The Double Dip, Where will it hit?
 
Posted August 26, 2010
 
Oregon, Montana, Idaho,kansas, Arkansas,Texas,and more South and East Coast but No where is California are we expected to see a Double Dip
The chance of a national double-dip recession is hotly debated amid an increasing number of signs that the economic recovery is losing pace, but the risk is particularly troublesome on a local level.
A new report from Moody's Economy.com singled out 22 cities that are at risk of slipping back into a recession in as early as three months. To come to this conclusion, the economists considered dwindling progress in employment, housing starts, home prices and industrial production.
The at-risk cities are spread across the country, though more than half of the cities are in the South, and five are concentrated in the Midwest.
"With chances of a national double-dip recession now estimated at about one in four, several metro areas will probably experience their own downturns in the first half of 2011," said economist Andrew Gledhill, author of the report.
Private sector hiring has been tapering off in recent months compared to the start of the year, triggering Moody's to boost its forecast for a national double-dip from a 20% chance to 25% chance.
What's a double dip? No one really knows.
In the 22 identified metro areas, Gledhill said private sector hiring is particularly sluggish, increasing the chances of a slowdown.
Without a substantial pick-up in hiring, Gledhill said the number of cities in danger of a double-dip recession could grow, possibly reaching the triple-digits.
"There was a time when all 384 metro areas were in a recession. We probably won't get to that point again, but given the growing risk of another national recession, we're on the lookout for more metro areas that will be weakening substantially on several levels over the next six months to a year," Gledhill said.
He added that a handful of metro areas, particularly those that are industrial economies, are also suffering from a recent falloff in manufacturing.
Make sure you note that there is nothing noted in our Orange County or even California area.

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 
How many of these did YOU know about?
 
Posted August 13, 2010
 
A sealed envelope - Put in the freezer for a few hours, then slide a
knife under the flap. The envelope can then be resealed. (hmmmmmm...)
============
Use Empty toilet paper roll to store appliance cords. It keeps them
neat and you can write on the roll what appliance it belongs to.
===========
For icy door steps in freezing temperatures: get warm water and put
Dawn dish washing liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps. They won't refreeze. (wish I had known this for the last 40 years!)
==========
To remove old wax from a glass candle holder, put it in the freezer for
a few hours. Then take the candle holder out and turn it upside down. The
wax will fall out.
===========
Crayon marks on walls? This worked wonderfully! A damp rag, dipped
in baking soda. Comes off with little effort (elbow grease that is!).
==========
Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receipt
BLUE!) rubbing alcohol on paper towel.
============
Whenever I purchase a box of S.O.S Pads, I immediately take a pair of
scissors and cut each pad into halves. After years of having to throw
away rusted and unused and smelly pads, I finally decided that this would
be much more economical. Now a box of S.O.S pads last me indefinitely!
In fact, I have noticed that the scissors get 'sharpened'' this way!
=============
Blood stains on clothes? Not to worry! Just pour a little hydrogen
peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood.. Works
every time! (Now, where to put the body?) LOL
==========
Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and horizontal
for inside windows. This way you can tell which side has the streaks.
Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean. Don't wash windows
on a sunny day. They will dry too quickly and will probably streak.
============
Spray a bit of perfume on the light bulb in any room to create a lovely
light scent in each room when the light is turned on.
========
Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers and your clothes will smell
freshly washed for weeks to come. You can also do this with towels and linen.
=========
Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least 3
hours prior to burning.
======
To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag and add the
flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt
and leave your artificial flowers looking like new! Works like a charm!
============
To easily remove burnt-on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap
and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stove top.
===========
Spray your TUPPERWARE with nonstick cooking spray before pouring
in tomato based sauces and there won't be any stains.
===========
Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.
=============
When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the
corn's natural sweetness
===============
Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half, and rub it on your
forehead. The throbbing will go away.
=============
Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future
use in casseroles and sauces ....... Left over wine? What's that? :)
=============
To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the area
and you will experience instant relief.
============
Ants, ants, ants everywhere ... Well, they are said to never cross a chalk line. So,
get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march. See for yourself.
============
Use air-freshener to clean mirrors. It does a good job and better still,
leaves a lovely smell to the shine.
===========
When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting to
tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, and
then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily.
=====
Now look what you can do with Alka Seltzer....... Clean a toilet.
Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush.
The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous  China 
========
Clean a vase.
To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water
and drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets.
=============
Polish jewelry.
Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the
jewelry for two minutes.
==============
Clean a thermos bottle.
Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka Seltzer tablets, and let soak
for an hour (or longer, if necessary).
===========
Unclog a drain.
Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer tablets down the
drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar.. Wait a few minutes,
and then run the hot water.
================
Do your friends a favor. Pass this timely (and some not-so-timely)
information on to a friend! I just did. Makes you wonder about ingesting Alka Seltzer, doesn't it? 

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 
 
I celebrated my Birthday Yesterday at a new Restaurant in Newport Coast
 
Posted August 12, 2010
 
I had a wonderful experience yesterday, Tuesday, August 10, 2010,  I had lunch at the Newport Coast Pelican Hill Resort's COLISEUM GRILL for the first time, with my husband!  It is both casual and reasonably priced. The view was terrific!   Not only is there a golf course view, a pool view and an Ocean view; but image an evening dinner where you could have a Sunset View!  The Coliseum Grill is open for both lunch and dinner but the menu is the same so the prices do not increase for dinner.  Their service was outstanding, having wanted to sit outside but in the shade, the hostess used her imagination by setting us up in a private cabana with an awesome view!  Now that is amazing, instead of telling us, I'm sorry you will have to wait, or we can seat you here on the left side (which didn’t have an ocean view just a golf course view, they took initiative to satisfy the customer. As Realtors, we do that too, we think outside the box, looking for ways to positively satisfy our clients in any and all ways that we can!
 
We will definitely revisit the Coliseum Grill again; great view, great prices, great service and Free Valet service! Newport Coast Pelican Hill Coliseum Grill also has music and dancing on Saturday nights in case you want to join us there some weekend.  See you there!
 
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 
 
New Restaurant in town, Try it 
 
Posted August 10, 2010
 
We had a dinner canceled this evening so we walked over to a new restaurant in town, Corona Del Mar. The new restaurant is The Summer House 2744 E E. Coast Hwy,CDM. Its walking distance, right downtown Corona Del Mar with a great menu of California Cuisine with Salads,sandwiches,Burgers,Fish n Chips,Ribs and more. No matter what you order it is presented well, cooked all the way thru and still moist. Its a small menu in a cheerful atmosphere and the prices are modest. What a great lunch and dinner event location. It has been remodeled from the previous El Ranchito motif with booths,better accustics and surround sound. Friendly and perfect place to enjoy a meal with a friend, partner or an associate.
IF you know of any other neighborhood restaurants that you like, please share it with us.
 
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 
Housing Market rebound at an average of 1.8% increase is a Good Thing
 
Posted August 7, 2010
 
A housing market rebound seems tenuous following the expiration of the home buyer tax credit, and consumer confidence remains weak due to lackluster employment, but David Stiff, chief economist at Fiserv, says the bottom is near. Home prices in the U.S. have declined 29.5 percent over the past four years, according to the Fiserv Case-Shiller Indexes. Stiff says prices should form a trough early next year, when median prices will be down an estimated 32.9 percent from the 2006 peak.
By early 2014, they will have climbed about 7.2 percent from 2010 levels, according to the indexes. Fiserv and Moody's Economy.com base the housing forecast on factors that include income growth, demographic trends, unemployment rates, foreclosure rates, and construction costs. That is an average increase of 1.8% per year. Not a lot but a nice small increase, Steady,and an upward movement however small but still a positive direction.
In my opinion, this is a good way to do it. A home should be only a home, a place you can call your own. Make your changes and upgrades that you like, and can afford. Do them for you. Then when you can afford to move up or down, you sell for a mild modest 1.8% increase per year and not be greedy. Everyone is happy, new buyers can afford to buy, you are able to afford a move up and the economy is not devastated by unscrupulous individuals trying to gouge and misrepresent to make a buck, as happened with the negAM loans and no qualifier loans,etc...
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 
A few Basic Qualifying Standards & Underwriting Guideline Criteria to help you
 
Posted June 8, 2010
 
Conventional & JUMBO Loans:Interest rates shown above can be used for all owner occupied purchase or refinance transactions. Minimum qualifications are a 640 credit score and above for Conventional loans and 720 credit score and above for JUMBO Loans. No Bankruptcy's or Foreclosure's within the last 5 years. A 12 month rental or mortgage history with no late payments required. Verified income and assets known as "Full Doc" loan programs only. Property must be owner occupied. For 2nd Homes and Non-Owner Occupied property's certain restrictions and rate adjustments do apply. Loan to Value (L.T.V.) and Debt to Income (D.T.I.) ratio restrictions and rate adjustments do apply. Please contact me for details.
 
FHA & VA Loans:
Interest rates shown above can be used for all owner occupied purchase or refinance transactions. Minimum qualifications are a 640 credit score and above. No Bankruptcy's within the last 3 years and no Foreclosure's within the last 5 years. A 12 month rental or mortgage history with no late payments required. Verified income and assets known as "Full Doc" loan programs only. Property must be owner occupied. 2nd Homes or Non-Owner Occupied property's are NOT allowed. Loan to Value (L.T.V.) and Debt to Income (D.T.I.) ratio restrictions and rate adjustments do apply.
I am not an expert on lending so check with your lender. However when you are ready to buy, we will be happy to assist you with all your Real Estate Needs.
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 
Worth the Drive... Summer activites 
 
Posted June 29, 2010
 
According to Current  Events from www.AAA.com  there are lots of new events coming up worth the drive.
 Citrus Classic Balloon Festival  July 30-31 This colorful event opens with an evening of live music, wine and beer tasting, and the flickering glow of illuminated hot air balloons. Spectators arrive early the next day to watch the spectacular sunrise ascension of more than two dozen floating craft. Tethered balloon rides, music,vendors, a vintage car and morotcycleshow, and kids' activities are also featured. After sunset, the "Glow of the Blue Moon" commences with blue lights, illuminated balloons, glowing blue beach balls, and the cool sounds of a blues band.  Soccer Fields at 18249 E. Telegraph Road, Santa Paula (805) 525-2057;  ww.citrusclassicballoons.com
 
US Open Sand Castle Competition Aug 6-8th Creative teams of amateurs and professionals sculp sand masterpieces for cash prizes. The 30th annual event includes the Kids-N-Kastles competition for ungsters 12 and under (August 7th) and a weekend street fair with live entertainment.  The official competition starts at 9am on August 8th and judging begins at 2pm.  Imperial Beach (619) 424-6663: www.usopensandcastle.com
 
LaHabra Corn Festival Aug 6-8th Sixty-two years ago, the La Habra Host Lions Club presumed that transplanted Midwesterners would flock to  Orange County to get a good ear of corn on the cob. And they were right. The festival features one of the largest summertime parades in California, a corn-eating contest, games, and tasty food-including hot, buttery corn on the cob.  El Centro-Lions Park, La Habra (562) 697-1704
 
Long Beach Funk Fest August 7th Folks will be dancin'and singin' and movin' to the groovin' in the streets at the funkadelicmusic festival. Ten bands lay down the intense grooves made popular in the 1970's and beyond with their bad selves at pre-and postfestival parties at nearby restaurants and bars.  Pine Ave. and Broadway, Long Beach (562) 436-4259
 
Paso Robles Olive Festival August 21 Although olive trees are grown in many regions of the world, California is the only place in the U>S where they thrive. The Central Coast celebrates the popular drupe with an annual festival. California olive oil and olive products are featured in tastings, seminars and a chef cook-off in an outdoor kitchen stadium.l There are also arts and crafts and free olive-oil ice cream.  Downtown City Park, Paso Robles (805) 238-4103; www.pasoolivefestival.com WOW  all these activities..I think we might try them all.  Want to join us?
 
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 
 
Good Schools, Bad Real Estate
 
Posted June 28, 2010
 
by Sarah Max
Friday, June 25, 2010
provided by

Despite the housing slump, house hunting in good school districts frustrates parents who often have to settle for less house.
Oh, the sacrifices parents make.
Kiely and John Adams began their house hunt this spring with grand plans to upgrade from their small home in Cary, N.C., to a larger, four-bedroom house—preferably with an office and a bonus room—about 25 miles away in Chapel Hill, where Kiely plans on starting a Ph.D. program next fall.
[Click here to check home equity rates in your area.]
They could have gotten all that and more for their $415,000 budget if they kept their search on the outskirts of Chapel Hill . But, determined to stay within the boundaries of Chapel Hill 's highly-regarded school district, the parents of 5-year-old twins, Megan and Bevin, and 4-year-old Sean trudged ahead in what they dubbed "an exercise in compromise." Even when they did find a house that showed promise, it was usually snapped up before they could take a closer look. "Most houses seemed to come and go, come and go," Mr. Adams says.
It's supposed to be a buyer's market. Yet, for parents determined to buy in areas associated with top schools, those bargains may be harder to come by. When housing markets go south, "areas with exceptional schools tend to hold their value better than the market overall," says Michael Sklarz, president of Collateral Analytics, a Honolulu-based firm that specializes in real estate data analysis.
In Chapel Hill, where the Adams family was looking, the average single-family home price, based on price per square foot, has declined about 4.8% since the market peaked in 2007, according to Collateral Analytics, but houses there still command about a 48% premium, per square foot, to homes in the Raleigh-Cary metro area.
In other parts the country, home prices have dropped in areas with good schools, but the declines are typically nowhere near the levels in their surrounding metro areas. In Irvine, Calif., a city that regularly gets national attention for its quality schools, average price per square foot has fallen 18% since its 2006 peak, but prices in the greater metro area surrounding Irvine fell 33%. The same goes for Edina , Minn. , where prices per square foot are down about 14% since their peak, versus 27% for the greater Minneapolis area. And in the brainy town of Andover , Mass. , prices are down just 4%, versus more than 16% for the Boston metro division.
There are several factors at play, says Mr. Sklarz. Areas with good schools tend to be more affluent and were less susceptible to the sub-prime mortgage debacle so saw fewer foreclosures. What's more, homes associated with great schools generally sell faster, in good markets and bad.
All of this comes as no surprise to the real estate agents who work with education-obsessed parents. "Schools have a huge impact on home values," says Kathy Beacham, a real estate broker in Raleigh . When schools in her own well-to-do neighborhood were redistricted three years ago, the value of her million-dollar home dropped more than $150,000. "A good education has always been important but I don't remember looking at the numbers like parents do today," she says.
Then again, the numbers have never been so widely available. State assessments, independent ratings from websites like GreatSchools and Education.com and annual magazine rankings of America's top high schools have not only made it easy for parents to factor school test scores and parent-teacher ratios into their buying decisions, they've cemented the relationship between home prices and school quality.
When Florida rolled out its statewide grading system in 1999, the real estate market took note. According to research by David Figlio, who is now a professor of education, social policy and economics at Northwestern University , an A-rated school in Gainesville added about $10,000 to the value of a home there versus a B school.
Once a school is graded, the gap often grows. Strong ratings lead to better community support, which in turn leads to better schools. Today, the difference between an A school and B school might easily be $50,000 on a $300,000 house, he says.
That phenomenon isn't lost on residents of Bellevue , Wash. , a Seattle suburb that is home to some of the best schools in the state. "I don't think there's ever been a school levy on the ballot here that's been turned down," says broker Michael Orbino. Even residents who don't have school-age children tend to stand behind the schools. It's not altruism; it's economics. All things being equal, homes in the Bellevue school district fetch as much as a 15% premium to those just outside of it, he says.
"But there's more to it than that," says Mr. Orbino. "Because the land is worth so much more in Bellevue, builders tend to build more expensive homes here," making the school district that much more expensive to begin with. By Mr. Orbino's estimate, the prices for single-family homes are down about 10% since the market peak. "But it isn't a catch-all," he says. Prices for ultra-luxury homes and condos, which generally aren't influenced by schools, are down 30% to 40%, he says. So while prices per square foot in Bellevue have fallen slightly more than the Seattle market overall, prices for more family-friendly abodes haven't necessarily seen the same declines.
The stabilizing effect of good schools is welcome news for those who already own property in school boundaries, but it makes it tough for parents to trade up to better homes. John and Kiely Adams considered themselves lucky to have found a three-bedroom home in a Chapel Hill neighborhood they liked and at a price in their budget. But, alas, they were forced to back out of the deal when their current home came up short in the appraisal. With their daughters' first day of kindergarten fast approaching, the couple will stay put for now and start the process over again next spring. "We don't want them to start kindergarten only to yank them out two months later," says Mr. Adams.
Left with few other options, some parents get creative. Bellevue school administrators have seen all kinds of tactics for skirting the district's policy that students spend at least four nights a week within boundary lines. Common ploys include using a family member's address or taking over a resident's utility bill, one of the documents used as proof of residency. The school district has uncovered 35 cases of enrollment fraud this year alone. Other families jump school boundaries by spending four nights a week in a small apartment and going home to a bigger house in another town for the weekends.
Two years ago, Daniel and Dee Shin used an inheritance from Mr. Shin's father to pay $410,000 for the "cheapest house they could afford" in Bellevue for the sole purpose of securing a spot in the school district for their then 11-year-old daughter, Kayla. The 900-square-foot circa-1955 rambler is "beat up and not insulated very well," says Mr. Shin, adding that he assumed that paying property taxes on the house would be enough to satisfy the school district's residency requirements even if the family actually resided in a 2,326-square-foot, four-bedroom home in the nearby town of Renton. Their new neighbors in Bellevue , evidently, didn't see it that way. They reported the Shins to the school district, and the district gave them an ultimatum: move into the Bellevue district by the time Kayla registers for high school in February, or start the following school year in another district.
The decision was clear for the Shins. They plan to spend the summer insulating the Bellevue home and doing their best to make it livable. Come January, they'll move into that house, and their extended family will move into the house in Renton .
The Shins considered just sending Kayla to a private school, but Mr. Shins says that suggestion triggered "on demand tears" from Kayla, who doesn't relish the idea of going to a different high school than her middle-school pals. After all the trouble the couple went through to get Kayla into Bellevue schools, they're determined to see her graduate from Newport High School, which, Mr. Shin is quick to point out, is consistently ranked among the best in the country.
As the father of three children ages 11, 14 and 16, Northwestern's Mr. Figlio understands the dilemma parents face. When he and his family relocated from Gainesville , Fla. , to Evanston , Ill. , in 2008, Mr. Figlio vetted the middle schools before making a decision about where exactly he and his family would live. For parents struggling with how to get their kids into the "best" schools at a price they can afford, he recommends considering test scores, state ratings and the like—but not getting too hung up on enrolling your child in an A+ school at all costs when a B+ school might actually be a better fit, academically and financially.
You should really consider a B+ school area so you don’t work to pay for your home? So you can live and enjoy your home and family.
Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike
 
Newport Beach Project at MacArthur and San Miguel
 
Posted June 23, 2010 
 
The City of Newport Beach broke ground on its Civic Center & Park Project in May (in case you were wondering what all the blue fence and graders were doing there). Construction will continue through late 2012.  The project includes a city hall building, one of the city's larges parks, a 450 space parking structure and an expansion of the Newport Beach Central Library. This is all located on the two parcels inland of the Central Library and bordered by Avocado Ave. and MacArthur blvd. The section of San Miguel between Avocado Ave. and MacArthur will also be expanded.
During the next 2.5 years, the project will be constructed in 3 main phases.  The first phase will be done by the end of the year and includes extensive excavation, shoring and genertal site preparation. Late in 2010, construction will begin on the parking structure and that phase will last about 10 months. The thire and final phase of the project will begin in early 2011 and includes construction of the library expansion, city hall building and park. Construction hours are Monday through Friday from 7am to 5pm.
You are near to alkl this and will benefit when all is done. The city of Newport Beach is available to show you the project plans and hear your comments or concerns about the construction activity.  There will be an Open House on Tuesday June 29th at the Newport Beach Central Library 1100 Avocado Ave. Newport Beach from 430to 7pm. Stop by and take a look and get any questions answered.  If you dont have time you can also visit the website at www.newportbeachca.gov/civiccenter
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 
Your word is your bond
 
Posted June 4, 2010
 
The words my father left me 20 years ago. The jewels I remember, if I dont remember anything else he said. It made an impression on me. He said, "Son,if you tell someone you are going to be somewhere, or do something, or set an appointment, it is the same as a promise. Your word is your bond".  That stay with me forever. I make sure if I make an appointment I keep it, if I say I am going to do something, I do it. It is how people see you. Truthful or not. It is the impression that you leave with people. Are you honest or not. It seems simple, but it doesn't seem to be that simple to everyone else.
People make appointments and dont keep them. They say they will do a job and either dont show up or can't seem to keep their word on if or when they can do that job; or they will start it and not complete it for weeks. It is disheartening that you take people at their word, make arrangements with them, set prices, etc... and no follow through. How can we run businesses, our lives, have friends, if our word is not our BOND?
This is simply a choice. Will I do what I say and when I say? It seems simple to me. Does it to you? Is this something you should be able to expect from a friend, an employee, a contractor, a politician?
Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike

Make A Wish Ice Cream Social   

Posted May 13, 2010

SAVE THE DATE!!!

World's Largest

Ice Cream Social

On Thursday, September 30, 2010

This year's "World's Largest Ice Cream Social" will take place on Sept. 30th at every Cold Stone Creamery location nationwide. This year's creation comes from the brilliant mind of wish kid  from the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and Northern Florida . Her wish was to be a Junior Tastemaster and go behind the scenes of ice cream making. Every person who participates in the ice cream social this year will be helping make her wish even more amazing.

We would love to have all of you come and visit us and have a   great Cold Stone Creamery creation for FREE and any donation you make will go MakeAWish to helping a child with a life-threatening disease, enjoy a WISH that will take him or her temporarily out of the realm of the hospital and doctor world they live daily.

The MakeAWish of Orange County is our "after hours" passion and we would love you to come by and join us at the Balboa Peninsula Fun Zone location of Cold Stone Creamery.  So hold the date and mark it on your calendars for Thursday September 30th, 2010

Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike

Parental Martyrdom

Posted May 10, 2010 
 
"An emerging problem involves parents who spend themselves to the edge of insolvency bailing out their children. "It starts from a good place, basically from wanting to be a good parent," Klontz says. "They'll say that Johnny is going through a rough patch and needs some help. But it becomes financial enabling."
Worse, it often causes the parents to suffer money woes that keep them from retiring or living comfortably because they're constantly paying Johnny's bills.
Any time you help an adult child, you should have a clear idea of how much help is necessary, how long it will be required, how it will help the child get back on his or her feet, and when (or whether) the child will have to pay you back. When there's no plan - just an open checkbook or couch - you turn the child into a dependent who becomes increasingly incapable of taking care of himself, Klontz says.
"I talk to the parents about how their attempts to help are like giving a drink to an alcoholic because his hand is shaking. This kind of helping is hurting," he says. "Then we talk about what kind of help would really help." (Hint: That kind generally doesn't involve cash.)"
written by Brad Klontz
An all too common occurance. Let them learn from there mistakes and grow This is how children learn
Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike
 

CALIFORNIA - Just One State 

Posted May 10, 2010

This is only one State...............If this doesn't open eyes, 
NOTHING WILL ! ! ! !

  
From the L. A. Times
1.40% of all workers in L.A.County (L.A.County has 10.2 million people) are working for cash and not paying taxes This is because they are predominantly illegal immigrants working without a green card.. 2.95% of warrants for murder in Los Angeles are for illegal aliens. 3. 75% of people on the most wanted list in Los Angeles are illegal aliens. 4. Over 2/3 of all births in  Los Angeles County  are to illegal alien Mexicans on Medi-Cal, whose births were paid for by taxpayers. 5.Nearly 35% of all inmates in California detention centers are Mexican nationals here illegally. 6. Over 300,000 illegal aliens in  Los Angeles County are living in garages. 7. The FBI reports half of all gang members in  Los Angeles are most likely illegal aliens from south of the border.8 Nearly 60% of all occupants of HUD properties are illegal. 9.21 radio stations in L.A. are Spanish speaking. 10.. In L.A.County 5.1 million people  speak English, 3.9 million speak Spanish. (There are 10.2 million people in L.A.County.) (All 10 of the above facts were published in the Los Angeles Times) Less than 2% of illegal aliens are picking our crops,but 29% are on welfare.Over 70% of the United States 'annual population growth (and over 90% of California,Florida,and New York) results from immigration. 29% of inmates in federal prisons are illegal aliens. We are fools for letting this continue HOW CAN YOU HELP ? Send copies of this letter to at least two other people.100 would  be even better.....This  is only one State................
What do you think about this?
Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike

Corona Del Mar Marathon

Posted May 3, 2010

Yesterday we were out doing our morning 3 mile walk and we able to cheer on the Walk/Run Marathon in Corona Del Mar.  It is always a good feeling to see so many good hearted, generous people doing or assisting the Marathon event for a beneficial cause.

Many people enjoy these Marathons and gain support from friends, associates and relatives for the sole purpose of raising donations for whatever cause is being served by this particular Marathon.

I applaud these unselfish individuals who come out with their children, pets, and friends early in the morning, with weeks of preparation for the fund raising or in kind donations from supporters of the event and cause.

We should all consider, becoming one of these selfless, generous supporters. We need many more like these individuals.

We particular support the Make A Wish Foundation of Orange County as Wish Granters and fund raising at benefits.

Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike
 

Is NOW the TIME to BUY?
 

Posted April 26, 2010

There are many indicators of the Real Estate Market. Everyday I get asked: do you think we have hit the bottom? What do you think will be the bottom if this is not the bottom?Should I buy now or wait to see if they get better?

Well if I had a crystal ball, I would be retired now and traveling the world. My whole family would be wealthy beyond belief and I would be happy to give you the benefit of my answers from my crystal ball.

However, all we can do is look at the indicators. Some tells of the woes of more short sales, more bank foreclosures, more price drops, higher unemployment, higher interest rates; and yet others show us the the medium home prices are increasing 14% over last year, new home builders in Irvine are raising prices 6-7% and prices are great because they are 45% below the high of Feb 2005 top. Fullerton economists say prices will increase around 5% and greater after 2012.

There are different markets in different areas. Irvine in unique because it has a low crime rate (highly advertised), one of the best schools in the Nation, and a lot of walking trails and parks planned through out. Beach cities have better temperatures, walking distance to the Ocean, some views, etc.  Areas like Riverside were over built because of the promise of a dream home for reasonable prices, which were inflated because they could be and still be cheap. 

Homes below $1 million are going fairly quickly, homes over are taking 1-3 years to sell unless priced well. The “Tides” by Standard Pacific development in Newport Coast just went back on the market at great prices and are selling in the $6 million range; priced well.

In the HOT market of wild increases and over biding, people were being greedy buying to flip homes, with no upgrades, and with loans on stated income; which means you really didn’t have the income to qualify for the loan. They also got negative amortization loans which means you banked on the increases of the value so you paid minimal payments of maybe 1% interest and the remaining owed went back on the loan to increase the principle (you owed more than you paid but you didn’t care because you were going to make a killing quickly.

On the average, most homes are increasing in miniscule amounts but still increasing. Interest rates are still very low and if you plan on buying and living in your home for 10 years, it is well worth it to buy down your rate with points to make your payments comfortable. But to get back to the question of  “Are we at the bottom of the market or have we hit the bottom”  the answer is NOW is a good time to buy. If we are not there we are very very close, and those who buy now, it appears, will not get hurt. Buy your home, the palace you want to live in and couldn’t afford. Get a great rate and make it comfortable to pay. Do your upgrades so that you enjoy it, not to get more money out of it later. If and when you sell, sell with the thought that you saved tax money that you normally would have paid Uncle Sam because you didn’t have any deductions; you got to enjoy and raise your children in the environment you chose, and you most likely will get your purchase price back out of your home, maybe more.

Why rent. Buy now, contact us

Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike
 

The Healthcare Bill isn’t the only thing costing us Billions!

Posted April 22, 2010

The American Obesity problem keeps getting bigger and bigger.  According to the Center for Disease Control, the normal range of obesity is 10-15% Nationally.  In 1996, the rate was 20% and by contrast, today we are at 30% Nationally, with 3 states in the South over 30%.   While the focus of the Heathcare reform is the cost to Americans, the bigger or at least the equally expensive cost to our pocket book is what Obesity costs us.  Obesity causes Diabetes, heart problems, kidney problems, high blood pressure, stroke and more.  According some estimates, Obesity costs the US Healthcare system $263 BILLION annually. The dramatic rise is in American's diet,  foods high in saturated fats and low in fruits, vegetables and grain.

If we were smart, we could save ourselves tons of money by eating right and of course exercise would definitely help.  What are your thoughts?

Marlene Dietrich,Tony and Mike
 

California Now forgives Short Sale losses from your taxes
 
Posted April 15, 2010

Governor Schwarzenegger on Monday signed SB 401 (Wolk) into law providing distressed homeowners with state tax exemption on debt forgiven in a short sale, foreclosure, or loan modification.  Effective immediately, this bill generally aligns California's tax treatment of mortgage debt relief income with federal law.  For debt forgiven on a loan secured by a qualified principal residence, borrowers now will be exempt both from federal and state income tax consequences.  The tax exemptions apply, with certain restrictions, to debts discharged from 2009 through 2012.  Californians who have already filed their 2009 tax returns may claim the exemption by filing a Form 540X amendment.
 
Taxpayers who do not qualify for the above exemptions (e.g., second home or rental property) may nevertheless be exempt under other provisions.  Most notably, taxpayers who are bankrupt are exempt from debt relief income tax.  Also, taxpayers who are insolvent are exempt from debt relief income tax to the extent their current liabilities exceed current assets.

This is great news. Both Fed and CA state are forgiving for home owners who lost jobs and could not afford the loans during this depression time.
 
Source of information  from CAR
Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike

Second Trust Deed holders Pushing Back
 
Daily Real Estate News  April 14, 2010 
Lenders Push Back on 2nd-Lien Cuts
Executives representing major lenders told lawmakers that principal reductions on second mortgages may not be enough to heal the housing crisis and should not be their sole option for modifications.

They warned that forcing write-downs on second liens could rattle the markets, inflate downpayment requirements, tighten credit criteria more, and boost risk premiums for mortgage credit.

Executives also noted that they have been able to modify first-lien loans without also modifying second-lien loans.

Source: American Banker, Donna Borak (04/14/2010)

© Copyright 2010 Information Inc.

This could make the Short Sale process a little tuffer and a little longer
Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike

Daily Real Estate News  April 14, 2010

Loan Delinquency Rate Takes a Notable Dip
The percentage of delinquent mortgages declined to 6.57 percent in the first quarter from 6.60 in the last quarter of 2009, according to Equifax and Moody’s Economy.com.

This is the first decline in the delinquency rate since the first quarter of 2006.

"It portends a peaking of the foreclosure crisis," says Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody’s.

Reasons for the decline include tougher lending standards, mortgage modification efforts and a more stable job market, economists say.

Source: USA Today, Stephanie Armour (04/14/2010)
 Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike

SUNSET RIDGE – BANNING RANCH – What is your Opinion?

Posted April 9, 2010

I have been following the progress of the City of Newport Beach creating a park on Sunset Ridge just below the Newport Crest Community.  As a Realtor, I have many clients of mine living in this community and enjoying the fabulous ocean views including the peace and quiet.  The latest City Council meeting held on March 23, 2010 brought out many homeowners as well as those who want to preserve our Nature Resources and keep open land.  From the very beginning the City has told us that Sunset Ridge would not be built upon, the only thing that could happen is a Park would be built.  Well, that is exactly what the City is doing, putting in a Park, a very nice park.  In my opinion the Park on Sunset Ridge will improve the looks of that un-kept field.  What I don’t like is the access road the City is  spending  all that money  on to build, when there is a parking lot on the other side of Superior that could be enlarged with a walking bridge constructed across Superior to keep park-goers safe.  The access road will bring a lot of noise and pollution to the Newport Crest homeowners plus it makes it easier for Banning Ranch to develop.  In my opinion it would be a big mistake for the City of Newport Beach to waste so much money and I am against letting Banning Ranch develop this property.   I feel the City of Newport Beach should give more thought to the idea of allowing Banning Ranch to develop and take away this open land, we need to preserve as much undeveloped land as possible.   Why isn’t this a priority to the Newport Beach City Council?  Why isn’t this cost-effective means of saving the tax payers money while using what we already have, a simple solution?  What is your opinion?
 

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

The Governor of California is offering buyers a new tax credit 

Posted April 2, 2010

AB 183 will provide $200 million for home buyer

The positive impact of the federal home buyer tax credit is clear. Nearly 40 percent of first-time home buyers said they would not have purchased a home if the federal tax credit for first-time home buyers was not offered, according to C.A.R. research conducted last year.The state's previous home buyer first-time home buyer.AB 183 will significantly contribute to the effort to stimulate jobs-creation within California's housing market by helping to incentivize first-time home buyers to purchase homes that have been abandoned, foreclosed upon and returned to the lender, or have been sitting on the market for extended periods of time. It is these homes that will require substantial rehabilitation by the new owners, which will in turn generate a tremendous increase in jobs and accessory purchases connected to


This report comes from California Association of Realtors.
This should help the home buyer with more credits; help you buy with a little assist from your State  with your tax money you would have normally have to pay. You can use that to assist you with your desire to buy a home now that prices are low and interest rates are GREAT

Remember us Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike


Out Sourcing Medicine. Is that the Future?

Posted March 30, 2010

As many of you are aware, health care has been a hot topic recently, and will remain a discussed and debated topic for months to come.  Many experts expect a toned-down version of the health care bill to pass this summer.

Instead of boring you with analytical detail, I am going to give you my practical view of where medicine is heading in the future. Unfortunately, my vision is not bright.

Let us start from the beginning.  When I was a medical student at University of Southern California, the tuition fee was $12,000 for the first year and increased to $16,000 during my fourth year.  Currently, the tuition fee is $44,800! This means from 1986 to 2010, a 24 year period, the tuition fee has increased 272%.  This translates to an average annual increase of 11.4%, which is significantly more than the inflation rate.  Remember, this does not include cost of living, transportation, etc.

The data shows the income of physicians has not increased and in some specialties has slightly decreased over the past ten years.  Therefore, medical students are graduating with a larger and larger debt, with an income which is not even keeping up with inflation, let alone cost of education.

Then there is malpractice insurance, which is mandatory for all physicians, if they plan to work at a hospital or perform surgery at a surgery center.  The average insurance cost for a plastic surgeon in California with a “clean” record is around $25,000-30,000/year.  The rate for an OB/Gyn doctor is $50,000-60,000 or more.  This is equivalent to the annual salary of the average American family!  Why are the rates so high?  Part of the problem, if not all, is the ease with which law suits can be filed and the ability or inability of a jury to correctly asses the data.  I know of a case where the jury awarded $70, 0000,000 to a patient for inability to have sex after a tummy tuck surgery!  This is not a typo and I will confirm the award: $70,000,000.  Having said this, I have read of cases where the surgeon was clearly at fault and the jury did not award the patient.  The point is I do not believe a jury of lay people has the capability of adequately evaluating complicated medical lawsuits.

Furthermore, many of these cases take years to resolve. Why do we have such an inefficient legal system is not clear to me.  Common sense, however, tells me if an attorney charges by the hour, why would you want to have an efficient system?

Another issue is Medicare’s plan to reduce payment to physicians by 21%. This probably has nothing to do with reducing the cost of health care as much as balancing the budget.  Unfortunately, PPO and HMO companies adjust their payments by using Medicare fees as a base-line.

There is now increased government intrusion (some of it good, most of it extra paperwork for less payment).  The new big thing is pay for performance, meaning physicians will be awarded for being efficient and cost effective in their delivery of health care.  Why not do the same to the judicial system?  Can you imagine the amount of money and time which will be saved?  Why not have all medical lawsuits screened by an experienced panel (may be two physicians and two judges). The decision to pursue the lawsuit should be unanimous and the final decision should be unanimous as well.  I urge you to write your representative in congress about changing the legal system.  Even writing to your local newspaper to cover a story about the “hidden” legal cost of health care can’t hurt.  The problem is trial attorneys pour an annual budget of $6.5 million to lobby at Congress.  The change may never happen, but it is worth a try.

What about universal health care?  I think it is important for every one to have coverage for basic and emergency medical care.  However, please note this will not equate to increased income for the hospitals or the physicians.  With the budget deficit as it is, the payment for the newly insured will come from decreasing payments from Medicare and other programs.  In other words, the hospitals and the doctors will have to see more patients with no increase in re-imbursement.  This has to affect quality of care at some point.  I wish I had an answer how to cover every one without financial sacrifice, both from the medical side and from you, the tax payer.

What does all of this mean?  Well, the number of applicants to medical schools has dropped 20%.  I know of two people who got accepted into medical school this year and decided to pursue other careers.  If this trend continues, medical schools have two options: either lower the standard of admission or accept foreign medical graduates.  Outsourcing of medicine has the advantage of hiring these doctors after residency training with less pay.  Many of these graduates will have a better quality of life than in their own country, even with lower salaries.  The question is how to pick the “cream of the crop” and will the “cream of the crop” be as good as the medical applicants from this country?  Either way, I see a potential decrease in the quality of applicants and, therefore, quality of care.

Many of you may say “Oh, here is another doctor who whines all the time. He probably plays golf all the time and makes millions.”  Yes, this statement was true in the 1970’s, the so called “golden age of medicine”.  My generation is more like the “cubic zirconium” age of medicine!

But to put things in perspective, a plastic surgeon goes to four years of college, four years of medical school, and 6-8 years of residency after that.  That is 14-16 years of education beyond high school.  An attorney goes to 3 years of law school and can practice after passing the Bar.  The cheapest attorney fee I have seen is $250/hour, and the attorney charges by the hour.  The insurance companies, however, reimburse physicians by the procedure code they use to describe what was performed.  The payment is fixed, regardless of the time of surgery.   What about a basketball player with college or high school education?  How about getting paid $200,000-1,000,000 a month to throw a ball through a hoop!  How much do you think it is worth allowing a surgeon to cut you open, take things out or re-arrange things and then put every thing back together so that you are better off after surgery?

Michael A. Jazayeri, M.D.

This is a Dr’s option about the new Health plan of Obama’s
What do you think?

Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike
 

Do you know what to Eat?

Posted Mach 29,2010

Everyone seems to be overweight or on a diet.  Not too many people know what to eat  to stay health.  It's not a big mystery.  Everything in moderation..You can have anything you want but in MODERATION. When you go out, minimize the bread...they only give it to you to fill you up so that the main course you get will be enough, no matter how tiny it is. Then have  salad prior to the main dish, it helps the digestion and fills you. When you meal comes, socialize and eat in between your conversation. This will take time, you will eat slower and you will enjoy your meal more. Then for desert have a table desert and share it. Really all you need is a few bites to satisfy that sweet tooth. You had a full meal.
Of course, you are not going out to eat all the time. Eat more often and smaller meals. Have snacks in between meals to that your full all the time and eat less. Missing a meal doesnt help you lose weight. It fools your body into thinking that you are starving so you body will slow up your metabolism so that no matter what you eat you will still GAIN weight.
Lastly, the biggest reason for gaining weight is snacking at night. Go ahead and snack but eat right. Small amount and not to late. Whatever you eat after 7pm depending on how late you stay up, will be deposited as fat.
It's simple. Eat more often, small quantities and exercise always helps

Enjoy
Thant's what we do!

Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike

How to Gauge Your Middle-Class Status by Rick Newman

Posted March 26, 2010

Assessing Your Middle-Class Status

Despite the so-called recovery, many families continue to struggle, with income and other living standards slipping below thresholds that typically represent middle-class quality of life. We've assembled a variety of metrics to help determine whether you're getting ahead, holding steady, or slipping further than most.

Income

For the 50 percent of families in the middle of the scale, household income ranges from $51,000 to $123,000 for a typical four-person, two-parent family. The median is about $81,000. Those numbers are from 2008, and have probably fallen 5 to 7 percent since then, on account of the recession. Median income for a single-parent, two-child family is about $25,000.

Housing Costs

For two-parent families, the typical home is worth about $231,000, accounting for $17,600 in mortgage payments and other costs per year. Housing costs have risen by more than twice as much as income since 1990, a trend that may finally be reversing thanks to the housing bust.

Home Size

The housing bubble was one factor that boosted housing costs, but the typical family also lives in a much bigger home. The median size of a new, single-family home jumped by 40 percent between 1979 and 2007, to about 2,300 square feet. That may now be declining, as families downsize and some get booted from homes they can't afford.

Medical Expenses

You've probably heard - healthcare costs are going through the roof. A study by the middle-class task force headed by Vice President Joe Biden says the median two-parent family spends $5,100 per year on health insurance and non-covered expenses-assuming an employer provides health insurance. Healthcare costs have risen far more than any other aspect of the family budget since 1990, with no end in sight.

Cars

They provide mobility and represent freedom, one reason the typical family spends about $12,400 per year on two medium-sized sedans or the equivalent, with a new-car value of $45,000. The recession may have dampened our love of the road, however: Americans are driving less and car sales are off about 40 percent.

College Savings

The typical family puts aside $4,100 for college expenses for two kids, estimated to cover about 75 percent of expenses at a state university. Financial aid helps with the rest. But if possible, toss more into the college fund: As states face budget crunches, tuition and fees are going up.

Vacations

One week at the beach or another destination is standard, at a cost of $3,000 or so for four. More affluent families can afford two weeks, at a typical cost of $6,100.

Retirement Savings

A median-income family that saved 3.2 percent of its income-roughly equivalent to the national saving rate-would sock away nearly $2,600 per year for retirement. Of course many families don't hit even that modest goal, and stock-market losses over the last several years have further shrunk the national nest egg.

Everyday Spending

Clothes, food, utilities, entertainment and other living expenses amount to $14,200 a year for a median-income family. Not surprisingly, this is one set expenses many families are trying to reduce, by buying more discount brands, using less or doing without.

Number of Earners

In 76 percent of two-parent families, both parents work. The higher the household income, the more likely it is that both parents are contributing.

Hours Worked

Few parents will be surprised to hear that Moms and Dads are working more than they used to. The total number of hours worked in a two-parent family is 3,747 per year, up 5 percent since 1990. The increased hours add up to more than four 40-hour weeks of additional work per family.

Education

The typical household head has a high school degree plus about two years of college education, up by more than a full year of college since 1990. Good thing-education is a key factor in lifetime earnings, and high school dropouts face a dim future by nearly every measure.

Free Time

What's your top priority? In a 2008 poll by the Pew Research Center , it wasn't healthy kids, a strong marriage or a great career; 68 percent of respondents said it was free time. (And just 12 percent said it was being wealthy.)

Household Net Worth

The typical household has a net worth of about $84,000, according to the Federal Reserve. That's down 30 percent since 2007, thanks to losses in stock portfolios and home values.

Debt

About 18 percent of disposable income, on average, goes toward mortgage payments, auto loans, credit cards and other forms of household debt. That's a bit higher than it was in the '70s and '80s. But since debt payments peaked at the beginning of 2008, at 18.9 percent of income, they've been steadily falling.

So what are you? Are you in the middle class? Or are you upper middle class?

Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike

Retire with a Million Dollars

Posted March 25, 2010

by Joe Mont
Sunday, March 21, 2010
 
Conventional wisdom says you need to save $1 million for retirement.
That target may be easy to remember, but it falls short of the true cost of what's required for post-career comfort. Longer life spans, the threat of inflation and the uncertain future of Social Security benefits make this long-touted savings advice inadequate for most, advisers say.
Scottrade recently polled 226 registered investment advisers on the topic and found that 71% don't believe $1 million is enough for the average American family. Most said families need to save double, or more than triple, the amount.
"Younger generations, especially, need to set their retirement goals higher than other generations and start saving as early as possible," says Craig Hogan, Scottrade's director of customer-relationship management and reporting.
The survey solicited opinions about the current investment habits of Americans. Questions were broken down by generations to determine advisers' opinions on average investment goals in today's dollars for various groups.
Generation Y (ages 18 to 26) needs to save at least $2 million, according to 77% of advisers. Forty percent put the figure at $3 million.
Nearly half of advisers (46%) said Generation X (ages 27 to 42) should at least double the $1 million goal. Twenty-two percent suggested more than $3 million.
For Boomers (ages 43 to 64), 35% recommended $2 million to $3 million. Thirty percent suggested $1.5 million to $2 million.
According to Scottrade's analysis, seniors are the only generation that may come close to needing only $1 million. Forty-four percent of advisers said $500,000 to $1.5 million is sufficient for average families in that age bracket.
Bill Smith, president of Ohio-based Great Lakes Retirement Group, is among the advisers who took part in the survey. As he sees it, too many people rely on online retirement calculators. Much of that guidance uses a target based on making do with 70% to 80% of pre-retirement income.
"I've never been a big fan of planning to earn less in retirement than you are making now," he says. "I'd like to see an individual continue making the same amount of retirement as when he was working. Who wants to set themselves up in retirement to make less?"
While most people will spend less when they retire, inflation or the onset of a long-term illness could wipe out savings without proper protection or planning.
That said, there's no secret to meeting a retirement goal: maximize your contribution rate, have a greater tolerance for risk when you're younger and downshift to bonds as you grow older. Successful preparation, however, begins with setting a realistic goal and understanding your true financial picture.
Debt needs to be carefully considered as well as leaving money for the kids.
"There are two extremes," Smith says. "There are individuals who say, 'We don't care if we have anything left the day we die -- we are OK with that last check bouncing when we are gone.' Then there are the individuals who don't do anything in retirement because all of their decisions are made around, 'I've got to leave it for the kids.' "
-- Reported by Joe Mont in Boston.
Copyrighted, TheStreet.Com. All rights reserved.
 
WOW, I thought that was a lot of money but it's not enough
Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike
 

ON THE MENDS The California Real Estate 

Posted March 24, 2010

According to Article provided by CAR (California Association of Realtors)   California experienced a 59% drop from peak to hitting bottom in 2009. Nationally homes went from top to bottom at 29%.It has been said by some economists that since this decline was so deep that we are further along in mending and returning to a normal market than the national market.

With the Mortgage still at an all time low: 30 year fixed below 5% and 5 year fixed at 3.87% , the federal government extending the First-Time Buyer Tax Credit thru 4-30-2010, With low inventories the homes on the market are getting multiple offers which stimulate an increase in prices.

There are many indicators that tell us that we are in a balance market with buyers and sellers while homes are affordable and payments are manageable.

Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike

Historic Health Bill Passed

Posted March 23, 2010

Play Video AP  - Obama after health care bill: helped or hurt? When Bill Clinton pledged to deliver universal health care 17 years ago, he firmly instructed both chambers of  Congress in a prime-time special address that "you will pass and I will sign legislation to guarantee this security" - i.e., permanent, portable health coverage - "to every citizen of this country." That moment never arrived for Clinton, of course. But today in a spirited ceremony with a few unscripted moments, Barack Obama signed into law the sweeping bill to overhaul American health care that the House approved in a close vote Sunday night. The signing ceremony, held at 11:15 a.m. ET marked the end of a decades-long battle over creating a system of universal coverage -thereby extending health insurance to the more than 30 million Americans who are currently uninsured. The ceremony established the biggest new social program since President Lyndon Johnson signed the Medicare act into law in 1965 - and arguably since the Social Security Act arrived on Franklin Delano Roosevelt's desk in 1935.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was on hand for the occasion, since the Sunday vote to pass the bill will stand as the cornerstone of her legacy as speaker. Also in attendance for the ceremony in the East Room of the White House were a number of ordinary Americans, whose struggles with the existing health care system affected President Obama's resolve to get the measure through Congress. In his opening remarks, Vice President Joe Biden noted that the Roman poet Virgil wrote that "health is wealth" - and that the signed law would make "Ameircans a lot more wealthy."

When President Obama observed that the members of Congress had a rough time in the spotlight as the measure met with many setbacks along the way, an unidentified lawmaker in attendance shouted "Yes we did!" Others in the enthusiastic crowd started up the chant of "Fired up and ready to go!" echoing the shouts at Obama rallies during the 2008 Democratic primary season. A follow-up ceremony at the Interior Department was to include a much larger group of participants and onlookers.

The ceremony, while historic, won't mark the final enactment of the health care package. That will probably happen sometime next week, after the Senate approves the companion bill of proposed House "fixes" to the underlying legislation being signed into law today. Since the Senate only needs a 51-vote majority, the House's  "reconciled" bill is widely expected to win easy passage in the chamber.

In the meantime, President Obama will launch a speaking tour to bolster public support for the legislation, which has been trending negative in recent polling. He launches the tour with an event Thursday in Iowa City, Iowa. Democratic leaders will  be making such public appeals a priority in the months ahead, as they hope to stress the most popular features of the bill - such as banning denial of insurance based on a patient's pre-existing conditions, and closing the "doughnut hole" that denies some seniors eligibility for the Medicare prescription drug benefit - as bankable achievements to save embattled Democratic seats in Congress. 

I would like to hear what you think about this.
We have our opinion but would like to hear yours.
Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike
 
THEY WRITE WHATEVER IT TAKES TO SELL A NEWSPAPER
 
Posted March 22, 2010
 
Yesterday;s Register had a LARGE AT A GLANCE page saying "Did you know?"
and proceeded to have lots of data about ORANGE COUNTY Inventory of Homes for Sale were UP; 30 Year Mortgage Rates were UP ( 0.01%): MORTGAGE DEFAULTS WERE DOWN 35%
from Last year.......all the Data source was from DATAQUICK....and this is on page  6 in the Real Estate Section.
If yoiu turned to Page 12 of the Same section under FORCLOSURES
the big article titled " MORE INVESTORS BUY FLORECLOSURES"
there was a section that stated ORANGE COUNTY MORTGAGE DEFAULTS UP 13%
and they qualified their statement by saying According to DATAQUICK's monthly report....
How is that possible??
SAME source...different conflicting information..What do you believe??
They will write whatever it takes and twist the information, and let you have it in such a way
that you dont know what to believe..but it doesnt matter as long as you buy the paper or watch the news.
Yes people are defaulting but things are getting better in different sectors and not in others.
It will take time for everything to correct, but things are looking up. Dont give up...
We wont…..
Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike
 
5 New Rules for Healthy Credit Scores
 
Posted March 18, 2010
 
According to SmartMoney.com
The rules that credit-card companies have to live by changed dramatically with the enactment of new regulations last month. Now, some of the rules for consumers striving to maintain good credit are changing, too. For the most part, card holders would still do well to pay on time, keep their balances low and refrain from applying for too many credit cards at once. But some of the old tenets may not always hold up, as credit-card companies continue to adapt to the new environment and look for ways to run their for-profit businesses. Case in point: Many issuers introduced annual or inactivity fees in the weeks leading to or immediately after the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act went into effect. "Now folks have to decide - do they want this card badly enough to pay the fee, or do they close it," says Barry Paperno, the consumer operations manager at FICO (FICO: 26.04, +0.43, +1.67%). It's a question of more than just losing a credit line. Closing a credit card can have a big impact on one's credit score. That is, unless you do some groundwork in advance. With the help of some easy - if often counterintuitive - steps, you can improve and retain a healthy credit score even in today's fast-changing credit environment.
Here are five: Read more: 5 New Rules for a Healthy Credit Score at SmartMoney.comhttp://www.smartmoney.com/Personal-Finance/Debt/5-New-Rules-for-a-Healthy-Credit-Score/#ixzz0iTHnHACj. Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike

OC homes had the Nation’s Biggest Gains in the last Quarter of 2009
 
Posted March 8, 2010
 
Homes are still off 10% for the past 5 years but the 4thQuarter of 2009 show median price homes increased about 6.38% in OrangeCounty .
that’s tops among 25 Major U.S. Markets.
Even Standard and Poor’s Home Price Index for Orange County California homes were even with last years levels in December. This is the first time
since 2007 that home prices had not fallen from the year before…35 consecutive months.
Plus December marked the 7th straight month that local home prices increased over the previous month. Prices were up 1% from November to December.
California Association of Realtors show that median price homes of January 2010 were up 13.6% over January 2009. That’s the average. There are areas like RSM up 38%, Laguna Niguel up 35%, Fullerton and Yorba Linda up about 25%. If you couldn’t afford to buy a home before, NOW is the time. Interest rates are low prices are down and headed UP. We have hit bottom and are creeping up. Make your choices and buy.
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 
Lower Rates Boost Mortgage Applications
 
Posted March 6, 2010

(03/03/2010)
Source: Mortgage Bankers Association
Mortgage applications rose 14.6 percent last week on a seasonally adjusted basis compared with the previous week. They were up 15.5 percent on an unadjusted basis.
Much of the increase was in refinances as rates dropped below 5 percent, although the purchase index increased 11.7 percent compared with the previous week and was just 9.8 percent lower than the same week one year ago.
“Purchase activity remains subdued, with application volumes remaining within the narrow range seen in the last few months,” said Michael Fratantoni, MBA’s vice president of research and economics.
Both 30- and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages were below 5 percent:
• 30-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased to 4.95 percent from 5.03 percent.
• 15-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased to 4.27 percent from 4.35 percent.
• 1-year ARMs decreased to 6.77 percent from 6.80 percent.
 That is the perfect reason to buy NOW, Don’t you think.
 Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike
 
Buying a home? Who do I listen to? 
 
Posted March 5,2010
 
If you are looking for the lowest price, highest quality, recently upgraded home to buy at rock bottom prices…join the crowd.  That is what everyone wants. No one knows where the bottom of the market is but I believe we are very close to it if we haven’t already hit it. Interests rates are at record lows and with the extension of the Federal $8000 credit for first time buyers and the $6500 for repeat buyers that is why were are getting multiple offers. That and the fact that a lot of agents are under pricing homes to fuel the feeding frenzy.
If everyone wants this and there are multiple offers, how will you know what to buy and when to buy and how much to pay. You are competing with investors who have cash and can close in 1 week, who will then spend a few dollars and flip it for a profit.
You also could be working with a short sale which will take 3-6 months and by then you will have either gotten frustrated or moved on or the bank will come back at you with a higher price and it is now out of your range. You try and low ball homes by 20% and the sellers get insulted and won’t counter you. You don’t want to overpay and you don’t want to buy at today’s prices and find out your home has gone down in value 10% 6 months later.  What do you do???
Since you are not an investment counselor reading up on market updates by the hour and don’t work with homes sales daily you wont have the answer. You have to go to a professional who knows what the banks will take, the sellers will take, a good price to satisfy you and the seller and not put you in a bad position later on. You need to find a good, trustworthy reliable real estate agent, who returns your calls, answers your questions and is not one of those smooth talking fast talking slick car salesman who have you signing something before you know what you signed.
Get an agent who is personable, looks you in the eye and listens to what you want. Take that information and shows you a few homes. Once you see a few together, he or she will have a good idea of what you want and before you know it, your agent will have found you what you want.
Then our hard work begins; negotiating the best price and trust what your agent tells you that they have your best interest at heart. They will line you up with reputable lenders, get you all the disclosures about the home you want and protect your deposit until you are certain that everything is as it should be until that day when you move into your new home.
Marlene Dietrich, Tony& Mike
 
Home Prices Flat for years
 
Posted March 4, 2010
 
Home Prices May Be Flat for Years
Housing prices are unlikely to fall much farther, but they aren’t going to rise either — at least for several years — predict analysts for Barclays Capital in its Residential Credit Strategy report.
Barclays blames government programs that have slowed foreclosures. “The overhang of distressed inventory is a huge negative technical. It suggests that any price rise will probably be met by increased distressed sales,” the report says.
The report also concludes that home prices are cheaper than rents and incomes suggest they should be, “but not extremely so.”
Source: Property Wire (03/03/2010)
I think this is good news. This will relieve the stress and make home buying fun again.
The banks will not try and read the future and not appraise homes correctly. No home inflation is a good thing. You can buy now and enjoy
what are your thoughts.
MarleneDietrich, Tony, & Mike
 
IS THE GLASS HALF EMPTY OR HALF FULL?
 
Posted March 1, 2010
 
I get so tired of hearing the "Ney Sayers" tell only about the bad news they hear instead of the good they hear. The Media is our best and our worst Allie. You hear about more homes in the Grey Inventory, the short term fixed loans coming due, more foreclosures on the horizon...all negative news but the truth is we are at or near bottom of the market.  The lenders are aware that dumping more homes on the market only decreases their assets.
The good news is that sales are up over last year and despite the loss of a seller, their is a gain of the buyer. They buyer is getting great deals and helping the sellers out.  The Sellers are able to take a Short Sale Sale and start over. The buyers are able to buy at the bottom of the market
and start with a home instead of a rental and everyone wins.
When you see the storm, dont look at the problems it causes but the rainbow after, the positive replenishing of the drinking water and nourishing of the land and plant life. Your outlook on things can actually change the results and the direction of your life.
MarleneDietrich, Tony, & Mike
 
You Grow Old because you Stop Laughing  
 
Posted January 22, 2010
 
Read and Enjoy
 
Reporter interviewing a 104-year-old woman:'And what do you think is the best thing about being 104?'
the reporter asked.
She simply replied, 'No peer pressure.'
The nice thing about being senile is You can hide your own Easter eggs.
I've sure gotten old! I've had two bypass surgeries, a hip replacement,
New knees, fought prostate cancer and diabetes
I'm half blind,
Can't hear anything quieter than a jet engine,
Take 40 different medications that
Make me dizzy, winded, and subject to blackouts.
Have bouts with dementia ..
Have poor circulation;
Hardly feel my hands and feet anymore.
Can't remember if I'm 89 or 98.
Have lost all my friends. But, thank God,
I still have my driver's license.
I feel like my body has gotten totally out of shape,
So I got my doctor's permission to
Join a fitness club and start exercising.
I decided to take an aerobics class for seniors.
I bent, twisted, gyrated, jumped up and down,
and perspired for an hour. But,
By the time I got my leotards on, The class was over.
Marlene Dietrich, Tony, and Mike
 
Perspective can change Quality of Life
 

Posted January 21, 2010
 
One day , the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live.They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.On their return from their trip , the father asked his son , "How was the trip?""It was great , Dad.""Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked."Oh yeah , " said the son."So , tell me , what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.The son answered:"I saw that we have one dog and they had four.We have a pool  that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.We have servants who serve us , but they serve others.We buy our food , but they grow theirs.We have walls around our property to protect us , they have friends to protect them."The boy's father was speechless.Then his son added ,   "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are."Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have.
Appreciate every single thing you have , especially your friends! and know that it is only your perspective that can make things better or worse!
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 
Choosing the Best Realtor For You……
 
Posted January 20, 2010

Trust your Realtor, they represent your best interests in your transaction, financially and legally. Some Listing Agents offer you money from their commission to sway you to use them, that doesn’t replace experience and professionalism. It’s important that you feel comfortable with your agent, how well do you know them.   The money you saved isn’t enough if you end up paying more and loose the knowledge of an experienced agent.  There are a lot of agents that are trustworthy so it must be a case by case basis. If you find a good agent that you feel comfortable with, then stay with them and let them do their job.  Loyalty works both ways, your Agent is investing their time, energy and money to get you that perfect home!   It is in your best interest to see the homes your Agent recommends, to give you a chance to see properties in person and give your Agent a better idea of what you want and what you don’t.
On line photos make a place look so good, then you  personally see the home and it looks completely different.  Buying a home is an emotional purchase, you must walk into it to know whether this feels like a good fit for you. Every buyer starts with a list of “wants and needs” and the more homes you see the more that list evolves into the home of your choice.  Narrowing down the best floorplan, what builder you like, what city or school district you prefer, adjusting the price range;  all of these variables take an incredible amount of time and that is what you depend on your Agent to do for you.
Most important once you find that perfect home you need someone on your side to negotiate the best price, get you the best terms and protect you legally in every way. Guiding you through the process, keeping you protected with the timing, helping you in the discovery of information is what you should expect from your Agent.  If you want it all, an experience Agent to not only List but Sell your home and a Buyer’s Agent who will devote their time to finding you that perfect home,  spend a few moments looking over our website www.MarleneDietrichRealEstate.com; read our past clients testimonials and hire us to handle all your Real Estate needs. We can be trusted to be in your corner.
 
Home Prices Predicted to Rise Over 6% this Year...
 
Posted January 4, 2010
 
Predictions are being made from many companies and many different levels but they all are saying "We have hit bottom and are on the rise" not a large amount but a NORMAL amount.
Santa Ana Based First American CoreLogic Predicts 6.75% increase to occur in local homes prices over the next 9 months ending in October 2010, a smaller increase than those predicted in past months.
A UCLA forecastor has projected that home prices could climb as much as 16 percent in 2010, while others expect prices to increase by no more than 2 percent to 3 percent, if at all.
The important thing to take away with this is that we are nolonger going down in price. NOW is the time to BUY. Everyone is now predicting in Orange County that prices have hit Rock Bottom
in fact we saw an increase at the end of 2009 so we have past bottom.Home prices declined 5 percent in October from the year before, compared to a 6.7% year over year price drop in September.
When you exclude sales of distressed homes, the index of home sales dropped 5.8 percent in October. Distressed sales tend to pull home prices up because of the heightened demand for those residences.
With interest still CHEAP and prices on the rise, Now is the time to buy. Contact us anytime for assistance with your purchase
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 
Dazzling Lights and Decorations in Newport Harbor
 
Posted December 7, 2009
 
The Waterfront Home Decorating Competition starts again giving the Boat Parade decorating competition for Light,  The Ring of Lights competition usually involves 50-60 homes that go all out to light up the skies with Christmas lights and animations to entertain us and give us yet another free evening of enjoyment. They become more and more elaborate every year.
There is even a resident who dons a Christmas Tree outfit, wrapped with lights which are bright from batteries.
Only homes seen from the water are eligible for the Ring of Lights contest. For 101 years the Boat parade has been going on but the people on the boats have not had any other lights to enjoy except other boats until the Ring of Lights contest started. Only in the last couple of decades have the homes on Balboa competed with the Boats with their dazzling lights and other decorations and animations.
The Balboa Bay Club will host a dinner and auction for the winners of the Ring of Lights and the Boat Parade which will be chosen December 14th.
Take the family and enjoy an evening walking around BalboaIsland's Perimeter and see the homes and the boats.Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike
 
RED FRIDAY and Our Troops
 
Posted December 2, 2009
 
Have you heard, as have I, that Red Fridays will be coming. This is a show of support for our troops. They are looking for the "Silent Majority" to be no longer Silent.. They are looking for having us Voice our love of God, Country and Home. Many Americans are simply wanting to recognize that the vast majority of America do support our troops. The belief is that starting this Friday
and continuing every Friday until the troops all come home; everyone show their support with a deafening message that...Every Red-blooded American who supports out men and women a far, will wear something RED to show solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect.
A sea of Red will show our troops that we do support them and thank them for their efforts of providing us with the Land of the Free to live in, even with this economy it is a Great place to live. Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike
WATER TAXIS IN NEWPORT HARBOR
 Posted December 1, 2009 
Water taxis are big in Florida, Australia and Venice and now we will be getting them in Newport Harbor.  The purpose among a few, is to reduce DUI's and Vehicle traffic in the Harbor.
It will be a novelty which may end up being a growing transportation. It is to start with 2 Taxis which carry between 18-28 passengers in loops around 6 stops traveling in opposite directions and each trip would take about 20 minutes.
Another Option being explored is the point-to-point route, where 2-3 docks on opposite sides of the harbor are connected by 1-2 vessels, each carrying between 30-90 passengers. This trip would take about 10 minutes.
The other option would be an ON CALL service, where taxis would be dispatched as needed to a different public or private dock throughout the Harbor they are only exploring the idea of testing this Water Taxi Service in Newport and it certainly wont be right away with the economy and no Federal help yet. The Test run should be either summer of 2010 or 2011.
Do we need this? It could cut down on the traffic on Balboa Peninsula and Island; and maybe even the Harbor. If it does cut down on DUI's that would be a blessing also. Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike
 

SANTA  CLAUS CHRISTMAS LETTERS AT MACY'S!!
 
Posted November 30,2009
 
Don't forget to write you letter to Santa Claus this year. Macy's is repeating their Santa Letter box in there stores again this year.  Newport Beach Fashion Island Macy's along with the rest of the Macy's stores will have a Special Santa Letterbox for you children, and you if you like, to drop of any Christmas letters addressed to "Santa At The North Pole". Make sure this holiday you bring you stamped letter. Macy's will count them up, and for each letter received, they will DONATE
$1.00 to the MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION , up to $1,000,000. then they will bring them to the Post Office for mailing to SANTA, and together, we will collect a MILLION reasons to Believe.
For More information visit www.Macys.com/believe to learn more
This is a great way to help the MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION grant wishes for those children with life-threatening disease. Put a smile on their faces with a small effort on your part by writing those letters to Santa
We donate our free time to granted Wishes and we can vouch for the smiles it puts on those children's faces when their little WISHES are granted
Thank you and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from
Marlene Dietrich Tony and Mike
 
HOLIDAY SEASON KICKOFF!!
 
Posted November 25, 2009

What a pleasant surprise when we walked into Roger's Garden in Corona Del Mar last week and was greeted by a young lady handing everyone a nice glass of Merlot to stroll and sip and enjoy the Christmas decorations. It was amazing and entertaining and quite the social affair. We even had our little puppy with us, who by the way was quite a chick magnet. If I had only known when I was single.
An annual tradition has now become a great kick off to the Christmas Season. We will plan on going that same day each year. There are many things in our local area that are inexpensive or free that we can all enjoy every year all year. We have so much around we just need to look for it.
The Newport Beach Boat parade is coming up. Walking around Balboa Island looking at all the decorated homes. There is even a home on Balboa Island that the owner starts 2 weeks before Thanksgiving to get it done so that starting Thanksgiving night He can turn it on. He even stands outside his home to tell everyone about everything so you don't miss anything he has done. Huntington Beach has a boat parade. Naples has a Gondola ride through the canals with homes all decorated. Its not free but it is inexpensive. They supply the cheese, salami and bread and you can bring wine or soft drinks . You tour the canals and sometimes if you are lucky your gondolier will sing under the bridges, where you are suppose to kiss your significant other.
Many cities have many free and inexpensive things to enjoy in our County. If you are unaware, contact me and I will be happy to send you a list of events to enjoy. Happy Thanksgiving and Holiday Times from Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike!
 



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