Billionaire Warren Buffett predicts the housing market will bounce back by 2011…”Prices will remain below ‘bubble’ levels, allowing more buyers to purchase homes”. “Demand will catch up to inventory, as homes unattainable a few years ago are now within the means of more buyers”.  This a long with Tax Incentives should boost 2010 and stimulate continued increase in the buyer pool.

Bottom line…Now is a great time to buy or sell a home!! 
Especially in Northern Colorado where our markets have been pretty stable!

Buffett’s quotes are from 3/1/10 USA Today

Despite All the bad news we hear- there’s plenty of GOOD. Here is something: There is a coalition who has our health in mind – as a community!  Us, our kids, everyone. 

We need to realize how important our diet and activity is.  For kids, we need to make sure that not only healthy food choices are available at school, but that with impending budget cuts, Physical Education is not even considered as expendable.

There is a PE for ME campaign going on in the Poudre School District.  Go to this website for other ideas. Read the mission statement.  Do your part – even if it is just setting an example of how to live healthy!

http://www.candoonline.org/

Here’s to your health!   Dawn

The UN- CNN version:
Recently, I went to listen to a seminary student, Jared Witt talk about his experience in Haiti. He was there with a group from HTF.  They were there to support and learn about their Haitian brothers and sisters.

He was there during the earthquake and saw the devastation. He lost his bag and camera as a result, but he is trying to get pictures for me. Jared told us his view of God for the US and for Haiti and how he sees the difference:

“We talk about God – Haitians talk TO God.”

During the ensuing several hours – he saw Haitians crying and shaking their fists “up at God” And then…within hours – heard singing, praising, and saw people who had lost everything helping one another. This – not the machete wielding, desperate man that CNN depicted – is what pervaded the countryside…something WE can learn from.

How we can help?  Jared cautioned that the bigger organizations whose bureaucracy impedes the flow of monies for Haitians and support services/goods may not be the wisest choice.  He encouraged giving to smaller organizations that can get things done maybe more quickly – even perhaps organizations that have been there before the earthquake.

Please go to www.htf.org and see if this organization will move you to give. 

Holding the Haitians in light, love, peace, healing and joy and affirming THAT (not sympathy) will also help more than you can know.

Blessings!
Dawn

Hi, Friends:
What a tragedy in Haiti.  As we all wonder what we can do, whether give money, pray, etc for such an overwhelmingly sad event, we sometimes feel that we can not make a difference.
But WE DO.  Let’s send our prayers, money AND thoughts to Haiti.  Let’s raise the love and compassion we feel for our fellow humans, our neighbors.
I had the gift of hearing this prayer last Sunday and if you decide to make a difference,  say it from your heart and know that the words are on their way to Haiti. Pass it on.
Blessings, Dawn

By: Cheryl Parker RScP

My heart has been reaching out to the people in Haiti. Life is sometimes difficult to understand. What I do know is that the power of God, prayer, love, faith and affirmative consciousness is greater than anything else.
I just acknowledge what an incredible, diverse planet we live on. I know that God is in all of this creation whether it is through humanity or the beautiful earth. Spirit flows in so many different ways, expressing life fully as people and as this geological wonder that we call home. Everything is the Divine Idea coming into form. I know that we are one with this incredible expansion of the Divine. Our consciousness is a powerful connection point with the consciousness of the world and the consciousness of the people of Haiti. We are truly One being of humanity. I know that we do not always understand the ways that humanity and our physical planet interact. I do know that the unconditional love of God is present everywhere. That love is the Truth of the situation in Haiti for it is never what happens to others that we can have any control over but how we go within and affirm our faith in Good and then act to confirm that. I realize comfort, safety, peace, support, abundance, nurturing, wholeness and unconditional love is the truth in Haiti for everyone there. I know God knows what to do. I know what I need to do. As I pray and hold this area of the world in love and contribute financially or in other ways, I participate in the creative process and I affirm the Good of Life. I affirm Love. I give thanks for the Truth of God that is a rock solid foundation in times of pain and suffering. I give thanks for the outpouring of care and support that is bathing the planet in a unifying field of love. And so I just release this into the spiritual law that just says “yes”. I let go and let God. And so it is. Amen.

Over the holidays I got to see my brother Joe, his wife Sheri and their 2 grown kids, Josh and Amber. I had not see Amber in 17 years! She was a kid last time I saw her, now she’s married to a great guy, Ray and has a wonderful son of 4 (Tyler).
I sat on the floor with Tyler, and gave him permission to take all his toys out of his rolling suitcase (what power!). It’s amazing what kids can cram into 1 box when they know that’s all they get!
Later, when we walked down Elkhorn Ave (in Estes) we went into a great toy store call Geppeto’s where Tyler picked out a box of colored wooden blocks with all different shapes. 
Back at the condo, it was a wonder watching him build things for us…the

Tyler's blocks!

time together was too short. It reminded me…again…how life is a series of moments that pass so quickly. I plan on getting more LIFE out of every moment…how about you?

Over the holidays, I was visiting some relatives I hadn’t see in quite some time, I received a call from the “pet sitter”, that my dog  Ziggy was hiding in a closet, throwing up blood and not eating (for him, this never happens). They took Ziggy to the vet, where he was admitted to ICU and given IV’s and x-rays…which showed a jagged piece of bone lodged in his small intestine!

After a quote of $1000 deposit with worst case going to $3500, I made a few calls. That dog had so many prayers sent his way…the obstruction actually was not visible on subsequent x-rays!  He pooped a couple times with no evidence of bone in his stool (lovely job huh?!).  

Ziggy recovering in his favorite blanket!

So…I was out $1023 but had my Ziggy back! I’m thankful I had a VISA! Others aren’t so fortunate. While I waited for a screaming Ziggy (he’s a whimp) to have his IV removed, I saw on the counter a brochure for people who can’t afford such costs…it’s a 501c (3) that helps financially challenged people pay for emergent care for their pets (who are in most cases family!). If you can spare a few dollars, please give to this wonderful nonprofit organization!  www.TheLadyBugFund.org 

 

It’s New Year’s Eve as I write this. I am reflecting back on the year…good and not so good.  Know what I mean? We all have them. We make it through and learn. We are more grateful, more gracious…hopefully more giving.

My company, Keller Williams offered a way for all of us to donate our time and money to help struggling families have a better Christmas…gifts and food.  It was an amazingly simple thing that brought me so much joy that I realized by giving…just how much I received.

Wrapping gifts for others!

As 2009 draws to a close – we look back and see that the focus in the news has been about the economy and a mantra of “Not Enough”.

So! Let’s not participate any longer! Let’s GIVE away some money – to a worthy cause, an organization bringing about “GOOD”.

“How?” you ask – I am strapped right now.  Ready for a simple thing that can make a HUGE difference?

Ever notice when you, say, buy a new (or used) car – all of a sudden, you NOTICE  that there are so many smart buyers (like you) who bought the same car!  Do you think those people saw what you bought and followed your lead?  Well – no – it’s just that your consciousness is RAISED – you are more aware, more in tune…

So, let’s do that with money! Let’s call it “The Unexpected Good Club”!

Looking for a good simple explanation on the homebuyers tax credits?  Check out this video from Keller Williams.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMzTpn3FvA8

Recently, I had a client who could only afford about $120,000 to purchase a condo. She wanted to take advantage of the $8000 tax credit and use the Kiddie Condo program (FHA loan with a parent co-signature). The problem we ran into? In that price range, none of the available condos were “warrantable” (an FHA requirement). What this means is that the ratio between owner-occupied units to the number of rental units was less than 51:49.
If you want to look at condos at a certain price point, for a specific payment—Great.  However, keep in mind that you will also be paying an average, say of $140 month in HOA fees. If you figure out what $140 month equates to in terms of added purchase price – it is about $25,000.
So…an alternative to giving up the condo search in the lower price ranges, see if you can now afford a house if you have $25,000 more to spend!
Opening your mind to other possibilities could be the difference between ownership (with a $8000 tax credit) or renter-ship with no tax incentives!
www.RealEsateByDawn.com