Affordable Housing ~ From Renting to Santa Monica Homes ~ How You Can Own Your Own Home Too~!!

Being able to buy your own home has always been a part of the "dream".  Many of us never reach that pinnacle as we are happy in renting and having another take care of the maintenance and upkeep of a family home.  However, it is possible for low~income families to manage this dream and one day even own a beautiful house like the Santa Monica homes.  If you dream it, it will happen, or so the adage goes.

First thing to put in order is your credit.  Everyone needs a credit line in order to do any purchases of this kind of scale, rarely is a home purchased without any financial and legal advisors being involved with the process.  Get a copy of your credit report and see just what kind of debt you have consumed.  If you do happen to have credit worries, begin by putting your financial affairs in order.  Pay off any outstanding charges and begin to pay our bills on time.  If you stay on top of these issues, in no time, your credit will begin to take a positive note, giving you a better advantage at purchasing your first home.

Develop a financial plan and list all of your incomes, debts and assets.  You need to show that you are able to cover all of your current bills with enough to pay your mortgage and extras.  Banks do not wish for your mortgage to be more than 25~30% of your income.  

Begin to save money for a down payment.  Usually 5% of the cost of the home is asked as a retainer.  This shows the bank that you know how to save and are committed to the task of being a homeowner.  If you are able to show that you are trustworthy, a bank is more than likely able to deal, positively, with you and your house's mortgage.

Ask the bank for  pre~approved loan before looking for your first home.  If you happen to qualify, this will makes things simpler in finding your first home, as the bank will give you a price range in which you are pre~approved to buy.  Even if you do not get approved, it will give you a good lesson to help you better understand what your bank is looking for in financial information.

Check out any first~time home owner programs that may be available in your area.  Housing, Urban Development or similar offices will better be able to answer your questions on requirements you need to meet in order to benefit from these programs.

Look for a house you can afford.  Consider what you make during the month and what you can comfortably afford to purchase.  As a rule of thumb, you shouldn't buy a house that is three times more than your annual salary.  

Buying a house can be a daunting task for first time homeowners, but if you approach it educated and informed, your stress can be greatly reduced.  Know your market, find a reputable real estate agent and have fun shopping for your dream home.  Today's fixer upper could mean tomorrows Beverly Hills homes...

  **  This is a sponsored post for The Partners Trust, however, all the points and views are my own~!!  **

BOOK REVIEW: The Silver Boat by Luanne Rice

The Silver Boat

Author:  Luanne Rice
Reading Level:  Ages 18 & up
Paperback:  289 pages
Publisher:  Pamela Dorman Books (April 5, 2011)
Language:  English

Bestseller Luanne Rice returns with a novel as timeless as the sea on which it's set. 

From the beloved New York Times bestselling Luanne Rice comes a heartwarming yet heart-wrenching portrait of three far-flung sisters who come home to Martha's Vineyard one last time. Their mother's beach house is the only place any of them ever found true happiness and they need to begin the difficult process of letting go. Memories of their grandmother, mother, and their Irish father, who sailed away the year Dar turned twelve, rise up and expose the fine cracks in their family myth-especially when a cache of old letters reveals enough truth to send them back to their ancestral homeland.

Transplanted into the unfamiliar, each sister sees life, her heart, and her relationship to home in a new way. But how do they let go of a place that contains the complicated love of their imperfect family? Without the house, where will they be together?

The novel is a season on Martha's Vineyard; a mission to Ireland; a cast of friends, including one wildly off-the-grid Zen genius; passionate love in the surf; and three very different sisters with lives filled with beauty, sorrow, and deep love they'd never been quite sure they could trust. The Silver Boat is Luanne Rice at her very best, complete with her singular talent for capturing a family in all its flawed complexity.

I seriously didn't get this book.  It was the first time reading Luanne Rice's work and I'd only heard good things about her.  However, this, to me, was pure drivel.  The characters were wooden and I just couldn't feel for any of them, even their names irritated me.

I thought with the mystery, ghosts and Martha's Vineyard, it would've made for a decent read but I forced myself to the last page wishing I could get that time back.  I truly felt my intelligence was being insulted over the commentary and juvenile writing that takes place in this book.

If I have to say anything that was good, it would be that the cover is decent.  I would give The Silver Boat a one out of five stars.  It just didn't work for me, but maybe some of you will find some pleasure out of it, don't take my word for it, mine is but only one opinion.

The Silver Boat

**  Reviewed by me...as I see it~!!  **

BOOK REVIEW: The MacGuffin by Michael Craft

The MacGuffin is a literary fiction mystery.

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Questover Press (July 17, 2011)
• Language: English

Cooper Brant is an architect, for his father-in-laws energy company, and he finds himself surrounded in mystery.  His father was murdered fifteen years ago for his work in creating a machine that will generate power without the use of fossil fuels.  Cooper was the first person upon the scene and finds himself still a suspect in his father's murder.

Arcie Madeara is the cop hot on his trail, she has reason to believe that Cooper knows more about his fathers death than he lets on and begins to hound Coop, however, as the two draw closer there is more than mystery in the air as the two come to find companionship in one another's company.

Bix Emery is the head of Emery Energy, a no-nonsense cowboy who oozes power and everyone does his bidding.  Bix comes across as a fatherly figure, helping Cooper gain his footing in the company and grooming him to become the President one day.

I would give The MacGuffin a 3.5 stars out of five.  While I enjoyed the read, I was greatly disappointed with the ending wrap-up.  I felt it fell flat and left the reader with an emotionless outcome to a decent mystery build.  I found the dialogue forced in some instances and some of it lacked interest. 

I wasn't overly impressed with Detective Arcie Madera and thought her honing skills of deduction were seriously lacking and have no idea what her overall beauty has to do with this mystery.  It took me about a quarter way through the book before I started to feel the characters and their plight.  It was then that the characters became likeable as each of their personalities began to be separate from one another.

If you like mysteries, then you will enjoy this one, I just like a lot less predictability in my mysteries and this one didn't even leave me guessing.  As the story unfolds the reader is left with a fairly decent murder mystery as you follow each of the characters to their final destinations.

SYNOPSIS:
A cold-case murder fifteen years ago halted promising developments in the quest for clean energy when the rumored prototype of a groundbreaking water engine was stolen or destroyed. Now the race is on to repower America, and Cooper Brant, still grieving that long-ago murder of his father, suddenly finds his family visited by a second violent death, raising the stakes to unearth lost secrets. When Coop discovers how the two crimes are linked, a grim message becomes clear. He’s next.

  **  Reviewed by me...as I see it~!!  **

BOOK REVIEW: I Didn't Ask To Be Born by Bill Cosby

I Didn't Ask To Be Born (But I'm Glad I Was) is a Literary Comedic look on life by Comedian, Bill Cosby.

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Center Street (Nov 1 2011)
• Language: English

In this hilarious collection of observations, Cosby brings us more of his wonderful and wacky insights into the human condition that are sure to become classics. In the tradition of Fat Albert, I DIDN'T ASK TO BE BORN offers a host of new characters, including Peanut Armhouse and Old Mother Harold. Not since Mushmouth, Dumb Donald, Bucky and the Cosby Kids has there been such a memorable cast.

Over the past century few entertainers have achieved the legendary status of William H. Cosby Jr. His success spans five decades and virtually all media-remarkable accomplishments for a kid who emerged from humble beginnings in a Philly housing project.

In the tradition of his bestselling books, Fatherhood and Cosbyology, the doctor of comedy holds forth on everything from first love to the Bible. Bill Cosby may not have asked to be born, but we're sure glad he was.

I loved the wit and humour shared within these pages and found my giggling over some of the thoughts and antics of Mr. Cosby.  This book delivers the same punch at jokes as only Bill Cosby can deliver.  I loved his viewpoints on God and death and found myself chuckling over his thoughts more than once.

His veiws on fatherhood and the discipline of his children was shared in such a manner that anyone can relate to his anecdotes.  The story about Peanut Armhouse was a very strange tale but worthy of the read, like Mr. Cosby, to this day I wonder whatever happened to Peanut.

Each of the stories shared from his past are down with great visual representation and you can feel yourself traveling along his trip down memory lane.

I thought this was a very decent read and would give it a four out of five stars.  I would've liked to have seen more comic approach in his words but I was delighted with what was shared nonetheless.  And as always, Bill Cosby gets the last word and you'll need to read more to find out why.

  "Reviewed by me...as I see it~!!"

BOOK REVIEW: No Story To Tell by KJ Steele

No Story To Tell is a literary fiction.

Victoria Lackey was born a sickly thing, expected to die within her first week of life, however, it was her healthy twin brother who succumbed to death and some would say he got the better of the deals.

Victoria, or Vic as she is called, is a troubled women in a loveless marriage to a drunken lout.  Bobby hash is good points, he works their farm trying to make ends meet, but often puts his own needs and those of his friends before his wife.

Vic lives in a small town where gossip runs with wild abandon and everyone knows everyone else's business.  Vic keeps a fake smile on her face and has very few friends.  Rose keeps her company with her sweet, sunny disposition and offers much needed advice to Victoria. 

On the day that Victoria meets Elliott her whole life begins to change as she reflects upon all she has witnessed.  Elliott isn't from the local area and wishes to offer more than friendship but Vic is torn between what she desires and what she is capable of employing. 

Victoria begins looking at those around her in a new light and incidents that she once brushed aside, she is now taking a more involved approach, like opening her own dance school, which Bobby once forbade her from ever doing.

As the story progresses we learn the truths that have shaped Victoria, however, her sanity is in check and she must decide if living is really worth the effort.

I thought No Story To Tell was a very interesting read.  The secondary characters really make this book stand out.  Mrs. Spiller who lost her husband and twin sons in a car accident and was left roaming the town in search for them, lost in her sanity and mumbling about gypsies stealing her money.  Pearl, who runs the local hotel, has stories to tell and you had better listen to them or you'll get an earful or Rose, who appears to be a very sweet character with good intentions or Sam, the large native man who loves Victoria but will do nothing to stop her mental abuse.

Each of these characters brings a diverse and sometimes comical approach to life in which Victoria relates to.  I enjoyed reading how the back stories were shared, often shared in thoughts applicable to the situation or memories being shared by the novels characters.

I enjoyed reading as the story progressed wondering what Victoria was going to remember next or what actions she was going to find herself in.  I'm not sure if I would have had the stamina to stay in such a marriage as Victoria's and I couldn't help but root for her whenever she decided she had enough of the life she found herself in.

I would give No Story To Tell a four out of five stars.  While I enjoyed the thoughts being shared, I sometimes found their cohesiveness to be lacking.  Sometimes a thought would be shared and the reader was left wondering what the character was actually talking about.  A few instances can be explained further in the book and other times you were left scratching your head as to the implications of it being mentioned.  All in all however, it was an enjoyable read and I would definitely read more by author, KJ Steele.

SYNOPSIS:
Victoria Lackey, a once extraordinarily promising dancer, now finds herself mired down in a joyless marriage, tending to a heart full of secrets, her dream of being a dancer buried deep within her. Buried within her, that is, until Elliot, a newcomer to the small, gritty town of Hinckly and a sensual artist, recognizes the dancer's spirit within her. Believing in her abilities, he encourages her to open a dance studio, something previously forbidden by Victoria's boorish husband, Bobby.

With Elliot's attentions sparking the flame of desire within her, Victoria suddenly begins to receive softly seductive anonymous telephone calls. Encouraged by her best friend, Rose, Victoria slowly allows herself to start enjoying the calls, eventually creating a perfect fantasy lover in her mind. Eventually, she slips from listener to speaker and begins to divulge the intimate and profound secrets that haunt her soul. Inevitable tensions begin to arise between Victoria and Bobby as he attempts to keep her newfound freedom from taking root.

Desperate to resuscitate the woman she was truly meant to be, Victoria is in for the struggle of her life. With a burden of secrets collapsing around her and a life hanging in jeopardy if she embraces her own, Fate devilishly delivers her to an impossible fork in the road.

** Disclosure: I did not accept any compensation from the sponsors other than review copies, my views are my own, reviewed by me..as I see it~!! **

BOOK REVIEW: Fission by Tom Weston

Fission is an Historical Literary Fiction.

Lise Mietner was a woman born before her times.  The time is 1906 and Lise has just received her PhD in Physics, something quite unheard of, women were tolerated in the academics as long as it was known that they would get married and have children right after graduation.  However, the family life is not for Lise as she overcomes the trials and tribulations set before her in a man's world.

Lise meets many great minds along her journey, such as Ernst Mach, who proved speed travel, Albert Einstein, an up and coming star in the realm of physics, as well as Max Planck, who helps guide her with his tutelage. 

Lise's father is against the idea of Lise moving from Vienna to Berlin to pursue her advocation.  However, he complies and Lise has never been happier.  She does run into problems as she tries to secure a laboratory in which to experiment, space is tight and men will always have first crack at the opportunity of obtaining one, no matter how much her Professors admire her tenacity to the task.

Lise meets Otto Hahn, a chemist, and together they work on radiation and its causes and effects.  When Lise is invited to give a lecture on some of her published papers, she embarks on the journey with trepidation.  However, her colleagues are very supportive and Lise agrees to the talk.  This will open many doors for this remarkable women from our historical past.

Lise is a prim and proper women, she has many eyes upon her and she fears making waves, always trying to hide in the shadows.  Her nephew, Robert, is her pride and joy and it is only with him that she is able to be herself.  There are many ups and downs concerning Lise and her career choice but she fronts them bravely and changes the face of science for future generations.

I thought this was an extremely well written book.  I loved knowing that it was based on a true story and how pioneering the woman, Lise Mietner, was to humanity.  I admired her courage and her determination to succeed in a man's world.  She helped to change many of the male attitudes of the times  and helped pave the way for other highly academic and career-orientated women to survive and succeed.

I enjoy reading the history that is shared throughout the pages, reading about some of the greatest minds in such a relaxed and personal way gives the story an added edge to its character building.  I thought all aspects of the literature was well placed and everything worked well together, the plot, the characters and the back story all fit nicely together.

Author Tom Weston definitely knows how to spin a tale and gives just enough information to the reader that encourages you to go and learn more about Lise Mietner.  Until reading this story, the only women I ever heard attached to radiation science was Madame Curie and it was really interesting to read about Lise and her life.

I would give Fission a five out of five stars.  The history, the characters and the writing all blend together to make this a remarkable and intriguing read.  The social and political strife encompasses the reader and you will find yourself needing to know more.  Anyone with a fascination with true historical stories would love reading this.

Fission:  Tom Weston Media

SYNOPSIS:
First they tried to deny her.
Then they tried to destroy her.
But she survived to discover nuclear fission
and spark the race for the atomic bomb.

Imagine if you would, a story of greed and betrayal, intrigue and danger, war and destruction, the slaughter of the innocents on a biblical scale and the collapse of empire. And imagine at the centre of it all one little woman, brilliant but shy, victimized but resolute, and ultimately vindicated. What a story that would make! Well, you don't have to imagine it, because that is the Lise Meitner story. And I didn't have to invent any of it . . . it's all true.

** Disclosure: I did not accept any compensation from the sponsors other than review copies, my views are my own, reviewed by me..as I see it~!! **

BOOK REVIEW: Cloyne Court by Dodie Katague

Cloyne Court is a Literary Fiction.

It's the 1970's and Cloyne Court has just become a co-ed student co-op.  Derek Marston has been attending college while living at home, that is, until the day a mysterious women tells him to go live at Cloyne Court.

Derek first arrives halfway through his freshman year; against his parents wishes.  Derek is unsure as to what to expect and slowly becomes meshed into the framework of Cloyne Court and her politics.

It is in Cloyne Court that Derek learns Karate, falls in love and has his heart broken, makes great friendships and destroys others.  Some of the people pass through his life briefly, some leaving lasting impressions and others who do not.  It is here that Derek learns the merits on how to become an adult.

The life lessons that Cloyne Court teaches Derek puts him on his path in life; the people, the culture and the times helped shaped the building blocks that would become Derek's destiny. 

I thought Cloyne Court was a well-written novel.  I loved the nuances and the details that the author wrote, sharing with the reader the life of Derek.  I enjoyed the 1970's history shared within the pages and the pop culture aspect that I felt as I read the passages.

Dodie Katague wrote with such a fervor that one couldn't help but be transported to the time, walking beside Derek as each life lesson unfolded.  I loved the different characters found throughout the pages and how each of them interacted with Derek.

I thought this was a well-placed book in that the impressions shared and the dialogue written was very in the "times".  You could feel the life coming into the students as the times began to change in a more liberal aspect.  Sex, drugs and rock'n'roll were the hallmarks of this era and the author uses it to an agreeable advantage.  The mind set of some people astounded me, as it often does when I read such things.  I thought the book was delivered in a very entertaining way.

I would give Cloyne Court a four out of five stars, while I enjoyed it, I felt the direction was lacking.  It was wonderful story of coming of age and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys period pieces with a bit of real life thrown in.

Cloyne Court

SYNOPSIS:
The Real Animal House: In 1946, the "real" all male "Animal House" was born when Cloyne Court become a student co-op. In the 50 & 60s, the "beasts" waged war with the Berkeley Chapter of Beta Theta Pi, an athletically-oriented fraternity. That feud ended when Cloyne's archenemies moved across campus. However, the real story begins when Cloyne Court went co-ed in 1972 with the arrival of sixty-two women. Katague's sexy, reveal-all creative memoir takes place in the late 70s, soon after the women moved in. All it takes is one kiss to transform animals into horny princes.

 

 ** Disclosure: I did not accept any compensation from the sponsors other than review copies, my views are my own, reviewed by me..as I see it~!! **

The Accidental Activist by Alon Shalev

The Accidental Activist is a Literary Legal/Political Fiction based on the McDonald's libel case of the 1990's.

Matthew is a computer programmer working on a program deal with an Oil conglomerate that could make or break his career.  His friends and colleagues are a tight knit group and the five of them always have each others backs.

On the night that Matthew and Paul attend a party, Matthew doesn't realize how much his life is about to change.  A woman approaches Matt and asks him to whisk her away from the boredom and from that day forward, their fates are intertwined.

Suzy is an activist who uses her education, tenacity and her willpower to bring light to degrading situations around the world.  Her newest pet project is saving the people in the Amazon jungle from an oil company who wishes to drill there.  The tribesfolk have stated they will all jump to their deaths if this is allowed.

As the two draw closer together, Suzy is arrested for handing out flyers that make the oil company look bad and she is charged with libel.  Matthew rallies his friends and colleagues together to fight back at the injustice of the British legal system and the big business that wishes to control the situation.  The group of friends create a web site to bring awareness to the plight and from there the site goes viral as more people are being informed.

For years Suzy, Matthew and their friends and family fight the charges in court, bringing in eye witnesses, scientists, experts and more to prove that some things are just worth fighting for.

I loved that this book was based on a true story, it always give the book an extra added appeal.  I thought that the characters were likeable and interesting to read.  I liked the dry humour that Matthew displays and the mysterious of Suzy as the story progresses was a nice touch.

I enjoyed reading about the British legal system and how it works, as well, the details shared in the courtroom were surprisingly easy to understand and follow.  The author writes with a layman's feel and you are drawn into the intrigue of courtroom drama.

I would give The Accidental Activist a four out of five stars.  While I enjoyed the read, I thought the book could have been expanded, giving us some more depth to the characters and their back stories.  I sometimes felt rushed in their introductions to the story and would have liked to have savoured their nuances.  However, this is a wonderful read and it has a feel good ending that I am sure most will appreciate.

The Accidental Activist

SYNOPSIS: 
David meets Goliath in the law courts of England in the 1990's. The advent of the Internet is leveling the playing field as a multinational corporation tries to silence two young political activists in a riveting court case that captivates the political and business world's attention. The company will try anything (sex, espionage, bribery and coercion) to stop or win this case. In fighting the corporation, a self-absorbed computer programmer discovers romance and a way to change the world one mega-pixel at a time.

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The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy

The Baker's Wife is a Literary Christian Mystery Fiction.

Audrey Bofinger is a pastor's wife and she loves to bake bread for those who are in need of some humanity.  She loves her husband, Geoff and her son, Ed and being a pastor's wife is the best job in the world.  Everything appears serene when Ed is caught up in a scandal and Jack Mansfield, detective and Church elder, demands Pastor Geoff's resignation.  However, not to be deterred by lies, Audrey and her family open up a bakery in town.

Diane Hall has just been released from prison for killing her sister and decides to head home to make amends with her past.  When she finds a cell phone on the side of the road, she has no idea what the future holds.  Diane has the misfortune to arrive in town on the very day that Audrey has run over Jack's wife, Juliet.

Audrey is shaken but determined to uncover the truth and with only blood, a wrecked scooter and no body, it is not going to be an easy mystery to solve.  Audrey has empathic abilities that she believes are entrusted to her from God and she feels connected to Juliet though the two women are virtually strangers to each other.

Jack Mansfield believes that Audrey and her family know more about Julie's murder than they are letting on and although he has been removed from the case, he comes up with a scenario and nothing can deter him from its outcome.  When his sanity finally cracks, Jack takes everyone hostage in the bakery and demands that Audrey and Diane return his wife within six hours or every hostage will die. 

With time racing against them, Audrey must trust in her instincts, Diane's tie in with the past and Miralee, Juliet's errant daughter, who could care less the outcome of her parent's dilemmas. 

I thought this was an excellent read with well-rounded characters and a believable plot.  I enjoyed reading the suspense and mystery of Juliet and her death.  I liked how Audrey and her family kept their heads level and worked towards a solution that everyone would find satisfactory.

I thought each of the main characters had a wonderful back story and their characters were interesting and entertaining.  I loved how everything tied in together, bring a balance to the plot.

I thought Jack's heretical craziness was written with clarity and he brought an edge of fear to the story and left the reader shaking their heads as they read how he twisted the scriptures to make his own plight justified in his own head.  I loved how Ed and Geoff handled his character and brought the story to its finality. 

I wished to have had a bit more back story from Leslie and Coach, if I had to find fault it would be with these two characters.  There wasn't enough reason for them to be there other than to add filler and allow for Jack to reign his torment upon.  A better tie in of the two would have made this story fantastic.  I understood why they were there, just found their reasons lacking.

I would give this four and a half stars out of five, while it is almost perfect in nature, there are a few issues that I had problems with, such as Leslie and Coach's involvement and I found the story to be predictable.  However, this is an excellent story that I am sure you will enjoy, it is filled with warmth, heart, fear and the determination to do what is correct in the eyes of our Lord.

SYNOPSIS:
Then a scandalous lie cost her husband a pastoral career. Now the two work side-by-side running a bakery, serving coffee, and baking fresh bread. But the hurt still pulls at Audrey.

Driving early one morning to the bakery, Audrey's car strikes something-or someone-at a fog-shrouded intersection. She finds a motor scooter belonging to a local teacher. Blood is everywhere, but there's no trace of a body.

Both the scooter and the blood belong to detective Jack Mansfield's wife, and he's certain that Audrey is behind Julie's disappearance.

 

 ** Disclosure: I did not accept any compensation from the sponsors other than review copies, my views are my own, reviewed by me..as I see it~!! **