What's Your Mantra?

  What's your mantra?  If you don't have one, maybe you'd like to consider making up one of your own.  A mantra is just a word or a phrase that you repeat several times aloud or in your mind that helps bring a sense of calm and peace to you.  "Mantra" literally means "to free from the mind," and that's what it does – repeating a mantra helps banish all those many anxious thoughts or stressful feelings we seem to acquire throughout the day and clears the mind.

    When you repeat a mantra, it has been shown to have a direct impact on the body and emotions.  In studies done of people who repeated their mantras daily, it was found that they had reduced their stress levels and anxiety and increased their sense of well-being.  So you could think of a mantra as your "comfort" words.

    While a mantra can be a prayer, like saying the "Hail Mary" used on a rosary or the "om-mani-padme-om" in Buddhism, a mantra can also be a personal motto, or a phrase that inspires you or that expresses something you believe in.  It could be something like "go with the flow," "all is well," "take it easy," or "love surrounds me."  It's important that whatever you choose is something personal that has meaning for you.

    Saying your mantra daily could even help your heart.  According to a study in a British medical journal, when people recited their mantras, their breathing became more regular and synchronized with their heart rhythms.  This stable respiratory rate is beneficial for long-term heart health.

    You can say your mantra at any time throughout the day, for as long or short a time as you wish.  You can "think" your mantra while waiting somewhere or riding public transportation, or devote some time at home to say it aloud as a form of meditation when you can sit comfortably.

    So, why not give it a try?  Create your own little oasis of peace throughout the day, and you'll be the better for it.

Smile even through your Tears

This was sent to me via email. HOw true it is and I thought I'd share this with everyone.

                                   Around the corner I have a friend,

In this great city that has no end,

Yet the days go by and weeks rush on,

And before I know it, a year is gone.

And I never see my old friends face,

For life is a swift and terrible race,

He knows I like him just as well,

As in the days when I rang his bell.

And he rang mine but we were younger then,

And now we are busy, tired men.

Tired of playing a foolish game,

Tired of trying to make a name.

"Tomorrow" I say! "I will call on Jim

Just to show that I'm thinking of him."

But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes,

And distance between us grows and grows.

Around the  corner, yet miles away,

"Here's a telegram sir," "Jim died today."

And that's what we get and deserve in the end.

Around the corner, a vanished friend.

Remember to always say what you mean.

If you  love someone, tell them.

Don't be afraid to express yourself.

Reach out and tell someone what they mean to you.

Because when you decide that it is the right time

it might be too late.

Seize the day. Never have regrets.

And most importantly, stay close to your friends

and family, for they have helped

make you the person that you are today.

To Realize...

To realize

The value of a sister

Ask someone

Who doesn't have one.

To realize

The value of ten years:

Ask a newly

Divorced couple.

To realize

The value of four years:

Ask a graduate.

To realize

The value of one year:

Ask a student who

Has failed a final exam.

To realize

The value of nine months:

Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize

The value of one month:

Ask a mother

who has given birth to

A premature baby.

To realize

The value of one week:

Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize

The value of one minute:

Ask a person

Who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize

The value of one-second:

Ask a person

Who has survived an accident.

Time waits for no one.

Treasure every moment you have.

You will treasure it even more when

you can share it with someone special.

To realize the value of a friend or family member:

LOSE ONE.

Remember ... Hold on tight to the ones you Love !

The origin of this letter is unknown,

But it brings good ' vibes' to everyone.

Peace, love and prosperity to all!

Credit & Financing...

With all the talk of sub prime lenders going belly up an dbanks tightening their credit lending policies what does all of this mean?...

When considering purchasing a home first thing you will be asked by a REALTOR or Seller are you pre-qualified or pre-approved? Basically what they are asking is can you afford to purchase this house?

Alot of times I am asked what happens to my credit "fico" score if I start shopping the interest rates. Here is a very simplified answer. When you shop the interest rate with different banks, mortgage companies and they want to run a credit report on you all of these types of reports will be counted as one and will not lower your "fico" score. Why? Because in essence you will only buy one house at a time. Just like you will more than likely buy one car at a time.

HOWEVER!!!! When it comes to credit cards and their inquiries each time they look at your credit report they will lower your score. Why? because you can get as many as 3 or more credit cards at one time.

As to the lenders tightening their credit lending policy, yes that is true and what they are looking at most importantly are teh following not necessarily in this order:

1. Income

2. Down Payment

3. Credit

These are the MOST crucial items when applying for a loan or refinancing a home. Do you have enough income to sustain the loan. How much of your own money are you using to purchase the home. How are you at payin gback your creditors. These are very important factors and they are looking at them almost under a microscope.

IN order to get to get started for a home loan these are the items you will need:

• Social Security numbers
• residence information for the past 2 years
• Most recent (2 month)pay stubs
• Employment history for past 2 years
• w-2 forms for the past 2 years
• Self employed individuals need 2 years Federal Tax returns
• All bank, 401k & stock statements for the 2 months.

Once you gather all of this information and give to a reputable mortgage bank/person you will then be able to be "pre-approved". What this means is that the bank in theory will set aside the money for you until you find the property you want and get it appraised.

If you only supply the reputable mortgage bank/person a credit report without verification of the items above you will only be "pre-qualified" because based on the credit report it shows that you qualify to purchase the house but does not have actual proof of all the information they need to be positive or that there are not any hidden surprises that do not show up on credit reports.

Urban Legends about FICO Score...

or the Truth about Credit.

"FICO"  stand for Fair Isaac and Company. Information is provided by 3 major credit reporting agencies:

• Equifax
• Experian
• Transunion.

What makes up a "FICO" score? 

• 35% is payment history.
• 30% is Amounts owed.
• 15% Length of Credit history.
• 10% NEw Credit.
• 10% type of credits used.

Where do most people stand in the FICO scores?

Most people  28% are in the 750 to 799 FICO score range. 19% are in 700 to 749. 16% 650-699. 12% 600-649.11% 800+. 8% 550-599. 5% 500-549. 1% up to 499.

Did you know that...?

The average number of credit obligations  is 11?

Fewer than 4 out of 10 have ever had a 30 or more days late?

Only 2 out of 10 have ever had a 60 or more days late?

48% carry balances less than $1,000?

22% carry balances between $1,000 & $10,000?

and that 30% carry more than $10,000 of NON-mortgage related debt? (pretty sad statistics)

Just thought you'd like to know some interesting money matters stuff.

Press Release

Press Release Gloria achieved...

AS some you of you know I have been going to school for the last 7 months, 2 times a week, all day to study for my Broker's License State Exam.

I am pleased to announce to you that I have taken the state examt  and PASSED!!

I am now a full fledged broker!

So what does that mean you may ask? Well several things.

First this is a great degree and personal accomplishment, this could equate to getting a PHD on the outside world.

Second it means, I could open up my own office, I could potentially manage a real estate office or corporate branch, I could do property management it oipens alot of doors.

I plan to stay with Coldwell Banker.

What this means to you is that I am dedicated. I believe in my proffession that I have chosen. This is a carreer. I am committed to my work and as a result to YOU!  This means I believe in continuing education and constantly striving to improve myself which in return gives you better service. This means you are working with a knowledgeable,reputable and experienced REALTOR who will be there in the long run.

I look forward to doing business with you NOW and in the FUTURE!

Thank you for the opportunity to help you and thank you for allowing me to share this with you!

Did you Know...?

This Friday will be the 13th the first one this year.

Streets named by numbers often skip the number 13, and in high rise buildings, the twelfth floor is almost always followed immediately by the 14th floor.  The 13th floor is simply "skipped" over or given a "safer" label

The legend of the number 13 itself goes back to 600 B.C. and the philosophy of Pythagoras, who believed that 13 did not mean a cutoff, but rather a chance for evolution and change.  It did not point to warnings of endings but rather to new beginnings.  Thus, it was a number to be favored and a favorable date on which to enter this world.

    Friday the 13th was also a holy day in the Church. A true miracle occurred at St. Paul's Cathedral, in London, on Friday the 13th in December, 1940.  The lives of hundreds of people were saved when the famous church remained untouched during one of the worst air raids in the history of World War II.

This magical day has even made baseball history! On Friday, April 13th, 1984, Pete Rose hit a double off Jerry Koosman in Olympic Stadium to become only the second player to reach the 4,000-hit level, after Ty Cobb.

Regardless of Friday the 13th's history, there is an inexplicable sense that luck can be dramatically altered on this date -- a feeling so strong that, so every Friday the 13 at 13:13pm I say a little wish.

   

April Newsletter 2007

Download April2007.mht