Tuesday, June 25, 2013

MVMA Member Event: Dessert & a Movie


When: Friday, June 28th, 2013
Time: 7:30pm - Movie starts at 8:15
Location: In the lot next to the Post Office in Meadow Vista
Movie: Milo & Otis 
Cost: FREE but all donations go to benefit the Meadow Vista Pool
 

Special thanks to our event sponsors:
Sierra Pacific Real Estate - Movie Night
True Value - Banner
Bear River Winery - Ice Cream
Winning With Smiles - Ice Cream




The Truth About Loan Modifications

By Toni Ryan, First Priority Financial

Loan Modification is not a new process but it has many new meanings in today's economic market.  Achieving a Loan Modification may take the strength of Superman to achieve but once completed, can allow a family to keep their home.
    How is this accomplished? The lender changes or alters the terms of your current mortgage loan which restructures the payment. The original mortgage agreement can be changed in one or all of the following ways:
1.    Extending the repayment term of the loan to as long as 40 years
2.    Lowering the interest rate
3.    Changing/lowering the prinicple balance owed
4.    Forebearance where the lender will wait to a later date for the back payments owed
    The most common modifications have involved lowering the interest rate and extending the repayment time.  The Making Homes Affordable Plans (often referred to as HAMP) reduce the rate and or extend the repayment term to create a payment no more than 38% of the homeowners' current income.
    It is important to note that rarely does the lender reduce the principle of the loan but if they do, this reduction is only given in increments, usually after payments have been made on time for a specific term of the loan.  For example, if a $99,000 reduction was approved, the lender would lower the amount owed by $33,000 after payments were completed on time for the first 36 months, then another $33,000 after 72 months and the last $33,000 with on-time payments at the 10 year mark.
    Forebearance usually comes into the option when the homeowner is more than 60 days late in their payments.  Forebearance is a special agreement between the lender and the borrower to delay foreclosure, the term means “hold back”.  In the agreement, the lender delays his right to foreclose giving the borrower time to catch up on his scheduled payment.
    As an example, if a homeowner owed $400,000 on his home and he had not made his mortgage payments for the last 6 months due to lowered wages.  The lender may lower the interest rate and place the back payments in a forebearance account.  The payment created would fit within the 38% of his wages today and would include a portion to pay off the forebearance account. Often times, the interest rate may be fixed for 5 years and then raise by 1% for year 6 and become fixed at today's going rates in year 7 through the end of the term.
    The lenders do not want to take back the home, they just want the debt owed to be paid.  A loan modification is designed to create terms to enable the homeowner to repay the debt they originally committed to when they entered into the loan.  Check with your tax consultant as well as a mortgage specialist for all your options during this difficult time.

Get Leads From Your Website

By Ashlei Jackson, Qlixite

Want your website to bring in leads? Be sure you have a lead capture system on your website that follows these 5 rules...
#1 - Make Your Offer AWESOME! You want visitors to actually WANT to get connected with you so we suggest you entice them with a really great offer. This could be a one-time coupon, a free giveaway, a guide, an e-book, access to a insider video...anything you think your potential client might want. Be generous and be creative!  
#2 - Place it Above the Fold. Make sure your lead capture is near the upper portion of your site for quick and easy access. You don't want visitors to have to scroll to the bottom of the page or click through to another page to see where to subscribe.
#3 - Only Ask for the Essentials. You want visitors to easily subscribe or claim your offer so only require basic info (like email and name). This is not the time to get their phone # and address (unless it's directly related to the offer).
#4 - Set Up an Auto-Responder.
As soon as someone clicks the button to subscribe - they should immediately receive an email response. This email should include the item they asked for (Free Guide, 10 Tips, etc) as well as more information about your company. Most email and form sites allow for free auto-responder options.
#5 - Let Them Opt-In to More. Spam laws require that you get permission to send any kind of marketing emails. Using a check box on your lead capture allows you to get formal permission to email future correspondence. This can help you assess how much interest the lead has as well.


Shop Local!


Local Resident Honored: Denny Daetz

By The View Staff (Excepts taken from Kennedy-Center.org)

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced the 2013 winners of Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards—a series of annual grants which publicly recognize American teachers by spotlighting their extraordinary impact on the lives of students. Seven teachers were selected in 2013 from a pool of hundreds of nominations received through the Kennedy Center’s website. Award recipients each receive $10,000 and are showcased, along with the people they inspired, on a website dedicated to inspirational teachers. The awards were created in honor of Stephen Sondheim’s 80th birthday in 2010 and were initiated and funded through the generous support of Myrna and Freddie Gershon.
    Local resident, Denney Daetz is one of this year’s recipients and the only one from California.  Daetz was nominated by Jonathan Matas, a student from Saratoga High School where Daetz taught high school social studies. Matas’ nomination essay read: “Denney’s out-of-the-box passion created in me a thirst to see the world...”
    While Daetz has retired to our local community, he still continues to be active in the field of education. If you would like more information on this award and the recipients, visit Kennedy-Center.org


Ask Your Children's Dentist

By Dr. Scott Thompson, DDS, Winning With Smiles

When you take your children to the dentist, are you getting what you want? These days the parents are usually thrilled there is sooo much entertainment and distraction for the children to make their dentist visit pleasant. Most parents do not have those pleasant memories. All that is great.  I want also to ask you what is your true objective for bringing your child to the dentist? Is that being accomplished too?
    In my office for instance: My number one objective is teaching each child how to have a lifetime of cavity free, healthy, beautiful smiles. That starts by teaching the parents how to simply, quickly and effectively prevent cavities before they get started. How to stop them if they have started. How to transition from baby teeth with cavities to adult teeth without cavities (difficult, not impossible). To do this, does your dentist:
    1) Start with the parent child team as soon as the child has her/his first tooth? By age 3 the bacterial environment (for high or low risk for cavities) around the teeth has established itself for a lifetime.  What parents do those 3 years will influence that environment and the dental health of their children for a lifetime.
    2) Teach the parents effective and quick (20 seconds) ways to clean their children's teeth? I find I must include parents with me at chair side for all visits to successfully demonstrate this. What to do and how to coach the team changes as the child grows.
    3) Teach how to evaluate your own effectiveness at home so you can verify you are getting the job done well without waiting for that 6 month check-up?
    4) Teach how to evaluate how well your child is cleaning her/his mouth so you know when you can allow them to "do the job" and you know how to evaluate periodically to assure they are actually getting the job done?
    5) Communicate well with your child so when she/he isn't listening to you, she/he may actually be listening to the dental team?
    6)  Include educating the parents early and the children later about the outside influences that will damage oral health and how to handle them in the family?
    Dentistry for children has certainly become more entertaining than it used to be. That doesn't change the FACT that children's cavity experience is worse than it has ever been and is getting worse by 30% every 10 years for the last 30 years.  Start your child on a healthy path early.
    Oral Health begins before birth. Oral disease establishes before age 3. For the elderly who have lost their teeth, there is NOTHING in their "I Wish List" that rates higher than having their teeth back.
    For your child set the right standard with the first tooth.


2013 Pioneer Day in Meadow Vista




Faith Lutheran Church Summer Day Camp






Recipe: Cantaloupe & Cucumber Salad


Sierra Pacific Real Estate's Listings


Auto Collision Repair: Important Issues

By Meadow Vista Autocraft

There are several issues in the collision industry that consumers are either unaware of or confused by.  Being in an accident is trying enough, so customer awareness of these particular issues can lessen or even alleviate some of the stress, uncertainty and surprise.

Steering issue
 Many automobile insurance companies have made agreements with certain repair facilities that they then recommend their customers to use. These agreements are not always made with the consumer's best interest in mind. Some companies can be quite insistent and persuasive to use their particular shop, hence making some consumers believe they have to go to that facility.  Consumers need to understand that by State law they have the right to have their vehicle repaired by the collision shop of their choice, erstwhile not needing to provide their insurance company with three estimates. Before agreeing to a particular repair facility, ask your mechanic,   friends or acquaintances for their recommendations. Other's unbiased feedback and experience with a particular shop can possibly help you avoid a very negative situation.

OEM parts issue
When purchasing or renewing an automobile policy, the one particular area consumers need to pay particular attention to is the OEM clause. OEM stands for original equipment manufactured parts.   If you are involved in an accident, you want the parts for your Honda to be Honda parts, not aftermarket parts produced by an unrelated secondary manufacturer (quality and fit are often an issue).  In general, most auto policies will allow use of OEM parts in repairs as long as the vehicle has less than 12,000 miles or is only 1 year old.  The use of aftermarket parts devalues the investment you have made into your vehicle. Understanding what your policy states will save you the unpleasant surprise in the event of an accident. Again, not all insurance companies have this policy, however, as a consumer you need to know how your policy reads. Ask about the OEM parts clause in your policy. For a few extra dollars a month, some companies offer an OEM rider which insures the replacement parts in case of an accident would be original parts.

Rental car issue
One final issue to consider is adding rental car to your policy. If you do not have an extra car you can use in case of an accident, adding the rental car rider to your policy for a few dollars extra per month can help you avoid a logistical nightmare. Some policies automatically come with rental car coverage however a majority of them do not.

As a consumer knowledge gives us the power to make decisions that best serve our needs and expectations.

Type 2 Diabetes: Tips for the Newly Diagnosed

 By Richard L. Peatman, Pharm.D., Meadow Vista Pharmacy

Diabetes occurs when a person's body doesn't make enough insulin or can't use insulin properly. With diabetes, sugar builds up in your blood instead of moving into the cells. There are 2 types of diabetes. Type 1 occurs when the body doesn't produce any insulin. About 90% have type 2 diabetes in which the body either doesn't produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin.  The C.D.C. reports that 7.2% of the population is diabetic, not including those who are pre-diabetic.  Diabetes increases the risk of coronary artery disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, amputation and is the fifth leading cause of death. 
 
  While there isn't a cure for type 2 diabetes, you can learn to manage it well. You can keep your blood glucose in a safe range by balancing the food you eat with exercise and medicine, if your doctor prescribes it. Be sure to make all your doctor appointments and learn how to check your blood glucose.

Tips to take better care of yourself:
•    Ask if your doctor can refer you to a diabetes educator and dietitian to learn how to effectively manage your condition.
•    There isn't one specific "diabetes diet." Get help to design a meal plan.  A meal plan is a guide that tells you what kinds of food to eat at meals and for snacks and tells you how much food to have. For most people who have diabetes, a healthy diet consists of 40% to 60% of calories from carbohydrates, 20% from protein and 30% or less from fat. It should be low in cholesterol, low in salt and low in added sugar. 
•    Try the "Plate Method" for planning your meals. Divide your plate in half, then divide one side in half again. Fill the largest section with non-starchy vegetables. In one small section, put starchy foods such as whole-grain breads, rice, potatoes, or cereal. In the other small section, put meat or meat substitutes. Add eight ounces of nonfat or low-fat milk and a piece of fruit.
•    Exercise is very important for helping you control your glucose level and helps your insulin work more efficiently.  Ask your doctor what kind of exercise you should do.  The type of exercise you can do will mainly depend on whether you have any other health problems. Most doctors recommend aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, which makes you breathe more deeply and makes your heart work harder.  If you have problems with the nerves in your feet or legs, your doctor may want you to do a type of exercise that won't put too much stress on your feet, such as swimming, bicycling or chair exercises. 
Dropping just 10 or 15 pounds makes a big difference in controlling your glucose.  Get a weight loss plan from your doctor.