Exploring Oregon

A state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, Oregon resides on the Pacific Coast. Jason Buzi hadn’t been in Oregon in about 15 years except that a few months ago, he visited Seattle with some friends during his birthday weekend. They spent a day in Seattle and a day in Portland. They surely loved Seattle because it was vibrant, interesting, artistic, energetic and alive. Other than that, there were great neighborhoods with outdoor art, hip cafes, beautiful architectures, unusual bars, famous music scenes, and of course, great restaurants.

They never wanted to leave ‘til they decided to extend their vacation to Portland. In contrast to Seattle, they found Portland to be dull, lifeless, and people seemed to be lethargic. It wasn’t as beautiful as Seattle. They visited the recommended spots found in the guidebooks as well as in online travel sites. Most of the places they visited were deserted and sluggish. The only place people were flocking in was called “Voodoo Donuts”, where in many waited in line for long hours. They all agreed that Portland sucks. 

As for Oregon, Jason Buzi remembered little about it except that it was a beautiful state. He decided to spend the two days in the coast as possible as well as in the “Crater Laker”. He started his trip in Astoria, a northernmost town on the Oregon Coast, where the Columbia River, a border between Oregon and Washington. The movies such as “The Goonies”, “Kindergarten Cop”, “Free Willy”, and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III” were among the films that took place in Astoria. Being the largest town in the area, it felt much bigger than its official population of only 10,000. 

After Astoria, he continued down the coast to places he couldn’t remember the name but all of them were very gorgeous. As he reaches the Rockaway Beach, a 4^th of July parade was taking place. It was a cute little town. The views from the hilltop of the beach below were breathtaking. There were also the “Three Coves”, which required a detour from 101, which goes along the coast for the most part. 

Many of the beaches in Northern Oregon had rocks near the shore. Sometimes it had only a big rock then sometimes several rocks or sometimes arches. There were also many rivers along the way. Also, it displayed some forest, meadows and even waterfalls. Occasionally, a dear could be spotted grazing near the road or in the hills. They passed by Tillamook, a place famous for its cheese factory and an oyster shucking plant. Unfortunately, since it was the 4^th of July, both places were closed. After many stops in order to take in so many amazing views of all sorts of beaches, one might think it could get redundant yet it didn’t because every beach was different and unique in its own way. After the long ride, they arrived in the town of Newport at around 7 in the evening. 

Jason Buzi got up early and spent all day on the road and never stopped except during lunch. He was able to cover a third of the Oregon Coast. Decided to go home the following night and wanted to see the Crater Lake before leaving the state, he somewhat reluctantly left the coast and headed inland.

The next morning, he drove his way to Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the United States by average depth the third deepest in the world and Oregon’s only national lake. Upon arrival, he was surprised at all the now. On the way in, the park ranger told him that half the ring road going around the lake was closed due to snow. It was unfortunate of him not being able to drive all around the lake. Furthermore, the greenish blue waters, an island in the middle, snow and forest around it was one of the most spectacular lakes Jason Buzi had ever seen.

 Bottomline is Oregon is a beautiful state. If you are into coastal scenery, lakes, forests, and charming little towns, you will definitely love Oregon.

Flipping House — Basics You Need to Know

There are many ways to earn money through real estate. One of the primary methods of doing this is through flipping houses. There are three basic things you have to do when flipping houses and these include buying a property, fixing the house and of course, selling the property for a profit. This cycle continues as you use the money you get from flipping a house to fund your next real estate venture.

First off, buying a property is initially all about funding. How will you finance your purchase? Do you have cash or will you have to apply for a loan? Are there partners available with whom you can divide the purchase cost with? Financing is fundamental when you want to flip a house.

Similarly, you likewise need to see the property’s location as well as structural integrity. A good neighborhood is a pre-requisite to an easy sell. Check the whole house as well as the periphery of the property. See to it that all is in order and if renovations or repairs are need, be sure that they will not burn a hole in your pocket.

It would likewise be advisable to buy below market value properties. Find motivated sellers who want fast cash and need to put their homes for sale at low prices. You can also look into foreclosed properties. Nonetheless be wary of some institutions that don’t let you preview the house. You won’t know the marketability of the property in this case.

Second, fixing the house or property is another aspect you need to address. You have to budget your resources for materials, labor as well as other miscellaneous expenses. You can engage your adult children in some tasks and give them some recompense so you can save on labor costs.

Some Tips on Buying A House

There are several tips you need to consider when buying a house. It’s not just about the dimension but something more. Here are some tips you need to keep when planning to buy a house:

 1. The first thing you need to think about is location. This is the primary factor which dictates the amount of money you need to spend to buy land and build your house. Prime locations are definitely pricier but these are situated near vital locations such as schools as well as business centers.

 2. You also need to think about your budget. This can be commensurate with the location you have chosen. You can also do it the other way around by having your budget dictate the location of your house. It’s all about balancing both to get the best scenario.

 3. You also have to know the condition of the house. Schedule a visit so you can check the condition of unit you wish to buy. It would be best to take note not only of the design but the overall feel as well as some areas for improvement. If you are buying a house firsthand, then it would be easier for you to look for something that is suited to your taste. Otherwise you have to look for a house that is accessible and gives you some leeway when it comes to renovation or refurbishment.

 4. Some home buyers visit banks and other like institutions and look for foreclosed houses. These properties are easier to buy since they are cheaper. You can even do house flipping and invest your profits into a new house.

 5. Be sure to consult real estate experts to get the best advice on what you can do. You can also get the help of friends who are in the real estate industry or those who know someone who has the know-how when it comes to buying houses.

 There are many factors to consider when buying a house—regardless of whether it’s a firsthand one or a previously owned unit. What is important is you take your needs and budget into consideration and get the help of experts who can give you valuable advice on what you need to do to get the best deal for your money.

Only in Bhutan

A small country in the Himalayas, Bhutan sets itself from its larger neighbors with its strong sense of culture and tradition and stunning scenery. Furthermore, 

the tiny Kingdom of Bhutan has been called “The Last Shangrila” because of its pristine environment and harmonious society.

 During Jason Buzi’s five stay in Bhutan, he kept saying to himself that the country is quite unique like no other because of its unique style of architecture, culture, food and most especially it’s near odd national animal. It was really a special and wonderful place, having been completely isolated until recently.

He took a fifty minutes flight from Kathmandu passing over most of the Himalayan mountain ranges. Good thing he followed the tour guide’s advice of requesting a seat near the window because the views were really breathtaking. Also, there was only one national airline, which was Druk Air that flies into and out of Bhutan. The Druk Air only consisted of a two airplanes fleet. It was only in Bhutan that an international airport was served by one Airline Company, which only had two airplanes.

As soon as he arrived, he was amazed on how the roads were paved and how good the road condition was, unlike Nepal. Moreover, the cars were in better condition. Everything seemed cleaner. Not only that, the style of architecture of the country was simply amazing. Houses were built without nails or any adhesives and instead, pieces of wood were used and fitted together for building. Furthermore, in more good news, hotel rooms had heaters and power interruptions were rarely occurring.

Jason Buzi expected that Bhutan was somewhat similar to Nepal but it wasn’t, it was much more refreshing. It reminded him more about the place he had visited which is Iceland. Geographically remote and sparsely populated, both countries have a population of an estimate of six figures (Bhutan about 650,000 and Iceland about 300,000).

Surprisingly, the level of English in the country was quite high, knowing that the country was never colonized before and had a limited influence from the outside world. Primarily the reason for such high literacy could be attributed to its Oxford educated King because almost forty years ago, learning was deemed to be very important so it was integrated in the school’s curriculum beginning kindergarten. Furthermore, he noticed that all the menus in the restaurant he was dining in with some friends were written in English. He asked for any Bhutanese menu however the waiter replied that most Bhutanese prefer to have the English menu since they could read the language quite well. Also, many of the signs were written in English. The bottom line was that English language was widely used among the locals.

Jason Buzi noticed that the royal family in the country seemed to be truly revered like the royal family in Thailand because their pictures were found everywhere. In an unusual move, without any public pressure, the King decided to give up absolute power in order to establish democracy and to open up the country to the world a few years ago. In fact, most Bhutanese didn’t want him to do this. In 1999, the internet was permitted yet it didn’t have much positive effect among the people because for example, English swear words or scandalous graphics had begun appearing on walls.

It wasn’t the peak season when Jason Buzi visited the country. He was like one of the two hundred tourists in the entire Bhutan. In fact, he kept running into the same people he flew with in different towns. It was definitely a very small country. The country tried to limit the impact of tourism by requiring tourists to pay about $200 each per day to travel in the country. The rate was all inclusive which means that it included a tour guide, a driver, an accommodation, and food. 

The locals were friendly and helpful. The country had lesser commercials compared to other developing countries he had visited. Also it has a good diplomatic relations with its southern neighbor, India, where in it exchanges trade and assistance with. However, it doesn’t have any diplomatic relations with China and the border is closed. Furthermore, it doesn’t have any relations with U.S., and Russia and other major countries.

 Unlike many of its neighbors, Bhutan didn’t have a widespread poverty because everyone seemed to have the basic needs such as food, shelter, and others. Also, polygamy wasn’t’ very common however it was practiced. In fact, the King is married to four sisters. Among the nomads, several men will sometimes share with one wife.

 Furthermore, archery was the national sport. It was quite popular to the point of being held as a competition every week. Not only that, there were also plenty of archery shops. Even kids played with toy bows and arrows rather than toy guns.

 The national dress was called a “gho”, a kind of a bathrobe like. Men wore it over a shirt and boxers, down to their knees, with their socks being pulled up. On the other hand, women wore it similarly but over a full length skirt.

 Jason Buzi found the food in Bhutan to be tasty but too spicy. Bhutanese people liked to put plenty of chili in their food. In fact, there was a large section of the weekend market in Thimphu dedicated to selling chili.

The capital which is Thimpu was quite attractive. It felt like a small European town in some ways, thought it had the unique Bhutanese architecture everywhere. It certainly felt nothing like the crowded big cities of neighboring countries like Nepal or India. Furthermore, there were no traffic lights however a policeman was manning the traffic at one busy intersection. The “busy” intersection probably was less traffic than a typical suburban street in the U.S..

 Upon arriving at the guesthouse in Thimphu, Jason Buzi was greeted by two giant penises painted on both sides of the front entrance. It was believed that it guarded against evil spirits and many believed it, that such graphics were painted on entrance gates of many houses.

It was completely “green” because all of its power came from hydroelectric. Well, it was 99% of it Jason Buzi speculated and the rest was solar. The government had given solar panels to different villages. Also, it engaged in exporting electricity to India which was one of its major sources of revenue.

Jason Buzi highly recommends Bhutan for a truly unique cultural experience. James Hilton wrote the classic novel Lost Horizon, describing “Shangri La”, a utopian Himalayan society, isolated from the outside world, filled with happy residents living in a valley. Though no place is perfect, today Bhutan is probably the closest place to fit such description. In a fast changing world, hopefully it would remain the same.

Advantages of a Short Sale

Paying mortgage can be a challenge for many people given the economy today. However, there are solutions that can help ease the burden and get you out of the rut. Let Jason Buzi help you get a short sale. 

Numerous lenders can let borrowers settle out of a mortgage loan via short sale. Several advantages are tied to this kind of transaction. Both the customer as well as the lender will gain from this arrangement. A short sale means a family or person would see a house for an amount which is less than that which remains on the mortgage. There can be a slight loss incurred by the lender or the bank, but this is better compared to the possible damages that can happen when the borrower defaults on further payment of the mortgage.

Meanwhile, there are also some advantages of a short sale. The main benefit of doing a short sale is that it help you avoid foreclosure. A foreclosure can prevent you from obtaining another loan to purchase a home for around 5 to 7 years. When you do a short sale, some lenders or banks may give you a home loan in as short a span as a couple of years. Nonetheless, regard of your circumstance, failure to pay your mortgage would give you a lower credit score. Take note that your credit report will contain a short sale for 7 years while it takes 10 years for a foreclosure to be removed from your credit report.

Following a short sale, you don’t need to make mortgage payments. However, before you make a decision on this kind of sale, you first need to weigh in on all the legal options you have, which include mortgage modification as well as renegotiation. You can consult a veteran lawyer to help you understand the best legal and financial action you can take. Many opt for a short sale as it is often deemed as the fastest way out of mortgage payment and it can pave the way for a more stable future for you.

Let Jason Buzi help you in short selling your house and getting out of mortgage payment.

Bali and Gili (Paradise Lost, Paradise Found)

The famed “Island of the Gods”

because of its varied landscape of mountains and sandy beaches, Bali is a province in the country of Indonesia. The name alone evokes an image of an exotic paradise. Visiting Bali was a last minute decision so Jason Buzi had no guidebook, no reservations, and no idea where he was going to stay. He started wondering if it was a mistake to be so unprepared, especially given the late hour andhow tired he was. When he went out of the airport terminal, while trying to assess his options, he made the mistake of talking to two different taxi drivers, almost resulting into a fistfight, with several people wanting to join in the commotion. There was a lot of shouting going on. Finally, his bags, which had been loaded into the first taxi, were unloaded. He went to another taxi driver instead.

Jason Buzi picked up a brochure at the airport and looked for a hotel that looked decent and deemed to be affordable. The taxi driver drove off and dropped him at the hotel. He went to check in but was told that the hotel was fully booked. He almost cried because he was really tired. He asked again the hotel worker if there was any other place available. He said all the hotels in Kuta Beach were full since it was peak season. As a result, he was really getting concerned.

Luckily, the hotel staff called their sister hotel which was located 10 minutes away and asked if there were any rooms available. Good thing the sister hotel had available rooms so he immediately went there.

 The room was really nice. It was like a small apartment with a balcony. It had a living room, a fridge, a satellite television and a Wi-Fi internet. The next day, after much needed sleep, he was off to explore Kuta Beach. It reminded him of Phuket in Thailand or Cancun on spring break or any thousands of resort towns around the world. Everything seemed to cater to foreigners and there was little to indicate whether you were in Indonesia, Bahamas, Mexico, Thailand or Australia for that matter. The place was filled up with strip malls, souvenir shops, bars, massage parlors, nightclubs, fast-food restaurants and many others. There were also many Australians that shopkeepers yelled out “Hello mate!” when they pass by their stores. The vendors were very aggressive.

Although it wasn’t in his mind when he came to Bali but he had an opportunity to eat some non-indigenous foods like Turkish Kebab and Sushi. Furthermore, Indonesian food was pretty good though.

 The second day, he barely left the hotel room and spent the day watching reality TV series “Survivor”, surfing the internet, ordering room service and swimming in the pool. It was clear that if he wanted to see the real Bali, he needed to get the hell out of Kuta. As a result, that night he booked a trip to Ubud, a cultural center in the interior of the island.

It was in the Ubud area in central Bali, that a small number of European artists and intellectuals came in the 1920’s and 30’s and helped establish the reputation of Bali as a mystical paradise. It was in and around Ubud that he saw two Balinese dance and Gamelan (traditional Indonesian music) performances, art galleries, unique temples, wood carvings, royal palace where the royal family still lives, paintings by hand of batik, Balinese architectures and so much more.

 There were still many aggressive vendors, and it was still very touristy, but in a much more traditional way. Art and culture were everywhere; there were more cultural tourists and fewer drunken ones.

 He heard the name Bali so many times, but he never really knew what to expect. Spending some time in the center of the island, he discovered what made Bali unique. It was not the natural beauty of the island. It was nice, but not very different from thousands of other tropical islands. Its nature was actually quite similar to another island he just came from – Sri Lanka. In both cases, the beaches were OK, but not great (not of the clear water and white sand variety found elsewhere).

Jason Buzi wanted to rediscover paradise, and a couple people told him about the Gili Islands. Plus, there were brochures for the boats en route to it all over Bali. Closer to the island of Lombok than Bali, they were small islands, each so small that you could walk around it in a couple hours. He was told that they have nice beaches, great snorkeling, and are very laid back. So he got on a speedboat from Bali, and arrived about an hour later.
There were three Gili Islands, and he decided to come to the middle one, Gili Meno. There were many bungalows along the beach, dive centers, a grocery store, cafes and restaurants, and even an internet cafe. But somehow, it was still very quiet and laid back. It never felt crowded, and he often had long stretches of beach to himself. And this was the height of the high season, right around Christmas (He arrived on Christmas day, in fact). No hassles, no aggressive vendors. A pleasant change after Bali…

International Rescue Committee

How the IRC Works

IRC or the International Rescue Committee founded at Albert Einstein’s request in 1933. The organization’s thrust is to respond to the worst humanitarian crises in the world and help people survive as well as rebuild their own lives.

Disaster as well as war refugees receive help as well as lifesaving care from the IRC.

Expert traveler Jason Buzi is volunteering with an Iraqi Christian refugee family through IRC and donating to them.

The International Rescue Committee is present in 22 cities in the US as well as over 40 countries. They help those who are displaced and struggling and help restore their dignity, hope as well as safety.

Their Commitment

The IRC is committed to be on scene within 3 days or 72 hours with needed supplies as well as expertise which would protect individuals who are caught in the middle of chaos. They will stay where they are needed as long as they are needed and help in the healing, recovery as well as rebuilding of the communities of the survivors. Hundreds of thousands of refugees have been helped by the IRC in the US.

 Their Impact

 The International Rescue Committee is all about long-term solutions. They want to boost local capacity as well as self-sufficiency. They likewise promote human rights, accountability and participation in their innovative programs.

 Donations Used Wisely

 Their efficient financing department utilizes financial support wisely and the organization is consistently a recipient of charity watchdogs as well as respected publications’ high marks. 90 cents of every dollar donated is used for programs as well as service which directly help communities and refuges that are displaced by disaster or war.

 Be Part of the Solution

 Like expert traveler Jason Buzi, you too can help the International Rescue Committee continue their mission by making a gift, attending IRC events as well as advocating for change. You can do fundraising for the organization or work with them as an employee or volunteer, like Jason Buzi. Social networking is also a big help. You can campaign for IRC and help spread knowledge about their admirable work in crisis situations.