Heath's Blog

This was sent to me by my dad who was Lieutenant in the Marines.  Many of my older relatives also served in the military.  I have been one of the fortunate American citizens who has lived safely and prospered from the protection that our military has provided.  Thank you! to all those who have served and to those who are still serving. 

Red Fridays
This was witnessed in an American airport. ...

I heard several people behind me beginning to clap and cheer as a group of soldiers in their camos moved through the terminal.  As they began heading to their gate, almost everyone was on their feet with their hands waving and cheering.  When I saw the soldiers, probably 30-40 of them, being applauded and cheered, it really hit me.    I'm not alone.  I'm not the only red-blooded American who still loves this country and supports our troops and their families.  I immediately stopped and began clapping for these young unsung heroes who are putting their lives on the line everyday for us so we can go to school, work and home without fear or reprisal.

Just when I thought I could not be more proud of my country or of our service men and women, a young girl, not more than 6 or 7 years old, ran up to one of the male soldiers.  The soldier kneeled down and said 'hi.'  The little girl then asked him if he would give something to her daddy for her.  The young soldier, who didn't look any older than maybe 22 himself, said he would try and asked what she wanted to give to her Daddy.

The little girl grabbed his neck and gave him the biggest hug she could muster and kissed him on the cheek.  The mother of the little girl said her daughter's name was Courtney, her husband was a Marine and had been in Iraq for 11 months.   As the mom was explaining how much her daughter Courtney missed her father, the young soldier began to tear up. 

When she was done explaining the situation, all of the soldiers huddled together for a moment.  One of them pulled out a military-looking walkie-talkie.  They started playing with the device and talking back and forth on it.  After about a few seconds of this, the young soldier walked back over to Courtney, bent down and said this to her, 'I spoke to your daddy and he told me to give this to you.'

He then hugged this little girl and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  He finished by saying 'your daddy told me to tell you that he loves you more than anything and he is coming home very soon.'  The mom was crying, and as the young soldier stood to his feet, he saluted Courtney and her mom. I was standing no more than 6 feet away from this event and saw and heard it all.

As the soldiers began to head towards their gate, people resumed their applause.  There were very few dry eyes,  including my own.

By word of mouth, or whatever means you have available, let's make the United States on every Friday like a homecoming football game in the bleachers by wearing something red.

The first many a soldier says when asked, 'What can we do to make things better for you?' is, "We need to know we have your support and your prayers". Let's give them both.

My closing.
I am wearing a red sweater today.  Snopes says that "red Friday" has never actually been officially sanctioned by any company or group.  While actually wearing the color of blood does not make me feel comfortable, I think it does make me remember that many of the ones who provide my freedom have worn it already.

Here's a great idea!  The goal of a local toy shop in Falmouth MA is to complete an 18,240 piece puzzle in the store by the end of February!  The fastest know completion that Michelle Deutschmann (Kaleidoscope Toys' owner) has found is around 5 months.  It might get done if you drop by and help. ;^)

The toy store on Main Street in Falmouth has an energetic staff that has been concentrating on the puzzle all month.  If you are a puzzle aficionado, and think you can add to the success of their goal, stop by and see how they are doing!  You might just fit the last piece in!  (Wouldn't it be terrible if they lost one!?  I hate it when that happens!)

While you are here in Falmouth, stroll the other Main Street shops and restaurants.  There are many pleasant opportunities to shop and eat here in the village.  Falmouth Mass has more waterfront than any other town in the US so we have lots of pleasant beaches to walk too.  Come catch a sunset or a sunrise!

Its a beautiful day on Cape Cod!

If you haven't heard yet, there are some very helpful things you can do if you are facing real estate foreclosure.  The first is to find out if your state is a Judicial foreclosure state or not.  This will help you know how to proceed further.

Next you should find a lawyer in your state that is talking about causing the forclosing entity to produce the paper that gives them the authority to do so.  Consider hiring one if you are able.  This can be searched for in places like leapfish.com or in blog searches or right here in Active Rain.

If you are able to hire a lawyer or not, get familiar with the procedures in the "prove you own the note" process that you will need to adhere to.  Once you understand it, whether you have a lawyer or not, you will be able to keep up with the process much better.

Start the process to ask for the evidence that your foreclosing entity has the authority to foreclose.  If you need one place to start with your research try the Consumer Warning Network.  They have videos, forms, news footage, and a whole lot more.

There are many people who are successfully applying these remedies to their situation.

Happy listing and selling!

My wife and I were talking and she excitedly expressed an idea that made me change my thinking.  She said that it's amazing there are so many pine cones from one pine tree.  The ground was covered with cones.

That got us thinking that there is so much abundance around us.  The limits we experience are placed by our own actions, thoughts, or attitudes.  The world seems to be designed to express and to offer us abundance!

What keeps me from accepting that abundance?  My own limits.  Not enough time.  Not enough energy.  Not enough this.  Not enough that.  Because one time this happened or that happened.  I've always been told this or that.  What I am being told now is ...

Abundance is available.  Accepting abundance and gratefully appreciating it, seems to be more in unison with the abundance that is available to me. 

I can't explain very clearly how these ideas changed me, except to say I feel more positive.  I am feeling abundantly positive.  Positively!

The opportunities in real estate today are like those pine cones.  There are more opportunities than I can use myself.  Other people can take advantage of many.  More are waiting until they get chosen.

We have the lowest interest rates in decades.  There are more people paying their mortgages than not.  People are buying property.  I gratefully accept the abundance that is surrounding me.

Happy listing and selling!

14 sound stages
2 Multi-level office buildings
Huge post production buildings and facilities
A 10 acre back lot with various facades
And a shopping/tourist/amenity village with ancillary businesses

Compared to LA County California's 350 sound stages, these 14 may seem a small number.  But few are as state of the art and as user friendly as those at Plymouth Rock Studios will be.  The studios are already receiving support from television producers and advertising creators as well as the film industry.

The actual complex is planning over 2000 skilled employment openings.  The introduction of a formerly non-existant industry will also create new business opportunities in the surrounding areas. 

The four pillars they are creating under are Story, Innovation, Responsibility, and Education.  Because the movie industry has never had a home base in New England,  Plymouth Rock Studios has the amazing opportunity to form the future New England movie business into a fresh crowd of new talent.

Add rural peacefulness to the technology and freshness of this facility, and you have an inspiring, unique destination for the media production industry.  Southeastern New England is excited about the future!

A virtual tour of the site can be viewed here.  http://www.plymouthrockstudios.com/PRSvirtualtour/index.html

Happy listing and selling!

Once again the Hollywood East daily video (below) is an exciting view of how they are thoughtfully planning and building the future movie business facilities on the East Coast. With an amazing opportunity to "re-create" sound stages and movie making support infrastructure, the Hollywood East group, aka Plymouth Rock Studios, has an exciting opportunity to start from scratch.

Plymouth Rock Studios will be as different from other production locations as the special effects are in the first Star Wars vs the last. Technology, construction, and processing today are not what they were when Hollywood West began sprawling. The latest, most useful, and most thoughtful, design and function realities are being incorporated into Hollywood East.

The Cape Cod area is fortunate to have such a new and exciting growth opportunity!

Here's the latest video:

Find more videos like this on Hollywood East TV

Happy listing and selling!

The new sound stage development being created in Plymouth MA on the East Coast is dreaming using current green ideas and industry strategies. The goal is to bring to the movie world, and to Massachusetts, an exemplary melding of the latest technology and the latest consciousness in movies and construction.

The short movie below is a part of "the series" that Plymouth Rock Studios lets escape from their busy planning and creativeness schedules. The new sound stages, hotel(s), and infrastructure are being designed to provide state of the art production facilities and state of green consciousness planning in one excellent package.

If you are in the business, you owe it to yourself to pay attentiion to Hollywood East!

There is something very important happening in Falmouth that directly affects the owners of a vacation home or visitors who vacation in Falmouth.    The town is considering a new tax on all Falmouth vacation rental properties that could be as high as 9.7%. 

We all know what this means! Landlords will need to pass this tax directly on to renters.   Some Cape Cod towns, like Harwich, have already voted a tax like this down.  If it passes, landlords will have another expense to cover when they are renting their properties.  Real estate investors will have to adjust their their operating calculations to include this tax when they make you an offer on property.  

This tax is not useful for landlords, bad for vacationers, certainly it is not helpful to the businesses that appreciate tourism, and it is not helpful to future property owners.  You may not vote in Falmouth, but you deserve to have your voice heard.  If you don't want to pay a new tax, and if you want your investment property to retain its value, please contact the town rep for your area and ask how they plan to vote.  

The Town Hall phone number is 508-548-7611

and the website is http://www.town.falmouth.ma.us/  (although the website has been off and on lately.)   The town warrant should be available on-line at the town web site.

Happy listing and selling!

Well it has been a long time since I saw a 3 bedroom home in Falmouth for under $100,000!  But there it is in today's newest listings.  A 3 bedroom ranch on a 1/4 acre with one bath. 

So, if there is a reason to buy real estate in Falmouth MA, here it is!  This one had the pipes burst, so it needs work, but if this isn't the bottom, I don't know what will be.

There are other new listings that are good values, too.  I found another one yesterday that is a completely redone 3 bedroom 2 bath for $269K!  It is on a good sized lot, and at the end of  a cul de sac.  The upper end has some deals too.  There are new listings of beautiful homes over the million dollar mark that are very interesting values!

If people are waiting for "rates to go down," they may be waiting for a rate that may not come.  And, the deals are here now.  A difference of 1/2% on every $100K is around $32/month.  Maybe if they are borrowing a huge sum the interest rate game is worth playing.  But, while some are waiting for the rates to possibly maybe change a little more, others are going to be buying.

Massachusetts real estate has hit the bottom!

Happy listing and selling!

Yes, if you haven't heard it before, there is a Hollywood East.  It is a new development on the East Coast and will have a large role in the future of making movies!  16 sound-stages and multiple production facilities that will make the completion of movies easier.

The Plymouth Rock Studios are planning to break ground in a few months and area already teaching the east coast crowds how to be extras.  Besides producing movies, the developers appear to be looking for fresh ideas, brand new facilities, and an "extra actors" base that isn't jaded or influenced by the current Hollywood.  Watching their daily "series" points to unexplored talent, unusual approaches to story lines, and Internet based technological involvement. 

Today's entries of "the series" are examples of their multi-angled approach from both the humorously unusual and traditional business networking perspectives.

If you haven't been to Hollywood East yet, check it out. 

(PS: Some well known movie business names are already quietly finding good real estate buys while the market is still down.)

Happy listing and selling!