I first stumbled upon TED back in 2008 and was immediately interested by their simple motto “ideas worth spreading”.  TED stands for technology, entertainment, and design, all things that draw my attention.  The concept behind TED Talks is to provide “riveting talks by remarkable people, free to the world”.  Basically, it’s a bunch of smart people who hold conferences with other smart people, and then they post videos of the talks online for all to enjoy. 

What I really like about TED is that the topics can be something so easily palatable or so highbrow that you never really know what you’re going to get.  Another great thing is that all of the videos are under 20 minutes, and they even introduced a new variation of videos under 6 minutes.  I mean, you can actually watch an internet video, and learn something, all in under 6 minutes!  In all seriousness, this site is full of videos that are thought-provoking and worth watching.

Because this is Friday Puppy, I thought it would only be fitting to post a video about vodka dog training.  If you watch this video, you’ll see what I mean about how these talks can really make you think.  If you’re not a fan of listening to intellectuals speak, then you can easily find videos that are simply entertaining, thus freeing up all of your brain power for Tuesday night trivia at Bombers on Lark.

Who would have thought smart people can be as watchable as pretty people?

I would say 90% of my friends rent instead of own.

And out of those 90% of my friends, I would say 100% of them want to punch me in the face everytime I try to encourage them to buy a house.  I usually get, “will you please shut up.  I’m not buying a house.”  And then I say, “but what if I told you that the banks are….” but by the time my sentence is finished, I’m usually standing alone talking to my Utica Club.

Yes, buying a house is expensive.  Yes, it’s a commitment.  YES, it’s a huge responsibility.

But there has never been a better time in history (I think) to buy a home.   Last week when I was vacationing through the foothills of the French Alps with a couple investment bankers and their au pairs, (not really, I was at Cracker Barrel)… a couple friends of mine who work in real estate were telling me about a government program that basically gives free money to first time home owners.  Wait, what??

Here is the program…

Between now and April 30th, if you buy a home for the first time, you will get an $8,000 tax credit.  That’s FREE MONEY!  Look at it this way, if you buy a home for $200,000, you will most likely need to put down $10,000 as a down payment (5% of the price of the home).  With this tax credit, you’ll only be paying $2,000 out of your pocket.   That’s not bad.   And if you find a nice little condo or apartment that is priced under $160,000, it’s basically zero money out of pocket.

PLUS, if you already own a home, and are looking to move up, the government will give you $6,500 to upgrade into a new home.

Interest rates for buying homes have never been lower (I think), and there are  so many  benefits to owning your own home.  It’s an investment, you can borrow against it, it will make you feel good about yourself.

I know a little bit about it, and would be happy to answer any questions you may have, but here is a realtor I have enjoyed working with in the past who can help you find a brand new beautiful home that’s yours.  All yours.

Michael Crisafulli  (Albany area)

mjc@crisafulliassociates.com

(518) 464-9782 ext: 102

-or-

Steven Sanders (NYC Area)

ssanders@elliman.com

(917) 604-0499

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Not since Gym Locker Room Fantasies 2 have I been so excited to see a movie in my life.