Friday, February 6, 2009

Your Computer While You Sleep

Have you ever wondered what your computer is doing during the time when you're not typing commands on the keyboard? Take a minute to view your computer while you sleep. Once this video starts please keep your fingers off the keys so that you can see for yourself what's really going on. Enjoy!

OHFA Brings Back Down Payment Assistance Grant


The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) has moved to assist buyers who wish to purchase a home in Ohio. Having enough down payment funds required for a housing purchase is often a hinderance to those otherwise qualified buyers who may want to purchase a home. Keeping with their motto "We open the doors to an affordable place to call home" OHFA has reintroduced their downpayment assistance grant.

There are two major changes to their previous program:
1. The grant amount is now 2.5% of the purchase price.
2. Borrowers taking advantage of this grant must complete OHFA's new Homebuyer's Education Program prior to the issue of a commitment letter approval.

OHFA assistance on FHA loans carries a 5.875% mortgage rate on 30 year fixed mortgages when down payment assistance is not used. That rate is increased to 6.375% when the down payment assistance is utilized. That's a small price to pay when the biggest hurdle may be down payment cash.

There are also income and sales price limits:
Target areas income cannot exceed $79,440 with a purchase price less than $371,250.
Non-target areas income limit drops to $66,200 with a purchase price less than $303,250.

For specific information as it pertains to you please call us so that we may direct you to one of our partner lenders who are participating in this program. This is an equal opportunity loan program.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Being a Friend...


One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd."

I had quite a weekend planned - parties and a football game with friends tomorrow afternoon, so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.

As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying; and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him.

He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives." He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.

I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said that he had gone to a private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books.

He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play football with me and my friends. He said yes. We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him. My friends thought the same of him.

Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!" He just laughed and handed me half of the books.

Over the next four years, Kyle and I became the best of friends. When we were seniors we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends and that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for a business degree on a football scholarship.

Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speach for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there to speak.

On graduation day I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him. Boy, sometimes I was jealous. Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speach. So, I smacked him on the back and said, Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks - the really gratefull one - and smiled. "Thanks," he said.

As he started his speach, he cleared his throat and began: "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years - your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach - but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story."

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his mom wouldn't have to do it later; so he was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable..."

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same gratefull smile. Not until that moment did I realize it's depth. Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life - for better or for worse.

God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way. Look for God in others.

Author - Unknown