Boerne Wine Company – 302 South Main Street, Boerne, Texas – Wine & Cigar Bar – Upscale atmosphere – Indoor and outdoor seating – Unique in that it is self-service with a very cool wine dispenser.   For more info, go to http://www.boernewinecompany.com

The Plaid Goat – 708 High Street, Comfort, Texas - Appetizers / Desserts / Wine / Beer / Espresso – Indoor & Outdoor Seeing – Very Fun Atmosphere – Open Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. For more info, go to http://www.theplaidgoatcomfort.com/

Grape Juice – 623 Water Street, Kerrville, Texas - Great Wine, Unique Beer, Simple Food, Comfortable atmosphere- Open from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. every day except Sunday and Monday.  For more info, go to http://grapejuiceonline.com/

Too many people are so frightened of guilt that they do anything they can to avoid it. They slavishly follow a law, hoping that if they an obey all the commandments, always doing the “right” thing they will avoid guilt.  John A. Sanford, The Kingdom Within – The Inner Meaning of Jesus’ Sayings (San Francisco: Harper Collins Publishers,1987), 115.

DO YOU HATE FEELING “GUILTY”?

So many of us don’t know how to handle feelings of guilt. We fear it because we fear the punishment associated with guilt.

1 John 5:18-19 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.

Here is an excerpt from my Bible Study: “Lord My Life Isnt’ Working!,” that speaks to that issue.

The Connection between Fear, Guilt & Punishment

What is the difference between punishment and consequence?

Both deal with the results of our “falling short” on a matter.  No one is exempt from “falling short” in life. Punishment seeks to administer a penalty for the failing … a painful one. Discipline seeks to “teach” a different path … by connecting the natural negative result with the failing so that the same path will not be taken again.  When the only method for dealing with our “failings” is punishment, we become fearful people.  We fear our failings, we fear guilt, we fear shame, we fear being “bad.” In our confusion, we create rules for ourselves and others for avoiding punishment and, so, we fear “breaking rules.” The presence of fear is unsettling to our nervous system.  Fear breeds more Fear.

What was your fear level growing up? What is it Now? Do you see any connections?

How do guilt, shame and hiding relate to fear and punishment?

When we fail at a standard of right and wrong (e.g., what we are “supposed” to be or do), we feel “guilty.” Guilt is a natural result of feeling as though we have “fallen short.”

Dependent upon how you were raised, processing guilt can be either a “cleansing experience” or a an experience that shuts you down, distorts your thinking and/or “slimes” you.  It depends on (1) whether the standards that were set for you were healthy ones and (2) whether you had modeled a healthy way of dealing with guilt.

For those who were not modeled correctly, the usual response is one or more of the following:

1. Anger is a natural response to an unfair standard being placed on you;
2. Blaming is a natural response to try to redirect and place the standard on someone else;
3. Hiding occurs when we cover what we are feeling “bad” about and pretend it is ok by taking on a role that does not make us feel “bad”;
4. Shame enters when we take what we feel guilty about and allow it to enter into our identity. We feel “flawed” at the deepest level, we reject ourselves and begin to despise ourselves as self punishment. When we despise ourselves, it, not only shuts down our spirit, it “slimes” our spirit with distortion.

Most people will end up in shame to some degree.  Think about how shame and self hatred are connected. Understandably, if we were not taught the proper way of dealing with guilt, guilt becomes something to be avoided at all costs.

How would you rate your fear level of guilt? Do you/Did you try to meet standards so you don’t have to/wouldn’t have to feel guilty? Think about a time when you desired to “go against” what you knew others might disapprove of.  How hard was it? Is it still hard  even to this day?

The reason we fear guilt is because we fear the punishment associated with feeling the guilt.  Punishment is painful both internally and externally.

What is the difference between true guilt and false guilt?

You have to look at the standard.  Is it a standard that someone else has projected on you? Is it from society, your family, religious teachings? Or is it an internal sense of contradicting what we know that we know in our spirits (e.g., a lack of congruence)?

Give some examples of standards that are from society, family, religious teachings.

How about examples of things that we know that we know are from God (e.g., true guilt)? Some things are wrong, not because society says so, but because they contradict our deepest and truest nature … Moral commandments have validity, not because they are absolutely right in themselves, but because they are generalizations of what the voice of God within tells us about our own life.

It is important to distinguish between things that others say are wrong or “bad” and what the Holy Spirit is bearing witness to your spirit regarding what is wrong for your life. What are you sensing?

Sometimes, we need to confront the fact that we are not confident in our own sensing. How would you rate your ability to stand on your own when it comes to determining right/wrong for yourself?

It might be helpful to clearly state: “____ says THIS is right/wrong. Should I believe them, Lord?”

Read through the contrasting Scriptures:

Matthew 23:4-5 They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. But they do deeds to be noticed by men.

John 7:24 Do not judge according to appearance but judge with righteous judgment.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart. and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and y burden is light.

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things.

John 6:45 And they shall all be taught by God.

On the one hand, standards from others will feel like burdens.  On the other hand, Jesus’ burdens are light and give us rest. What Jesus says may not be exactly what we want to hear every time … but there will be a rest associated with what He says.  Our goal is to begin to “stand” in who God has made us to be … to be our True Self … in order for our spirits to be awakened … so that we can listen to the Spirit speak to us.

Rom 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of fear leading to slavery again but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out “Abba, Father!”

What is the nature of a slave? What are his expectations? What is his sense of self?

A slave has a weak sense of self and expects to be “told” what to do.  He is fearful and is easily “pushed” around. He is not able to express his desires.

God desires that we have both a strong sense of self (e.g., we are children of God), and a strong sense of God (e.g., We can cry out “Abba, Father!”). When we receive His Holy Spirit (by faith), we are restored with the capacity to connect with God Spirit to spirit. We work through things together, and, where we need change, He helps us change from the inside out … colaboratively.

It is important to be honest with your feelings, to tell the Lord what you are thinking and feeling, what you feel is wrong, who else agrees with you or doesn’t, what it is you want and desire, and to listen for what HE says about what is good for your life … what He desires.  Often, the guilt that we feel is NOT from the Lord. We need to be sure and check in and see what He thinks on the subject.

Homework

Take note of and journal daily standards that you place on yourself and that others place on you as well.  They might be societal, family or religious standards. Write down the standard in the following format:  The standard of right and wrong says that “If I do this … then I am right/accepted/good/able to avoid punishment.” Consider how guilt is stirred when you fail at the standard even when you KNOW that the standard is not from God.

Take note also of scenarios that occur that cause you to know/feel “in your gut” that something is wrong, not because society says so, but because it contradicts your deepest and truest nature. How does that “feel” different?

(If you would like more information on the How-To’s of processing guilt, or just help doing the same, drop me an email. Otherwise, stay tuned to other excerpts to come.).

Topics will include:
Overview and history of the flood plain program
Definition of terms: flood plain, floodway, base elevation
Flood insurance available
Building restrictions in the flood plain and flood way
Enforcement programs at the county level
Permits required
Engineering studies required and their price range
Variances available
Penalties for violations
Interpretation of the flood plain map
Tax appraisal of flood plain properties

Speakers will include Rick Tobolka, Kendall County Flood Plain Administrator; Wayne Godsey, Registered Engineer and Hydrologist; Gary Eldridge, Chief Appraiser of the Kendall County Appraisal District; and, tentatively, a representative from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Sponsored by the Comfort Area Foundation as a public service.

Contact person is Steve Spence, phone 210-413-0271, email saspence@hctc.net

2011-12 Dates of Operation:

Eisbahn opens annually the day after Thanksgiving and runs through the first Sunday in January. The dates for this season are:

November 25, 2011 through January 1, 2012

Hours of Operation:
Open Saturdays 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Open Sundays 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Monday – Friday before school is out for Christmas break: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
(but always 10 p.m. on Fridays) Monday – Friday after school is out for Christmas break: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Open Christmas Eve Day
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Closed Christmas Day
Open New Years Eve and New Years Day

$10.00 to skate (all ages) Includes skate rental.

I was talking with a gentleman the other day who commented that he didn’t think he wanted to purchase at this time because he expected real estate values to continue to go down.  That was his opinion, not mine and to be truthful, he said that because he had a net “zero” gain on the sale of his house. Truthfully sad … but I believe it is skewing his thinking.

Anyway .. it got me considering whether his reasoning (e.g., real estate is a bad investment right now) was accurate financially.  I say that because I look at the real estate market right now and think the absolute opposite.

Prices are back to 2007-8 levels and interest rates are so DARN low right now (4.25% was the last quote I got for a 30 Year, fixed, 740 credit score, 80% LTV). In my mind, real estate seems to be an AWESOME investment right now!

There are two issues that need to be considered in looking at real estate as an investment:

First, what can I get for my money right now? Is that more or less than what I am expecting for the future? Most people translate that into monthly payment. If I only have $1000 per month to spend right now, how much can I get for that $1,000 now?  How much will $1,000 per month get me in the future?Second, when the time comes for selling, will I make money or lose money when I get to the closing table?

My assumptions are:

Interest rates or at or near their lows. I am expecting interest rates to rise over time due mostly to the fact that prices generally are rising.  Any one who buys groceries or gas on a regular basis knows that prices are increasing. I believe that we have artificially low rates right now. My assumption is a 2% increase in interest rates during the next 2 years. I don’t know that for sure, of course, but that is my assumption.  Also, as interest rates increase, prices will also increase.  Historically, that is what happens in real estate.

Let’s look at an example:

For a $100,000 home loan, a 2% interest rate increase (from 4.25% to 6.25%) would cause the principal and interest payment to rise from $491.93 to $615.71 per month. That is equivalent to a 25% higher monthly payment meaning that I will have to pay MORE for the same house in the future.

To keep the current monthly payment of $491.93 even though the rates are higher, you would only be able to afford a $80,000  home loan. That is 20% less house. OUCH!

Annually, the outlay from the higher payment would be about $1500.  In 2 years, that would be equivalent to $3,000 more in payments. Thus, if you look at these figures by themselves, it would seem that you would “lose” so to speak with real estate if you are expecting prices to drop by more than 3.00% during that 2 year period … let’s say 5%.  So, if I am expecting the sales price to be $95,000 in two years, I would have lost a net $2,000. Is that right?
My answer is DEFINITELY NO!!! What you must keep in mind, however, is: What could YOU buy in 2 years if you kept your $100,000?

First, just as an aside, you would have not had any ownership in a home. No tax benefits! Just lease payments which are higher than they have been in a long time.

Second, if you still only have $491.93 per month to spend on principal and interest, you would only be able to afford an $80,000 house. Even if you compare that with the $95,000 you THINK you would have sold your house for, that’s an 18% loss. Doesn’t sound like a wise choice financially!  Also, as I stated earlier, historically, home prices usually rise as interest rates rise.  So, what you could afford, probably would be even less than the $80,000.

For those who invested in the last 4 years, there truly has been a big hit! No question there!  What needs to be kept in mind is the reason for that hit … the housing bubble and stupid mortgage practices. You know the old saying … Hindsight is 20/20. It would have been great if we all knew that the bubble was going to pop.

Historically, real estate has been a great investment. Right now, we have this amazing phenomenon of having both low interest rates and low prices. We feel like it is an AWESOME time to invest in real estate and hope that this analysis will get you thinking along the same lines as well.

To find out what is on the market right now, return to the main page and choose your search area.  We’d love to help you invest in the Texas Hill Country.  Our number is 830-995-2511.

Performing Friday at Dickens on Main at Main Plaza, Cibolo Haus and Boerne Wine Co. will be the Alleluia Singers, the Encore Children’s Chorus, ensemble groups from Boerne and Champion High Schools, the Champion High School Dance Team, Geneva School Theatre Troupe, Super Squad of the Hill Country, Stolle School of Dance, Laura Marie, Blue Skyz Band, Bernie Tosdevin and J. Damian Gillen’s one-man show of BAH HUMBUG!, featuring Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.”

The 26th annual Weihnachts Parade will be on Saturday, Dec. 3. It starts at 6 p.m. at River Road, travels north on Main Street and turns left on Johns Road.

The 27th annual Oma’s Christmas Craft Fair, featuring handcrafted items, will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the fairgrounds off Highway 46. Admission is $3.

For more information, Click Here.

Then frustration sets in. Not enough showings and they begin wondering why. Here is what I am discovering and passing on to my Sellers.

Today, as I do every day, I got on my computer, logged onto our local MLS (San Antonio Board) and took a look at what new had come on in our market area (Comfort, Waring, Welfare, Boerne, Fair Oaks Ranch, Bergheim – basically the I-10 corridor of the Texas Hill Country). One number that I like to look at as a comparison of what is going on in the market is: the number of new listings vs. the number of solds.  Today, I pulled up the last 30 days figure and they were:

176 New Listings & 62 Solds.  That number reveals that for every 3 new listings that comes on the market, there is only one sale that has been removed.

Although the market has been gradually improving, those numbers need to be much closer together.  I’d like to see that number nearer to 1 meaning that one on, one off.

Because there are so  many houses on the market, Sellers need to be sure that they aren’t shooting themselves in the foot by not taking into account these three things:

#1 Price. How does your current list price compare to historical prices? In our local area, as of this writing (11/11), if you are not pretty close to 2007-8 prices, your house is just not going to get looked at very much. Why?  Foreclosures and short sales are pushing market prices back to that level. What you need to realistically be looking at is: How many foreclosures and shorts sales are there at your price point and how does your house compare to those houses. If there are even 2 or 3 foreclosures and/or short sales at your price point and you are priced way above them, the number of showings on your house is going to be minimal. Key point: Make sure your price is in line with what is on the market (including foreclosures and short sales).

What we tell our sellers is that the best time to sell your home is in the first month. If it is priced right to begin with, you’ll get showings and therefore buyers! Not every one of our Sellers listens to us on that point. Regardless, it is never too late to get your price in line with the market. Be encouraged!  We have had many sellers start out with prices too high and ultimately come down to the price we suggest and then get a sale!

#2 Repair Issues. Do you have significant repairs required? Another interesting figure is the number of price changes:  Today, for that same period, there were 160.  Because there are so many price changes, when asked, we are telling people that price changes need to be in the $10,000-$20,000 range to really make an impact. Sellers are reducing their prices right and left by those numbers.

For many Sellers, that $10-$20K really could (and, in my opinion, should) be used to remedy problems instead. These are some basic suggestions: If your well is out, don’t decrease the price, fix it!  If the carpet is old and worn, fix that!  Listen to what your showing feedback is saying. If people are pointing out that your decks are in disrepair, consider repairing them. What you want is buyers to walk  in your house and NOT see problems.

Rule of thumb is that for every dollar that is required for repair issues, a buyers is going to double and sometimes triple that number when mentally calculating how much your house is worth.  Keep in mind, also, that THAT number usually gets deducted from the current list price (even when there have been prior price reductions).  And that is only for those who are willing to look past the repair issues. Most people don’t like to mess with repairs.  If there are other houses on the market that don’t require repairs, buyers will choose the ones without required repairs!  Key point: You may want to repair instead of reduce!

#3 Cleanliness.  Is your house spic n span during every showing? Related to #2 above, cleanliness is truly next to godliness when it comes to showings on your home!  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, make sure your house is white glove clean!  That means counters, windows, baseboards, fans, light fixtures, floors, etc.  Also, make sure it smells good and there is as much light shining in as possible (that means blinds open and windows clean)!  People need to be able to envision themselves in your house. For many people, if they walk in a house and it feels dirty or smelly or if it is dark feeling, they’ll walk right back out and say, “This one just doesn’t feel right!” Key Point: Clean your house EVERY DAY. Open the shades. Light a candle.

It is my desire as a listing agent to keep my sellers “in the loop” as to what is going on in the market and to coach them on what to think about to get more showings. Truly, there’s a buyer out there for every property. Sellers, you just have to do “your part” which create the conditions so that buyers discover just how wonderful your house is.

Remember, we all have a mutual goal … to get your house SOLD!  We, at Hill Country Home & Ranch Team, truly believe that it is a “team” effort.  If you are a buyer or seller, we’d love to help you as well. Hopefully, this primer has given a little food for thought.