"If you do not think about the future, you cannot have one." John Galsworthy Do you think about YOUR future?  Do you only live in the present and let the future happen? I have been accused of always thinking of tomorrow.  Well, being a financial planner, as well a mortgage consultant, my focus IS on the future as well as the present.  You need to budget and invest TODAY for a successful financial FUTURE tomorrow.  If you spend like a drunken sailor and throw your money to the wolves, there will be no happy financial tomorrow. Aside from finances, it is important to think of tomorrow for other reasons.  Where do you wish to live?  Do  you wish to have a 2nd home?  Do you wish to have 0, 1,2,3 or more children? I do not understand how you can avoid thinking of the future!   Your thoughts? 08/23/2010

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Harold Whitman If you are bored in your job; if you are hanging with people who do not place a smile on your face; if you wake up and say "ugh, another day to live"; then it is time you COME ALIVE! Change something in your life.  Make it happen for you AND the ones who love you. Think: WHAT MAKES YOU COME ALIVE? 07/30/2010

My daughter's boyfriend's  IPHONE  just had a dip in the pool!  We quickly acted and started the drying process.  I checked out the You Tube Video's for tips on correcting this ugly situation.   We were told to do the following by the You Tube "experts": •1)      We took out the Sim card and dried it with a towel. •2)      We took out the dryer and started drying the whole phone on a low warm heat setting. •3)      The drying enabled us to power "off". •4)      We placed the phone in a dish and covered it with rice. •5)      Now we wait 48 hours. According to You Tube this should work! Thankfully, my daughter's boyfriend is NICE and feels confident this system will work.  Great test of a relationship! Has anyone tried this with success?  I hope?! 07/24/2010

"You live longer once you realize that any time spent being unhappy is wasted." Ruth E Renkl We can choose to be unhappy or we can choose to be happy.  No one MAKES us unhappy.  We LET others make us unhappy.  We all need to learn to "tune out" those around us who want to steal our joy and hope our joy rubs off on them....somehow!  If we succeed, we all live longer!  It's a win-win! So, go be HAPPY today! 07/13/2010

"My greatest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match. However down I am, I fight until the last ball. My list of matches shows that I have turned a great many so-called irretrievable defeats into victories." Bjorn Borg - Professional Tennis Player   Persistence is the KEY to success! Do not accept defeat.  YOU may lose a seller or a buyer, but a new consumer is around the corner who DOES wish to have the benefit of your services. Bjorn Borg : You got it RIGHT!     07/08/2010

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs - ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Harold Thurman Whitman - Philosopher and Theologian   The real estate industry needs ALIVE: PASSIONATE employees more now than ever!!!  If you are not passionate about this industry, it would be of benefit to you and the industry to find your passion.  Passion brings SUCCESS!   Ann Sabbagh Vice-President Seacoast Mortgage Corporation 401-305-6906 or 508-243-1190 Residential & Commercial Financing MLO10920   "When you choose me as your mortgage consultant, you also choose a financial planner who cares about YOUR financial strength." 06/07/2010

I wish we could go back to the days of G rated everything for public entertainment.  Check out this video made in Belgium at a train station.  Look at how happy everyone is: young and old.       Can we get back to these days and TRASH THE TRASH in all the media, movies, games our children play, television, dvds, etc.....  We need to SAVE our country for our children's sake.   Bring G rated back!     Ann Sabbagh  Vice-President Seacoast Mortgage Corporation 401-305-6906 or 508-243-1190 Residential & Commercial Financing MLO10920   "When you choose me as your mortgage consultant, you also choose a financial planner who cares about YOUR financial strength." 05/29/2010

"Don't let yesterday spoil your today, Don't let tomorrow spoil your today, Don't let today spoil your present."     So simple, but yet so true.  Your problem today will only become your downfall if you carry it with you into tomorrow.     Ann Sabbagh  Vice-President Seacoast Mortgage Corporation 401-305-6906 or 508-243-1190 Residential & Commercial Financing MLO10920   "When you choose me as your mortgage consultant, you also choose a financial planner who cares about YOUR financial strength." 05/28/2010

"If we were only logical, the future would be bleak indeed. But we are more than logical. We are human beings, and we have faith and we have hope, and we can work." Jacques Cousteau (1910 - 1997) French oceanographer No matter how tough the economy is or how tough the industry is we are in, we can dust ourselves off each day and go to work for the client, and, ultimately, ourselves.  If the system is not working, we need to change ourselves and figure out how to create a new system: a new way of doing business. We are human!  We need to have faith! And there is always hope!     Ann Sabbagh Vice-President Seacoast Mortgage Corporation 401-305-6906 or 508-243-1190 Residential & Commercial Financing MLO10920   "When you choose me as your mortgage consultant, you also choose a financial pla... 05/26/2010

Is it all about nothing, as Seinfeld says?       Let's look at the following groups of people:   Active Rain posters: Are there people out here who just write about nothing important to our industry?   Tire-kickers: How about the buyers who drag you from house to house for over a year and then say : "oh, I'm going to take a year off and think about it".  Is it all about nothing with them?   Sellers: Yes, they list their house with you and when you present reasonable offers, they want to think about it or they will only come down 1% in the negotiations.  Is it all about nothing with them?   Attorneys:  How about the attorneys that say they review the Purchase and Sales Agreements, but they miss out on major omissions: like a mortgage commitment date that is either not in the contract or ... 05/24/2010

"Nothing on this planet is more powerful than an attitude of gratitude."   I am so grateful for everything GOD has provided.  Life has its ups and downs, but when you focus on the POSITIVE, the small bothersome things diminish.  The news focuses on the negative, gossip focuses on the negative.  Every time you read about the real estate industry, it is all negative.  Well, how about the speaking about the 1st time home buyers who have the courage to buy and see they are making a home for their family and buying at the best time in history?  And how about the investor who sees now is the time to buy and grow his/her portfolio for the future?  Buy low; sell high strategy.  I try to choose each day to "GO POSITIVE" beacuse I am GRATEFUL!  We all have a choice each day!    Ann Sabbagh  Vice-... 05/23/2010

"Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway." Eleanor Roosevelt.   Do you worry about what others might say about your words or your actions?  If you follow your heart, you should not care about what others say or think.  People will criticize you for so many reasons; all of which do not matter if you follow your heart.    Ann Sabbagh  Vice-President Seacoast Mortgage Corporation 401-305-6906 or 508-243-1190 Residential & Commercial Financing MLO10920                                                                                                                                     "When you choose me as your mortgage consultant, you also choose a financial planner who cares about YOUR financial strength." 05/23/2010

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Copyright photo by Kathleen Ann Pacheco-Corbett, all rights reserved and may not be reproduced without the written permission of Kathleen Ann Pacheco-Corbett, The Buyer's Choice, Lincoln, RI.  Permission granted with a link back to my website and/or blog providing site is appropriate for all ages.  Thank you.  We want to be your "Personal Realtors for Life"                                                                             http://www.thebuyerschoice.com                                                                                                        KATHLEEN ANN PACHECO-CORBETT                                Office 401-725-5608     Cell 401-556-6911   Fax 401-423-4377                               ... 05/19/2010

Oh NO!  Social Security surplus is GONE!  First year this has happened.  It is being attributed to the recession.  With so many layoffs, employees have taken early retirement by accepting a "golden hand shake" or by having no choice.   This crisis was coming but it was rushed by the recession.  So, the question is "now what"?  A social security bail-out is inevitable. And they may raise the retirement age again.  If medical technology can keep us alive an extra 10 years, we should be able to work an extra ten, right?   Where does all this bail-out end?   Ann Sabbagh   Vice-President Seacoast Mortgage Corporation 401-305-6906 or 508-243-1190 Residential & Commercial Financing MLO10920                                                                                                         ... 02/08/2010

"I really do have to be the best me at all times because I just don't know who is watching my demonstration and taking notes." Steve Kolkmeyer   Who is watching YOU?  WHO KNOWS?  So, you best be on your best at all times when you step out the door, because your next buyer, seller, professional peer, competitor may be watching. If you can NOT be your best, then take a break!  Go for a walk; take a day (or two) off.  We all need R & R to re-energize ourselves.  Knowing when to stop is just as important as knowing when to rev it up!   Ann Sabbagh   Vice-President Seacoast Mortgage Corporation 401-305-6906 or 508-243-1190 Residential & Commercial Financing MLO10920                                                                                                                                ... 01/23/2010

"You can't direct the wind - but you can adjust your sails." Anonymous   Had a tough 2009?  2008 was not a good year either?  Well, then it is time to CHANGE what you are doing to attract business.  Many agents conduct business the old traditional ways and continue to be successful.  But times have changed and we need to adapt to those changes.  It's time to "adjust your sails". Becoming more internet savvy will increase your business.  Take computer classes.  Education can only help and not hurt you.  Buyers search the net to purchase homes.  So, you need to be able to understand the internet to attract those buyers. Network in different circles and be SELECTIVE who you network with.  I have learned through the years, we should not network with everyone.  Anyone you associate with is a... 01/17/2010

Three out of ten loan officers are FAILING the national and state tests.  So, now what?  The banks are NOT requiring testing, at least as of this point in time.  So, the failing loan officers are either 1) leaving the business 2) transferring over to banks.  That is correct: Banks do NOT require testing.  Just registration.   What is it about these tests that make 3 out 10 fail?  I offer the following: •1)      75 is passing: which university in the world makes 75 a passing score?  Is this fair to the industry?  Or are the "powers to be" in the mortgage industry trying to scale down the numbers of brokers? •2)      Many trick questions •3)      Knowledge of the laws: loan officers know how to originate, but have a lack of knowledge on the laws •4)      Feeling overconfident.  Many have ... 12/28/2009

Are there some Active Rain members who just want to collect points?   As I look around, I see some members who write about the same topic for about 7 -10 blogs and receive NO comments.  But, yet, they continue to write about the same topic.  Maybe they enjoy the topic and they are just having fun? Or maybe they wish to create a type of log for their thoughts? Or they just wish to fill the time?  Or they just wish to collect points by blogging?   I enjoy writing blogs that inspire and provide insight and maybe even empower someone.  Of course, the gaining of points is nice as a reward for my efforts, but it definitely is not my main focus.  I view comments as the true sign of success on Active Rain.  It shows others are interested in what I am saying and may, in fact, gain themselves fro... 12/22/2009

Pawtucket RI Single Family Homes Market Report - YTD (11/30/2009) There were 359 single family homes sold YTD in Pawtucket, RI, with an average sales price of $154,405 and an average days on market of 80. The selling range was a low of $5,000 and a high of $535,000.  As of November 30th, there were 151 homes active on the market, with an average listing price of $186,818 and an average DOM of 121 days.  There were 81 homes under contract with an average list price of $155,429 and an average DOM of 95 days. Pawtucket RI Real Estate - Community, relocation and school information with town demographics. Pawtucket RI Foreclosures - Obtain a list of foreclosed and bank owned real estate and short sales. Pawtucket RI MLS Search - View all listings in the statewide MLS. Pawtucket RI Condo - Se... 12/16/2009

I had an insurance agent tell me today there are some people not eligible for homeowner's insurance.     Is everyone eligible for homeowner's insurance?  No matter what?  The Fair Plan takes care of those with questionable credit history.  But does it take care of everyone, who might otherwise not be eligible?  Is there any category of people who are not eligible for homeowner's insurance?    Thank you!   Ann Sabbagh Vice-President Seacoast Mortgage Corporation 508-243-1190 Residential & Commercial Financing MLO10920     "When you choose me as your mortgage consultant, you also choose a financial planner who cares about YOUR financial future."  12/02/2009