Getting Rid of Junk Mail/ Opt Out for the Environment!

Everyday as a business owner, real estate industry participant and everyday consumer we are bombarded with junk mail and catalogs! Per information at http://www.catalogchoice.org/environmental-facts

According to estimates at the Catalog Choice Project; approximately 53 million tons of trees are havested each year to produce 19 billion catalogs! And that is just the catalogs! The energy expended in catalog production is enough to power 1.2 million homes for a year and produces the emmissions of approximately 2 million cars!

Opt out legistlation now provides websites and phone numbers to opt out:

Credit card inquiries:http://www.optoutprescreen.com/

Direct Marketing Association: https://www.dmachoice.org/ 1-888-5OPTOUT

Catalog opt out:
http://www.abacusoptout.com/
http://www.catalogchoice.org/

Interesting Video on Mortgage Guidelines & How They Affect Everyone.

Check out this link to a very interesting video. Dan Green who puts together the website http://www.themortgagereports.com/ has put together a very helpful and basic video presentation explaining how mortgage guidelines can affect everyone in the real estate industry as well as anyone who has a mortgage. It explains in very common terms (stick figure drawings!) what is happening in the mortgage industry today. Interesting stuff for those of us in the real estate industry!
Link to video: http://www.wellcomemat.com/video/38BAC1820B

WA 2007 First Quarter Housing Stats

WA 2007 First Quarter Housing Market PDF (Washington State University) Info.
The Washington Center for Real Estate Research (WCRER) An excellent resource for those in the Washington State Real Estate Industry.
The Center was created in 1989 by the Washington State University Board of Regents to achieve the university's mission of education, research and service in the real estate Industry.
Per their website: "The Center's objectives under this mission include providing research and educational tools to real estate licensees, offering relevant services to practitioners in related businesses, cooperating with state and local government agencies, and keeping consumers informed about important real estate issues. The ultimate goal of the Center is to provide a wide range of useful and understandable information, analysis and knowledge using academic methods in practical context while reporting findings in common language."
For helpful info go to: http://www.cb.wsu.edu/~wcrer/ (then click on Housing Market Snapshot 1st quarter PDF. for WA County Info)