Skip to main content

Tag: Thanksgiving

Be thankful – maybe

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

This is Thanksgiving week, and in spite of or because of our current housing market, we have much to be thankful for. Not everyone in the world can live in their own home, especially in such a beautiful place. Nevertheless, we need to be vigilant because nothing is ever free.

According to Forbes, as of Nov. 16, the average 30-year home mortgage is 7.83% and the average 15-year home mortgage is 7.06%, down slightly from previous weeks. This may not sound great, but the good news is the rates are going down and are somewhat stable. In addition, the Federal Reserve did not raise rates during its last meeting and has signaled they may be holding steady for a while. The stock market heard this loud and clear and has been improving almost every day.

However, buyers who are actively looking for a new home and a new mortgage still aren’t too happy. To find a way to address the buyer’s reluctance to enter into an 8% mortgage, some lenders are offering programs that include future refinance for free. Of course, lenders are looking to fill the hole left by retreating buyers who cannot bring themselves to sign on for an almost 8% home mortgage and attract new borrowers.

But is this really a good deal for buyers? Nothing in the mortgage industry is free and signing on to what looks like a good deal may bite you down the road. Every lender has its own program with a different set of incentives that can be confusing to even astute buyers.

Usually, lenders will give some borrowers a certificate or another type of IOU that gives them access to a credit that can be used to pay for some of the costs associated with a future refinance. Other lenders may roll the future closing costs into the loan amount or waive lender fees and/or appraisal fees for a future refinance.

The average closing costs for a single-family refinance are approximately $2,500. A lender could offer a credit somewhere between $1,500 and $3,000 for a future refinancing but if the closing costs in the future are less, the difference will not be refunded to you. Also, buy now/refinance later mortgages may have higher initial fees or interest rates or come with time limits.

Since no one knows what the rates will be in the future or what your particular lender will offer down the road, you could be signing up for an unknown. Part of that unknown is whether your credit rating declines or your property value drops and you don’t qualify for a refinance.

It’s always nice to see new ideas that may be available to help buyers, but it might be more beneficial to focus on what you can afford now; don’t assume that the rates will fall in the future and allow you to take advantage of your previous credit.

Refinancing any mortgage is always an option and if interest rates do drop, you’re not tied in to one lender, you can see what the competition is offering at that time. I’m not saying there may not be some great buy now/refinance later programs out there that will be the perfect fit for your finances now, I’m just saying think about the future before you obligate yourself.

Tomorrow be thankful for your family, friends and a bounty of food. Also be thankful for American ingenuity, it makes our country special and offers options for every buyer. Happy Thanksgiving.

How to do the holidays during COVID-19

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

Anna Maria Island is a place where families from all over the country – and the world – come to relax and reunite, especially over the holidays.

But as the coronavirus pandemic is revving up into high gear once again, scientists at the Centers for Disease Control have compiled comprehensive advice for you to consider before planning to travel and host or attend holiday meals and parties in this unusual and challenging holiday season.

Travel

2020 COVID-19 cases on Anna Maria Island

Source: Florida Department of Health

Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 this year, according to the CDC. Before you decide to travel, ask:

  • Are you or anyone you will be visiting at increased risk for COVID-19 due to age or medical conditions?
  • Are cases high or increasing in your community or destination? Check CDC.gov, which reports that cases are rising in the U.S.
  • Are hospitals in your community or destination overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients? Check state and local public health department websites.
  • Do your plans include traveling by bus, train, or air, which makes staying 6 feet apart difficult, or by car, which requires rest stops and gas station stops that can expose you to COVID-19?
  • Does your home or destination have requirements or restrictions for travelers?
  • During the 14 days before you travel, have you or those you are visiting had close contact with people they don’t live with?
  • Are you traveling with people who don’t live with you?

If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” you should not travel, according to the CDC.

The CDC advises that you do not host or attend a holiday gathering if you:
  • are at increased risk due to age or health conditions,
  • have been exposed to COVID-19 in the last 14 days,
  • are showing COVID-19 symptoms,
  • have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or
  • are waiting for results of a COVID-19 test.

Gatherings

The lowest-risk way to have a holiday gathering in 2020 is to schedule separate holiday celebrations simultaneously and connect by Zoom or a similar method, according to the CDC. But having meals with only the people who live in your household is also low risk, as is preparing and delivering meals for family and neighbors with no contact.

A moderately-risky option is having meals outdoors with a few family and friends, if they live in your community.

The highest-risk gatherings are indoor meals or parties with people you do not live with or near – the more people, the higher the risk.

Serving or using alcohol increases the risk by altering judgment and making it more difficult to practice safety measures.

Anyone who lives or works with people at higher risk should consider the potential risk to them before attending gatherings.

To reduce risk at a gathering:

  • Hosts and guests should strictly avoid contact with people outside of their households for 14 days before the gathering and should follow COVID-19 safety measures at home.
  • Keep gatherings short.
  • Wear masks with two or more layers, except when eating and drinking, and make sure they are worn over your nose and mouth and fit snugly along the sides of your face. Hosts should have a clean supply of disposable masks.
  • Keep a 6-foot social distance, including at tables. People from the same household should sit at their own tables.
  • Wash hands often, especially before preparing, serving or eating food. Guests should wash hands or use hand sanitizer (60% alcohol or more) for at least 20 seconds when entering and leaving gatherings. Hosts should supply paper towels or single-use hand towels in restrooms instead of cloth towels and may also provide cleaning supplies that allow guests to wipe down surfaces before they use or leave the restroom.
  • Gather outdoors or open windows indoors.
  • Verbally greet people instead of shaking hands, hugging or elbow bumping.
  • Encourage guests to bring their own food and drinks.
  • Do not use a buffet or drink station.
  • Limit people going in and out of the kitchen or gathering around the outdoor grill.
  • Limit the number of people cooking and serving food.
  • Provide single-use condiments to avoid multiple people from handling the same items.
  • Use disposable napkins, plates, cups, utensils and tablecloths.
  • Limit indoor gatherings to 10 people and outdoor gatherings to 25 people.

If you aren’t comfortable with the level of risk involved, consider canceling or not attending the event.

If you are exposed or get sick

After any holiday event, if you feel that you may have been exposed to COVID-19, take extra precautions for 14 days. Avoid being around people, especially those at increased risk of severe illness with COVID-19, and consider getting tested. While you are waiting for the results of a COVID-19 test, stay at home and follow safety measures. If you develop symptoms or test positive for COVID-19, immediately inform the host and other guests who attended the event (hosts should keep a list of guests for contact tracing). This can help reduce the spread of COVID-19 by ensuring that others get tested or self-quarantine.

Come celebrate Thanks-Living

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Entertainment.

ANNA MARIA – Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach residents of all ages are invited to the Thanks-Living community gathering on Wednesday, Nov. 27.

The community gathering will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. under the shade sail at City Pier Park in Anna Maria, at the corner of Pine Avenue and North Bay Boulevard.

Attendees are encouraged to bring finger foods, appetizers, hors d’oeuvres and a bottle of wine, an adult beverage or soft drinks to share with others.

Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items and personal hygiene products for the Roser Food Pantry, and/or cash and checks for the All Island Denominations collective of churches that provides cash vouchers that assist needy Island residents and employees.

Thanks-Living will feature a blackboard upon which attendees can write what they love about the Island and Will Corr and his band will provide live entertainment.

Thanks-Living is supported by the city of Anna Maria and the Anna Maria Island Sun.

Speaker’s inspiration

Thanks-Living was inspired by “For the Love of Cities” author Peter Kageyama’s presentation at The Center this summer.

Kageyama’s presentation led to the creation of the For the Love of Anna Maria Island task force that currently consists of Anna Maria residents Carol Carter, Janet Kingan and Barbara Zdravecky and Holmes Beach resident Bruce Meyer.

“We got together and decided we needed to create some community events to bring the community together like Peter suggested. We came up with four or five ideas and Thanks-Living is the first,” Carter said.

“That was the second time I heard Peter’s lecture and I was very excited about the opportunity to bring some of his ideas to Anna Maria,” Zdravecky said.

“I think it’s important for folks who live here to have a sense of community. As the Island’s characteristics have changed from being mostly residential to now being mostly tourism we’ve lost some of the binds that hold us together. An event held the night before Thanksgiving when people’s families are here, is an opportunity for islanders to come together and break bread and have a drink and toast to the lovely island we live on,” Zdravecky said.

“I’m really grateful to my friend Will Corr, who’s playing the music that night. Will has a lot of heart in the Island. This is islanders celebrating islanders and also helping islanders who have needs,” Zdravecky said.

“We love Anna Maria, but our community is shrinking so we thought what can we do to build community?” Kingan said.

“Peter’s message was about why people love their community,” Meyer said.

Future events

The task force is contemplating future activities that include a long-table dining event on or near the new city pier when it reopens in early 2020.

The task force has discussed a “Bees and Trees” campaign that would promote the importance of bees and the flowering shrubs and bushes bees help pollinate.

“I have some friends who are beekeepers and it’s not a hard thing to put a little bee colony in your yard,” Zdravecky said.

“We also want to have a public art project and put that on or near the pier,” Meyer said.

“When Holmes Beach gets their dog park finished, we want to do some sort of dog and animal blessing there,” Carter said.

The task force doesn’t currently include a Bradenton Beach resident, but Carter said that would be a welcome addition.

“I think everybody in this country should be doing something to help someone in their community,” Zdravecky said. “That’s really what Peter’s book was about: creating opportunities for communities to come together so people get to know each other as human beings and not just as someone who lives down the street.”

Related coverage

Thanks-Living to be a gathering of community

Thanks-Living to be a gathering of community

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Featured.

ANNA MARIA – The community task force called For the Love of Anna Maria Island will host its inaugural Thanks-Living community gathering on Wednesday, Nov. 27.

The community gathering will take place under the shade sail at City Pier Park in Anna Maria from 5 to 7 p.m. City Pier Park is located at the corner of Pine Avenue and North Bay Boulevard.

Everyone who lives on Anna Maria Island is encouraged to attend this free community event. Attendees are encouraged to bring finger foods, appetizers, hors d’oeuvres, a bottle of wine, an adult beverage or soft drinks to share with others.

“It could even be a bag of chips – anything you’d bring to a party,” said task force member and Anna Maria resident Janet Kingan.

Attendees are also welcome to make cash donations for All Island Denominations and/or bring non-perishable food items for the Roser Food Pantry.

Inspired by “For the Love of Cities” author Peter Kageyama’s presentation at The Center earlier this year, the community task force also includes Anna Maria residents Carol Carter and Barbara Zdravecky and Holmes Beach resident Bruce Meyer.

“Your neighbors are further and further apart even though we’re on a seven-mile island. This is a way to bring our neighbors together, for people in Anna Maria to get to know people in Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach and vice versa,” Carter said.

“Peter’s message was about why people love their community. We feel that people love their community because of their relationships with other people and this is an opportunity for people to build new relationships,” Meyer said.

“We’re going to have live music. Will Corr and his band will be performing. We’re going to have all the Island mayors and people will talk about why we love living on Anna Maria. This is a little get together to thank each other for this wonderful Island,” Kingan said.

“We’ll have water, plates and napkins, so they don’t need to bring that. We’ll have tables, we’ll have it lighted, it’ll be festive and we’ll have decorations,” Carter said. “It’s being supported and promoted by the city of Anna Maria and the Anna Maria Island Sun. We have a banner up at City Pier Park and 15 or 20 signs out promoting the gathering,” Carter said.

“We’re hoping this becomes an annual event – the night before Thanksgiving, where people come out with whatever family members are visiting and have a gathering,” Kingan said.

Kingan said Thanks-Living might one day become a pot-luck dinner but for now, it’s simply a party and a chance for people to get to know one another.

Community chalkboard

The Thanks-Living gathering will feature a blackboard upon which people can share in chalk their thoughts about living on Anna Maria Island.

“A few years ago, there was a chalk festival on Pine Avenue and one of the most parts was a blackboard where people could draw and write their impressions about the chalk festival. So, I designed a free-standing, three-sided blackboard that says, ‘I love AMI because…’ at the top. We welcome anyone to write what they love about Anna Maria Island. Photographs will be taken and then it will be erased, put in storage and taken out for the next community event,” Kingan said. “I also have another prop – one of those things you put your head through and take a picture.”