Labor Day Activites

Labor Day weekend is upon us again, they seem to come faster every year! I usually feel pressure from my peers and society in general to have some fantastic plans for the weekend. My plans generally vary from home projects to doing something fun with friends. These weekend the office still filled with boxes of papers calls to me, it's time to finally sort through and either chuck or find room for storing. That leaves some time for fun with friends, but what to do? I've been scouring the internet and local papers to see what is up this weekend. Here are some activities that I can share with everyone. I’m sure there are more and of course there is always the beach and a backyard barbecue. Enjoy the long weekend everyone!

• Tybee Island Labor Day Art Festival: FRI: 6-9, SAT 10-6, SUN 10-5 #7 Cedarwood Dr, by the Lighthouse. Original Art & DIY tie dye for charity, organic food bar, fruit smoothies Savannah Riverfront, The Ultimate Tailgate Party: Multiple games will be playing on three large inflatable screens.
• Relax with a brew: Savannah Craft Brew Fest, 150 different craft brews available for sampling. The Brew Fest will include educational sessions, a corn hole tournament, live music and a brand new cider garden. At The Esplanade at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center Saturday 12:00 5:00 pm
  
• A day at Tybee Island Beach: Free live entertainment featuring the Swingin' Medallions will be playing at the pier pavilion with fireworks in the evening. Sunday 10 am – 7 pm
• Take in a Show: Savannah Live at the Savannah Theatre, 2 hours of high-energy, song and dance.
• Expand Your Knowledge at the Wormsloe Sate Historic Site: Craft demonstrations from the 18th century including woodworking, blacksmithing, cooking, colonial games, candle making and more!
• Take in a game at Grayson Stadium; Saturday first pitch at 6:05 pm with post game
  
  fireworks.
• Oatland Island: Alligator Wetlands is now open, with a brand new resident!
• Humane Society; Last chance to adopt a pet and help the society reach their goal of 787 adoptions to qualify for a grant.
• Enjoy the weather and scenic landscape, participate in a Ranger program at Skidaway Island

Mortgages 101

Buying a home will likely be the biggest purchase you’ll ever make and the biggest debt load you’ll ever carry. Unfortunately, almost 75% of buyers admit they never truly understood all the ins and outs of their mortgage before signing on the dotted line. Most people think a mortgage is like a promissory note, where you owe the bank money that is paid back over an agreed upon period of time. Technically speaking, a mortgage isn't a loan. It’s a document that you actually give a bank that says they have the right to use your home as collateral in the event you don’t repay the loan. Given that there is so much at stake it’s highly recommended to know what type of mortgage to use in the purchase of your new home. Two of the most popular are a fixed rate and adjustable rate mortgages but there is a wide variety of other mortgage products available. Here is a description of six broad categories of mortgages.

• Fixed Rate: The interest rate and monthly payments stay the same for the life of the loan.
  
• Adjustable Rate: The interest rate changes every year with the market, and payments may go up or down accordingly. They usually come with ‘caps’. A periodic cap limits how much the interest rate can be increased each time it is adjusted. A lifetime cap is the total amount an interest rate can increase over the lifetime of the loan.
• FHA (Federal Housing Administration) loan - Allows buyers who may not qualify for a home loan to obtain one Low down payment. The size of the loan may be limited.
• VA Loan - Guaranteed loans for eligible veterans, active duty personnel and surviving spouses Offers competitive rates, low or no down payments. The size of the loan may be limited.
• Balloon - Usually a fixed rate loan with relatively low payments for a fixed period. After an initial period, the entire balance of the loan is due immediately.
• Interest Only – the borrower pays only the interest on the loan in monthly payments for a fixed term. After an initial period the balance of the loan is due.

FHA and many other banks have programs or loans that allow you to buy a home, fix it up, and include all the costs in one loan. Or, if you own a home that you want to re-model or repair, you can refinance what you owe and add the cost of repairs - all in one loan. You can include the costs of energy improvements into an FHA Energy-Efficient Mortgage. The government offers a free downloadable brochure to help buyers learn how to shop, compare and negotiate mortgages. The brochure has a Mortgage Shopping Worksheet and a glossary of terms in the back. The brochure is a great tool that any buyer should have as they begin the process of home shopping.

Service Unites

We like to write a little something once a week or so about someone or an organization that is making a difference in the world we live in. This is a strong thread that weaves its way through all of Keller Williams marketplaces, teams, and agents. These days there is plenty of material to choose from, and yet is it really something most of us include (volunteering to help others) in our daily lives? Do we really know who are role models are for uniting us as citizens into volunteering to address critical needs and improving our community? Here are a few quotes and thoughts on volunteerism from some well-known people.

Role Models

• “We understand that we have a fundamental responsibility to use our scale, global reach, and yes, even our capital to support and invest in our community.” Peter Scher, Executive VP, Head of Corporate Responsibility, JP Morgan Chase & Company

• “Volunteerism is the optimum” -Bill O’Reilly, FOX News

• “How can we mobilize volunteers the way we mobilize voters?”Karl Rove and David Plouffe share tactics from both sides of the aisle: it’s about speed, authenticity, and efficacy. “respect, empower, include.”

• "Be of service. Whether you make yourself available to a friend or co-worker, or you make time every month to do volunteer work, there is nothing that harvests more of a feeling of empowerment than being of service to someone in need." - Gillian Anderson  actress

Finding Your Volunteer Niche

If you are wondering about what might be of interest to volunteer with than go to the United Way HandsOn of Savannah a direct service of the United Way of the Coastal Empire. “United Way HandsOn Savannah (HOS) helps individuals, families and corporate and community groups find

flexible volunteer opportunities at more than 200 service organizations and schools in our four county area.” At the HandsOn website one can browse by Partner Organizations that you might be interested in helping, or by opportunities. If you are thinking of volunteering but are not sure how to get started? It’s best to do some research first. Look for an organization that deals with issues about which you feel strongly. Then consider the skills you have to offer. Some opportunities involve some training, this can provide one with a great learning experience. Make sure you don’t over commit yourself, these organizations depend heavily on their volunteers. Finally some wise advice from the HandsOn organization: “Bring your heart and your sense of humor to your volunteer service, along with the enthusiastic spirit which is, in itself, a priceless gift. What you'll get back will be immeasurable!”

 Just Do It!

The Don Callahan Real Estate Group will be volunteering on Sept. 7^th at the Surfers for Autism fundraising event at Tybee beach.  The Surfers for Autism mission is to unlock the potential of people with developmental delays, support advocacy for autism issues and scientific research. Don and the team feel strongly about giving back to our community, and this is an annual event that the team participates in. The Don Callahan Real Estate Group also gives a percentage from each transaction of the year to Surfers for Autism.  

“Research has shown that people who volunteer often live longer.” - Allen Klein (author)