The American Dream?

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Welcome and thank you, Officer Culianos! Stay safe!

Welcome and thank you, Officer Culianos! Stay safe!Join us in welcoming Officer Anthony Culianos to Nanuet! Officer Culianos is the new School Resource Officer (SRO) at A. MacArthur Barr Middle School. He has been with the Clarkstown Police Department since 2014 and is now part of the #NUFSD family! #newtonanuet ... See MoreSee Less

11 hours ago

4 CommentsComment on Facebook

Thanks prayers stay safe and well in Jesus name

💙👮‍♀️💙👮‍♀️💙👮‍♀️💙👮‍♀️🙏🙏🙏💙💙💙

Congratulations Lord PLZ keep him safe in this cruel world💙🫡🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💙💙💙🫡🙏🙏🙏🙏

Welcome,be safe

Thank you!
#PinkPatchProjectImage attachmentImage attachment+3Image attachment

Thank you!
#pinkpatchproject
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11 hours ago

1 CommentComment on Facebook

Thank you from a Breast Cancer survivor...God survivor...God Bless you all......

Thank you!
#PinkPatchProjectImage attachment

Thank you!
#pinkpatchproject
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11 hours ago
Thank you!
#PinkPatchProjectImage attachmentImage attachment

Thank you!
#pinkpatchproject
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11 hours ago

Thank you!
#pinkpatchproject
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11 hours ago
Hello and thank you, K-9 Vita! Stay safe!

Hello and thank you, K-9 Vita! Stay safe!We are excited to introduce our newest partner in crime-fighting: Meet K-9 "Vita" from the Czech Republic, who specializes in drug detection. Let's give her a warm welcome! #toledopolice ... See MoreSee Less

11 hours ago

3 CommentsComment on Facebook

💙💙💙💙💙💙🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💙💙💙

Hi there Gorgeous ! Stay Safe and watch over Your Partner / Handler.🐶🖤💙🖤💙

💙💙💙👮‍♀️👮‍♀️🐺🐺💙💙👮‍♀️👮‍♀️🐺💙👮‍♀️👍👍👍👍💙💙💙💙💙🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

This is so precious!!!!
Stay safe, K9 Jocko! and K9 Officer Prichard!

This is so precious!!!!
Stay safe, K9 Jocko! and K9 Officer Prichard!🐾👮‍♂️ Exciting Adventures with K9 Jocko! 📝💪

Check out this pawsome pic of K9 Officer Prichard with our incredible K9 Jocko! 🐶⚡️ This dynamic duo just proved that Jocko is more than just an amazing apprehension and narcotics detection K9, he's also an emotional support pup for his handler! 🥰

In this photo, you can see K9 Officer Prichard holding Jocko's paw while typing up a police report. Jocko knows that writing reports can be tough, so he's right there by his handler's side, providing that much-needed support. Talk about teamwork! 👏🙌

We're incredibly grateful to have such a talented and caring K9 like Jocko on our force. He's always ready to lend a helping paw and make a positive impact in our community. Together, K9 Jocko and Officer Prichard continue to keep our streets safe and bring smiles to our faces. Good boy, Jocko! 🐾💙

#k9handler #k9jocko #teamworkmakesthedreamwork #emotionalsupportpup #plainfieldpd #havingfun
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11 hours ago

3 CommentsComment on Facebook

💙🫡🫡🫡🙏🙏🙏🙏💙💙💙💙💙🫡🙏🙏🙏

Beautiful Thank You

Awwww

What a beautiful picture of a very special moment! Congratulations and thank you both!! Stay safe!

What a beautiful picture of a very special moment! Congratulations and thank you both!! Stay safe!From the New Port Richey Police Department. Like father, like daughter! Officer Negersmith is following the footsteps of her dad, who has spent his entire career in law enforcement. An affinity for policing seems to run in the family. ... See MoreSee Less

2 days ago

8 CommentsComment on Facebook

Thanks prayers stay safe and well in Jesus name

Salute💙🫡🫡🫡🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💙💙💙

Awesome stat safe 💙

👏🇱🇷

Be safe and thank you 🙏🙏🙏

Be safe and thank you 🙏🙏🙏

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Thank you, #Hero!

Thank you, #Hero!Night side Officer Roman was happy to reunite an important family member with their family tonight ... See MoreSee Less

2 days ago

3 CommentsComment on Facebook

Awesome👏👏👏👏👏👍😊

Good Bless you

Congratulations!

Congratulations!Congratulations to the South Suburban Association Chiefs of Police 2023-2024 Executive Board Members! #NOBLEProud ... See MoreSee Less

2 days ago
Congratulations! Thank you! Stay safe!

Congratulations! Thank you! Stay safe!Last year these three chose to fill out an application and toss their name into our candidate pool. Jump forward to today, they have completed their Field Training Program and start solo patrol, serving our awesome community. Congratulations to Officer Talg, Officer Frick and Officer Shoemaker. Thank you for choosing #Wausau! ... See MoreSee Less

2 days ago

1 CommentComment on Facebook

Congratulations 🎊

Welcome and thank you, K9 Batman and Officer Dillard! Stay safe!

Welcome and thank you, K9 Batman and Officer Dillard! Stay safe!Meet K9 Batman! K9 Batman is a German Shepard mix and is approximately 2 years old. His handler is Officer Dillard and he is one of our new Greene County Jail K9s.

K9 Batman is also featured on our newest Greene County Jail K9 Swag! This apparel can be purchased from The CrackerJack Shack using the link below!

www.crackerjackshack.com/gcsok9

This is a pre-sale. Orders will be produced and shipped after the selling period ends. A portion of every sale goes to the Greene County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit.
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2 days ago

5 CommentsComment on Facebook

Salute💙🫡🫡🫡🙏🙏🙏🙏💙🫡🙏🙏

❤️

Ty

Looking Good. Now, Go get the Bad Guys and find all those Drugs.

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Welcome, K-9 Havik Officer Stockdale! Thank you! Stay safe!Image attachment

Welcome, K-9 Havik Officer Stockdale! Thank you! Stay safe! ... See MoreSee Less

2 days ago

5 CommentsComment on Facebook

Welcome! Congratulations on your new job! Stay safe!

Salute💙🫡🫡🫡🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

Awesome duo 💙

Awesome

Beautiful 😍

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Rest in Peace, K-9 Rico. Thank you for your service, #Hero 
💙🐾Image attachment

Rest in Peace, K-9 Rico. Thank you for your service, #Hero
💙🐾
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2 days ago

4 CommentsComment on Facebook

So very sorry for ur loss💔may he rest in eternal peace over the rainbow bridge🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💔💔💔

😢🙏🇱🇷

Thank you for your service. Rest in peace.

RIP Rico

Congratulations! Thank you! Stay safe!Image attachmentImage attachment+7Image attachment

Congratulations! Thank you! Stay safe! ... See MoreSee Less

2 days ago
Congratulations! Thank you! Stay safe!

Congratulations! Thank you! Stay safe!The Lovington Police Department would like to extend a warm welcome and introduce Officer Berenice Vega to our community.

Officer Vega was born in Jerecuaro Guanajuato, Mexico and came to the United States when she was 9 years old. Officer Vega graduated from Lovington High School in 2017 and was granted citizenship in 2018. Officer Vega will begin our Field Training Program and attend the Southeastern New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy at a later date.

We are delighted to have Officer Vega join our ranks at the Lovington Police Department!
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2 days ago
Thank you for 33 years of service!!Image attachmentImage attachment+5Image attachment

Thank you for 33 years of service!! ... See MoreSee Less

5 days ago

6 CommentsComment on Facebook

Thank you Sir for your service to your community..... Enjoy your retirement... God Bless you and your family.....

Congratulations

👏🇱🇷

Salute💙🫡💙🫡🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💙💙💙💙💙🫡🫡🫡

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Thank you, SRO, Private Chestnut! Stay safe!

Thank you, SRO, Private Chestnut! Stay safe!Congratulations to our newly promoted School Resource Officer, Private Chestnut. Thank you for keeping us safe and mentoring our students. We appreciate you!
#schoolrescourceofficers #eastpointsc
West Columbia Police Department
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6 days ago

8 CommentsComment on Facebook

👏🇱🇷

Salute and Honor

Congratulations

Thanks prayers stay safe and well in Jesus name

Congratulations 🎊

Congratulations!!!👮🏿‍♀️👍

Congratulations lord keep her n r kids safe in this cruel world🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💙🫡🫡🫡🫡💙💙

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Way to go, K9 Freddie!! Thank you!

Way to go, K9 Freddie!! Thank you!🎵"Another One Bites the Dust," 🎶by Freddie Mercury. Dog of the month, Madison, WI Police K9 Freddie is still in his rookie year. Of course the old veterans can be counted on...but with a new pup (and a new handler!), there is always a bit of doubt until they prove themselves in the field.
On K9 Freddie's first search warrant assignment - his SECOND call ever in his young career - he was asked to bring his nose to search a house & garage.
He immediately indicated on an old can of paint in a very messy garage. Officers were skeptical; the weight of the can didn't seem to match his response. But, "Trust Your Dog" is a maxim to live by. When they opened the can, they found a kilo of cocaine, wrapped tightly in plastic bags!
Hiding drugs in old paint cans is intended to mask the smell of the drug. Ha! Rookie Freddie was not fooled for a second. Home run first time at bat. Welcome to the team Freddie!

Madison Police Department Keeping K-9s in Kevlar #k9freddie #freddiemercury #whatanose #rookieyear #anotheronebitesthedust #berbeewalsh #trainhardworkhard #fieldtested #passedthetest #teammember
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6 days ago

4 CommentsComment on Facebook

Beautiful dog

job well done Freddie....stay safe and long prormising life for you and your partner

Great job,K-9 Freddie! ❤️❤️

Besutiful salute💙🫡🫡🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💙💙💙💙

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The American Dream?

Home ownership has been an essential part of the American dream for at least the last fifty years.  Is owning your own home still part of your definition of the dream?

The answer has certainly changed for some of us, in part because some of the long-standing expectations have changed.  You used to be able to count on your home to appreciate in value every year.  You also used to be able to count on good neighbors that valued their property and did what they could to help maintain the neighborhood.

Even though some home prices have started to increase again, everyone is painfully aware that home values in many areas plummeted dramatically in recent year.  In some cases, the depreciation that occurred completely erased the gains in value that had been earned over several years.

Clearly, times have changed.  The question now is what can you do about it?  Your answer should be consistent with your own personal financial situation and the aspects of your life that you value most.  My mission is not to tell you what to do or to sell you on one answer, but simply to give you the basis for making an informed decision that best represents you and the financial goals that you have set for yourself.

If you believe that housing will always be an essential need, then it also makes sense that the housing market will continue to comprise a major portion of our economy.  Major markets, such as the housing market, seek an equilibrium.  In other words, markets will experience fluctuations, corrections, and trends based on both rational and irrational behavior, but the premise of supply and demand will set the price within that market.

Supply and demand will adjust until equilibrium is established.

Using this brief market behavior analysis, it is logical to believe that the housing market will eventually stabilize and that a sense of normalcy will return.  Applying this fact based logic will help take some of the uncertainty out of your decision making going forward.  The extent of the disruption that has occurred in the housing market has caused unprecedented uncertainty, which has led to greater than usual fear of the unknown.  No one knows for absolute certain what the future will bring, but what you can do is look at the facts and make good decisions based on all of the information available to you.

One primary factor to consider is timing.  For example, if you have never been a homeowner, you should consider that you are arguably in the midst of one of the greatest buyer’s markets in our lifetime.  The secret to success in the stock market is to buy low and sell high.  It is no different when it comes to the housing market.

Even if you are already a homeowner, many opportunities exist that may not have been an option before.  The recent focus within the housing market has almost exclusively been on prices and the negative impact on equity.  You may not realize that mortgage rates are still low and that it may be possible to greatly shorten the term of your current mortgage without increasing your monthly payment and that shortening the term is the best thing you can do to begin to build up your equity, even if prices take years to recover.

If you took out a 30 year mortgage four or five years ago, refinancing that mortgage at today’s rates would probably help you to reduce the term on that mortgage by at least 10 years without increasing your monthly payment.  Even if it takes a few more years for the housing market to sort itself out, you will be ahead of the curve.

Another key aspect to consider is your motive.  The speculative benefits of investing in real estate may be gone forever.  If you look at real estate, purely as a commodity, there are better and easier ways to make money, especially considering the current glut in the supply side of the market.  If you are considering the purchase of a home for your long-term personal use, however, then there may not be a better opportunity for you to combine a low purchase price with a low mortgage rate.

An additional factor to consider is the amount of money you may have to put toward the purchase of a house.  Years ago, you were required to make at least a 20% down payment in order to obtain a mortgage.  That is no longer the case and there are a variety of down payment options available for you to consider. If you have questions about what type of mortgage would be best for you, a certified mortgage broker or mortgage banker will be able to answer those questions for you.

If a down payment of any kind is an issue for you, then you will be better off renting until you have saved enough to take that step.  Even while renting, however, you will have choices including a rent to own option that will allow you the right of first refusal on the place you are renting.  In these cases, the landlord agrees to put a certain percentage of your monthly rent toward your eventual purchase of the home.

One last piece of the decision making process that is often ignored, but is worth a mention, is upkeep.  Many of us are so focused on the purchase decision that we forget to incorporate the cost of maintaining the property.

If you choose to rent, your upkeep cost should be very little.  Owning property, however, is costly and things can and will go wrong.  You will be responsible for all of the upkeep costs as well as any property taxes and association dues.  In many cases, the cost of upkeep equals or exceeds the monthly mortgage payment so make sure that you factor all of this into your decision.

Whichever option is right for you should be based on an in-depth, personally tailored analysis of your financial situation and your financial goals.  Just make sure that your decision is fact based and not one that is erroneously determined for you based on fear or unduly influenced by emotion.

Scott Arney
CEO
Chicago Patrolmen’s Federal Credit Union

Don’t forget, members of the Credit Union enjoy free and confidential Credit Counseling and Financial Planning through our Financial Planning and Education Center. We are here to assist you every step of the way.

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