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Todd Wardle's...

Service For Life! ® Insider Tips for Healthy, Wealthy and Happy Living

Inside This Issue... The #1 Money Secret of The Rich... How To Never Forget Important Facts... Fun Facts and Laughs: Little-Known Animal Facts, Odd Uses of Bounce Sheets, And More... Trivia Challenge: Win Free Movie Tickets For Two Real Estate Q&A: What Natural Scents Can Make My Home Appealing To Buyers?

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Todd Wardle Phone: (208) 322-8638 Email: Todd@FindIdahoHomes.com  www.FindIdahoHomes.com

Dear Friend... Is one of your New Year's resolutions to be wiser with your money? In today's Service For Life!® Free consumer newsletter you'll get proven tips for spending less and saving more so you can invest for the future. Here’s what’s happening in the real estate market.  2011 December sales were 477 in Ada County, a decrease of 9% over December 2010. Total sales for 2011 are 6,299, up 7% over 2010.  In July of 2011 we exceeded YTD 2010 sales for the first time in 2011. This is our first year-over-year increase without the influence of the home buyer tax credit, in a few years. This is our first time crossing the 6,000 homes sold threshold since 2007…how long ago that seems!  December sales decreased 3% from November’s 487. Historically, December sales decrease from November. Of our total sales in December… 48% were distressed….up 1% from November 2011.  In January 2011, 57% of our sales were distressed. We have seen a mild overall increase in the percentage of sales in distress.  In July we were down to 42% overall and have seen the amount increase one to two points each month. For homes sold in December, the average number of “Days on Market” was 86. This is essentially unchanged from last month which is down from 90 days last year this time and down from 93 days in January 2011. Pending sales at the end of December were 691, a decrease of 7.5% from the end of November. This represents the smallest number of pendings in 2011 and is fairly consistent with historical data. The percentage of pending sales in distress increased 1% from November, totaling 49% overall. This is the highest number of pending sales in distress we’ve had since early spring. Even so, we are now at eight consecutive months below 50%. At the end of December, we had 20% more sales pending than at the end of December 2010. December median home price held at November levels. Overall median price was $149,300: up 1.2% from December 2010.  For all of 2011 our median was down 6.97%. That is a significant improvement from where we were in January 2011:  down 20%. New Homes median price for December 2011 was $223,739; a 24% increase from December 2010. Year-to-date new homes median is up 15% over 2010 to $237,500. The number of houses available continues to decrease. At the end of December our total active inventory was 1,991 homes. This is down 9% from November and 25% less than last year at this time. Our inventory has fallen below where we would call the market “in equilibrium”. We are now in a “shortage”. At the same time, the percentage of distressed active inventory held steady at 36%. We have been hovering between 33% and 36% since May. We remain well below the 40% levels set last spring….when we were on the increase. In Ada County we have 4.2 months of inventory on hand…historically this number defines a strong “seller’s market”. The price category in shortest supply is <$119,000 with 2.5 months.  In the range of $120,000 to $159,999 we have 3.9 months. All price points up to $400,000 have less than 5 months supply. We have benefited all year from inventory levels much lower than national average, now however, we are starting to see some slowdown in sales as the inventory continues to fall. Based on December sold data, our most desirable price point is $120,000 to $160,000 which made up more than 20% of total sales. There is no longer any doubt that, in Ada County, we have passed our “low water” point.             I’m writing this on the day we are having the first major snow storm of the year in the middle of January, how weird.  Let’s hope real estate and the weather get back on track and the market will continue show some improvement.  l You'll also learn five ways you can train your brain to remember important facts, plus funny jokes, a trivia challenge, and lots more. Todd Wardle Todd Wardle, REALTOR® PS.  When you notice people talking about real estate in the next few weeks, can you tell them about the free consumer information I provide? They may be people looking to buy or refinance and you can tell them about my Free Consumer Report "7 Secrets For Saving Thousands When Financing Your Home." You'll be a hero because they'll learn 17 questions to ask any mortgage lender to get the right financing for their needs. To request a copy for a friend, simply email me at Todd@FindIdahoHomes.com, or call me at: (208) 322-8638.

Today's Brain Teaser . . . Other than being colors, what do silver, orange and purple have in common?   (see answer below)

The #1 Money Secret of The Rich . . . Ever wonder how the rich get richer? It's simple. They spend less than they earn, and invest the difference. If you're not born into money, here are five tips for spending less so you can invest more and build wealth this year. 1.  Track Your Spending.  It's hard to tell where you're spending too much if you don't write anything down. But who wants to save receipts, log a checkbook register, or use a spreadsheet? New online tools help you automatically track all your financial information in one place, for free. At www.mint.com you can set up a free account to see exactly where your money is going. 2.  Use a Budget.  This financial practice of the rich has enormous power. You may prefer to call it a "spending plan" but the idea here is to know how much you can spend on different categories so you don't overextend yourself. Include savings as a category and "pay yourself first" each month by putting money aside into a designated savings account. 3.  Reign in Expensive Habits.  Smoking and eating out are expensive. Statistics show that the pack-a-day smoker spends nearly $260,000 over a lifetime – and that does not include increased insurance costs and other factors. Or, you may enjoy eating at nice restaurants each week, which is another budget killer. What habits can you reduce to save money? 4.  Pay Down Debt.  As you free up more of your income it can be smart to pay down high-interest debt. For example, taking extra money to pay down a loan with 10% interest can be better than putting money in a savings account at 3% interest. 5.  Pay In Cash.  Credit card companies know you spend more when there's not an immediate withdrawal from your bank account. Try to pay for everything in cash (or debit card). If you want a new computer, to take a vacation, or even a car, try to save up and pay for it in cash instead of getting a loan. Remember, the key here is it to not take on more debt. The secret to building wealth is to reduce your spending and debt so more of your income can work for you. Follow these tips to free up more money for savings and investments. And may you have a prosperous New Year!

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Learn How To Maximize The Value Of Your Home! Did you know there's a free consumer report showing which repairs and fix-ups will net you the most value for your home? It's called the "Homeseller's Guide To Money-Making Fix-ups," and it's great even if you're not planning on selling soon. To get your free copy email me by clicking here, or call me at: (208) 322-8638.

How To Never Forget Important Facts Do you have trouble remembering important facts? Whether you're a student or simply need to recall information for your professional or personal life, it can be embarrassing to not remember critical data when needed. The following techniques are simple ways to boost your brain power and help you recall important details when you need them. Repetition is the age old method of remembering important facts. Take out a piece of paper and write the things you need to recall 5 to 7 times. Some people will need to write them more times, others less depending on the individual need for repetition. If you are auditory (or verbal) you will probably need to hear them to make the facts stick in your brain. Take the notes you have written multiple times and read them out loud. Repeat the reading several times to embed the facts for later recall. Visually, you can stimulate your memory by using color codes in your notes. Perhaps you will use RED for the urgent tasks and BLUE for important reminders. Drawing objects that relate to the material can also be useful for quick mental retrieval. If you learn through music, try composing your own "lyrics" using the material you need to remember. Then you can add those words to an common song like Row, Row, Row Your Boat. Combining the facts with something familiar will make it easier to remember later. One more method is to use a mnemonic device. Try using the first letter in each word of the main points to create an easy to remember word or sentence. It's a great way to aid your memory. Everyone has a different way of learning and recalling information. Try multiple methods until you find what works best for you.

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A Heartfelt Message To My Special Clients and Friends . . . I want to share a little secret with you. I don't spend my time cold calling or pestering people for business. Instead, I focus 110% of my efforts on giving such outstanding service, people naturally think of me when a friend, neighbor or family member needs a caring and competent REALTOR®.

Fun Facts and Laughs . . . Little-Known Animal Facts . . . Starfish don't have brains. The Housefly hums, middle octave, key of F. The eye of an Ostrich is bigger than its brain. Butterflies taste with their feet. Odd Uses of Bounce Sheets You probably have seen the claims of all the things that a Bounce dryer sheet can do. According to www.snopes.com, some are true and some aren't. These are TRUE: TV screen static remover Deodorize Sneakers Freshen a drawer or closet These are FALSE: Repels mosquitoes Clean baked on cooking pans Collect cat hair Quotes To Live By . . . Searching is half the fun: Life is much more manageable when it is thought of as a scavenger hunt as opposed to a surprise party. — Jimmy Buffett Life is partly what we make it, and partly what is made from the friends we choose. — Tennessee Williams Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what is going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity. — Gilda Radner Have A Laugh — "What Happened In Atlanta" A tough looking biker had been at the bar all night when he decided it was time to hit the road. He went out the front door and instantly noticed his bike was missing from where he parked it. "All right" he said gruffly, coming back into the busy bar. "I'm going to have a shot of whisky and if my hog ain't back up front by the time I'm done, what happened in Atlanta will happen here too!" The other bikers frantically ran out of the bar and within seconds one came back in to tell the tough biker his hog was now parked in front of the bar waiting for him. As the tough biker got up to leave the bartender asked, "Excuse me mister, but what happened in Atlanta?" The tough biker sheepishly replied, "I had to walk back to my hotel!"

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FREE Consumer Help Is Just A Mouse-Click Away! Learn valuable secrets for saving thousands and avoiding costly mistakes when buying, selling or refinancing a home. Best of all, it's FREE. See my website: www.FindIdahoHomes.com  for more information. Or, you can even CALL me and I'll point you in the right direction: (208) 322-8638 DID YOU KNOW... Unlike most real estate agents, I DON'T spend my time pestering people with phone calls or bothersome interruptions to find good clients. Instead, I dedicate 110% of my time and energies to providing such outstanding service, people naturally think of me when a friend or family member needs help buying or selling a home. THANKS for your referrals!

Trivia Challenge for the Month... "Who Else Wants To Win Movie Tickets For Two?"  Last month's Trivia Question?. What country has the longest life expectancy at birth? a) Australia    b) Canada    c) Switzerland    d) Japan The answer is d) Japan. According to a 2009 United Nations report, the life expectancy for those in Japan is 82.6 years. Canada's life expectancy at birth is 80.7 and the United States it is 78. So, let's move on to this month's trivia question. Who won the first World Series in 1903? a) Yankees b) Red Sox c) Americans d) Giants EMAIL ME AT: Todd@FindIdahoHomes.com OR Call Me At (208) 322-8638 And You Could Be One Of My Next Winners!

Brain Teaser Answer: There is no word in the English language that rhymes with them.

Thanks For Thinking of Me! Did you know I can help you or any of your friends or family save time and money when buying or selling a home? Thanks for keeping me in mind with your referrals...and spreading the word about my services.

Real Estate Q & A . . . Q.  What natural scents can make my home appealing to buyers? A.  This is a common question asked of real estate agents and it is a little surprising how easily mistakes can be made that turn buyers off. Generally, fragrant candles and aerosol room fresheners are too strong to be used just before your guests arrive. Few things can make a buyer suspicious than an overly strong smell. They may think you have something to hide if a pleasant odor is overwhelming. If you want to freshen up the smell of your home with these products, use them at least 4 hours ahead of time. Most people will feel comfortable in a home that smells clean and welcoming with the scent of coffee, tea or cookies. If you are not preparing these foods, you can simulate the smell with a few drops of cinnamon oil with water in a pie plate placed in a warm but not hot oven. Also, herbs like rosemary, lavender and mint offer a really pleasant natural fragrance whether you place them in vases or simmer them in a saucepan. If you're thinking of selling soon, ask about my Free Consumer Report "44 Moneymaking Tips To Sell Your Home Fast," which includes an easy checklist of inexpensive ways to make buyers instantly attracted to your home. If you have any other real estate questions, or need capable and trustworthy representation, please call me at (208) 322-8638 or email me at Todd@FindIdahoHomes.com.

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THANK YOU... for reading my Service For Life!® personal newsletter.  I wanted to produce a newsletter that has great content and is fun and valuable to you.  Help your friends get more out of life by forwarding this email to them...

You received this email because you requested it, are on the mailing list as {EMAIL_ADDRESS}, or a friend forwarded it to you. Disclaimer:  The information contained in this email is intended for informational purposes.  It should not substitute as legal, accounting, investment, medical and other professional services advice.  Always seek a competent professional for answers to your specific questions. This email is not intended to solicit real estate properties currently for sale.

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