Encouraging Article!

NOT! Well, I guess it is encouraging for people who want to buy houses - but not so much for those of us who want to sell.

This article is so freaking depressing. I can NOT understand why people want out of the Flint area (no, really - I can't) The article does talk about other cities besides Flint too, but I don't really care as much about those :)


Radical cheap: $1,000 homes
Les Christie, CNNMoney.com staff writer
Thursday January 8, 2009, 12:31 pm EST

The real estate market is so awful that buyers are now scooping up homes for as little as $1,000.
There are 18 listings in Flint, Mich., for under $3,000, according to Realtor.com. There are 22 in Indianapolis, 46 in Cleveland and a whopping 709 in Detroit. All of these communities have been hit hard by foreclosures, and most of these homes are being sold by the lenders that repossessed them.

"Foreclosures have turned banks into property management companies," said Heather Fernandez, a spokeswoman for Trulia.com, the real estate Web site. "And it's often cheaper for them to give these homes away rather than try to get market value for them."
In Detroit for instance, Century 21 Villa owner Randy Eissa has a three-bedroom, one-bath bungalow of about 1,000 square feet listed at just $500. It's a nice place with lots of light, but it needs a total rehabilitation inside, which Eissa estimates will cost between $15,000 and $20,000. But that's not bad, considering that the home last sold for $72,000 in late 2007, according to Zillow.com.

With prices this low, lenders aren't looking to make any money on these deals. They just want to get these houses off their books, so they don't have to bear the cost of maintaining them and paying property taxes.

In fact, the $500, $1,000 or $3,000 that a buyer forks over often goes straight to the real estate brokers as a commission. And often the lenders have to kick in extra cash to make it worthwhile for a realtor even take the listings, according to Eissa.

"Usually these homes are bank repossessions that the lenders have already tried to sell on the market, perhaps then put up for auction without success and then re-listed," he said.

Fixer uppers
These houses are almost always small fixer-uppers. Wiring, plumbing and heating systems have to be replaced, walls and ceilings sheet-rocked, plumbing and light fixtures installed and new kitchen cabinets and counters put in. Few come with working appliances.

Often buyers are legally required to rehab these homes to bring them up to code. In Detroit, buyers are required to sign Affidavits of Compliance Responsibility, which obligates them to make repairs outlined in an inspection report. Only after that can a certificate of occupancy will be issued, which makes the house legal to live in.

But even factoring in these costs, they're still bargains.

And as the housing crisis drags on, there are more and more four-figure listings popping up, as lenders try to unload their repossessed properties.

Cleveland is another city with many incredibly inexpensive homes. On Ardenall Avenue, in East Cleveland, McMullen Realty has a listing for a four-bedroom, one-and-a-half bath house for $1,900. It's been vandalized inside, but the outside is in good shape.

It features a deep front porch with Doric columns, double dormer windows and a separate garage. It's an excellent opportunity, according to agent Tonya Stoudamire. The last time it sold was in March of 2008 when it went for $16,677, according to Zillow.

"East Cleveland has a beautiful housing stock," she said. "These houses just need someone to come in and love them a little."

Another property for sale in Birmingham Ala. is priced at $1,900. The one-bedroom, one bathroom home was built in 1923 and has major fire damage, according to its listing broker, Tom Murphy Realty. The listing states that "Rooms are hard to distinguish."

But it's on a nice-sized lot, about 0.38 acre, close to downtown and transportation and has all utilities. Nearby, comparable homes in good condition sell for about $100,000, according to Zillow.

Rehab money
Most of these $1,000 homes can be renovated relatively inexpensively, and buyers can actually get government help to finance these repairs. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has a special loan program for just such purchases.

Its rehabilitation mortgage insurance, available through FHA-approved lenders, was designed to encourage banks to issue a single, long-term loan to buyers that covers both the acquisition and rehabilitation of a property, according to HUD spokesman Brian Sullivan.

He adds that there may also be grant money available from the $4 billion Neighborhood Stabilization Program, which was a part of the massive housing rescue bill passed by Congress in July, to assist buyers with grants for down payments.

Buying homes like these is certainly a leap of faith; they're generally not in the best of neighborhoods and they're often surrounded by many other vacant and deteriorating homes. Still, some of these neighborhoods may turn around and provide residents with good, dirt-cheap housing.

"It's a sad time," said Stoudamire. "But it's also a time of opportunity, especially for low and moderate income people."


Article Link

Some Fun Sites

I have been meaning to share these sites with you for some time!


This is a site where you can play original Nintendo games! (I think you have to have cable internet though, my dsl wasn't too fond of these games)
Nintendo games


This is a site with hilarious pictures! FAIL!
FAIL!


This site has a lot of "uncommon goods" to purchase for friends and family. Hence the name.
Uncommon Goods


This is one of my new favorite sites. You can take your pictures and make them look antique! Not sure what I can do with that, but I LOVE it!
Antique Pictures

You NEED this!

Holy Shit - this forehead thermometer is the coolest invention! I have procrastinated buying one because they are more expensive and I am cheap. But since I have broken/ruined (with the help of some dwarfs I know) 3 cheapie thermometers in the past year, I thought "What the hell- I'm getting the one I want!" Granted, it was only $29.99 and I am acting like it was a forture, but still!

I also used to have an ear thermometer. Whoever invented the ear thermometer is the debbil. Seriously. I could never EVER get an accurate read with my ear thermometer. I always had the thermometer at the wrong angle or it was too big for the baby's ear. It was a horrible experience. So then I moved on to the trusty ole regular thermometer, but even though have to be placed just right and I was always second guessing myself if the temp was accurate enough... blah blah blah.

That is why it is so great the forehead thermometer is idiot proof! (Yes, I am calling myself an idiot. I must be an idiot to write an entire blog post about a thermometer) You just touch it to your forehead, move it across your forehead and VIOLA! you have your temp. Super easy and accurate.

(As a side note, while looking for a picture for this post - I realized they also make "talking" forehead thermometers! I wish I had known that last week!!!)

The (ex) Flint Mayor is a crook

Plain and simple. He is the sleaziest, wierdest, most pompous man! (Oh and ugly too!) EX- Mayor Don Williamson who refused salary while he was mayor is now requesting ALL of his backpay because he "deserves it." What a louse.

Does he not realize that the main reason he got elected, re-elected and not recalled was BECAUSE he wasn't getting paid? Do you really think people thought he was a good mayor? The fact that he wants all that back pay is scandalous because he wouldn't have gotten elected in the first place if he hadn't said that. (of course that is my own personal opinion)

Oh, and his "retirement" --- right! It's soooooo coincidental that he decided to retire the WEEK before his recall election. I understand getting out while the getting out is good, but still don't pretend like you wanted to retire, you should have just said it like it was "I was about to get the boot for being a jackass so I took my fate in my own hands"

If the city of Flint gives him this supposed backpay it will be absolutely ridiculous. Don Williamson is a scam-artist and deserves NO money.

This was not a recording, it was an actual conversation....

Dane: Look at my wiener!!!!

Mom: I don't want to see your wiener, get it in your pants.

D: Sometimes my wiener gets big, but you didn't see it.

M: Oh really? Nice to know

D: It happens when I sleep sometimes.

M: Nice.

D: You wanna see it next time

M: Oh yes, I would love to see it- please make sure to tell me (insert eye roll here)

- - - - -
Fast-forward 6 hours later after nap time

D: MOMMMMMM! Come here. (he was just waking up from nap)

M: What Dane? I don't want to come in there.

D: But my wieners big!

M: Greatttttttttt.

Cute - Not Cute

Cute
When your first child starts to pull himself up - LOOK HOW BIG HE IS GETTING!??!

Not Cute
When your third child starts to pull himself up. Great, now he's gonna get into even more things!

Cute
When your first child gets a new tooth even if he is a little crabby.

Not Cute
When your third child is being a total whine-ass over a little tooth. You are gonna get 20 of 'em, get over it!

Cute
When your first child cries when you leave the room. "Mama will be right back baby!"

Not Cute
When your third child cries when you leave the room. "Seriously?!? I have crap to do - stuff it already!"

Cute
When your first child starts to eat table food. Sure it's a mess, but look how great he is doing?

Not Cute
When your third child starts to eath table food and throws it all over and makes a HUGE mess... Why can't he just drink bottles!?!?!


Ok - so it may not be fair, but it's reality.


Peace.

Girls, Girls, all types of Girls

Why are all of my pregnant friends having girls? Not only is it a bunch of crap since I am living in a house full of testoterone BUT I have a ton (and I mean a literal TON) of baby boy stuff that I want to get rid of and no one to take it. Ugh. I am going to sell some stuff at a Mom to Mom Sale at Hunter's School on February 28th (http://www.mom2momlist.com/list/spring.shtml - Weston Elementary) but still, I have so much stuff!

And before you ask, YES we are done! Done! DONE! I am pretty sure if I got pregnant we would have some marital issues since Jamie already had the big V done. :)

House News

We now have our house on the market. Fingers crossed that we can sell it before we leave for Kentucky. We did have a showing already, but have yet to hear anything from them. The good thing is - we got our house clean. Jamie and I worked our tails off on Sunday morning to get it ready for the showing, and it feels good to have a clean house. I should say felt good, because the boys have already trashed it again!

That's what cha get!

I have heard about people doing this before - but I just don't get it. Really I don't.

I am talking about the "picture messaging a significant other a naked picture of yourself"

No way.

So a friend of mine tried to send her husband a naked picture and accidently uploaded it to Facebook. Luckily for her (and for anyone who may have seen it! lol) she caught it before it posted - but still it was a close call! But that's what cha get for being a dirty girl!

Let's Catch Up!

1. I had a phone interview with Jefferson County Schools! I am officially in the pool of teachers for the 2009-2010 school year - wahooooooooo!

2. Jamie turned 30 also - so now he can't call me the old hag! (not that he did, but even if he wanted to now - he couldn't!)

3. I totalled my car by hitting a pot hole. Seriously. Gotta love Michigan roads!

4. I sold above car for $400 bucks whereas I could have gotten at least 1200 for a trade in if I hadn't waited too long. Such is life.

5. I bought a new car! Well, new to me! It is a 2005 Ford Freestyle. I am in looooooooooooove! I got a great deal on it too!

6. I found out Hunter is not *getting it* at school. It really hurt to hear it BUT it motivated me to really work with him on letter recognition and letter sounds and I have already noticed a significant change in last week or two.

7. I was thinking about putting Dane back into preschool for a few mornings a week, but now that we have a new vehicle and extra expenses I am gonna wait and reevaluate. I don't really think he needs school, but I think he might like it for the social aspect.

8. Colt is getting wayyyyy to fast army crawling around here! He also has 2 teeth now and likes to see if he can get you to scream when he bites you, fun stuff! He is waving hello and bye bye, shaking his head "no" and also sticking his tongue out. He is so freakin' cute!

9. My mom had a birthday! I may have forgotten to tell her Happy Birthday right away on the 15th, but I still love her!

10. Dad is still in Kentucky working. We all hope to be down there by August - and by all I mean MOM and all :)

And so it is....

Yesterday was my 30th birthday - the big 3-0. It was sooooooooooo super skeery!

Ok, not really.

I did/do not care.

The only thing that 30 brought to me was a day of reflection. First, it feels like I was 18 yesterday. I don't think anyone young realizes how fast time flies - it's almost unbelieveable. Secondly, I am very happy that my age is finally catching up to my gray hair - it was embarrassing being in my 20's with all that gray!

Third, I honestly have been "30" for quite some time. I never really partied or lived it up. Don't get me wrong - I've had a few drunken "can't remember anything past 10pm" nights in my life, but overall - I really have been drunk less than 10 times (I count the cruise as one long drunk-fest, not individual days :) So, it's not like I'm old now - I've always been old. Some people say you need to get the partying "out of your system" while you are younger, but eh - I just don't have it in me to waste all that money on alcohol. I am wayyyyy to cheap for that. (Actually I believe the bargain hunter in me has steered me clear of excessing drinking, smoking and drugs - I am not too smart for it - just too cheap!)

Which brings me to my next point. How can I be upset about 30 when my life is so great??? I love my boys to death, Jamie is a GREAT husband and our future is looking bright! Who could be upset with the life I lead? (well except for obesity, but I am working on that!) I don't acknowledge it everyday - but I truly am blessed. I have great parents, a wonderful family as well as a decent (mostly) extended family (yes, I am talking about you Melissa!) I have truly loyal friends and even Erick, my "I wish I was hetero" bestest friend ever! I really have little to complaint about - I even get naps almost daily (you wish you had my mad "getting the boys to sleep at the same time" skills) and all of my friends and family don't call me during my nap time! lol Seriously, how can I complain?

So that's it - I'm 30. No big deal. Actually, it's awesome. I hope everyone can be as happy at 30 as I am :)

The only thing that will make 30 better is when Jamie turns 30 on Friday - then he's officially OLD too :)