Scout Hardware, Window Displays, Oakland, CA

Scout Hardware

The Story of Stuff

Check out this cool video about our waste!

The Story of Stuff

California Jumbo's Included in New Stimulus Package

Direct from the President of the California Association of REALTORS.

Although my Green perspective comes from a real estate background, I usually don't post about something as specific as mortgage loans, but this is HUGE for California and levels the playing field for first time home buyers compared to counterparts in other states.

1/25/2008

Congressional leaders and the White House today reached agreement on a proposal to increase conforming loan limits as part of a larger economic stimulus package. Raising the conforming loan limits to more accurately reflect the cost of housing in California and other high-costs areas of the nation has long been an objective of C.A.R. While the details remain to be seen, this is a huge win for Californians. As REALTORS®, we should be proud of the role we have played to achieve this goal.

Currently, Californians are forced into more expensive non-conforming jumbo loans, decreasing homeownership opportunities for many and forcing others into more costly – and often riskier – loan products.

Under the terms of the proposed stimulus package, the conforming loan limit -- the maximum loan amount that government-sponsored enterprises like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may purchase or guarantee on the secondary market -- will be raised from $417,000 to as high as $725,000 in high-cost areas.

This is great news. But our work is not done. The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) continues to oppose adjusting conforming loan limits. With your help, C.A.R. will continue to advocate for this much needed reform. Stay tuned.

Sincerely,


William E. Brown
President
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

San Francisco Lighting Carl Dern

www.carldernstudio.com

Color, Color Everywhere!

Christina Van Horn is a local Interior Designer, passionate about color. Her beautiful website has great information about color and is like taking a dip in the Mediterranean. Check out her testamonials.

The days of "plain, stark, white" are through! Color makes us feel good!

Take a Plunge!

Berkeley's Trash Collector Says No Such Thing as Away

By now you've probably already heard about Ari Derfel, the Berkeley caterer who saved all of his trash for a year. Ari composted his kitchen scraps and green waste but saved his paper and other trash in his living room. Hmmm....

Not something I am considering, but it brings me back to the whole idea... Shopping is not green. The fewer pre-packaged products we buy the better. If you make your own guacamole instead of buy it pre-packed at Trader Joes you have only kitchen scraps to deal with. I know it is easier to buy prepared food and it feels great to know that you can find fresh organic packaged foods now within walking distance of your home or apartment. I'm just sayin'.....

Visit Ari's Blog
And speaking of Guacamole.... Check out my next post.