What would you do if your car has settled into snowy/icy mush and just spins its wheels?
If you are like me, nothing much. Quite unprepared, of course. In spite of venturing out after Seattle's biggest snowfall in 10 years. We'll just have to wait until spring, said my son. Ha, ha.
We were lucky this happened at a Walgreen's parking lot - there was sufficient light. I trooped back into the store to ask the associate at the check-out for some cardboard. A customer in the process of finishing her check-out offered to help - I have scraps of carpet in my car that'll do it, she said.
Talk, thin and with a cigarette now dangling from her lips, she came striding to our car with her son, also tall and thin, no cigarette. They were clearly experts and knew what to do. They wedged squares of old carpet under the front wheels and as my son accelerated, we all pushed. No go. Tried again. Still no go. Once more. Nope.
We stood around helplessly. She disappeared for a minute, came back with a shovel and got down to shoveling the snow from under the rear wheels. Carpet under the rear wheels now. Let's give it another shot, she said. This time the car moved and backed out in a rush!
Thank you, thank you. She gave a big hug. Merry Christmas! Hugs all around. Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Loss Mitigation Company comes to SC
Almost 10% of homeowners in SC were behind in their mortgage payments or in foreclosure, The State (our local newspaper) reported, quoting a bankers’ association. And that foreclosure rates would rise in 2009.
Almost simultaneously came the announcement from Titanium Holdings Co. that they were setting up offices in Lancaster County, SC, close to the SC/NC state line near Fort Mill and Charlotte.
What is the connection? Titanium Holdings Co. owns Titanium Solutions Inc, which is a loss mitigation company based in Utah, and what they do is facilitate communication between mortgage companies and homeowners facing foreclosure, before it is too late.
Here is how Titanium works: mortgage companies with delinquent homeowners contact Titanium, which in turn, works with local real estate professionals who care about their community and want to help home owners retain their homes. Their job is to touch base with the homeowners and provide them with options to avoid foreclosure. These real estate professionals are called Home Retention Consultants or HRCs.
Most mortgage companies are willing to ‘work-out’ with the homeowner – by lowering the interest rate, forgiving various fees or forgiving delinquent payments. Sometimes, it is all 3. It costs the mortgage companies a lot to foreclose on a house and frankly, they want homeowners to retain their homes and continue paying mortgages.
Now I have been an HRC with Titanium for 4 years, and I feel privileged to have helped dozens of homeowners keep their homes. When homeowners get behind in their payments, it is mostly due to job lay-offs or illnesses or divorce. They are scared and confused, stop taking phone calls or opening letters from the mortgage company. Almost always, they are angry and feel humiliated.
“The in-person home retention counseling that Titanium Solutions provides is a vital service in today’s economic market,” Patrick Carey, CEO of Titanium Holdings and Titanium Solutions, said. “This new location will allow us to continue supporting our clients and partners, and expand our services and product offerings. The ability to be located in South Carolina, with access to the diverse, skilled workforce was a driving factor that significantly influenced our decision. The new employees will allow us to rapidly address other areas of need within the industry. As we continue our strategy of prudent growth, we look forward to being an important partner in the community.”
Over the next five years, Titanium will create up to 300 new jobs here to support all of its divisions. “Fort Mill is an attractive area for both businesses and families, so we are excited to partner with the South Carolina Department of Commerce in order to bring Titanium Holdings to the area,” Tamara Buie, senior vice president of human resources at Titanium Holdings, said in a statement. “The close proximity to the Charlotte Douglas International Airport and the experienced work force that the Fort Mill and Charlotte areas offer were key reasons for the selection of the new location.”
For our part, we are excited and welcome Titanium to South Carolina.
Almost simultaneously came the announcement from Titanium Holdings Co. that they were setting up offices in Lancaster County, SC, close to the SC/NC state line near Fort Mill and Charlotte.
What is the connection? Titanium Holdings Co. owns Titanium Solutions Inc, which is a loss mitigation company based in Utah, and what they do is facilitate communication between mortgage companies and homeowners facing foreclosure, before it is too late.
Here is how Titanium works: mortgage companies with delinquent homeowners contact Titanium, which in turn, works with local real estate professionals who care about their community and want to help home owners retain their homes. Their job is to touch base with the homeowners and provide them with options to avoid foreclosure. These real estate professionals are called Home Retention Consultants or HRCs.
Most mortgage companies are willing to ‘work-out’ with the homeowner – by lowering the interest rate, forgiving various fees or forgiving delinquent payments. Sometimes, it is all 3. It costs the mortgage companies a lot to foreclose on a house and frankly, they want homeowners to retain their homes and continue paying mortgages.
Now I have been an HRC with Titanium for 4 years, and I feel privileged to have helped dozens of homeowners keep their homes. When homeowners get behind in their payments, it is mostly due to job lay-offs or illnesses or divorce. They are scared and confused, stop taking phone calls or opening letters from the mortgage company. Almost always, they are angry and feel humiliated.
“The in-person home retention counseling that Titanium Solutions provides is a vital service in today’s economic market,” Patrick Carey, CEO of Titanium Holdings and Titanium Solutions, said. “This new location will allow us to continue supporting our clients and partners, and expand our services and product offerings. The ability to be located in South Carolina, with access to the diverse, skilled workforce was a driving factor that significantly influenced our decision. The new employees will allow us to rapidly address other areas of need within the industry. As we continue our strategy of prudent growth, we look forward to being an important partner in the community.”
Over the next five years, Titanium will create up to 300 new jobs here to support all of its divisions. “Fort Mill is an attractive area for both businesses and families, so we are excited to partner with the South Carolina Department of Commerce in order to bring Titanium Holdings to the area,” Tamara Buie, senior vice president of human resources at Titanium Holdings, said in a statement. “The close proximity to the Charlotte Douglas International Airport and the experienced work force that the Fort Mill and Charlotte areas offer were key reasons for the selection of the new location.”
For our part, we are excited and welcome Titanium to South Carolina.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
More Drop-Ins
First stop this evening: our office drop-in (ERA Wilder Realty) at our new offices on Main St.
My contribution of mini-quiches became Franks in Blankets (Sam's Club was out of mini-quiches! Quelle horreur!). Just as well I read the instructions - they had to be baked for 30 mins! So it became a mad rush to reach the office in time.
Lots and lots of food and lots and lots of bonhomie.
On to the Family Shelter fund-raiser - the premiere of Where God left his Shoes, an award-winning film starring John Leguizamo at the Nickelodeon. As an aside, the Nickelodeon will move in 2009 from its location south of the State House to north of the State House. Main St is now a happening place!
Wim Roefs - I call him an impresario. He's not only the smartest but also the hardest working art dealer/agent I have ever known. 2 simultaneous exhibitions at Gallery 80808 and if Art with 400 works of art!!! What a line-up of artists: Jeff Donovan, Paul Reed, Edward Rice, Laura Spong and David Yaghjian to name a few. Jeff Donovan's pieces have a wicked sense of humor and Laura Spong is the Grand Lady of Columbia. She is 80+ and works at her studio every single day. I adore her and her work!
'Tis the season... ho, ho, ho.
My contribution of mini-quiches became Franks in Blankets (Sam's Club was out of mini-quiches! Quelle horreur!). Just as well I read the instructions - they had to be baked for 30 mins! So it became a mad rush to reach the office in time.
Lots and lots of food and lots and lots of bonhomie.
On to the Family Shelter fund-raiser - the premiere of Where God left his Shoes, an award-winning film starring John Leguizamo at the Nickelodeon. As an aside, the Nickelodeon will move in 2009 from its location south of the State House to north of the State House. Main St is now a happening place!
Wim Roefs - I call him an impresario. He's not only the smartest but also the hardest working art dealer/agent I have ever known. 2 simultaneous exhibitions at Gallery 80808 and if Art with 400 works of art!!! What a line-up of artists: Jeff Donovan, Paul Reed, Edward Rice, Laura Spong and David Yaghjian to name a few. Jeff Donovan's pieces have a wicked sense of humor and Laura Spong is the Grand Lady of Columbia. She is 80+ and works at her studio every single day. I adore her and her work!
'Tis the season... ho, ho, ho.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Council Woman's Holiday Drop-In
The invitation in my inbox was for Council Woman Tameika Isaac Devine's Holiday Drop-In and imagine my surprise when it went on to say that they would be collecting toiletry items for the Family Shelter. Now, this is my 3rd year on the Board of the Family Shelter, and this was news to me. And to my fellow Board Members. Mysterious!
The Keenan House is so beautiful - it was a pleasure to finally go inside. Tameika was very much the gracious hostess, talking one-on-one with everyone. Including me. Mystery solved - our new Executive Director had met her last week and she had decided to get up a collection for the Family Shelter.
I met Fire Chief Bradley Anderson! He's sold on Green Buildings and wished his office could go green. How about going solar, I asked? Of course, I can get on to that soap box in a jiffy. So we talked solar - 2 new fire stations are being built in Columbia - could they budget solar thermal in? Solar thermal is what you need for your hot water heater and is much less expensive than solar PV (photo voltaic that actually converts light to electricity). I've promised to get some figures to him.
Lots of interesting people! Lots of food which I tried not to look in the face - I'm still following the Flat Belly Diet.
More when I get pictures.
The Keenan House is so beautiful - it was a pleasure to finally go inside. Tameika was very much the gracious hostess, talking one-on-one with everyone. Including me. Mystery solved - our new Executive Director had met her last week and she had decided to get up a collection for the Family Shelter.
I met Fire Chief Bradley Anderson! He's sold on Green Buildings and wished his office could go green. How about going solar, I asked? Of course, I can get on to that soap box in a jiffy. So we talked solar - 2 new fire stations are being built in Columbia - could they budget solar thermal in? Solar thermal is what you need for your hot water heater and is much less expensive than solar PV (photo voltaic that actually converts light to electricity). I've promised to get some figures to him.
Lots of interesting people! Lots of food which I tried not to look in the face - I'm still following the Flat Belly Diet.
More when I get pictures.
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