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  • Politics Is Like Hiring A Hitman
    by Scott Woods inPolitical on2020-08-13

    For me, politics is like hiring a hitman. I have values and things I care about. I care enough about them to at least bother voting for 5 minutes every year for one issue or another. And because I care at least that much, I vote for people who align with the ability to realize the things I care about.

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  • Punching Above Our Weight
    by Roger Madison Jr. inPolitical on2020-07-24

    I believe our vote is the punctuation of our voice. Without that resounding exclamation mark, I believe our voices are just incoherent noise.

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  • BLACK PROGRESS AMIDST SOCIAL CHAOS
    by Roger Madison Jr. inPolitical on2020-06-16

    Recent events have raised the profile of historical injustice and inequities here in the USA. The entire world has taken note of the fact that BLACK LIVES MATTER.   We invite all of our friends to engage in actions that result in the greatest movement for change in our history. It is imperative that we take advantage of this opportunity to affect a positive change by ACTING IN OUR SELF-INTERESTS.

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  • Living in a Black No-Man's Land
    by Roger Madison Jr. inOur Community on2019-10-28

    There are many narratives that define the Black experience in America in this 2nd decade of the 21st century. Our striving over the centuries of our sojourn in this nation is a tapestry of every human experience -- oppression, enslavement, forced assimilation, dehumanization, exclusion, segregation, isolation, struggle, perseverance, achievement, excellence, celebration, mourning, despair, progress, setbacks, lynching, assassination, genocide, terror, self-hatred, low esteem, pride,...

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  • Fighting Racism
    by Scott Woods inOur Community on2018-10-25

    I had a boss who was racist. Not an outright bigot, of course; her toolbox was more subtle than most. We bumped heads a lot over inconsequential things. She frequently couldn’t keep my name out her mouth. Lot of gaslighting. You know…2018 style. I tried a lot of ways to combat or navigate her issues. None of them worked, and that’s saying a lot because I’m really good at fighting racism. But at the end of the day – every day – she was my boss, I had to deal with her, and that was that. Finally I...

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Pave the Road to Your First Home!

<b>Pave the Road to your first home!</b>

Buying a home is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. It will take time, money and lots of energy. Before you get started, there are some things you will need to learn and do before making that huge purchase. One of the keys to paving the road to your first home is great planning. The first question you answer should be why do you want to buy? You also need to decide if you are ready. Most couples dream of owning their own home and being able to raise a family in it for years to come. The first thing you and your spouse should do is sit down and decide if you both are ready for this huge commitment. Sometimes it’s not always about the money, it’s about the energy it will take and the process you will have to go through. If you and your spouse intend to have children then buying a home is a great investment.

Another key to paving the road to your first home is finances, meaning do you have the money?
Homes and financing are closely intertwined. You will be happy to know that over the years new and innovative loan programs have evolved which require a 5 percent down payment or less. In fact, a number of programs now allow purchasers to buy real estate with nothing down. In addition to a down payment, purchasers also need cash for closing costs (the final costs associated with closing the loan). Several newly emerging loan programs not only allow the purchase of a home with no money down, but also underwrite closing costs. Not everyone, however, elects to purchase with little or no money down. Less money down means higher monthly mortgage payments, so most home buyers choose to buy with some cash up front. Those great loans with little or nothing down are not available to everyone: You need to have decent credit, which generally means a 580 or above.

Another component is making sure that your financial house is in order! In the excitement of searching for homes and thinking about how you are going to decorate, there is something important that every couple needs to be sure of and that’s taking care of bills and debt before attempting to purchase a home. Start now by paying all of your bills on time. For at least one year prior to purchasing a home, you should assure that every credit card bill, rent check, car payment and other debt is paid in full and on time. If you have a steady job and a reasonable credit history, there is a good chance that you can find a home lender who will lend you most of the purchase price of your new house. Home loans are also called "mortgages," I have discovered that this word comes from a Latin phrase meaning "pledge unto death." Lenders expect to get paid on time and it’s important to make sure that you are financially capable of assuming such a large amount of debt.

Don’t let the hard work and pressure of buying a home get to you. Buying a home will be fun and exciting, as well as time consuming. These are just a few of the things you will need to think about to pave your way to your first home!

To get professional advice and more information on purchasing a home call Vision Investment Corporation at 877-799-0820! Feel Free to visit the website at <a href="http://www.visioninvestmentcorp.com">www.visioninvestmentcorp.com</a>

<i>Annetta Powell</i>
<b>Queen of Real Estate</b>