I just wanted to wish all of you, whether you are staying in town or traveling a very safe and happy vacation. I hope you get to see family and friends who you have not seen in a while and have the time of your life. As you get older, and you can tell by my picture that I have done that, you realize how quickly time goes by and how often you have to spend time with those you would rather not and how much you long to spend time with those you have a blast with. This year, I hope you spend time with the blast people as much as possible and just enjoy your summer vacation to the hilt and have a great time!

For all of those I will miss seeing; Have a Wonderful Holiday Season and enjoy your Christmas and New Year! I wish you all a very prosperous 2010!

With this said, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving full of family and friends, good food and fellowship!

But as we get ready for Thanksgiving, we are looking at a year that has been very hard for many and thankful it is behind us as we look forward to opportunities and better times ahead. Homes are selling and loans are still affordable as we head into 2010. It look like the Congress will pass another type of stimulus to encourage home ownership for new owners and maybe even for those who would like to move up into a larger home for the sake of a growing family or business. Stay tuned to learn the details as they become available.

There are also individuals with great ideas who have started doing great things like East C.A.N. and the Tomato Art Festival that are making a difference in the lives of those who live in East Nashville. It seems I am always hearing about someone or something new that is being talked about or done in this community and enjoy being a part of it. I am also reminded every year as the holidays come around how many are in need in and around our community as well and will be looking out for a place to donate my time and effort this year. I hope you are doing the same in your community because we all need to give back when we can.

I’m sure there are those die-hard golfers out there that hate golfers like me. Yeah, I like to score better but at the end of the day, I just want to have had a great time and when I play golf, that always happens and that’s why I love the game.

While I pay close to two hundred dollars a month for cable, phone and internet, he pays less than seventy dollars a month for all three. He and his wife take another thirty dollars a month and buy movies they know they will want to watch more than once on sale at different outlets both retail and online. They have more movies than anyone I know but always have a great selection when company is over, for kids of all ages or when it’s just the two of them. I’m tempted to do the same thing if I can only convince my wife to give up True Blood while it is new for the series on DVD and that will be hard to do!

It’s a great place to meet your family and friends and just relax and enjoy the evening. Once the fireworks start, accompanied by the awesome Nashville Symphony, it is a non-stop entertainment festival for the eyes and ears! We park over by the stadium and walk across the pedestrian bridge to the Riverfront. If you can go, you will not be disappointed. Take an umbrella because there is a chance of rain this year but hopefully the show will go on!

When we can close a loan it will already have an appraisal and the client has given us all the documentation along with an appraisal that can be easily transferred.  Other than this scenario, loans take at least two to three weeks to even think about being closed. If you could sit with a processor and underwriter and see how many times they touch each file to order, clear and calculate you would be amazed they turn the loans as quickly as they do. While loan officers are the fuel, it is all the people that work on the backend that make up the engine that allows your mortgages to get processed, underwritten and funded. These people are amazing at what they do and deserve more credit than ever given.

This is not a day to be judgmental or political but one of unity for our country. It doesn’t matter whether you are a Republican, Democrat or Independent; whether you are straight or gay or what color your skin or where you choose to worship, if you choose to worship for there are fallen soldiers; male and female of all the associations listed above and more who have fought for your right to be an American. This my friends, is a day of thanks, an opportunity for you to tell those you know that have served how much you appreciate their sacrifice. If you don’t know anyone personally, then offer up good thoughts and prayers. On this day, we can be and should be nothing else but Americans, united as citizens in a wonderful and vast country. With that said; Have a Great Memorial Day weekend!