Bridge Financing: What Is It?
Imagine for a moment that you have found the perfect new home for your family.  It's in just the right neighborhood that you've always wanted to live in and you absolutely love it!  The problem is you haven't sold the home you own now.  You could make an offer on the new home contingent on selling your existing home first, however, most sellers are reluctant to except such an offer.  If they do accept your offer, you will probably end up paying more for the property as a result.  Having to make a conditional offer almost always results in a major loss of your negotiating power. Writing a conditional offer may also cause you to become more desperate when trying to sell your first home.	You may accept an offer you wouldn't normally have considered just because you don't want to lose your new dream home. This is where bridge financing can be a lifesaver.  Bridge financing allows you to use the equity on your existing home as collateral on a new home loan.  You then put your home on the market and when it sells or at the end of the loan term, you pay off the bridge loan. Most lenders offer more flexible terms for bridge financing than for standard mortgage loans.  To alleviate the financial burden of making double house payments, lenders will design more lenient repayment terms.  Some will simply defer payment until your existing home sells.  Other lenders will  have you pay only interest payments, which are much lower, and then the principal would be due when the house is sold or at the end of the loan term. Generally, most lenders set a maximum loan to value ratio of 75%.  Meaning you can only borrow up to 75% of the loans value, minus the amount of the existing mortgage. If you would like more information on bridge financing or any type of mortgage financing, give me a call.  I'm versed in all types of loan options and would be happy to advise you.
Selling Your House "As Is"
Think about the last time you went to buy a used car.  Were you more attracted to the dealerships that offered used car warranties or the places that advertised "as is".  In real estate, just like in the used car world, "as is" suggests that there are defects the seller is either trying to hide or is unwilling to fix. When a buyer hears a home is being listed "as is", he is more wary of the property.  Sellers often advertise their property this way because they think it will mean the end of their responsibility to the buyer.  This is really not true.  Sellers are obligated, by law, to disclose of any and all known defects to a buyer even if they say the home is "as is". You'll save time, increase the chances of a sale, and probably net more dollars if you "merchandise" the home rather than sell it "as is".
St. Patrick's Day
Who Was St. Patrick? St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is one of Christianity's most widely known figures. But for all his celebrity, his life remains somewhat of a mystery. Many of the stories traditionally associated with St. Patrick, including the famous account of his banishing all the snakes from Ireland, are false, the products of hundreds of years of exaggerated storytelling. Taken Prisoner By Irish Raiders It is known that St. Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents near the end of the fourth century. He is believed to have died on March 17, around 460 A.D. Although his father was a Christian deacon, it has been suggested that he probably took on the role because of tax incentives and there is no evidence that Patrick came from a particularly religious family. At the age of sixteen, Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family's estate. They transported him to Ireland where he spent six years in captivity. (There is some dispute over where this captivity took place. Although many believe he was taken to live in Mount Slemish in County Antrim, it is more likely that he was held in County Mayo near Killala.) During this time, he worked as a shepherd, outdoors and away from people. Lonely and afraid, he turned to his religion for solace, becoming a devout Christian. (It is also believed that Patrick first began to dream of converting the Irish people to Christianity during his captivity.)   Guided By Visions After more than six years as a prisoner, Patrick escaped. According to his writing, a voice--which he believed to be God's--spoke to him in a dream, telling him it was time to leave Ireland. To do so, Patrick walked nearly 200 miles from County Mayo, where it is believed he was held, to the Irish coast. After escaping to Britain, Patrick reported that he experienced a second revelation--an angel in a dream tells him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Soon after, Patrick began religious training, a course of study that lasted more than fifteen years. After his ordination as a priest, he was sent to Ireland with a dual mission--to minister to Christians already living in Ireland and to begin to convert the Irish. (Interestingly, this mission contradicts the widely held notion that Patrick introduced Christianity to Ireland.) Bonfires and Crosses Familiar with the Irish language and culture, Patrick chose to incorporate traditional ritual into his lessons of Christianity instead of attempting to eradicate native Irish beliefs. For instance, he used bonfires to celebrate Easter since the Irish were used to honoring their gods with fire. He also superimposed a sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now called a Celtic cross, so that veneration of the symbol would seem more natural to the Irish. (Although there were a small number of Christians on the island when Patrick arrived, most Irish practiced a nature-based pagan religion. The Irish culture centered around a rich tradition of oral legend and myth. When this is considered, it is no surprise that the story of Patrick's life became exaggerated over the centuries--spinning exciting tales to remember history has always been a part of the Irish way of life. ) Today, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated by people of all backgrounds in the United States, Canada, England, Wales, Scotland, and Australia. Although North America is home to the largest productions, St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated in other locations far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore, and Russia. In modern-day Ireland, St. Patrick's Day has traditionally been a religious occasion. In fact, up until the 1970s, Irish laws mandated that pubs be closed on March 17. Beginning in 1995, however, the Irish government began a national campaign to use St. Patrick's Day as an opportunity to drive tourism and showcase Ireland to the rest of the world. Last year, close to one million people took part in Ireland 's St. Patrick's Festival in Dublin, a multi-day celebration featuring parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions, and fireworks shows. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, St. Patrick's religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for thousands of years. On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink, and feast--on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage. The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place not in Ireland, but in the United States. Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City on March 17, 1762. Along with their music, the parade helped the soldiers to reconnect with their Irish roots, as well as fellow Irishmen serving in the English army.
Family Size Eggs Florentine 4 oz. (1 cup) shredded cheddar cheese 1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, cooked well and drained 1 (12 oz.) roll well-seasoned pork sausage 6 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced 1/2 cup chopped green onion 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 12 eggs slightly beaten 2 cups whipping cream 4 oz. (1 cup) shredded Swiss cheese Paprika Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13 x 9-inch pan. Spread cheddar cheese in prepared pan.  Spread spinach evenly over cheese.  Fry sausage until no longer pink; drain and crumble over spinach.  Saute mushrooms and green onions in butter, sprinkle over sausage.  Beat eggs with cream; pour into pan.  Top with Swiss cheese; sprinkle with Paprika.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes or until set.           Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 13	Hash Brown Cheesy Quiche 24 oz. frozen hash brown patties, thawed 1/3 cup butter, melted 4 oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese 4 oz. shredded Swiss cheese 4 oz. fresh or canned mushrooms, drained 6 oz. (1 cup) cooked diced ham 1/2 cup half and half 2 eggs 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt Remove water from potato patties by pressing between paper towels.  Press potatoes into greased 9 -inch pie pan.  Form potatoes to make a pie crust and brush with melted butter.  Bake 30 minutes at 425 degrees or until bottom of crust is brown.  Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 350 degrees.  Layer ham, mushrooms, and cheese into crust.  Beat mixture.  Bake 35 - 45 minutes or until knife inserted is clean when removed.  Stand 10 minutes.  Serves 6 1/8 to 1/4
I'll take time out of my schedule, whenever you need me to help you or a friend.  Your business is important to me. - Thomas