Habitat for Humanity - Las Vegas, Nevada

Thanks for your help!

Kim Duclos - Coldwell Banker Wardley - (702) 521-3939

Please spread the word!

Habitat Needs Families!
Habitat for Humanity’s Home Ownership Program has two immediate openings for two homes!
We have a completed two bedroom home at our Tamarus Project:
This home is located off of Tamarus & Warm Springs and may occupy a family of:
Single Parent with one child
Single Parent with two children of the same sex
Two seniors
Framing will begin on a three bedroom home at our Henderson Project:
This home is located off of Sunset and Boulder Hwy and may occupy a family of:
Three to Six people
(Depending on the make up of the family and children)
Please spread the word to your friends, family
and co-workers!
Habitat Families are selected based on their need for adequate housing, their ability to pay a zero interest mortgage, and their willingness to partner up with Habitat.
Habitat Families must complete a minimum of 300 hours of sweat equity per adult working on their home and the homes of other Habitat families.
Habitat Families must pay closing cost of approximately $2000-$2500 and purchase first year’s homeowners insurance approximately $400-$500.
Prior to submitting an application, interested applicants must:
1. Meet the minimum eligibility requirements
Click the link below for more info
http://www.habitatlasvegas.org/site/c.khLPKZPELoF/b.3892327/k.A0DC/Home_Ownership.htm
2. Attend a Habitat Home Ownership Orientation
3. Complete 25 hours of Volunteer Work with Habitat

If you have any questions please contact:
Jackie Valdera
Family Services Program Manager
(Se Habla Español)
702-638-6477
Jackie@habitatlasvegas.org
SPREAD THE WORD!!

2010 Census to Begin - Cautions from BBB

Thought everyone might be interested in this information

2010 Census to Begin WARNING: 2010 Census Warnings from the Better Business Bureau!

Be Cautious About Giving Info to Census Workers by Susan Johnson

With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data. The big question is - how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice: ** If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don't know into your home. ** Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census. REMEMBER, NO MATTER WHAT THEY ASK, YOU REALLY ONLY NEED TO TELL THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS. While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION. The Census Bureau will not ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers, nor will employees solicit donations. Any one asking for that information is NOT with the Census Bureau.

AND REMEMBER, THE CENSUS BUREAU HAS DECIDED NOT TO WORK WITH ACORN ON GATHERING THIS INFORMATION. No Acorn worker should approach you saying he/she is with the Census Bureau. Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in person at home. However, the Census Bureau will not contact you by Email, so be on the lookout for Email scams impersonating the Census. Never click on a link or open any attachments in an Email that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau. For more advice on avoiding identity theft and fraud, visit http://www.bbb.org/

PLEASE SHARE THIS INFO WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS...

CLARIFICATION OF THE NEW RESPA ACT

Are you in the market for a new home? Thinking of obtaining a mortage on that purchase? It is imperitive to work with a lender that can accomplish your goals while providing the best and honest service with competitive rates. Call me and we can get the process started! Some new changes in Lending provided below.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/ramh/res/respa_hm.cfm

Recent changes in the Truth in Lending laws as of 7/30/09

CLARIFICATION OF NEW RESPA ACT

Changes to the Truth in Lending Act: What You Need to Know!
Regulation Z of The Truth in Lending Act (TILA) has undergone important changes that you need to know about in order to set expectations when looking for a loan. These changes take effect for all new applications taken on July 30, 2009 and after, apply to ALL types of mortgage loans (except investor loans and HELOC's) and could impact the overall time line of the mortgage process.

Here are four key parts you need to know:

Initial Disclosures: Under the new rules, initial disclosures must be provided to the borrower for all loans within three (3) business days of when an application is taken.

Initial disclosures include: the Good Faith Estimate (GFE), Truth in Lending Statement (TIL).
Collection of Up-front Fees: The new regulations prohibit lenders from ordering and collecting many up-front fees (ie: appraisal) prior to the new waiting period.

If the loan application is face-to-face, there is no waiting period.

Otherwise lenders have a 3 day waiting period before fee services can be ordered.

TBD properties: Are not considered actual applications per RESPA - once a property is identified and application is made - the waiting period would start from that day. So, if we did a pre-qual for someone today and a week later the property is identified, the disclosures would need to be signed and/or mailed on that day, and the waiting period begins.

Re-disclosures: If there are changes to a borrower's Annual Percentage Rate (APR) that INCREASES more than .125%, the lender must re-disclose to the borrower, and the 3 day waiting period starts over again.

Timing of Loan Closings: Business days are considered Monday-Saturday excluding legal public holidays. Closings cannot be scheduled until at least seven (7) business days after the initial disclosures are received by the borrower. If re-disclosures are needed because of changes to the loan program, terms or APR, the loan closing cannot be scheduled until after the re-disclosures are received by the borrower.

Please contact me for all of your real estate needs @ (702) 521-3939

Kim Duclos - Coldwell Banker Wardley

Grandparents Day and it's Origin

Grandparents Day can be traced back to the first national Grandparents Day in 1978. With the efforts of Hermine B. Beckett Hanna, of North Syracuse, New York, who started the process in 1961 and is recognized by Congressman Jim Walsh, of New York in front of the U.S. House of Representatives. Marian McQuade of Oak Hill, West Virginia, she has been recognized nationally by The United States Senate, in particular Senator Alphonse D'Amato, and President Carter as the founder of National Grandparents Day. McQuade made it her goal to educate the young in the community to the important contributions senior citizens have made, and to the important contributions they are willing to make if asked. She also urged the young to adopt a grandparent, not for one day a year, not for material giving, but for a lifetime of experience and caring just waiting to be shared with others.
Later that year, Senator Jennings Randolph (D-WV) introduced a resolution in the United States Senate to make Grandparents Day a national holiday. Five years later in 1978, Congress passed legislation proclaiming the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day and then-President Jimmy Carter signed the proclamation[1].The statute cites the day's purpose as: "... to honor grandparents, to give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children's children, and to help children become aware of strength, information, and guidance older people can offer."

Official Song of Grandparents Day
In 2004, the National Grandparents Day Council of Chula Vista, CA announced that "A Song For Grandma And Grandpa" by Johnny Prill is the official song of the National Grandparents Day holiday. United States Senator Debbie Stabenow told Johnny "It is wonderful that “A Song For Grandma And Grandpa” was chosen as the official song of National Grandparents Day. You have put into words the unique relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren."

Official Flower of Grandparents Day
The official flower of National Grandparents Day is the Forget Me Not.

History of Labor Day

We are approaching another holiday weekend (HOORAY!). I thought I would take a moment and search the net and see what is posted as the "history" of this particular holiday.

Labor Day rose out of the struggles of Americans in the late 1800's and as a part of the labor movement of the day.

Labor Day History
As the Industrial Revolution took hold of the nation, the average American in the late 1800s worked 12-hour days, seven days a week in order to make a basic living. Children were also working, as they provided cheap labor to employers and laws against child labor were not strongly enforced.

With the long hours and terrible working conditions, American unions became more prominent and voiced their demands for a better way of life. On Tuesday September 5, 1882, 10,000 workers marched from city hall to Union Square in New York City, holding the first-ever Labor Day parade. Participants took an upaid day-off to honor the workers of America, as well as vocalize issues they had with employers. As years passed, more states began to hold these parades, but Congress would not legalize the holiday until 12 years later.

On May 11, 1894, workers of the Pullman Palace Car Company in Chicago struck to protest wage cuts and the firing of union representatives. They sought support from their union led by Eugene V. Debs and on June 26 the American Railroad Union called a boycott of all Pullman railway cars. Within days, 50,000 rail workers complied and railroad traffic out of Chicago came to a halt. On July 4, President Grover Cleveland dispatched troops to Chicago. Much rioting and bloodshed ensued, but the government's actions broke the strike and the boycott soon collapsed. Debs and three other union officials were jailed for disobeying the injunction. The strike brought worker's rights to the public eye and Congress declared, in 1894, that the first Monday in September would be the holiday for workers, known as Labor Day.

The founder of Labor Day remains unclear, but some credit either Peter McGuire, co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, or Matthew Maguire, a secretary of the Central Labor Union, for proposing the holiday.

Although Labor Day is meant as a celebration of the labor movement and its achievements, it has come to be celebrated as the last, long summer weekend before Autumn.