Introduced on May 5, 2011, HR 1754 would permanently increase conforming loan limits in high cost areas like San Francisco, Boston and New York to 125% of average. This drastically helps people like Brian and I to afford housing in the $600k to $900 range which is a typical median range for 2 and some 3 bedroom houses in San Francisco!

Preserving Equal Access to Mortgage Finance Programs Act – Amends the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Act and the Federal National Mortgage Association Charter Act to increase limitations on the maximum original principal obligation of mortgages that may purchased by the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Association (Freddie Mac). Increases such limitations in areas where 125% (currently, 115%) of the median price of residences of a particular size exceed existing mortgage purchase limitations for such residence size. Gives the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) discretion to prevent or limit a decrease in the limitation on the maximum original principal obligation of a mortgage that may be purchased by the corporation for an area. Amends the National Housing Act to raise limitations on the maximum principal obligation of mortgages that may be insured by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Gives the Secretary discretion to prevent or limit a decrease in the maximum dollar amount limitation for any area from taking place for any such area.

Please write your representative TODAY and encourage him/her to support this bill!

Posted photos of our most recent vacation to Mexico. We spent 8 days and 7 nights aboard the Carnival Splendor. We stopped in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas!

Well as most of you probably know already, California’s highest courts upheld Proposition 8 which was passed by the voters in the election last November. Fortunately for Brian and I, we chose not to leave our fate up to a simple majority of bigots and legally married on October 30th, 2008. The State Supreme Court did uphold marriages that occurred prior to the November election. This has now created a special “class” of person and a very complicated financial position for those of us who were fortunate enough to get married.

Married in the eyes of the state, but not the federal government means extremely complicated taxes, inheritance and legal standing outside of California. It also means that, for the time being, we can enjoy certain privileges, rights and status that our fellow gay couples cannot. The fight continues…

We have a new mailing address!  Please contact one of us for details.  We got tired of paying the excessive fees at the UPS Store box I’ve had for the past 4 years.  Plus since the owner changed hands, the UPS Store owner is flakey, irresponsible and just clueless.  Definitely NOT worth the $470 / year for the box!!  So now that we’re settled into the house here, we are going to receive mail here.  Of course, if you know me, you know that I bought and installed a fortress of a mailbox to prevent people from stealing our mail (or at least making it darn difficult).  I’ll probably have packages sent to my office for my regular shipments of wine and such, otherwise, please send it here!

Happy New Year everyone!

More to come!