March is already here! Don’t forget to turn your clocks ahead one hour on the 8th. That means Spring is on the way!
This post is going to be a little rambling, so please stick with me. There’s just so much going on with the economy, real estate, and life in general, that I don’t know what to write when. Watch this site for new innovations! Coming soon is an interactive map that I’m sure you’ll enjoy. What else would you like to see here? Please let me know!
If you’re having trouble making your mortgage payments, you’ll want to check this website to see if you might qualify for some assistance: http://www.financialstability.gov/makinghomeaffordable/refinance_eligibility.html
Reverse Mortgage lending limits was just increased to $625,000. Remember when I wrote about the fact that you can buy a home using a reverse mortgage? Now you can buy a really nice home! They’re not just for the house you’re in now – you can sell your home and use a reverse mortgage to buy a new home. Interested? Contact me!
Are you a first time homebuyer? Maybe you don’t have much to put down? Your credit is less than perfect? An FHA loan might be just what you need to get you into a home. Check out FHA Loans and then contact me to help you find a home. And I’ll pay your half of the escrow fees if you purchase a home through me between now and June 1, 2009.
Now for a cat break:
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Jake & Elwood in a rare, brotherly moment……
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Don’t forget about the huge price reduction for Coastal Ridge. $425,000 for a luxury 2 bedroom, ocean view townhome high on the hill of Discovery Heights in Ilwaco. Subject to bank approval, this is over $100K less than the asking price just a few days ago!
NEWS FLASH:
Beach Clean up sets records for Volunteers and Garbage Collected. Be a part of the solution! Grass Roots Garbage Gang
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CLAM DATES ANNOUNCED!
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Fishery managers have tentatively scheduled three razor clam digs on morning tides in late March, with additional digging opportunities planned for April.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will open four beaches for clam digging if the Washington Department of Health certifies that razor clam samples tested for marine toxins are safe to eat.
If approved, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks will open March 27-29, while Long Beach and Copalis will open March 28-29 only. All digging on those beaches must be completed by noon.
Even though thousands of diggers came out for the February opener, enough clams remain for several more digs, said Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager for WDFW.
And finally, news from the Long Beach Visitors Bureau about yet another scam.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration issued a scam alert today to small businesses, warning them not to respond to letters falsely claiming to have been sent by the SBA asking for bank account information in order to qualify them for federal tax rebates.
The fraudulent letters were sent out with what appears to be an SBA letterhead to small businesses across the country, advising recipients that they may be eligible for a tax rebate under the Economic Stimulus Act, and that SBA is assessing their eligibility for such a rebate. The letter asks the small business to provide the name of its bank and account number.
These letters have not been sent by or authorized by the SBA, and all small businesses are strongly advised not to respond to them.
The scheme is similar in many ways to e-mail scams often referred to as “phishing” that seek personal data and financial account information that enables another party to access and individual’s bank accounts or to engage in identity theft.
The SBA is working with the SBA Office of Inspector General to investigate this matter. The Office of Inspector General asks that anyone who receives such a letter report it to the OIG Fraud Line at 1 (800) 767-0385, or e-mail at OIGHotline@sba.gov.
That’s all for this time. I’d love to have you follow me on Facebook and Twitter!
Spring is always a time of renewal and maybe the real estate market is going to see some of that energy! We’ve seen an increase in potential buyers looking at properties, asking for more info and just generally acting more enthused about purchasing. I hope many of them will be attending the Home Buyer Fair on March 31. You don’t need to be a first time buyer to attend. You don’t even need to be contemplating buying or selling right now. Just come for the fun of it (and the cookies).
And for some local good news, Butch Smith, from the Ilwaco Charter Association, reports the Salmon season opens on June 28th this year and will run for 7 days a week! It is predicted to be a great season. Buoy 10 is also supposed to be excellent, with over 1.1 million fish coming back this year. Halibut season will open on May 1 (Friday) this year, but will only be 3 days/week: Thursday, Friday & Saturday until the quota is reached. Sturgeon season will open on May 9 and continue through June 28, with a bonus of July 2,3, and 4.
Don’t forget clamming is tentatively scheduled for this weekend along with the annual Bluegrass Festival.
