Brigita's Blog: May 2009

The long awaited beautiful and warm spring and summer weather is upon us.  This is the time we trailer our horses to different events, such as shows, trail rides, and other events. 

Those of us that own horses know that we must always expect the unexpected.  As Murphy's Law states:  "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." 

Therefore, we must be prepared.  When you trailer your horse, keep a first aid kit in your truck.

The key items you should have on hand are:

-  Self sticking bandaging material, such as VetRap

-  Sterile pads for cuts and wounds

-  Bandaging tape to hold bandages on

-  Gauze or cotton rolls

-  Small, blunt ended, sharp scissors

-  Betadine scrub or other iodine solution to clean wounds

-  Phenylbutazone (better known as "bute") for pain relief (obtained from a vet).  Aspirin will do the job just as well.

-  Acepromazine, to tranquilize the horse in extreme emergency (obtained from a vet)

-  Disposable syringes and needles

-  Pocket knife

-  Rubbing alcohol

-  Large animal rectal thermometer

-  Epsom salts

-  Masking tape and duct tape (Duct tape has many uses.)

-  Clean towels and rags

-  Sponges

-  Leg bandages

-  First aid ointment

In addition to the equine first aid kit, remember to have a human first aid kit on hand.  You never know when you may need it.

Emergencies are NEVER predictable.

The opening date for Sands Casino, at the old Bethlehem Steel site in Bethlehem, is coming up fast.  The big day is set for Friday, May 22nd.

This week, a certain few area residents were invited to test the slot machines.  This way, any glitches or problems were corrected before the grand opening.  The winnings, though, were donated to area charities.

In addition to the Casino opening its doors, Emeril will be opening his restaurant in the Casino.  He has been in the Lehigh Valley this week preparing for the big day.  He has also taken time out to do some book signing at a book store at the Promenade Shops in Saucon Valley.

Emeril plans on opening 2 more restaurants at the Casino in the near future.

The Lehigh Valley is expecting a big boost to the area's economy with the Sands Casino and Emeril's restaurant opening.  It is expected to be a huge benefit to the area financially. 

Some say it will take business away from the Pocono Casino and Atlantic City.  Friday, we will see how the residents receive the opening of the Casino.

I'm sure many of you have heard about how intelligent different animals are. 

But did you know. . . . . . .

-  Horses have small brains relative to their body size.

-  They should not be compared to animals that are predators, such as cats and dogs.  Horses are prey animals and behave differently, according to their flight or fight instinct.

-  Horses are trainable, even though many rider's commands contradict their natural instincts.

-  Horses learn through a process of positive and negative reinforcement, involving lots of repetition in small increments of time and content.

-  They remember things very well, often putting an elephant to shame.  This can be a problem because they seldom forget and forgive poor training experiences.

-  They recognize sounds pertaining to certain people, feed buckets, vehicles, and so on.  They learn to respond to simple verbal cues, such as "whoa", "move on", and "click-click".

-  A belief is that the lower the IQ of a horse, the more submissive the horse is, and the easier it is to train.

-  Some trainers make IQ assessments based on the horse's problem solving abilities, rate of learning, and a retention of knowledge.

The numbers are finally out for the April 2009 Real Estate Market update for the Lehigh Valley. 

The sales during April 2009 were up 21.2%, with 406 sales reported as compared to March 2009 at 335.   (Woohoo!!)

Although the sales increased during April 2009, the average sales price dropped 2% to $198,000 from $202,000 in March 2009. 

The average time on the market for properties sold during April 2009 was 86 days, which was a decrease compared to March 2009 at 87 days.

Newly constructed home sale prices increased in April 2009 as compared to March 2009.  New construction homes include 4 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths.  Based on 7 new construction properties sold in April 2009, the average sales price reported was $431,000 with a median price of $358,000.  During the month of March 2009, the average sales price was recorded at $371,000 and the median at $334,000.

April Sales Distribution

Sale Price                                Number of Sales

under $70,000                                 27
$70,001 - $100,000                         29
$100,001 - $150,000                       92
$150,001 - $200,000                      101
$200,001 - $250,000                       65
$250,001 - $300,000                       34
$300,001 - $350,000                       30
$350,001 - $400,000                       11
$400,001 - $450,000                        6
$450,001 - $500,000                        4
$500,001 - $600,000                        3
$600,001 - $700,000                        3
$700,001 - $800,000                        1
$800,001 and above                         0

This news was just release from HUD:  Consumers may now use the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit to help cover the down payment and closing costs on FHA insured mortgages.

The way it will work is that it will allow FHA approved lenders, federal state and local government agencies and FHA approved non-profit organizations, to supply home buyers with short-term loans (called bridge loans).  The amount allowed will be up to the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit.

Originally, the home buyer was only allowed to obtain the tax credit when they filed their next annual tax return or an amended 2008 tax return, which in turn would have been refunded by the IRS. 

This move may help boost the number of first-time home buyers.

For more information, see: www.ncsha.org/section.cfm/3/34/2920

As most of you know, I am a volunteer with the LVCART (Lehigh Valley Animal Response Team).  This past weekend a drill was held to keep our emergency skills sharp. 

It was an overnight drill.  This way we had experience in case an emergency required us to spend the night with the animals.  Not only were there cats and dogs, but there was also a horse included in the drill.

After the drill was over, we had a speaker to educate us on snakes (ugh!) and reptiles.  He is better known in our area as the "snakeman".  He owns an assortment of snakes, including cobras, rattlesnakes and a boa, plus several turtles and reptiles.  He also goes to area schools and speaks to the elementary school children. 

We learned many interesting facts about the snakes and the reptiles.  Did you know that if a snake has round eyes, it is not poisonous and if it has cat eyes it is venomous?  (That only holds true for native Pennsylvania snakes.)  He informed us about many other interesting facts about snakes and reptiles. 

Personally, I will not handle snakes.  If they are secured in a container, maybe.  Otherwise, NO WAY!! 

In the long run, our drill went well, but there were areas that we need to work on to have things go smoother in an emergency situation.  But, hey, that's what drills are for.  If we don't make mistakes, we won''t learn and improve on it.

This is short and funny!

Yesterday I had a flat tire on the interstate.  So I eased my car over to the shoulder of the road, carefully got out of the car and opened the trunk. 

I took out 2 cardboard men, unfolded them and stood them at the rear of my car facing oncoming traffic. 

They look so lifelike you wouldn't believe it!  They were in trench coats, exposing their nude bodies and private parts to the approaching drivers.

I started to change my tire, and to my surprise, cars started slowing down looking at my lifelike men.  And of course, traffic started backing up.

Everybody was tooting their horns and waving like crazy.  It wasn't long before a state trooper pulled up behind me.

He got out of his car and started walking towards me.  I could tell he was not a happy camper!

"What's going on here?"

"My car has a flat tire," I said calmly.

"Well, what the hell are those obscene cardboard men doing here by the road?"

I couldn't believe that he didn't know.

So I told him, "Hello-o-o-o-o-o, those are my emergency flashers!"

I am under the impression that most consumers think that real estate agents just stick a sign in the yard, enter the listing in the local MLS, show buyers homes and their job is done.  Therefore, some feel that they can do the same job selling their own home.  Not so.  Our jobs entail much more than that.

REALTORS do the following:

1.  Help consumers through a complicated process.  Buying or selling a home requires numerous forms such as disclosure forms, inspection reports, mortgage documents, insurance policies, deeds and multipage settlement statements.  A knowledgeable expert will help you prepare the best deal and avoid delays or costly mistakes.

2.  Educating the consumer.  Real estate transactions tend to be very complicated and stressful.  A REALTOR will inform the consumer about the buying/selling process and what to expect.

3.  Information and opinions.  REALTORS are local experts.  They can provide local community information on utilities, zoning, schools, and more.  They'll also be able to provide objective information about each property.  A professional will be able to help you answer these 2 important questions:
                       Will the property provide the environment I want for a home or investment?
                       Will the property have resale value when I am ready to sell?

4.  Assist in finding the best property out there.  Sometimes the property you are seeking is available but not actively advertised in the market.  It will take some investigation by your REALTOR to find all the available properties.

5.  Negotiating skills.  There are many negotiating factors, including, but not limited to price, financing terms, date of possession, inclusion or exclusion of repairs, furnishings or equipment.  In addition, the purchase agreement should provide a period of time for you to complete appropriate inspections and investifations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase.  Your agent can advise you as to which investigfations and inpsections are recommended or required.

6.  Power of marketing property.  Real estate does not sell by advertising alone.  In fact, a llarge share of real estate sal;es comes as a result of a practitioner's contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, and family.  When a property is marketed with the help of a REALTOR, you do not have to allow strangers into your home.  Your REALTOR will generally prescreen and accompany qualified propspects through your property.

7.  Speak the real estate language.  If you don't know a CMA from a PUD, you can understand why it's important to work with a professional who specializes in the industry and knows the real estate language.

8.  Experience.  Most people buy and sell only a few homes in a lifetime, usually with a number of years in between each purchase.  Even if you have done it before, laws and regulations change.  REALTORS handle humdreds of real estate transactions over the course of their career.  Having an expert represent you is critical.

9.  Objective voice.  A home often symbolizes family, rest and security.  It is not just 4 walls and a roof.  Because of this, homebuying and selling can be an emotional undertaking.  For most people, a home is the biggest purchase they'll ever make.  Having a concerned, but objective, third party helps you stay focused on both the emotional and financial issues most important to you.

So, the next time you decide not to work with a REALTOR, think about how much time, effort and how big of a job the agent really has.  Isn't it worth it to have yourself represented by a REALTOR?