Lori & G-II Real Estate Team / Luke Air Force Base Specialist

08/23/2023

08/22/2023

Yup, that worked just GREAT.

LOL

05/16/2023

So Tenley, our granddaughter, has her 1st part in movies, in the Anna Nicole Smith: You Don't Know Me movie streaming on Netflix right now.

on Instagram

05/15/2023

VA Appraisals and How To Navigate Them

HUD (Housing & Urban Department) has fielded appraisal complaints of perceived discrimination, from communities of 'color'. Folks within an "ethnic enclave" or "cultural subgroup", perceive appraisal incompetence as terrorizing their home buying process. The appraisal terror that some buyers, within an "ethnic enclave" or "cultural subgroup", have experienced along with thousands and perhaps 10s of thousands of both homeowners and home buyers is not a one off. These consumers have valid concerns about a seemingly inefficient appraisal challenge process are correct in as much as we need to change the system. Educating homeowners will truly give them more power to protect themselves from inaccurate and incompetent appraisal professionals.

A consumer’s perception that their appraisal was mismanaged, either intentionally, by incompetence, or by a biased appraiser would be extremely difficult to prove. There is no way that I can profess to understand what fears and concerns a person/s within a minority community might have, of being treated equally and fairly as a person of color. That said the description of some appraisal processes that some folks within an "ethnic enclave" or "cultural subgroup" have experienced matches much more closely to the need for change in the appraisal process with respect to consumer engagement rather than a preponderance of racial bias within the appraisal process.

As a licensed real estate agent, with over 30 years’ experience, and the National Legislative Committee Chair at the Veteran’s Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP) the topic of consumer advocacy in the real estate and appraisal arena of the real estate transaction, my team and I and other well-informed colleagues are working on legislation that will improve transparency in all aspects of the real estate transaction to include the appraisal process.

A recent law (Improving the VA Home Loan Benefit Act of 2022) was passed in December 2022 that affirmed to the Veterans Administration that changes to the appraisal process and appraisal challenge process will be made to the VA appraisal process.

Read my full article at the link below.

HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE VA APPRAISAL PROCESS or WHAT CAN I DO TO CORRECT A PROBLEM WITH MY VA APPRAISAL? HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE VA APPRAISAL PROCESS or WHAT CAN I DO TO CORRECT A PROBLEM WITH MY VA...

05/13/2023

As the Chair/Director of the National Legislative Committee at VAREP (Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals) I am proud of my team for driving this legislation to the floor of the House of Representatives, via Rep. Derik Kilmer, Rep. Susie Lee and Rep. Michelle.

By granting VAREP a federal charter, Congress would affirm the unique value and expertise that VAREP brings to addressing veterans' housing, appraisal, and financial and financial heal needs. The grant of a Federal Chartered VSO status to VAREP would serve as a validation of VAREP's unwavering commitment to serving veterans. It ensures that veterans receive specialized assistance from fellow veterans within the organization who understand their experiences and needs and from organization members who speak, “VETERAN”. This affirmation would be solely based on VAREP's merits and dedication, without any hidden motives or aspirations for special status.

08/24/2022

General and Bright Eyes out for an afternoon walk after a monsoon rain

08/11/2022

VAREP is on the move again, this time with the help of Rep. Kilmer as he Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Help Veterans Attain Homeownership. We are leveling the playing field for VA Buyers. No more steering vets to other loan platforms! http://kilmer.house.gov/media/press-releases/kilmer-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-to-help-veterans-attain-homeownership

The Official U.S. Congress website of Congressman Derek Kilmer of Washington's 6th District

07/08/2022

Welcome to the July 2022 Luke Air Force Base Military Appreciation Guide. Also, be sure to check out our OpEd in the center of the magazine, "History of the VA Loan / The GI Bill"

05/22/2022

Attending the dancing with the stars in Buckeye! So awesome! :-) Photos coming soon! :-)
Charity event for Community Paws

04/27/2022

Today we honor and remember our friends who "Gave All" in the Kabul, Afghanistan shooting on 27 April 2011.

America lost true heroes on that fateful day. Our personal friend, Lt. Col. Frank 'BRUISER' Bryant was one of those we honor and remember today, including Maj. David 'KLEPTO' Brodeur and six other men and one woman gave their ALL that day.

I also learned something else today... about the symbol of the coin, the nickel. The symbol of the coin actually is given birth in Greek mythology where the ferryman of Hades, required payment of one coin to ferry the soul from the world of the living to the world of the dead. The river crossed was the River Styx, separating the two realms. The ferryman, Charon, demanded payment or your soul would remain unsettled and passage to the underworld would be impossible without payment of the single coin.

To all of the airmen remembered today but with immense focus on BRUISER Bryant and KLEPTO Brodeur, as the song goes...

"So here's a nickel on the grass to you, my friends, and your spirits, enthusiasm, sacrifice and courage - but most of all to your friendships. Your's is a dying breed and when you are gone, the world will be a lesser place."

***Killed in the April 27, 2011, incident were:
- Maj. Philip D. Ambard, 44, of Edmonds, Wash. He was assigned to the 460th Space Communications Squadron, Buckley Air Force Base, Colo.
- Maj. Jeffrey O. Ausborn, 41, of Gadsden, Ala. He was assigned to the 99th Flying Training Squadron, Randolph AFB, Texas.
- Maj. David L. Brodeur, 34, of Auburn, Mass. He was assigned to the 11th Air Force, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
- Master Sgt. Tara R. Brown, 33, of Deltona, Fla. She was assigned to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, JB Andrews, Md.
- Lt. Col. Frank D. Bryant Jr., 37, of Knoxville, Tenn. He was assigned to the 56th Operations Group, Luke AFB, Ariz.
- Maj. Raymond G. Estelle II, 40, of New Haven, Conn. He was assigned to Headquarters Air Combat Command, JB Langley-Eustis, Va.
- Capt. Nathan J. Nylander, 35, of Hockley, Texas. He was assigned to the 25th Operational Weather Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
- Maj. Charles A. Ransom, 31, of Midlothian, Va. He was assigned to the 83rd Network Operations Squadron, JB Langley-Eustis, Va.
- Ret. U.S. Army Lt. Col. James McLaughlin Jr., 55, of Santa Rosa, Calif. He was working as a civilian contractor for Military Personnel Resources, Inc. a division of L3.

*** https://www.af.mil/

Very Respectfully /

G2 Varrato & Lori Klindera

04/20/2022

IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE MONEY

Lori & I we're really excited to share this short story with everybody. We represent a seller who is retired Air Force as am I.

We all know that inventory is extremely low. We know that veterans/ who try to buy a house end up competing with somebody with a pocket full of money to outbid them or a cash hedge-fund investor buyer who has a pile full of cash to throw at a seller.

We are very proud of the seller, that we represent on four of our listings. He is 92 year old veteran himself and made an absolute commitment that he would sell his homes to qualified veterans. Today we received an offer from a Marine veteran that was lower than any of the other cash offers in the pipeline. Our seller decided to kick all of the cash buyers aside and accept the veterans offer that is considerably lower than all of the other cash offers. The retired U.S. Air Force seller did not ask the veteran to waive the VA Amendatory Clause, nor any other normal contract conventions. We are all aware that the property will, in all likelihood, not appraise for the agreed sale price and that is fine with the U.S. Air Force veteran seller. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, but be assured, the seller is going to work with the Marine veteran to make certain that the Marine gets his family a home.

I have every confidence, after speaking with our seller that he is going to work with the veteran in the event we end up with a short appraisal which I am certain that will happen.

So keep in mind, as you engage veteran buyers, that only less than 4/10 of 1% of the population of the United States has chosen to wear the uniform of The United States Armed Forces. We choose to take a bullet for all Americans to protect the freedoms that all of us take for granted.

We simply think it is fitting that differential consideration should be on the table every time a veteran buyer is trying to buy a house.

To the Marine veteran buyer who is under contract with an Air Force seller, we respectfully salute you my friend SEMPER-FI

G2 Varrato II, Ret. U.S. Air Force, Red Horse
Lifetime Member River Rats
Air Force Sergeants Association
Red Horse Association
Air Force Association

03/20/2022

The next time you are representing a veteran and run into difficulty with another agent or a seller, remind them of the Veterans Creed

This is our commitment to one another as veterans and we carry the same commitment in our heart for all Americans.

We only hope a similar sentiment is In the hearts of all whom we serve

Very Respectfully

G2