By way of explanation, I can only rely on that old stand by – I’m busy!  But I truly am.  If you’ve been following me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/carimcgee), or Facebook, you might have been privy to my celebrations each time I put something under contract recently.  Woo-hoo!

And this post will not be a long, juicy missive full of all kinds of good info, which is what I’d like it to be.

However, I am going to link back to two Consumerist posts from last week that any home buyer should pay attention to (btw, have you subscribed to the Consumerist yet, as I’ve urged every reader to do repeatedly?).

Both concern credit and how lenders (and others) use it to figure out what makes you tick and to whom they should give a home loan.

Back to the salt mines…

Back to the links -

This is sad, and interesting.  A Kennewick couple lost their home to a forelcosure auction.  They claim the bank didn’t tell them the process had progressed to this point.  I, for one, believe them. I know another couple struggling with their payments and the bank they’re dealing with is all over the map. “Don’t make your payments” – “Pay other bills off first”  – “Can you bring your balance current within the next couple days?”  WHAT?  No one calls back, they claim they don’t have access to the records from previous conversations, and the left hand has no clue that there is even a right hand, much less knowing what it’s doing.

And speaking of foreclosures, the President had an idea he thought might help, but the Senate is saying “Not so fast...”

Locally, remember the concert line-up at the Benton County Fair and Rodeo? Apparently a lot of people thought it sounded pretty good, so they stayed out all night for tickets.  I don’t think that usually happens here.

If we used to have one, but haven’t for almost ten years, why do we need one now? I’m talking about a water park, aka “Aquatic Center” that the powers-that-be are considering raising taxes to build.

At a recent PTO meeting, a teacher told me they were concerned about budget cuts.  She told me that if she didn’t get the raise she was due for, she was going to find a job elsewhere.  I mentioned this little gem about how we’re one of only 27 US cities NOT in a recession.  I was then reminded that budget cuts to the schools are a state issue, not a local issue.  So, unfortunately, it looks like our little corner of the state will suffer some due to Washington’s debt. A political aside- also at that same meeting, a parent said, “I think it’s interesting that the coffers were full all through the election, and then -boom!  The day after she’s re-elected, we’re in a crisis”  I think that’s interesting, too.

That’s it for this week.  Stats are coming later in the week, so check back soon.

The Tri-Cities is one of only 27 cities in the nation which is not mired in a recession.  Very cool, huh?

I told you you needed to buy investment properties –

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/541278.html

And everyone keeps saying the money currently pouring in will run out in a couple years, which is true.  But there are plans afoot to make sure we’re still keeping our heads above water even then.

More people equals more crime, right?  Not necessarily, most of the new people will come to work at Hanford, and

“People who work out there are very well-educated, law-abiding citizens,” said Benton County Sheriff Larry Taylor. “We do not anticipate any problems with the increase in people.

Read more here.

Richland’s motto is “Resilient. Resourceful. Ready.”  We all are if this article is to be believed.

Looks like everybody is getting into the act and spending money.

That’s all for this week!

There are four different accounts of that week that was, told by men named

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

He is risen – he is risen, indeed.

Have a great week!

On Thursday, money for jobs was announced. Over Friday and Saturday, over 2400 people showed up for a job fair held at the Shilo Inn in Richland.

“On top of ol’ Bad-ger, all covered with snow…”

Okay, not covered, and not really ‘old’, but it’s still an attraction.  Friends of Badger Mountain, a non-profit group, combined resources with the state of Washington in order to buy the 150 acres on top of the mountain.  But, they were unable to do so, due to negotiation troubles with the land owner.  It’s a tough call  – keep some space open and undeveloped, or make a ton of money as our available land area shrinks and we head into a seller’s market.  I don’t know what I would have done in the land owner’s shoes.

And if you have time to kill while musing about what you would do if you owned 150 mountain-top acres, or if you’re waiting for a call-back from one of the Job Fair companies, go check this web site out. The Tri-City Herald ran an article about this eagle-watching phenomenon.  I could only watch until the first big wind came up and started ruffling the eagle’s feathers.  I wanted to high-tail it over to Hornby Island and erect some sort of shelter for the birds.  My officemate keeps it on in the background and sometimes I hear the call of the eagle while I’m working on other tasks.  I worry so much about those darn birds catching pneumonia!  OK, you’ve been warned.

Have a great week!

More jobs (kind of) – over in Garfield and Columbia counties, over 75 permanent jobs are expected, with hundreds more construction jobs in play.  If someone needs a job and they’re willing to temporarily relocate, or commute like a big city dweller every day, they can pick up employment.  Cool.

And the stimulus money is coming fast and furious.  It’s helping with these projects in Pasco and Kennewick.  And it’s making big inroads out at the Pasco airport.

And that’s it for this week.  Have a good one!

Look – 700 jobs are on the way (sure, they’re in Umatilla, but lots of people live here and work there).

Congrats Tri-Cities!  We took over Yakima’s place as the 6th largest metropolitan area in the state. We grew tremendously since 2000, and especially in the ’07-’08 timeframe.

There has been an issue for a few years for some folks who live near the river in Pasco; Central Pre-Mix has a business near some houses.  In ’06 they thought they’d expand and incorporate an asphalt plant to the compound.  The homeowners said, “NIMBY”, and a court battle ensued.  Here’s the latest.

Also in Pasco, 14 new lots were approved in a subdivision called Tucker Estates.  The county commissioners ruled that a few of the lots will back up to Court St., as opposed to face on to one of the busiest streets in the city.

Set the alarm for a little earlier tomorrow.  Between the HWY. 395/240 project delays and the south Richland/West Richland road closures along Keene, plan for a lot of detours as you’re out and about tomorrow.

Have a great night!

So, here’s a link back to last year’s post about last week.  Sorry.  That’s all you’re getting out of me today.

Business is booming locally for one segment of the local economy – estate sales.

14 new homes on the way in Kennewick, increasing the total I told you about last week.

Story about affordable housing, or free advertising?  You be the judge.

News story, or political propaganda since the Bond measurement is coming up on the ballot soon? You be the judge.

And this I LOVE – if you’ve never met me, this will help you understand what it’s like to get to know me.  Regular readers, family and friends – check it out.  Note that the product was “tested” on Realtors! (NSFW- some swearing toward the end).