Hickory NC Real Estate Info

SHOCK! Lenders make more money on foreclosures than short sales!?

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:32:02 -0600

Great Article by Pacita Dimacali, definitely worth the read.

Via Pacita Dimacali - e-PRO, SRES, CDPE, MBA East Bay, North CA real estate (Gallagher & Lindsey):

Lenders make more money on foreclosures than from short sales or loan modifications. That's what Steve Harney conveyed in a seminar. He caused an earthquake in San Francisco

When loan modifications are turned down, the next thing we attempt is a short sale. And we know that lenders turn over the short sale accounts to loan servicing companies who make our lives hell getting short sales approved. As such, we should know that these loan servicing companies make MORE money by letting the properties foreclose than to approve the short sales OR the loan modification.

RUMBLE...GRUMBLE...CRIES OF DISMAY!

Did he just confirm what we were afraid of?

So I researched this topic and found a few articles worth reviewing. How did I miss these? Was I under a rock in a desert?

CONSUMERLAW.ORG REPORt ON "Why Servicers Foreclose when They Should Modify And Other Puzzles of Servicer Behavior"

DAILY PRESS headline. Oct, 30 2009. Do Mortgage Lenders Make More Money when a Loan Goes iInto Foreclosure?

HUFFINGTON POST. Oct. 21, 2009, Foreclosures Are More Profitable Than Loan Modifications, According To New Report

Washington Post. July 28, 2009. Foreclosures Are Often In Lenders' Best Interest. Numbers Work Against Government Efforts to Help Homeowners.

ThinkGlink. October 21, 2009. Loan Modification Help: Why Lenders Are Slow To Provide Loan Modifications

Dayton Daily News. Oct. 17, 2009. Drop in foreclosures called "very scary". Lender's actions show they think properties are not worth pursuing.

Mortgage101.com. October 23, 2009. Mortgage Companies Make More on Foreclosures Than They Do Modifying Existing Loans. (This blog refers to the news article on Huffington Post)

FLASHBACK: Huffington Post, June 8, 2009. Short Sales: Banks Blocking Way Out of Foreclosure Crisis

FLASHBACK: Huffington Post, May 15, 2009. Short Sales Stories. Lenders tend to stick with more familiar foreclosure process, losing money for everybody.

UPDATE: Huffington Post, November 2, 2009. Homeowners: "Hey Congress, Get Off Your A**"

KNOCKING OURSELVES OUT TRYING TO HELP

So are we engaging in self-flagellation helping our distressed clients with their short sales and loan modification?

Are lenders really more likely to foreclose?

Are the short sale servicing companies really trying to help?

Or are they stalling and withholding their help because they know their leaders would rather have the property burn into foreclosure?

Is there no resolution in signt?

There oughta be a law!

10 Commandments Home Buyers Must Follow

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:13:51 -0600

Great article on homebuying by Dr. Chantal Saucier. Thanks Chantal.

Via Dr. Chantal Saucier (Keller Williams Realty Acadiana):

These 10 Commandments home buyers must follow may seem like common sense to many. Buyers, however, can sometimes forget with all the excitement surrounding the buying of their new home. In the past couple of weeks, I have heard of two separate buyers who saw their home loan turned down, and their dream shattered, a few days before closing because they had bought furniture for their new home before it actually became their home. Both of them now have beautiful furniture with no home to put them in.

These two buyers were not my clients but it always hurts when I hear of transactions falling apart for reasons that could have been avoided. These 10 commandments (from KWU) are part of the buyer packet I give all my clients when we first meet and I always stress that once they get pre-approved and the process is started, they can't do anything that might affect their credit.

1. Thou shalt not change jobs, become self-employed or quit your job.

2. Thou shalt not buy a car, truck or van (or you may be living in it)!

3. Thou shalt not use credit cards excessively or let your accounts fall behind.

4. Thou shalt not spend money you have set aside for closing.

5. Thou shalt not omit debts or liabilities from your loan application.

6. Thou shalt not buy furniture.

7. Thou shalt not originate any inquiries into your credit.

8. Thou shalt not make large deposits without first checking with your loan officer.

9. Thou shalt not change bank accounts.

10. Thou shalt not co-sign a loan for anyone.

If you are in the process of buying a home, remember that your credit must not change or be affected in any way until you actually sign the paperwork and get possession of your new home. Lenders will not only look into your credit when you first get pre-approved, they will check it again (and sometimes again and again) before they let you sign the mortgage. If you want to buy new furniture for your home or change jobs, just be patient. There will always be time to do it after the closing.

With apologies to Mark Twain, the reports of death of the real estate brokerage industry are highly exaggerated.

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:11:14 -0600

Via Richard Weisser Coweta Fayette Real Estate ERA United Realty:

No one will argue that the Internet has changed the way that consumers do business. The free flow of information has dramatically affected the way that properties are exposed to the buying public, as well as a plethora of advice about the nuts and bolts of a real estate transaction.

Anyone can sell their own property. They always could, there's nothing new about that. But there is one reality that will never change and that is this:

People often pay to have something done that they could do themselves.

There are many times when it is more efficient, convenient, or even cost-effective to hire someone else to do a task or perform a function that an individual is perfectly capable of doing. We all do this every day. For example:

I know their way around the kitchen. Most would say that I'm an above average cook. But I still go to a restaurant often and have someone else do the work for me. It's very convenient.

I did my own bookkeeping and income tax returns for over thirty years. Now I use the services of a CPA. In addition to being convenient and more efficient, it's also cost-effective because he saves me money by doing the job correctly every time.

I am perfectly capable of mowing my own lawn. I have all of the tools of the trade. But my time is better spent doing the things that I do best, which are marketing and real estate sales. So I hired a lawn service.

I once had an HVAC license and pretty much know everything about how furnaces and air conditioners operate. Yet I have a processional service mine because regular maintenance will improve the life of the units and save energy costs in the long run and I know that I'll put off doing it myself until something bad happens.

I can build a house. As a matter of fact, I have built over forty of them, two with my own hands from start to finish. But the last three houses that I bought were already constructed, because the time and headaches required to build my own home were not cost-effective for me. The loss of income during the construction period would offset any savings realized by doing it myself.

My point is this: people will always be willing to pay to have someone else to perform a task for them as long as it is more convenient, more efficient, or more cost-effective for them.

And as long as a real estate agent demonstrates the value proposition of professional service to the consumer, brokerage will always exist in some form.

Because the consumer is willing to pay the service!
All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of Coweta Fayette Real Estate of ERA United Realty Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2009. Richard Weisser REOS, E-Pro. licensed Auctioneer. 770-827-6225.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and to search the entire Georgia MLS for free with no registration required visit CowetaFayetteRealEstate.com! Photos of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Get the latest GA Foreclosure List Updated Daily! We Do HUD bids in Georgia! 770-827-6225

What happens when a lender can’t produce the original note?

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:44:15 -0500

This is a very good article by Rick Misitano, a paralegal with the Law Offices of James M. Bosco & Associates, on foreclosure and how to help you if you find yourself in that situation. Specifically, it is on the "Produce the Note" defense of foreclosure.

It's very good information, but always check with a local attorney that will know the specifics of your state's laws concerning foreclosure.

Via Rick Misitano (Law Offices of James M. Bosco & Associates):

A growing number of homeowners around the country are using a foreclosure defense that may help them retain their homes. It’s called “Produce the Note” and we want you to know this is not a mere technicality that should be treated lightly by the lender or by the Court.

Everyone needs to understand the importance of this issue. When a lender can’t produce the original note, allowing a foreclosure to proceed puts the homeowner at risk of owing that debt again to another party in the future. Therefore, great caution must be taken before a judge can allow someone who can’t produce the original note to cash in on your home.

What if Your Lender CAN’T Produce the Note?

So, what happens when the lender tells the Court it can’t produce the original note, because it is lost? Let’s start with the basics. If a lender wants to foreclose on a property, it has to be able to show that it is, in fact, the appropriate person to whom the money is owed. That right to foreclose belongs ONLY to the person who has legitimate POSSESSION OF THE ORIGINAL NOTE - not a copy, not an electronic entry, but the original note itself with the original signature of the person(s) who allegedly owes the money along with appropriate raised notary seal and signature. So, if you are faced with a foreclosure, you have every right to demand that the person or entity trying to take your property, first prove to the Court that they have the legal right do to so in the first place by proving they have legal possession of the original promissory note.

In my opinion, an original mortgage note is much like legal tender and should be guarded and protected as such by the person holding such an asset. Loosing an original mortgage note is like loosing a $100 bill or a gift card or a lottery ticket. What if I scratched that million dollar ticket and just stuck it somewhere and misplaced it? Do you think I could just show up at lottery headquarters and claim my prize without having the winning ticket? The same principle applies to the person or entity claiming to be the legal holder of an original mortgage note. He who holds the note holds the key.

What the Lender Must Do

What often happens, however, is that the lender claims it doesn’t have the original note, because that note has been lost or destroyed. If the lender is making such a claim, the law requires the lender to prove all of the following under the “Uniform Commercial Code”, which is a set of laws governing commercial transactions that many states have adopted. It contains a specific provision on this subject (Section 3-309) which states that a person can enforce a promissory note without having the original, BUT only under certain limited circumstances.

1. The person or entity has to swear and attest that it no longer has the original note;
2. The person or entity has to prove that it was properly in possession of the note and was entitled to enforce it WHEN it lost possession of the note;
3. The person or entity has to prove it didn’t “lose” possession simply because it transferred the note to someone else (i.e., it’s not really lost); and
4. The person or entity has to prove that it cannot produce the original note because the instrument was destroyed or its whereabouts cannot be determined or it was stolen by someone who had no right to it.

All of these matters have to be definitively proven by the person or entity trying to foreclose on the property. It is not the obligation of the borrower to prove or disprove any of this. The borrower can challenge the right of the person or entity trying to foreclose and demand proof.

The Court’s Important Role

It is up to the Court to determine whether the lender has satisfactorily proven why it no longer can produce the original note. The Court also has to be satisfied that when the original note was lost, the person trying to foreclose on the property had possession of the note at the time it was lost. Until the Court has been satisfied of all of this, the foreclosure cannot proceed.

It is also important for the Court itself to understand that this issue is not merely a “technicality” and the judge should not be satisfied with anything less than full proof of this issue. The Court itself needs to appreciate the fact that if it should agree that an original note has been legitimately lost (and allows the foreclosure to proceed) it is the borrower who is still at risk.

Why? Because incredibly, even if a Court has found that the original note is lost and the foreclosure sale is finalized, if someone later turns up with the original note and proves that it is the proper holder of the note, and not the person who foreclosed on the property, the original borrower is STILL LIABLE.

That’s right. Someone took your home and the Court allowed it because it believed that the lender proved that the note was lost and it was the proper party. Then someone legitimate shows up in the future with the actual note and you still owe that person the money even though your property was taken with the blessing of the Court. Trust me, this is a very serious issue regarding post foreclosures and post pre-foreclosure short-sales. It has happened to three of our own clients! These homeowners had the need to sell their property by means of a negotiated short-sale (so they could avoid a foreclosure) only to find out that the entity claiming to have the legal right and authority to enter into such negotiations and accept such settlements sold their note to another entity and weren’t even aware of it. Several months later, the newly assigned lenders (now claiming to be the rightful owners of our client’s original notes) have since come forward and have also filed suite seeking to recover their entire outstanding principle balances owed to them (prior to the homeowners closing their short-sale transactions with the wrong note holders).

How fair is that?!?! It’s not! And that’s why homeowners need to start fighting back when someone is trying to take their home by foreclosure, especially since an overwhelming percentage of mortgages granted over the last 3 to 5 years have been packaged into securities and re-sold and re-assigned numerous times since the inception of the borrower's original note and mortgage. In some states, homeowners have better than a 50/50 chance of being successful in defending themselves against a completed foreclosure. Why wouldn’t anyone who owns a home do everything in their power to protect and defend it?

All the Best,

Rick D. Misitano, Senior Paralegal
Law Offices of James M. Bosco & Associates
Methuen Executive Park
240 Pleasant Street
Methuen, Massachusetts 01844
Phone: (978) 687-8804
Fax: (978) 687-8872
boscolaw@comcast.net

Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage Early?

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 12:37:43 -0500

Article by Glenn Leach of the Legacy Group (Puyallup, WA).

This is a good article to read if you're considering trying to pay off your mortgage early through some type of "extra payment" plan. That may not be the best financial move for you. Read on...

Via GLENN LEACH (THE LEGACY GROUP):

Is It A SMART Financial Move to Prepay Your Mortgage?

I often find myself in long conversations with my borrowers over the best way to pay off mortgages early. Do I recommend the "Bi-Weekly Payment" plan, the "Extra Payment Each Year" plan, or the "Pay A Little Extra Each Month" plan? Since it is assumed that paying off a mortgage early is a smart financial strategy, people are often surprised when I don't have a favorite strategy to recommend.

When I get this question, I try to shift the conversation away from "Which strategy is best?" and towards "Are you sure you want to pay off your mortgage early at all?" While I think it's admirable to get out of debt and stay out of debt, I don't believe "paying off your mortgage early" should be your number one financial priority.

"Paying off your mortgage early should NOT be your number one financial priority"

Instead, I believe you should use your financial resources to prepare for the future and all those mean, nasty twists and turns that life can throw at you. I'm not suggesting a gloom-n-doom approach to the future, but we just don't know what will happen, and paying off your mortgage early may NOT be the smartest financial strategy for you.

My advice is to focus first on building liquid assets (resources you could access with little difficulty to pay for stuff) vs. paper wealth (resources that cannot be accessed easily). Equity in your home falls under the "paper wealth" category because it is difficult to access in an emergency and you may not be able to access it at all when you really need it.

An example of what I'm talking about came across my desk recently. The applicant wanted to refinance his home to access some of his paper wealth. For several years, he had been paying extra on his mortgage and only owed about $70,000 on a home worth around $400,000. On paper, things looked good, but...

I'll leave the gory details of his set-backs out of my story, but when he came to me, his wife had left him and the divorce had drained his bank accounts, he had lost his ability to work due to an injury and lost his business, he was 6 months behind on his mortgage payments, and he was facing total financial collapse. He needed me to help him access some of his $330,000 in equity (paper wealth) to live on.

But because his credit scores were bad and his income was gone, he didn't qualify for a new loan. The bank who owned his mortgage - that same bank he had been paying extra to all those years - wouldn't help him. I'm sure the bank saw his home as a great foreclosure opportunity - all that "paper wealth" made his home an enticing target.

His only solution was to try to sell the home before it was foreclosed on in order to keep some of his "paper wealth", but since he had been so determined to keep his home - not wanting to uproot his children who's mother had just abandoned them - he failed to act quickly enough and now it was too late.

I wish I could tell you his story had a happy ending, but it didn't. What I can tell you is that if this man had had $330,000 of "liquid assets" instead of $330,000 of "paper wealth" - his story would have turned out much differently.

So if you are prepaying your mortgage now, but don't have enough liquid assets available to handle life's emergencies, please remember: You cannot go grocery shopping and tell the cashier,

"I don't have any money, but my mortgage is paid off."

Even on double coupon day, that won't buy you any fruits or veggies.

Grocery photo by: rayced

Target photo by: ###Erika

Foreclosure is in the Banks Best Interest...Shhh...It Just May be in the Borrowers Best Interest, too

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:47:27 -0500

Foreclosure is in the Banks Best Interest

In a Washington Post article, Renae Merle said, "Government initiatives to stem the country's mounting foreclosures are hampered because banks and other lenders in many cases have more financial incentive to let borrowers lose their homes than to work out settlements."

The summary of the article is that loan modifications are only profitable to lenders for one type of borrowers, but there are actually three types.

The profitable borrower is one who cannot make the current payments, but can prove to be able to easily make payments on a new, modestly modified note.

The second borrower is one that is likely to fall behind on the mortgage again, even with a modified loan. Banks figure that it's less costly to foreclose now rather than later.

The final borrower is the one that manages to somehow make the payments that they clearly can no longer afford, without any loan modification. These borrowers are willing to do whatever it takes to keep up or catch up, often times selling everything they can do without (even down to the furniture) or (as I've personally witnessed) eat only one small meal a day, in order to make enough each month to cover the mortgage payment. For these borrowers, the lenders see no benefit of doing a loan modification because the lender is getting paid.

So, now we know why it's so dang hard to get a loan modification done or even a short sale, don't we? Banks seem to prefer to just foreclose because it's more profitable.

Well, it May be the in the Borrower's best interest, too.

If (IF) you happen to be that special borrower that fits into the small mold that the banks feel are acceptable to do loan modifications for, then getting one is probably your best solution. Go for it! But what if you're in one of the other two brackets? What then?

If you're in the third bracket, the one that someone manages to pay, how long can you keep it up? Is there some light at the end of the tunnel for you? Is there a higher income coming in soon, or are you to the point where another little hiccup and you'll be in bracket number two?

And particularly for bracket two, the "re-defaults," how does a loan modification actually help those borrowers? All it does is help the bank suck a little more money out of these folks before the final curtain call of foreclosure comes down. Hmmm, hope the bank managers don't read this or this may well be their new strategy to make more money.

Matthew Padilla of the Mortgage Insider, in his article, Economists disparage foreclosure relief, notes that one of the main arguments for loan modifications are good for everyone because banks will better bear the cost of repairing broken loans, which will bolster their balance sheets, spur them to more lending, and thus boost the economy.

But in his interview of Christopher Thornberg, a principal with Beacon Economics (Los Angeles, CA), Thornberg replied, "I argue the opposite, that foreclosures are good for the economy. If someone stops paying their over-sized mortgage on a deeply underwater house they have a lot more money to spend on things like IPods and clothes. So in a sense all these foreclosures are probably one of the things stabilizing consumer spending. That’s far more important to the economy than whether people pay off their mortgages."

Thornberg opinion of the banks? "I fail to see how trying to keep people mired in debt as a way to help banks is good social policy.”

I think that Christopher Thornberg just may have a very good point.

_______________________

Roger Johnson is a Realtor with CENTURY 21 American Homes in Hickory NC .

You can reach me by email at rogerajohnson@century21.com or by phone at 828-568-2121 ext 310 .

Follow Me On Twitter Hickory NC Homes for Sale

Subscribe to my Blog FaceBook Me!

Clipart from Clipartheaven.com

What is P.I.T.I -- And How It Can Help YOUR Monthly Budget!

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:02:08 -0500

This is a very good article by Carla Muss-Jacobs, Broker/Owner of EBA Portland, LLC in Beaverton, OR, explaining what PITI is when discussing a mortgage payment. You may have heard this term before, but not fully understood what it meant. Read this and you will. Thanks, Carla

Via Carla Muss-Jacobs, ABR, CEBA, e-PRO, Realtor (Broker/Owner EBA Portland, LLC):

For those of us in the real estate / mortgage business, we're very familiar with the acronym: P.I.T.I.

NO! It's not a healthy pocket bread.

A first-time buyer should know about this, and it's a handy, simple group of letters -- that could save you money and help with your monthly budget planning!

P.I.T.I = Principal, Interest, Taxes and Insurance.

Let's examine it all separately.

Principal: This is the total amount of money you will owe the bank for your loan. The "principal balance" of your loan is divided over the life of your loan AND there will be a monthly amount of principal that you will be obligated to pay back.

Interest: This is the "fee" . . . the interest amount that you agreed to pay the bank for the loan. If you have a 4.75% interest rate, you will have this amount calcuated as a per monthly amount.

NOTE: I might as well add that the bank 'amortizes' your loan. The principal balance is not really being reduced the first seven, or so, years of the life of your loan (if you have a 30 year fixed). You are paying the mortgage per month and the majority of that amount will be INTEREST. The banks have set this system up by design. There has been study after study done that buyers live in a home, on average, 7 years. So . . . the banks make their money with the interest on the loan.

Taxes: If we learned anything from the '70's and Superfly, there will be: taxes, death and trouble. Taxes are your propety taxes. These property taxes can be set up to be paid with your mortgage, and the yearly amount is divided by 12 months and can be added to your monthly mortgage payment. For me, I like having my taxes INCLUDED in the mortgage payment. I don't get a property tax bill around Thanksgiving!

Insurance: The property you are buying will need to be 'insured' for hazards. Do NOT confuse this "insurance" as Mortgage Insurance (that's something else). The lender will require that their investment be insured against hazards, such as: fire, wind, and what might be typical for your local area.

The TOTAL will be your P.I.T.I. monthly payment.

Be sure to ask your loan rep / banker / mortgage professional if the monthly payment they're quoting you is the P.I.T.I . . . the total amount of what you will be obligated to pay per month.

Some lenders / loan reps / bankers MAY just quote the P&I (Principal and Interest) and NOT include the Taxes and Insurance. These amounts WILL be due . . . and should be considered when you are establishing your MONTHLY BUDGET!

--------------------------------------------------------------

Representing Buyers Since 1999
Carla Muss-Jacobs, ABR, CEBA, e-PRO, Realtor(r)
Broker/Owner
EBAPortland, LLC
YOUR Exclusive Buyer's Agent www.EBAPortland.com

All rights reserved (c)

Wordless Wednesday - Remember

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 07:50:39 -0500

_______________________

Roger Johnson is a Realtor with CENTURY 21 American Homes in Hickory NC .

You can reach me by email at rogerajohnson@century21.com or by phone at 828-568-2121 ext 310 .

Follow Me On Twitter Hickory NC Real Estate Home Search

Subscribe to my Blog

Are You Really Too Busy to Blog?

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 10:39:36 -0500

Have you heard this excuse before? Have you used this excuse before? Hey, I know I have once or twice, so don't be shy about it.

Buy are you really too busy too blog? What does "I'm too busy" really mean?

To me, when you or I say, "I'm too busy" it means that what you're too busy for it not as important as what you're currently doing. Sure, sometimes we all get really busy with work, with family, with other things. It happens. And when that happens, we get "too busy" do to other things that will take away from that time.

But blogging, if managed correctly, doesn't take alot of extra time. Like anything, it is about time management. And if you're blogging for business, shouldn't you carve out a bit of time to keep it up?

In fact, that's what happens in most case with agents, they forget to continue their marketing efforts when they get "too busy." You've seen it before. You may have even experienced it. Most agents have big peaks and valleys in their production. If you look at it closer, you'd notice a trend. During the peaks, or the too busy periods, the agents stop doing the things that got them the business to get to the peak. Once that business is done, the agent hits a valley, as they start up their marketing efforts again to get new business.

Wouldn't it be better to maintain a constant stream of business? In order to do that, you must maintain a constant stream of marketing. Blogging is a good way to do that.

Sometimes, people say that they are too busy to blog because they are new to it, or burned out by it. You don't have to be a great writer, just a good communicator, with blogging. And topics will ebb and flow without a doubt, but there really isn't a shortage of topics, either, if you search just a bit.

Jeff Dowler recently posted a great article on mapping out time to blog as well as finding topics: I Have No Time to Blog...

Here are some more good articles on the subject of blog topics:

Justin Smith's Blogging Ideas - How to Start a Local Real Estate Blog #7

Barry Hurd's Brain-storming and Dry-spell Writing Ideas

John Novak's 100+ Real Estate Blogging Ideas

So stop being too busy, get out there and blog!

_______________________

Roger Johnson is a Realtor with CENTURY 21 American Homes in Hickory NC .

You can reach me by email at rogerajohnson@century21.com or by phone at 828-568-2121 ext 310 .

Follow Me On Twitter Hickory NC Real Estate Home Search

Subscribe to my Blog

Get Farm Fresh Produce at the Conover Farmers Market - Conover NC

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 09:42:32 -0500

If you like really fresh fruits and vegetables, and you like it home grown from your neighbors (and who doesn't), then you need to visit the Conover Farmers Market in Conover, NC.

The Conover Farmers Market is located at 501 1st Ave. South in downtown Conover, just south of the railroad tracks.

It's open every Saturday from 7:30 am to 12:30 pm and runs through the end of October. It's open rain or shine, so if it's raining, take an umbrella and get some great deals that day!

If you'd like more information on the Conover Farmers Market or would like to become a vendor, you can contact the Farm Market Manager, Julie Lehmann via mail at: Conover Farmers Market, Inc., PO Box 549, Conover, NC 28613

by phone: 828-234-7075 or email: market manager@conoverfarmersmarket.or

Here's a list of the Vendors Visit Conover Farmers Market

View some photos of past Conover Farmers Market Events

_______________________

Roger Johnson is a Realtor with CENTURY 21 American Homes in Hickory NC .

You can reach me by email at rogerajohnson@century21.com or by phone at 828-568-2121 ext 310 .

Follow Me On Twitter Hickory NC Real Estate Home Search

Subscribe to my Blog

The Sins Of A Seller

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 09:15:14 -0500

Clint Miller of Real Estate Client Referrals, LLC located in Missoula, MT wrote this great article on viewing homes from a buyer's perspective. Definitely worth a read if you're planning on selling a home. Thanks, Clint.

Via Clint Miller (Real Estate Client Referrals, LLC):

Many of you know that I recently bought a home.

And, for those of you that don’t know that I recently bought a home…I recently bought a home. Here’s proof.

Although we are very happy with our home we did purchase, during this process, I happened to notice that as we viewed house after house, I kept seeing the same things happen over and over. And….not good things. Bad things. Bad things that were blatantly obvious to me. Bad things that literally turned me off. Bad things that were keeping this otherwise fine house I was standing in from selling faster.

So, as we went through the homes, I started keeping track of things that I saw that made the average buyer – ME – want to run away screaming. Here is my “Top 10 Seller Sins”:

1. Addition Addiction – Ok…exactly what were these people thinking when they added this addtion to their home?? It isnt level. The door frame isnt square. And, that simulated wood-grain indoor/outdoor burber carpeting is HIDEOUS!! Wasn’t this were the garage should be anyway?? I guess that explains the severely sun-faded paint job on the Sport Family Truckster in the driveway and the Christmas decorations piled floor-to-ceiling in the closet in the spare bedroom. I don’t care what anyone says…Bigger is NOT always better.

2. The “Pet-Owner Moaner” – The over-all assumption that since the seller loves their pets more than chocolate, so does everyone else. Here are a couple of quotes I heard directly from the sellers mouths: “Awwww, my cat must really like you to nestle into your neck like that.”; “I know he looks big, but he is really just a teddy bear.”; “We were able to clean up everything in the house except the cat room.”; “I cant remember if my son put away the ferrets or not, but feel free to look around downstairs.”
a. Ok…first and foremost, Im allergic to cats. I don’t mean that cats make me sneeze. I mean that I quit breathing and require adrenallin shots to keep from dieing. That thing is lucky I didn’t toss it out the open window that was next to me.
b. The “teddy bear” they were referring to…Yeah, that was a 158lb Rotweiller with a googlie eye and a broken tooth on the right side. His chain was tied to a cinder block that he happily drug around and tossed into the air during “playtime”.
c. The “cat room”??? Oh Lord in heaven!!!
d. If you cant figure out if your son left out a pack of rodents in the dark rooms down the creaky stairs without a safety rail and a working light switch, you can be damn sure Im not going to find out for you.

3. Auditory Unawareness – If you cant hear that your refridgerator is making a clicking noise that can be heard from the front yard, Im fairly sure you cant hear the floorboards creaking, the doors squeaking, or the apparent family of raccoons living in the attic. You also only hear what you want to hear. Instead of “Your house is priced too high”, you hear “Your house is of a high value”. Its not the same. Pay attention!

4. Color Blind – Holy Lord!! Who decorated this place?? Its like Andy Worhol threw his color pallet into a Cuisinart and hit ‘liquify’. The fuscia flower print wallpaper needs to go. And, I don’t carew what you say, it doesn’t do any justice to that wall with the fake woodgrain panelling it joins up to by the sunshine yellow couch. Worse yet…the white cabinets, white-washed walls, white countertops, and white tile is just a bit much.

5. “Take it or leave it” – Yup. Heard that come right out of a seller’s own mouth. We were discussing the possiblity of him making a necessary repair to a sliding glass door that lead out to a deck. Between the glass panes was about half an inch of standing water. Obviously, the seals on the window were compromised. When asked if he would spend the money to get the glass replaced and the seales re-done…or just replace the entire door…that was the response I got. Guess what…I left it.

6. Price-itis – The fear that your home wont sell for the price you are asking for it. I put in an offer on a home that was only $5,000 under what was being asked. The counter came back with a reduction of $1,000, but a clause to pay $4,000 in closing costs. Now, I may be bad at math…but, isnt that the same damn thing????

7. Fried Food Funk – You know what Im talking about here. If you can smell it, you won’t sell it. Bottom line here is that fried food smells, kitty litter, a back yard filled with dog crap, a nursery reaking of dirty diapers, etc…all add up to one thing – a very short showing. (Well, it also leads to gagging, shortness of breath, tears streaming down your face, and everyone skrunching up their nose and making that internationally known face that says, “Do you SMELL that???”)

8. Photog Fog – Everyone should take pride in their family photographs. I do. But, Im not trying to sell my house! I went into one home where, I kid you not, the entire living walls…every square inch…was covered in frame pics of family. There must have been 100 pictures in that room. Frames mounted together like a patchwork quilt of memories and bad matting jobs. Love the sentiment…love the family pride. But, I was COMPLETELY distracted from seeing the actual house.

9. “I collect them” – No kidding, really??? Nothing would have made me realize you collect dolls were it not for the fact that Im now suddenly very aware of the fact that 226 eyes are now following me through your house like Chucky with an ax to grind. Yeah, I couldn’t tell that you collect Vegas casino ash trays since they are on every flat surface in your entire house including 4 separate 6-ft tall bookshelves, your coffee table, the top of your TV, the end-tables, and the extra two shelves that you put up encircling the entire living room. But, worse than that, you have them on your toilet tank, your dresser…and in an amazing twist, you have drilled holes in them and replaced half of the doorknobs in your house with them. In case your agent hasn’t told you this….PACK THIS CRAP UP!

10. Livin in the past – I don’t care what you think, the pea soup green shag carpeting is not coming back in style. And, regardless of how many memories are associated with it, the nine-foot long, hunter orange, faux-leather couch on the wooden legs with the sleigh-style arms on the each end is FREAKING UGLY!! Regardless of whether or not they still work, the matching avocado green stove, fridge, and counter tops are ugly…and they are ugly 24/7/365. If you want to move this house…replace this ferocious eyesore. Better yet…HIRE A HOME STAGER!

Yeah, selling a house is hard. Selling a house in the market is harder. Selling one of THESE houses with a seller that sins like this…nearly impossible. Sellers, if you are reading this…listen to your agents. Agents, if you are reading this…make sure your sellers understand that buyers – like me – will look at these like neither of you know what you are doing and act accordingly. Probably by running away quick.

If you would like more information about Real Estate Client Referrals and how we can send you more clients to work with, please contact Clint Miller at 800-977-7058. Or, follow me on twitter www.twitter.com/TheRealClint.

Wordless Wednesday: Please Don't Pet the Lion...Er, Dog

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:18:55 -0500

_______________________

Roger Johnson is a Realtor with CENTURY 21 American Homes in Hickory NC .

You can reach me by email at rogerajohnson@century21.com or by phone at 828-568-2121 ext 310 .

Follow Me On Twitter Hickory NC Real Estate Home Search

Subscribe to my Blog

No, He's NOT giving You the Finger! (Alexander County NC)

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:33:43 -0500

There are lots of people that visit Alexander County, NC. They love the mountain views, gorgeous lake settings, private fishing holes, and that, special old-style down home attitude from the locals. That's just a few reasons that many choose to stay. Still, there's one tradition in the area that initially throws off a few new-comers at first.

The waving drivers!

This seems to be something that, while common in Alexander, comes as a shock to most people visiting the area. Most cars that you pass on the roads, the drivers will toss a quick wave to you. Sometimes, though, those waves can be confusing to the unexpected drivers. So, I thought I'd write this little "things to know" if you're visiting Alexander county for the first time.

There are really four types of waves that you'll encounter here.

The "Howdy" Wave

The Howdy Wave is simply a big wave to the passing car, usually with a big smile from the driver waving, too. Hard to miss. Some people unfamiliar with this usually ask their passenger, "Hey, do we know them?"

Knowing someone personally isn't necessary here. We're just glad to see you.

The Four Finger Wave

This is similar to the big howdy wave, but only the four fingers are lifted, keeping the hand on the wheel. Again, a big friendly smile can accompany this wave. The driver waving is simply choosing to err on the side of caution and keep both hands (or at least one) on the wheel.

The Peace Wave

The Peace Wave is a two fingered wave. This is the 'cool' wave. You'll probably get this one from the younger crowd. They're still happy to see you, they just have to look good while welcoming you to the area!

The One Finger Wave

No, NOT that Finger! The one finger wave is the INDEX finger. You'll see this wave from the mega wavers. Those are the ones that wave at every car that passes them. It's a time-saver (not to mention safer!), and it still looks cool, too.

This one is probably most common, as most locals do wave at every passing car. Unfortunately, this is also the most "misread" gesture by those unfamiliar with the waving tradition of Alexander county.

So, if you're visiting Alexander county for the first time, or you're new to the area, don't be alarmed at all the waving going on. It's just down home Southern hospitality for Alexander county. And remember, that's not the finger, but rather the one fingered wave.

And don't forget to wave back. We like that, too!

_______________________

Roger Johnson is a Realtor with CENTURY 21 American Homes in Hickory NC .

You can reach me by email at rogerajohnson@century21.com or by phone at 828-568-2121 ext 310 .

Follow Me On Twitter Hickory NC Real Estate Home Search

Subscribe to my Blog

248 Conner Rd - Taylorsville NC - Homes For Sale

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:29:10 -0500

_______________________

Roger Johnson is a Realtor with CENTURY 21 American Homes in Hickory NC .

You can reach me by email at rogerajohnson@century21.com or by phone at 828-568-2121 ext 310 .

Follow Me On Twitter Hickory NC Real Estate Home Search

Subscribe to my Blog

248 Conner Rd, Taylorsville, NC 28681

40 years ago, We went to the Moon

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:57:10 -0500

On this date, July 16th, 1969, at 9:32 am,the United States launched Apollo 11 into space with the intent to land on the moon.

This mission was actually the 3rd flight to the moon, but the first attempt to land a human on the big rock. Four days later, Neil Armstrong would utter that now famous line, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

Here are some other notable points in history on this day.

1790 - the District of Columbia was established as the seat of the United States Government.

1945 - the first Atomic Bomb was tested.

1979 - Saddam Hussein became President of Iraq

1999 - John F. Kennedy, Jr., his wife and her sister, died in a plane crash.

_______________________

Roger Johnson is a Realtor with CENTURY 21 American Homes in Hickory NC .

You can reach me by email at rogerajohnson@century21.com or by phone at 828-568-2121 ext 310 .

Follow Me On Twitter Hickory NC Real Estate Home Search

Subscribe to my Blog

Get Great Wide Angle Photos without a Wide Angle Camera

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:14:11 -0500

Wide angle photos are all the rage in the real estate world these days. And it should be. A good wide angled shot shows alot more of the room than a traditional photo. Everyone loves those bedroom corner pictures, right?

Wide angle photos aren't just for shooting real estate, either. They work for, well, almost everything, and getting more into a shot is pretty much always a good thing. But even though digital cameras with wide angle ability are starting to come down in price, they're still pretty pricey. And let's not get into what it costs for a wide angle lens, if you camera can take a add-on lens.

Wouldn't it be great if you could take great wide angle shots with a regular digital camera. Well, now you can.

Simply go to autostitch.net and download the demo (windows only). Now, it says demo, but it's a fully functioning, but barebones, program. What does it do?

It turns these

Into THIS

Pretty Cool, huh!

The thing is, it is REALLY, REALLY Simple to use, too. All you have to do is A) take some pictures that are connected in some way, and B) load them into Autostitch and hit the "Stitch" button. There is an options tab and it has a bunch of technical stuff on it (and if anyone wants to tell us what they all do, that'd be great!), but the only thing I do is set it to output at 100% ratio (the first block after hitting options). If the pictures can be stitched, it does the work.

So these three pictures go from looking like this:

To looking like this:

Okay, it really comes out looking like this:

But all you have to do is throw that pic into your favorite photo editing program, do quick crop on it and then it looks like

Try it out for yourself and see what you can do with it. It's fast, easy and free. What's not to love?

_______________________

Roger Johnson is a Realtor with CENTURY 21 American Homes in Hickory NC .

You can reach me by email at rogerajohnson@century21.com or by phone at 828-568-2121 ext 310 .

Follow Me On Twitter Hickory NC Real Estate Home Search

Subscribe to my Blog

There Are Many Reasons For The Housing Collapse - Here's A Congressional Report On The History Of One

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:53:00 -0500

Here is a great article written by Richard Iarossi of Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc., Crofton MD, on the causes of the real estate collapse. Thanks, Rich, for this timely piece.

Via Richard Iarossi, Crofton MD Real Estate, Annapolis MD Real Estate (Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc.):

Few will doubt that the housing collapse has many partners, but one of the recurring themes is the role of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in our current financial crisis.

The Congress has issued a report, "The Role of Government Affordable Housing Policy in Creating the Global Financial Crisis of 2008."

A couple of the conclusions which are detailed in the report are:

Political pressure on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lead to the erosion of responsible lending practices.

Housing prices outpaced income due mainly to lower downpayment requirements.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were leaders in risky mortgage lending practices.

The role of government intervention was significant in causing the financial collapse.

One of the architects, who helped create the problem, Fannie CEO, Franklin Raines, earned over $90 million dollars in compensation in six years.

The report is only 26 pages long and won't make the summer best seller list for reading on the beach.

I suspect it won't get much play because the largely historical report was put out by Republican members of the House Oversight Committee. That being said, I did read the report and it is a bipartisan, historical representation of the role of GSE's in the collapse.

Every Congressional representative should read the report to understand how undue political pressure can have unintended, disasterous consequences. We certainly don't want to see ourselves in another housing mess after we somehow manage to climb out of this one.

Richard Iarossi, REALTOR®
Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc.
Crofton, MD 21114
410-451-6255 Office
443-995-9595 Cell
Web: http://www.RichSellsHomes.com
eMail: Rich@RichSellsHomes.com

Annapolis MD Real Estate Specialist
Bowie MD Real Estate Specialist
Crofton MD Real Estate Specialist

Movies in the Park, July 10th, 2009: Newton NC

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 06:00:03 -0500

The summer event, Movies in the Park, movie this week is "Hairspray"

The movie is rated PG.

Start time for the movie is 9:00pm on Friday, July 10th, 2009.

The movie and popcorn are free. Other concessions are available, also.

Remember to bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit and no pets, please!

This is the Last Movie of the Summer!

Banks Are Stupid At Business but the Homeowner is Supposed to Have Morals?

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:26:07 -0500

There's been a lot of interest around the mortgage defaults issue of late. It started with Richard Zaretsky's blog "WALK AWAY FROM THE PROPERTY - STRATEGIC MORTGAGE DEFAULTS GROW TO 26%. Then Broker Bryant's great post, Morally Wrong....OR...Financially Sound?, followed, by Jon Zolsky's posts, Painfully Adjusting to the World, and now, Show Me The Soul...

Some seem to think that it's morally wrong to make a decision to not pay your mortgage. I'm not arguing for or against that here. Everybody has their positions on this and likely nothing anybody else says is going to change their thought process on the subject, so why try?

That said, let's look at the bank's side of this for a moment. During the boom, lenders were giving out loans to practically anyone that was capable of breathing. We had subprime loans, no doc loans, the No Income, No Job Verification loan, 105% loans up to 125% loans and so on and so on. On top of that, we had lenders threatening to cut off appraisers that didn't value the property HIGH enough. Bad business decisions? Hmm, looks that way to me. Where were the lender's morals at this time? I think that they may have been lost in all the potential profits that were to be coming their way.

Fast forward to the bust years. Now, we've got homeowners trying to desperately stay afloat, many begging for their lenders to help them. What have the majority of lenders done? Turn a blind eye. Oh, sure, they SAY that they're willing to help, but very few actually do it.

First, you have to actually be behind on payments before the bank will even consider talking to you about helping. Then, you have to jump through a simply huge amount of hoops and red-tape to get any process at all, at which time, you are usually informed that you can't be helped, and your home will be foreclosed. That's stupid business, folks, plain and simple.

But wait, there's More!

Many banks say that they are willing to accept a short sale, but they drag the process along for months, when it should be taking weeks. if, IF, you actually get to the point where they are looking at an offer, all too often the lender rejects a perfectly good, sound, and reasonable offer, because it doesn't fit into their calulated formula. Yet, this same home, once foreclosed and bank-owned, will bring HALF the amount of the short sale offer. And it seems, everybody knows this but the banks. Stupid business?

Most banks won't even consider cutting the principle amount owed on a loan, or they make it so hard to qualify that most homeowners don't bother. Yet, these same loans that they refuse to restructure the principle amount by 75-90% of the original, thus making it a performing note, they will sell to another lender or investor for 10% of the balance. How do I know this. I have an friend that the lender refused to work with him on but sold his loan an investor for 10% of it's value. The investor that bought it, called my friend and told him, so that maybe they could work out a deal. Hmm, Stupid business? Smart investor, stupid bank.

Now we have lenders that are simply refusing to foreclose on property. They don't want it back because they don't want to be responsible for the taxes, insurance, upkeep, etc that goes with it and have decided that it's better to let the homeowner keep it...for now. All the while, they are still reporting to the credit bureau's that the borrower is late, they are still adding up interest, penalties, etc., and they are still tacking on additional junk fees. Stupid business? Maybe not, but where's THEIR morals in this?

The banks have been bailed out by the Government. It actually pays them NOT to help the homeowner and try to fix the banks' mistakes that they made during the boom years. The homeowner isn't so lucky. They have to work within their own means. I do think that a homeowner should TRY to work with their lender. I also think that they should TRY to sell the property through an agent that understands the short sale process. But in the end, if walking away is the best option, then they should do it.

_______________________

Roger Johnson is a Realtor with CENTURY 21 American Homes in Hickory NC .

You can reach me by email at rogerajohnson@century21.com or by phone at 828-568-2121 ext 310 .

Follow Me On Twitter Hickory NC Real Estate Home Search

Subscribe to my Blog

Wordless Wednesday: Up, Up, and Away!

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:49:58 -0500

_______________________

Roger Johnson is a Realtor with CENTURY 21 American Homes in Hickory NC .

You can reach me by email at rogerajohnson @century21.com or by phone at 828-568-2121 ext 310 .

Follow Me On Twitter Hickory NC Real Estate Home Search

AR Members Subscribe to My Blog Subscribe to My Blog

Just because You Can Cuss Like a Sailor doesn't mean You Should

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:38:50 -0500

Yesterday, I had to go to the most wonderful of places, that hell-spawned inspired store called Wal-mart. Yes, it's true that they have some great prices and almost everything you could ask for under one roof, but it's a place that I truly had going into. There seems to ALWAYS be a crowd and I always get a strong negative vibe in there.

Yesterday was no different. While I was checking out what I was there for, a couple came down the aisle. Almost immediately my hearing was attacked by "Son of a B***, you think I'm paying that >>>> price for that #### thing! You're &&&& nuts!" which was followed by a "You're just an A$$$, you won't ever do nothing, you f*&&$ing $$$$!"

After I recovered from unwanted, and unneeded, sound intrusion, and managed to stop my ears from bleeding, I looked around to see where this was coming from. This wasn't to young teens, which though again unneeded, may not be as unexpected, but to young adults. And not only that, but they had two children under 5 years old with them. Now, I have to wonder, if they have no issues with speaking like that in public, what kind of things do these kids get to hear at home?

Oh, for those that are curious, this happened in the Hickory NC Wal-mart. I know that something like this would never happen in the Conover NC Wal-mart. It's new and they probably police things like this. :-)

Seriously though, people, you really need to think a little bit before you speak. Cussing like a sailor may come naturally to you, but that doesn't mean that everyone wants to hear it. Don't think so? If this is you, then next time watch how many people attempt to avoid you?

And we wonder why kids have issues? It ain't the video games people.

_______________________

Roger Johnson is a Realtor with CENTURY 21 American Homes in Hickory NC .

You can reach me by email at rogerajohnson@century21.com or by phone at 828-568-2121 ext 310 .

Follow Me On Twitter Hickory NC Real Estate Home Search

Subscribe to my Blog

Hey! I've been Plagiarized!

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:06:17 -0500

This is my first time dealing with the problem of plagiarism and copyright infringement. I don't know whether to be flattered or mad. Hmmm....

I think I'll be flattered and MAD! Sounds good to me anyway.

Apparently, someone really liked my article 3 Secrets to Getting Your Property SOLD! Not only did they copy/paste it to their own website (stealthily changing the name to Secrets to Selling Your Property), BUT they also posted it to articlesbase.com.

Now, this may have slipped by me if they hadn't done that (brilliant move, by the way!). Why? (and this is important)

Because articlesbase Terms of Use allows others to copy the material so long as they a) link back to the original author and b) link back to articlesbase.

Guess What? This post has now been unknowingly plagiarized by at least a dozen websites now. Oh Yay! Better still (or worse), most of these websites are those slimely blogsites devoted to nothing more than to have a place to place ads and skim email addresses. Most do not have a way to email or comment. Joy! Joy!

So, for now, I've sent articlesbase an email to remove the offending post and I've sent the offender a pretty good Lenn Harley-styled Cease and Desist and Demand for Damages letter. As for the others, too tired to tackle them tonight. My attorney may be busy for awhile, though.

UPDATE: 7/8/09

I Checked up on the website that started this mess and they have removed my post although they didn't bother to respond to my email. You may want to check out www.smilingdog.net yourself (not going to provide any linklove, though) and see if you have any copied posts as they are an Active Rain member and are using other members posts. Just an FYI if you don't want your stuff copied.

_______________________

Roger Johnson is a Realtor with CENTURY 21 American Homes in Hickory NC .

You can reach me by email at rogerajohnson@century21.com or by phone at 828-568-2121 ext 310 .

Follow Me On Twitter Hickory NC Real Estate Home Search

Subscribe to my Blog

Movies in the Park, July 3rd, 2009: Newton, NC

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:54:45 -0500

The summer event, Movies in the Park, movie this week is "Tale of Despereaux "

The movie is rated PG.

Start time for the movie is 9:00pm on Friday, July 3rd, 2009.

The movie and popcorn are free. Other concessions are available, also.

Remember to bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit and no pets, please!

Wordless Wednesday: MMM...MMM..Good!

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:36:23 -0500

_______________________

Roger Johnson is a Realtor with CENTURY 21 American Homes in Hickory NC .

You can reach me by email at rogerajohnson@century21.com or by phone at 828-568-2121 ext 310 .

Follow Me On Twitter Hickory NC Real Estate Home Search

Subscribe to my Blog

Is Your Computer Infected with Antivirus System Pro Malware: How to Remove

Roger Johnson, Realtor - Hickory NC Real Estate (CENTURY 21 American Homes) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:40:04 -0500

Hey! I just had the pleasure of spending most of my evening fighting with this new malware/virus called Antivirus System Pro. Oh Yay me!! I say new, but it's really just an updated, and nastier version of Antivirus Pro, System Pro and others with similar names that some hackers have created. Joy!

Do You Have Antivirus Pro?

It's easy to determine if you've got Antivirus System Pro or not. It's all over your computer! You'll immediately be hit with a splash page that says something like this: "Your PC has been infected. Running scan NOW!" with continuing pop-ups about your PC being infected and that a virus/trojan horse is trying to access your files.

It's all bogus. If you try to get on the Internet, you will get a screen that says something like "cannot connect to website. Malicious site detected." What's even better, though, is about every 2 minutes or so, you will be redirected to some....mmm...let's say, less than family-friendly sites. Joy, Joy!

You're Not Safe!

Oh, by the way, this can be picked up just about anywhere, too. I personally got mine from clicking on a link in my Twitter feed. Simply love those tinyurl makers, don't you?

The purpose of this malware is two-fold. First, it attempts to get you to pay them for the "complete" software to remove all of your "infected" files. Second, it attempts to collect any data that it can from you and your PC. It's VERY IMPORTANT for you to remove it as fast as possible.

How do I remove Antivirus Pro?

If you get online to search for a way to remove it (and you'll have to either do that from another PC or reboot yours into safe mode with networking on), many of the removal sites are almost as bad as the malware itself, forcing you to pay for the removal. Luckily, I went through this first.

So, if you are unfortunate enough to have the malware (and if you don't, download this NOW while you can), you want to get Malwarebytes Anti-malware. If you like it, you can upgrade to the paid version, but the free version will get the job done for now. Once it's downloaded and installed, run it, check for updates and do a FULL system scan. You will need to reboot and you may have to run it more than once (just to be safe), but it did an excellent job of removing the problem (and a couple more I didn't know I had either). Highly recommended.

Keeping yourself Protected.

Running an anti-virus program and having anti-malware software already installed will help, but doesn't guarantee that you're worry free. One of the best ways to prevent another instance of this happening is to block the websites that promote it. The following websites should be completely blocked:

Antivir2009pro com
Inetantivir com
Inetantivirus com
Inetavirus com

It should go without saying, but DO NOT try to go to these websites!!!

Blocking a Website in Firefox

This easiest way to block a site when using Firefox is to download the add-on Blocksite. You can add websites to it that you do not wish to ever connect to again. Blocksite also blocks hyperlinks to those websites as well, so it's difficult to be tricked into clicking on them.

Blocking a Website in Internet Explorer

Depending on your version, this may be a little different, and I'm not an IE user, so here it goes anyway. Click on the Tools tab, then Internet Options. From there, click on the Contents tab, then enable the Contents Advisor. Then click on Approved Sites tab and enter the URL address of the website you want to block and hit on the Never tab. Hit the OK or Apply button. You'll be asked to enter a password and it's all done.

_______________________

Roger Johnson is a Realtor with CENTURY 21 American Homes in Hickory NC .

You can reach me by email at rogerajohnson@century21.com or by phone at 828-568-2121 ext 310 .

Follow Me On Twitter Hickory NC Real Estate Home Search

Subscribe to my Blog