THE REAL AMY
Mostly about Real Estate.
Or me. Or what I'm into.
But entirely real.
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So, in case you haven’t met him—please allow me to introduce Kristian Anderson. I first saw him on one of Oprah’s shows taped in Australia (if it’s not yet obvious that I’m a raging Oprah nerd—let it be clear—I am). She introduced Kristian and his wife Rachel, an Aussie couple who were struggling with Kristian’s battle with cancer; it was exquisitely heartbreaking and part of the segment included this video that Kristian made for Rachel. For her birthday. Stumbling across this video for the first time in a year, I was curious to know how Kristian is doing. Turns out, he passed away less than a month ago. I’m so grateful he chose to share his heart in a way that we could all be blessed by.
Rachel’s Birthday Video from Kristian Anderson on Vimeo.
Real HERO | Kristian Anderson
I imagine that if you were to move the POV down about 10 inches from the ground, this is sort of what Lilah (my French Bulldog) sees at the dog park. Though—she does get significantly closer to sniff, as she has a smooshed face (before you get concerned, fret not—she was born that way). She has to get right smack up in whatever it is to smell it. Might be challenging for the camera to focus—who’s to say. In the meantime—some brilliant guy has outfitted his dog with a video cam and crafted this beautifully edited video to remind us all why dogs are such an amazing blessing to the world. Even (especially) when they stick their face in everything.
Real FUN | Dog’s Eye View
I’m a fan of brilliant. And well-designed. And magical. With a Eco-friendly bent. Evidenced by my last post about GreenJeans. So, the flat-out amazing designs that the folks at Quadror are churning out were not a tough sell for me. Given my passion for all things service—I was especially smitten with their design for diaster-relief housing frames (check out the cool video) that could make a big difference to a lot of people at the worst time in their life. I mean—how can you not admire that? I’m just thankful there’s this kind of genius on the planet.
Real INSPIRING | Quadror I Do Adore
Real FUN | GreenJeans
I put them on and couldn’t stop smiling. That’s why I have to tell you about my new jeans. I’ve been a fan of hello! Skinny Jeans for a few years now, because they are made from magical denim that does everyone a favor. But their latest—the GreenJeans—have become a
n instant new favorite of mine. The claim that they “literally Photoshop the body” is reason enough (reminds me of my favorite scene (not for children’s viewing) of one of my favorite movies of the year Crazy, Stupid, Love.); but they quickly went into my shopping cart when I read about the Eco-friendly process used to get the super-flattering finish. The done-good-to-make-you-look-good was irresistible. Plus, they come in a variety of sizes, inseams, and are very accommodating to curves. They’re basically the Justin Timberlake of jeans. You can’t help but like them. As if it couldn’t get any better, when I put them on, I noticed that they fit perfectly—no trips to the tailor to have them fitted required! So, yes. GreenJeans. Smitten. For good reason.
Majora Carter is the kind of woman I aspire to be. She’s brilliant, articulate and has guts. And a passion to serve something greater than herself. Plus, she’s living proof that something beautiful + vibrant can grow out of blight and neighborhoods most of us would rather forget about (if we even knew they existed at all). I was struck by her authenticity and story—and how she calls out Al Gore (respectfully) to his face.
Real INSPIRING | Green The Ghetto
I know. Am I a band promoter or a Realtor? Apparently both. But I can’t not share this with you. Brian Fallon, the brilliant singer of one of my favorite bands (The Gaslight Anthem), has recently released an album from his side project The Horrible Crowes. And, well…I’ve been playing it over and over. So—it only seemed right to share. Here’s a recent performance at the Troubadour that I’m terribly sad I missed.
Real FUN | The Horrible Crowes
Out last night to see my beloved Imagine Dragons perform in LA, I arrived early enough to catch the opening British band Rubber Kiss Goodbye. I’m sharing an acoustic version of their song Tragedy Radio, my favorite of the night. Turns out, the drummer is Tara Ferry, who may or may not be tired of constantly being cited as Bryan Ferry’s son (he is and can be seen in the video behind his Dad on Dad’s home page). And front man Oliver Thompson apparently plays guitar for Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music (he’s in said BF video as well). Set all that aside—they’re a solid band that were fun to watch. I pretty much fell in love with this song 20 seconds in. Enjoy!
Real FUN | Rubber Kiss Goodbye
FEATURED LISTING : I created this short video to give you a feel for the property or to jog your memory if you’ve come by to see it already. For more details, you can take a look at the property online at Red Fin (which is my favorite public site to view properties) or download this PDF flyer. If you want to have an even better searching experience with the most accurate and complete info, email me about the password-protected HBSR, which I can set you up with at no cost or obligation.
Real PROPERTY | 41277 Pine Tree Cir Temecula, CA 92591
Real ANSWER | Tax Benefits for Short Selling Before the End of 2012
- by Steve Pollock MS, CFP®, EA
Q : I’ve heard that there is a big tax advantage to short selling my home before the end of 2012—what is it and what does it mean for me?
A : Yes, there is an advantage. Congress moved quickly to provide troubled homeowners with tax relief for income resulting from forgiven mortgage debt*—The Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007.
The Act allows taxpayers to exclude income from the discharge of debt on their principal residence. Meaning, if you short sell your home—you may not have to pay taxes on the amount of money your lender agrees to forgive.
The primary tax benefit of short selling your principal residence before the end of 2012 is to take advantage of this favorable provision before it expires.
If you are faced with a mortgage you can no longer afford, consult your real estate professional, attorney, and tax preparer to discuss your different options and how each may affect your specific situation.
*In simple terms, “forgiven mortgage debt” is the result of your lender agreeing to accept an amount for your home that is less than the amount that you owe—commonly called a short sale. The “forgiveness of debt” amount is viewed by the Internal Revenue Services as income for the seller and therefore reported on that individual’s tax return as taxable income.
IN COMPLIANCE WITH IRS CIRCULAR 230, WE ARE REQUIRED TO DECLARE THAT ANY WRITTEN TAX ADVICE CONTAINED IN THIS COMMUNICATION (INCLUDING ANY ATTACHMENTS) IS NOT INTENDED OR WRITTEN TO BE USED, AND CANNOT BE USED, FOR THE PURPOSE OF (1) AVOIDING ANY PENALTIES UNDER THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE, OR (2) PROMOTING, MARKETING, OR RECOMMENDING TO ANOTHER PARTY ANY MATTERS ADDRESSED HEREIN. ANY WRITTEN ADVICE THAT WE PROVIDE DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE POSSIBILITY THAT A TAX RETURN WILL NOT BE AUDITED, THAT AN ISSUE WILL NOT BE RAISED ON AUDIT, OR THAT AN ISSUE WILL BE RESOLVED THROUGH SETTLEMENT IF RAISED.
Real HERO | Ryan Pretner
Ryan with his two beautiful children and wife Sylvia; back on the bike
Meet my friend Dana’s brother, Ryan. The fact that he’s alive is a testament to not only Ryan’s unbelievable will and strength, but also to the bottomless well of love and support from his family and friends. Of course it’s really much more than that—but words don’t always lend themselves to describing such miracles.
On Jan. 12, 2009, Ryan—an avid cyclist—was riding along a major street in Las Vegas (where he lives), when the side-view mirror of a truck clipped him on the back of the head. While it was a tragic accident—everything changed in an instant.
After sustaining such a traumatic brain injury, Ryan’s had to learn all over again how to talk, walk and do pretty much all the things we take for granted doing on a daily basis. It’s the kind of thing that would make many people crumble inside themselves or simply give up.
But Ryan doesn’t roll that way. And neither do his family and friends. If anything, this experience seems to have deepened their love and galvanized them into action—as evidenced by the passage of a new law that will make the roads safer for other cyclists.