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Mortgage News
Important Fed Meeting Ahead |
 With
all the news about the economy and the potential concerns over future
inflation, a big news item to watch is the Fed Meeting that will take
place in June. Here's what you need to know!
What is it? The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC)
consists of the seven Governors of the Federal Reserve Board and five
Federal Reserve Bank presidents. The FOMC meets eight times a year in
order to determine the near-term direction of monetary policy. Changes
in monetary policy are now announced immediately after FOMC meetings.
When will it take place? The next meeting is scheduled to take place June 19-20, 2012.
Why does it matter? The Fed's Statement after its meeting
in April was not a glowing endorsement of the economy, but they did
admit that things are improving in most areas except housing, which
remains "depressed." While improvement in our economy is good, if this
trend continues home loan rates could edge higher. Why? Because Stocks
often benefit in strong economic times at the expense of Bonds
(including Mortgage Bonds, which home loan rates are based on).
What to listen for? There are two important topics that
some experts have been paying close attention to–one is the potential
rise of inflation and the second is the possibility that the Fed will
initiate another round of Bond buying (called Quantitative Easing or
QE3). In terms of inflation, the Fed acknowledged that inflation has
increased a bit. Remember: higher inflation is never good news for Bonds
as inflation hurts the return of a fixed investment. If hints of
inflation continue to pick up in the weeks or months ahead, this could
hurt Bonds and home loan rates. In terms of QE3, the Fed didn't mention
another round of Bond buying in their policy statement after April's
meeting, though Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke did allude to it in his press
conference following the meeting. The markets will be keeping a close
eye on the Fed for any hints about either of those topics at the next
meeting.
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 If
you know anyone who is looking to buy, sell or refinance a home, please
forward their name and telephone number to us. We will happily provide
the same high level of service that we have provided to you. The
greatest compliment you could possibly give us is the referral of your
friends and family. |
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Finance News
Travel Agents vs. Do-It-Yourself Online Travel Booking
Travelers find that agents can beat do-it-yourself online deals.
By Lisa Gerstner, Kiplinger.com |
 A
few years ago, travel agents appeared to be sailing into the sunset as
options for booking vacations online flourished. But business has been
booming. The American Society of Travel Agents reports that about 75% of
its members say revenues, transactions and number of clients rose or
remained steady in the first half of 2011 compared with the first half
of 2010.
Travelers such as Lisa Kolb are returning to travel agencies after
disappointing do-it-yourself results. Kolb, an information technology
specialist, uses Travel Leaders in Fairfax, Va., to book vacations. She
scours the Web for deals but says her agent beats the prices she finds.
Plus, the agency alerts her to local customs abroad and tosses in perks,
such as setting up tours at popular sites so she doesn't have to wait
in lines. "We've outsmarted ourselves by not taking advantage of the
knowledge that travel agents have," says Kolb.
The more complex or luxurious the trip, the more useful an agent can be.
Agents have an inside track on deals and upgrades, and they can quickly
solve problems or change plans while you're on a trip, says industry
consultant Mark Murphy, at Travalliancemedia. In some cases, travel
agents don't charge their clients–for example, an agent who books a
cruise may earn a 10% commission from the cruise line. Others impose
booking fees–say, $30 for an airline ticket–or require a deposit that
they'll keep if you cancel.
Reprinted with permission. All Contents ©2012 The Kiplinger Washington Editors. www.kiplinger.com.
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Creative Cuisine
Easy Sweet Tea
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With the weather getting warmer, here's a great refreshing beverage you can enjoy:
Easy Sweet Tea
- 3 family-size tea bags, or
10 single-serving tea bags
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1.5 cup sugar
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A pinch (1/8 tsp) baking soda (removes
bitterness and darkens the brewed tea)
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1 gallon purified water
In a small pot, boil 4 cups of the water. Add baking soda and tea bags.
Turn off heat and cover. Allow the tea bags to steep for 10 minutes.
Remove tea bags and pour the tea into a gallon-sized pitcher. Add sugar
and stir until fully dissolved. Add the remaining water to the pitcher
and refrigerate until cold.
Pour into glasses filled with ice and garnish with lemon wedges.
No stranger to professional kitchens, Kirk Leins currently devotes
most of his time to cooking instruction, food writing, and producing
television. You can visit Kirk's website at www.NoTimeToCook.com.
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Street Smarts
Summer Time Safety |
 In
just a few short weeks, the bell will sound and school will be out for
the summer. And while most carefree children look forward to family
vacations, trips to the swimming pool, and going off to summer camp,
there are also some very important things that parents–and
children–should be educated about in order to ensure a safe and healthy
summer for all. Especially when venturing out to your neighborhood park!
Be sure to check that plastic and metal slides and swing set equipment
are cool to the touch so that your child can avoid severe burns.
Avoid dressing your children in clothing that visibly has their name.
Not doing so could be putting your children at risk of strangers calling
them by name.
Don't allow your children to ride their bikes to the park without you or
an adult. And if you're going to be riding your bike with them, don't
allow them to get too far ahead of you where they're out of your sight.
Try to avoid engaging in phone conversations or texting while at the
park with your child. Distractions like these can cause you to lose
sight of where your child is playing, which could endanger your child if
strangers are nearby.
Here's to another happy, healthy, and safe summer!
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Home News
How Meal Planning Can Save You Hundreds |
 Meal
planning is a simple and effective way to save a lot of money each
month, not to mention cut down on pricey (and unhealthy) dining out.
Serving home-cooked meals to your family not only reduces your grocery
budget, it's a healthy alternative to fast food. Here are a few tips and
ideas to get you started:
- Decide how you
want to do your meal planning. Some people like to do bi-weekly, some
weekly and a few will plan out monthly meal schedules. If you're just
starting out with this concept, start with weekly planning until you get
the hang of it.
- Make a list of your family's regular and favorite meals, including
side dishes to go along with entrees; for example, spaghetti and
meatballs with salad and garlic bread, or tacos and beans.
- Print out (or buy) a calendar. Sit down with it and the list of
meals that you made. Start by designating each day a specific meal
(Monday-meatless, Tuesday-casserole, etc.), to make it easier to plan
your meals around certain days. But don't be too set on the plan; make
sure you can switch around dinners if schedules change and unexpected
meetings come up.
- Create your grocery list around your set meal plan. Check your
pantry and freezer to make sure you don't place duplicate items on your
list if you already have them on hand. Scour your grocery store ads for
sales on the items you need.
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Facts and Figures
Let the Games Begin |
 July
27th marks the opening ceremonies for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games,
which for the third time are being held in London, England. To help
build the excitement, we thought we'd share some fascinating facts about
the Games of the XXX Olympiad.
- The Olympic Games will feature 26 sports, which breakdown into 29
disciplines and the Paralympic Games will feature 20 sports and 21
disciplines.
- More than 4,500 medals will be produced for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
- Over 100,000 people will be compensated to work on the games.
- Nearly 70,000 volunteers will assist with the games.
- The journey around the United Kingdom will last 70 days and include 8,000 Torchbearers.
- There are more than 30 venues that will host the Olympic and Paralympic events.
- Participation is expected from 204 National Olympic Committees.
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Did you know that Orlando has remained the top summer vacation spot, according to AAA, for the last several years?
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Summer
tends to bring about a more carefree mindset. And it's this very
mindset that burglars prey on, especially during the season when
families head out for vacation. Here are a few tips to be mindful of
this summer:
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Tip 1: Do not announce via social media that you are out of town. Also refrain from posting pictures that suggest you're not at home.
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Tip 2: Post a sign in your front yard from your alarm company, showing that your home is being monitored.
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Tip 3: Keep your exterior lights on in the front and back yard to deter burglars.
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Tip 4: Tell your neighbors when you will be out of town so they can be on the lookout for anything suspicious.
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Tip 5: Don't leave valuables in places where they can be seen from the outside (close to windows, etc.).
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| "Risk comes from not knowing what you're doing." |
| – Warren Buffet |
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In what year did Congress officially declare the 4th of July a federal legal holiday?
For answer, scroll down to the bottom. |
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The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
By Charles Duhigg |
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Why do habits exist? And how can we change them?
These two questions are deftly answered by award-winning New York Times business reporter Charles Duhigg in his bestselling book, The Power of Habit. Duhigg
uses the power of real-life stories to explain why some people and
companies struggle, while others seem to transform themselves overnight.
We see how right habits were crucial to the success of people like
Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, and
civil-rights hero Martin Luther King, Jr. And we learn how to implement
so-called keystone habits that can help us achieve the things we desire.
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Habits
can be changed, and understanding how habits work can help us do things
like lose weight, be more productive, exercise regularly, and more. For
more information, visit Amazon.com.
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Thank You
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As
always, we wish to thank our clients who have been kind enough to refer
business to us. We appreciate the opportunity to provide excellent
service to your family, friends, and co–workers.
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