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The Twelve Days of Giving

Here we are, mid-December. A time known to many as “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” But as I’ve had pointed out to me, the 12 Days of Christmas actually begins on December 25th and continues through January 6th, Epiphany. Never one to let the calendar hold me back (that and a packed travel schedule) I began my annual tradition of the 12 Days of Giving back in November with a discovery I made in New York City.

It is my practice to seek out places of worship in every destination I travel to and during my last trip to the Big Apple I happened upon Holy Trinity, holytrinitynyc.org and learned about their many outreach programs. One in particular, Lunch with Friends resonated with me and it was tremendously rewarding to donate a few holiday pies for this inclusive and welcoming endeavor, especially around this festive season.

Work has me spending time searching out opportunities in new destinations and one in particular that I’m getting acquainted with is San Juan, Puerto Rico. This beautiful island, still recovering in many areas from the tragic effects of Hurricane Maria has wowed me. One of the many reasons why – organizations like Union Church, ucsanjuan.org. They host the Original Christmas Bazaar and Music Festival, one of the largest bazaars of its kind in all of San Juan. They were happy to receive a few hundred cuties from the Beanie Baby collection to sell at the event. Funds raised at the bazaar are donated to organizations working with the homeless population in addition to supporting the ongoing operational needs of the church.

Thus far, back home in Minneapolis I’ve enjoyed visiting groups like One Heartland, oneheartland.org, the Masonic Children’s Hospital, mhealth.org, and Essentia Health, essentiahealth.org with donations ranging from toys and stuffed animals to power tools. All are wonderful organizations that have important missions and purposes. It is definitely worth clicking on the links to their websites and checking out the great work they do.

While goods and financial contributions are always appreciated, there are other ways to donate that are equally meaningful.  If this time of year has a habit of draining one’s bank accounts, consider giving the gift of time. A few hours of volunteerism can make a huge difference. With so many noble organizations out there, it is easy to find a way to volunteer that suits your schedule and your passion. A few suggestions, courtesy of an email blast from US Bank;

  1. The gift of freedom: Send care packages to military personnel overseas. The USO, for example, takes donations that help provide technology resources for troops to connect with their families back home.
  2. Home for the holidays: Participate in a Habitat for Humanity project. Habitat helps families in need build strength, stability and self-reliance while building their own home alongside volunteers.
  3. Show kids how to shop smart: Teach basic financial education to youth at local schools through Junior Achievement. You don’t need to be an expert to sign up and you may even learn a thing or two yourself.

No matter how you give this holiday season, or when – during the 12 days, before it, or like me, all throughout, I encourage everyone to find something that resonates within themselves and get involved! Remember, its often times the littlest things that can make the biggest difference…

Happy Holidays, David.

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Minneapolis Superbowl LII Housing

February 4th is fast approaching Super Bowl LII is right around the corner!!
Hotels sold-out? Looking for a unique yet relevant place to stay? From single family homes, to skyway access condos to Warehouse district lofts – Check out our listings at http://www.aresi.com/property-contract/superbowl/ In addition we have a network of Realtor contacts with other offerings and are here to help with all your Super Bowl travel and stay needs!

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Jumbo Mortgage Rates Competitive with Conforming Loans

Rates and terms on jumbo mortgages have relaxed in the last six to 12 months, to the point that interest rates on 30-year fixed jumbos are now comparable to rates on conventional loans, and borrowers with credit scores of 700 or below now have a better shot at obtaining one, bankrate.com’s Polyana da Costa reports.

Jumbo lending by Wells Fargo Home Mortgage was up 15 percent from a year ago during the second quarter of 2013, and has continued to grow, to the highest level since 2007. The nation’s biggest jumbo lenders by loan volume are Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Quicken Loans and Citibank, da Costa reports, citing a LendingPatterns.com database.

One reason lenders are more eager to underwrite jumbo loans is that they’re more confident about home prices, Tom Wind, executive vice president of residential and consumer lending for EverBank, tells da Costa.

Jumbo loans — those that are too big for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to buy, or for the Federal Housing Administration to insure — are typically costlier than loans that conform to the mortgage giants’ standards, because lenders generally have to keep them on their books instead of packaging them into mortgage-backed securities that can be sold to investors. The secondary market for mortgages not backed by Fannie, Freddie or FHA collapsed in 2007. Although lenders have been able to securitize a few small batches of jumbo loans since then, those loans were originated using conservative underwriting standards. Source: newsday.com.

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