Why Test for Radon?

According to the Surgeon General of the United States, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer within the USA.

Radon is estimated to cause about 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year, according to EPA's 2003 Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes (EPA 402-R-03-003). The numbers of deaths from other causes are taken from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 1999-2001 National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Report and 2002 National Safety Council Reports.

Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths, but if your home has high radon levels and you smoke, then your risk of lung cancer is especially high. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the American Lung Association agree that long term exposure to elevated levels of radon pose a significant health risk to you and your family. Therefore, since radon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas, the only way to determine if radon is in your home is by testing.

Radon is estimated to cause about 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year, according to EPA's 2003 Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes (EPA 402-R-03-003). The numbers of deaths from other causes are taken from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 1999-2001 National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Report and 2002 National Safety Council Reports.

Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths, but if your home has high radon levels and you smoke, then your risk of lung cancer is especially high. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the American Lung Association agree that long term exposure to elevated levels of radon pose a significant health risk to you and your family. Therefore, since radon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas, the only way to determine if radon is in your home is by testing.

FDIC and Loan Pools

Washington Report: FDIC and Loan Pools

The Obama administration's latest plans to bring relief to the financial markets have been dominating the news from Washington, but it's far from clear whether they'll actually produce more money for people to buy houses.

Here's why: Although the Treasury's and FDIC's programs almost certainly will help major banks clean some of the toxic suprime mortgages and commercial real estate securities out of their portfolios, that doesn't mean the banks will turn around and extend new mortgages to consumers.

That's because there's no "quid pro quo" in this program. The FDIC and Treasury are essentially helping banks sell off loan pools and securities at discounts to private investors and "public-private" joint-venture funds, but there's no requirement that the banks do anything in particular with the money.

Banks can take the sales proceeds and simply use them to bolster their capital positions. They can also wait for a higher price and sell nothing.

Of course there is a chance that some banks will take the money and plow it into parts of the mortgage market that really need it at the moment, like jumbo mortgages in high-cost housing areas throughout California, in Florida, Washington, D.C., the New York metropolitan and New England.

The Bank of America is leading the way on the move into jumbos -- loans above $730,000. Even without selling its own toxic mortgage assets, it has begun making an aggressive push into big home loans -- offering up to one and a half million dollar mortgages to borrowers with good credit and minimum 20 percent equity. Fixed interest rates are in the high five percent range.

You might ask: why would sophisticated investors have any interest whatsoever in the "bad" loans and securities on the banks' books? Why would pension funds want to buy somebody else's garbage? Here's why. Because those assets are better than garbage. Subprime mortgage backed securities and loan pools owned by the banks might have high rates of default and foreclosure: say 30 percent to 40 percent.

But that means 60 to 70 percent of the borrowers in these securities are still paying on time. The cash flows produced by those borrowers are worth something. And some of the delinquent borrowers may be salvageable through loan modifications and rate reductions.

How much will investors pay for these damaged goods? Since there's a lot of federal guarantees involved in the whole program -- and private investors won't need to put up a lot of equity -- the Obama administration hopes they'll pay whatever is necessary to get the banks to sell.

Written by Kenneth R. Harney March 30, 2009

Foreclosure Homes...to buy or not to buy?

The Naked Truth About Short Sales And Pre-Foreclosures.

It looked so appealing on MLS, didn't it. The price is $90,000 below list/sale from two years ago, in a decent and workable area; your buyers are not only qualified but ready to go with their loan package, and the home? On market for 135 days. What could possibly be wrong?

Everything.

From special As-Is bank addendums and prerequisites such as dictating what type of lender and loan the seller will accept, to winterized and locked down homes buyers are expected to restore during the inspection process, greatly extended escrow days and lots of last minute grenades going off before closing and recording, the migraine headaches we never had before are festering back left of forehead.

It is true, especially now in Seattle, the Short Sale real estate industry has emerged as a huge segment of your Realtor's efforts in representing your purchase. And yes, it is indeed exciting to see SO many wonderful opportunities, but my advice is to proceed with caution and stay close to your agent, keep the phone by your bedside and increase your minutes package with the calling plan.

There are many, many pitfalls about this new market of shorts and preforeclosures. During the Go-Go years of 2003 - 2007 it was not unusual to waive disclosures and increase price to win the home. Today, banks want as many waivers as they can get and it's all about negotiation and justification of price.

Don't end up with someone else's nightmare. Be careful. Communicate. Stay centered. Be unemotional. Maybe, just maybe, that Short Sale could be yours.

PETS...

I hate when the family pet(s) don't feel, act or look like themselves.

They can't tell you what is bothering them, you have to figure it out by yourself. And how long does this take us? How long had they been feeling bad before we noticed?

Over the years Mike & I have had 2 Dobermans, 1 German Shepard, 1 Great Dane and 4 cats. And everyone of them at some point died one way or another. (Yes Lisa they do.) We spent thousands fixing up the Sherpard, Ace, after he got hit and the Dane, Astro, for his tail and the blue Dobie, Seka.

Once they finally get to the point where they are not having good quality of life we know what's next...

Mike and I didn't want any animals after the last one, Astro, was put to sleep. We love our animals and treat them like they are part of the family. It is just to hard.

So we have been animalless for several years now until Chloe got old enough to realize she really wanted one. So after months and months and months of constant asking I finally gave in.

I told the kids that they could get a small pet and they are responsible to care for it, clean up after it and love it. Chloe also had a new chore added to her list, to vacuum the family room each week, in addition to her normal chores.

So we went and picked out a guinea pig, Hickory. I had one at her age and loved it! Both kids have done excellent keeping up their end of the bargain. But recently...

Hickory has not been feeling well. We noticed she was slowly looking worse. Her hair started to fall out on her bum and she had this stuff that looked like dandruff, but wasn't. I researched it on line and found out what I thought it was. Did you know that I have a degree? Aren't we all doctors now...

I made an appointment with the vet and took her in. She weighed in at 2.6 pounds, a bit over weight...ya think! She was a very unhappy camper and didn't hold back letting the vet know how she felt. We all laughed at her squealing and the vet says "she is definitely a dominate female isn't she!" Well, after much discussion it was found out that her pine chips that we use for bedding had mites in it.

So we tossed out the brand new huge bag of it and bought this other Eco-friendly, biodegradable bedding. We made her a new and improved bigger cage also. After her shots and new bedding she is feeling better and acting like her normal vocal self. Thank goodness.

This is Hickory after getting her bath this afternoon.

Friendship

Friendship should be surrounded with ceremonies and respects, and not crushed into corners. Friendship requires more time than poor, busy men can usually command. ~Emerson (This is so true. It is a treasure given to us that we should cherish and nuture. Making the time is hard but very important to do.)

Virtue is everlasting

The soul's calm sunshine and the heartfelt joy,
Is virtue's prize.

~ Pope - Moral Essay

Get-A-Way spot that is one of a kind!

Have a special event coming up and are trying to find something NEW to do. Try this, floating Inn, this destination get a way is one of a kind. You can rent the entire yacht and enjoy the beauty of La Conner, the awesome dining available, the TULIP fields and the quiet wonder of the water. Double click to see the image larger.

Staying Connected

Pledge to feel more connected. Win* a trip that will connect you more than ever. Life’s busy. It’s hard to remember to slow down and truly connect. So take a moment and pledge to feel more connected to someone you love. You could win* the ultimate reunion trip for you and your friends or a digital camera. *See Downy site for details.

What's Happening in April

Double click on this to view larger. I hope that you have time to go and enjoy the unparalled beauty of the tulips in La Conner this month.