HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!

A GREAT RESOURCE FOR A FIREWORKS

CELEBRATION LOCATION NEAR YOU:

2010 Michigan Fireworks Schedule

STAY COOL THIS SUMMER & REDUCE YOUR ENERGY BILL

1. Invest in Ceiling Fans: Ceiling fans help cool you down because they move the air. When moving air meets moisture (like the sweat on your skin) it has a cooling affect that can make you feel 8 to 10 degrees cooler.
2. Use Outdoor Misters: Have a cooling affect that can make you feel 8 to 10 degrees cooler. A mister sends a fine spray of water into the air which slowly evaporates by absorbing energy from the air. The net result is a cooler air temperature in the immediate vicinity of the mister.
3. Give Your Air Conditioner a Check-up. The contractor will clean the coils, make sure you have enough refrigerant, and generally see to it that the system works as well as possible. You should also replace or clean the unit's filters as often as required.
4. Energy Efficient Light Bulbs –Fluorescent light bulbs not only use less energy, & last up to 5 years longer, they don’t emit as much heat as regular incandescent bulbs. In fact incandescent bulbs waste 90% of their energy on the heat rather than on lighting!

BRAVE NEW REAL ESTATE WORLD!!!

The housing market has emerged in a brave new world on the bust side of the boom. Distressed properties litter the market. Tighter underwriting rules apply. Regulations are stronger. Cash talks. Fast appreciation isn't guaranteed. But buying is still possible if you understand what's changed.

You need money on the table. Don't leverage yourself to the hilt. The larger the down payment, the better. A sizable down payment gives you an immediate equity stake in your home and a better shot at landing a loan for less.

Credit is tight. In the past, almost everyone was able to get a loan. Today you'll need a credit score in the high 700s, prove your income, assets and demonstrate you can make mortgage payments.

Home ownership isn't a right It's a responsibility. Today's housing market is littered with homes purchased by buyers who moved to fast and later discovered they could not afford interest rate resets or the mortgage once the economy tumbled and layoffs reduced or erased income.

Smaller is better. The era of energy- and money-gobbling McMansions is over. Smaller homes are less expensive to own, to operate, to maintain and easier to sell. Using less energy, they are also greener. Who needs all that space anyway?

Fast appreciation isn't guaranteed. Buying a home can be a good deal with prices down as much as 50%. Buy because you can afford a home. Don't buy because you expect appreciation to make you rich.
By: by Broderick Perkins of Realty Times - June 10 ,2010 Complete Article

THE RECOVERY ACT & MICHIGAN

Here is what a recent government report has to say about what the Recovery Act has done for Michigan.

$1.35 billion to develop and build advanced batteries

$243 million to weatherize 40,000 homes

$650 million in SBA loans to small businesses, tax credits leveraging

$750 million in private investment for clean energy manufacturing:

The Recovery Act is changing Michigan's economic landscape. In the 18 months since the Recovery Act became law, Michigan has used these federal funds to create or retain more than 54,000 jobs. Thanks to the Recovery Act, people are building roads, improving water systems, educating our children and making our homes and public buildings more energy efficient.

http://www.michigan.gov/recovery

MICHIGAN AT THE HALFWAY MARK ON PATH TO REVIVAL

Tom Walsh of the Free Press offers this perspective on Michigan’s recovery.

Halfway to revival, halfway to cheating death, to dodging a label as America's first third-world state. The glass is half full.

While challenges certainly do remain, the good news is that we have cleared two big hurdles on the four-step path to economic self-realization:•

We know now that Big Companies can't support everyone in perpetuity. We've seen that at General Motors, Delphi, Visteon, DaimlerChrysler. Remember Comerica, Burroughs, Unisys, National Bank of Detroit?•

We know Big Labor can't protect everyone either. Just look at the shrunken payrolls of GM, Ford and Chrysler; the reduced wages at American Axle; the extinction of the Electrolux appliance plant in Greenville.

Now we're at Step 3 on the path to self-realization, dealing with the belief that Big Government can ride to the rescue. Government can and should provide aid in emergencies, it must not become a crutch used to prop up an otherwise uncompetitive economy. That's where we are in Michigan now, wrestling with how to wean ourselves off reliance on government largess. We're still plugging the state budget with federal stimulus money. Detroit relies on federal cash to knock down blighted housing.

The last hurdleIf the state can survive that struggle, all that remains will be Step 4 in self-realization: The only ones who can save us are Ourselves.

Complete Article

SHOULD YOU MOVE UP?

There is an endless supply of reasons why a family may need to move up to a bigger, or nicer, home. How do you know, though, that now is a good time to move up?
Housing Prices. The price of homes makes it the best time to purchase in 40 years.

Interest Rates. There is a huge difference between buying a home at 5 percent interest (June 2010), and buying one at 13 % interest (February 1983). The available rates can change from week to week, and how you qualify depends largely on your credit rating.

Income. Moving up to a bigger or nicer house will may mean a bigger mortgage payment. Take an honest look at your budget to see if this makes sense for your family.

Equity. This is one way to avoid a bigger mortgage payment. Make a large down payment.Wish list. Take a moment to consider what area of town would be best for your family. Think about schools, commute times, neighborhood amenities and affordability.

FATHERS DAY - JUNE 20TH 2010

REMEMBER TO HONOR YOUR FATHER

Sunday, June 20th

"My father taught me to work; he did not teach me to love it."

Abraham Lincoln

Detroit River Days

Presented by the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy, the 4th Annual River Days takes place along the Detroit Riverfront - from the Renaissance Center to the new Milliken State Park. The festival kicks off on June 18 & ends on June 21 with the Target Fireworks. A celebration of Detroit's river, history & culture with activities on land and water, including tall ships, live music, sand sculptures, river tours, carnival rides, jet-ski demos, kids activities, delicious eats & much more!