What’s your gift?

In April, Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday.

Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older.

And, there on television, she said it was “exciting.” Regarding body changes, she said there were many, occurring every day…like her breasts.

They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first.

The audience laughed so hard they cried. She is such a simple and honest woman, with so much wisdom in her words!

Maya Angelou said this:

“I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.”

“I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.”

“I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.”

“I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as ‘making a life’.”

“I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.”

“I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back.”

“I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.”

“I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.”

“I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone.

Dinning at Home with one of DC top 25 Chefs William Redd

Here is a great creative options to enjoy learning with family and friends over the Holidays!

The photos below compliment of Chef William Redd

I just bought some of these at costcos. The chicken an veggie. Pretty gud an the kids like em.
Read more at https://websta.me/n/dining_at_home#iAccoZUD5Mf2T11L.99

Herb crusted airline chicken, with a mustard butter sauce, mushroom risotto and roasted root vegetables for 200
Read more at https://websta.me/n/dining_at_home#iAccoZUD5Mf2T11L.99

Lunch time flow…..pan seard salmon cakes with Green Bean succotash with a lemon and caper tartar sauce
Read more at https://websta.me/n/dining_at_home#iAccoZUD5Mf2T11L.99

Spinach and black bean pizza on an herb flat bread crust, CAO Flathead Steelhorse cigar and a glass of chianti
Read more at https://websta.me/n/dining_at_home#iAccoZUD5Mf2T11L.99

Grilled chicken with Brie, wild fall greens and a honey mustard glaze
Read more at https://websta.me/n/dining_at_home#iAccoZUD5Mf2T11L.99

Fall snack. Butter pecan and sweet potato milkshake…with crumbled oreos
Read more at https://websta.me/n/dining_at_home#iAccoZUD5Mf2T11L.99

Poached lobster salad on sourdough with butter lettuce mix greens over mango colis. ( cool-e) for the rookies!! It’s French
Read more at https://websta.me/n/dining_at_home#iAccoZUD5Mf2T11L.99

5 spiced tuna salad with an Asian sesame dressing
Read more at https://websta.me/n/dining_at_home#iAccoZUD5Mf2T11L.99

prepping for a rib sticker of shrimp and grits with andoulle sausage, scallions, Roma tomatoes, garlic in white wine and shrimp stock over white cheddar and parmesan cheese grits
Read more at https://websta.me/n/dining_at_home#iAccoZUD5Mf2T11L.99

Crispy chicken and ginger potstickers with a sweet chili and sesame-soy glaze and fried kale
Read more at https://websta.me/n/dining_at_home#iAccoZUD5Mf2T11L.99

Beef short ribs over Yukon gold mashed potatoes and braised Kale
Read more at https://websta.me/n/dining_at_home#iAccoZUD5Mf2T11L.99

 

https://websta.me/n/dining_at_home

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=dining%20at%20hometown

571-217-4134     wchefredd@aol.com

Waiting until after the Holidays Isn’t a Smart Decision

Every year at this time, many homeowners decide to wait until after the holidays to put their home on the market for the first time. Others who already have their home on the market decide to take it off the market until after the holidays. Here are six great reasons not to wait:

1. Relocation buyers are out there. Companies are not concerned with holiday time and if the buyers have kids, they want them to get into school after the holidays.

2. Purchasers that are looking for a home during the holidays are serious buyers and are ready to buy.

3. You can restrict the showings on your home to the times you want it shown. You will remain in control.

4. Homes show better when decorated for the holidays.

5. There is less competition for you as a seller right now. Let’s take a look at listing inventory as compared to the same time last year:

Beautiful Dreamer!

FHA 203k vs HomePath Renovation vs HomeStyle Renovation

Which renovation mortgage is the best when it comes to financing and fixing up a house? Is it the FHA 203k? What about buying a Fannie Mae-owned home with HomePath Renovation? Have you heard about HomeStyle Renovation mortgage as an option? Which one is the best deal for you? We’re going to take a look at each of these, their pros and cons, and let you decide for yourself which route you’d like to go in today’s housing market.

Before we compare, let’s take a look at the basic definitions of each of these mortgage loan options.

FHA 203k

The 203k loan is a mortgage insured by the Federal Housing Administration, or FHA. You can make home improvements to the house you want, or the home you already own. Use the funds for simple upgrades to your home like a kitchen or bath improvement, or to completely reconstruct a home that is presently unlivable. You can even use a 203k Rehabilitation Loan to tear down an existing structure and build a new one using some portion of the existing foundation.

You can borrow up to 96.5% of the appraised value – based on the value when the improvements or repairs are completed. The home must be owner-occupied and a primary residence, so no investors or vacation homes. 

HomePath Renovation

HomePath is a mortgage loan option available through Fannie Mae. The mortgage backer is not in the business of managing properties, so it aims to unload these Fannie Mae-owned homes to qualified buyers with incentives like low down payment, low prices and breaks on mortgage monthly mortgage insurance. 

HomePath Renovation is a second part of HomePath, that allows a borrower to purchase a property that requires light to moderate renovation on Fannie Mae-owned properties. The one loan amount includes both the funds for the purchase and renovation – up to 35% of the as completed value, no more than $35,000.

HomeStyle Renovation

The HomeStyle Renovation option offers a low down payment option for qualified borrowers, as well as the chance for investors or buyers looking for a second home to buy-and-remodel. 

With HomeStyle Renovation you can get a “purchase transaction mortgage” (you buy a home) or a limited cash-out refinance mortgage and receive funds to cover the costs of repairs, remodeling, renovations or energy efficient improvements to the property.

There are no required improvements or restrictions on the types of repairs allowed or a minimum dollar amount for the repairs. Repairs or improvement, however, must be permanently affixed to the real property and add value to the property.

The video below lays out the differences between these 3 renovation mortgages in an interview with nationally-recognized renovation lending expert Joe Daly.

See the embedded video here – FHA 203k vs HomePath Renovation vs HomeStyle Renovation 

The chart below is a partial chart comparing these 3 renovation mortgages. Click the picture to get to the PDF document with more in-depth information.

As you can see, each loan option has requirements and benefits. If you’d like to avoid mortgage insurance, you may want to consider HomeStyle Renovation. If you’re interested in only Fannie Mae-owned properties, HomePath Renovation might be up your alley. Or if you’re looking to do some major repairs to a home like knocking it down to the foundation or adding a second story, FHA 203k might be the way to go.

You can learn more about these loan options and more for financing your remodeling dreams with our free guide below. The guide covers all three options and more information.

 

Do What You Can… (The Evolution of Ideas.)

Something I had to share!

Signs You’re Settling for Less Than You Deserve

People settle for less than they deserve in personal relationships: accepting bad behavior, excusing broken promises, accommodating people who take more than they give. Why? Because doing things we’ve grown accustomed to is familiar, comfortable.

 

Which is why sometimes it can be tough to gauge whether we’re settling: When we tell ourselves that things are fine, we soon forget that they could be better. Here’s how to know whether you’re putting up with less than you deserve:

• When you have to work yourself into a state of excitement rather than naturally experiencing joy and passion, you’re probably settling.
• When you bargain with yourself about what you can do without rather than feeling gratitude for what you already have, you’re probably settling.
• When your focus is on the time and energy you’ve invested in an endeavor rather than the love, joy and gratification you’ve gained, you’re probably settling.
• When you’re making excuses about why you should stay put rather than going for what you truly want, you’re probably settling.
• When you spend more time complaining about what you have than appreciating it, you’re definitely settling.

  But there is a lesson to be learned in everything. When we realize we’ve been settling, we discover what we actually believe. We learn that we perhaps think ourselves undeserving of happiness and find how susceptible we are to outside influences—because often we settle when others convince us it’s the right thing to do. Most important, we learn that we are not standing fully in our truth. Armed with this information, we can make new choices that support our desires—by beginning to believe that we can have what we really want.

 

 

National Capital Barbecue Battle

Saturday, June 21, 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

In addition to an outrageous amount of barbecue, you’ll find 30 bands on three stages, a Safeway food sampling pavilion, grilling contests and more. The BBQ Battle continues Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Historic Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C.

Information: (202) 488-6990; bbqindc.com
Cost: $15 for adults; Free for children 12 and younger

 

Keep your focus on what you want!

If you could get to the place where you no longer feel a need to push against anything that you disagree with—you would become in alignment with what you do agree with. Even within your own body, it is your pushing against those things you don’t agree with that causes you to be out of alignment with what you do agree.