On The Fence About Buying A Home?
Filed Under Real Estate · Tagged:
Owning a Home isn’t the same kind of investment as stocks and bonds. What you get is a USE asset that depreciates over time while it grows in market value. All you have to do is keep your home in good repair to maximize your investment.
| Five Reasons why you get more for your money than the stock market |
|
1. Leverage. with stocks, you put in all your money for a little piece of a company. With a house, you put in a little money to get the enire house.
2. Tax Benefits. Uncle Sam knows that you owning a home can be hard work; that is why you get tax incentives. Consider the benefits of fixed-rate mortgages, property tax write-offs, interest rate deductions and depreciation. 3. Control. With a home, you have control-what you buy, how much you pay, and where you live. 4. Lifestyle. With a home, you are purchasing a vantage point for yourself and your family, the neighborhood you want to be in and the size and lifestyle of a home that fits your needs. 5. Value. Unlike some stocks, your house will seldom become worthless. Barring a catastrophe, your home will retain a major portion of its value, even in the worst times. |
Portland Community Gardens
Filed Under Going Green, Portland · Tagged:
The Community Garden program has provided gardening opportunities for the physical and social benefit of the people and neighborhoods of Portland since 1975. There are 30 community gardens located throughout the city, developed and operated by volunteers and PP&R staff, offering a variety of activities.
If you are interested in becoming a Community Gardener, please email or call the Community Gardens office with the following information: your full name, complete mailing address, current phone number(s), and which one or two gardens you are interested in. They will notify you if a plot is available; if no plots are available, they will add you to the waiting list.
Community Gardens Office
6437 SE Division
Portland, OR 97206
503-823-1612
Portland Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
Filed Under Going Green, Portland · Tagged:
What is Community Supported Agriculture?
A CSA farming operation is a combined effort between a farm and a community of supporters (“harvest shareholders”, “members”) that creates a direct relationship between the production and consumption of food: Each season the harvest shareholders provide the money (and sometimes other resources) needed for the farm to operate by purchasing a “harvest share” of the season’s harvest. Operating costs include seeds, labor, growing supplies and soil-building amendments. By making this commitment a harvest shareholder assumes with the farmer the risks and the rewards of growing the food they will eat. In turn, the farm distributes to the harvest shareholders the entire production of the farm: a wide variety of seasonally harvested fresh produce, usually on a weekly basis, throughout the growing season(s).
The CSA model is an economically viable way for small scale farmers to produce a small amount of a wide variety of high quality vegetables in an earth-friendly way. CSAs foster responsible relationships between the grower, the consumer, the food, and the land on which the food is grown.
