All posts by Jerry Blankers

Lifetime Achievement Award

Real Estate
Jerry’s father, Pete Blankers, was honored by being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Whatcom County Association of Realtors at a banquet on Friday, February 4. His son Rod Blankers gave his induction speech, particularly noting Pete’s work ethic learned by growing up on a dairy farm, and also Pete’s giving spirit.
Congratulations Pete on an award well deserved!

Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction

Real Estate
The Mortgage Interest Deduction (MID) for deducting on your income tax the interest you pay on your mortgage, is a long standing deduction used by homeowners. This “reward” for home ownership helps to foster and promote the goal of homeownership as part of many Americans Dream. For 234 years our country has promoted property ownership as a core value. Home ownership leads to more tight knit communities, financial benefits and family ties.
Recently, there have been discussions about eliminating this significant tax deduction.
READ FURTHER for the whole story and for further resources.

Realtors Visit Olympia

Real Estate
January 20 was Realtor Day in Olympia. The purpose is for Realtors to meet with their state representatives and discuss issues related to the real estate industry and to support home ownership. The following are photos from “Hill Day”. Jerry Blankers, Rod Blankers and Kassi Simonsen attended the event representing the Muljat Group North.
Rod, Jerry, Senator Doug Erickson, Kassi

Tips for Avoiding Foreclosure

Real Estate
If you are struggling to make your house payment or have missed one, there are still steps you can take to avoid foreclosure on your home. The following are tips for avoiding foreclosure from the HUD government website.

1. Don’t ignore the problem.
2. Contact your lender as soon as you realize you have a problem.
3. Open and respond to all mail from your lender.
4. Know your mortgage rights.
5. Understand foreclosure prevention options.
6. Contact a HUD approved housing counselor.
7. Prioritize your spending.
Depending on your financial situation, a short sale may also be a good option for you.
View HUD website for more information on avoiding foreclosure, the foreclosure process and your options.

January Home Maintenance

Real Estate
The holidays are over, 2011 is here and the cold weather is setting in. It is important to stay on top of winter maintenance to insure your home and family are protected. The following ideas will help you with this task.
1. Monitor your home for water damage or dampness. Causes of water damage can be groundwater from rain seeping into your home, leaking pipes inside walls and pipes bursting from freezing.
2. After storms walk around your home checking for damage.
3. Keep an eye out for pests. Seal any holes or cracks where pests can enter your home.
4. Check your furnace filter and replace if needed.
5. Clean lint from your dryer.
6. Vacuum under your refriderator.
For more ideas and details Click Here.
Information courtesy of MSN Real Estate by Marilyn Lewis

Dream of Home Ownership

Real Estate
Despite current economic challenges, most Americans still aspire to the dream of home ownership. According to a survey conducted earlier in the year by Bankrate.com, 90 percent of respondents said they had no regrets buying their current home. And just this month, a Fannie Mae survey found that most Americans-both those who currently own their homes and those who rent – strongly aspire to own a home and to maintain home ownership.
“We believe that anyone who is able and willing to assume the responsibilities of owning a home should have the opportunity to pursue that dream, and looking forward, REALTORS® will continue to engage policymakers and industry leaders on behalf of consumers in pursuit of that goal,” said Phipps.
Courtesy of Stephanie Singer, National Association of Realtors