Real Estate Information

Mt. Hood Real Estate Blog

Liz Warren

Blog

Displaying blog entries 1311-1320 of 1876

FHA has replaced Freddie and Fannie

Tuesday, December 14, 2010
by Liz Warren

Here is a new head scratcher direct from the Feds.

First the info:

Since the Feds took over Freddie and Fannie they have been limited to only lending on high quality mortgages. This should reduce "future" losses. BUT

The Fed has since shifted their high risk mortgages over to FHA  and two other government programs.

Did you know that 60 percent of home purchase loans now have down payments of less than 5 percent, compared to 40 percent at the height of the bubble?

In 1990 FHA had about 4%of loans with less than a 3% down payment. In 2008 44%of their loans had less than a 3% down payment.

Pre 1990 policy required 10 to 20% down payments to purchase homes. You had to have good credit and low debt to income ratios. HUD policy loosened lending creating the wonderful bubble we just experienced.

Despite the governments recent regulation of the financial industry, they seemed to have overlooked their own backyard. Will current HUD policies create the next bubble with their lending practices?

I just don't get it!

Here is an article asking these same questions from the Journal of American Enterprise Institute.

Add Comment

Morning Coffee

Monday, December 13, 2010
by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"It is a simple procedure to calculate the number of seeds in an apple.
But, who among us can say how many apples there are in a seed?"
- Dr. Wayne Dyer


WANT ABUNDANCE IN YOUR LIFE?

Who among us would answer "NO" to that question? Yet abundance often seems beyond our reach. We see it in others, but do not believe it is in us. We see ourselves as the apple (limited), rather than the seed (limitless).

So, what's the first step on the road to abundance? Wayne Dyer thinks it is giving thanks - for what you already have. That might include good health, a new baby on the way, loving parents, a career you enjoy, or money in the bank. You do have a few things going for you - right?

Just as the potential of the seed in the apple is limitless, so is your ability to attract abundance. By focusing on what you already have, you begin to deny what you don't. Your attention is drawn away from the scarcity in your life - and towards the abundance that already exists in your world.

You may be thinking that when you achieve abundance, you will finally be complete. Therein lies the surprise - that you are already complete. You are never going to get it all, because you have it all already. That's right. If you are not currently thankful for the good in your life, having more of it will make no difference.

The secret to abundance then lies within you. Place your thoughts squarely on what you already have, be grateful, and it will expand beyond your wildest dreams. Believe you have nothing until you get more, and you will spiral endlessly downward in despair at how unjustly the world is treating you.

Want abundance in your life? Think about it!

Add Comment

Government Camp Homes for Sale

Sunday, December 12, 2010
by Liz Warren

Rates are low and skiers, has there ever been a better time to purchase your Government Camp getaway than today! Take a look at the selection. Spacious homes have plenty of room for the ski team or a pile of family and friends. Here are today's buys:

Government Camp Homes for Sale on Mt. Hood

Add Comment

Sandy Riverfront Home on Mt. Hood

Wednesday, December 8, 2010
by Liz Warren

Offered at $440,000! Located in Rhododendron!

Sandy Riverfront Home on Acreage

Here is your opportunity to own a gem of a house on the Sandy River on nearly two acres! Have dinner and watch the river go by from your wall of windows. Tons of natural light pours into the home on all sides. The location is private on a gated road in the foothills of the Cascade mountains. It's only one hour from Portland and 20 minutes to premium Mt. Hood ski slopes with year round skiing!

High vaulted ceilings, a gourmet kitchen and a charming wood mantled fireplace make this great room perfect for gatherings and entertaining. Just off the dining area is a deck for summer barbecues. A hot tub is steps away for apres skiing in the winter. Enjoy this Mt. Hood getaway in Rhododendron.

This home has also served as a vacation rental and has a track record if you are looking for some income to supplement your payment. Take a tour below:

Play VisualTour
Add Comment

Highway 26 Open House Project

Tuesday, December 7, 2010
by Liz Warren

If you've ever been stuck in a traffic jam during holiday times on the mountain, you might want to attend this open house meeting to discuss Highway 26 road improvements above Rhododendron.

 Here are details on the plans.

Meeting info is below.

Highway 26 meeting

Add Comment

Salmon Riverfront Cabin

Monday, December 6, 2010
by Liz Warren

Here's a great little two bedrooom cabin on the Salmon River at an affordable price! $230,000! It sits at the end of a dead end road just a half mile from the Mt. Hood National Forest. A beautiful stone fireplace dominates the living room area. The deck is the perfect spot to watch the birds on the river in the summer. Take a tour here:

 

Play VisualTour
Add Comment

Morning Coffee

Monday, December 6, 2010
by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"If you want to learn something new, concentrate on getting that 'right feeling' that is true to yourself.
Take the risk of letting go the precious little control you've struggled to gain, letting go enough
to immerse yourself in what you are doing. Then - do it!”

- Drs. Tom Rusk & Randy Read


THE SEARCH IS OVER!

Have you ever read Shel Silverstein's wonderful book, "The Missing Piece and the Big O"? It's a whimsical fable that has touched readers of all ages. It chronicles the search most of us have undertaken at one time or another in our lives to find the one person who can make us whole.

As the "Missing Piece" searches, it encounters other "parts." Some of them fit, but cannot roll. Others have too many pieces missing - while still others have too many pieces. The missing piece continues the futile search until one day it meets the "Big O" - a whole (not a part) with no pieces missing.

Thinking it had, at last, found its whole, the Missing Piece exclaims, "I think you are the one I have been waiting for - maybe I am your missing piece . . . I was hoping that I could roll with you." The Big O replied, "But I am not missing a piece . . . perhaps you could roll by yourself."

How often have we all felt that we needed someone else to be whole (or to roll) - not realizing that we are all in fact already the "Big O." We are already self-contained, have the ability to roll in any direction we like, and need nothing else to achieve every dream we've ever had. Then, unexpectedly, we find that there are others who are also "Big O's," with whom we can share our own "wholeness."

If I've lost you with this mysterious tale, go by the library or pick up a copy of this unusual story. Trust me - you'll understand. It's the type of book you can give to a loved one who may be feeling like a "Missing Piece."

Add Comment

Shadow Inventory in the Mix

Saturday, December 4, 2010
by Liz Warren

There's a lot of talk about the "shadow inventory" lurking in the back ground which will cause increased supply. Here is a chart which tracts the potential shadow inventory based upon mortgage delinquincies, pending foreclosure inventory and pending bank (REO) inventory.

Shadow Pending Inventory

Add Comment

New Fannie Mae Survey

Saturday, December 4, 2010
by Liz Warren

Here is a link to the latest survey by Fannie Mae on National Housing. Some of the more interesting numbers are:

People trust homeownership as an investment over buying stocks (66% to 16%. People trust homeownership over their 401K investment, purchasing mutual funds or annuities. The only thing they rate safer as an investment is a savings account.

96% of homeowners feel that homeownership has been a positive experience.

Demand for Rental Properties Likely to Increase – Delinquent Borrowers Now More Likely to Rent If They Move

Add Comment

Morning Coffee

Monday, November 29, 2010
by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"'Lucky' is what others will call you after your hard work produces results."
~ Og Mandino


WHAT ABOUT THE PROVERBIAL GRINDSTONE?

Ever hear your parents or grandparents tell you to "Keep your nose to the grindstone" when explaining the secret to success? If so, they probably ended your education right there . . . leaving you totally in the dark about the meaning behind the expression.

Looking deeper, there were probably three key words: "Keep," "nose," and "grindstone." "Keep" meant "keep on keeping on!" It was another way of saying, "Be persistent," or "Never, never, never quit!" Results in any legitimate pursuit are the result of total commitment to the outcome.

The second keyword - "nose" - referred to staying close to the matter at hand. Picture yourself at the grindstone, with your face - and nose - close to the turning stone. By keeping a close eye on the grinding process - by being completely focused - few errors can occur which, in turn, assures a successful outcome.

The final word - "grindstone" - refers to the work (or job) itself. You must first choose your objective, i.e. sharpening the blade at the grindstone, before applying any effort. You must choose a worthy objective before applying either persistence or focus.

Success is inevitable when you apply the grindstone principle. It's a cryptic message, yet so simple. Apply it to all aspects of your life and others will surely call you "lucky!"

Add Comment

Displaying blog entries 1311-1320 of 1876

Syndication

Categories

Archives