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Fun things to do in San Diego for April 2012

by Arnie Levine on April 3, 2012

in Latest News

PetcoWeb Fun things to do in San Diego for April 2012
April 5
East Village Opening Day Block Party
Padre fans!   An East Village block party in celebration of the opening day of the Padres baseball season.  The event will have retail merchandise, great music, a beer garden and food court.  Come on down and mingle, eat, drink and have fun.
Time:  11:30 am  6:00 pm
Location:  East Village  Downtown San Diego, J Street, between 7th & 10th Ave.
For more information visit www.eastvillagesandiego.com

e1332955162 Fun things to do in San Diego for April 2012
April 7
ACT Today 5K
This event offers a 5K run, 10K run and kids runs–accompanied by a post event festival of music, beer, food, and inflatable jumpers. Event proceeds benefit military families that cannot afford treatments and
other special needs for their autistic kids.
Time: 7:30 am - 11:00 am
Location:  East Mission Bay, Tecolote Shores, Fiesta Island
For more information visit www.acttodayformilitaryfamilies.org

e1332955192 Fun things to do in San Diego for April 2012
April 7
5th Annual CityBeat Festival of Beers
Over 40 local craft brewers will be offering samplings from a variety of their homegrown beers.  It€™s a beer lovers paradise where you can stroll from booth to booth and sample beer.  The event is accompanied with music and tasty food.  Admission $35.00-$40.00 (includes unlimited Tasters).
Time:  1:00 pm  6:00 pm
Location:  El Cajon Blvd., by the Lafayette Hotel (between Texas & Mississippi Streets)
For more information visit www.citybeatbeerfest.com
 

e1332955220 Fun things to do in San Diego for April 2012
April 7
Santee Spring Eggstravaganza & Egg Hunts
Continuous egg hunts (first come, first served), carnival rides, inflatables, pony rides & petting zoo, crafts, photo with live bunnies, food. 
 
Time:  9:00 am  3:00 pm
Location:  Santee Lakes, Lake 5, 9310 Fanita Pkwy, Santee
For more information call 619-258-4100 x 201
 

e1332955245 Fun things to do in San Diego for April 2012
April 7
Carlsbad EGGStravaganza Spring Festival
Egg hunt and festival.  Music, fun games, arts & crafts and a
fun zone with bounce houses, giant slide, obstacle courses and
a chance to €œSoak the Bunny.  Collect eggs in the ongoing œEgg Scramble between 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.
Time:  10:00 am  1:00 pm
Location:  Poinsettia Park, 6600 Hidden Valley Rd., Carlsbad
For more information visit www.carlsbadca.gov
 

e1332955570 Fun things to do in San Diego for April 2012
April 7
Encinitas Easter Egg Hunt Festival
Free event, sponsored by the City of Encinitas, features arts and crafts, entertainment, prizes, jump houses, face painting, pictures with the bunny and of course, 24,000 eggs!
Time:  10:00 am  1:00 pm
Location:  Ecke Sports Park, 278 Saxony Rd., Encinitas
For more information visit www.cityofencinitas.org
 

e1332955641 Fun things to do in San Diego for April 2012
April 8
Coronado Easter Brunch & Egg Hunts
Easter at the Hotel del Coronado! Enjoy food, entertainment and fun for the whole family.  Featuring several holiday brunch options, Easter-egg hunts, holiday crafts and visits with the Easter Bunny.  Three different hunts on the oceanfront Windsor Lawn from 10:00 am  10:40 am, to include children of all ages, then another round of 3 eggs hunts from 12:00 pm to 12:40 pm.
Time:  10:00 am  12:40 pm
Location:  Hotel del Coronado, Windsor Lawn, 1500 Orange Ave., Coronado
Call 619-522-8490 for brunch reservations.  Visit www.hoteldel.com for more information.
 

e1332955673 Fun things to do in San Diego for April 2012
April 14-15
San Diego Pet Expo
Information about pets, including pet product and service vendors. 2 stages of entertainment, animal celebrities, petting zoo, splash dogs, expert speakers, pet adoptions, breed area, food court, and much more. Admission–see event website.
Time:  Sat. 10:00 am -7:00 pm / Sun. 10:00 am  5:00 pm
Location:  Del Mar Fairgrounds  Bing Crosby Hall, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar
For more information visit www.sandiegopetexpo.net
 

e1332873678 Fun things to do in San Diego for April 2012
April 15
Annual Port of San Diego Day at the Docks
The West Coast™s largest public celebration of sportfishing. This free annual event provides marine attractions for the whole family, and especially the sportfishing enthusiast. Features boat rides on San Diego Bay, displays by marine artists and fishing tackle experts, great food, entertainment, fishing seminars, open house aboard sportfishing boats, kids fishing, contests, prizes and more!
Time:  9:00 am- 5:00 pm
Location:  San Diego Sportfishing Landings, Point Loma, Harbor Dr. & Scott St.
For more information visit www.sportfishing.org
 

e1332955700 Fun things to do in San Diego for April 2012
April 20-22
48th Annual Lakeside Rodeo
The Rodeo features seven major events: Bareback Bronc, Barrel Racing, Bull Riding, Calf Roping, Saddle Bronc, Steer Wrestling, and Team Roping.  Parking donation of $3.00 benefits a youth organization in Lakeside.
 
Rodeo schedule: Friday 7:30 pm (gates open at 6:00);
Saturday, 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm (gates open 12:30 & 6:00); Sunday, 2:00 pm (gates open at 12:30).
 
Location:  Lakeside Rodeo Grounds, Hwy 67 and Mapleview St., Lakeside
For more information visit www.lakesiderodeo.com
 

e1332955743 Fun things to do in San Diego for April 2012
April 21
27th Annual Linda Vista Multi-Cultural Fair & Parade
A cultural celebration offering food, merchandise, performances, and carnival rides. There will be a Kids Zone, Teen Stage, and World Arts Village. This event is in conjunction with the Linda Vista Multi-Cultural Parade.
 
Time:  10:00 am  5:00 pm / Parade:  11;00- 12:00 pm
Fair Location:  Linda Vista Rd.  between Comstock & Ulric
Parade route: Linda Vista Rd/Lavant St > Linda Vista Rd > Comstock St >
Morley St > Ulric St > Fulton St > Levant St.
For more information visit www.lindavistafair.org
 

e1332955771 Fun things to do in San Diego for April 2012
April 21
42nd Annual Chicano Park Day
A historic public arts site, Chicano Park is recognized worldwide for its mural paintings of Chicano and Mexican history. The Park was established on April 22, 1970 by Chicano artists. The annual Chicano Park Day celebration features childrens art workshop, traditional and contemporary music & dance, live bands,
 food, arts & craft vendors and a classic low rider car display. Free Event.
Time:  10:00 am 5:00 pm
Location:  Chicano Park, Cesar Chavez Parkway exit,
under the Coronado Bay Bridge, Barrio Logan
For more information visit www.chicano-park.org
 

e1332955827 Fun things to do in San Diego for April 2012
April 22
Annual San Diego EarthFair 2012
The annual EarthFair in Balboa Park is the largest free annual environmental fair in the world showcasing a wide variety of causes, goods, and services pertaining to the environment and quality of life. Free to attend. All kinds of entertainment and things to see and do.
Time:  11:00 am 7:00 pm
Location:  Balboa Park Central Mesa Area
For more information visit www.earthdayweb.org
 

e1332955926 Fun things to do in San Diego for April 2012
April 28-29
Annual Encinitas Street Fair
Browse among 400 unique booths featuring a little of everything: arts & crafts, antiques, clothing, items from around the world, and more. In the spring, children™s rides, four live stages, and the Karl Strauss Brewery beer garden guarantee that you™ll find fun for the whole family at the annual Encinitas Street Faire, ongoing since 1983! See website for parking, location, etc.
Time:  9:00 am 5:00 pm
Location:  Encinitas, Coast Hwy 101
For more information visit www.kennedyfaires.com/encinitas
 

e1332955967 Fun things to do in San Diego for April 2012
April  28-29
May 5-6, Escondido Renaissance Faire
The age of chivalry will be recreated among the wonders of nature in an idyllic setting. Travel back to the 16th century and the glories of the reign of Elizabeth the First. Activities include several of Will Shakespeare™s new plays, battle pageants, music in the streets, jugglers and hundreds of costumed re-enactors performing in this giant outdoor play. There is an admission fee, which covers all entertainment.
Time:  10:00 am 6:00 pm
Location:  Felicita County Park, 742 Clarence Lane, Escondido
 

e1332956641 Fun things to do in San Diego for April 2012
April 28-29
28th Annual Art Walk
Little Italy presents an adventurous art walk showcasing visual and performing art such as paintings, sculpture, photography, digital art, mixed media, music, and dance. Art collectors and visitors interact with artists, view and purchase their artwork and enjoy an outdoor casual atmosphere. The fine art festival
encompasses 18 blocks of downtown œLittle Italy San Diego where works are displayed in tents along the streets. A Kids Walk in Amici Park accompanies this event. Free event.
Time:  11:00 am 6:00 pm
Location:  Little Italy refer to website for the various locations
For more locations visit www.missionfederalartwalk.org
 
CB3B4898A7A4D839D659EEE66FE13F Easy 7 Secrets steps of Self Made Millionaires

Learn how to generate multimillion-dollar wealth — and enjoy the journey on your way to the top.

First, understand that you no longer want to be just a millionaire. You want to become a multimillionaire.

While you may think a million dollars will give you financial security, it will not. Given the volatility in economies, governments and financial markets around the world, it’s no longer safe to assume a million dollars will provide you and your family with true security. In fact, a Fidelity Investments’ study of millionaires last year found that 42 percent of them don’t feel wealthy and they would need $7.5 million of investable assets to start feeling rich.

This isn’t a how-to on the accumulation of wealth from a lifetime of saving and pinching pennies. This is about generating multimillion-dollar wealth and enjoying it during the creation process. To get started, consider these seven secrets of multimillionaires.

No. 1: Decide to be a multimillionaire
 
You first have to decide you want to be a self-made millionaire. I went from nothing — no money, just ideas and a lot of hard work — to create a net worth that probably cannot be destroyed in my lifetime. The first step was making a decision and setting a target. Every day for years, I wrote down this statement: “I am worth over $100,000,000!”

No. 2: Get rid of poverty thinking
There’s no shortage of money on planet Earth, only a shortage of people who think correctly about it. To become a millionaire from scratch, you must end the poverty thinking. I know because I had to. I was raised by a single mother who did everything possible to put three boys through school and make ends meet. Many of the lessons she taught me encouraged a sense of scarcity and fear: “Eat all your food; there are people starving,” “Don’t waste anything,” “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” Real wealth and abundance aren’t created from such thinking.

No. 3: Treat it like a duty
Self-made multimillionaires are motivated not just by money, but by a need for the marketplace to validate their contributions. While I have always wanted wealth, I was driven more by my need to contribute consistent with my potential. Multimillionaires don’t lower their targets when things get tough. Rather, they raise expectations for themselves because they see the difference they can make with their families, company, community and charities.

No. 5: Work like a millionaire
Rich people treat time differently. They buy it, while poor people sell it. The wealthy know time is more valuable than money itself, so they hire people for things they’re not good at or aren’t a productive use of their time, such as household chores. But don’t kid yourself that those who hit it big don’t work hard. Financially successful people are consumed by their hunt for success and work to the point that they feel they are winning and not just working.

No. 6: Shift focus from spending to investing
The rich don’t spend money; they invest. They know the U.S. tax laws favor investing over spending. You buy a house and can’t write it off. The rich, in contrast, buy an apartment building that produces cash flow, appreciates and offers write-offs year after year. You buy cars for comfort and style. The rich buy cars for their company that are deductible because they are used to produce revenue.

No. 7: Create multiple flows of income
The really rich never depend on one flow of income but instead create a number of revenue streams. My first business had been generating a seven-figure income for years when I started investing cash in multifamily real estate. Once my real estate and my consulting business were churning, I went into a third business developing software to help retailers improve the customer experience.

Lastly, you may be surprised to learn that wealthy people wish you were wealthy, too. It’s a mystery to them why others don’t get rich. They know they aren’t special and that wealth is available to anyone who wants to focus and persist. Rich people want others to be rich for two reasons: first, so you can buy their products and services, and second, because they want to hang out with other rich people. Get rich — it’s American.

More questions we can help you, at County Properties, 25 years of brokerage experience, trust and a Member of the local Better Business Bureau! Want to know what your home is worth? Click here for a free market evaluation !

Residential single family or Commercial Multi Unit Properties We will setup a customized search for you by our professional REALTOR® Team. Sit back relax and shop at home! We will make changes to your Pro-Property Search any time you like, just let us know. Have fun!

By the way…if you know of someone who would appreciate the level of service in real estate we provide, please call me or have them go to www.CountyProperties.net and I’ll be happy to follow up and take great care of them.

Are you one of the many renters who wants to become a homeowner – but
you’re just not ready? Or maybe you’ve lost your home in the past and you’re
not sure you can ever qualify to own a home again?

Don’t sell yourself short!
Free Path2Buy Homeownership Coaching Program will help you through
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If you want to be a homeowner at some time in the future – whether in 5 months or 5 years – you owe it to yourself and your family to get started now.

Get on the Path2Buy, today!
It’s completely free, and you will leave your initial consultation with an action plan customized to your specific needs and goals.

1. Face-to-Face Consultation – you and I will sit down for 20-30 minutes
to discuss your personal situation and your goal for home ownership.

2. Action Plan – you’ll walk away from your consultation with a
Customized plan for moving forward and reaching your goal.

3. Follow-Up – I will keep in touch with you on a regular basis to help you
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Can you picture you and your family in a home of your own?

You can make it happen and I can help you through the Path2Buy Homeownership Coaching Program.

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Fill out the form below to get pre-qualified for a home loan right now! All Information is kept confidential.
The spikes in sales in late-2009 and mid-2010 were due to the home buyer tax credit deadlines.  Outside of these spike periods, the past two months of sales are at the highest levels in 5 years.

ehs032112a From Feb. 2008 to 2012 Existing Home Sales Trends

  • Inventory has been steadily falling.  The charts show the raw number of visible inventory of homes for sale.  There are seasonal patterns, with more listings in spring and summer compared to winter.
  • The ‘shadow’ inventory of distressed mortgages and REOs held by banks and the federal government has also been falling.  It isn’t, therefore, the case that visible inventory is falling while shadow inventory rises.  Both visible and shadow inventories are falling.

ehs032112b From Feb. 2008 to 2012 Existing Home Sales Trends

  • The median home price showed a slight increase in February from one year ago.  The increase is more due to the mix of homes issue where the upper-end market, which had been very sluggish in recent past, is beginning to move.  The market is still dominated by sales in the lower price points.

ehs032112c From Feb. 2008 to 2012 Existing Home Sales Trends

More questions we can help you, at County Properties, 25 years of brokerage experience, trust and a Member of the local Better Business Bureau!

If you have equity in your home, we will sell your home and get top dollar in this challenging market with our  Internet Marketing and Sales Program or click Want to know what your home is worth? .

 If you do not have enough equity, and you must sell your property as a short sale we have the expertise to do so also, go to www.ShortSaleRealtors4U.com

New Pro-Property Search. We will setup a customized search for you by our professional REALTOR® Team. Sit back relax and shop at home! We will make changes to your Pro-Property Search any time you like, just let us know. Have fun!

Want to know what your home is worth?

Fannie Mae economists predict rates will stay near 4 percent through 2013

 If mortgages rates are headed up — and not everyone agrees that they are — that could create a drag on housing markets, warns Lawrence Yun, chief economist with the National Association of Realtors.

Rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgage have been below 4 percent for 15 weeks, averaging 3.92 percent with an average 0.8 point for the week ending March 15, Freddie Mac said in releasing the results of its latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey.

Mortgage rates are largely determined by investor demand for mortgage-backed securities backed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae. If the economy picks up, MBS may fall out of favor as investors shift money out of conservative bets like bonds and into higher-risk — and higher reward — investments like stocks. That would push bond yields and mortgage rates up.

In a March 12 forecast, economists at Fannie Mae said they expect 30-year fixed-rate loans to climb slightly this year, averaging 4.1 percent during the second half of 2012, and continue on a gentle upward slope to an average of 4.3 percent in 2013.

Yun predicts rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages “will soon be in the range of 4.3 to 4.6 percent.”

In the short run, Yun says that fears that rates will rise could spur sales by getting buyers off the fence. In the long run, if rate increases actually materialize, that would reduce homebuyers’ purchasing power and shrink the pool of eligible homebuyers, Yun said in a blog post.

If mortgage rates rise to around 4.5 percent in coming weeks, Yun expects that would dent home sales by 3 percent. If the 30-year fixed mortgage rate rises to 5 percent, “then the impact is closer to 6 percent,” he said.

The impact of any rise in mortgage rates could be offset by job gains or a loosening of mortgage underwriting standards. “Still, it is worth keeping in mind that rising rates will put some drag on the broader housing market recovery,” Yun said.

Fannie Mae economists, in commentary accompanying their March housing forecast, said they “continue to expect that low mortgage rates will help support housing affordability, with the yield on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages rising gradually to just slightly more than 4 percent by the end of 2012.”

Although housing indicators have improved — existing-home sales have picked up by about 27 percent at an annualized rate during the last six months — there are reasons to be cautious, Fannie Mae economists said.

A lack of sustained demand for purchase mortgages suggests “sluggish organic demand” for homes that aren’t in distress.

NAR surveys show that a rising share of contracts are failing to close in recent months, in some cases because lending standards remain tight and homebuyers don’t qualify for loans, but also because appraisals are coming in below agreed-upon sales prices, forcing sellers to lower their price or buyers to make larger down payments.

“Investors and other all-cash buyers continue to play a sizable role in supporting sales in battered housing markets,” Fannie Mae economists concluded.

A recent analysis of price and sales trends in the nation’s 25 largest metros by real estate data and analytics firm Radar Logic Inc. suggested that recent growth in home sales appears to be driven by the willingness of sellers to lower their prices, rather than a broad-based increase in demand and buyer confidence.

Click here to get loan informationbefore the rates go up. To get started on viewing homes, condos, investment properties, pre-foreclosures, bank owned foreclosures (REO’s) or thinking of selling your property, please contact me today for free counseling at (619) 540-5811.

New Pro-Property Search. We will setup a customized search for you by our professional REALTOR® Team. Sit back relax and shop at home! We will make changes to your Pro-Property Search any time you like, just let us know. Have fun!

By the way…if you know of someone who would appreciate the level of service in real estate we provide, please call me or have them go to www.CountyProperties.net/ and I’ll be happy to follow up and take great care of them.

california flag California pending home sales shot up in February

HousePorchPhoto Home prices finally bottoming out, analysts say

Things look better on the home front now compared to late last year, notes Bank of America Merrill Lynch, which revised its home price forecast Thursday to say “prices are bottoming now.”

In November, BofA Merrill Lynch analysts forecast home prices would fall another 8% from the second quarter of  2011 through the first quarter of 2013. But home prices only dipped 3.2% during the second half of 2011, implying they’d need to decline another 4% to 5% to reach the original estimate.

BofAML doesn’t think a drop that big is likely.

In fact, it now predicts roughly flat prices this year and next with modest growth in 2014, according to a forecast update from strategists Chris Flanagan and Ryan Asato and economist Michelle Meyer.

“But along with the earlier bottom is a slower recovery, and hence a flatter profile,” the analysts said. “We still believe prices should accelerate in the later years once the majority of the foreclosure inventory is absorbed, allowing prices to snap back to the trend in income.”

In the chart below, the first column of percentages represents the new forecast and the column to the far right shows the old forecast:

 Home prices finally bottoming out, analysts say

Analysts said a protracted bottom, which will last about two years, is due in part to policy initiatives such as the administration’s Home Affordable Modification Program, aimed a preventing foreclosures, and principal reductions that will be granted through the national attorneys general mortgage servicing settlement. The pilot program to rent out government-owned REO, for which BofAML has previously expressed support, and changes to the Home Affordable Refinance program also will have an impact.

“We do not believe any of these programs represents the ‘silver bullet’ for housing. However, taken together, they represent a positive step forward on the policy front,” the report said, noting that the AG settlement allows servers to move forward to more effectively service loans, foreclose when appropriate or originate new loans.

From 2012 through 2020 BofAML predicts cumulative growth of 42% in home prices — 4% on an annualized basis — comparable to its prior forecast.

BofAML expects the widely watched Case-Shiller home price index to fall 2% this quarter, reaching bottom at the end of March, with seasonal gains expected over the spring and summer and price declines over the winter. It cautioned against overacting to the choppy pattern.

The monthly inventory of available homes tumbled lower recently, reaching 6.4 months in February, down from 9.3 months in July 2011. In addition, the share of distressed sales also is on the decline. The revised report noted levels on both variables will be lower going forward than BofAML previously believed, although they expect them to modestly tick upward over the next two years.

County Properties, 25 years of brokerage experience, trust and a Member of the local Better Business Bureau! We offer free counseling in real estate regarding; home values and information on options of selling vs. Foreclosure.

Click here to get loan informationbefore the rates go up. To get started on viewing homes, condos, investment properties, pre-foreclosures, bank owned foreclosures (REO’s) or thinking of selling your property, please contact me today for free counseling at (619) 540-5811.

New Pro-Property Search. We will setup a customized search for you by our professional REALTOR® Team. Sit back relax and shop at home! We will make changes to your Pro-Property Search any time you like, just let us know. Have fun!

By the way…if you know of someone who would appreciate the level of service in real estate we provide, please call me or have them go to www.CountyProperties.net/ and I’ll be happy to follow up and take great care of them.

shadow%20inventory Foreclosure shadow inventory levels are dropping

The nation’s shadow inventory remained flat in January compared to October figures but shrunk about 10% from levels seen a year earlier, according to new data from CoreLogic.

4 leaf clover 300x291 Happy St. Patricks day and the history behind it

Happy St. Patricks Day from County Properties

 St Patrick is known as the patron saint of Ireland. True, he was not a born Irish. But he has become an integral part of the Irish heritage, mostly through his service across Ireland of the 5th century.

Patrick was born in the later half of the 4th century AD. There are differing views about the exact year and place of his birth. According to one school of opinion, he was born about 390 A.D., while the other school says it is about 373 AD. Again, his birth place is said to be in either Scotland or Roman England. His real name was probably Maewyn Succat. Though Patricius was his Romanicized name, he was later came to be familiar as Patrick.

Patrick was the son of Calpurnius, a Roman-British army officer. He was growing up as naturally as other kids in Britain. However, one day a band of pirates landed in south Wales and kidnapped this boy along with many others. Then they sold him into slavery in Ireland. The was there for 6 years, mostly imprisoned. This was when changes came to him. He dreamed of having seen God. Legend says, he was then dictated by God to escape with a getaway ship.

patrick Happy St. Patricks day and the history behind it Finally, he did escape and went to Britain. And then to France. There he joined a monastery and studied under St. Germain, the bishop of Auxerre. He spent around 12 years in training. And when he became a bishop he dreamed that the Irish were calling him back to Ireland to tell them about God. The Confessio, Patrick’s spiritual autobiography, is the most important document regarding this. It tells of a dream after his return to Britain, in which one Victoricus delivered him a letter headed “The Voice of the Irish.”  

 So he set out for Ireland with the Pope’s blessings. There he converted the Gaelic Irish, who were then mostly Pagans, to Christianity. He was confident in the Lord, he journeyed far and wide, baptizing and confirming with untiring zeal. And, in a diplomatic fashion he brought gifts to a kinglet here and a lawgiver there,but accepted none from any.

Indeed, Patrick was quite successful at winning converts. Through active preaching, he made important converts even among the royal families. And this fact upset the Celtic Druids. Patrick was arrested several times,but escaped each time. For 20 years he had traveled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries across the country. He also set up schools and churches which would aid him in his conversion. He developed a native clergy, fostered the growth of monasticism, established dioceses, and held church councils. Patrick’s doctrine is considered orthodox and has been interpreted as anti-Pelagian. Although he is not particularly noted as a man of learning, a few of his writings remain extant: his Confession, a reply to his detractors, and several letters. The Lorica (“Breastplate”), a famous hymn attributed to Patrick, may date to a later period. By the end of the 7th century Patrick had become a legendary figure, and the legends have continued to grow since then.

There are many legends associated with St Patrick. It is said that he used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the concept of the Trinity; which refers to the combination of Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Hence its strong association with his day and name Legend also has that, Saint Patrick had put the curse of God on venomous snakes in Ireland. And he drove all the snakes into the sea where they drowned.

 True, these are mostly legends. But, after some 1500 years, these legends have been inseparably combined with the facts. And together they have helped us know much about the Saint and the spirit behind celebration of the day. Patrick’s mission in Ireland lasted for over 20 years. He died on March 17, AD 461. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick’s Day ever since. The day’s spirit is to celebrate the universal baptization of Ireland. Though originally a Catholic holy day, St. Patrick’s Day has evolved into more of a secular holiday. Or, rather, ‘be an Irish Day ‘. And the Irish has borne it as part of their national tradition in everywhere they populated and prospered.

 The Catholic feast day for this most loved of Irish saints has become a holiday in celebration of the Irish and Irish culture. The leprechaun, a Celtic fairy, has become entrenched as a chief symbol for this holiday, as is the shamrock, an ancient symbol for the triple goddess Brigit. It is fitting that this holiday should fall at the time of the year when the return of spring begins to seem at hand.

Happy St. Patricks Day from County Properties

Settlement starts the clock on short sales stopwatch Settlement will make Banks home short sales faster and easier

Mortgage servicers will be kept to strict short sale timelines agreed to under the state Attorneys General foreclosure settlement this week.

Along with the penalties and relief for borrowers, the five largest mortgage servicers must adhere to a set of new standards. Servicers will form internal groups that will conduct quarterly reviews and gauge compliance. North Carolina Banking Commissioner Joseph Smith will approve the groups and monitor the reviews.

Among the standards, however, are new requirements for short sales.

Servicers are required to give a decision to a borrower within 30 days of receiving a completed short sale request package.

The internal group must review all short sale requests in the first two months of the quarter, according to Exhibit E in the settlement filed this week. And if a servicer takes longer than 30 days on more than 10% of the requests, the firm is considered in “potential violation.”

The settlement also requires a servicer to notify a borrower within 30 days if any documents are missing from the request package.

Servicers will also be required to notify a borrower if there is a deficiency payment needed before the short sale is approved, including an approximate amount.

If more than 5% of all short sales approved in a given quarter did not include this disclosure, the bank would be in violation.

“If a real estate broker can get a checklist from the bank detailing what documentation is needed, everything can be provided up front, and the bank will be required to give a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down within 30 days. That’s not a bad deal,” said Chris Hanson of the short sale specialist Hanson Law Firm.

Short sales became notoriously arduous, lengthy, and oftentimes fraudulent process since the foreclosure crisis struck in 2007.

There were 88,303 short sales in the fourth quarter, up 15% from one year prior, according to RealtyTrac. The short sales completed in the fourth quarter took an average 308 days since the borrower entered foreclosure, down from 318 days in the previous three months.

“We continued to see a shift toward pre-foreclosure sales, or short sales, and away from REO sales in the fourth quarter,” said RealtyTrac CEO Brandon Moore in a fourth quarter report.

The Treasury Department released the first national standards for short sales under its Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives program, which began in 2010. Its timeline matches the AG settlement.

According to HAFA guidelines, a servicer must consider a borrower for HAFA within 30 days of the borrower either failing a Home Affordable Modification Program test or requesting considerationg for a short sale.

Chase said it completes short sales – from receiving full documentation to approval – in a little more than one month.

But under the settlement, there is some enforcement to the guidelines.

When a servicer fails any servicing standard metric, including the short sale timeline, representatives must meet with a monitoring committee overseen by Smith. The servicer will have the right to correct any potential violation by installing an action plan, according to the settlement.

If the potential violation is not cured, a servicer could face a penalty up to $1 million and another $5 million fine for repeat violations.

If you have equity in your home, we will sell your home and get top dollar in this challenging market, go to County Properties Marketing Homes.

To find out the value or your home. Click here for a free market evaluation !

If you do not have enough equity, and you must sell your property as a short sale we have the expertise to do so also and close escrow in 45-60 days or less. Learn more about mortgage relief options and how to take advantage of our FREE REALTOR (R)  CONSULTATION for loan modification and or selling .  or go to www.ShortSaleRealtors4U.com

More questions we can help you, at County Properties, 25 years of brokerage experience, trust and a Member of the local Better Business Bureau! Want to know what your home is worth? Click here for a free market evaluation !

By the way…if you know of someone who would appreciate the level of service in real estate we provide, please call me or have them go to www.CountyProperties.net and I’ll be happy to follow up and take great care of them.

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