Jeanette Hada's Glyconutrients, Health, Happiness and Wellness Blog

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 23:47:52 -0800

I did not write the following, but do share the same sentiment and thought it was brilliantly written... enjoy.

The holidays are upon us once again, and once again it is time to be grateful. With all the negative media these days, I wanted to remind you that many wonderful things are happening despite what you may hear in the news.

A Silver Lining in the Housing Market

The media always loves to focus on the negative, and it may get you doing so as well-well, don't. The book and DVD called The Secret show pretty conclusively that whatever you focus on becomes your experience, i.e., whatever your worry about ends up happening. You know me, I always focus on the positive-well, here it goes:

POSITIVE #1: Since the housing market has slowed down, more people are saving. More savings provide more funds for banks to loan to homebuyers.

POSITIVE #2: Since the increase in gas prices, people are driving less, buying more energy-efficient cars, and starting to install more solar features in their homes-all good for the environment. People also are starting to move to the inner city, great for revitalizing downtown areas and giving families more time to spend at home with one another.

POSITIVE #3: The fall in the dollar is helping our economy because foreign consumers are buying more of our products, taking more vacations here, and helping our trade imbalance.

POSITIVE #4: The subprime lenders had sold homes to people who could not afford them anyway. Now those less-expensive foreclosures are being bought by people who otherwise could not have afforded a home.

POSITIVE #5: The slowdown in the housing market is confined to those areas that went up too fast, anyway-i.e., Florida; Washington, DC; New York; California; Las Vegas; and Arizona. Now the locals there once again can afford to buy a home.

So savings are up, we are using less gas and moving back to the inner city, more people are concerned about conserving energy, our trade deficit is improving, and more deserving Americans are able to afford a home. We also live in the best place in the world-what could be better?

Be grateful and enjoy your Thanksgiving. God bless you all.

SOURCE: "Housing Prices are Down, Oil is Up, and That's Not Really So Bad," New York Times, November 14, pp. A1 and A20.

Searching for the perfect property

Wed, 27 Dec 2006 01:53:34 -0800

After visiting a handful of properties, it's apparent more than ever, that it's necessary to view the property in person and not make judgements based on the images posted on the MLS. Listing agents are either getting better at angling their shots or using Photoshop really well. I have a few friends also looking to purchase homes, some even for the first time.

One of the benefits of working with a friend who's a realtor and understands the finance side of the purchase is she's upfront about the difference between affording and qualifying. Property tax, maintenance, utilities, and other general living expenses, plus having enough to invest in either other ventures or the market allows us to expand our portfolio and make more investments.

On the hunt for a new property

Sun, 05 Nov 2006 23:20:35 -0800

This past weekend was spent looking for multiple unit properties to both and live and invest in. After viewing about eight different places, I came home feeling very thankful for our tiny (but well kept and quiet) home. We'd like to find a place with a good school district, and possibly upgrade the property to include eco and health friendly flooring, paint, and water filteration systems.

It seems a million dollars doesn't get you very much in the Bay Area these days. That's not exactly our budget, but it's the going rate for many of the plex properties in the 40 year old range in the South Bay.

Please read on if you would like a list of valuable real estate resources.