Could Loan Limits Be Restored?

A friend of mine opened his wife's underwear drawer and picked up a
silk paper wrapped package:

'This, - he said - isn't any ordinary package.'

He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box.

'She got this the first time we went to New York , 8 or 9 years ago.
She has never put it on , was saving it for a special occasion.

Well, I guess this is it.

He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothing
he was taking to the funeral house, his wife had just died.

He turned to me and said:

'Never save something for a special occasion.

Every day in your life is a special occasion'.

I still think those words changed my life.

Now I read more and clean less.

I sit on the porch without worrying about
Anything.

I spend more time with
My family, and less at work.

I understood that life should be a source of experience to be lived up
to, not survived through.

I no longer keep anything.

I use crystal glasses every day...

I'll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket, if I feel like it.

I don't save my special
Perfume for special occasions, I use it whenever I want to.

T he words 'Someday....' and ' One Day...' are fading away from my
Dictionary.
;
If it's worth seeing,
Listening or doing, I want to see, listen or do
It now....

I don't know what my friend's wife would have done if she knew she
wouldn't be there the next morning, this nobody can tell...

I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends.
She might call old friends to make peace over past quarrels.

I'd like to think she
Would go out for Chinese, her favorite
Food.

It's these small things
That I would regret not doing, if I knew my time had come..

Each day, each hour,
Each minute, is special.

Live for today, for tomorrow is promised to no-one..

If you got this, it's because someone cares for you and because,
probably, there's someone you care about.

If you're too busy to
Send this out to other people and you say to
Yourself that you will send it'One of these days' , remember that 'One
day' is far away... Or might never come.....

No matter if you're superstitious or not, spend some time reading it.
It holds useful messages
For the soul.

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

Advocates for raising the debt ceiling are circulating fears of devastating consequences and end of day’s theories that are gaining momentum in the media. Reports vary from ruining our country’s credit rating and skyrocketing interest rates to collapsing the stock market and destabilizing the entire world economy. Recently, Barack Obama targeted seniors with scare tactics stating, “I cannot guarantee that Social Security recipients will receive their checks.”

Simply put, these are bald face lies. Fortunately, most Americans are not so easily fooled. A Fox News Poll showedthat 55% of Americans believe that a resulting financial catastrophe is exaggerated in keeping the debt ceiling where it is. Also, “Americans are significantly more concerned about the budgetary risk of giving the government a new license to spend than they are about the potential consequences that would result in not raising the debt limit” (Gallup Poll).

First of all, it is important to talk about default and what it really means. Many of the nay-saying politicians claim that we are going to default on our debt. This couldn’t be further from the truth. If you default on a loan, you stop making your payments. Fortunately, we have more than enough money coming into the budget, $250 billion a month, to pay interest payments, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, children’s health insurance, all veterans benefits, defense and response to natural disasters. So, it is highly unlikely that we are going to default. We know baloney when hear it, and Obama is the king of it. What they aren’t telling you is that they might be worried that they will have to cut back on their spending in other, non-essential areas to keep that from happening.

Think of it this way: We are all aware of the mess that some people got into during recent years when they borrowed more than they could repay and lived lifestyles they couldn’t afford. Now, if you knew someone that was seriously in trouble and spending more and more money each month for things that they didn’t need, and they asked for your advice, would you tell them to go out and apply for another credit card to accommodate their reckless spending habits? What if they said they will lose their home if I they can’t get more credit to buy all the things they want? That would not make much sense and seem more like a desperate attempt to sway your better judgment. I think that most of us would tell them that they need to dial back their spending and stop spending money they don‘t have.

When you think about it, the government is not behaving much differently… except that instead of a reckless friend wasting his own income, the government is the steward of your money, my money, and everyone else – including Americans who aren’t even born yet. We are entrusting them to provide some important services in return for the taxes we pay. Unfortunately, they have become too greedy and want more and more. It is simply unsustainable.

This isn’t the first time something like this has happened. In 1995 and 1996, Bill Clinton wanted to raise the debt ceiling and was met by similar opposition from the Republicans and the result was the government shut down for 1 week; there were no defaults and there were no long term consequences. If enough Americans stand behind those opposing increasing our debt, maybe we can finally cut back the deficit so that we don’t end up in such a deep hole that we can never climb out and we can save our country. Suspending worthless and wasteful government programs for a while would save a lot of money and could help us. Maybe we’d even find out that many of the programs are unnecessary and can be done without.

Remember, cutting wasteful spending does not mean that we are defaulting on our nation’s debt. That would be like someone telling you not to use coupons at the grocery store or shut off a light to save electricity because it will cause you to default on your mortgage and lose your home. It is ridiculous!

This time around the debt is greater, but it is more important that we put an end to out of control spending. Considering that each household in the U.S.already owes $546,668 as their part of the total federal debt (USA Today), the time to start making some changes is long overdue. The answer is not another line of credit for these bureaucratic spendthrifts; the way to solve our nation’s financial troubles is to tell our government to STOP WASTING OUR MONEY! IRA is a better choice. If you are eligible, do an in-service rollover now.

We think this is true 

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

Things of interest you may not know 

Do You Qualify for a Short Sale on Your Home?

Basic Steps for a Short Sale Transaction

Resources:

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Posted: Jul. 14, 2011 | 9:46 a.m.

Updated: Jul. 14, 2011 | 12:26 p.m.

Aria officials are notifying patrons who stayed at the posh Strip hotel casino from June 21 to July 4 that they may have been exposed to Legionnaires' disease, according to the Southern Nevada Health District.

"We recommended that they send out letters," said Jennifer Sizemore, a spokeswoman with the health district.

The letter informs people of symptoms and to seek medical attention if they feel ill, she said.

Sizemore said six former patrons of the Aria have come down with the disease, which is a form of pneumonia. The cases involved patrons who stayed at the hotel from December 2009 to April 2011. The hotel opened Dec. 16, 2009, and about 3 million guests have stayed there.

The disease can be very serious and the Centers for Disease Control reports that it can cause death in 5 percent to 30 percent of cases. Most cases can be treated successfully with antibiotics and healthy people usually recover from infection.

Sizemore said elevated levels of the bacteria causing the disease were found during water tests by public health officials between June 21 and July 4. The bacterium was found in hot water sources in multiple hotel rooms, according to Mark Bergtholdt, environmental health supervisor for the district.

When they test, they close off 500 to 1,000 rooms at a time to test for the bacteria, he explained.

Public health officials don't have to test other hotels in the CityCenter complex because the water lines that go to the Aria aren't shared with other hotels, he said.

The health district was notified by the CDC in 2010 about possible cases linked to the Aria, Bergtholdt said. That triggered an environmental assessment, in which public health officials inspect the water systems.

"We inspected the hot water system and pools and found everything in great shape," he said.

The water was not tested, however, for Legionella bacteria, which causes the disease.

"We only had two cases and that was not enough" to trigger testing, he said.

Bergtholdt said there is not a specific number of cases to trigger water testing, but it is "more than two."

Given what has happened, Bergtholdt was asked if water testing, which can take about a week to get results, will be done as soon as a case is linked to a Las Vegas hotel.

He said that would "depend on the circumstances of the situation."

Alan Feldman, senior vice president of public affairs, said the Aria has sent out letters informing customers of their possible exposure to Legionnaires' disease. He declined to say how many letters were sent.

"In an abundance of caution, we are attempting to notify guests who may have been exposed to these bacteria during this short period," Paul Berry, vice president of hotel operations at Aria, wrote in a letter mailed to guests and posted online at www.arialasvegas.com/facts/

The bacterium was found in a total of three rooms, Feldman said, and none of the 4,000 rooms have been closed and "there would be no reason to do so."

"We tested the water and as soon as the first test came back positive, we contacted the health department," he said. "We also immediately implemented a comprehensive abatement effort."

All subsequent tests have come back with no detectable levels of active Legionella, Feldman said.

Berry said Legionella is a concern for all large buildings and Aria has a comprehensive water management program in place, which includes regular testing.

"We will continue to monitor our water quality on an ongoing basis to ensure the safety of the water system and our guests," he said.

The company's letter urges anyone who has further questions to contact company representatives at 1-877-326-2742.

Legionnaires' disease was first identified in 1976 when an outbreak of pneumonia sickened hundreds of people who had attended an American Legion convention at Philadelphia 's Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, resulting in dozens of deaths. Initially a mystery, the cause of the disease was not identified for several months.

Over the years, there have been a number of cases of Legionnaires' disease in the Las Vegas Valley . After an outbreak at the Polo Towers in 2001, health district officials issued new regulations to keep tourists safe from the bacterium that causes Legionnaires' disease.

The regulations required property owners to maintain proper chlorine levels in pools and spans and ensure temperatures in hot water heaters are escalated periodically to 150 degrees to kill the bacteria. The new regulations were issued because three guests of the Polo Towers time-share condominiums on the Strip contracted the disease in 2001.

The regulations targeted hotels, motels and resorts as well as other commercial building with large air-air conditioning system or cooling towers.

Legionella, the bacterium that causes Legionnaires' disease, is often found in air conditioning cooling towers, whirlpool spas, showers or other water sources.

TROUBLED HISTORY

Aria, with more than 4,000 hotel rooms, is considered the centerpiece of the $8.5 billion CityCenter development, which is jointly owned by MGM Resorts and Dubai World, the investment arm of the Persian Gulf emirate.

It is the only hotel with a casino at CityCenter, which includes the Vdara Hotel and Condominium Tower , the Mandarin Oriental, the all-residential Veer Towers and the Crystals retail and dining mall. The Harmon, another nongaming hotel, was not completed when it ran into construction defect issues and may be demolished.

Aria is considered one of MGM Resorts' leading revenue producers, competing for high-end gambling business with the company's neighboring Bellagio and luxury resorts operated by Wynn Resorts Ltd. and Las Vegas Sands Corp.

CityCenter opened in December 2009 following a 61-month building process, which was not without its challenges.

Almost as soon as MGM Mirage imploded the shuttered Boardwalk casino on May 9, 2006, to clear a major portion of the CityCenter site, the project seemed to be shrouded in bad news.

The recession, which led to the collapse of the credit markets, and other outside financial factors nearly derailed CityCenter, which saw its budget more than double beyond the initially announced $3 billion to $4 billion .

The project came within hours of filing bankruptcy at the end of March, which would have halted construction and shelved the jobs of 8,500 construction workers. With little time to spare, MGM Mirage was given permission to make a $200 million equity payment to keep the project funded.

The demise of the high-rise condominium market forced MGM Resorts to cut prices for CityCenter's 2,400 residential units by 30 percent in order to spur sales.

Meanwhile, the tragic deaths of six construction workers between February 2007 and May 2008 overshadowed CityCenter's promise.

Members of building trade unions walked off the job for a day in June 2008 following the death of the last construction worker to protest safety concerns. CityCenter safety issues were discussed as part of congressional hearings in Washington , D.C. , in June 2008 and October.

The issues continued after opening.

Last September, the Review-Journal first reported news of the "Vdara death ray," where visitors to hotel's pool said they were scorched by super-charged sun rays bouncing off the glass facade of the south-facing tower.

This week, Clark County 's Building Division gave CityCenter developers until Aug. 15 to devise a strategy for either repairing or demolishing the unfinished Harmon tower after a structural engineer said the 27-story building could collapse in a strong earthquake.

MGM Resorts and Dubai World are required to "provide a plan of action that will abate the potential for structural collapse and protect" neighboring buildings and businesses along the Strip.

Contact Paul Harasim at pharasim@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2908.

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike 

Pending home sales rose strongly in May with all regions experiencing gains from a year ago, pointing to higher housing activity in the second half of the year, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.

The Pending Home Sales Index rose 8.2 percent to 88.8 in May from an upwardly revised 82.1 in April and is 13.4 percent higher than the 78.3 reading in May 2010. The data reflects contracts but not closings, which normally occur with a lag time of one or two months.

This is the first time since April 2010 that contract activity was above year-ago levels, and the monthly gain was the strongest increase since last November when the index rose 10.6 percent.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the improvement bodes well for home prices. “Absorption of inventory is the key to price improvement, and this solid gain in contract signings implies that home values in many localities are or will soon be stabilizing as inventories get absorbed at a faster pace,” he said.

“Some markets have made a rapid turnaround, going from soft activity to contract signings rising by more than 30 percent from a year ago, including areas such as Hartford, Conn., Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Houston, and Seattle,” Yun added.

Pending home sales have trended up unevenly since bottoming last June, rising in seven of the past 11 months. “Home sales still could be 15 to 20 percent higher,” Yun said. “If banks would simply return to normal, sound underwriting standards and begin lending to more creditworthy borrowers, we’d get a much faster recovery in the housing sector.”

“In addition, a nonsensical situation has developed recently in some states with HUD unable to complete foreclosure deals because of insufficient funds to pay attorney fees at closing, even with buyers offering the full listing price,” Yun added.

Regional Performance

▪ The PHSI in the Northeast rose 7.3 percent to 69.2 in May and is 4.4 percent above a year ago.
▪ In the Midwest, the index jumped 10.5 percent to 82.8 and is 17.2 percent higher than May 2010.
▪ Pending home sales in the South increased 4.1 percent to an index of 95.0 in May and are 14.6 percent higher than a year ago.
▪ In the West, the index surged 12.9 percent to 100.6 and is 13.5 percent above May 2010.

Yun cautioned that healthy job creation is necessary to ensure a solid recovery in both housing and the overall economy. “The job market has sputtered recently, and because variations in local job creation impact housing demand, markets will recover unevenly around the country,” he said.

Source: NAR

Jerry was removing some engine valves from a car on the lift when he spotted the famous heart surgeon Dr. Samuel Kaiser, who was standing off to the side, waiting for the service manager.

Jerry, who was somewhat of a loud mouth, shouted across the garage, "Hey Kaiser. Is dat you? Come over here a minute."

The famous surgeon, a bit surprised, walked over to where Jerry was working on the car. Jerry, in a loud voice that all could hear, said argumentatively, "So Mr. fancy doctor, look at this work. I too, take valves out, grind 'em, put in new parts, and when I'm finished, this baby will purr like a kitten. So how come you get the big bucks, when you and me are doing basically the same work?"

Dr. Kaiser, very embarrassed, shook his head and replied in a soft voice, "Try doing your work with the engine running."

Posted June 21, 2011
 
- Never squat with yer spurs on.

- There are two theories to arguin' with a woman; neither one works.

- Don't worry about bitin' off more than you can chew, your mouth is probably a whole lot bigger'n you think.

- If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.

- After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 

Signs of a Real Estate Recovery?

Posted June 20, 2011

The number of home owners who were put on notice for defaulting on their mortgage payments dropped last month to the lowest level since 2006, RealtyTrac reports.

Meanwhile, foreclosure filings for the eighth straight month also were down as filings fell 33 percent in May compared to a year earlier and 2 percent month-over-month. Also, lenders took back fewer homes in May, the second straight month of declines. And bank repossessions were down in May too — down nearly 30 percent over the last 12 months.

Is this a sign of a recovery in real estate, which has been bogged down by a high number of foreclosures over the last several years?

Experts are still cautious. Lingering delays in banks’ foreclosure process may be the culprit for the declining numbers, they say, and not an overall improving picture of the number of home owners facing foreclosure.

"Foreclosure processing delays continue to mask the true face of the foreclosure situation," says James Saccacio, the CEO of RealtyTrac. "Lenders are somewhat unevenly pushing batches of bad loans through foreclosure as they overhaul their paperwork and documentation procedures."

Overall, banks hold 2 million homes in some stage of foreclosure. Banks are on track to repossess about 200,000 fewer homes this year than in 2010; the projection is 800,000 this year compared to 1 million last year.

Where Foreclosures Are Highest
Nevada continues to lead with the highest rate of foreclosures — one in every 103 households received a foreclosure notice there in May.

Here are the top 10 states with the highest foreclosure rate in May:

1. Nevada
2. Arizona
3. California
4. Michigan
5. Utah
6. Georgia
7. Idaho
8. Florida
9. Illinois
10. Colorado

Source: “Bank Processing Delays Led to Drop in Homes Entering Foreclosure Process, Repossessed in May,” Associated Press (June 16, 2011) and “Foreclosures Fall for 8th Straight Month,” CNNMoney (June 16, 2011)

Yeah!!  Its about time.
 
Marlene Dietrich, Tony and Mike

BofA, Wells and Chase shame on you

Posted June 16, 2011

Treasury withholding financial incentives for BofA, Chase, and Wells
HUD and the U.S. Dept. of the Treasury recently released the May edition of the Obama Administration's Housing Scorecard, which now includes detailed assessments of the 10 largest mortgage servicers participating in the Making Home Affordable Program.

Since the inception of the Making Home Affordable Program, Treasury has required participating servicers to take specific actions to improve their servicing processes. The new Servicer Assessments summarize performance for the 10 largest Making Home Affordable participating servicers from reviews largely conducted throughout the first quarter of 2011 on three categories of program implementation: identifying and contacting homeowners; homeowner evaluation and assistance; and program reporting, management and governance. Based on the reviews for this quarter, four servicers have been identified as needing substantial improvement and six servicers have been identified as needing moderate improvement. The servicers identified as in need of substantial improvement are:

•Bank of America, NA;
•J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A.;
•Ocwen Loan Servicing, LLC; and
•Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
While servicers are required to address all instances of non-compliance, beginning this month, the Treasury Department is withholding financial incentives for three servicers: Bank of America, NA; J.P Morgan Chase Bank, NA; and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Treasury will not withhold financial incentives owed to Ocwen Loan Servicing, LLC for this quarter as their compliance results were substantially and negatively affected by a large servicing portfolio acquired during the compliance testing period.

It is about time that something happened to them for the way they do business

thank you Marlene, Tony & Mike

Flu Shots for Seniors a wast of money

Posted June 15, 2011
 
A new 30-year study released in February suggests that administering the Flu shot to the elderly may be a waste of time and resources.
According to the authors of the study, the Flu shot has done nothing to save the lives of our senior population. Instead, researchers suggest that the Flu vaccination would best serve all age groups if given to children—the biggest spreaders of the virus. By reducing the Flu’s ability to spread, less of the adult population would be affected.
Since the 1960s, yearly flu shots have been recommended for people 65 and older. In the year 2000, government health officials moved the age up to 50. But while vaccination rates did rise among the elderly from 20 percent before 1980 to 65 percent in 2001, researchers could find no corresponding decrease in death rates.
Tony, it should be noted that this study examined data from the whole elderly population over time—but did not directly compare elderly people who have been vaccinated with those who have not. Previous studies that made that comparison found a decreased rate of winter deaths from all causes among those who had been vaccinated.
Regardless of what age you are, your best defense against the flu is to enhance your body’s ability to stay healthy and well. Tony, regularly scheduled chiropractic adjustments are one of the best ways to improve your health and ward of sickness, without the use of medication or potentially risky vaccines

[Source: The Associated Press 02/14/05]

www.MarleneDietrichRealEstate.com
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

ARM's should you or shouldnt you

Posted June 6, 2011
 
Part of the reason we are in the mess we are in is because people got ARM's and when the rates went up they could afford the payments. Now this article comes from Wall Street Journal:
One of the signature loans of the housing boom—the adjustable-rate mortgage—is looking more attractive than it has in years. For some buyers, it may be an even better deal than a fixed-rate mortgage.
ARMs typically offer buyers a lower rate for a set period of years, after which rates rise or drop each year, depending on prevailing interest rates. The loans lost favor during the financial crisis, when their rates weren't much better than those for fixed-rate mortgages.
But now, as interest rates hover near historic lows, the "spread" between the rates on the most popular adjustable and fixed-rate loans is on pace to be the widest it has been in eight years, according to HSH Associates, which tracks mortgage rates.
For an ARM to make sense, a borrower has to be comfortable taking a gamble that interest rates won't rise, or that he can sell the house before they do. It is a dicey bet now: Rates have been mostly on a downward slide for the past three years, mirroring the recent plunge in 10-year Treasury rates, and seem to be about as low as they are going to get. Many economists are predicting rates will rise in coming years.
That is why ARMs make sense mostly for borrowers who expect to be in a home for a short time. "If the household is truly intending to stay only for five years, they should take the five-year ARM," says Stuart Gabriel, director of the Ziman Center for Real Estate at the University of California, Los Angeles.
The average rate on a so-called 5/1 ARM—which carries a fixed rate for five years, then adjusts every year thereafter—is currently 3.4%, nearly 0.4 percentage point lower than January's rate, according to data compiled by HSH Associates. The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is 4.72%, just 0.22 point lower than in January.
That spread of 1.32 percentage points is big enough to save some buyers thousands of dollars in mortgage payments during the first five years of a mortgage. At current rates, a borrower with a $400,000 5/1 ARM will pay about $65,000 in interest over the first five years, while a borrower with a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage will pay around $91,000 in interest during that same period.
While ARMs are often cheaper than fixed-rate mortgages, this wide a spread—partly the result of low demand—is unusual, says Keith Gumbinger, vice president at HSH Associates; the historical average is 0.59 percentage point.
Here is how a 5/1 ARM works: After the first five years, rates typically adjust each year and can move either up or down. During the sixth year, the maximum amount they can increase by is 5 percentage points. Each year after that the rate can move by 2 percentage points, as long it doesn't surpass the loan's maximum lifetime cap, which is 5 percentage points above the initial fixed rate. That means the lifetime cap on a loan made today at 3.4% would be 8.4%.
During the housing boom, some buyers flocked to ARMs, hoping to sell their houses at a profit before rates reset. When prices started falling, the gambit stopped working. And after the monthly payments shot up, many borrowers found themselves facing higher-than-anticipated bills. The problem was especially acute with so-called option ARMs, which allowed borrowers to make a minimum payment that didn't cover the interest due and led to a rising loan balance.
When the housing market crashed, ARMs—and the lenders and brokers who sold them—shouldered part of the blame. Last month, ARMs made up some 6.5% of the total mortgage market, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, down from roughly 18% in April 2007.
The risk to borrowers is that the new payments after the fixed-rate period are suddenly unaffordable. While there isn't a way to control for a job loss or other unforeseen loss of household income, it doesn't seem likely that interest rates will spike so high in coming years that borrowers will end up paying the maximum, says Cameron Findlay, chief economist at LendingTree.com, an online marketplace that connects consumers to lenders. He expects the government will keep some sort of control over the rate environment as home values and employment recover.
ARMs are most suitable for buyers who are dead certain they are going to sell within the fixed term of the mortgage, and the recent housing market crash has offered plenty of reasons to cast doubt. While most experts expect the housing market to be quite different five years from now, it may be hard to take a risk predicated on being able to sell your house exactly when you want.
They also can make sense for some homeowners who plan to refinance, especially those who are a few years away from retirement and plan to sell their home then, Mr. Gumbinger says. They could recast their remaining loan into a 5/1 ARM with a lower fixed rate than their current mortgage, which in turn would lead to smaller monthly payments. The money they save could be put to work in a retirement account, he says.
ARM or no, most homeowners don't stay put too long. On average, individuals who sold their homes in 2010 had owned them for eight years, according to the National Association of Realtors."
The only reason you should use an ARM is if you plan on moving in 5 years. The rates go up, you cant afford your payments and we are back in the same place we were. Pay the price now or rent until you can.

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 

You may be trying to lose weight by dieting...WRONG!

Posted June 2, 2011

I hope you didnt miss this but if you did:

"Modifying your diet to "eat healthfully" doesn't require dramatic changes. In fact, it may only call for some minor tweaks. Certain small changes serve up huge, lifelong benefits that can help you lose weight, ward off disease, and feel more upbeat and energetic all day long.

"It's all about self-care," says Beth Reardon of Duke Integrative Medicine and Caring.com's senior food and nutrition editor. "You have to ask, 'Am I worth a little extra effort to think about what I'm putting in my body?' You -- and the body that you rely on -- deserve nothing less."

Start with these six simple diet game-changers:

1. Add more fat -- healthy fat -- to your diet.
Why? Many adults, especially baby boomers, have been brainwashed into thinking fats equal calories and should be avoided. But the body needs fat to function. (After all, 60 percent of the brain is fat.) Not all fat is alike, and not all fat calories -- researchers increasingly believe -- are alike either. "The body metabolizes some fats better than others," Reardon says.

Healthy fats include those found in many nuts, seeds, avocado, extra-virgin olive oil, and canola oil. "Eating nuts and avocados doesn't make you fat -- but not eating them might," Reardon says. Unlike calories from saturated (bad) fats, healthy fat calories are essential to the body's metabolism. They keep you performing well, and they satisfy hunger better.

How? Use extra-virgin olive oil and canola for much of your cooking. Don't be shy about adding a small amount of olive oil, with flavored vinegar, if it makes it taste better and encourages you to eat more salad. (Another bonus: This type of dressing delivers less sodium and sugar than processed bottled dressings.) Mash avocado and spread it on your sandwich in place of mayonnaise. Snack on raw almonds, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, and walnuts -- four kinds of nuts and seeds with great lipid-lowering ability -- or add them as toppings or ingredients to cereal, vegetable dishes, or foods.

Tip: Buy a flaxseed grinder (or coffee grinder) and add freshly-ground flaxseed to anything from cereal and baked goods to vegetables and smoothies. Flax is a rich source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids as well as antioxidants and fiber, and it's been shown to reduce "bad" LDL cholesterol. Because whole flaxseed tends to be less well used by the body, grinding the seeds before use provides more benefit.

2. Instead of sugary beverages, drink more water and green tea.
Why? Water is sugar-free, junk-free, and guilt-free. Juice and soda, in contrast, contain unproductive calories (150 calories per cup of grape juice, 150 in a regular 12-ounce can of soda) made up mostly of sugar and few nutrients.

Don't fool yourself with diet sodas and sugar-free juices, either. They may have few or no calories, but the artificial sweeteners in them work in the body the same way sugary drinks do: They cause the brain to signal to the pancreas that "sweets are coming!" This causes the pancreas to start pumping insulin. Insulin, in turn, triggers carbohydrate cravings and fatigue. "It's a cheating game," says Reardon, "that backfires on us."

Drinks like soda and juice are also habit-forming. The brain tends to associate them with certain foods (chips, fries, hamburgers) or with expecting to eat at certain times. What's more, liquid calories take up stomach space, making us less likely to eat more satisfying and nutrient-rich foods, so overall nutrition suffers.

Water is less filling and hydrates the body, flushing out toxins, transporting nutrients, and keeping tissues such as the nose and mouth moist and better able to defend against viruses.

How? Aim for 48 ounces of water a day (that's six eight-ounce glasses), plus two to four cups of antioxidant-rich green or white tea (as a better-for-you coffee replacement). To build the water-drinking habit, pour glasses of water when you set the table, and set out a carafe for easy refills. Get in the habit of carrying a portable water bottle with you throughout the day. Whenever you would ordinarily reach for another drink, pour water instead. Reach for water whenever you're thirsty and after activity that makes you sweat.

Tip: "I drop a flavored white- or green-tea bag, like mandarin orange, into my water bottle as a quick, amazing-tasting alternative to hot brewed tea," Reardon says. "You get the antioxidant benefits of tea without the additives, calories, or artificial flavorings of mixes like Propel or Crystal Lite." The polyphenols in green tea also have mild metabolism-boosting properties.

3. Sample an alternative whole grain once a week.
Why? Whole grains are a critical part of a plant-based diet because they provide essential B vitamins and fiber. But Americans tend to be overly dependent on simple grains, usually white wheat, as well as white rice and white potatoes. "We tend to fall into habits and serve what our mothers did, but there's a huge world of whole grain variety out there," Reardon says.

Greater grain variety exposes the body to more nutrients and makes it easier to hit the targeted 45 grams per day of fiber adults need. (Most Americans eat a paltry 15 grams a day.) Another potential plus to weaning from wheat: undiagnosed celiac disease, a wheat intolerance caused by the body's inability to absorb gluten. The rates of celiac disease have increased 400 percent since the 1950s, according to a 2009 Mayo Clinic study in the journal Gastroenterology. And for every case diagnosed, there are thought to be 30 others not yet detected.

How? Start once a week by swapping out your usual white potatoes, white rice, or white bread with a serving of a new-to-you wheat alternative. Quinoa (pronounced "keen-wa," it cooks like rice), for example, which is a grain-like plant, contains up to 50 percent more protein than many grains, as well as higher fat, calcium, and B vitamins. Other options include millet, barley, spelt, amaranth, wheat berries, buckwheat, and wild rice. Even food superstores, like Target, often now stock these wheat alternatives.

Tip: If you're nervous about cooking an unfamiliar grain, look for semiprepared mixes or ready-made dishes. (Reardon's local Whole Foods sells a quinoa mixed with pumpkin, pomegranate, and pine nuts, for example.) "Packaged mixes are higher in sodium but a good alternative if you're paralyzed by fear of failure," she says.

4. Eat breakfast -- and not just any old breakfast. A solid one!
Why? Many people postpone the first meal of the day as long as possible because they're convinced that once they start eating, they can't stop. "The reason they can't stop once they get going isn't that they've eaten but what they've eaten," Reardon says. "If you just grab a bagel or a piece of fruit, it's a simple carb that's burned quickly, and you're soon ravenous with a need to feed a glucose low." This sets you up for a roller-coaster of blood-sugar highs and lows all day.

By eating a more complex breakfast soon after you get up, however, your body actually remains sated longer -- and you'll ultimately eat less.

How? Break your overnight fast within an hour of awakening with a balance of four items: a slow-burning whole grain (oatmeal, muesli, whole-grain English muffin, whole-grain cereal), some protein (yogurt, low-fat milk, tofu with scrambled eggs, nut butter, fish, lean meat), healthy fat (almond butter, cashew butter, nuts, ground flaxseed, canola oil -- found in some cereals), and a fruit/vegetable (raisins, frozen berries, grapefruit half, grilled vegetables, banana).

Avoid two food categories that contain most "classic" American breakfast foods:

Simple carbs (frozen waffle, pastry, muffins, sugary cereal, pancakes made with white flour, breakfast bars)
Fatty foods high in saturated fats (fried eggs and bacon, cheesy omelets, bagels with cream cheese, fast-food breakfast sandwiches)
Tip: For an easy, sustaining, one-bowl solution, microwave plain oatmeal (not flavored) and low-fat milk with walnuts or almonds and dried fruit (apricots, dates, raisins, etc.). Add ground flaxseed and top with fresh berries, a little cinnamon, and you're good to go. Even better: Make a batch to get you through a few days; refrigerate and heat up individual servings day by day.

5. Sub the sandwich.
Why? "Most American are inclined to think of lunch as two pieces of bread and a filling," Reardon says. Too often, this bread is a simple-carb, processed white wheat -- and the filling tends to be fatty meats and cheeses. Net result: a midday waste of calories. Better: Move away from the stereotype sandwich for lunch.

How? Most other cultures don't rely on sandwiches for lunch, Reardon says. Instead, they eat what we traditionally consider "breakfast food" (whole-grain cereal with yogurt and fruit, eggs) or "dinner food" (fish, brown rice with veggies, soup, yesterday's leftovers).

No microwave available to heat up a meal? Pack a salad topped with canned salmon, chickpeas, tuna, or deli turkey. Roll up veggies and low-fat cheese in a whole-grain tortilla. Munch fruit and nuts.

Tip: Go to a recipe finder such as epicurious.com to experiment with new dishes built around whole grains, soy protein (tempeh and tofu, for example), or squashes or other vegetables. Pay attention to the recipe reviews to find ones that match your tastes and prep-time preferences. Making enough to brown-bag for lunch saves money -- and spares the stressing over "what will I eat?" that too often leads to quick, calorie-stuffed, nutrient-hungry choices.

6. Put your proteins into rotation.
Why? Americans eat too much protein, on average, and too much of it comes from animal sources. A meat-heavy diet is linked to a higher risk of heart disease and cancer. Better: a diet that's primarily plant-based. That's why introducing more vegetarian meals, ideally three to four times a week, is an easy way to boost overall nutrition -- and save money.

How? Shoot for a mix like this: Red meat once a week, poultry one to two times a week, seafood or vegetarian three to four times a week. Eventually, your goal should be to have red meat twice a month or less.

Tip: Train yourself to think of protein as a side dish to the vegetables and grains, not as a main dish. Thomas Jefferson recommended reserving meat for a flavoring -- a "condiment for the vegetables," Michael Pollan writes in In Defense of Food.

Lets get healthy

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

Thinking outside of the Box

Posted May 18, 2011

Many hundreds of years ago in a small Italian town, a merchant had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to the moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the merchant's beautiful daughter so he proposed a bargain. He said he would forgo the merchant' debt if he could marry the merchant's daughter. Both the merchant and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. The cunning money lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter.

The moneylender told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty bag. The girl would then have to pick one pebble from the bag. If she picked the black pebble, she would become the moneylender's wife and her father's debt would be forgiven. If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven. But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.

They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the merchant's garden. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick her pebble from the bag.

Now, imagine you were standing in the merchant's garden. What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told her? Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:

1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.

2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the moneylender as a cheat.

3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.

Take a moment to ponder over the story. The above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral and logical thinking. The girl's dilemma cannot be solved with traditional logical thinking.

Think of the consequences if she chooses the logical answers.

What would you recommend the girl do?

The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.

"Oh, how clumsy of me," she said. "But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked."

Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one. And since the moneylender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Most complex problems do have a solution, sometimes we have to think about them in a different way.

That is how we do in our business. We think outside the box to make your purchase or sale satisfactory for you. Join us as a client

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

The Love of Golf can rule your life

Posted May 18, 2011 

Tim and Dorothy met while on a singles cruise and Tim fell head over heels for her.
When they discovered they lived in the same city only a few miles apart, Timwas ecstatic. He immediately started asking her out when they got home.

Within a couple of weeks, Tim had taken Dorothy to dance clubs, restaurants,
concerts, movies, and museums. Tim became convinced that Dorothy was indeed
his soul mate and true love. Every date seemed better than the last.

On the one-month anniversary of their first dinner on the cruise ship, Tim took
Dorothy to a fine restaurant. While having cocktails and waiting for their
salad, Tim said, "I guess you can tell I'm very much in love with you. I'd
like a little serious talk before our relationship continues to the next stage.

So, before I get a box out of my jacket and ask you a life-changing
question, it's only fair to warn you, I'm a total golf nut. I play golf,

I read about golf, I watch golf on TV. In short, I eat, sleep, and breathe
golf. If that's going to be a problem, for us, you'd better say so now!"

Dorothy took a deep breath and responded, "Tim, that certainly won't be a problem. I
love you as you are and I love golf too; but, since we're being totally
honest with each other, you need to know that for about the last five years
I've been a hooker."

"I see," Tim replied thoughtfully. He looked down at the table, and was quiet
for a moment, deep in serious thought then he added, "You know, it's probably

because you're not keeping your wrists straight when you hit the ball."

Laughter can help

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

Memorial Day is coming soon Do you know what that means?
 
Posted May 18, 2011

 
We owe a debt of graditude to the Veterans who give us our freedom. We need to celebrate and honor them on this day. Yes, we have a 3 day weekend, we barBQue hot dogs, and burgers and have a good time but we need to remember why we have this freedom:
 
It is the
VETERAN,
 not the preacher,
 who has given us freedom of religion.

It is
the VETERAN,
 not the reporter,
  who has given us freedom of the press.

It is
the VETERAN,
 not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.
  
It is
the VETERAN,
not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.
   
It is
the VETERAN,
 not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.

 It is
the VETERAN,
 not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote.
Thank you to the men and women of the Armed Forces of America
Marlene Dietrich,Tony & Mike

What Men Call their Women

Posted May 4, 2011

What's in a name? Apparently, a lot more than you (or I) ever thought there was. Here's what his pet name for you really means.....

Darling -- Depends on how he says it. If he stresses the first syllable, then he's probably done something wrong or wants money.

Dear -- Probably a leftover from his parents. Expect him to wear woolly cardigans, smoke a pipe and prefer a mug of Ovaltine to lager.

Sweetheart -- If it's said patronizingly, it's not so sweet. But when uttered in earnest, it may send your own sweet heart aflutter.

Babe -- Not to be confused with the film of the same name. Check for flares or signs that he's a 70s throwback. He's a bit of a medallion man. Chances are he's got his initials on his chunky ring. Leave immediately if he tries to sell you a second-hand car.

Baby doll -- This type of man will probably require you to wear transparent frilly nighties even in the dead of winter. He doesn't want you to grow up, and obviously can't deal with real women.

Princess -- Never trust a man who calls you princess. You may think you're being treated like royalty, but beware of Prince Charmings - they may be secretly plotting your over- throw.

Sexy -- Fine if you're sexy. If you're not, who cares? He probably thinks you are anyway!!

My girlfriend -- He's honest, open and probably glad to have you around. The next thing you know he'll be using your name!

The wife -- If you're married then he probably thinks he owns you. If you're not, he probably thinks you act like his wife, in which case, he thinks he owns you.

My other half -- You complete the set - he's only half a man without you. But it may make you feel as though you are losing your identity somewhere.

The missus -- See The Wife.

My partner -- He's right on. Probably likes eating tofu and hugging trees.

My significant other -- He's even more right on. Probably thinks it's cruel to eat tofu and that trees need their own space.

She who must be obeyed -- He thinks you're a nag, but probably doesn't lift a finger around the house.

Well, I dont know if I believe all this but I thought it was cute

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

The value of our dollar
 

Posted May 2, 2011

This article astounded me.  It sounds like we are not in very good standing in the world ecomony but Im not sure. If you consider we could stand alone, use our own food supply, our own oil, move towards more oher energy sources, and buy and sell to ourselves our dollar value would be much stronger. Read this and tell me your thoughts?
Behind The Money
By John Melloy, Executive Producer, Fast Money
A trade-weighted measure of the U.S. dollar against a broad basket of currencies that includes the Yen, Euro and China's Yuan is at a post-gold standard low when adjusted for inflation, according to calculations by Deutsche Bank's economic team. The milestone could be viewed as a failure of the country's monetary and fiscal policies upon which all paper - or fiat - currencies are based.
The Broad Trade-Weighted Dollar Index, which was created by the Federal Reserve, differs from the more popular "Dollar Index" because it includes a larger group of currencies and is weighted based on foreign trade. The stellar economics team at Deutsche Bank, led by Joe Lavorgna, then adjusts this measure for inflation to get what they believe to be the true measure of the dollar's value in the world.
"In our risk scenario, little progress on the fiscal front raises the probability of a fiscal crisis and the odds that the Fed becomes the buyer of the last resort," said David Woo, currency strategist for Bank of America Merrill Lynch, in a note to clients today. "This would accelerate the process of the USD's demise as the global reserve currency and cause it to decline in a disorderly manner."
The dollar hit new 2011 lows versus the Euro and the British Pound Thursday as traders increasingly viewed Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's monetary policy press conference a day before as dovish on inflation.
The Fed described the economy as recovering at a "moderate pace" in its statement, a dovish downgrade from the "firmer" recovery it stated before. The Fed also kept the language that it would remain accommodative for an "extended" period. In his first monetary policy press conference, Bernanke made no hints that his ongoing purchases of $600 billion in Treasury securities would be ended earlier than their June expiration date.
"QE2 has artificially reduced the risk premium of U.S. government bonds to below the level necessary to compensate investors for the worsened U.S. fiscal position," added Woo.
Gold settled at a record for a 12th time this month on Thursday and is now up 31 percent from a year ago on concern that Bernanke has lost control over inflation. Silver is inches away from its 1980 record and is up 150 percent in the last 12 months.
"The recent parabolic spike in silver and to a lesser degree gold, shows that the market considers a 'disorderly decline' of the U.S. dollar an increasing possibility," said Jim Iuorio, managing director at TJM Institutional Services. "Devaluing your currency has always been a risky proposition and its success is dependant on knowing how to exit gracefully from monetary stimulus."
The dollar was convertible into gold until the early 1970s, when President Nixon ended that agreement. Soon after, as the major currencies went from fixed rates to floating, the U.S. dollar established itself as the world's reserve currency because of its economy's size and relative strength. Floating, paper currencies are only worth what others deem them to be and the country's central bank can print as much, or as little, of it as it wants.
To be sure, the dollar's salve would be a pick-up in the economy as Bernanke's zero interest rate policy forces more risk-taking, more lending, more investment, and more hiring. That theory took a bit of a hit Thursday as first quarter GDP data was released showing a 1.8 percent increase in economic growth, down from a 3.1 percent increase in the fourth quarter.
"If the economy is on a recovery path, as Ben Bernanke suggests, albeit slower than we would like, then we should anticipate that tax receipts and revenues should improve," said John Person, president of Nationalfutures.com and co-author of the Commodity Trader's Almanac. "If that happens, then the US Dollar should gain some strength, or at the least cease the rapid descent. Right now it is very hard pressed to find one dollar bull."
A showdown in Congress is brewing as the U.S. Treasury is poised to hit its debt ceiling in next month. Following a tough battle over the budget this month, traders selling the dollar are bracing for another partisan battle over the debt ceiling vote and possible austerity measures that could be attached to a lifting of this debt limit. Standard & Poor's changed the outlook on U.S. debt to "negative" last week based on the possibility of a stalemate in enacting any kind of meaningful fiscal policy by this divided government.
"Since S&P downgrade last Monday it has become abundantly clear by policy makers, if it wasn't already, that the Fed will print whatever it takes to avoid default and debase the buck to a point where it will be very unlikely to remain the world's reserve currency," said Dan Nathan, creator of RiskReversal.com.
Let me know what you think?
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

Computa-holic 12-Step Program

Posted May 2, 2011
 
1) I will have a cup of coffee in the morning and read my newspaper like I used to, before the Web.

2) I will eat breakfast with a knife and fork and not with one hand typing.

3) I will get dressed before noon.

4) I will make an attempt to clean the house, wash clothes, and plan dinner before even thinking of the Web.

5) I will sit down and write a letter to those unfortunate few friends and family that are Web-deprived.

6) I will call someone on the phone who I cannot contact via the Web.

7) I will read a book...if I still remember how.

8) I will listen to those around me and their needs and stop telling them to turn the TV down so I can hear the music on the Web.

9) I will not be tempted during TV commercials to check for email.

10) I will try and get out of the house at least once a week, if it is necessary or not.

11) I will remember that my bank is not forgiving if I forget to balance my checkbook because I was too busy on the Web.

12) Last, but not least, I will remember that I must go to bed sometime ... and the Web will always be there tomorrow!
Its terrible being a computaholic...unless you are my client then you will love the benefit you receive from me staying in touch and on top of your Real Estate needs
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

The Wisdom of you dog: Ever think about it?

Posted May 2, 2011

1) The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue. -Anonymous

2) Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful. -Ann Landers

3) If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. -Will Rogers

4) There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face. -Ben Williams

5) A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself. -Josh Billings

6) We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made. -M. Acklam

7) Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, quite unlike people, who are incapable of pure love and always have to mix love and hate. -Sigmund Freud

8) I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult. -Rita Rudner

9) A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down. -Robert Benchley

10) Dogs need to sniff the ground; it's how they keep abreast of current events. The ground is a giant dog newspaper, containing all kinds of late-breaking dog news items, which, if they are especially urgent, are often continued in the next yard. -Dave Barry

11) Anybody who doesn't know what soap tastes like never washed a dog. -Franklin P. Jones

12) If your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise. -Unknown

13) My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to $3.00 a can. That's almost $21.00 in dog money. -Joe Weinstein

14) Ever consider what our dogs must think of us? I mean, here we come back from a grocery store with the most amazing haul -- chicken, pork, half a cow. They must think we're the greatest hunters on earth! -Anne Tyler

15) Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

16) Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read. -Groucho Marx

17) Speak softly and own a big, mean Doberman. -Dave Miliman

18) If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man. -Mark Twain

19) Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. -Roger Caras

20) If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then giving Fido only two of them. -Phil Pastoret

21) My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. -- an OleHoss
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

 
Location Location Location

Posted April 29,2011
 
How many times do we hear that yet everyone wants to know why the homes here are so high
Did you read this article:
Daily Real Estate News  |  April 28, 2011  |    Share 10 Cities With the Highest-Priced Listings
Last month, the national median list price was $199,500, down 0.25 percent for the year, according to Realtor.com housing data of 146 markets. But in San Francisco, the median list price is more than three times that amount.

The following is a list of the cities that had the highest median list prices in March, based on Realtor.com housing data.

1. San Francisco
Median list price: $639,000
Down 8.45 percent for the year
Median days on the market: 63

2. Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc, Calif.
Median list price: $559,000
Down 19.57 percent year-over-year
Median days on the market: 117

3. San Jose, Calif.
Median list price: $470,000
Down 5.05 percent year-over-year
Median days on the market: 71

4. Orange County, Calif.
Median list price: $450,000
Down 5.05 percent year-over-year
Median days on the market: 100

5. Honolulu
Median list price: $444,000
Down 1.11 percent year-over-year
Median days on the market: 112

6. Santa Fe, New Mexico
Median list price: $435,000
Up 4.82 percent year-over-year
Median days on the market: 288

7. Ventura, Calif.
Median list price: $420,000
Down 6.67 percent year-over-year
Median days on the market: 93

8. New York
Median list price: $389,000
Down 2.51 percent year-over-year
Median days on the market: 146

9. Naples, Fla.
Median list price: $389,000
Up 2.40 percent year-over-year
Median days on the market: 225

10. Boulder-Longmont, Colo.
Median list price: $380,000
Up 2.73 percent year-over-year
Median days on the market: 114

Source: REALTOR® Magazine online (April 28, 2011)
Isn't it obvious, its location, location, location. I am surprised that Beverly HIlls and Brentwood and other cities like that dont fall into this list. Orange county because of the Newport Coast $15millon and $20 million and $75,million listings that give you a skewed figure. Homes are price based on their location, view & condition. In the old days, it didnt matter what your home looked like, you listed it above the last sale just because you could. Now it must have location , view and upgrades to sell or at lease to get a great price
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

New rules will protect you when flying

Posted April 29, 2011

  
The federal government is trying to protect us when traveling. Seeing as how we are the customers and the customers are always right  and Pasengers have the right to be treat fairly so:
There is a time limit now for being held captive on the tarmac 3 hour limit.
They are now required to clearly post their baggage fees and if they lose your they must return your baggage fee
The airline must hold your price and reservation for 24 hours if made at least 1 week prior
If your flight is delayed longer than 30 minutes they are obliged to notify you in advance
If your luggage gets lots you get your luggage fee back which can exceed $50.00
If you get bumped due to the airlines overbooking you are entitled to twice your ticket price up to $800.00 if you are delayed 2 hours or less and up to  $1300 if longer than that.
All of this takes effect as of August 23rd this year
WOW. we get some respect finally

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 

With gas approaching $5.00 a gallon are all these Hypes helpfull

Posted April 25, 2011
 
Until we have the benefit of battery operated, solar operated or any other alternative fuel we try all kinds of things to get the most of our gallon of gas. 
Some of us would try Airflow gadgets costing upto $100 that claim to increase your airflow which in turn would increase efficency and get you more MPG; it in fact does the opposite and cost you more money in fuel.
Some go for fuel additives costing $5 to $250 but the EPA doesnt say that it does what it claims to do
Buying premium gas to get more miles to the gallon is wasting money since your car's ECU is programed to run on the Octane provided by Regular Gas.
Over inflating you tires waste the life you have on your tires since you will have to replace them earlier and the only benefit you get from your tires is by inflating them properly since underinflation puts a drag on your car and uses more gas
Rolling down the windows and driving without AC on doesnt really save gas since the amount used to run the AC is the same or less than the gas used to make up for the wind drag cause by the windows left down
The only true savings in gas is by not driving, making a plan to drive all of your destinations in a planned out circle to acheive all in an efficient way; dont speed : the time you save by speeding is not enough to make a difference in your wallet spending. Lastly keep your engine tuned, and car maintained and avoid long idles.
Hope this is helpful until the gas prices get better or we go to alternative fuel

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

You Cant take it with you,so spend it now

Posted April 22, 2011
 
Wow  According to CNBC if you can't take it with you (which is a given) Most are spending it in lieu of being meager and saving it for their kids. Read this:
You can't take it with you.

Many children of wealthy baby boomers won't be taking it either. A US Trust survey of 457 high-net-wealth individuals released Tuesday found 51 percent said it is not important to leave their kids an inheritance, even though their children's success is an important measure of their own success. "These are mainly self-made people," 50 percent or whom said they paid a price in personal relationships and possibly their own health when they made their wealth, US Trust President Keith Banks told CNBC. So they think "I'm going to get a return on that investment for myself, number one, and maybe my children down the road." Among the study's other findings: 75 percent said their wealth is the result of their own focus and hard work, 52 percent have not fully disclosed their wealth to their children and You can't 55 percent intend to actively volunteer after retirement.
In fact, Banks said, many of those surveyed expect to use their wealth to maintain their current lifestyle for 20 to 30 years after retirement. "This is the 'forever young' generation. So they don't think like our parents did" that when you hit 65 you relax in Florida, he said. "These are people that are serial entrepreneurs, they're looking forward to starting new businesses, they want to volunteer, they want leisure time, and they want to travel. It's almost a new beginning for a lot of them. It's also a way, in their minds, to stay young and feel young." said the investment strategy is usually a balance between fixed-income assets and equities. Those happy with their current level of wealth and want to maintain it tend to add more conservative fixed-income instruments in their investments.
But if you were hoping to inherit from your parents, consider: While 88 percent of those surveyed have an estate plan in place, about 39 percent acknowledge their estate plans are not comprehensive and 43 percent do not have a financial plan that factors in the impact of long-term health care on family wealth.
For those looking at long-term maintenance of that young lifestyle, Banks said the investment strategy is usually a balance between fixed-income assets and equities. Those happy with their current level of wealth and want to maintain it tend to add more conservative fixed-income instruments in their investments. But if you were hoping to inherit from your parents, consider: While 88 percent of those surveyed have an estate plan in place, about 39 percent acknowledge their estate plans are not comprehensive and 43 percent do not have a financial plan that factors in the impact of long-term health care on family wealth.
 
Where do you lie in these percentages?
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 
Tax time is April 18th this year

Posted March 25, 2011 

Don't miss out on important tax deductions that can bring savings to you this tax season.

You undoubtedly know about business-related tax deductions for your car expenses and home telephone expenses (such as long-distance phone calls and special phone services you use for business), but how about some of those lesser known tax deductions? Here are five that tax expert and author Stephen Fishman recently highlighted at Inman News.

1. Business gifts: Gifts you purchase for your customers are deductible as a business expense. The deduction is limited to $25 per person per year. Company-wide gifts, however, are deductible in any reasonable amount.

2. Continuing education courses: Those continuing education courses you're required to take each year to maintain your real estate license can be deducted, as well as any education courses you take that improve your skill-set in your career (such as webinars). However, you can't deduct the education expenses for starting a new career path, such as in obtaining a real estate license.

3. Greeting cards: Did you send a client a card to reach out to them and show them you care? Greeting cards you send to clients and prospects are deductible as an advertising expenses, says Fishman.

4. Web sites: Maintaining a business web site can get costly. You can deduct your business-related web site design and maintenance costs, as well as Internet hosting fees and the cost of getting a domain name for your business.

5. Business clothing with logos: Before you go on a clothing shopping spree, make sure you know what you can deduct when it comes to clothes. The business clothes deduction only applies to items with your company logo on it. While you can't deduct a regular business suit, you can deduct the cost of a sport jacket or coat that boasts your company's logo on it, Fishman says.

Don't forget: Tax returns are due by April 18 this year (a three-day extension was granted this year due to the weekend and holiday).

I found this helpful and I hope you will also
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

Japan earthquake, will that happen here?

Posted March 25, 2011
 
The news is full of comments by qualified and unqualified comments.  Some say that the 9.0 shake they had in Japan will shift the Pacific Plates and be duplicated here on the San Andreas Fault. Others say that we can not be affected 5000 miles away; of course, that seems hard to believe since we had a 4am wake up call from the City of Newport Beach warning us of a Possible Tsunami in our own back yard.
There are claims that San Francisco's BIG one will be repeated but not until 200 years later so that brings it to 2100+ BC while others say the next BIG one will be in Alaska.And then there is the worry of California becoming an Island and Arizona having beach front property.  It is more likely that San Francisco will come closer to Los Angeles but then again that will take a couple of million years to do that.
The biggest and best thing we can do is just be prepared. Keep flashlights and batteries, Canned foods (replacing with newer ones on a regular basis),Large bottle water, and learn what to do incase of an Earthquake. Other than that, lets live for today, enjoy and be treat your neighbor the way you would want to be treated and we will do just fine
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

Are you getting the most out of your $4.00 a gallon gas?
 

 Posted March 25, 2011

With gas prices topping $4 a gallon, real estate professionals who use their car frequently for work are looking for ways to get as much as they can out of every gallon.

Here are some tips for getting better mileage out of your car:

1. Slow down: Most cars get the best gas mileage at 45-55 miles per hour. Driving faster than 60 mph actually can cut gas mileage anywhere from 7 to 23 percent.

2. Don't idle: If you need to wait longer than 20 seconds, you're better off turning off your engine than keeping your car running. Restarting the car requires less gas than leaving it idling.

3. Lose the heavy load: Make sure you're not carrying in your car more than what you need. An extra 100 pounds sitting in the trunk or back seat can reduce fuel economy as much as 2 percent.

4. Tighten the gas cap: Fuel can evaporate through gas caps with broken or weak seals. Loose or broken gas caps can cost you a loss of about 2 percent in your gas mileage.

5. Close the windows and turn off the AC: Driving with the windows open or the air conditioner turned on can be big gas wasters. Instead, the most efficient way to keep the car cool is by using the air that comes in through your flow-through ventilator.

6. Get an oil change: Improve your gas mileage by as much as 2 percent by using energy-conserving or synthetic motor oil, which can reduce engine friction.
I read this and thought,WOW, we could really save quite a bit just with these few things. Make the tankful go further. Which costs you less.
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

A phrase to live by

Posted March 23, 2011
 
An old man once said ...there comes a time in life when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh, forget the bad, and focus on the good. So, love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living.~
Words to live by. I think this is the perfect way to live, and if you are not living by it now, you should start

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

The Affect on the Market Japan's Tragedy has had

Posted March 18, 2011
 
According to Bruce Lefavi of Lefavi Wealth Management and the author of "BulletProof your Financial Future" and "BulletProof Retirement":
"The Dow Jones Industrial Average to fell 240 points (2%) today largely due to uncertainty in Japan. Japan is the third largest economy in the world, however it will remain difficult for them to continue buying and selling with the rest of the world until their country is back online. Overall, the market has been long overdue for a correction. The earthquake, tsunami, and now the nuclear problems in Japan have provided the perfect excuse for the things to even out.
Our hearts go out to the Japanese people and those who have lost loved ones during this time. If the past is any indication of Japanese resiliency, I don't think it will be too long before they are able to rebuild and recover."
We too feel bad for the catastrophe that Japanese people are experiencing and hope that all of you can and will give thorough the Red Cross and every other Non Profit organization who will be aiding them to recover.
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 
TheSelective First-Time Buyers Can Miss Deals 

Posted March 9, 2011

 Selective First-Time Buyers Can Miss Deals
 
This was an interesting write up:

Daily Real Estate News 
March 8, 2011 
Finding a "move-in ready" home was important to 87 percent of 300 first-time buyers recently polled by Coldwell Banker Real Estate. Some agents say first-timers are being more selective; and some are turning away from well-priced homes because they do not have granite countertops, they need a new carpet, or they have wall colors not to their liking.

Zillow says higher down payments and stricter underwriting standards mean today's buyers want to ensure their homes need few and inexpensive improvements.

Agents believe HGTV and other cable channels have made buyers more knowledgeable about home design, but some worry that such programming also has given buyers unrealistic expectations.

"You can't have the big yard, the top-line updates and all that in a starter home," says Cindy Westfall of Lake Oswego, Ore.-based Prudential NW Properties. "You've got to compromise somewhere or else you'll never buy anything."
This is very true. With all the inexpensive ways to repair, change and redo, you could miss a great opportunity to buy now inexspensively with low interest rates, low home costs and if you wait as the rates go up your cost will go up and you may not be able to buy. You may miss your opportunity
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

Mayonnaise Jar will teach you about life

Posted March 7, 2011
 
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle,
When 24 hours in a day is not enough;
remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class
and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly,
he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar
and started to fill it with golf balls.
He then asked the students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured
it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.
He then asked the students again
if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand
and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else
He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded
With an unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table
and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively
filling the empty space between the sand.
The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided,
'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things - God, family,
children, health, friends, and favorite passions
Things that if everything else was lost
and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car..

The sand is everything else --
The small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued,
'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff,
You will never have room for the things that are
important to you.

So...
Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play with your children.
Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your partner out to dinner.
There will always be time
to clean the house and fix the dripping tap.

'Take care of the golf balls first --
The things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand
and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled.
'I'm glad you asked'.

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'

Please share this with other "Golf Balls"

I just did......There is a lot of Truth here. Everything has its place and the important things need to be first and fill in with the rest
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 

low interest rates Good for some Bad for others
 

Posted March 4, 2011

Daily Real Estate News  |  March 4, 2011  |
Mortgage Rates Drop Again This Week
For the third straight week, long-term mortgage rates inched down, according to Freddie Mac's weekly mortgage survey.

The 30-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 4.87 percent for the week, down from last week's 4.95 percent. The rate was 4.97 percent at this time last year.

The 15-year mortgage rate also dipped for the week, averaging 4.15 percent, down from last week's 4.22 percent.

The 5-year adjustable-rate mortgage averaged 3.72 percent, which is a drop from last week's 3.8 percent average.

"Mortgage rates saw an overall improvement this week," says Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac's chief economist. "Interest rates for 30-year fixed mortgages were almost 0.2 percentage points below this year's high set just three weeks ago." This means that home buyers can now expect to pay $263 less per year on a $200,000 loan, Nothaft adds.

Source: "30-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgage Drops for Third Consecutive Week," Freddie Mac (March 3, 2011)
This is great for buyers and refi's but people on a fixed income living off their savings and CD's with security have Low returns and are living at porverty levels. Hopefully they have a mortgage free home

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

WORDS OF WISDOM

Posted March 2, 2011

They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.  ~ Andy Warhol

Celebrate what you've accomplished, but raise the bar a little higher each time you succeed.  ~ Mia Hamm
Don't burn bridges. You'll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river. ~ Jackson Brown, Jr
 If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.  Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.  ~ Henry David Thoreau
  Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts. ~ Winston Churchill
 To admit you were wrong is to declare you are wiser now than before. ~ Unknown
 I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become. ~ Carl Jung
 Love is like the perfect Rubix Cube.  There are countless number of wrong twists and turns, but when you get it right, it looks perfect no matter what way you look at it.  ~ Brian Cramer
 Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. ~  Lou Holtz
 If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it.  If you don't ask, the answer is always no.  If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place.  ~  Nora Roberts
  "A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. A true leader becomes one by the quality of their actions and the integrity of his or her intentions." ~  Marita M.D.
"Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records." ~ William A. Ward
Making your mark on this world is hard. If it were easy everybody  would do it. But it's not. It takes patience, it takes commitment, and  it comes with plenty of failure along the way. The real test is not  whether you avoid this failure, because you won't. It's whether you  let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from  it; whether you choose to persevere.~ Barack Obama
People who consider themselves victims of their circumstances will always remain victims unless they develop a greater vision for their lives.~ Stedman Graham
Success demands singleness of purpose.~ Vince Lombardi
Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.~ John Q. Adams
Faith and doubt are both needed, not as antagonists, but working side by side to take us around the unknown curve.~ Lillian Smith
I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.- Douglas Adams
There has been much tragedy in my life; at least half of it actually happened. - Mark Twain
If you have love in your life it can make up for a great many things you lack. If you don't have it, no matter what else there is... it's not enough.  --Ann Landers
It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it. If you think about that you will do things differently.-Warren Buffet
Character builds slowly, but it can be torn down within incredible swiftness.-Faith Baldwin
"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm"
                                                                      - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Regrets are a waste of time. It is the Past crippling the present. Learn from the Past and Move On.  --  Tony Massod
A drop will cause a rippling affect on a surface of water, as will anything you say and do.         
Robbing from the rich and giving to the poor is still stealing.  -Tony Massod
"It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants.  The question is... what are we busy at?"  --Henry David Thoreau
"Behold the turtle. They make progress only when they stick their neck out."    ---------James Bryant Conant
"The bad news is that time flies....The good news is you're the pilot"        ****Michael Altschuler
"An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory." ****Friedrich Engels
"No man is a failure who has friends" ****Clarence of "It's a Wonderful Life"
"Our fingerprints don't fade from the lives we touch"  ****Unknown
"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but not enough think of changing themselves." ****Leo Tolstoy
Age is mind over Matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter***Mark Twain
Falling in love is Easy, Staying in love is something very Special***Unknown
A Friend is, as it were, a Second Self.***Cicero
A Friend is someone who reaches for your hand, but touches your heart***Unknown
You cant help getting older, but you don't have to get Old.***George Burns
Who finds a Friend, finds a Treasure ***an Irish Proverb
Getting Old is Inevitable, Growing UP is Optional***Unknown
A Hug is the shortest distance between two friends***Unknown
Laughter is the Medicine of Life ****Madeline Bamford
It's not the years in your life that count, it's the LIFE in your years.***Abraham Lincoln
LOVE doesn't make the world go round, but it makes the RIDE worthwhile.***Franklin P Jones
Having a place to go to is a Home. Having someone to love is a Family.***Donna Hedges
To have a good friend, is one of the greatest delights of Life. ***Ralph Waldo Emerson
Friends have a way of speaking without words***Unknown
To have JOY one must share it.***Lord Byron
What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.***Albert Pine
Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.***  Oscar Wild

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass..... it's about learning how to dance in the rain."***Unknown
Be kinder than necessary, because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. *** Unknown

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

WE need some good news

Posted March 2, 2011

Daily Real Estate News  |  March 1, 2011  |
More Americans Confident About Home Ownership  Americans are more confident about the stability of home prices than they were at the beginning of 2010, according to Fannie Mae's latest national housing survey, conducted between October 2010 and December 2010.. And when it comes to home ownership, younger Americans are particularly optimistic, the survey finds.

Nearly 80 percent of all respondents, including home owners and renters, surveyed said they thought housing prices would hold steady or increase over the next 12 months--which is up from 73 percent in January 2010. In fact, survey respondents expressed more confidence over the stability of home prices than they did about the overall strength of the economy. Sixty-one percent said the economy is heading on the wrong track.

Young Americans, Hispanics, and African-Americans were the most positive about their views on home ownership among the general population, according to the survey. Nearly 60 percent of Generation Y respondents (those between 18-34 years old) say that buying a home offers a lot of potential as an investment. Also, more than one-third of Hispanics and African Americans say they plan to buy a home within the next three years, compared to one in four of the general population.

"We are also seeing encouraging signs in the positive attitudes toward home ownership among younger Americans, despite the severe impact of the housing crisis on Generation Y," says Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae's chief economist. "But most respondents to our survey continue to lack confidence in the strength of the economic recovery, and they are less optimistic about their ability to buy a home in the years ahead. This sense of uncertainty is weighing on the housing recovery today and reshaping expectations for housing for the future."

Source: "Fannie Mae's Latest National Housing Survey Shows Key Changes in Americans' Attitudes Toward Housing and the Economy," RISMedia (March 1, 2011)
Isnt this GREAT News. What with High gas prices and unemployment worries, they is a glimmer of hope. Interest Rates have gone down again and the Maximum Conventional Plus will be decreasing this September, I hear, so Now would be a fantastic time to buy and lock in a low rate to get into the home purchase you missed a decade ago.
 

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike 

A worthwhile benefit Last Night in Turtle Ridge Summit

Posted January 31, 2011 

Last night we attended and participated in a very worthwhile Charity.  Arpan Global Charities (AGC) Health Hope, Knowledge . The Name Arpan in Hidu means ""Offering, gift, presentation."  This is a medical volunteer organization, founded in 2005 by Dr. Sudeep Kukreja, a Neonatologist at Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) in California.

Across the globe, there are many medically under served populations for whom access to medical personnel and hospitals are nearly impossible. Millions of individuals in these countries are suffering needlessly from sickness and disease that, if left untreated could lead to death or long-term disability. Many of these illnesses are preventable and easily treatable with modern medicine.  This 3rd Annual Benefit was held to raise money for medical supplies so that these selfless physicans, medical and non-medical could donate their time and pay for their own expenses to fly to locations like, India, Egypt and this year China to help these under privileged people with their untreated medical conditions. Some non medical volunteers might take children to get a lab test, wait for the results, take to the prescription to the pharmacy to get filled, or even crowd control because these people are all desperate for medical attention.

Last night, people donated gifts for silent auction. Items like Golf for 4 at Irvine's Strawberry Farm, 3 nights at Hyatt in Huntington Beach and even dinner for 4 at Dr Kukreja's house cooked and served by Dr. Kukreja; plus many more. Everyone was generous in their bids and donations.   The event last night ended successfully and those of you who missed it can still assist with your donations. Learn more about this Charity and help with your donations by going to  www.arpanglobal.org . You can still help as we did.

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 

Posted January 27, 2011
 
In the past market, the sellers could just throw their homes on the market and no matter what the condition, the buyers would buy it, worried that if they didnt get it they would never be able to afford a home again.
That market has changed.  Sellers know that homes are taking 90+ days to sell and they are taking their time shopping; so if they see the same model that has upgrades and it shines and is impressive, they will put an offer on that one and negotiate it down (never wanting to pay more than they have to)
It is important to stage a home now. It really doesnt cost to stage it. Remove clutter, Take down old drapes and keep the windows and blinds open. Set the furniture far apart to open the room or close to make cozy and make the rest of the room look larger. Do a shine up job of everything that can sparkle. If the light can reflect on it, it should be clean clean. Fix tiny items: nail holes, cracks, touchup or complete paint job. Have the carpet cleaned. We have gone as far as to rake the carpet on our way out of the home each day we left for work so that it looked fresh and clean. Clean windows, set the table like the model homes do. Fix all the items that an inspection will find and you have to fix anyway.
For more in depth help, all that is included with our service at no extra charge.
Buyers nolonger will look at a home and see minor repairs and buy it anyway. Even though buying a home in California is an AS IS purchase, everyone wants things perfect. If you want a good price, you need to give the potential buyer a close to perfect house. Give them the Turn Key home that everyone wants.

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike 

Citywide Culinary Celebration in Newport Beach this week

Posted January 21, 2011 
 
Today starts the week long Newport Beach Restaurant week January 21-27 where we can enjoy exceptional dishes at bargain prices. The hottest Newport Beach Chefs are preparing their gourmet menus with lunches at $15 or $20 and Dinners at $25,$35, or $45. 62 of our finest restaurants, all over Newport Beach, Corona Del Mar and Newport Coast. To get the names for your selection go to www.NewportBeachDining.com and stimulate your taste buds at a reasonable price. Take your sweetie out  and keep the savings in your wallet
Hope to see you there...

Marlene Dietrich,Tony & Mike

Make sure all your data is secure...
 

Posted January 20, 2011

I just read in the news about this:
Two men were charged with stealing personal data and e-mail addresses of about 120,000 Apple iPad users, according to a complaint filed in federal court in Newark, N.J.

The men took the information "for the express purpose of causing monetary and reputational damage to AT&T and monetary and reputational benefits" to them, the FBI complaint read.

Daniel Spitler, 26, of San Francisco and Andrew Auernheimer, 25, of Fayetteville, Ark., are charged with conspiracy to access a computer without authorization and fraud in connection with personal information. They could face up to five years in prison on each count.

"Hacking is not a competitive sport and security breaches are not a game," U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman said at a news conference. "It's like what people might perceive as stealing for a joyride. It can start out looking like a prank, but it can quickly become more malicious."

Shortly following the security breach, AT&T issued an apology on June 14 to iPad 3G tablet users whose e-mail addresses were taken during the security breach. The stolen e-mail addresses included some high profile public officials, including former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and ABC News Anchor Diane Sawyer.

Source: "U.S. Charges Two With Hacking iPad Data From AT&T," Bloomberg BusinessWeek (Jan. 18, 2011)
It is important to keep all you date secure with a good firewall security system.
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

Does it make sense to own VS rent. You bet!!

Posted January 20, 2011

:I hope you agree with this Real Estate Survey below:
Daily Real Estate News  |  January 20, 2011  |   Share Owners, Renters Favor Owning a Home
A substantial majority of both home owners and current renters agree that owning a home is a smart decision over the long term. That's according to the results of a National Association of REALTORS® survey of 3,793 adults conducted online by Harris Interactive.

The American Attitudes About Homeownership survey found that in today's challenging economy, 95 percent of owners and 72 percent of renters believe that over a period of several years, it makes more sense to own a home. In addition, an overwhelming majority of home owners are happy with their decision to own a home - 93 percent of owners surveyed would buy again.

"Home owners and renters agree that home ownership benefits individuals and families, strengthens our communities, and is integral to our nation's economy," said NAR President Ron Phipps. "The results of this survey illustrate just how important issues related to home ownership are to people in this country."

The survey uncovered some differences between home owners and renters, as well. While more than half of owners are "very" or "extremely" satisfied with the overall quality of their family life, only one-third of renters report the same levels of satisfaction. Similarly, 43 percent of home owners are very/extremely satisfied with their community life, compared with 30 percent of renters.

A majority of renters - 63 percent - said that it was at least somewhat likely that they would purchase a home at some point in the future. Among this group, young adults (18-29 years old) have the strongest aspirations for home ownership; only 8 percent of young adults said that it was "not at all likely" that they would purchase a home at some point in the future.

In today's market, many aspiring home owners are faced with worries about job security and creditworthiness. Among renters who are very or extremely likely to buy a home in the future, three out of five consider confidence in job security and creditworthiness to be an obstacle.

One point of agreement between renters and home owners was support of the mortgage interest deduction (MID). Seventy-four percent of owners and 62 percent of renters say it's "extremely" or "very" important that the MID remain in place.

"At a time when the middle class is under increasing economic pressures, both home owners and renters agree that the mortgage interest deduction should not be targeted for change," said Phipps. "Given strong public support of and aspirations toward owning a home, we need to keep policies in place that support and encourage responsible, sustainable home ownership for our future."

This survey was conducted online within the U.S. and fielded October 6-20, 2010. A total of 3,793 adults, 18 and older were surveyed, including 1,880 home owners, 1,115 renters, and 798 young adults. All samples came from the Harris Poll online database and were weighted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income to be representative of the U.S. general population of adults 18 and older. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online. Results are available online at www.realtor.org/statsanddata/homeownership/attitudes_homeown.

- NAR

After reading this I am sure you would agree that it makes sense to buy instead of rent and now that the home prices are at an all time low and here is Orange County, since we will not be in the Double Dip area, and lending rates are at a still altime low, it makes perfect sense to buy NOW

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

Is the Tax deduction on your home Mortgage going away?
 

Posted January 20, 2011

 
Did you read this? It might be real important to let your Senator or Representative know how you feel about it:

Daily Real Estate News  |  January 19, 2011  |    Share Housing Industry Stands Ready to Protect MID
The National Association of Home Builders is the latest housing group to announce it plans to fight Congress to preserve mortgage interest deduction, which is expected to become a target of Congress as it looks to control mounting deficits. The National Association of REALTORS® and Mortgage Bankers Association have also been lobbying to protect MID.

"There are a couple of sacred cows in the tax code, and the mortgage interest deduction is one of those. Politicians take it on at their own risk," warns J. P. Delmore, the senior federal legislative director for the National Association of Home Builders.

At its recent International Builders Show last week, NAHB outlined a strategy on how it plans to lobby on behalf of mortgage interest deduction, including plans for aggressive media coverage and an emphasis on how removing MID will cause home prices to fall by possibly 15 percent. NAHB also recently launched a Web site, Savemymortgageinterestdeduction.com, to rally public support.

Experts predict tax legislation to advance in Congress either this year or next year. One idea being proposed in some circles is to replace the interest deduction with a 12 percent tax credit.

For the latest news and to learn more about NAR's efforts on MID, visit REALTOR.org.

Source: "Housing Industry Readies Mortgage Tax Break Fight," MarketWatch (Jan. 14, 2011)
You have the power, use it.....
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

Officials Search for Fannie-Freddie Road Map

Posted December 30, 2010

The January deadline is approaching for the Treasury Department to make recommendations to Congress on overhauling the housing finance system, but Obama administration officials remain divided on whether to explicitly guarantee securities backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

While investors and the housing industry believe an explicit guarantee is necessary to keep the market for long-term fixed-rate mortgages healthy, others worry about exposing the government to a substantial amount of risk.

Edward DeMarco, Fannie and Freddie's acting regulator, says the government would want control over who gets loans and at what price in exchange for such a guarantee. The administration's proposal will at the very least concentrate on attracting private capital to the mortgage market, possibly by permitting the government-sponsored enterprises to boost guarantee fees. However, such a move could drive up borrowing costs. Additionally, officials could lower the maximum loan limits for purchases by Fannie and Freddie.

Source: Wall Street Journal, Nick Timiraos and Deborah Solomon (12/24/10)
This was important and I wanted you to be informed. If you can and you need to buy now and/or refi now.

Marlene Dietrich,Tony & Mike

Lots of things to do during the Winter in Orange County

Posted December 30, 2010
 
Lots to due this Winter here is Orange county. Check it out and enjoy:

Holiday on Ice Friday, October 29, 2010 to Monday, February 21, 2011 Location: Irvine Spectrum • 71 Fortune Dr. • Irvine, CA 92618 • (949) 748-8280***********Irvine Spectrum Center will be transformed into a winter wonderland when the festive outdoor holiday ice rink returns every day. Skate sessions are one hour long.

It's Girl Scout Cookie Time January -February**********Girl Scout cookies disappear fast, so don't miss out! Preorder delicious Thin Mints and other traditional favorites or the new dipping cookie from Girl Scouts until February 9, or watch for store-front sales in March. Don't know a Girl Scout to order from? Call 800- 979 9444, e-mail girlscouts@gscoc.org

Newport Beach Restaurant Week January 21-27, 2011  **********"Savor The Flavor" of the OC's first and favorite restaurant week kicking off Friday, January 21st - Thursday, January 27th, 2011. Close to 100 of Newport Beach's finest eateries will participate for a full week in this citywide culinary celebration, serving up special prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus at bargain prices. Most restaurants will offer a minimum of three offerings per course giving the dining community an incredible opportunity enjoy exceptional prix-fixe meals prepared by the hottest Newport Beach Chefs!

Annual Giant Grey Whale Migration 2010-2011 Wednesday, December 01, 2010 to Saturday, April 30, 2011 Newport Landing Whale Watching • 949-675-0551********The California Gray Whale makes the most spectacular and longest mass migration of any marine mammal. Tens of thousands of gray whales migrate annually along the Orange County coast from the months of December through April. Multiple whale watching cruises daily to view these giants.

Get Outdoors OC at Upper Newport Bay Muth Center Saturday, January 22, 2011 9 am - 12 noon ******Your family can experience some of the same hands-on environmental education activities, such as birdwatching, that many of you have done with Inside the Outdoors!

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike 
 

It's not the time to buy? Ask the experts

Posted December 28, 2010

Ask the experts? Read below:

Daily Real Estate News  |  December 28, 2010  |    Share Predictions for Housing in 2011

Will housing values increase in 2011? Fortune.com offers both a bullish and a bearish prediction.

The bulls say: Affordability is at its highest level. Billionaire Warren Buffet is among those who believe this is a sign the slump is about to end. Buffet writes: "Prices will remain far below 'bubble' levels, of course, but for every seller (or lender) hurt by this there will be a buyer who benefits."

The bears say: It's not over yet. Housing is still overpriced and inventories are enormous, says Daryl Jones, an analyst at investment research firm Hedgeye. Jones warns that home prices could fall another 15 percent to 30 percent because no one is buying.

Source: Fortune.com, Nin-Hai Tseng (12/27/2010)
I think Warren Buffet knows more about Orange county Real Estate.  I just went driving over in Woodbury and Woodbury East yesterday and you cant believe the amount of new homes being built. I don't believe that these builders and investors would be putting out the expense of new construction if they were not going to be able to sell them.  The Market is still moving. Like Buffet said " for every seller that got hurt there is a buyer who benefits". This is the truth. People have been waiting for the right moment to buy, saving their money and watching the interest rates in order to buy.
Now is the time to buy. We are not in the double dip area and rates are still low and holding and prices are creeping up. Check it out for yourself.
Happy New Years
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 

Rise in Yields Pushes Up Rates

Posted December 17, 2010

According to the Wall Street Journal, a sudden and unexpectedly quick bounce in Treasury yields has jolted the financial markets — including mortgage rates, which have risen rapidly in response.

Freddie Mac puts 30-year home loan interest at an average of 4.83 percent for the week ended Dec. 16, up from a record bottom of 4.17 percent a month ago.

Although the rate is still favorable by historical norms, any jump in borrowing costs is certain to pinch housing demand, prevent refinancing, and motivate sellers to reduce asking prices.

I think this is a temporary affect to the housing market because interest rates are still very very low.   It is still a very good time to buy and may help you in your decision to buy now instead of possibly paying more in a higher interest rate later!

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 

Make A Wish Christmas Harbor Cruise

Posted December 16, 2010

December 13, 2010, the Make A Wish, thorough the generosity of Electra Cruises, the Orange County Sheriff's Department, Sheriff's Harbor Division, Ace Parking,Basin Marine and Friends of the Harbor;  was able to invite the Wish Children and their family to enjoy a evening cruise around the Newport Harbor.

Electra Cruises generously donated their four story Harbor Cruise Ship for the evening along with their staff and Captain.   Ace Parking allowed the families and all involved to park free during the 3 hour tour. The  OC Department and the Harbor Division provided Security, boarding assist and the delivery of Santa Claus to visit and deliver Chistmas Presents to all the Wish Children. Make A Wish Volunteers donated their service to register the families and assist on board. 

Entertainment was donated from the Piano player from Villa Nova, Carolers and a Magician; not to mention Santa Claus.   The entire, family and friends all were able to partake in this children's delight: Chicken fingers, French fries, pasta and Mac & Cheese. Free soft drinks and later Hot Chocolate and Ice Cream Sundaes.

WOW!  At the end of the evening the Sheriff presented to the Make A Wish Foundation a check for $10.,000 in addition to all the in kind donations made that evening.

We were honored to register the families and stay on the boat with the families as volunteers of the Make A Wish Foundation, we love time with the kids.  We are always so impressed with these Children who face their health issues and always keep a smile on their little faces every day all day.

Thank you Make A Wish for allowing us to participate!

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 

Medical Debt is Problematic for Borrowers 
 

Posted December 14, 2010 

 
Medical debt that home buyers and refinancers don't know they have could be enough to prevent them from getting loans.

Rodney Anderson, executive director of Supreme Lending, a mortgage bank in Plano, Texas, calls medical debt the single-biggest problem for many borrowers. "People have no idea that they still owe small amounts which later end up on their credit report," he says.

Commonwealth Fund, a Washington-based nonprofit focused on healthcare research, says 14 million Americans have errors on their credit reports because of medical collections. Most of them involve small balances, but can cause a bank to refuse to approve a loan.

The Medical Debt Relief Act, which passed the House this fall and is now in the Senate, would remove settled medical debt from credit reports after 45 days, instead of the customary seven years.

Source: Wall Street Journal, Jessica Silver-Greenberg (12/11/2010)
 

Thats good news for a lot of buyers
Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

Your choice Nursing home or
 
 
There will be no nursing home in my future........

Posted December 13, 2010

When I get old and feeble, I am going to get on a Princess Cruise Ship. The average cost for a nursing home is $200 per day. I have checked on reservations at Princess and I can get a long term discount and senior discount price of $135 per day. That leaves $65 a day for:

1. Gratuities which will only be $10 per day.

2. I will have as many as 10 meals a day if I can waddle to the restaurant, or I can have room service ( which means I can have breakfast in bed every day of the week).

3. Princess has as many as three swimming pools, a workout room, free washers and dryers, and shows every night.

4. They have free toothpaste and razors, and free soap and shampoo.

5. They will even treat you like a customer, not a patient. An extra $5 worth of tips will have the entire staff scrambling to help you.

6. I will get to meet new people every 7or 14 days.

7. T.V. broken? Light bulb need changing? Need to have the mattress replaced? No Problem! They will fix everything and apologize for your inconvenience.

8. Clean sheets and towels every day, and you don't even have to ask for them.

9. If you fall in the nursing home and break a hip you are on Medicare. If you fall and break a hip on the Princess ship they will upgrade you to a suite for the rest of your life.

Now hold on for the best! Do you want to see South America, the Panama Canal, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, or name where you want to go? Princess will have a ship ready to go. So don't look for me in a nursing home, just call shore to ship.

That what I'm doing  

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 

Why do people kiss under the Mistletoe?
 

Posted December 13, 2010

It is a Norse Mythology:
Mistletoe was said to be the sacred plant of Frigga, the goddess of love. When her son, Balder, dreamed of his death, Frigga rushed about seeking promises that her son would not die. Unfortunately, Balder's enemy, Loki, tipped an arrow with Mistletoe and gave it to Hoder, the blind god of winter who killed Balder with it. He was brought back to life by his mother when she shed tears that turned into Mistletoe berries, so Frigga kissed everyone who passed under the tree on which it grew. From that time on, anyone who stood under the mistletoe would receive only a kiss; no harm could come to him.

An Anglo-Saxon legend of Freya, goddess of love, said men must kiss any young girl who stood under a sprig of Mistletoe hung from the ceiling. Another custom required all the Mistletoe in the house to be burned on Twelfth Night, or the couples who kissed under it will never marry
Wow!! so if we are married we shouldnt use the mistletoe. It could have good and bad results for us

Marlene Dietrich, Tony& Mike

Strong Rebound in Pending Home Sales

 Posted December 8, 2010

Pending home sales jumped in October, showing a positive uptrend since bottoming in June, NAR says.

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator, rose 10.4 percent to 89.3 based on contracts signed in October from 80.9 in September. The index remains 20.5 percent below a surge to a cyclical peak of 112.4 in October 2009, which was the highest level since May 2006 when it hit 112.6.

Last October, first-time buyers were motivated to make offers before the initial contract deadline for the tax credit last November. The data reflects contracts and not closings, which normally occur with a lag time of one or two months. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said excellent housing affordability conditions are drawing home buyers. “It is welcoming to see a solid double-digit percentage gain, but activity needs to improve further to reach healthy, sustainable levels. The housing market clearly is in a recovery phase and will be uneven at times, but the improving job market and consequential boost to household formation will help the recovery process going into 2011,” he said.

“More importantly, a return to more normal loan underwriting standards and removal of unnecessary underwriting fees for very low risk borrowers is needed and could quickly help in the housing and economic recovery,” Yun said. Recent loan performance data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac clearly demonstrates very low default rates on recently originated mortgages, much lower that the vintages of 2002 and 2003 before the housing boom.

The PHSI in the Northeast jumped 19.6 percent to 71.3 in October but is 27.3 percent below the tax credit peak in October 2009. In the Midwest the index surged 27.3 percent in October to 81.7 but is 24.8 percent below a year ago. Pending home sales in the South rose 7.1 percent to an index of 93.8 but are 18.4 percent below October 2009. In the West the index slipped 0.4 percent to 104.3 and is 15.6 percent below a year ago.

Near term, Yun expects home sales will continue to climb from their cyclical low this past summer. “Even so, we now have some consumer concerns regarding the mortgage interest deduction, an important component in housing affordability,” he said. “Preliminary results of a new survey show nearly three out of four home owners and two out of three renters consider the mortgage interest deduction to be extremely or very important to them. Home owners already pay between 80 and 90 percent of all federal income taxes and additional tax burden would hurt them and the economic recovery, so we have a reasonable hope that it will not be changed.”

Source: NAR

Think positive.

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 

Truth or Fiction about Colds

Posted December 7, 2010

1.  Starve a fever feed a cold
This myth dates back to time when colds were thought to be cause by chills and so they thought if you eat a lot of food the body would generate body heat and speed recovery.  Truth is keeping up with your good nutrition will help your body stay strong during the course but no evidence that it helps you get better quicker.

 2.  You’ll catch a cold if you don’t wear your coat
Cold weather doesn’t cause colds, its cause by viruses. Cold weather does cause people to go indoors more and enclosed areas make it easier to spread viruses.  In fact, cold virus thrives in humid weather.

3.   Blowing your nose will open nasal passages. It’s not the mucus that plugs the air passages.

It is cause by swelling of blood vessels that line nasal passage walls.They swell in rhythm, first one side then the other. Blowing your noise as hard Won’t relive it. Blowing hard can push mucus into the sinuses and lead to a Secondary infection such as sinusitis.

Stay healthy eat right and exercise. Keep the Holiday cheer to a healthy level

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

Christmas on the Water in Newport Beach

Posted November 23, 2010

The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce proudly hosts the 102nd Year of this spectacular Holiday Tradition
Join over a million viewers as you watch beautifully decorated yachts, boats, kayaks and canoes sail along the harbor in the 102nd Annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade. Hosted by the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce, we invite you to celebrate our city's movie and film heritage with the theme "Lights, Camera...Christmas in Newport Beach!"
The Event
As Newport Beach's Christmas Card to the world, the boat parade will set the harbor ablaze for five consecutive nights, beginning Wednesday, December 15 and ending Sunday, December 19, 2010. The parade starts off Bay Island at 6:30 pm and finishes at the same site at approximately 9:00 pm each evening.
Beautiful multi-million dollar yachts, kayaks, canoes and other small boats will light up the harbor as a dazzling array of holiday lights and music fill the air at the Christmas Boat Parade. Many of the boats will be richly decorated with animated Christmas scenes accompanied by music and costumed carolers. Some boat owners in the past have spent over $50,000 to decorate their vessels for the event. The Christmas floats will wind their way some 14 miles around the harbor to give viewers in restaurants, yacht clubs, on public beaches, and in private homes an incredible sight that has delighted millions of people for a century.
The Christmas Boat Parade, which has been hailed as "one of the top ten holiday happenings in the nation" by the New York Times, is truly a magical holiday tradition for all ages. The parade continues to be a premier event during the holiday season in Southern California that brings joy and happiness to all that view it.
2010 Parade Route
The 2010 Parade will utilize the same starting and ending point as last year, located off Bay Island.
Ring of Lights
Serving as the backdrop for the hundreds of lighted boats in the parade is the annual "Ring of Lights" contest, hosted by the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce.
Beautifully decorated bayside homes and businesses surrounding the harbor go "all out" with their own holiday spirit, featuring everything from roof-top animated scenes to dancing Christmas trees. With its own judged categories and prizes awarded, the "Ring of Lights" has become as celebrated as the boat parade itself.
Join us in this annual celabration in the Marina of Newport Beach

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

Go out for Thanksgiving;Help Economy and no kitchen clean up

Posted November 23, 2010 
 
We have lots of local options to fixing a Turkey at home and having to cleanup the mess. The traditional Turkey dinner comes with getting up early, early that day and work from dawn til 1pm to be able to sit with family for an hour and eat on Thanksgiving. Then it takes a couple of hours of cleanup before you have time to sit and visit with family. You can save yourself 8 hours of anguish by visiting the many local restaurants in Orange county are setting up to serve many of us a Thanksgiving meal. Tradition and other choices.
Mr. Stox Restaurant in Anaheim with a variety of choices from Prime Rib and Pork loin, to Fresh Turkey and Columbian Salmon.  Firefox in Anaheim hills has a buffet style dinner including seafood and smoked ham, Wild mushrooms stuffed chicken and Pumpkin pie. The Disney walk has Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen for a Cajun style dinner.  Brea with TAPS Fish House gives you your tradition Turkey dinner with stuffing and sweet potato pie, with other choices. Maggiano's Italian Restaurant in South Coast, The Cellar and The Summit House both in Fullerton; Tumbleweeds Grill ,Old World German Restaurant and Shades  in Huntington Beach.  Las Brisas and Saphhire in Laguna; Savannah Chop House in Laguna Niguel. Tons more.
Why would you not go out. Take your kids, Mom and Dad, and help the economy and treat yourself to a thankful day of relaxation and enjoyment.

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

Christmas season is about giving

Posted November 22, 2010

Christmas has gotten to commercial. We tend to go for lots and expensive. If you don't have money and you have a talent, like cooking; cook and give of yourself. If you cannot cook, and you have other talents; give those talents. If you are an electrician or a carpenter or a young non establish attorney; give 1 hour free service coupon.
If you have some money, set a budget and stick to the budget. I heard a great idea the other day. ONe family gives their children 3 gifts for Christmas and they get to open all of the gifts and then decide which two to keep. Then they rewrap the 3rd gift and donate it to a needy family. (there are organizations who can give you names ahead of time so you can deliver Christmas day) Or you may know an employee or acquaintance that is need.
But dont forget to give to your families future. You can give them a gift or two and then also set up a tax-sheltered college savings fund.
Christmas is a time of giving. You can also give to charitable organizations as do we. We donate to the Children's Cancer Society, Make A Wish, The LA Mission, and more...
Make this Christmas a happy one. Enjoy giving. dont go into debt to do it but have a Merry Christmas

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 

The economy is easing  

Posted November 22, 2010

Some people fell that the beating they took in the past recession is past them now. The bankers are showing a 3rd consecutive improvement after 12 consecutive declines. The Corporate sector is showing profits now and we are waiting to see if they start hiring again. Consumers are feeling a little better with a fourth straight index increase after 10 declines and are starting to buy cars again. Merchants are finally happier due to the largest index gain in nearly 5 years. Propety owners are seeing increase rents and Mortgage lending on the rise with job losses slowing. There are new home increase in building and sales and prices. Median price homes have increase slightly about 1% with home payments decreasing about 5%. They are predicting a price increase of homes next year and gradually by 2016 homes will reach the high levels of our bubble high; so now is the time to buy with homes still low and affordable and rates still very very low.  There has been fluctuation in the lows but they sre still historically LOW. The market time expected for homes under $750,000 is 3.6 months; homes $750-$1.5million is expected market time of 6.4 months and homes above $1.5 million is about 20.5 months. These homes represent 12% of the active listings but only 2% of the demand. Thinks seem to be looking up so lets keep our fingers crossed about the increase in jobs being offering and give your employer a good full days work and we can look forward to things getting better!

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

Tis the Season for Giving: Remember Charities

 Posted November 5, 2010 
 
There are over 2 million Charities. Where to begin.  We all have our favorites but make sure you donate to Programs that will benefit from your hard earned dollar. Charities have expenses and some can go higher than 27% leaving the program to get 73% of each dollar donated. So chose wisely.
All donations are welcome and there are many in need these days. Give til it hurts, at lease a little. You will get over it but the recipients will be very happy you did. These donations are still deductible so you will benefit also. Not only from your deductibility to help you year end bottom line; but it will give you a lift.
Some of us cannot afford to give. That doesnt stop you from giving of yourself. Soup kitchens can use your help. Local senior centers can use your help. Nursing home. Look around. Some of you have skills that can be helpful to others. Carpenters, electricians, plumbers, accountants,shop owners with an excess that you might think of tossing because it wont sell. All of you who have clothes that you have just hanging in the closet that you havent worn in  years. Shoes that hurt your feet. Dont toss them, donate them.
Tis the Season. One man's trash is another man's treasure. Open your heart and give.

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY:  VOTE

November 2, 2010
 
If you think your vote doesn't count, you are wrong...Each one of us who just sits on our hinnies and complains about the state of affairs, and how we hate what is happening or our taxes and donot vote are fools.  There have been many instances where a Senator or Congressman or a Representative have been elected to their position by so few votes that they have done recounts. It only takes a few of us to make a difference and if all of us VOTE we can make a difference.
It doesn't matter what your choices are, you have a privilege and dutie as an American to VOTE. Let your choice be known. Our choice is to live with what we have or make a change. Look at other countries. Look at all the influcts of immigrants to our great country who want to be here and have a great life and a great opportunity. You wont find our new Naturalized citizens not voting.
So all you Americans who were born here and have a right and privilege to VOTE, use that Power and make a difference.  Go OUT THERE AND VOTE TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

Halloween: Where did it come from

Posted October 29, 2010

Do your part this Holiday Season
Make-A-Wish 

Posted October 28, 2010
 
Looking for a way to get involved this Holiday Season?

Consider donating Gift Cards or Toys!

For each of the 300 children who come through the Make-A-Wish Foundation every year, a gift card to their favorite store or the perfect toy can be wonderful enhancement during their wish.  Encourage your family, friends, co-workers or community groups to join you in a gift card or toy drive this Holiday Season and help grant a wish for a child!  For more information on how to get involved with this opportunity, please contact Marlene Dietrich; call 949-400-1021 or email at MarleneDietrich@Realtor.com

Marlene Dietrich, Tony, & Mike

Commentaries: Based on Truth or Fiction

Posted October 26, 2010
 
Who do you believe?
You read the paper and it will have tons of Commentaries, but are they backed with fact or hearsay?  Do you believe the one you read on page 2 or page 5. The two opposiing thoughts both offer opinions based on information they got. Sounds just like what we get on our own. We can read facts and listen to the news and make our own decision and hope that what we decide is correct. Who do you vote for, when do you buy, what do you do with your retirement plans?  I usually look at who is giving the commentary and base my ideas on the strength of the commentator. Like if I hear Warrren Buffet say something, I tend to listen intently because the man is a Giant. He does what everyone says they want to do but doesn't know how. He buys low and sells high, if he sells at all. He usually holds acquisitions.
Its difficult to decide, so you should read as much as you can,get as much facts as you can and make your own decision. Like the Social Security program. It was started in the 1930 Depression time when there were food lines and no money, no jobs. It was never intended to be a retirement plan and that is what it has turned into. Now is not the time to think about getting rid of it. This is a time that it could be used. But the politicians have drain money from that fund to fund other programs. Instead of working with funds they have. In good time, they spend more and give themselves pay increases instead of planing for the future, which everyone knows will eventionally come. It always does. Why cant we have financial planers in Congress?
I read yesterday the the Weak dollar could be good for the economy because the weak dollar will stimulate Americans to buy US made items (which incase you didnt know make a lot of the generic, Store brand name items), which will boost sales and profits. This will increase jobs and decrease our unemployed. It will also stimulate exports and increase foreign purchase of our products.
IF this is good news then with low prices for homes and low interest rates for payments, it makes sense to buy homes. Keep spending wisely, write of the interest payments, pay down your home mortgage in advance and think about the future. Think about what you spend your money on and dont throw it away. Rent has no advantage, use your tax refund for a savings, a retirement fund. Plan ahead and take time to smell the roses and enjoy friends and family.

Marlene Dietrich,Tony & Mike

A little tidbit about Daylight Savings Time
 

Posted October 22, 2010

Daylight Saving Time was instituted in the United States during World War I in order to save energy for war production by taking advantage of the later hours of daylight between April and October. During World War II the federal government again required the states to observe the time change. Between the wars and after World War II, states and communities chose whether or not to observe Daylight Saving Time. In 1966, Congress passed the Uniform Time Act, which standardized the length of Daylight Saving Time.
Daylight Saving Time is four weeks longer since 2007 due to the passage of the Energy Policy Act in 2005. The Act extended Daylight Saving Time by four weeks from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November, with the hope that it would save 10,000 barrels of oil each day through reduced use of power by businesses during daylight hours. Unfortunately, it is exceedingly difficult to determine energy savings from Daylight Saving Time and based on a variety of factors, it is possible that little or no energy is saved by Daylight Saving Time.
I found that very interesting!

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 

Johns Hopkins Update –
This is an extremely good article. Everyone should read it.

Posted October 21, 2010

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY ('TRY', BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU ... THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY.

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins:

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion.  When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong, the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer, it indicates the person has nutritional deficiencies.  These could be due to genetic, but also to environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet to eat more adequately and healthy, 4-5 times/day and by including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract. etc., and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs, etc.

7. Radiation, while destroying cancer cells, also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size.  However, prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy.  Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

*CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc., are made with Aspartame and it is harmful.  A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small amounts.  Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color.  Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract.  Cancer feeds on mucus.  By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment.  A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little other meat, like chicken.  Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment.  About 20% can be from cooked food including beans.  Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells.  To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells, try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day.  Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine.  Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties.  Water - best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water.  Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes.  Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering.  By refraining from, or eating less meat, it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFA's etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells.  Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit.  A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor.  Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment.  Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit.  Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment.  Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level.  Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

1. No plastic containers in microwave.

2. No water bottles in freezer.

3. No plastic wrap in microwave.

Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters.  This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well.  Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer.  Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies.  Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic.
 

Recently, Dr Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard.  He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us.  He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers.  This especially applies to foods that contain fat.  He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body.  Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food.  You get the same results, only without the dioxin.  So, such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else.  Paper isn't bad, but you don't know what is in the paper.  It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc.  He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper.  The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave.  As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food.  Cover food with a paper towel instead.

Please share this with your family, friends and neighbors! 

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 

Short Sale Horror

Posted October 21, 2010

Lots of people look for a deal and they search for Short Sales assuming that the bank will give them a Great deal, below Market Value.  Recently a couple bought a home at a Short Sale, looking for that same deal.  They did all the right things, supplied their proof of funds, a letter of PreApproval from their lender, had their Credit Report and their offer with their agent.  The bank gave an approval to the Short Sale 5 months down the road. They opened escrow and did their inspection and got their loan. The escrow company is required, in a Short Sale, to send a HUD-1 48-72 hours prior to the close of escrow to get final approval from the bank. They sent it but never received a final approval and the escrow company closed and recorded the sale anyway.

Apparently, the bank in the mean time had calculated that they could make more money by foreclosing; selling to an investor and getting a FDIC loss-sharing which would in total give the bank a bigger payoff. So they didn’t give their approval and they sold it to an unsuspecting investor who also holds title to the same home.  The resident owner now has to sue to keep his place and keep from being kicked out of his home by the investor owner all because of the greed of a bank who probably helped to get this nation in the poor condition it is today.

This is not an isolated case. We personally were doing a Short Sale and had a perfectly good approved offer which the bank had approved, and while waiting for the second to approve it, the first bank Foreclosed and will probably do the same thing. Get a FDIC loss-share because that will get them a higher dollar final number.  Greed is the reason we got into this mess from banks lending without verifying income, or credit. Giving loans with no down payment, and letting purchase contracts go thru where the buyer ended up pulling out money after the close of escrow so it was, in fact, a loan of 105% of the purchase price. We need to be wary people, be careful of lenders that will not give you all the everything in writing. Document, Document, Document.

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 

Raising your children

Posted October 14, 2010
 
When you have more than one child it becomes increasingly difficult to be fair and equal.  The tendency is to let the oldest do things first and when they abuse the privilege than you know better and won’t allow the younger one(s) to do the same thing. This doesn’t always work because they are all separate individuals and they all should command separate but equal respect.  We children into this world and we need to guide them but not rule over them. We need to set boundaries and allow them choices within those boundaries and that should help them become responsible adults.

Then again we may do the opposite and be more lenient and forgiving with the youngest because the oldest wore us out and that too is not good. Letting them have too much freedom is just as bad as not enough. They still need the guidance and boundaries that will help them to develop their own personalities and qualities.   It is my opinion children want to be told what to do, they like having guidelines and know what is expected.

We tend to not spend enough quality time with our children because a lot of households require two incomes to keep things afloat. So the important word here is QUALITY time. Talk with your children; not at them, but listen and you might even repeat what they say so you know that what you heard is what they said. You would be surprised at what you could learn that way from your children. Your kids would know you are listening, know they can talk to you and you will be more of a role model and parent than a guardian.

These are only personal thoughts that I hope will bring you and your children closer and happier.

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike
 

A  Quote that makes Sense

Anniversary Spent on Catalina Island!!!

Posted October 13, 2010

We were wanting to celebrate our anniversary somewhere different yet not too far away. We decided on Catalina Island. We chose the perfect hotel, Villa Portofino. We had an ocean view with free WIFI so we could still work a little while away. They left us two fluted glasses and a ice bucket with a nice bottle of Napa Valley Champagne to toast ourselves. The room was great. The bathroom was as large as ours at home all in marble and updated. The bedroom was the same with a nice gas fireplace to keep the romance afire as we toasted and sipped and watch the Sunset.
We then went to dinner down below at the Portofino restaurant and had a perfectly delightful meal and another glass of wine. The meal was presented appealing, service was great despite the group of ESPN visitors to the island. The price was reasonable, more so than I had expected.
We later took a Ghost tour of the city starting from the Casino and ending at the foot of the Holly Hill House, the red roof cone shaped home you see on the left of the marina and you pull into harbor. We heard of the ghostly stories of Mr & Mrs Wrigley's appearances and the other supernatural visitors of different locations. I was just happy there were no stories about our hotel; like there was of the previous hotel we stayed at (I could sleep a wink that night)
The next day we rented a local golf cart type vehicle and tooled around the island saw different homes and sites, then walked around the town shops and over to Lover's Cove, and back to our hotel, where we sat on their view deck and enjoyed a slice of cake and a cup of tea until it was our departure time with Catalina Flyer
We thoroughly enjoyed the overnight stay and would recommend it to all. Really, you should go. They have other things there we could not do, do to the weather, Kayaking, snorkeling, zip lining, para sailing,etc...

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

BE Safe at the ATM Machine

Posted October 6, 2010
 
THE RECENT TRAGEDY OF A YOUNG WOMAN BEING KIDNAPPED AND               
EVENTUALLY KILLED; AFTER SHE HAD REPEATEDLY GIVEN THE KIDNAPPER A     
WRONG                                            
                   
PIN TO HER ATM CARD. IF SHE KNEW THE METHOD BELOW, SHE COULD         
HAVE BEEN  SAVED. SO I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT  ENOUGH TO               
LET YOU KNOW.                                                         
                                                                       
IF YOU SHOULD EVER BE FORCED BY A ROBBER TO WITHDRAW MONEY FROM       
AN ATM MACHINE, YOU CAN NOTIFY THE POLICE BY ENTERING YOUR PIN       
# IN REVERSE.                                                         
                                                                       
                                                                
FOR EXAMPLE IF YOUR PIN NUMBER IS 1234 THEN YOU WOULD PUT IN         
4321.                                                                 
                                                                       
THE ATM RECOGNIZES THAT YOUR PIN NUMBER IS BACKWARDS FROM THE         
ATM CARD YOU PLACED IN THE MACHINE. THE MACHINE WILL STILL GIVE       
YOU THE MONEY YOU REQUESTED, BUT UNKNOWN TO THE ROBBER, THE           
POLICE WILL BE IMMEDIATELY DISPATCHED TO HELP
YOU.                   
                                                                       
THIS INFORMATION WAS RECENTLY BROADCAST ON FOX TV AND IT STATES       
THAT IT IS SELDOM USED BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW IT EXISTS.       
Be prepared check with your bank to see if they offer this just to make sure!!

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike  

Sapphire Restaurant Laguna Beach Review

Posted October 6, 2010
 
We celebrated a birthday Friday night at the Sapphire Restaurant in Laguna Beach. Had a great view of the Ocean from inside and out. Location was great. Food was tasty but the service and the price was unacceptable. Even the bartender wasn't able to make a Margarita until the second try. I would not recommend this restaurant. Laguna Beach has lots of wonderful restaurants but I wouldn't bother to do a repeat visit to this one!
Marlene Dietrich,Tony & Mike

Ducks VS Kings Game

Posted October 5, 2010  

WOW What a night. We went to the Ducks vs Kings game  at the Honda Center Sunday evening. A good Hot dog with sauerKraut and musterd and a beer and we were ready to watch a action filled game. Ducks got the one and only goal in the first period and the second and only score in the second period. Then in the last 5 minutes of the last period the Kings got 2 goals. We went into sudden death overtime and the  Ducks got the last and final goal to WIN the game GO DUCKS

Marlene Dietrich, Tony & Mike

Coldstone Creamery Ice Cream Social

This Thursday, Sept. 30th from 5-8 p.m., Coldstone Creamery® will host the "World's Largest Ice Cream Social," to benef it the Make-A-Wish Foundation®. This year's celebration will include the choice of 3 oz. creations developed by wish child Kate. From 5-8 p.m., Cold Stone Creamery customers will receive a free 3 oz. serving of Kate's Creation and can donate to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Donations made Sept. 30 and all during September will benefit our chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
For the location nearest you, visit www.coldstonecreamery.com 

We will be Irvine Spectrum at 5pm along with a puppeteer, The Mayor will be coming at about 6pm. The Police Department and

There will also be a Fire Truck out front if you have children who like to see them close up.

Help us raise money for our after hours Passion for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Orange County who grant wishes for children with life

threatening conditions.

Thanks from 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

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!