The Nehemiah down payment assistance program is a non-profit organization that has helped thousands of families, without the upfront cash to buy a home, make their home ownership dreams come true by gifting down payment and closing costs.

According to Nehemia’s website, the Department of Housing and Urban Development said that such down-payment systems will no longer be allowed after October 1st, 2008.

You can help keep this program alive for yourself and others by clicking this link. You’ll find a simple form where you can share your story on how Nehemiah has helped you (or would help others). The letter is then delivered to key members of the legislature and to the housing department.

I was at a meeting over in Riverbank earlier today and Richard Hundley came up to me and said, “Hey Roy, I bet you’ve never seen an office with them before.” I turn around to see where he is pointing and there stands a peacock, right outside the front doors of PMZ Real Estate.

Apparently there are 3 or 4 of them that live near by. They hop the fence during business hours to check out the people and for any extra food scraps people leave behind. “They really like white bread,” Richard said.

The birds are so docile that when called with food, they come right on over. Sometimes, they even sit right in front of the door, admiring their reflection in the glass.

Weird eh?

(via The Riverbank News)

Would you insure your smile for $1,000,000? How about your voice? Or your legs? What if your income depended on them? Protecting one’s livelihood with insurance has a long and interesting history, thanks to Lloyds of London.

Consider celebrity leg insurance. It started in 1940 with Betty Grable, an actress, singer and dancer. She insured her legs for a cool million. That’s nearly $15 million in today’s dollars. And soccer star David Beckham has insured his legs for an astounding $70 million. Quite a hefty sum! But considering that his total salary for 2007 is estimated at $37.4 million, he is insured for only about two years of income. Would two years of coverage be enough for you?

Your ability to earn an income is probably your greatest asset. For instance, if you earned $75,000 for the next 20 years, you would take home a total of $1.5 million. But what if you got sick or injured and couldn’t work?

We are three times more likely to suffer long-term disability than to die. As of 2005, disability was the leading cause of personal bankruptcies and caused 46% of all mortgage foreclosures. So if you think life insurance is a good idea, you may also want to consider disability coverage, too.

Long-Term Disability Insurance benefits include:

• Disability due to injury or illness, physical or mental.
• “Own occupation” coverage.
• Covers earnings and bonuses.
• Waiting period as short as 90 days.
• Benefit period up to age 65.
• Portable, you own it.
• Discounted up to 40%.
• Guaranteed renewable.
• Non-cancelable.

Though it is probably only a rumor that Jennifer Lopez has insured her body for $1 billion, considering her lifetime earning potential, maybe she should.

Moving to a place down the block, to another city or another state can be stressful. In many ways, your pets can react to moving in the same way humans do. It is a stressful time for them too. Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind while moving yourself and your pet.

• Make sure your pet has a check-up with your vet and ask the veterinarian if they know of any diseases that your pet might be at risk for in the area you are moving to.
• Pack your pet’s medical history.
• Pack your pet’s toys, food dishes, blankets, etc in the same box for quick access.
• If you have a smaller animal that lives in a cage (like a snake, hamster or bird), keep it in there during the move, take out anything that might tumble around and injure your pet, and cover it with a blanket so they don’t become overstimulated with new scenery.
• If you’re traveling, never leave your pets alone in the car with your windows up.
• Don’t wash your pets favorite blanket or pillow during a move. This allows them to have a familiar scent in their new home.
• Let your pet stretch and relax as soon as you can, and walk them around the property so they are familiar with their boundaries.

It seems these days that our home phone lines have gone the way of the dodo. Nearly everyone I know has a cell phone and most of them have used theirs to browse the Internet, watch some videos or download a ring tone or two.

The future of the Internet is undoubtedly mobile. According to the PEW Research Center, 62% of Americans have accessed the Internet away from home or work, 42% of those Americans specifically used their mobile phone. “People’s growing reliance on their cell phones, together with wireless internet access from laptops, suggests a shift in expectations about cyberspace,” said John B. Horrigan, Associate Director of the Pew Internet Project and author of the report. “For many people, access to digital information and resources is an ‘always present’ utility for answering questions and documenting what is going on around them through photos or video recording.”

This means convenient access to information whenever you want it wherever you are. With nearly every cell phone offered through any carrier being Internet capable, and with access to mobile friendly search engines like Yahoo and Google, it’s almost silly these days to claim, “I don’t know” anymore. Using your cell phone you can look up facts, movie showtimes, song lyrics, maps, books, and a plethora of other information.

The Internet Pioneer
A leader in online real estate and the first to give the general public free access to all the listings in the MLS, PMZ Real Estate is proud to announce our new online platform for mobile devices called PMZ Mobile.
PMZ Mobile is a simple suite of real estate tools that allows the on the go home-hunter or Realtor® to access information and photos on any home that is in the MLS right from their mobile device. It’s easy to get to and even easier to use.
Just visit m.pmz.com from any internet capable mobile device and you can immediately search by address or MLS number for any home for sale on the MLS.

Try it out anywhere!
Say you are out picking up the groceries or the kids from soccer practice and you see a home for sale, but there isn’t a flyer and you want to know more about it. Now you can visit m.pmz.com on your cell phone, type in the street name, choose the property you are searching for and immediately view a picture slide show, pricing information, square feet, beds, baths and even more details! You can contact the agent directly from there or even email the listing to a friend.

When Michele Alvarez designs a model home, she strives for that swept away feeling of comfort and serenity.

Casting aside influences that are dark and heavy, Alvarez instead selects colors, furnishings and accessories that are soft and simple.

Whether it’s outfitting a welcoming front porch, dressing up a formal dining area or blending an upstairs landing into a hard-working home office, the Design Center manager for Beazer Homes aims for the “I could easily live here” takeaway from home buyers.

“For those seeking inspiration, builder model homes can offer a plethora of ideas,” said Alvarez. “While shelter magazines and television decorating shows may be insightful into how a room evolves, a model home tour adds the ‘wow’ factor by bringing the entire home to life.”

As the summer heats up, top-10 national homebuilder Beazer will see a stream of traffic through hundreds of model homes across the country. From potential buyers in search of the right home in the right school district to would-be decorators taking in fresh ideas, model townhouses and single-family homes will get the critical eye.

National homebuilders oftentimes have a designer on hand who can help with choosing colors in everything from the paint to the floor to the cabinetry to help buyers get the model home look. For others who want it now, Alvarez offers the following tips to get started:

Read the rest of this entry »

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO), charged with managing the electricity grid in California, has issued a Flex Alert for Tuesday, July 8th through Thursday, July 10th.

Due to the current hot weather, electricity conservation is necessary. As a result, state officials have called a Flex Alert.
It’s important that you:

- Turn off all unnecessary lights
- Postpone using major appliances until after 7:00 PM
- If you must use an air conditioner, turn it up to 78 degrees
or higher

For updates, please visit www.FlexYourPower.org. We ask that you pass this e-mail along to your friends and colleagues.

And thanks for Flexing Your Power.

PMZ Insurance Services has aligned with MassMutual Financial Group in order to bring our clients and agents flexible programs that offer a variety of financial products, services and analysis to meet your particular needs. Whether youa re just beginning to design a plan or already have some strategies in place, this alliance can help you accomplish the following financial goals:

• Protect family needs through insurance planning
• Plan for the preservation of your estate
• Maximize business potential through proper business planning
• Plan for a comfortable retirement

With products including investment, business, insurance, retirement and estate planning, you can be confident that a PMZ Insurance Professional can help you meet your financial needs.

For more information on these and other services, contact us at (209) 338-0385 or visit our website at www.pmzinsurance.com

Image via Wikipedia

Those who want to save energy and live a more eco-friendly lifestyle can look close to home to cut back on power bills.

Here are some tips from Tony Callahan, senior vice president for Beazer Homes, to get you started.

Change filters. Replace your air filter regularly and tune up HVAC equipment yearly. A programmable thermostat will allow you to set the temperature according to your schedule.

Seal gaps. Repair or replace weather stripping on doors and windows, using caulk if necessary to get a tight seal.

Use CFLs. About 10 percent of electric bills come from lighting, and compact fluorescent bulbs are good to use in areas where lights are on for hours at a time.

Water works. Reduce water and the energy used to heat it with new water-saving showerheads and sink faucets.

Check your fridge. Replacing a refrigerator bought in 1990 with a new Energy Star model will save enough energy to light the average home for nearly four months.

At PMZ Real Estate, our agents are anything but short of amazing.  That’s why I’m pleased to announce that Barbara Miller, at age 68, has been inducted into the USA Masters Track and Field Hall of Fame. Miller holds 8 of 10 US records for different track events.

Congratulations Barbara and keep up the pace!