Gladstone Discusses Being Smoke Free

This week the Gladstone City Council hammered out the details of its ban on smoking in most enclosed places.... places of employment and public places within city limits. This includes Gladstone's thirteen parks.

The ban does have some exceptions for instance: bowling alleys, pool halls, bars and restaurants that seat less than 75 people as long as they post a sign that says "non-smoking areas are NOT available."

A decision to my knowledge hasn't been reached as yet... but watch for a decision to be made shortly.

First Time Buyers Get 8000.00 For Buying A Home

Yes, you read correctly..... a lovely couple that I just worked with are getting $8000.00 for buying a home.

Of course I'd love to tell you that it was just for the pleasure of working with me, but in all honesty it's due to the new American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

They qualified in every way...
#1. They haven't owned a home in the last three years
#2. They purchased between 1/1/09 and 12/1/09
#3. Their combined income wasn't over $150,000
#4. They intend to keep the house for three years.

With anyone who is wanting to get a home, you need to have your credit in order in addition to all the requirements of the act.

So if you have been sitting on the fence and not making a decision to buy a home ... Now is the time!

If you need some assistance with your real estate needs, please feel free to call me. 816-682-3897

Cocoa Mulch.... DANGER to Dogs and Cats

I am a pet lover and the new ownere of a Kerry Blue Terrier.... I use mulch in my yard and so do some of my clients in the Kansas City North area. I felt this important information to share to keep your pets safe.

With the Spring season upon us, please be sure and check the contents of the mulch you are putting in your landscaping.

Checked on Snopes and it is true. ( http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp)


Over the weekend the doting owner of two young lab mixes purchased Cocoa Mulch from local discount store to use in their garden. They loved the way it smelled and it was advertised to keep cats away from their garden. Their dog Calypso decided that the mulch smelled good enough to eat and devoured a large helping. She vomited a few times which was typical when she eats something new but wasn't acting lethargic in any way. The next day, Mom woke up and took Calypso out for her morning walk . Half way through the walk, she had a seizure and died instantly.

Although the mulch had NO warnings printed on the label, upon further investigation on the company's website, this product is HIGHLY toxic to dogs and cats.

Cocoa Mulch is manufactured by Hershey's, and they claim that 'It is true that studies have shown that 50% of the dogs that eat Cocoa Mulch can suffer physical harm to a variety of degrees (depending on each individual dog). However, 98% of all dogs won't eat it.'

Cocoa Mulch, contains a lethal ingredient called ' Theobromine'. It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff and die. Several deaths already occurred in the last 2-3 weeks. Theobromine is in all chocolate, especially dark or baker's chocolate which is toxic to dogs. Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of theobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline. A dog that ingested a lethal quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells developed severe convulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts of theobromine.

First Time Buyers Tax Credit Info

This just in from a Mortgage lady I refer to:

The $7500 tax credit for first time buyers is a great thing to help stimulate interest. There have been a lot of questions and little clarification. The Tax groups are finally getting some information. Here is a recent clarification:

Unmarried couples get a break on claiming the new credit for home buyers. They can allocate the credit any way they want. Example: If one of the two unmarried purchasers has more than $95,000 of AGI, the credit can be allocated in full to the other buyer. Similarly, if one of the buyers has owned a principal residence in the past three years and thus is not eligible to claim the credit, the entire credit can be taken by the other. The maximum credit is 10% of the purchase price, but not more than $7500. For homes purchased in the first 6 months of 2009, buyers can claim the credit on their 2008 return or they can file an amended return. When filing a joint tax return as a married couple, neither buyer can have owned a home in the last 3 years.



Missouri Housing Development Corporation has come up with a program in which buyers can "borrow" against the $7500, up front, for their downpayment, and pay MHDC back when they receive their funds. Missouri is the first state to come up with a program to get the money up front to help with downpayment.