Joan Patterson's Blog

Wow, look at these flowers, aren't these roses a sight for sore eyes?  I know many of us this Valentine's day are having to not be as extravagant as we have been in the years before, but we can still do something nice for our Valentine.  Keep it simple...but nice...you can still show your love to your valentine and keep it on a budget.  Instead of going out to dinner, you can enjoy a night in by the fire and a nice glass of wine with pizza or whatever. 

Don't forget to tell your friends and family and especially that special someone that you love them!  Tell them not only today, but each and every day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Joan Patterson, B.A., A.S.P., G.R.I., Realtor
Keller Williams Realty
951-204-1864
www.calljoan4homes.com

On November 11, 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency came up with the idea to help sub prime mortgage holders and other borrowers who are three months or more late in their payments to be able to get help for loan modifications.  This will help alleviate more foreclosures that are trickling into our society.  This is already supposed to be in effect starting December 15, 2008 which is a great thing.  Some critics feel this won't work that they are putting a band-aid on the problem.  But, I feel if you can do a loan modification and it helps you to be able to stay in your home, you should try it.  Call your mortgage company and ask them about this new program.  If they won't help, contact the HOPE NOW program at 888-995-4673.  It is a toll free number to help homeowners understand.

The homeowners need to be able to prove in writing that they can make their new mortgage payments as much as 38% of their monthly gross income.  These new guidelines also specify that they must show some kind of hardship that would make them behind on their payments.  It is probably a lot like doing a short sale were some things will qualify for a short sale and others won't.  One example of the item that won't qualify is just because you want better terms so you stop paying, that just won't work.  Same with a short sale, you have to show some type of hardship which would be reduction in pay, job transfer, military leave, incarceration etc.  There is a long list and those are just a few items.

This could be great as there could be extended loan terms, reduction on interest, etc.  There are several companies that can help right now...one that I have mentioned before is HOPE NOW (www.hopenow.com) or U.S. Department of Housing (www.hud.gov/foreclosure).  It does not hurt to try and I would try to keep my home if I were in trouble.

Good luck!

Once again, my pastor at my church hit the nail on the head.  Here are a few words from his sermon and my notes:

In Rancho Cucamonga right now there are over 270 homes in foreclosure, in Fontana over 950, and in Upland there are 95 homes in foreclosure.  These are desperate times for many people.  I wish I could help everyone out and I certainly will pray for those families losing their homes.  I will pray that things get better for all of them.

There are signs of desperation everywhere right now.  There is a lot of anger, loss and fear.

There are a few myths that I would like to talk about:

First is the myth that money can make you secure.  That is not true as everyone is finding out.

The reason everyone panics is because we realize we are all vulnerable.

The best investment advice you will ever receive is:

1.  You are going to die...it is inevitable.
2.  Build your life on what never changes.  The character and power of God.

Warning:  If you trust in money, you will spend the rest of your life either in fear or greed in the driver's seat,

The myth of ownership:
It is just that, a myth, here is the Jesus truth:  Your money is not your money and don't worry about it.

Some practical steps to help us get our equilibrium:

1.  Spend time each day meditating on what scripture teaches us about money, security and God.

2.  Jesus would say this would be a real good time to think about and pray about others that have a greater need than our own.  We can help them if we are able to as well.

The news projects FEAR, FEAR, FEAR, and ads on the television project GREED, GREED, GREED.  We don't need 99% of what is advertised on television, but they portray things that make us want them, but we don't really need them!  Those things get us in trouble.

We need to go back to the simplier way of life!

What we really need in life is to be loved and to love someone else!

Thank you to all the Veterans out there and families of Veterans who also should be thanked for all they sacrifice.

We take our freedom for granted and in reality, people need to stop and remember what all the service men and women have done for us.  They sacrifice so much for our freedom.  If it were not for them, I wonder what our country would be like right now?

Yes, there have been many wars fought, and many service men and women have died.  That is always the worst part of a war, but we need to remember that our GREAT country would not be what it is today without them.  They all have sacrificed so much for us.

I heard yesterday that marines were just coming in from Afganistan - being away from their families for 18 months...yes that is 18 months.  Can you imagine being away from your family in bad situations for that long?  Some of them do not come home and have given so much to our country. 

My son and daughter in law both are in the Navy.  If you have read any of my posts, you have read about him not being here for the birth of his daughter.  I was there to actually cut the cord in his honor.  He wanted it that way.  I was there for everything, he was not.  I cannot wait to see his face in a few weeks when he meets his baby girl for the first time.

There are many service men and women that are not there for important moments like that.  Consider it for a moment, how would you feel being in their shoes?

I also have mentioned in other posts that there is a great organization that sends boxes to troops over seas and it really helps their moral.  They think we all have forgotten them because we are all so busy with our day to day lives.  Take a moment and visit this website www.operationgratitude.com...if everyone would donate $10.00 for a box to be sent to just one service man or woman, it would brighten their day.  I know times are tough for everyone right now, but I think everyone could put together a few bucks.  There are children out there that are putting together their money to send a box.  That is wonderful.  Their organization is hurting for money right now and the holidays are coming up.  It is a non-profit company and they are a legitimate company.  I have donated money in the past and will continue to do so.  I was sending my son boxes to his ship and thought, what about the guy sitting next to my son who is not getting anything.  I wanted to start a fund raiser for his ship, when I came across Operation Gratitude on the internet and called them.  They said they would send everyone on his ship a box and that was over 300 boxes.  Everyone did receive the boxes filled with all sorts of moral boosters...and my son really felt like it was an excellent thing to do.  They were all so happy that day.

Don't forget the men and women who serve, and that have served.  Without them we would not have such a great country...we live in a country that is by far the best!

God bless!

I sure miss the changing colors of the leaves in the fall.  Growing up in the midwest, I kind of took it for granted.  You know, oh here we are going into fall now and then it will be winter. I used to enjoy the hot humid weather in Indiana as well.  I took no appreciation for the grandor of what the new season brought until I have gotten older.  I really miss the leaves changing.  Although, I don't really miss the winters there at all! 

Other things I miss are the simplier times in my life, when I really did not have many worries.  I guess sometimes we take those things for granted and when we get older we inherit stresses and our lives just get busy.  Then, we do not take the time to notice things like leaves changing.  We are in such a hurry to get out the door in the morning to get to our jobs, get the kids to school, work, come home, make dinner, do the dishes, go to bed.  But, what about the rest in between us always going 90 miles per hour!?

I can kind of bring some of my favorite things about fall to my California home.  I love the smell of cinnamon so I burn a lot of fragrant candles in the fall to remind me of my mom's baking of apple strudle. YUMMMMY!  I also try to go to a place called Oak Glen that is in Yucaipa to pick apples and just drink cider that is made fresh at their many orchards.  It is beautiful there. There is another place called Julian as well that is down by San Diego, but I have yet to make it there.  Try to do something you love in each new season. 

I think in our fast paced society, it is important for everyone to stop in our stressful lives and appreciate the beauty in something....such as a flower blooming, a child smiling, a pet wanting a scratch, whatever it is, but just stop and enjoy it.  Take a few minutes in your stressful life, breath, and enjoy what God has created!

Have a great day and happy Fall!