "Dell 2.0," which includes diversifying product offerings and reducing the company's workforce. The "Vostro" family of computer products becomes Dell's flagship line for small businesses. Dell launches carbon-neutral programs for consumers and corporate customers.

2008: The company acquires storage firm EqualLogic. It launches the "Dell Latitude" line of laptops for business users and creates its first Modular Data Center for cloud-computing applications.

2009: Dell acquires Perot Systems and launches a new business called Dell Services, offering end-to-end IT services. Enters the smartphone market with the Mini 3i from China Mobile.

2010: Its first tablet, called the Streak (the device was 5 inches), launches.

2011: Dell acquires enterprise solutions companies Secure Works, RNA Networks and Dell Force10 Networks. It commits $1 billion to develop Dell data and solution centers around the world and records the largest single-year revenue increase in company history, it says.

Ravens win emotional Super Bowl against 49ers

By Julian Linden | Reuters

 

 

NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - The Baltimore Ravens reclaimed the greatest prize in North American sports after a dramatic, nail-biting 34-31 Super Bowl victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

Inspired by their power-packed quarterback Joe Flacco, the Ravens survived a ferocious comeback from the 49ers and a bizarre power outage that stopped the game for more than half an hour to win their second Super Bowl.

 

 

John Harbaugh, the head coach of the Ravens, won the most anticipated sibling rivalry in American team sports against his younger brother Jim, who holds the equivalent job with the 49ers.

And Ray Lewis, the combative 37-year-old Ravens linebacker destined for the Hall of Fame, ended his 17 season career with a second Super Bowl title, 12 years after he won his first.

"What better way to go out?" said Lewis. "We did it! We did it!"

The game, at the Superdome in New Orleans, was preceded by one of the most poignant moments ever witnessed in the 47 editions of the Super Bowl when a choir from Sandy Hook Elementary School joined Jennifer Hudson in a stirring rendition of "America the Beautiful".

 

 

The 70,000 spectators rose to their feet, many with tears in their eyes, as the children sang, nearly two months after the deadly shooting rampage at their Connecticut school.

"Our wish is to demonstrate to America and the world that, "We are Sandy Hook and we choose love," the school said in a statement.

The action on the field was as wild as the parties that have taken place in Bourbon St in the days leading up to the game as the Ravens opened up a commanding lead.

 

 

With Flacco, who was named Most Valuable Player, calling the shots and wide receiver Jacoby Jones scoring two of the most spectacular touchdowns seen in a Super Bowl, the Ravens looked to be cruising to victory when they led 28-6 early in the third quarter.

Flacco made a great start, orchestrating a six-play, 51-yard drive on his team's first possession that culminated with a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Anquan Boldin.

 

 

In the second quarter, he threw a one-yard scoring pass to tight end Dennis Pitta, then a spectacular 56-yard scoring strike to Jones.

The Ravens led 21-6 when Beyonce came out to perform a stunning halftime show then opened the second half with a Super Bowl-record 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown from Jones that will be shown on highlight reels for generations to come.

 

 

BLACK OUT

But just when it seemed the result was a foregone conclusion, a section of the lights at the Superdome, hosting the Super Bowl for the first time since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in 2005, blacked out.

Play was stopped for 35 minutes while red-faced officials and technicians restored power. When it came back on, the game instantly took on a completely different complexion.

 

 

With Colin Kaepernick finally finding his targets and making inroads with the football in hand, San Francisco piled on 17 unanswered points.

When Kaepernick rushed for a touchdown himself with just 10 minutes to go in the final quarter, the margin was down to just two points and momentum was on their side.

But Justin Tucker kicked a 38-yard field goal to give his team a five-point lead and the 49ers failed to score the touchdown they needed to win, getting only a two-point safety, as the Ravens defended their line for dear life.

 

 

"Five yards short, all the work we did in the offseason, the whole entire season, everything came down to five yards and we weren't able to get it done," said dejected 49ers tackle Joe Staley.

Both team played down the impact of the power outage, saying it was the same for both teams, while the Harbaugh brothers embraced each other as confetti rained down from the roof after one of the most emotional nights in American sport.

"I just love him obviously. I think anybody out there who has a brother can understand what that is all about," John said.

"The meeting with Jim in the middle was probably the most difficult thing I have ever been associated with in my life. I am proud of him."

 

(Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)