John Badalamenti - Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors, Wayne, PA

Some very good news was posted last week, three important factors, not just one, which indicate a rising confidence in the market as a whole.

• This past week, The Federal Reserve announced The Federal Open Market Committee decided to keep its target for the federal funds rate at 5.25% and stated that the economy seems likely to expand at a moderate pace over coming quarters (Source: The Federal Reserve, May 9^th, 2007)."
• The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) released its weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending May 4, 2007.  On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 4 percent compared with the previous week and was up 19.9 percent compared with the same week one year earlier (Source: The Mortgage Bankers Association, May 9^th, 2007).
• The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared more than 100 points, and posted its fifth straight weekly gain. Wall Street resumed its advance on Friday as investors interpreted a government report of milder inflation as a signal that the US Federal Reserve might consider cutting interest rates later this year (Source: The Sydney Morning Herald, May 11^th, 2007).

Once in a while there comes a web site, a tool - worthy of calling "pure genius."

Such is the case with HouseMath http://www.housemath.us/ created by retired (35 years old mind you) software developer Kirill Sheynkman. This site is pure genius, the author is pure genius.

Say someone is deciding between renting  or purchasing, given appreciation, inflation, tax rates, tax benefits, capital gains, etc, etc... these assumptions can be done instantly.

While the site is limited to major US cities right now, it also appears that he has provided some development content tools (if someone is so inclinded).

HouseMath has to be the most revolutionary real estate financial sites to hit the web in as many years!!!

I quit smoking. I lost 40 pounds last year. I take a series of vitamins and minerals. I excesise regularly. I watch what I eat and drink. And I try to get the right amount of sleep (hard at times, but I try).

The current picture is a few years old, so really not representative of the "new me." I don't care. I feel great and that's what counts.

Last winter I pulled my back out really bad trying to get a real estate sign loose from the freezed ground. I lost the feeling in my left foot and had to use a cane and was headed for some real serious problems. Nothing conventional worked and I finally wound up having surgery and a wake-up call...get in shape!

The stress level as a real estate agent can often be very high. And we often find ourselves working very long hours and spending less time with our families. Add poor eating habits and poor sleeping habits. Not good, not good at.

My point here is that we all need to take better care of ourselves.

And when you feel better, you work better.

To Your Health!

John B.

The Collegeville Zip Code of 19426 May Fall Into The Following Montgomery County Townships and Boros:

• The Boro of Collegeville (aptly named for the establishment of Ursinus College here).
• Lower Providence Townhsip
• Perkiomen Township
• Skipppack Township
• The Boro of Trappe
• Upper Providence Township
• Worcester Township

• Methacton SD
• Perkiomen Valley SD
• Spring-Ford Area SD

Local Market Condition Reporting (10 Local Central Montgomery County - Townships & Boros), Revised Monthly http://www.subphillyhomes.com/April_Real_Estate_Update/page_1715642.html