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Precious Liberties

Posted on June 30th, 2011 by Richard. Categories: Food for Thought

The economy has a pattern, that if charted over time resembles waves, cyclical ups and downs that are normal in a free market. Some years are stronger than others. Some not so strong. That’s just what happens in a free market. The cause of the downturn we have seen over the last four years in our economy is no different. What has made it different though is the way the media reacted to it this time. The modern media machine took what would have been a normal correction and drove the story relentlessly, magnifying it into something much worse. The sad part is, it’s not a story. This is real. Peoples’ lives were impacted negatively because of it. Millions of people lost their homes or a great deal of their net worth, in part because the media wanted a dramatic story to present to their audience. If you say that things are bad enough times then the message comes true. There used to be three networks with one news program in the evening. Now there are several dozen of them, some running 24×7 with their endlessly repeating noise. When you throw in their websites plus newspapers and periodicals, it’s everywhere always. What’s even more tragic is that their plan is to do it again and again if we let them.

A free press is essential to a free society. But elements of a free press that are driven by huge profits are not what our forefathers had in mind as they penned the Bill of Rights. Profit influences the media’s choice of content and the way the content is presented. The more dramatic the message, the more they believe it will be noticed. The more viewers that can be counted, the more that can be charged for advertising. Public figures are afraid to take on the media because they know the media can turn on them too, and they might loose their jobs. So, it’s up to others to let the media know that they are mistaken to treat our lives and livelihood with such little regard. Maybe if enough people called them out, the message would become purer again, more truthful, resembling news again instead of some drama piece. Just tuning them out isn’t enough.

I try to stay away from anything of a political nature here. But, the fourth of July holiday is coming up soon and it got me thinking about the liberties that are most precious to us. Basic things like truth and freedom. They were worth the fight 235 years ago, and they still are.

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Geist Fireworks 2011

Posted on June 28th, 2011 by Richard. Categories: Community Feature, Holidays

The bridge over Geist is decked out in red, white and blue these days, getting ready for its’ annual 4th of July transformation. The bridge will actually be closed to all vehicle traffic from 5:30 to 11:30 on the 4th and instead becomes THE place to gather with family or friends for a ringside seat of all the activities. Just bring a lawn chair and enjoy the boat parade, sky-divers and of course a fantastic fireworks show which begins when it gets dark. There will be music, food vendors and a KidsZone too. A fun way to celebrate the 4th.

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Connecting the Dots

Posted on June 26th, 2011 by Richard. Categories: Community Feature

Sometimes I smile and shake my head when looking at a group of people now. Could be any type of public gathering. Three out of ten are either talking on their phones or eyes buried on the tiny screen checking email or with thumbs flying while texting, ignoring the other people they are with, the event they are attending or the visual scenery. Our modern devises are useful and necessary but sometimes I wonder if we really are always better connected than before. What if because of them we miss the moment and what’s unfolding right in front of us. The email or text will still be there in a minute or two, and so will the voice mail from a call untaken. In this Wi-Fi, 4G connected world, places like the Monon Trail provide a real way to connect with the community, one another and our surroundings in real time. It’s a notable contrast to automobiles that also get us from point A to B but instead we’re in our own rolled-up windowed space, insulating us from each other. On the Monon there’s no motors or exhaust either. It’s pretty tough to check your email too while jogging or riding a bike on the trail…although I have seen people attempting it.

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The Cost of Money

Posted on June 24th, 2011 by Richard. Categories: Financing

Knowing what a mortgage payment would be for a 30 year fixed-rate mortgage without a calculator is something that comes in handy. Remembering what the payment amount would be for $1,000 is how I do it. That number times ten would of course then be the payment for $10,000…or times a hundred for $100,000. So it’s easy then to figure what any amount would be by moving the decimal point and simple addition. Every once in a while when there is a significant change in rates I’ll pull out my financial calculator to update it. Over the years, that number has fluctuated. A number of years ago I remember that amount being $9 per $1,000 when rates where 10.5%. It’s dropped in recent years to $7…then $6. I computed it recently and that number is now right at $5 per $1,000. That’s really an amazingly low figure. I never thought we would ever see rates this low, and even more so, consistently for such a long time. We’ll look back later and remember these times as being one of the best opportunities ever.

Take a look at today’s rates… updated daily.   Current Mortgage Rates

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Valuable Effort

Posted on June 21st, 2011 by Richard. Categories: For Home Sellers, Real Estate Perspective

One of the more interesting facets of being a Realtor is being able to get a close-up look at a number of different homes, inside and out. You’d think that would become routine after so many years, but it’s still really enjoyable. While some designs are similar, each home has a different tale to tell that makes it fun to encounter. The old homes especially have a great story line. The succession of owners have a huge impact obviously. Each owner differs in the amount of time and resources they devote to maintenance, updates, landscaping, etc. Each home is the sum total of everything that people have done. Even small things add up like decorating or furnishings. Value is affected by this too. Even if two homes were exactly alike except that more effort was put into cleanliness, decorating and furnishings, a buyer is probably more likely to purchase the one that exudes the most charm. Time equals money, so the effort put into that adds to the bottom line too. Usually the longer a home is for sale, the market will begin to question the asking price. Typically, the quicker a home sells, the closer it will bring to asking price.