…and say that I hope that 2020 brings you everything you need and love.
“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language And next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning.” (Little Gidding)― T.S. Eliot
I’m sure you’ve heard the argument…
Someone says, “Happy New Years!!!”… with an “S” at the end.
And then someone goes and corrects them…
“It’s not plural. It’s just Happy New Year!…no “S”
But really, either way it’s fine by me. It’s the sentiment… not how someone says it to me.
So, if the “S” at the end makes you cringe… I wish you a very Happy New Year, and may your 2020 bring you happiness, health and wealth.
However, if you like it with the “S” …Happy New Years to you, and may 2018 bring you happinesss, healths, and wealths.
Hmmmm… I’m starting to think maybe there is a benefit to putting an “S” at the end of Happy New Year… LOL!
HAPPY NEW YEAR(S) TO YOU!,
Christy 503.793.3345
P.S. You know what else I like an “S” at the end of…the word “referral”! But even one referral would be great! So, if you or anyone you know is buying or selling a home in 2020, please refer(s) them to me!
The Fair Housing Act of 1968 prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin or sex. Intended as a follow-up to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the bill was the subject of a contentious debate in the Senate, but was passed quickly by the House of Representatives in the days after the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. The Fair Housing Act stands as the final great legislative achievement of the civil rights era….
Title VIII of the proposed Civil Rights Act was known as the Fair Housing Act, a term often used as a shorthand description for the entire bill. It prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin and sex….
On April 4—the day of the Senate vote—the civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, where he had gone to aid striking sanitation workers. Amid a wave of emotion—including riots, burning and looting in more than 100 cities around the country—President Lyndon B. Johnson increased pressure on Congress to pass the new civil rights legislation.
Since the summer of 1966, when King had participated in marches in Chicago calling for open housing in that city, he had been associated with the fight for fair housing. Johnson argued that the bill would be a fitting testament to the man and his legacy, and he wanted it passed prior to King’s funeral in Atlanta.
After a strictly limited debate, the House passed the Fair Housing Act on April 10, and President Johnson signed it into law the following day. History.com
Oregon’s Bureau of Labor & Industries oversees Fair Housing complaints. The website states the following:
Fair housing is the right to choose and live in a home free from unlawful discrimination.
Oregon’s laws protect people from being treated differently because of your: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, whether or not you have kids, disability (also: source of income, domestic violence survivors, marital status, sexual orientation, and gender identity).
If you think you are being discriminated against when looking for a home, applying for housing or home financing, or if your landlord isn’t accommodating your disability, you can file a complaint here.
Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries protects your civil rights at home.
Sometimes housing discrimination looks like…
You are required to pay a different security deposit than someone of a different race
Your family is offered different rental options or prices than people without children
You are directed to housing in a particular area, neighborhood or section of the complex instead of being allowed to make that choice yourself.
You’re evicted after your landlord finds out your sexual orientation…you’re treated differently, denied services, or singled out because of one of the protected traits listed above.
We can help
The Fair Housing Act gives you the legal right to file a complaint. And it is illegal for anyone to threaten you with eviction or to harass you for filing a fair housing complaint against them.
It’s free to file a complaint and you don’t need to have a lawyer.
If you’re not sure you need to file a complaint but something feels wrong, you can give us a call at 971-673-0761 or email [email protected]. We’ll help you navigate the process.
At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love. ~ Dr.Martin Luther King Jr.
This year especially, we as a people must actively focus on working for equality and justice for all Americans, and not assume that our leaders have our best interests in mind when making and enforcing our laws. It’s up to each of us to help make sure that all Americans have the same rights that we were promised – justice for all.
Fill in the blank…
“I have a _________…”
It doesn’t take a psychic to know what word you chose.
Was it “dream”?
Good chance it was. We all know this line from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous speech. So when we hear those first three words, it sort of naturally comes to mind.
But what many people aren’t aware of is how much he affected the lives of real estate agents, buyers, and sellers.
It was his death that gave Congress the last push needed to pass the Fair Housing Act, back in 1968. It’s pretty involved, but to put it simply…
This was put in place to ban racial discrimination in housing. You can’t be refused the rental or purchase of a house, based on your race (and now several other “protected classes”).
Seems simple enough to most people now. A given, if you will. But it didn’t happen overnight. And believe it or not, it still can and does come up.
But guess who is a big part of making sure this Act is followed…
On the front lines, it’s real estate agents. We’re tasked with making people aware that discrimination based on race (and many other things) is not acceptable, and we must refuse to work with anyone who wants to do so.
Real estate agents, like me, are proud to be a part of this ongoing history.
Today is the day where we take a moment to reflect and pay him respect. It’s also a good day to share some insight into how much more responsibility real estate agents have than meets the eye
…and say that I hope Santa brings you everything on your wish list!
At Christmas, all roads lead home. Marjorie Holmes
Hey… you never know!
Maybe Santa can bring you a dragon…
Or maybe your home value is accurate on Zillow…
It’d be a miracle, but…
After all…the true reason we celebrate Christmas is all about a miracle!
Warmest wishes to you and yours,
Christy Walton 503.793.3345 RE/MAX Select
P.S. It’s the holiday season, and I know many people think they shouldn’t “bother” me about real estate at this time of year…
Please feel free! I’m here if you need me…
Especially if you need an accurate value of your home. I’d rather be “bothered” during the holidays, than have a client get an unrealistic value of their home (too high, or too low) by looking at Zillow.
I’m not Santa, and I can’t produce miracles… but I can definitely give you the gift of an honest, objective value of your home!
(Or for your friends and family… so if you hear anyone bringing up the value of their home at a party, please feel free to pass along my information to them!)
Happy Holidays! December brings good news for the real estate market. Listing are down, which is a seasonal normal but pending sales are almost 20% higher than last year, which tells us that we’re probably going to have a busy winter. That means that if you’re thinking of selling, now is a really good time for it! Give me a call and we can talk about it!
Julius Willowwaver Walton-Smith, pacific parrotlet
The New York Times posted an article about possible indoor pollution causes and what you can do about it. What struck me was the inclusion of scented candles and incense as a major source of indoor pollution according to a study by the E.P.A.
Cooking fumes (especially Teflon coated pans), cigarettes, fireplaces, and furnaces may cause a large percentage of other pollution. We no longer use Teflon coated pans because the fumes can injure pet birds (like little Julius, our late Pacific Parrotlet) and, after reading this article, have banned burning scented candles in the house.
Dark Wall Stains May Signal Indoor Pollution By C. Claiborne Ray March 14, 2016
Victoria Roberts from the NY Times
Q. What could be causing black stains on the walls above each segment of our radiators? Could the heating fuel be leaking from the radiators into the air we breathe?
A. The stains are coming from the air, not the radiators, and while the furnace and the chimney should be checked, there are other possible sources besides heating fuel for the black material.
Such stains, called ghosting by building engineers, are caused by deposits of soot, dust or ordinary dirt carried by the air and then deposited on the walls or ceilings.
The pattern of the deposits depends on factors like air currents, gravity, electrostatic attraction and temperature and humidity differences. For example, the reason the stains mirror the radiator segments is probably that the wall temperature varies with the shape of the radiator.
One of the most common sources of soot is partly burned carbon fuel, but soot could come from cooking fumes, cigarettes and fireplaces as well as the furnace. A surprisingly big source of the carbon that causes ghosting stains is perfumed room candles, a 2001 review of previous studies found.
As for health risks, they are related to the size of the particles; the smaller the particles, the higher the risk, the Environmental Protection Agency says.
The visible soot can be a signal of the presence of the more dangerous microscopic particles, less than 10 micrometers in diameter, that can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause heart and respiratory illnesses. [email protected]
A perennial question is whether to cut down plants now or in spring. The answer is not clear cut, said Jeff Choate, a horticulturist with Oregon State University Extension Service. When it comes to vegetable gardens, everything should come out. Annuals, too, can be uprooted. With perennials, it depends. Read Kym Pokorny’s article on Oregon Live. Photo of Nancy’s Garden.
Every once in a while, I sit in my office and rock out (Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk) and look at nifty houses. Then, I show the extraordinary ones to you!
I have a major “thing” for converted churches. I’m not really sure why, but stone and stained glass just makes my black little heart go pitter pat.
I found this one back in 2009 and have been holding on to it just for you. It’s no longer listed, but, man, I wish it was.
Here’s one of the prettiest church conversions I’ve ever seen. I really, really want this house. I really wish I had a million dollars literally) to buy it!
St Nicholas church is Kyloe, Northumberland, England and was built in 1792 and deconsecrated in the 80′s. It’s a renovated church, with the exterior remaining mostly intact! The master bedroom is in the apse and the kitchen is in nave. Can’t you imagine waking up bathed in the colors of the glass?
Outside, there is an ancient cemetery that looks out over sheep in a meadow!
Who doesn’t love dogs? While some folks are afraid of them, dogs are the number one companion animal in many countries around the world. They’re fun, super playful, loyal – and they look absolutely fabulous when they’re showing off a brand new outfit at the dog park!
Fashion sense aside, running around and playing fetch with your furry friend at the dog park is a great way for both of you to unwind. You might even spot a new doggy friend off in the distance for your pooch to play with.
But, if you happen to spot a yellow ribbon adorning the other pup’s leash, there’s something important you need to know first. While it may seem like a fashion statement, there is actually a really good reason some dogs have this.
That yellow ribbon is actually a warning sign. Just like a yellow traffic light means that you should proceed with caution, a yellow ribbon tied to a dog’s leash carries the same meaning.
However, proceeding with caution doesn’t mean that the dog will automatically give you rabies if you happen to glance its way! It also doesn’t mean that they are necessarily aggressive. It just means you should probably walk, rather than run, towards the new pooch.
This is especially important for young children that want to cuddle with every animal that comes onto their radar, or for adults that are skittish around dogs. Dogs can be skittish and nervous, too! Especially when a stranger approaches their human-doggy pack.
The Yellow Ribbon Project is a a non-profit organization that was started in 2012 by Tara Palardy, of Alberta, Canada. She wanted to help bring about public awareness for parents of DINOS – Dogs In Need Of Space. That’s an easy acronym to remember, right?
The yellow ribbon actually means that the dog just needs some extra space! The pooch in question might be in the middle of being trained as a service animal, or he could have health issues. Humans have been known to be grouchy when they’re sick, so it’s no surprise that a dog might need some space when he’s feeling down.
The yellow-leashed dog could also be unfriendly to other dogs. Which is quite understandable – after all, you don’t like every human you meet, do you?
The Yellow Dog Project wants people to know tying a yellow ribbon on your dog’s leash is not an excuse to avoid properly training your pup to behave! It’s not a waiver of responsibility.
Should you see a yellow ribbon on a dog, remember to approach with caution, and ask the owner if you are allowed to pet them. Not only does this show respect for the dog owner, but it allows the dog to decide if they want you in their space, too. Hopefully, he’ll bark out a big friendly yes!
This is such a great idea! Not all dogs are friendly 24/7. It’s nice to know there’s a visible warning system in place so that you can give the dog some extra breathing room. Now if only these made these for humans, too!
