Cap\’n John Smith\’s Blog

Everyone wants to talk about the negative aspects of the present œdown real estate market that we are experiencing. But there is at least one group of homeowners that could really benefit form these circumstances¦ those wishing to œtrade up. Trading up is the process of selling the house that you are currently living in with the intention of purchasing a larger, nicer, or more feature-rich home. This scenario may be possible if you fit into one of two categories: 1) You own your home mortgage-free or have adequate equity to roll into the down-payment on your next home, or 2) You have sufficient cash available to take a œloss on the sale of your current home and still have enough for a down-payment or cash purchase of your new home.

Consider this example: You live in a house that you paid $200,000 for 5 years ago. The market has declined an average of 20% over that time period leaving the current market value at $160,000. Your ideal home is a house valued at $400,000 5 years ago that is now worth $320,000. By purchasing your ideal home now, you have saved $40,000 even after selling your house at a $40,000 œloss.

In addition, as the market resumes its (average historical) 4% annual appreciation, your $320,000 home will increase in value by $12,800 per year whereas your $160,000 house will appreciate by only $6,400 per year (you make $6,400 more per year than if you stay where you are).

Of course, there are qualifying parameters that you must consider if you require a mortgage, but isn™t it worth checking into this option for a profit of $46,400 the first year?

Let™s talk¦ about your true needs and wishes.   I™d love to assist you to œDiscover YOUR New World of home, health, and wealth.

We find ourselves currently experiencing a housing industry economic phenomenon commonly known as a œBuyer™s Market. This is due to many factors, not the least of which is the recession that lead to high unemployment forcing many home owners to sell. The resulting glut of homes on the market means that the supply is more than the demand can balance. Simply stated, there are more houses for sale than there are buyers to buy.

Home buyers in a œBuyer™s Market sometimes are looking for a œgood deal. This is perfectly fine and there are in fact many good deals available for buyers in this market. The problem can be that some buyers are only looking at the PRICE to judge the deal. The PRICE is only one factor that should be considered in determining the quality of a deal. A truly œGood Deal is primarily a function of VALUE. The VALUE formula of a prospective home is made up of variables such as PRICE, FEATURES, FINANACE TERMS, LOCATION, CIRCUMSTANCES, MOTIVATION, and CONDITION.

So, my advice is to work with a real estate consultant who is trained to help you during each step of the home buying process. You will greatly improve your odds of finding the best VALUE for your family in the current œBuyer™s Market.

Straight Talk – The Pros Take Questions From 1^st Time Home Buyers  

MURFREESBORO, TN “ Every 3^rd Thursday of the month, starting November 18^th, Realtors Anna Ashton and John D. Smith of Keller Williams Realty will offer 1^st time home buyers the unique opportunity to ask questions and get answers straight from the source. The A-Z™s of home buying will be explained directly by guest speakers including an Attorney from a local Title company, a Home Inspector, and a Representative from a Mortgage Company.  

This will be an ongoing event taking place the 3^rd Thursday of the month at Keller Williams Realty located at 450 St. Andrews Drive, Murfreesboro. The event starts at 7pm. Refreshments are provided. Door prizes will be awarded. There is no charge to home buyers for their attendance. No advance reservation required, although RSVP appreciated. The first 3 people to RSVP win a $20 gas card.  Reservations may be placed with Realtor Anna Ashton at 615.525.1505 or Realtor John Smith at 615.542.9094.  

Buying a home can be a very overwhelming and intimidating experience for many. The goal of this monthly event is to arm homebuyers with knowledge and confidence in one of the most important decisions of their lives. Attendees will gain invaluable insight into the home buying experience and help new home buyers to successfully navigate their way through the process.

Contact:

Anna Ashton, Keller Williams Realty 615.525.1505 aashton@realtracs.com  or

John Smith, Keller Williams Realty 615.542.9094 John@jdsLetsTalk.com

One of the largest causes of health problems in the world today is indoor air pollution. Modern construction practices (in the name of energy efficiency) wrap our buildings so tightly with insulation that it prevents fresh air from finding its way inside. The average person spends approximately 90% of their time indoors. Therefore, most of us are breathing stale air that is full of all kinds of things that we don’t want instead of pure clean oxygen rich air. This is commonly known as “Sick Building Syndrome”.

So what ARE we really breathing? Invisible gases and particles that are released by indoor air pollution sources include:

* Particulate Matter consisting of acids (nitrates and sulfates), organic chemicals, metals, and  dust particles  with  dust mites.

* Volatile Organic Compounds which include formaldehyde, benzene, perchloroethylene, and other chemicals

* Smoke from cigarettes and cooking

* Molds are living things that produce spores that float in the air, land on damp surfaces and grow.

These sources can trigger Asthma, headaches, cancer, sneezing, allergic reactions, and organ damage. When you really think about it, it’s enough to make you want to wear a mask in your own home!

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to minimize the affects and improve the quality of your indoor air. First, you can open your windows and let mother nature blow through your home. Lightning naturally purifies the outdoor air by creating ozone which reacts with the bad stuff and effectively removes it from the atmosphere. Secondly, you can install an indoor air purfication system. There are many choices on the market with a variety of systems and options. Many require air movement via  a powerful fan and filters that must be replaced frequently.  There is one company named Vollara that manufactures and distributes a whole-house air purifier that does not require filters or air movement to clean the air using the  same technology that God created to clean the atmosphere. I can personally testify that it really works.  It even kills viruses and bacteria on the   surfaces of your home such as kitchen countertops, doorknobs, appliances, etc.

You can find more information about Vollara at this website: www.myvollara.com/JohnDSmith  or give me a call and let’s talk about how I can help you “Discover Your New World” free of indoor air pollution!

Lord, teach me how to simplify; To seek Your face; To not ask why.  

Grant me wisdom to discern; To choose Your path; To love and learn.  

Let me reflect Your awesome grace; To help and serve; To find my place.  

Make me humble, meek, and pure; To witness bold; To stress endure.  

Lord, bring me closer to Your heart;To know You more; To never part.  

Sanctify me more I pray; To be like You; To live today.  

Thank You Lord for loving me; To save my soul;  To set me free.

I always find it fascinating when I hear  a “scientist” talking about how fossils were formed by hundreds or thousands of years of sediment accumulating on top of  some plant or animal resulting in a perfectly well-preserved impression of the thing as it existed while living. Unfortunately, many people simple take these so-called “experts” at their word without really thinking about it. How would we use this theory to create a fossil today? OK, let’s assume that an opossum strolls into your yard and somehow meets his demise (use your imagination)!  Let’s also assume that you don’t care that there is a dead opossum laying in your yard so you simply leave it there for a year. Now, let’s just say that for some reason none of the carrion-eating animals or insects (such as buzzards, beetles, dogs, etc.) discover this delicacy and it continues to lay there undisturbed through rain, snow, heat, and  falling leaves for a whole year.  What would be left of it after a year? The answer is very little of the original form of the animal would remain.   There may be a few bones left but it would hardly be recognizable as an opossum.

So what other explanation could there possibly be for the forming of beautifully detailed fossils that are discovered after centuries passed? Seems to me that the only possible way for this to happen would be for the creature to be caught in some kind of liquid-like fluid substance as if placed in a mould (such as plaster of paris or cement).

Most fossils are discovered in  sedimentary rock formations most commonly in the form of limestone. According to Answers.com,

“Limestone is formed from deposition of the skeletal remains of dead sea organisms and the precipitation of the mineral calcite out of aqueous solutions with high concentrations of the mineral. Layers or strata may appear in limestone which indicate individual periods of deposition. As massive amounts of sedimentation occur over time, the weight from above squeezes out the water and space between particles in a process called compaction. Minerals that form between the deposited particles acts as a cement to hold them together in a process called cementation.”

“The sedimentary rock cover of the continents of the Earth’s crust is extensive” — Wikipedia

Hmmm… that sounds like a possible explanation!   But what could have caused a giant cement mixer effect swirling together massive amounts of water, living creatures, sea creature skeletons, and  calcite covering an extensive amount of the Earth’s surface? The answer can be found in the Bible in chapter 7 of the book of Genesis:

 ^17-18For forty days the rain poured down without stopping. And the water became deeper and deeper, until the boat started floating high above the ground. ^19-20Finally, the mighty flood was so deep that even the highest mountain peaks were almost twenty-five feet below the surface of the water. ²¹Not a bird, animal, reptile, or human was left alive anywhere on earth. ^22-23The LORD destroyed everything that breathed. Nothing was left alive except Noah and the others in the boat. ²⁴A hundred fifty days later, the water started going down.

The Bible  is true and contains all of the answers to all of the  questions  that mankind could ever imagine.  Talk about fascinating! Why do  we  try to make things more complicated?
 

With all of the hustle and bustle that occurs this time of year, it is very easy to get caught up in the commercialization of Christmas.  Sometimes we can lose our perspective on life and what is really important.  We are bombarded with advertisements, dazzled by flashing lights, tugged by family, friends and associates trying fill our calendars, stressed to the max to juggle commitments to get everything done “in time”.

This year, let’s all try to remember what Christmas is all about… LOVE!

John 3:16 œFor God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

So when you get overwhelmed this season, pause to remember  the real reason for Christmas… and smile!

C H R I S T M A S

C is for the Christ child who came to live on Earth

H is for the Herald Angels singing of His birth

R is for His Righteousness¦ He lived a sinless life

I for God’s Ingenious plan designed to end our strife

S is for the Saving power we find through Jesus’ death

T is for the Timeless gift wrapped in His final breath

M is for the Mansion He’s preparing for us there

A is the Assurance of our reunion in the air

S is for His Spirit left to help us until then

CHRISTMAS is for Jesus¦ the Redeemer of our sin!

– J Dwight Smith

There has never been a better time to invest in a new home! Take advantage of the recently enacted legislation that provides for an up to $6500.00 tax credit if you purchase a new principal  residence prior to April 30, 2010. If you are a first time home buyer, the credit is up to $8000.00! Interest rates are at historic low levels and there are lots of great home values on the market! I am committed to putting together the right people with the right properties. There are conditions that must be met in order to qualify for the tax credit so please contact me for a free consultation. You can expect professional and knowledgeable service. If you’re considering buying or selling a home now or in the near future don’t hesitate to contact me. I look forward to the opportunity to help you “Discover Your New World”!