VanDyk Mortgage - February 2019

February 2019

Letters From the Hart Give us a call! 239-437-4278 Or visit www.TimHartJr.com Corporate NMLS #3035 www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org

THE BALLAD OF SPUNKY THE DOG

W hen our dog Spunky first showed up in my parents’ laundry room out in the middle of nowhere, my mom was convinced he was a skunk. So, like the O.G. descendant of a Florida homesteader that she is, her first instinct was to grab her gun and shoot the mangy, black-and-white blob of matted fur between her and the dryer. But after a second glance, she realized it was actually just a hungry stray dog. We are glad she looked twice, because that crazy little mutt ended up being a ceaseless companion of the family, a dog with more personality than any I’ve met since.

house, growling and nipping at their heels, while I just laughed the entire time. My cousin Matt would pick Spunky up and brandish him out in front of his body, rushing at his own friends with the dog’s teeth bared and snapping. My cousin and I always laughed; our friends … not so much. Having such a fierce spirit trapped in such a small body did get him in trouble, though. For a few months, there was a wolf lurking around our property. Somebody had raised it from a pup and, realizing that you really shouldn’t probably keep a wolf in your

house, set it free. One night, the beast got ahold of our Spunky and just wrecked the poor little guy, chomping him, picking him up, and flinging him around like a toy. Thankfully, it didn’t kill him. When he came home limping the next morning, covered in blood, we rushed him to the vet, and they fixed him up. I still remember him stuck in that cone of shame for months. While we were at school, he was always with my granddaddy or grandma, hanging out on the doorstep waiting for snacks or following them around their massive garden. Sometimes you’d see him scampering down the road on his stubby, 2-inch legs with the front half of his body to one side and his back half to the other — his signature running style. Spunky was an absolute character with a long list of quirks that made him as endearing as possible.

Of course, it took some convincing. The first step was us kids letting this half-feral animal from the laundry room into our house. From the very beginning, it was clear that the dog was no danger. He practically wagged his whole body when we gave him a bowl of scraps. He’d clearly been abandoned by some neglectful family out near our fields in the boonies and was wildly excited to meet a new set of humans. The instant we gave him some attention and a bath, he went bonkers, speeding from room to room. “That sure is a spunky dog,” my mom said, amused. So, we had a name — Spunky. When my dad got home, we did the classic kid spiel and begged him to let us keep the pup. And, of course, as dads are known to do, he returned with a firm no. But eventually, after numerous promises of our future responsibility and maybe

We got him when I was something like 8 years old, and he passed away when I was in high school, lying out in the sunshine beneath my grandparents’ orange trees. Even now, decades later, he’s far from forgotten. He was the best companion a family could have, the kind of animal that literally comes out of nowhere and plants itself in the middle of your life. I’m sure he’s cruising down the rows of some cosmic garden, the two sides of his body completely out of sync.

a little guilt-tripping, we wore him down, and he agreed to add Spunky to our family for good. We did have to run an ad in the newspaper, announcing a lost dog in case some family was missing him. Lucky for us, no one stepped up to claim him. Spunky was a quirky, energetic dog to say the least. He was some kind of spaniel-mutt mix of indeterminate age and loyal to a fault. Spunky was extremely protective of his family and anyone else who was around him often. To everyone else, he seemed like the meanest, craziest dog in the world. When my friends came over, I’d let Spunky roam free. He’d chase them around the

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The 5-Second Rule Will Make You Sick

3 Health Myths You Probably Believe

Bottled Water Is Safer Than Tap Water

If you’re eager for a new adventure in 2019, you’ll surely find it in Swedish Lapland. With trail systems that take you into the Arctic Circle, the northernmost region of Sweden is home to national parks, glaciers, reindeer, the beguiling midnight sun, and spectacular night skies. Though winters are cold, one benefit of traveling to the region in this season is to catch a glimpse of the night sky. The northern lights are visible from a few remote locations like Abisko National Park, one of the first established national parks in Sweden. Traveling to Abisko is an adventure in and of itself. From Stockholm, the fastest option is to take one of only two airlines that fly into Kiruna, then travel by train to Abisko. Despite the challenge of getting there, adventure-seeking visitors from around the world arrive each winter to experience the Arctic beauty. Winter attractions Obviously germs and bacteria don’t really wait five seconds to pounce, but snatching your chip off the floor fast keeps most of the germs away, right? Not according to a 2006 study published by Dr. Paul Dawson. He found conclusive evidence that when food comes into contact with a contaminated surface, bacteria are transferred immediately. Even one second spent on tile, wood, or carpet is enough to infest your food with salmonella or another serious contaminant. We live in the golden age of information. The answers to many of life’s questions are just an internet search away. Despite this readily available wisdom, we still have a bad habit of believing health-related myths. Here are three popular health “facts” that are total works of fiction. The 5-Second Rule Keeps Food Safe

People seeking out safer water alternatives increases the sales of bottled “spring water” each year. However, bottled water is more expensive, bad for the environment, and, as Dr. Morton Tavel of the Indiana University School of Medicine pointed out, over 50 percent of bottled water is just filtered tap water. The same effect can be achieved with a home filtration system. Of course, if the tap water in your area has been contaminated, bottled water is a safer alternative. However, in most circumstances, bottled water is no healthier than tap water.

habits. Modern medical research has shown these results to be false. The official stance from the John Hopkins Arthritis Center states, “There is no evidence that cracking knuckles causes any damage such as arthritis in the joints.” Still, chronic knuckle-cracking can lead to reduced grip strength, so you might want to break the habit anyway. You’ve probably heard these myths for years, but just because something is common knowledge doesn’t mean it is true. With information so easily available, always take the time to research the facts, especially when it comes to your health.

Cracking Your Knuckles Causes Arthritis

The connection between knuckle- cracking and arthritis came from studies where participants self-reported their

INTO THE ARCTIC CIRCLE

Adventure in Swedish Lapland

include ice skating, snowshoeing, and the Scandinavian sauna (this last one is a must any time of the year). Befriend a Scandinavian and you might be treated to some pickled herring or even a princess cake, a raspberry-filled dessert covered in marzipan. Scandinavians cherish their public lands, and the trail systems are well taken care of. Hikers and backpackers can enjoy the stunning beauty in both late spring and summer, as well as a chance to see the midnight sun. Because of its far-north location, Swedish Lapland receives close to 24 hours of sunlight from June through early August. Between the boulder fields, mountains, and stunning glacial lakes, hiking here is a treat. While hiking, you may spot reindeer herds or lemmings (a small rodent similar to a hamster) racing around rocks. The Sami people have herded reindeer for thousands

of years through this very land. In the summer, keep an eye out for blueberries, lingonberries, and the brightly colored cloudberries. Because of the Arctic climate, weather conditions can change quickly from sunshine to rain and heavy fog, so it’s best to dress in layers and bring wind and rain protection if you plan to venture into the backcountry. The fantastic scenery of Swedish Lapland awaits you, no matter when you decide to take your trip. What are you waiting for?

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THE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACH OF THE YEAR

Sitting Down With Riverdale’s James Delgado

‘ball,’” while getting his master’s paid for was “a no-brainer.” From there, he coached in college and then moved on to high school and never looked back. Today, Delgado is, as he puts it, lucky to be somebody whose professional career has always revolved around his greatest passion. “I never dread getting up for work regardless of what time it is or what I have waiting for me.” I hate to cut this article short, but I just don’t have room to go over everything we discussed. This was one of my favorite interviews ever. Seriously, guys, if you have a second, go check out the full dialogue on Episode 40 of “The HartBeat Show” on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. A sincere thanks to James Delgado and a big congratulations on the award! Here’s wishing him the best as he continues to crush it in 2019.

If you follow high school football in Florida at all, chances are you know the name James Delgado. As head coach of the Riverdale Raiders, he’s made some serious waves over the past year. So much so, in fact, that he was voted the District 18 High School Football Coach of the Year by his fellow coaches. I got him on my podcast, “The HartBeat Show,” to talk about the award and his trials, tribulations, and victories. that way after this year has been really a flattering deal.” Of course, it seems pretty clear to me that the honor was well-earned. With a 10–1 record, Delgado won districts and led Riverdale to the first undefeated regular season in the school’s history. Not to mention he’s just a driven, down-to-earth guy with a lot to offer his community, his team, and his peers alike. “I was honored,” he says of the recognition. “For the area coaches to think of me

Tim Hart & Coach James Delgado

Though Delgado had a very successful college football career at Webber University, he had no idea where the sport would take him after college. In fact, he was pretty sure he’d take his finance degree and shuffle off to the corporate world for good. But his head coach had other plans and asked him to stick around as a graduate assistant coach. For Delgado, the opportunity to “be around

Tyler McGowan & Savannah Loos with their Realtor Jay LaGace VanDyk Testimonial

SUDOKU

Here is what our clients had to say about their experience with VanDyk Mortgage:

Tim Hart and his staff at VanDyk Mortgage made this complicated transaction run as smoothly as it could have. There were a lot of bumps along the way that Tim and his staff helped us through. Tim always kept me up to date with the status of the loan process. Lisa Myers was so professional and easy to work with ... and patient! We always felt like they were looking out for us and had our best interests at heart. Building a home is a long

Sherry & Robert Puchaz

process to start with and because of Tim’s knowledge of how to navigate through the loan process and choose just the right lender partners, we made it into our new, beautiful home! Thank you! –Sherry Puchaz

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Inside This Issue Tim Hart, NMLS #354676 8280 College Parkway Suite #101 Fort Myers, FL 33919 The Ballad of Spunky the Dog PAGE 1 Let’s Retire These Health Myths Prepare for an Adventure in Lapland PAGE 2 Tim Hart Interviews Coach James Delgado Testimonial Sudoku PAGE 3 Talking Bankruptcy With Attorney Carmen Dellutri PAGE 4

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THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO TO AVOID BANKRUPTCY

Attorney Carmen Dellutri Breaks It Down

the time to sit down with one of the attorneys and say, ‘Help me with my plan,’” Carmen says. “It’s better to establish the relationship with a bankruptcy attorney before you need them and not wait to the last minute. Because if you wait until the last minute, there are things we could’ve done to help,” which is either to prepare for the bankruptcy or avoid it altogether. “Half the people who come to see me never have to file bankruptcy,” Carmen says. Whenever possible, a good bankruptcy attorney will do everything within their power to steer you away from declaring unless it legitimately is your best option. With most attorneys, that first advisory meeting, where they’re likely to give you advice on how not to declare, is completely free! The main reason that people who are struggling still avoid seeing an attorney for advice, according to Carmen, is pride. “It’s

A couple months ago, I reached out to bankruptcy attorney Carmen Dellutri of Dellutri Law Group to talk about the most dreaded of debt scenarios: bankruptcy. We discussed the most common reasons for bankruptcy, the difference between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13, and the debts that aren’t wiped away during the process. Check out the entire interview on “The HartBeat Show” podcast or the video on my Facebook by searching “Tim Hart — Loan Officer.” But for this quick breakdown, I thought it might be most useful to talk about what many debtors have weighing on their minds — how do you avoid bankruptcy? “When you come to the realization that [bankruptcy] might be in your future, that’s

good to have pride, and it’s good to have the ability to work and make money and pay your debts,” he says. “But when you jeopardize your family’s future, you’ve got to call into question if pride is more important than the future.” As he puts it, a good attorney won’t try to make that decision for you. They’ll just give you your best options for financial planning and allow you to forge your own path. So in short, if you’re worried you might be on the way to bankruptcy, get an attorney now — not later! Give Carmen Dellutri a call at 239-939-0900 to set up a free consultation.

TRIVIA QUESTION: What color was Spunky?

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