In order to help stabilize the housing market and home prices, the Federal Housing Agency has decided to extend their anti-flipping waiver until December 31, 2012. The Acting FHA Commissioner, Carol J. Galante, said, “This extension is intended to accelerate the resale of foreclosed properties in neighborhoods struggling to overcome the possible effects of abandonment and blight. FHA remains a critical source of mortgage financing and stability and we must make every effort to promote recovery in every responsible way we can.”

There are certain conditions outlined by the FHA that home sales must meet in order to be eligible for the FHA anti-flipping waiver:

-“All transactions must be arms-length, with no identity of interest between the buyer and seller or other parties participating in the sales transaction.” The property should be marketed openly and fairly.

-“In cases in which the sales of the property is greater than 20 percent above the seller’s acquisition cost, an FHA-approved mortgage is eligible for the waiver only if the mortgage justifies the increase in value…and orders a property inspection.” The inspection must show that there were significant improvements made to the house.

-“Only forward mortgages are eligible for the waiver. Mortgages insured under HUD’s HECM program are ineligible for the waiver.”

No matter how little your experience in the kitchen or how meagre your knowledge about cooking, with a little practice you can become a fabulous cook. Here are five tips to help you avoid common mistakes that many new cooks make.

Cook the Perfect Pasta

One of the big mistakes that many beginners make when cooking pasta is not using a large pot to boil it. Think of large Italian families that use a large cooking pot that takes up half the stove. While you may not need a pot that big, you want to follow the same concept. A large pot of rapidly boiling water will cook the pasta faster than if you use a small pan.

In a small pot, the pasta will cool the water several degrees and become sticky and clump together. A larger pot will cook the pasta faster and prevent this from happening.

Learn How to Use a Knife

Take a class on how to use a knife. This will allow you to create a more attractive presentation, and save you time preparing your food. It is also 

Google Voice is gaining a lot of attention as the new phone choice that is accessible to anyone with a computer. For those not aware, Google Voice is a service that provides a free phone number and voicemail. Why would you want it if you already have a landline or cell phone?

Use It in a Job Search

You may want to use a separate phone number on your resume when looking for a job. While many people use their personal phone number, it can be more professional to use a separate one. People often have funny or unique greetings for their voice mail that may not be appropriate for business use.

You may also prefer to keep your personal number private and not feel comfortable putting it on a resume or application that will be viewed by several people. Whatever your reason, if you are job hunting, having a separate phone number may be beneficial.

Give Yourself Reminders

If you want to remind yourself about something in the future, but can’t write it down at the time, you can call your number and leave a message. Google Voice also transcribes it to text, which can be useful.  

Terms like “organic,” “preservative free,” and “gluten free” have had people migrating from the bakery to the health food section of grocery stores in recent years. While eating healthy is usually something that is encouraged and commended, if it starts taking over a person’s life and causing distress and anxiety, it can become orthorexia. 

The term “orthorexia nervosa” was coined by Steven Bratman M.D. to describe a fixation for eating proper food that interferes with other areas of a person’s life. Orthorexics focus more on the quality of food they eat instead of the quantity. It can actually stem from a restrictive diet that cuts out certain foods. Orthorexia nervosa can also be linked to a mental disorder like obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) does not recognize Orthorexia as an official diagnosis, and some eating-disorder clinics are not aware of it. However, experts on the subject say that if left untreated the disorder can lead to malnourishment, anorexia, or disabling anxiety.

Bratman has outlined ten questions that people can ask themselves if they are worried they may have orthorexia:

-Are you spending more than three hours a day thinking about healthy food?