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Michael Magnabousco Corporate Account Executive Vantage Production Phone: 800-963-1900 x 1538 Fax 800-237-5297 Direct 732-526-1538 mmagnabousco@vantageproduction.com www.vantageproduction.com     Mortgage News Housing and Rates on the Rise As the U.S. economy regains strength from crisis-like conditions from over five years ago, home loan rates have also risen. At a Washington news conference in late June, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke confirmed that the Fed would "taper" its efforts to help stimulate the U.S. economy. And despite the average 30 year fixed rate hovering around 4.5 percent from 3.35 percent in early May, he suggested the housing market may be strong enough to withstand higher borrowing costs. Good news lies in the nation's improved economic health. According to Bloomberg and S&P/Case-Shiller index data released in late May, home prices made their biggest gain in seven years, rising 10.9 percent across 20 metropolitan areas. Buyer demand, limited inventory and an improving job market have bolstered real estate. Mortgages are tied to the bond market, and as investors shift their funds away from bonds into stocks, rates have risen and succumbed to volatility. Many hope the bulk of the sell-off activity is over and that rates will be more stable for the remainder of the third quarter. As buyers duke it out for properties, they are locking in home loan rates. Housing is a key indicator of the nation's economic health, and signs are pointing to a slow recovery.     Finance News Best Sites to Save on Auto Insurance You can go online to find the lowest rates. By Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger.com Most of the web sites that promise to give you quotes from multiple auto-insurance companies refer you to agents rather than providing quotes directly from insurers. The budgeting site Mint.com, for example, analyzes how much you are spending on auto insurance every six months and sends an alert if it looks as if you could save money. You'll receive a general quote showing how much you might be able to save. Then you can choose to get specifics from major insurers, such as Geico, Allstate, State Farm, Farmers and Esurance. You can access the same tools that Mint.com uses at InsuranceQuotes.com (both are powered by Bankrate Insurance). Submit information about yourself and your cars and you'll hear from up to three insurance reps, usually including at least one independent agent who works with several insurers. Or you can get quotes at most insurers' sites, such as Progressive.com, StateFarm.com and Geico.com. Some insurers' sites now access public records (using your name, address and birth date) to find the cars registered to your address, so you don't need to type in as much information. You can get quotes from CarInsurance.com on your computer screen within minutes from insurers such as The Hartford, Travelers, Esurance and Safeco (you'll still have to provide your e-mail address and phone number). The site's online quotes are available in 40 states. All insurers check your driving record, credit score and claims record before offering a final rate. Another option: Visit www.trustedchoice.com to find a local independent agent who can shop for you. Reprinted with permission. All Contents ©2013 The Kiplinger Washington Editors. Kiplinger.com.     Creative Cuisine Arugula, Grape, and Sunflower Seed Salad Serves 4. Try this delicious summer salad featuring fruit, a favorite snack, and fresh herbs. 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon honey 1 teaspoon maple syrup 1/2 teaspoon stone-ground mustard 2 teaspoons grapeseed oil 7 cups loosely packed baby arugula 2 cups red grapes, halved 2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seed kernels 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Combine vinegar, honey, syrup, and mustard in a small bowl. Gradually add oil, stirring with a whisk. Combine arugula, grapes, seeds, and thyme in a large bowl. Immediately before serving drizzle vinegar mixture over arugula; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat. No stranger to professional kitchens, Kirk Leins currently devotes most of his time to cooking instruction, food writing, and producing television. You can visit Kirk's website at www.NoTimeToCook.com.   Street Smarts 9 Universal Travel Safety Tips From the site Girl Goin' Gone, a travel site with women in mind, use these universal safety tips below to keep your family out of trouble when traveling this summer. Be alert to your surroundings. Be aware of the crowd around you. Try to blend in, and if you must, put on your "Don't Mess With Me" face. Be discreet. Don't be too flashy with jewelry, gadgets, smartphones, or cash. Expensive clothing can also be an invitation to get robbed. Save documents in the cloud. Keep copies of your passport, license, travel itinerary and any other important docs on an online file storage site like Dropbox or Google Drive. Email or provide copies of your passport and itinerary to your family. Know basic customs, geography and language. Know how to say basic greetings like hello, please, where is and thank you in the local language. Familiarize yourself with cultural no-no's, including appropriate clothing. Avoid secluded areas, especially at night. Know your transportation. Familiarize yourself with what local registered taxis look like. If using public transport, prepare in advance by preparing or downloading apps for major transport subways and underground systems. Trust your gut. If something doesn't feel right in a specific area, leave immediately. Get out. Know what fire and emergency exit signs look like and where they are located. In case of emergency. Familiarize yourself with emergency phone numbers and the closest pharmacies, clinics, hospitals and even the closest U.S. Embassy.     Home News Summer Garden Checklist Check out these handy tips for starting and maintaining a healthy garden this summer. Exposure check. Vegetables need eight hours of full sun every day. Flowers and plants vary. Planting plan. A 4x4 plot works great for vegetables, and any size bed will do for flowers, just make sure to map it out. Lunch box? Critters love veggies as much as we do, consider fencing! Dirt degree. Your local gardening center can help you get to know your soil. Bed, Back, or Beyond. If you don't want to bend over a lot, raised beds are better than tilling on the ground. Co-op cooperation. Avocados won't grow in Maine. Check out usda.gov to find the nearest cooperative extension service, and they can help you with what grows best in your area. Plant what you like! Visit your local farmer's market for ideas on what to plant next. 'Tis the season. Create a schedule, and rely on your local gardening center to help fill seasonal growing patterns. Stock your shed. Essential tools: spade, garden fork, soaking hose, hoe, weeder, basket or barrow for moving mulch or soil. Keep them organized and handy. Mulch obliged! A 2-inch layer of mulch over soil keeps it cooler; plant roots will also be happier because evaporation is slowed. Weed watch. Weeds love summer heat and grow fast. Pull them young before they seed.     Facts and Figures Little Known Holidays In August & September Whether you're a southpaw or a grandma, a hugger, a rhymer, high-flyer or hiker, there's a special day for you! Here are some fun "days" to add to your calendar: August 13: International Left-handers Day Not only that, but this year marks the 23rd annual. If you're visiting England the Left-handers Club sponsors members-only "Lefty Zones." August 18: National Bad Poetry Day Roses are red / Violets are blue / You may want to write poems / But they're all haiku August 19: National Aviation Day Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared Orville Wright's birthday National Aviation Day back in 1939. Poor Wilbur! August 24: Hug Your Boss Day 58 percent of people would not hug their boss, considering it unprofessional, but the UK has a day for it. Just check with HR first! September: National Coupon Month Here are two sites offering coupons: Retailmenot.com, Supercouponing.com; and two more that "report" where the deals are: Couponing.com; TheKrazyCouponLady.com September 8: National Grandparent's Day President Jimmy Carter signed National Grandparent's Day into law in 1978; it occurs the first Sunday after Labor Day. Don't forget! September 18: National Cheeseburger Day Reportedly invented by a sixteen year-old fry cook named Lionel Sternberger in Pasadena, California, back in 1926, the cheeseburger is celebrated on this day at restaurants all over the world. Table of Contents · Mortgage News · Finance News · Creative Cuisine · Street Smarts · Home News · Facts and Figures · Summer Reading   Quiz · Did You Know? · Quote of the Day · Trivia Challenge · Book Review Did You Know? Justin Bieber has the most Twitter followers at 43,051,205 as of mid-August 2013. Barack Obama is 4th at 35 million and Bill Gates is 37th at 12.4 million. It's Summer Reading time! Test your knowledge by matching up these popular summer titles with their classic authors: Title A. Madame Bovary B. Wuthering Heights C. Jane Eyre D. 1984 E. Brave New World F. Grapes Of Wrath G. The Count of      Monte Cristo H. To Kill a      Mockingbird I. Dracula J. Les Misérables K. All Quiet On The      Western Front   Author 1. Alexandre Dumas 2. Erich Maria Remarque 3. Gustave Flaubert 4. Emily Bronte 5. Bram Stoker 6. Victor Hugo 7. John Steinbeck 8. George Orwell 9. Aldous Huxley 10. Harper Lee 11. Charlotte Bronte Scroll down to the bottom for answers Quote of the Day "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." – Nelson Mandela Book Review Recipes from My Home Kitchen By Christine Ha Millions of viewers tuned in to watch Christine Ha and her thrilling win on the season 3 finale of Master Chef with Gordon Ramsay. The competition was fierce, with the finalists narrowed down from over 30,000 home cooks. Christine had a distinct disadvantage from the very start–she lost her sight over a decade ago. Turns out it was no hindrance, since Ha developed the unique ability to cook by sense alone. Ha said, "Out of the trophy, title, monetary winnings, and the cookbook deal, the cookbook was the prize I wanted the most. It only made sense–I am a writer, and by nature, writers want to share themselves with the world through their stories." In Recipes From My Home Kitchen, Christine Ha has written both a readable cookbook and an inspirational text, filled with life lessons and stories that helped her make sense of her world, when sighted and not. Introduced to cooking by her mother on traditional Vietnamese home comfort foods, Christine grew up in the United States and provides a unique take on other dishes–from hamburgers to super simple soups and stir-fry dishes recipes. Now a New York Times Bestseller, check it out on Amazon.com. Thank You As always, we wish to thank our clients who have been kind enough to refer business to us. We appreciate the opportunity to provide excellent service to your family, friends, and co–workers.   Quiz Answers A-3, B-4, C-11, D-8, E-9, F-7, G-1, H-10, I-5, J-6, K-2

 

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