San Antonio, Texas is the number one ranked city in America, with employment up 17%. San Antonio is a beautiful city with many cultural and recreational activities. It is most famous for the Alamo. You can stand where a band of Texans fought to the last man against the Mexican Army. It is also called the Cowboy Capital of the World and its River Walk is a shopper’s dream. Riding the boats down the canals can make you think you are in Venice. The restaurants are 5 Star and so is the entertainment. It is a wonderful blend of American and Mexican heritage.

Something for everyone in San Antonio

San Antonio is also home to Sea World, Six Flags, and the San Antonio Zoo. On the Cultural side it is home to The Japanese Tea Gardens (a sunken garden). The Gardens are now a wonderful spot for meditation and beauty, filled with the original rock house and pathways, waterfalls and reflecting pools surrounded by lavish greenery in spring and summer. The San Fernando Cathedral is a beautiful cathedral and the oldest sanctuary in the United States. James Bowie, William Travis and Davey Crockett are all buried there. The McNey Art Museum located in an old Mansion and its Art collection is wonderful as well as the home itself. And don’t forget to walk through the gardens; they are especially beautiful in the spring and summer. These are just a few of the treasures you can find awaiting you in San Antonio.

San Antonio’s population as of 2009 (most recent numbers) was 1,373,668 people. The median age was 31.7 years and the median household income was $42,513. Also the median cost of a home or condo was $114,400 (again 2009 numbers), and rent about $754 per month. Property taxes were about 2.2%. San Antonio has nearly 20 colleges and universities, with the University of Texas at SA being the largest. It has a large military presence with about 6 military installations which adds greatly to the economy. San Antonio’s largest employers are in the financial, government, health care and tourism industries. It is also home to many Fortune 500 companies like Valero Energy Corp, Tesoro Petroleum, USAA, Clear Channel Communications, NuStar Energy, H-E-B ( the largest publically owned company in America),  just to name a few. The cost of living in Texas is much lower than in many parts of the US. Just plan your vacations to get away for July and August. It can get mighty hot down there.

The Next Best and Worst Cities for Jobs

According to Forbes.com, Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida comes in at number 2 with job rates up 16%. Baltimore, Maryland; St. Louis, Missouri; Greensboro, NC, and Tulsa, OK tie for 3^rd at 13%. Baton Rouge, LA,; Boise, ID; New Orleans, LA and El Paso, TX tie for 4^th at 12% and rounding up the 5^th place ties are, Austin, TX; Lexington, KY; Phoenix, Mesa and Scottsdale, AZ; Des Moines, IA and Grand Rapids, MI.

And the worst of the worst go to Bridgeport, Stamford and Norwalk, CT at -7% under the national unemployment average. Next, on the list is Palm Bay, FL at -5%. Then Spokane, WA, Las Vega and Paradise, NV tie at -4%. Reno, NV comes in at -3%. Portland and Biddeford, ME; Lancaster, PA; Lakeland and Winter Haven, FL; Albany , Schenectady and Troy, NY; and last but not least Akron, OH come in at -2%. New Haven and Milford, CT; Buffalo and Niagara Falls, NY are tied at -1% and lastly, Ashville, NC; Bakersfield, CA and Youngstown, OH tie for 0%. Keep these stats in mind when sending out those resumes. San Antonio is looking pretty good. Hurry and be one of the lucky job seekers. Good Luck.

Buyers Have the Advantage

With all this and more in mind, let’s consider where legitimate buyers are positioning themselves with regard to the Realtor.    For the moment, let’s assume that I am one of the lucky ones who recently sold my home for more than the outstanding mortgage, and I’ve got the income and savings reserves to easily qualify for a mortgage.   In fact, I’ve got double the required down payment and I’ve been at my current employment for 11 years.

I’ve retained a local Realtor to help me find a home, but in the meantime, I’ve rented a nice place in the general area in which I hope to purchase.   My rent payment is a little more than a mortgage for the same place would be at current interest rates, but I’m not too worried about it because for the first few years my mortgage payments wouldn’t be taking the principal balance down enough to be concerned about the rent cost offset.   I’m really losing very little by renting and not buying for the moment.   At the same time, the homes in the area where I hope to buy are not currently appreciating, and in fact may be experiencing some value depreciation.

So Many Houses, So Much Time

There are an abundance of homes on the market, many of which are foreclosures and / or short sales.   My Realtor thinks I’m just a quick commission ready to explode, but the opposite is true.   In fact, I’m shopping for a home just like I shop for ‘stuff’ on Craigslist.    You know how it goes on Craigslist, you take your time scanning the daily ads because you’re looking for someone who is desperate to sell, and will practically give their item away to you.    There are so many ads for the ‘stuff’ I am looking for, if I just look long enough, and be patient enough, I’m going to find that one person who would rather give the item away to me than continue to hassle with trying to sell it while it takes up too much room in their house or garage.   Perhaps I might even find that person who has lost their job, moved out of their home and is now trying to sell their item to someone just to get it out of the old house.    They are ready to take the smallest offer I am willing to make, and I know they are desperate.

Holding Out For the Perfect House Deal

So it is with my house hunt.   I know that great deal is out there because times are very difficult for many people.   I’m not trying to hurt anyone or take advantage of the situation, but I’m sure going to get myself a sweet deal, because I know those sweet deals are just waiting to be found.   The best part is that I’ve got time to shop.   With the economy is such bad shape, interest rates are going to stay low, the foreclosures will continue, and the employment picture looks no better than it did two months ago, in spite of the recent 8.3% national unemployment rate announcement by the department of labor.   They don’t think I know that they are manipulating the raw data because it’s an election year!   1.2 million people dropped out of the employment pool and they want us to believe the unemployment rate went DOWN?

We talked about this before Christmas. Remember, about having a debt free Christmas? No, I am not scolding. I have seven grandchildren plus nieces and nephews. All I can see are their darling little faces and I am off to the store. And it is not only the kids; it’s the toys and the clothes that are so fun to buy for them. I usually start shopping throughout the year; but there are things that they just need as Christmas nears. And honestly, I hide these gifts away and forget where I have hidden them and sometimes have to start over. My children and grandchildren love this about me; I wonder why? Many times they receive the” lost” gifts on random days throughout the year.

Your First Credit Card Bill has Come

The warm feelings of the Christmas holidays and giving are over and you now feel the force of that horrible knot you have been avoiding for a month. It’s not the end of the world, but it can be bad, depending just how crazy you got with the plastic. But, the damage is done and now is the time to put on the big boy or girl panties and face it head on. First, take account of all the credit card debt you have. Check out the interest rates. Choose the cards with the highest rates and start to pay them off first. Not just minimum payments but as much as you are able, above the minimum payment and continue to pay minimum amounts on the lower interest rate cards. As the highest rate card is paid off; you can then go to the next highest rate bill and do the same. Use the money that went for the first card and add it to the minimum payment of the next one and before you know it, that one will be paid off. Continue to do this until you have paid them all off.

Now, put the cards away in a safe place and DO NOT USE THEM. It seems like Credit Card Companies send out millions of applications daily for credit cards with low interest rates for 6 to 12 months and then return to high interest rates. They advertise that you could transfer all your high interest balances to their card. Read all the small print very carefully and know that they will charge you a fee to switch your balances over. If you know you can pay all the debt off before their interests rates shoot up to the moon; it may not be a bad ideas for you, but if not, I wouldn’t do it.

Signing up for New Credit

You must keep in mind that every time you apply for a new card, it affects your credit score. Every time you close an account it can affect your credit score. So really make sure that new credit card with the great low interest will really work for you, before signing up. Also, keep an eye on your credit score to make sure that no one else has signed up for a new credit card in your name. You can get a free credit score from the government once a year that will not affect your credit score.

Since there are three credit bureaus that make up your score; it may be a good idea to check with a different one of them every four months. They usually, but not always, will have the same things on them and this way you can keep an eye on your score three times throughout the year for free. If you want to close your credit card account you may want to wait about twelve month after you have the card paid off to close it. Closing accounts may also affect your credit score, even when you no longer have a balance, so put the card away and cancel after a year. This is a terrible economy and millions of American’s are hurting. Don’t let the Credit Card Companies entice you. The grass is not greener when you are in debt. Scale down, live within your means and save. These are the things that will get you through this government made mess.

Whether you are a New York Giants fan or a die-hard Patriots fan, the tradition of the Super Bowl Party is a big deal, an annual Event!  Men and women alike, plan big for this event even if their favorite team is not playing. Of course, if your team is on the field; well, these will be the best parties. And, you can still go all out for the game. Some football fans have the parties at their home every year. Other groups trade off. But, the honor usually goes to the home with the best food and the largest screen.  Super Bowl Day is right up there will all the other holidays for a lot of people, a yearly celebration for all NFL fans.

Let’s talk Preparation

First off is the color scheme, which would match the colors of your favorite team. By switching out your normal pillows with team colored pillows, flying team flags, using team colored dinnerware and glasses and wearing the team color, you can magically change your home into an enthusiastic fan’s dream. Many fans paint themselves up in the team’s colors. If you are inviting some of these very enthusiastic fans to your home, you may ask that they keep the paint washable and on their face only. You don’t need to have your new white couch permanently colored blue. But, you will have to accept that there will be a huge mess and stains when touchdowns and alcohol are combined. So fan proof your home as much as possible. Now, if you are watching, eating and cheering in your man cave, disregard that last sentence. The stains will only be a grand reminder of the great plays of Super Bowl XLVI; a keepsake of sorts.  If you do not have the giant screen and were planning on purchasing one, this would be an excellent time. But, hopefully, you dyed in the wool fans, got your big screen at Christmas sale prices. You planned ahead for this very day. Nice work, fans.

Great Food can Make Losing Easier and Wins even Greater

Now good food is good food whether you are a Giants fan or a Patriots fan. But, you could go regional in your food choices. If you are a NY fan you can serve pizza, variations of hot dogs, buffalo wings (I know, the Bills aren’t playing, but buffalo wings were invented in NY) along with all the usual snacks and treats.  And if you are a Patriots fan you could go for New England clam chowder, Boston baked beans, wings of all kinds and seafood for example. And serve with all the usual Super Bowl fare, wings, chips and dips, salsa, hummus and pita, vegetable and fruit trays, and of course the meat and cheese platters, great breads, red, white and blue M&Ms, in the appropriate combinations, logo shaped cookies, brownies, cake, cannolies and lots of soda and beer.

If you are thinking about a more gourmet type fare you may want to choose items like veggie rolls with dipping sauce, a large shrimp bowl, bacon wrapped scallops, wine, fruit and cheese plate, caviar and crackers, more wine.  Oh, come on, not that I don’t love these foods, but it is the Super Bowl! It is Football- you know, hot dogs, beer, peanuts, nachos, soda and loud obnoxious fans spilling beer down your neck or splitting your eardrums with their coaching criticisms from behind you. OK, you can bring the giant shrimp bowl, who doesn’t like shrimp. Whatever team you will be rooting for, have fun, make your home a comfortable, welcoming experience for all your guests.  And don’t do all the clean- up by yourself, enlist or hire help. It is your Super Bowl Party, too. Go Team Go!

Attention home buyers and sellers!  I’ve just come up with the world’s latest idea in home improvements:  the Bathroom Bluetooth.

According to marketing agency 11mark’s new study “IT in the Toilet”, going to the ‘loo for some private time is over.  You see, according to the 1,000 Americans surveyed, 74 percent of men and 76 percent of women report they have used their cell phone in the bathroom.

It used to be that the only business being conducted in the baño was between you and the porcelain beneath your bottom.  In public, that may have expanded a bit when you realized in dismay that you needed to talk to your next-stall neighbor to request that they, ala Seinfeld, spare a square.  But those days are gone.  We’re texting, surfing the net, answering phone calls and even making them.  And 20 percent of men surveyed have indeed participated in work-related calls while “indisposed”, doing their duty while handling your business.

 Hands Free

Hence, the need for a hands-free device.  I mean, they have hands-free faucets, hands-free soap dispensers and hands-free paper towel holders.  Isn’t this the next logical step?

In some cities, including the one in which I live, holding a phone while driving is verboten.  That’s not about to stop us, however.  If our car is too old for a built-in device, we snap these handy-dandy devices to our visors that allow us to carry on our conversations uninterrupted as other distracted drivers blissfully carry on theirs.   So why can’t there be one for the bathroom?

With a handy shelf to hold your phone and installed above the toilet paper dispenser, the Bathroom Bluetooth would automatically adjust to work with any phone as soon as your derriere touches down.  Simple commands like “dial” and “hang up” would be further enhanced with Clapper technology, allowing you to wordlessly initiate a mute function when you sense something’s about to happen that you may not want to share with the person (or entire staff meeting) on the other end.

In my mind, the Bathroom Bluetooth would come in a wide variety of colors to seamlessly match any décor.  It would also include a hands-free anti-bacterial gel applicator that users would be required to use to clean their hands and their phones before they exit.  You see, the 11mark study also notes that while 92 percent of those surveyed wash their hands after a pause in the potty, only 14 percent wash their phones.

So I’m going to be trying to contacting the good folks at Bluetooth to see if they’re ready to take home improvements by storm.   But before I do, I think I need to lie down.  All of this excitement has me feeling a little…flushed.

11mark’s new study “IT in the Toilet”  http://www.11mark.com/IT-in-the-Toilet

Clapper technology   http://youtube/cfgN5tUgjb8

ala Seinfeld, spare a square  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77tN5_fhkH8

Bluetooth http://www.bluetooth.com/Pages/Bluetooth-Home.aspx

If you ask me, it is a little like putting a tiny band aid on an enormous gash that has already bled out. It is a little too late for millions of homeowners who have already lost their homes, their jobs, and their good credit. And of course, who will be paying for it all? Yes, you the tax payer. This new scheme will only be available for those without any late payments in the last six months or missed payments and you must have a credit score of 580 or above and depending on how far underwater your home mortgage is. At least the credit score part is nice.

Mr. Obama, said, ”This housing crisis struck right at the heart of what it means to be middle class in America: our homes….We need to do everything in our power to repair the damage and make responsible families whole.” I am sorry, but, where was this great need over the past several years of his Administration. He didn’t seem to worry about the fact that millions were losing their jobs which in turn caused them to already lose their homes.

Oh, wait, I forgot, it is an election year and he is scrambling now, to pretend like he cares about the middle class; by throwing everything, including the kitchen sink at us. Doesn’t he realize that we are not that stupid? But, then again, we are the bible reading, gun tot ‘in middle class. Of course we are not able to make our own decisions like he and his elite friends are; we need the government to guide us and run our lives. How could he possibly know what we think and feel?

If this sounds harsh, I am sorry, but I am tired of being lied to and sick of seeing my Country sold down the river by this man and his socialist, Marxist politics. The America I grew up in made people proud. We all wanted the American Dream. We wanted to be able to work hard and be successful without being ‘forced’ to give it to people who won’t work to help better themselves and their families. And we also wanted to save our money and buy a home that is our own, and once again be the country that helps our neighbors and others without government interference. America is a great country and it is time we all stand up and make her great again.

Back to the Plan

Many homeowners will be able to refinance now and take advantage of interest rates that are just below 4%. The President says it could save homeowners about $3,000 per year on their mortgage payments. He is asking that the lending institutions with over $50 billion in assets be taxed to pay for all the refinancing. These are the same banks that the Democrats forced to make bad loans to people who could not afford a home, which in turn caused this whole housing crisis in the first place. The President and the Democrats in Congress, once again, trying to deflect the real culprits here, themselves; by endlessly blaming everything on the banks. Not that the banks don’t deserve some blame, but, if we are to be just; we must remember who forced the issue, the Democrats in Congress. The government then forced us, the taxpayer to bail the banks out, to cover up all the mess they made. Where is the fairness in that?

Mr. Obama says that there will be no more red tape for those looking to refinance. I am sorry, but, when have there ever not, been rolls and rolls of red tape when the government is involved. He had announced earlier that the foreclosed homes of Fannie Mae (one of the government run mortgage companies) are to be auctioned off as rental properties. Beware of more red tape. To qualify to purchase these investment properties, you must purchase them, as investment rental properties and prove that you have had success in the investment rental business. And (this is a little disconcerting) keep certain information about the program a secret. Along with this program he announced HAMP (Home Affordable Modification Program) which would also help people get refinancing. This program would pay Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (government run mortgage companies) about $20 billion in unobligated TARP money. The American taxpayer once again gets the short end of the stick.

But, if you are in trouble with your mortgage and try these options, I truly hope that they work. I hope that these programs really can give your families some relief, hope for the future and that you can keep your homes It is about time the Obama administration paid attention to “his” country that is in big trouble.

Though the basic loan application items have remained the same, the requirements of most lenders have been modified.   If you expect to be approved when you apply for a home loan in the current lending environment, the following items are particularly important to the lender.

Assets

Lenders are looking for borrowers that have saved some money for a rainy day, or in their eyes, some money in reserve to make a few mortgage payments in the event that the borrowers income is interrupted by the loss of a job.   Because the promise of continued employment is much less secure than in the past, lenders simply won’t extend credit to someone living paycheck to paycheck.    It’s not worth it for the lender.   The chances of any person losing their job in our economic environment is so much higher than in the past that lenders must require cash reserves to limit their own exposure on each and every loan.

Save some money, build your savings account or other liquid asset account to show the lender that you have at least six months of reserves.   In other words, if you lost your job today, you could use your savings to make six months worth of house payments while you looked for new employment.   Having these reserves in place when you apply for home financing will greatly increase your chances of approval.

Down Payment

Down payment requirements have also become more restrictive.    Though there are programs still available that will lend close to 100% of your new homes value, these are primarily government sponsored loans.   Conventional home loans require a 20% down payment.   Piled on top of the six months asset reserve requirement detailed above, the new home borrower needs a pretty hefty bank account to meet the lenders requirements.

Credit Report

If your credit report is nasty looking, full of late payments, write offs and various other credit ‘hits’, chances are your lender is going to throw your application in file 13.   It just isn’t good enough these days to have a dirty credit history if you expect to be approved for a home loan.    There is always hope however, if you can be patient and are willing to work with the credit bureaus and creditors to remove unwanted credit history items from your report.   There are some agencies that help borrowers through this process and in many cases their services are well worth the money.

The best medicine for this dirty credit ailment is to pay your bills on time, and closely watch your credit report for negative items that either don’t belong or you can remove with some effort.   There is hope for loan applicants, but you must have your house in order to make it work.

I hate to even write or think about these disgusting law breakers and give anyone another chance to think about them. But, please, enough is enough! Local governments need to step up and enforce the laws of our country. Even the Obama Administration has touted all this destruction, filth and lawlessness as a good thing. It is time to have the guts and come out against this. Isn’t that what the President and all these government leaders promised to do; enforce the Constitution and the laws of their states and this country? I am not against people protesting, but, not at the expense of the rights of others. Businesses have been destroyed and owner’s ability to support their families has been taken away, once beautiful cities throughout the country have become garbage dumps and manure piles, the crime rates have risen, children have been abused and laws have been and continue to be broken. Who wants to come to these cities anymore?  Man up, you, Mayors, Governors and higher officials, you know who you are, and put an end to this embarrassing lawless mess.

DC Occupiers

After they turned against President Obama and the White House, we can see some signs of a backbone. These people are illegally living on Park land. Supposedly, they can have a tent to use to promote their protest, but not bedding or any other items showing that they are living there. Living on park land is against the law. The police have been ordering them off the land, but, obviously, do not have the complete support of the spineless city or federal officials. So their hands have been tied throughout this whole ridiculous ordeal. But, we appreciate their service.

Occupy This Occupy That

On January 20, 2012, it was announced that they will now be ‘Occupy the Courts’ and will be holding protests on the steps of the Supreme court as well as hundreds of Courthouses throughout the country. Luckily for the Justices and all Courthouse workers, the cement steps will make it hard for them to put up tents and take up residence on the steps of these courthouses. The ‘Occupiers’ in San Francisco and Oakland, California have become violent in their clashes with police. They have disrupted the Financial District, closing down several banks and institutions for the entire day. They shut down the Courthouse and were the cause of much destruction of property and vandalism. They shut down streets and blocked people from getting to work.

They even intend to have an ‘Occupy the Bay Day, where they will all throw themselves into San Francisco Bay to block boats, ships and barges. Do they have any idea how cold that water is? Only in San Francisco! Portland, Oregon Occupiers planted themselves outside City Hall for a ‘sleepover’ to be held tonight to protest for the human right to sleep. It is illegal to sleep on park land, which they have been doing for some time now. They are trying to change the law and allow them to take up residence anywhere they want. I am sorry, but, these ridiculous jobless (most at their own choosing) idiots need to be shipped to, maybe, Alcatraz, where they can plant themselves anywhere on the island, sleep, swim and protest anything they like without disrupting the rest of Americans who want and need to work to support our families. It is time to pull the curtain on this childish idiocy.

The government has over 200,000 home that have been foreclosed upon by Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and HUD that they are planning to sell as rental properties. The idea is to get the housing market moving again. More and more people, especially those who have had their homes foreclosed upon are renting. They have no other choice. The plummeting downfall of the US housing market has left millions of homeowners with homes that are underwater (not worth what they paid for them). This disaster of the last 3-4 years has made it impossible for these homeowners to sell these homes and the added unemployment rate has forced these homeowners into foreclosure at an impossible rate.  And along with foreclosures come the plummet in credit scores and the rise in bankruptcy; forcing former homeowners that had great credit to rent. The government, banks and other mortgage companies are left with millions of homes. A problem the government created by forcing banks to lend money to thousands of people who could not afford to own a home. Thanks, Barney Frank and friends. So until this year, these institutions have not been in the rental business. But, desperate times call for desperate measures and opportunities to make money.

Private Equity Firms and Large Investment Companies

Private Equity Firms and large Investment Companies are poised to snatch up these properties for a song and turn them into rental properties. They intend to hold onto these ‘rental properties’ until the housing market recovers and then sell at a profit. These companies are busy restructuring to include Rental Property and Management Divisions to purchase, rent, maintain and eventually sell these properties. Not a bad idea for anyone that has the extra income and can get a loan. It is a great investment right now. The need for rental homes, apartments and condos is at an all-time high, due to the foreclosures, jobless rate and the ruination of personal credit. The younger generation is also deciding that homeownership may not be the way in this economy. They are staying renters by the thousands. It is the perfect time to be a rental property investor and not a bad plan for your retirement portfolio. If you have the time and skills you could manage the properties yourself, but it can turn into a full-time job. An Investment Property Management Company can take care of everything for you. They see to it that your property is rented; they deal with the renters directly and take care of the day to day problems as well as the legal issues of non-payment of rent, property destruction and eviction if necessary. They collect the rents and give you the money and a statement at the end of the month. It works great if you don’t have the time or expertise. The cost of rent has been on the rise the past few years because the demand is so much greater than the amount of rental properties. Perhaps as more options are available the price to rent will no longer be higher than a mortgage payment.

Do you ever wonder how many trees have lost their lives because of unwanted newspapers and junk mail? I do. Every day, I look out of my front door and see two or three newspapers that I don’t read, either because they are soaking wet or I am just not interested. I didn’t order them or pay for them and yet; they still appear strewn across my yard every day. What a waste of perfectly good trees.  I love trees; I would gladly forego all these papers for the delivery of a tree, even a small one. Someone in town must think this waste is a good idea; what that would be, I don’t know. And I am sure that some people are happy to get them, but where can I unsign up? We certainly don’t want to upset the EPA and have them put even more restrictions on our lives.

The Extra Work and Mess They Make

Yes, perhaps I am lazy, but again, I did not sign up for this. Every day I must gather up these soaking wet and muddy papers and take them around my house to dispose of them in the recycle bin. I can’t bring them through the house because it makes such a mess. I suppose it is great for recycling; but why lose the trees in the first place and then they wouldn’t have to be recycled. They would be living and a sight of beauty to nature lovers. And let’s not forget the oxygen they give off. And what about the poor guy who has to throw these papers in the wee hours of the morning just so I can be irritated every day? Let’s not forget him. And while we are talking about the deliverer; do you think they have a class to teach them to throw the papers in the mud?

Don’t get me Started on Junk Mail

This is a sore subject with me. Not only do I have to go through it all, I have to shred most of it. You know; identity theft and all that. I know that companies have to advertise to get business and it is appreciated by many people who may need their services. It just seems like I get the exact same ads from the very same people every week or so. The least they could do is send it to “the Household at” instead of using my full name; so I would have to shred 10 a day. I could just throw them into my recycle bin. I know this is their way of making it personal, but, really, I won’t be offended if you call me ‘resident or household’. In fact, it will endear you to me. Then again, I should stop complaining; at least they are not telemarketers.