Why Main Street and Wall Street Are Never Going to Love Each Other by Ruth Shari November 7, 2009
Posted by Ruth Shari in Choosing a Realtor, www.camoves.com/ruth.shari, www.ruthshari.com.Tags: Don’t believe in Uncle Sam, Don’t believe in Wall Street, Greedheads fed on delusional homeowners, Lesson is to say no to what you can’t afford, Lesson was to live within your means, Main and Wall need to understand each other, Main Street and Wall Street---enemies for life, Wall Street fueled excess
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There is a major hate campaign that is escalating between the large financial institutions making up Wall Street and the people like you and me that make up Main Street. According to Allan Sloan, a 40 year-strong financial journalist,
the two groups need to understand each other if ever our society is going to overcome this crisis and become prosperous again.
He cites the figures in a recent Time magazine poll: 75% of respondents say they believe Wall Street will go back to doing business as usual, 67% want the government to force pay cuts and 59% want still more government regulation.
If Main Streeters are asking: “Where’s my bailout?” they’re right. The thought of Wall Street having received trillions of dollars of our money and now poised to hand out multi-million dollar bonuses should make you howl. According to Sloan’s article (Time, November 9, 2009) Wall Street is responsible for the financial meltdown. But Main Street needs to assume responsibility for not resisting the temptation to say no to mortgages and other products that were never affordable. Main Streeters could have tried, he says, to live within their means or even below them.
Sloan believes that financial firms could allow people at the top to go without bonuses, but they are not doing that. Instead it‘ll be business as usual even though the times are unusual. He says that those who grab every penny they can, using taxpayer money, aren’t true capitalists. They are the short term greedy he refers to as pigs.
Sloan suggests these rules of the road for Wall Street and Main Street:
- Break up institutions that are too big to fail so that we can allow them to fail.
- Tell the truth, and play it down the middle: demonizing others just helps the demonized return the favor.
- Don’t put your faith in the Fed or Uncle Sam
- Don’t put your faith in Wall Street: the Street had its excess twice in this decade with tech stocks and housing and two others are in the works: commercial real estate and leveraged buyouts.
Bottom line, look out for yourself because you’re the only one who can do it.
Truth From Ruth – Home Mortgage Modification Program Reaches Its Goal Ahead of Schedule by Ruth Shari October 12, 2009
Posted by Ruth Shari in Choosing a Realtor, Home Ownership means Saving on Taxes, Incentives, Low Cost home improvements, advantage of owning, homeownership vs renting, ruthshari@aol.com, www.camoves.com/ruth.shari, www.ruthshari.com.Tags: Banks prodded to do modification of loans, Help for struggling homeowners, Making Home Affordable Program reports progress, Modification efforts are accelerated, Ruth Shari
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by Ruth Shari
The Making Homes Affordable government program reached its first stage goal of modifying 500,000 loans more than three weeks in advance, according to federal officials. The push came in response to the Obama administration’s prodding banks in July to speed their processing to recast loan terms.
The program was conceived and written to ease foreclosures by helping troubled homeowners to modify their mortgages by such changes as cutting interest rates and extending the length of the loan. Predictably the $75 billion Making Home Affordable program is the subject of concern and criticism. “It isn’t clear the program in place will do enough to tame the crisis,” said Elizabeth Warren, the chairwoman of the Congressional Oversight Panel monitoring the use of government bailout money.
Obama administration officials said they are aware that foreclosures continue to rise and are committed to keeping up the pressure on mortgage companies. They admit we are anot close to the end yet, according to Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan. 
The most recently compiled date, effective September 30th, indicated that JP Morgan Chase & Co. had modified the most home mortages. Next was Bank of America Corp., following by Citigroup, Inc. This represents a near doubling of the pace of loan revisions since the end of July, which at 487,081 on September30th is still less tha 20% of eligible delinquent mortgages, according to the Los Angeles Times. See further the Business Section, Page B2 or the LATIMES.COM/BUSINESS.
Truth From Ruth -A Note for Success: Persistence by Ruth Shari September 21, 2009
Posted by Ruth Shari in Buyer's Market, Choosing a Realtor, Home Ownership means Saving on Taxes, Incentives, advantage of owning, homeownership vs renting, the time to buy is now, www.camoves.com/ruth.shari, www.ruthshari.com.Tags: hone your winning skills, persistence is part of success; persist creates business; persist your way to success; success succeeds like nothing else; the difference between failing and succeeding; hone your winning skills, success succeeds like nothing else, the difference between failing and succeeding
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By Ruth Shari
Most people quit before they really even get started on a new thing. How many people do you know who started playing a sport or a musical instrument wound up— after a relatively short time— quitting because the desired results were taking too long? They quit and moved on to find something easier to pursue.
Persistence is a secret that successful people understand. Great negotiators, for example, know that the more persistent and unflagging they are, the more likely they’ll arrive at the terms and conditions that will create mutual agreement. In today’s economic environment, people need to persist in order to keep their business afloat in some cases. In other cases, persistence is the core of discipline needed for individuals to do whatever it takes to get the job done, and in some cases, to just hold down a job as an employee.![yo_yo_ma[1]](http://ruthshari.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/yo_yo_ma1.jpg?w=243&h=300 "yo_yo_ma[1]")
Successful people know that success is ten percent inspiration and ten percent perspiration. There’s a saying that goes like this, “A big shot is just a little shot that kept shooting.”
That is persistence: never giving up. Put in 110 percent all of the time. Those who do will know success. And don’t forget an old adage from the Big Apple: “Nothing succeeds like success.”
Truth from Ruth – The Emotional Value of Home, by Ruth Shari September 7, 2009
Posted by Ruth Shari in Garden Beauty, Home Ownership means Saving on Taxes, Home and Garden, How to make your home worth more, Incentives, homeownership vs renting, ruthshari@aol.com, www.ruthshari.com.Tags: bring the outdoors in, California year round garden land, create visual beauty and see your home’s value increase, fall in love with garden beauty, fall in love with your home, feel the space rather than think it, gardens are part of what you pay for, make your home a series of places for the eye to go
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By Ruth Shari
When was the last time you fell in love with a home because it created an emotional feeling? It awed you with the beauty of its garden. Or the interior brought the outdoors in and everywhere was a place for the eye to go. Chances are you felt the space more than thought it. You became dazzled by a water element and its song, titillated by a rich patch of 2-foot tall yuccas with their white bell flower plumes, drenched in a profusion of color viewed from a window and beckoned by the massive arched and hand carved wood doorway majestically announcing a welcome. 
If you want to make the outdoors as beautiful as the inside of your home, know that a garden is first a vision of an oasis coupled with plain common sense choices and routine maintenance. In southern California, the gardens can flourish nearly year round. A special look and feeling that enhances your yard and property can be sustained throughout the seasons. “So many people plant gardens and just think about spring and summer and forget all the things that can add color in autumn and fall,” says event planner and designer Walter Hubert.
Here are some special instructions from this master florist and designer:
- Clip your garden with hand pruners vs. hedge shears. This will avoid having it look too manicured and give it a natural feel.
- Use lots of white flowering plants such as jasmine, gardenia, camellias and iceberg roses; they tend to glow at night.
- Determine what plants can flourish in your particular yard and microclimate, and then create a landscaping base with them. There is a plethora of native California plants.
- Mix in pots throughout the garden to create a wider color palette and accents that “grab” the eye. Echeveria can do that well.
- Encircle the property with fragrant flowering plants like jasmine, wisteria, citrus and gardenia; enjoy their different perfumes from the windows and through the doors of your home.
To Buy or To Rent by Ruth Shari August 31, 2009
Posted by Ruth Shari in Home Ownership means Saving on Taxes, advantage of owning, financing for sale, homeownership vs renting, the time to buy is now.Tags: buy into the right school district, enjoyment increases with ownership, houses cheap in many CA cities compared to rentals, Is renting a better deal---not today, live the way you want in your own home, merits of homeownership, to buy or to rent?, Why buy now?
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By Ruth Shari
In the wake of the real estate bust, does it make more sense to own or to keep renting? When home values were escalating, the math favored renting, according to economists. House prices increased while rents stayed more or less flat. That meant you could get more for your money by leasing a home vs. owing one. The tide is turning today according to Barbara Kiviat author of a recent Time magazine article in their series on “Money & Main Street”. 
Take the example of one Sacramento, CA resident whose last rental was for $1,500. His new mortgage payment for the same sized home purchased with 20% down is $1,570. With after tax benefits, the real new payment is actually about $200 a month less.
Economists use a price-to-rent ratio to calculate whether it’s better to buy or to rent. The price-to-rent ratio for the nation’s cities has historically averaged 16.5. What that means is the price of a house is the same as what you’d pay to rent it over 16.5 years. Since 2005 this ratio has been in descent as a result of the home-price implosion. In the top 10 metro areas, which includes Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles, CA, among others, as well as Cleveland, Phoenix and Las Vegas, the houses for sale look cheap compared to rentals?
Anyone can argue that it’s always better to be a homeowner just as some could make the case for it’s always better to be a renter. Many of my clients who buy see other considerations that go into the decision to own. Some need a certain school district for their children. Others want outdoor space. All who buy now acknowledge that not only are houses for sale but interest rates are at rock bottom.
If you’re someone who is used to renting, you may always miss living by the beach in a tiny 1-bedroom, avoiding property taxes and not having to fix your own garbage disposal. Those who own like having a custom sound system for their at-home concerts and touching up their own paint for always fresh color on the walls. Most with a sizable income really appreciate the mortgage tax deduction benefit and of course, building equity. Not to mention the pride of ownership. But, then, I’m a homeowner advocate.
Tools for Doubling Your Income: The 7C’s by Ruth Shari August 24, 2009
Posted by Ruth Shari in 7 ways to make more money, dreams, ruthshari@aol.com, www.camoves.com/ruth.shari, www.ruthshari.com.Tags: 7 ways to make more money; housing market/encouraging news; tips for success; high income earner profile; what to do to double your income; what holds you back from making the money you want; doubling, Ben Bernanke optimistically cautious, double your income, economy stable or not, home resale’s highest in 10 years, housing market report, how long before the recession ends, how to make more money consistently, make money happen, secrets to financial success
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By Ruth Shari
Ben Bernanke was cautiously upbeat today as he spoke about signs of economic recovery. But most agree that financial strains remain. And, sure, July figures released on August 21st by the National Association of Realtors cited sales of existing sales, a.k.a. resales were up 7.2%, the highest increase in 10 years. That increase is calculated over the previous month, however.
Economist and forecaster Jeremy Brant says that “we are in a bit of a trough”. He predicts there will still be a series of highs and lows just as with the stock market. It won’t be a line that goes straight up. He’s talking about a year to two years for the economy to stabilize. Meanwhile, most of us are working harder than ever before and earning the same, if we are lucky, or less, in most cases. Still other individuals are seeing their jobs phased out, and yet others—without a job—-are retooling, job searching, and living on dwindling savings if fortunate to have any. 
The bottom line is that almost everyone has the subject of income top of mind. So here are some tips from top sales producer Brian Tracy.
- Clarity: You need to know Why? Be clear on what you want and where you are going. Maybe it’s a house on the golf course. Or a place to rent in Maui for a month every year. Maybe it’s a college fund for your kids, which ensures their better life through higher education.
- Competence: You have to be in the top ten percent of your field. If you could only do three things all day long, ask yourself what would contribute the most to your income?
- Constraints: Find out what is holding you back from doubling your income. 80 percent of the barrier is internal. Ask yourself what one skill will double your income.
- Creativity: Stimulate creativity by setting big goals, having big problems and focused questions. Be solution oriented and ideas will emerge.
- Concentration: It’s key to success. List what you have to do and label each thing A, B or C. A is of major consequence, B, of less consequence and C has no consequences. You never do a B or a C until an A is done.
- Continuous Learning: Spend more time educating yourself than in being entertained. If you read a chapter a day, you can read a book a week. Attend events where you can engage in ideas, discover something new and feel the energy from that process.
- Coaching: High performing individuals all have some form of coach who holds them accountable, whether it’s a mentor, a mastermind group, a great manager or a spiritual advisor.
Truth From Ruth….ruthshari@aol.com
Truth From Ruth: DRIVE TRUMPS TALENT OR WHAT MATTERS MOST TO SUCCEED IS PRACTICE August 4, 2009
Posted by Ruth Shari in Choosing a Realtor, ruthshari@aol.com, www.ruthshari.com.Tags: How to Succeed in any Economy. Consult Fortune magazine book author and expert to compare your thoughts on talent vs. ability. Do enormous natural gifts lead to high achievement? Do those who practic
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By Ruth Shari
According to Geoff Calvin, author and senior editor at “Fortune” magazine, great performance is a learned ability, not a God-given talent. He says that the word “talent” is often used to suggest a specific, innate ability to do certain things more easily or quickly than most people do them: play the cello, swim like an Olympian athlete, lead an organization. In his book Talent Is Overrated, he concludes that great performance isn’t reserved for a predetermined few, but available to everyone.![mwastell[1]](http://ruthshari.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/mwastell1.jpg?w=110&h=150 "mwastell[1]")
Calvin’s research leads him to conclude that talent isn’t that important, that it may not even exist. Rather, he says, people become great performers by devoting tremendous time to high-intensity, deliberate practice activities. The need for practice is the biggest obstacle to becoming a world class performer. 
Interestingly, Calvin says that people aren’t born with a passion. They may have a natural ability but high achievers who succeed have an internal motivation that makes them practice. Some external motivations can help, particularly in the early stages of development. For example, parents can get children to practice. But, he says, at a certain point, a person has to develop a personal commitment.
He says that for an organization to succeed, it has to develop leaders. In today’s economy, that is done by identifying abilities. Each person needs to develop and find assignments that nurture those abilities. In a tough environment, people have to push themselves to do things they weren’t prepared to do. 
And if it’s any consolation, Calvin says that high performance, high achiever types of people are not exempt from difficulties. Everybody experiences failures and setbacks. But, he says, some give up too soon. A good leader will help his employees, staff, sales people and clients understand how long the recession is likely to last and what needs to be done to prepare. Doing what’s necessary isn’t always easy, according to Calvin.
What is more important in your mind: immense natural gifts or the discipline to practice and master the abilities required for the job? Please contact me with your thoughts?
Lawn and Garden Timely To Do’s for July by Ruth Shari July 17, 2009
Posted by Ruth Shari in Home and Garden.Tags: Enjoy the best of southern California home and garden, Green thumb Advice for Gardening Homeowners, Green thumb tips from Ruth Shari, Home and Family, July off to a slow summer for gardeners, Lawn and Garden: Gardening Joy for Homeowners, Southern California loves its fresh produce
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Homeowners who garden have experienced a very long spring here in southern California. Although it may officially be summer, our summer heat hasn’t been consistently with us. It resulted in boysenberries, locally grown Bing cherries and early peaches not being very sweet. Let’s hope the first ripening tomatoes are not similarly affected.
Here are some things to do, straight from the green thumb experts.
Pinching Herbs:
Pinch back to encourage branching and use the clippings either fresh or dry. Their flavor is at a peak just before they flower; harvest them early in the morning after the dew has dried but before the day has become warm.
Mowing: High and Sharp:
Continue to mow laws at two or three inches of height to deep grass roots shaded. Grass that is cut too far back when mown is susceptible to shock and sunburn. Keep your lawn mower blades sharp for dull blades may require up to three times the power to do the job.
Transplanting Veggies:
Transplant basil, celery, chard, cucumbers, dill, kale, leeks, summer lettuce, green onions, melons, white potatoes, pumpkins, New Zealand spinach and summer and winter squash.
Hot-Weather Transplanting Tips:
Do your transplanting in the late afternoon or evening so plants have the whole night to begin to recover before they’re hit with a full day of sun and heat. Water the transplants well and provide shade from the intense midday sun. Mulch transplants to lessen evaporation so the irrigation water lasts longer.
Here’s my wish that you and the family continue to enjoy gardening around your home. I hope when you take vacation, you’re off to some wonderful place close to home that shows you how great the sites are right here in our nation.
The Grand Canyon
Mt. Whitney
A Great House Is Open Over The Fourth Of July Weekend—-With Fireworks Or Without! By Ruth Shari July 3, 2009
Posted by Ruth Shari in Buyer's Market, Open House, ruthshari@aol.com, www.camoves.com/ruth.shari, www.ruthshari.com.Tags: area expert holds view home open, distinctive properties, distinctive property ready to be snapped up, homes sell well, motivated seller has reduced his price, no home compares in this price range, quality design by owner-builder, quality home for sale is reduced, rare view home is sleek and affordable, real estate is on fire, roof deck and ocean views worth a million dollars, Ruth Shari, Santa Monica homes, Santa Monica living at its best, spectacular modernist design, Sunset Park- Santa Monica
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Real estate on the Westside is as on fire as it has ever been since last summer. There is an incandescence about 1611 Sunset Avenue, Santa Monica, which I will be holding open this and every Sunday until it’s sold. Built by quality custom builder George Minardos of the Minardos Group in the modernist style, the house is sleek yet functional, unique but unpretentious. One distinctive feature is a soothing water element descending from a koi pond just beyond the glass walls of the master bedroom. 
The wood staircase is like no other. There is a marble built-in barbeque in the outdoor entertainment area which relates to the kitchen and dining rooms. Totally remarkable is a second floor media room with projection screen and an oversized roof deck providing 220 degree sweeping views of the ocean and city. 
This striking design makes use of space in an eco-conscious way inside the home. As well the lot is used ingeniously to provide rich gardens, fruit and shade trees and levels of outdoor space that utilize and serve to magnify the land the house stands on.
The property at 1611 Sunset is one of approximately ten homes in the Sunset Park district of Santa Monica that are priced above $1,500,000. Following a recent reduction to $1,699,000, the owner is eager to sell! 
Please visit me on Sundays to get to know this majestic property and to learn more about the neighborhood from a local realtor and area expert.
Renovate Wisely For Resale by Ruth Shari July 2, 2009
Posted by Ruth Shari in Preparing Your Home For Sale, www.camoves.com/ruth.shari, www.ruthshari.com.Tags: Are you in a strong position to sell if you have to, buyer’s market, Exit strategy for renovating, Financial woes lead to downsizing, having what buyers want, How well will my home resell? Renovate to the sell sheet, How will my renovations pay off, Is your home too you? Renovate in Neutrals and Resell Faster, owner take warning, Remodeling for dollars, renovate with confidence, Ruth Shari, timeless renovation, what sells
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Vanishing jobs and bygone bonuses may be hastening some owners to think about downsizing sooner rather than later. As a real estate agent, I hear what buyers say about a given property when sellers are not present. I also have counseled many an owner on what choices to make in renovating. The bottom line is: keep resale in mind always; circumstances change and you never know when you may have to sell.
The savviest owners who renovate make sure to install everything buyers are looking for rather than showcasing their space in their own image. Among the hot items are: sub-zero refrigerator in stainless steel and Viking stove for the kitchen. Kitchens should work, be functional and look good. Go for brand name appliances such as Bosch and Miele. In bathrooms, check out Toto for the toilet, Duravit for sinks, install a separate shower and bath and two vanities as well as marble. When it comes to floors, if you’re thinking resale, stay with wood floors: a hardwood like oak or walnut that can be stained any color and will endure up to seven sandings as opposed to a prefinished floor.
The wrong choices can contribute to resale consequences that are unfortunate. On the list of do not’s is: closing up windows, removing a bathtub, dropping ceilings, installing the wrong floors and using strong, dominant colors which reflect a singular taste.
With market awareness top of mind, owners should keep things simple and as neutral as possible. It is wise to stick to whites and naturals. Rarely do white bathrooms go out of style. Experts say to avoid making your kitchens and baths too individualized or very specific in taste choices which are potentially undesirable. Renovate without being trendy, using a neutral palate and resell faster.
For this and more great ideas about marketability, contact me directly at: ruthshari@aol.com or 310-442-1646
