Will mortgages ever be the same?

Posted December 25, 2008 at 13:51 PM
ronlargent
Will the lessons learned from the real estate slowdown spark genuine creativity in marketing and lending to push more sales?
What are the chances that the residential mortgages bought and sold in the secondary markets will revert to the conservative portfolio business that existed before the first securitizations in the early 1980s?
The real estate industry will recover, but it will be different.
Tom Kelly at Inman News has some thoughts on this....and what are yours?
From my viewpoint, I think we will continue to see a continuing interest on the part of lenders in making good loans, but they will be to those that are qualified, using some old measurements. Not too many years ago, the yardstick was that your mortgage payment should not exceed 25% of your gross income. If you made $1000 a month, your mortgage payment could not exceed $250, for example. Over the recentl years, this went to as high as 50% with some lenders...and this was the beginning of the end. Then, lenders started including the 2nd income in the family as a permanet source of income and that was considered in the payment amount. All was good and fine as long as that 2nd income was there. Things changed, though, when the 2nd earner had other things enter in, such a another child, unexpected illness, or college expenses that were not expected. All of a sudden, the 2 family income became 1, and a problem was on the horizon.
So, we will be back to good financing in the future, but for the next few years, the guidelines will be more conservative than in the past 5 years. Now is the time to refinance, if you can....for interest rates are at an all time low.
To discuss this further, give me a call or e-mail ronlargent@kw.com or www.ronlargent.com

Oregon's Bottle Bill

Oregon's Bottle Bill....

Posted December 24, 2008 at 19:48 PM

ronlargent

Water Bottles to Soon Join Bottle Bill

If you live in Oregon, you’re probably familiar with idea of shelling out a nickel deposit on a can of soda or a bottle of beer. Starting Jan. 1, you’ll pay those five extra cents every time you buy a bottle of water, too. It’s the first major change to Oregon’s bottle bill in more than three decades.Only in OREGON.

By the way, life in Redding, CA is GREAT !!

Check it out at www.ronlargent.com go to Redding, Our Community.

Jazz in Sacramento California

Jazz in Sacramento, CA

Posted December 17, 2008 at 09:28 AM

ronlargent

Good morning everyone,

The year is fast coming to a close and the Thursday evening jazz with Vivian Lee and Friends is ending it's first five months. Before we talk about the big party though we get to talk about a lady who lit up the stage last week. Virginia Ayers Dawson is no stranger to the stage and mic, having done back-up work in Los Angelos in the past. With a room overflowing with family, friends and jazz fans, she sashayed back and forth across the stage, interacting with both the audience and the musicians with ease. Her rich voice and phrasing making each song a story, not just words. Not sticking to the American Songbook she brought some great tunes to life in a jazz vein - Natural Woman, done almost in a conversational tone, Burt Bacharach's What the World Needs Now, and Joe Cocker's signature tune You are So Beautiful. Pianist Reggie Graham joined her and did a funk grooved arrangement of My Funny Valentine. The joy in watching and listening to Virginia is that she is such a free spirit and and it shows when she is on stage. She tells little stories about her many mission trips and intertwines those experiences into her introduction and delivery of the songs. That is the sign of an artist, taking life and making it a part of the music. It adds a new dimension to the lyrics when you can make it personal.

This week, December 18 is our big Holiday blow-out party. Most of the vocalists who have joined me for Vivian Lee and Friends will be there with their favorite Christmas and holiday songs along with other songs in our combined expansive repertoire of vocal jazz. The Sacramento Food Bank will also be there collecting donations and the admission for this special evening is one canned good or other non perishable food item. The evening is from 7-11pm. They have a full dinner menu, drinks, desserts and of course - the music. So join us as we celebrate the holidays and also give something back to the Sacramento community to help those in need. JB's is located inside of the Red Lion Hotel 1401 Arden Way.

Cascade Theater...A Christmas Show revue

Cascade Needs Money.....Certainly Not Due to “A Cascade Christmas”

This past weekend I had the good fortune and great pleasure to attend the wonderful Christmas show at the Cascade, "A Cascade Christmas". Having been in the music field as an avocation for 50 years, I can report that this was one of the best "off Broadway" musicals I have ever seen. What James Santos and the Redding Dance Project does each Christmas is truly magnificent. This show could easily be a Branson headliner or a lead in for any of the Las Vegas shows. This musical dance program with gorgeous and appropriate costuming features talent that is not only professional in their performance but is so impressive in terms of how it is presented with "Broadway" quality sets and settings.

The dancers and singers, all of them local talent folks, work for months to make this one of the best shows in the entire North State, and it shows. From the opening City Scene with the women's cast performing over head kicks and ballet type moves to the full cast Carol of the Bells in full and elaborate costumes, the show moved through beautiful renditions of the familiar Christmas songs (The Christmas Song)to excellent solo and small group renditions of Santa music. With the children, many from local dance schools and dance programs, bringing a new and refreshing excitement to the overall program, this was just a delightful evening of wonderful entertainment. The final numbers feature the Dance of the Wooden Soldiers, and this is perfection at its best. The timing and precision needed in this very difficult presentation caused the full house audience to rise in applause in appreciation of what they had just seen. The final Nativity scene was, as always, very well done and a very fitting evening to this Christmas tradition.

If you did not have a chance to join the 9000 folks that were able to see the 2008 presentation, put it on your schedule for next year. James and the Project will be back and I'm sure it will be as good as this year. This is one Redding activity that one cannot miss. It is truly a wonderful show in the beautiful Cascade Theater setting, where there is not a bad seat. See you at the show

Some Thoughts from Gandhi

GANDHI’S FAMOUS LIST OF
SEVEN BLUNDERS OF THE WORLD
THAT LEAD TO VIOLENCE
__________________________

WEALTH WITHOUT WORK

SCIENCE WITHOUT HUMANITY

PLEASURE WITHOUT CONSCIENCE

WORSHIP WITHOUT SACRIFICE (OBEDIENCE)

KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT CHARACTER

POLITICS WITHOUT PRINCIPLE

COMMERCE WITHOUT MORALITY

Tony Perkins and the Family Research Council

Governing from the Muddle

The new President hasn't stepped foot into office, but that doesn't mean his party is reserving judgment. In yesterday's Politico, liberal Democrats openly complained that Obama's appointments are "too moderate." Others, especially Democrats from more conservative states, criticized the party's leadership as "too extreme." So which is it? Has Obama gone soft on his agenda or is he biding his time with the nation's goodwill? While we may hope he governs from the middle, word from his spokesperson, Stephanie Cutter, suggests otherwise. In an op-ed for U.S. News and World Report, columnist Deborah Kotz says Cutter confirmed that Barack Obama will keep his campaign promises on issues like abortion. The President-elect still favors the radical Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), which will overturn parental involvement and conscience protection laws. After January 20, we can expect him to line the pockets of abortion providers like Planned Parenthood with our hard-earned tax dollars at home and abroad. There is nothing that suggests an Obama Administration will be middle-of-the-road on the life issue. For the latest on the cultural battle lines being drawn, stay tuned to FRC.

Good Advice from Microsoft

5 tips for a safe and happy holiday shopping season

Holiday shopping online is a great way to save time and sometimes money—as long as you take a few precautions to protect yourself from phishing scams and identity theft. Here are five tips for safer shopping on the Internet.

1. Use an updated Web browser. Internet Explorer 7 contains many new features, such as the Phishing Filter, to help you avoid identity theft when you shop online.

2. Make sure you’re on the Web site that you think you’re on. If you use Internet Explorer 7 or higher, you get an extra level of protection with Extended Validation (EV) SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificates. If your address bar turns green you’ll know that you’re not on a spoofed Web site.

3. Visit trusted sites or use a third-party payment service. Many online shops and auction sites will let you pay with third-party payment services, like PayPal. That way you don't have to turn over your credit card information to an unknown person.

4. Use strong passwords for online shopping retailers and keep your passwords secret.

5. Buy only Genuine Microsoft software. Counterfeit software can corrupt your system, make you lose data, and can lead to identity theft. If Microsoft software is on your holiday gift list this season, you can help make sure you're buying the real thing by reading the Guide to Purchasing Genuine Microsoft software.

Mobile Home Parks for Sale in Redding and Northern California

Mobile Home Parks for Sale in Northern California

Posted December 09, 2008 at 11:57 AM

ronlargent

Mobile Home Parks For Sale in Redding and Northern California

We now have a number of Parks available in the North State.

Redding 33 space at $1,200,000 in a great location near Lake Shasta.

South Redding 16 space on 3.8 acres at $520,000 with lots of room to expand and upgrad. Ideal income-investment opportunity.

Anderson area 26 space Park on 25 acres with lots of potential. Gross of $12,000 month from Park owned mobiles and space rent. Offered at $1,250,000.

These are just 3 of many we have in the North State from Sacramento North, so call or e-mail

ronlargent@kw.com

www.ronlargent.com

Clean Your Cutting Board before the Holidays

How you clean your cutting board depends on what type of material it is. Plastic or glass cutting boards can be cleaned a variety of ways, but one of the quickest and easiest methods is to simply put them in the dishwasher. This will thoroughly clean and sanitize your cutting boards. You can make your own dishwasher detergent using Borax (a natural disinfectant) and washing soda with a distilled white vinegar rinse or simply use a store-bought all-natural detergent.

Step2

Wooden cutting boards are an entirely different matter. They should not be put in the dishwasher because of the potential for cracking and splitting. Also, they should not be submerged in a sink full of water for the same reason. So, how do clean a wooden cutting board? First, let’s look at a little preventative maintenance that should make cleaning and disinfecting your wooden cutting boards easier.

Step3

First, make sure you use a cutting board for chopping fruits and vegetables and a different one for cutting meats. (This goes for wooden, glass or plastic cutting boards) This will prevent cross-contamination. Next, treat your new wooden cutting boards with a food grade mineral oil to prevent the absorption of food particles and liquids. Simply rub the oil on the cutting board and let it soak in. Repeat this process until no more oil can be absorbed. Do not use vegetable oil as it will turn rancid over time. This will need to be repeated about once a month.

Step4

Now that you’ve prepared your cutting board and used it, how do you safely clean it? The best way to clean a wooden cutting board is to scrub the surface (only the surface; do not submerge it in water) with hot soapy water. You can use liquid castile soap or a store bought all-natural dish soap to prevent any extra chemicals from absorbing into your cutting board. Once you have scrubbed it thoroughly, let it dry completely.

Step5

To naturally disinfect your cutting board there are a couple different methods you can use. Once your cutting board is dry, spray the surface with undiluted distilled white vinegar and let it sit for at least 10-30 minutes, then wipe clean. The acetic acid in vinegar is effective at killing bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus.

Step6

Some studies have shown that using both pure vinegar and hydrogen peroxide is more effective than either one alone. Keep the liquids in separate spray bottles and use one at a time. It doesn’t matter which one you use first. Let each liquid sit on the cutting board for at least ten minutes and then wipe clean. Now, you have a clean, disinfected cutting board without using any harmful chemicals.

Mobile Home Park in North Redding at $1,200,000

33 space in great location just north of Redding, CA near Lake Shasta. This is a real money maker with 90% occupancy. Part of the Park is older and some is new, but a very stable and desirable park. E-mail for details, financials, photos, etc ronlargent@kw.com www.ronlargent.com

Sunday Night Jazz in Sacramento

Good morning everyone,

Well we tried something unique and different and boy was it worth it. Motoshi Kosako, classical and jazz harpist extraordinaire came to town with his quartet of Bill Douglass on bass and bamboo flute, Daryl Van Druff on drums and Joe Berry on sax. A humble and very talented musician, he took us to a place where we did not know that jazz could go. Who would have thought that great improvisational sounds would come from a harp.But I am here to tell you that it does. The evening was filled with mix of originals written by Motoshi.The influences and inpiration for each were varied and widespread. They ranged from gospel inspired ( On The Way Home) to funk ( Babbling of Drunkard) to tender tributes to his wife (Waltz For Terra). As he said himself, music on a harp can be kind of mellow, but once Joe Berry stepped up on the stage things got a little funkier and they swung in a big way. Darlene Tellis, a local vocalist who has sung at the Thursday evening jazz, joined them for Summertime.

He saved the absolute best for last which turned out to be my favorite of the evening. It was a suite titled Place In The Heart. This had different movements, as suites do, first a straight tempo, then later breaking out into a very subtle latin beat. The amazing thing to watch though was that during the last "movement" Motoshi strummed the strings with his right hand like a guitar, while picking out a beautiful melody with his left. It was fascinating to watch him play. One doesn't usually get to see a harp being played up close. Normally it is far away up on a stage in a concert hall

At one point Motoshi stepped out of his performer mode and went into teaching mode, explaining how a harp works and the fact that most of the time it is played in a fashion that reflects all of the white keys on the piano, but once he starts using the pedals (which I did know they had until Sunday night) then the black keys are introduced and it takes on a whole other realm which can encompass jazz. He said that there are not many who want to tackle jazz on a harp because it is very difficult and a different mind set than playing it classically. Aren't we very lucky that he decided to step to the challenge. He will definitely be back and when he does, his is a show that you don't want to miss.

His show like all of the shows in the Sunday evening jazz series are ones not to miss. We have strived to bring the very best in local and regional mainstream improvisational jazz and we invite you to join us every Sunday. JB's has become our local gathering place to make friends with other jazz fans, have a nice dinner, a drink, and listen to America's big contribution to the musical world. Something that has come to be known as America's Art Form - Jazz.

This week the Ron Davis Big Band makes their annual Christmas trek to JB's Lounge. Show time is 5-8pm and the price is $8/$5 kids ten and under. JB's is located inside the Red Lion Hotel, 1401 Arden Way. You can call 916 723-5517 and press 3 or email me at vtlee54@hotmail.com or vtlee54@gmail.com for reservations.

Lou Dobbs on CNN

America belongs to each of us, uncluttered and untainted by advertising images, media bias, and corporate greed. It is an America that is full of choices and one in which we take an active role in our community and in our nation. Unfortunately, I'm no longer sure that this is the America in which we live.