Benefits Coordinator Decides To Take A Walk For The Heart

AMS Benefits Coordinator Magda Provencio

Magda Provencio, Benefits Coordinator, recently signed up for the American Heart Association Heart Walk 5K on March 4, 2006. She made this decision after hearing about the Go Red For Women program and the National Wear Red Day, which encourages women to become more heart healthy and heart conscious.

Here are a few statistics about heart disease for women:
• Only 13 percent of women view heart disease as a health threat, even though it's women's No. 1 killer.

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) kills nearly half a million women a year, about one per minute.

• One in four females and one in four males in the United States suffers from a form of CVD.

• CVD claims more lives than the next six most common causes of death combined.

• On average, an American dies of CVD every 34 seconds.

• Coronary heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women over age 25.

• Sixty-four percent of women who died suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms.

• One in 2.5 women will die of heart disease or stroke, compared with one in 30 from breast cancer.

• Heart disease rates in post-menopausal women are two to three times higher than in pre-menopausal women of the same age.

• Stroke is the No. 3 cause of death for American women, and is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability.

• Stroke kills more women than men. In 2002, females represented nearly 62 percent of stroke deaths.

• African-American and Mexican-American women have higher heart disease and stroke risk factors than white women of comparable socioeconomic status.

• Visit www.americanheart.org for more information.

Magda has a goal to raise $150 for the American Heart Association. Please help her reach this goal and support a fellow AMS employee that is trying to make a difference by visiting her web site and making a contribution. Her Heart Walk web site is https://www.kintera.org/ faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?
ievent=112396&lis=1&kntae112396=
83900CAF15B44F1E91C56B7A61E7A284
&supId=118512453&team=0&cj=.
Good Luck Magda!

Alfonso's Oysters with Tomato-Fennel Relish

Ingredients:
2/3 cup finely chopped, seeded fresh plum tomatoes

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh fennel

1/2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel

1 tablespoon orange juice

2 teaspoons olive oil

1-1/2 teaspoon snipped fresh chives

1/8 teaspoon salt

16 fresh oysters in shells

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon butter

Directions
1. For relish, in a small mixing bowl stir together the tomatoes, fennel, orange peel, orange juice, olive oil, chives, and salt. Cover and chill until needed, up to 24 hours.

2. Thoroughly wash oysters. Using an oyster knife or other blunt-tipped knife, open shells. Remove oysters and dry. Discard flat top shells; wash deep bottom shells. (Oysters can be removed and chilled up to 24 hours before cooking).

3. Before serving, stir relish. Spoon about 1 tablespoon relish in each bottom shell. Arrange on a platter.

4. In a large skillet, cook oysters and garlic in hot butter for 2 to 3 minutes or until edges of oysters curl and the surface of the oysters begins to brown. Place a cooked oyster atop relish in each shell. Serve immediately. Makes 8 servings (2 oysters each).

Receptionist $10.00/hourly
Needed to answer busy phones. No experience necessary. $10/hr. Fax resume to
(480) 730-4452 ATTN: Glenda Cana


Mail Clerk - FT - $10/hr
Will handle all inter-office mail duties, US Mail sorting & distribution, and will monitor fax machines and distribute faxes to appropriate parties using Prolender to determine the correct owner. Please fax resume to (480) 730-4452 ATTN: Office Manager


COMPLIANCE ASSISTANT
Job Duties
• Perform review of documentation used to close the loan
• Set up files per company requirement
• Screen for fraud
• Complete quality control checklist
• Prepare loan files as required for imaging after funding and assist other co-workers in delivery of loan files to imaging department
• Prepare reports
• Assist as needed and perform other related duties and special projects as required
Competency:
Demonstrates professional behavior and teamwork, is punctual, dependable and adheres to company policies and procedures. Working knowledge of closing practices and loan documents. Has a clear understanding of compliance regulations. Proven organizational and communication skills. Demonstrates a strong PC skill with proficiency in software such as Excel and Word. Ability to present a professional image and demeanor to internal and external customers. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. Working extended hours may be necessary as needed. Must be able to sit for a long period of time.
Please email Vicki Oania at vickioania@amsaz.com to apply or to request further information.


Excel Guru:
(2 Full Time Positions)
Seeking excel guru to help develop and maintain banking products. If you also have 1 – 2 years experience in web development(HTML,ASP,.NET) and relational databases(SQL Server), that would be great. Knowledge of mortgage industry a plus but not required. Email resumes to stevebradshaw@amsaz.com.

Troy's Tech Tips

Ring, Ring. Its Your Wallet Calling!

I am amazed how people pay $2 a pop for a 30 second clip of a song they already own- just to play on their phone when someone calls.

Two of the important features I would look for when shopping for a new phone is: the ability to play MP3s; and for file transfer capabilities (in some manner). These are basically the only two things one needs to save themselves a lot of money to make their phone ring to the song they desire.

Wired has a great article on how you can get all your songs over to your phone and make them sing to you their praises when someone calls you next time. Check it out and stop the bleeding of your wallet.

Is Evidence Mounting Against A Housing Bubble Bust

The National Association of Realtors, in a statement released on Tuesday, said that housing sales and prices in 2006 will remain strong but will not achieve the record levels of 2005.

Sales of existing homes are expect to drop to 6.74 million this year, a decline of 4.7 percent from the record high 7.07 million in 2005. New home sales will be down 8.5 percent to 1.17 million, setting yet another 2005 record of 1.28 million. While sales will decline, it is still expected to be the third best year for both existing and new home sales following last year and the earlier record setting 2004. Housing starts are likely to be down 9.3 percent this year at 1.87 million units.

Even in the face of declining sales, prices are expected to continue their unprecedented spiral, although at a less spectacular rate. NAR projects that the median price for existing homes of all types including single family, townhouses, and condos is expect to increase 5 percent this year to $219,200 and the median price for new homes will be up 5.7 percent to $250,900. While this is well below the double digit price hikes seen in recent years, the rise in prices will still outstrip inflation which the Association expects will be up 3.1 percent this year as measured by the Consumer Price Index. Disposal personal income is expected to increase by 3.9 percent.

David Lereah, Chief Economist for NAR said in the report that the sales slowdown has already occurred. "Right now, home sales are a little lower than projected, but they can be sustained around current levels." He cautioned that people often lose sight of the fact that real estate is cyclical." Even so, sales will continue at a historically high pace with modestly higher interest rates at the year progresses, and 2006 is forecast to be the third strongest year on record."

NAR predicted that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage would rise to 6.9 percent by the end of the year. Freddie Mac, last month revised its prediction for the 30-year downward by 10 basis points to an average of 6.4 percent for the year.

The President of NAR, Thomas M. Stevens, used the new figures to advise sellers to return to the traditional real estate sales model. He stated "It's easy to understand that sellers have taken it for granted that it would be fairly easy to sell without much compromise during the recent sales boom. Now that buyers have more choices, it's even more important for sellers to seek advice from real estate professionals."

Got to keep those dues-paying members happy.

NAR will release January 2006 existing home sale figures on February 28 and will "fine-tune" month by month figures for the last three years at that time. The Association will also, within the next two months, revise national and regional median existing home price information back to 1999.