The Wahlberg Team Blog

Part 2 - Threats from the mini-storage company.

At 7:30 AM my cell phone rings, it’s the moving company.  “Well, we’re driving away from the house, the owner just turned us away - he says we’re too expensive.”  My blood-pressure spikes.  I tell them to turn around and head back to the house, they’re the only company that can do this work in a short time-frame.  The issue that Burt had with them was their cost for storage, so I get on the phone and line up some more inexpensive storage for Burt with a local mini-storage company.

Then my phone rings again, it’s the movers, again.  They got out to the house, and Burt had done nothing at all, NOTHING!  They didn’t know how much they could move, because nothing was packed, boxed up or ready to go.  I came to the quick realization that in the next two days I would be helping Burt move, so I got changed and headed out there, sure enough, not a single thing was done, despite the promises made the night before.  Burt’s a little mad because he’s claiming he didn’t know that he had to unpack his dressers and cabinets, he does show me that he did get 1 little couch out of the house, but that was pretty much it.

So, with no other options, I begin to help Burt pack up his house, we’re dumping kitchen drawers into boxes and rushing as quickly as we can.  The movers are doing their best, and with the amount of large items Burt has they’re making a dent in the mess.  After about 4 hours the moving truck is full, however the house is still packed full of stuff, especially the lower level and the garage.  I ask Burt to PLEASE continue packing what I head with the movers to the mini-storage.

Burt was in a pinch, he had no cash on hand, so we wound up paying for the services (movers, mini-storage, etc) up front and then we were paid back through the closing.  So I had to get ahead of the movers to sign contracts with the mini-storage company.  I hop in my car and head out to the place we’d selected. 

Upon arriving I get the biggest unit they have, as well as two spots for junk cars that Burt wants to keep.  I walk through the complex and I’m shown the unit.  The managers are a little strange, but I don’t think much of it.  We get back to the office and are going through the contract when I get a stern talking to.  “Alright, now look, we lock the front gate at night, and if you’re trapped in there, well that’s just too bad.  I don’t want you on site at night, and if I catch you, well… let me just say this, I’m licensed to carry a gun, and I do.  I’m in charge of security here and if you’re here I will have my gun, so… I think you get the point.”

Sure I get the point, you threaten to shoot your clients.

The movers arrive soon after, we get the truck unpacked, and I send them on their way.  I get back out to Burts house, the next step is boxing up all of his loose items around the house, and there’s a TON of stuff still there.  I get there, and Burt is nowhere to be found, there’s a note on the front door.  It reads: Brint, we wanted to get something to eat, so we’re headed to the pawn store to get some cash, I’ll be back in 30 minutes.  Two hours later, he gets back.

That later afternoon some of his friends and his girlfriend show up, presumably to help, that presumption was incorrect.  Instead they brought beer and cigarettes to chill out, have a beer and some smokes in the living room.  At one point one of the friends walks over to me (I’m packing up all sorts of loose computer cords/monitors/towers) and says to me, “Hey, be careful when you’re packing that up, it’s expensive you know.”

I was floored, they weren’t doing much to help.  I stood up and said to her, “Well, I have to go - so you can pack that up, how’s that sound?”  She shrugged and went back to have another beer.  I did have to go, I had to go home and shower, then meet some buyer clients that evening.  

On my way out Burt’s girlfriend pulls me aside, “Look, I know we didn’t get much done today, but I’m really going to push him tonight.  We’ve got some people coming over with trucks and I’m going to take the responsibility myself to make sure we get a lot of this stuff packed up tonight.”  She was very sincere, it restored some hope I had, that night I slept horribly, with all sorts of visions of what the house might be like the next day…

Whenever I share this story of a former client of mine, it usually trumps all others.  It’s crazy and it’s unbelievable, but trust me, it all happened.  For the sake of those involved I’ve changed the client’s and the businesses names that were actually part of this story.

 Part 1 - Surprise before closing

We’d just listed a house that was referred to me a close acquaintance, we met Burt at his house and toured it, it was a mess.  Not a mess like when a 3 year old trashes a house, but a mess in the sense that Burt seemed to never throw anything away, there was stuff piled up EVERYWHERE, it was tough to get into rooms, and the basement & garage were full wall to wall, ceiling high with stuff.  Burt wanted to move on but because of the condition of his house another Realtor gave him what he believed was a super low number to list, so we checked the numbers and we found we could support a value almost $30,000 higher than what this other agent had suggested.  His house would still be priced about $10,000 - $15,000 lower than the median value of that neighborhood, so we presumed it could get some quick attention.

The house was shown here and there, the feedback was pretty much the same - that it was way too tough to tell the actual size of the house b/c of the stuff piled everywhere.  Also Burt was a smoker and smoked in the house, so the smell and grime from that turned a lot of people off.  Then, after about 45 days, we get an offer from an agent with another company.  After some negotiations we go under contract with a closing date 40 days out, things are going smoothly.  The home inspection goes ok, there was some items that needed to be handled, but we came to terms on that - so it looks like we’ll close this puppy!

Three weeks before closing Burt calls us, he needs to hire a moving company, we give him a few recommendations, and we schedule a time for him to come sign his documents at the title company the week of closing, again, things seem to be progressing well.  We booked Burt 3 days before the actual closing date so he could just post-date the docs and he’d be set.

The day for him to sign comes, Judy heads over to the title company to meet Burt.  But, he’s not there.  They try him on the phone, no answer.  She waits and waits at the title company, but he doesn’t show.  Finally she asks the title lady if she’ll go with her out to the house, which is very uncommon.  The lady agrees, and off they go to meet Burt.  2 hours later Judy shows up at the office, she’s not looking happy.  “What’s up mom?” I ask her.

“He hasn’t done a single thing, the house is still full!  He’s supposed to be out in 3 days!” 

Panic sets in.  Judy set up a time for him to come in so we could talk to him, again he doesn’t show, so we drive together out to his house, and sure enough, nothing had been done.  We talk to Burt for a while about this, he claims he’s got friends and family that are coming to help that day, but he never got in touch with a moving company.  So, we get on the phone, and finally we find a company that had an opening and could be out there the next day.  We go over it with Burt and make it crystal clear that he needs to pack, the moving company will take all large items but they won’t take dressers with clothes still in them, or any type of cabinet/storage item that has items still stashed in them.  Burt tells us that he understands, and he’s got boxes and all sorts of stuff ready, and a whole bunch of friends coming over that night. 

I get a gut feeling that this isn’t the end of it…

4th Qtr Absorption Rate report

This is something we’re working on at the presidential level over at the Missoula Organization of Realtors.  We’ve started tracking what the absorption rates are within a certain price range.  It’s still taking shape, and might be re-worked a little more, but I thought I’d share with you all what we’ve got right now.

If you’re unsure of what an absorption rate is, this is the calculation of the current inventory on the market.  The number is how long, in months, the current inventory to sell.  Basically you could look at it this way - lets say the current absorption rate for a certain price point is 6 months.  If no other houses were to be listed for sale at all, then it would take 6 months for the entire inventory to sell.  Of course houses are always coming up on the market - so these rates change almost daily.

Guess what state is included?  Yep!  Montana. 

http://biz.yahoo.com/cbsm/080421/c9b2ac6418b345d1a86c826ca266ef05.html?.v=4&.pf=real-estate

This article is on how some markets are holding steady and some are still posting gains, and Montana is one of those, posting almost a 7% value gain.  More proof that what you read in the national news doesn’t mean it’s happening here.

Got this great article from www.RealEstate.com

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Choosing a mortgage can be confusing. Find out the most important questions to ask before signing on the dotted line.

Chances are your mortgage will be the biggest loan you will ever have. Make sure it’s also the best one for your needs by asking your lender the following 10 essential questions.

1. What types of mortgages do you offer?
Consider both your current and future financial requirements in order to help you choose the best mortgage for your needs. There are a variety of different loan types, but the two most common are fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs).

In a fixed-rate mortgage, the interest rate and payment amounts remain constant over the loan’s life span. Therefore, this may be a better option if you’re planning to stay in your home for a while, are buying when interest rates are low or are concerned about the possibility of a future rate increase.

In the case of an ARM, the interest rate changes periodically according to a formula based on a particular market index. If interest rates are high at the time you’re applying for a loan, or you plan to move before the first adjustment period, this may be a better option. Most ARMs adjust their rate after a specified period, usually between three months and five years.

Hybrid ARMs combine the features of both fixed-rate and adjustable-rate loans. These loans use a fraction to indicate the adjustment term; a 3/1 hybrid ARM means that the rate will stay stable for three years and readjust every year after that.

2. What is the interest and annual percentage rate (APR)?
Once you’ve selected a loan type, the next important consideration is the interest rate. Your interest rate is used to calculate your monthly payments and how much you’ll pay over the loan’s term. Most ARMs are protected by caps that limit how much the interest rate can go up the first time, each successive time, or overall.

The annual percentage rate (APR) factors in other fees charged by the lender to better reflect the true cost of borrowing. However, it’s impossible to accurately compute the APR of an adjustable-rate loan. It’s therefore important to understand the adjustment frequency, the maximum annual adjustment and its interest-rate cap.

3. What are the discount points and origination fees?
Your lender may let you purchase discount points to secure a lower interest rate. One point is equivalent to 1 percent of the principal (e.g. three points on a $100,000 mortgage would cost $3,000). The longer you plan to stay in the home, the more it’s worth it to pay for discount points.

Origination points are administrative charges that cover the cost of the processing of your application. They don’t affect the interest rate.

4. What are the closing costs?
Be aware of the extra fees that will be included in your loan. They may include charges for appraisals and credit reports, and make sure you understand what each one is for. Ask for a “good faith estimate” of your loan’s closing costs — your lender is required by law to give you one within three days of receiving your application. Ask if they’ll guarantee it in writing and if there’s room to negotiate on the extra fees.

5. What are rate locks and when can I take advantage of them?
Rate locks or lock-ins constitute a commitment from your lender to guarantee a certain interest rate and number of points for a specific time period. Interest rates can change daily, so you may want to lock in your rate early in the negotiations if they appear to be going up.

Ask if your lender charges a fee to lock in the rate, how long it can be locked it in for and if you can get the locked-in rate in writing. Most lenders offer “lock and shop” agreements that fix the loan price for 30 to 45 days while you shop around for the right home. Sometimes, however, lenders may be willing to hold the rate for up to four months. Lock in your rate “on application” as opposed to “on approval;” otherwise, if the market rises between the date you submit your application and the date your loan is approved, you’ll have to pay the latter, presumably higher rate.

6. What is the minimum required down payment?
The amount of your down payment helps to determine the rate and term of your loan. Larger down payments reduce the overall cost of your loan by reducing the size of the principal and usually enabling you to obtain a lower interest rate.

If your down payment is less than 20 percent, you will probably be required to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI). You can ask your lender to cancel PMI once you’ve paid down 20 percent of the original price or once you have attained 20 percent equity in your home. Your lender and mortgage insurer are required to automatically cancel your PMI once you reach 22 percent equity if your payments are current and your mortgage was originated on or after July 29, 1999.

7. Is there a prepayment penalty?
Most lenders will charge you a penalty if you pay your mortgage off early, sometimes as much as 3 percent of the loan balance or the equivalent of six months’ interest. Paying the penalty may be worth it if you can secure a better interest rate. Ask if the penalty would still apply if you refinanced your mortgage through the same lender. Determine in advance how the penalty is calculated; some penalties decline yearly and may even disappear altogether.

8. How long will it take to close my loan?
Your lender will have to assess your documentation and check your credit rating before granting you loan approval. Two weeks is typical, but the process may take significantly longer; six-to-eight-week waits are not uncommon. So be sure to apply for a mortgage far enough in advance to ensure the funds will be available at closing.

9. What might delay my loan application?
If your credit score is good, the pre-approval process should be relatively quick and painless. Your application may be delayed or rejected if you have bad credit, if there’s a problem with your appraisal or if information on your application is missing, incorrect or illegible.

10. What documentation will I need?
Your lender will ask for proof of income, the name and contact information of your current employer, your social security number, information on any assets you have and an appraisal of your home’s value. Ask for a checklist to make sure you don’t miss anything. “No-documentation” loans are available, but these traditionally involve significant down payments and higher interest rates.

The last few days have been beautiful, sunny, mid-50’s.  Makes me want spring to be here, although late Feb / early March in Montana is usually goofy, one day it’ll be nice like this, the next it’s 25 and snowing.

Found this link on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/01/29/foreclosure.data/index.html

 It’s an interactive map that when you scroll your mouse over the state it lists how many reported foreclosures there are.  It’s very interesting.  The silver lining to this for Montanans is that this suggests that the foreclosure issues are barely hitting our state.  This is one of many good signs that show in many cases national trends don’t affect us as much.

Got this through a RE/MAX source, good stuff and almost all of it applies really well to Missoula’s market too.  This was written by a RE/MAX broker out of Chandler Arizona, so a few points don’t fit Missoula completely, but still overall it’s good stuff: 

1. Selection, Selection, Selection - Regardless of the price range, there are plenty of houses from which to choose.  There’s a great selection of attached homes, condos and townhouses.  You can find large lots, small lots, and a lot that will accommodate your boat or RV.  You have many options.  When resale inventories are low, buyers are forced to make compromises.  Not today

2. No bidding wars - in 2005, we knew one family who made offers on 10 homes.  They lost the first 9 to the feeding frenzy that existed in the market - other buyers bid the properties up substantially from the original listing prices.  (Edit - not really the case in Missoula, bidding wars are still rare, and people aren’t usually bidding houses up).

3. You can make an offer - A few years ago when you made an offer, the only question was how high above the list price you should reach in hopes of being the best offer on the table.  Today the sell price vs. the list price ratio is about 96 percent nationwide (Edit - 92% in Missoula).  Sellers won’t be insulted if you “make them an offer they can’t refuse.”

4. Patience is tolerated - In the hot seller’s market, everything was rushed.  You had to find a house before the other buyers did, then hurry up and make the offer.  Today, buyers can take their time.  They can look at several homes and think about their decision for a while. 

5. Due diligence is welcomed - In this market a buyer is encouraged to obtain a home inspection, termite inspection and appraisal.  In 2005 many buyers waived these contingencies in order to gain advantage.  (Edit - In my 9 years of real estate I’ve never had a buyer do a termite inspection, I’m not sure they like the cold of Montana).

6. Plenty of specs - Buyers sometimes had to play games if they wanted a newly built house.  There were lotteries and waiting lists.  Some buyers even slept in their cars in order to get to the head of the line.  Today there are more options and availability of new construction on the market.

7. Repair requests are accepted - After buyers complete a home inspection, they’re allowed to submit a repair request to the sellers.  But in the past, sellers often insisted the home to be sold as-is.  Many times, there were back-up buyers waiting for the primary buyers to upset the sellers, whose home was increasing in value almost daily.

8. Few, if any investors - It’s estimated that 1/3 of all sales in 2005 were to investors.  These buyers caused the market to inflate and affordability to decline.  Mortgage fraud became commonplace.  It’s a great time to buy without having to compete with hundreds of prospective landlords.

9. Location, location, location - Today’s buyers can find homes closer to work.  In this market reasonably priced homes are within biking or walking distance to schools, rapid transit lines and relatives.

10. Real financing is available - The “wink, wink” zero-down, zero doc, adjustable, sub-prime loans are gone.  Fixed rates are back.  FHA financing, first time homeowner bond programs, and special loans for teachers or police officers are back in business.  The bottom line: It’s a great time to buy real estate!

A few years back I was touring some buyers from Northern California around the outskirts of Missoula, one house they really wanted to see was way up a drainage that was about 20 miles south of town.  The directions to the house were “call the listing agent” so I did just that. 

His directions went as so: “Ok, so you hang a left at (road’s name) then you’ll come to a fork, stay to the left, then you’ll come to an intersection of 4 driveways and two roads, take the 2nd driveway that veers to the left, then bends back to the right, after that take the U-turn up the hill, turn on the 2nd driveway and you’re there!”  In my haste, I didn’t write it down.

Understandably, we got lost, and so I guessed which way we should go. 

Next thing I know we’re climbing up the side of a mountain in my 2002 Toyota Camry, and I’ve got no room to turn around.  Then we round a corner and come up to a locked gate.  We’re in a bind and have realized that we’re not where we should be.  So I back down the road about 500 yards until I can ease the car up a skid road to get it turned around.

Heading back downhill we decided that the area is just too remote for my clients so we’re going to get back to town, when suddenly up ahead an older man on a 4-wheeler comes up the road to us, holding out his hand for us to stop, he doesn’t look happy.  The conversation goes as follows:

Old man - “What are you doing up here?!?  You’re not allowed up here!”

Me - “I’m sorry sir, I’m a Realtor with RE/MAX and we’re trying to find a home, we must’ve taken a wrong…”

Old man - “You can’t trespass on my property!  You’re not allowed here!!”

Me - “I understand, and we’re headed that way now, like I said we were…”

Old man (face getting red)- “You people can’t read can you?!  I have signs up, you’re not allowed here!  You can’t just drive on my road!”

Me - “And I’m sorry about this - we thought we were trying to find a house for sale, we’ll get off your property right now.”

Old man - “I have the right to shoot you if I want, you no good trespassers!  Read the signs, there’s nothing up here for sale!!!!”  (his face was beet red now and he was shouting loudly at us).

Me - “Once again, I’m sorry, and we’ll get out of here right now, ok?”

Then there’s an awkard pause, his 4 wheeler is kind of blocking my way, so I need him to move aside.  He looks me over and looks over my car, I was starting to get very bad vibes about this. 

As a quick side note, my car was black, I had black tinted windows and all three of us were dressed very well, I had on a nice shirt and a tie. 

So after a few seconds he pulls his 4-wheeler up along side my driver’s side window an looks right back at us and says, “Look… I don’t know if you’re FBI, CIA or the Police.  But if you want to come up here and take my drugs from me… well you bring a (expletive) warrant.  Otherwise you stay the hell off my property, those are MY drugs and I’m allowed to grow ‘em!”

I look at my client in the passenger side, and he’s trying not to laugh.  I look back at the old guy and all I can say without laughing is, “Ok we’ll do that,” and then we pull away.  He just watches us drive way and by now we’re all laughing in the car.

We never found the house, but that little event sure made the day.

This year, I plan on sharing some of Mom and I’s best experiences in practicing real estate.  It’s said that we can learn a lot from stories and, boy, we’ve had some fun ones.  Keep an eye on our blog throughout the year as I’ll frequently be posting new ones or continued chapters in longer ones.

I thought I’d share my recent research that I do quarterly with you regarding the Missoula Housing market from 2007.  I track sales and listings each quarter and then sum it all up for a yearly report as well.  Well, 2007 is in the books - so here’s what Missoula’s housing looks like:

 The median sales price is up from $206,700 in 2006 to $219,900 in 2007 - compared to what you see nationally this is encouraging.  The median price a home was originally listed for went from $234,900 in 2006 to $242,500 in 2007.  So based on the medians we’re seeing sellers are dropping their prices to get their places sold.

Sales numbers are looking good - at 1378 which is lower than 2006 (1593) and 2005 (1561) but higher than 2004 (1306) and 2003 (1173).  The interesting difference though is the amount of houses listed this year, there were 2601 total homes listed in the Missoula area, 1378 of which sold, so just over 50%.  Looking back over the last 5 years this is the widest margin between listings and sales. 

The Mullan Road area is easily explained, everything that is accessed by Mullan Road from North Reserve St west to the Mill in Frenchtown.  Also these properties are north of the river and south of Broadway.

This profile showed very different numbers, it was greatly affected by the new construction in Canyon Creek and Windsor Park - which was much lower priced than the Grant Creek area.  Between 2001 and 2002 Canyon creek first hit the market which took the total number of sales in that area from 41 to 133 and dropped the median price over $100,000.

 If you would like a specific area search within Grant Creek or on Expressway, please ask, I can section off just certain areas and revise these numbers.

By request, the Lewis and Clark area is usually considered to be the flat area in the south east corner of the valley.  This search range was completed in between Higgins and Bancroft going east to west and 39th/S Higgins to South going South to North.

From 4:30 - 6:30 PM please join us as we host a wine and cheese open house on our new listing located in Missoula at 2907 Mary Jane Blvd - located in Pleasant Views by Hellgate Elementary.  Feel free to stop by to tour the home, or to just say hello!

 From Mullan Road turn onto Flynn Lane, turn Right on England Blvd then turn left on Mary Jane.  House is on the left - look for the open house sign.

The “U area” and the diagonal or “slant streets” have always been known for their character-rich homes and boulevards with large, old Virginia Maple Trees.  Trends show that sales are solid in this area and that remodels and re-builds are becoming very popular in these areas.

My first community profile is the mid-town area of Missoula which is basically in-between Russell and reserve and as far north as the
Clark Fork river and as far south as 39th street.

Mid-town is one of the largest markets in Missoula and has the most real estate transactions each year, on average.  The boost in values is from the amount of new construction and remodels that are happening in this area.

This information was obtained from the Missoula Organization of Realtors multiple listing services, if you have any questions or comments on this report please feel free to ask.

Recently I put together another large report on the Missoula market and broke it down to several areas of town.  Over the next couple of weeks I’m going to post that statistical data of the median value and the % increase in vaule each neighborhood over the last 5 years.  Hopefully it’s something you’ll enjoy. 

 The neighborhoods I’m going to profile are:

- The Rattlesnake

- East Missoula

- Downtown/Northside

- University Area and slant/diagonal streets

- Mid-town

- Farviews

- South hills

- Linda Vista/Maloney Ranch

- Target Range

- Mullan road

- Grant Creek & Expressway
If there is another local area you’d like me to profile, simply ask away, I can provide statistical data on anywhere from Hamilton to Polson.

A buyers market?  Not quite, but things are looking good for buyers.  Interest rates on conventional mortgages are hovering around 6% and I’ve seen recently that sellers are currently coming down a little further than I’d expect them to off their asking price when negotiating a buy-sell.  Of course these aren’t official, just my observations.

Over the weekend I spent some time up in Whitefish at the Big Mountain ski area and took some snowboard lessons.  Sore neck, sore legs and sore butt later I’m hooked on it, it’s really a lot of fun and requires a lot more focus and balance than skiing. 

Over the last few days there has been nearly 400 new listings in our MLS, and things are selling suddenly as well.  Usually January is a little slower, but it appears that people are listing sooner this year and buyers are taking advantage of those lower rates.

Tomorrow my wife and I are heading up to an animal rescue in Polson to meet the new member of our family, he is a rott mix named “Tank.”  Tank is a 6 month old pup and looks just like a rottie with exception to his ears. 

 We had previously rescued a Rottweiler in 2001 but she passed away months ago from a tumor in heart.  It’s been odd without a dog around the house, so it will be nice to have another furry little companion around. 

Most Missoula residents over the last 8-10 years simply laugh when they get asked if it snows a lot in the valley.  I deal with a lot of people coming in from out of state and many from areas such as costal areas in Washington, Oregon and California are very concerned with snow.  The truth really is that we have not had a winter with a lot of snow since 1997, after that we’ve just had some “here and there” snowfalls.

We finnally had some snow stick to the ground in the valley over the weekend, just the 2nd time this whole year.  Then of course it warms up today to 45 and the snow is almost all gone.  At least it’s sticking in the mountains.

If you open up pretty much any national publication right now it’s all doom and gloom for the real estate market; we’re reading about “the bubble,” over-pricing, buyer’s markets, rate hikes and decreasing values to name a few.  Like the saying goes, “If it bleeds, it leads.”  I’ve yet to talk to someone who doesn’t have a real estate horror story that they’ve heard from someone else.  But what about Missoula?  What is happening where we live and play? 

I can tell you this, don’t believe the hype, our market is staying strong.  Just recently I put together a 16 page report in Microsoft Excel that charted Missoula’s real estate trends and found some very encouraging information.  All of the data I had came straight from our Missoula Organization of RealtorsR MLS and compares all of our market information over the last 5 years.  Here’s just tidbits from the research:

Residential - Our median price has risen from the upper $130,000’s in 2001 to just below $210,000 in 2006.  Unlike many other parts of the nation our median value and total number of sold homes has increased between 2005 and 2006 (from roughly $192,500 and 2174 sales in ‘05 to just under $205,000 and 2341 sales in ‘06.

Now these numbers also show another interesting trend though, each year since 2002 the number of properties listed each year grows much quicker than the amount of sales.  While our sales numbers grow at a steady rate our number of listings each year has grown even quicker.

 I’m happy to e mail this report to anyone, just drop me a line - bwahlberg@remax.net and I’ll send the report right on to you!

Thanks!

Brint

Hello fellow bloggers, Happy New Year and welcome to our blog!  We would like to invite you to visit from time to time to see whats new with our team, what is going on in Western Montana and Missoula’s real estate markets and to discuss any issues that involve real estate.

From all of us at the Wahlberg Team we would like to wish you a Happy New Year and we hope for all of the best in 2007!

- Judy, Brint & Corinne