Weekly Report 2-45

The Greater Houston Black Chamber

Announces Winners of Coveted Pinnacle and Upstart Awards at the 27th Annual Celebration of Black Business Excellence

By d-mars.com News Provider

The Greater Houston Black Chamber (GHBC) held its 27th Annual Pinnacle Awards, Saturday, October 23, 2021, where several of Houston’s best and most promising black-owned businesses received high honors.

The GHBC Pinnacle Award recognizes leading African-American entrepreneurs for their success in business and their positive impact on the communities and industries they serve. This year’s theme was Excellence Has Arrived: Black Businesses Take the Lead. The virtual production opened with a stellar performance by popular Houston-based Se7en the Poet and included well wishes from political leaders including Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Missouri City Mayor Robin Elackatt. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Congressman Al Green also made remarks. Songstress Mary Griffin gave a rousing rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “Rock Steady,” and CBS Sports anchor James Brown and Nate Burleson of CBS Mornings both made a cameo appearance during the awards pre-show online.

Each year, five Pinnacle Awards, one Upstart Award and one Rising Star are handed out to some of the most successful small businesses.

The 2021 winners are:

• Upstart Award: Grand Park Square

• Rising Star Award: Coach Cam Pinnacle Award: Camellia Alise

Pinnacle Award: Carey Business Solutions

• Pinnacle Award: Park Street Homes

• Pinnacle Award: Fresh Tech Solutionz

• Pinnacle Award: Sisters & Moore

In addition to these prestigious honors, the GHBC also honored several other businesses and individuals with community awards including:

• Legends Award – Dr. Ruth J. Simmons, President, Prairie View A&M University

• Excellence Award – Helen Stagg, President & CEO, Change Happens, Inc.

• Larry V. Green Advocate of the Year Award – Jerome Love, President & CEO, Texas Black Expo

• Mickey Leland Public Leadership Award – Teneshia Hudspeth, Harris County Clerk

• Endurance Award – KTSU-FM

• Youth Entrepreneur Award – Lauren Ashley Alexander, 2BooG Beauty

Dale Lockett of KHOU and Jemila Winsey of Re/Max Legacy Living and Re/Max 1st Class served as co-chairs of the event, and Gerald Smith of Smith Graham and the Astros Organization were the honorary co-chairs.

Major sponsors included Microsoft and St. Luke’s Hospital (Gold); Shell, JWTC, BHP and Castlerock Resources LLC (Silver); Port Houston, CenterPoint Energy, BP and The Astros Foundation (Bronze).

Founded in 1935 as the city’s first African-American civic organization, the GHBC has evolved into an active participant in the city of Houston’s socioeconomic process. The organization is a 501(c)(6), not-for-profit, private, member-driven organization that serves the Greater Houston Area. The GHBC helps its partners and members navigate Houston’s large, diverse population, industries and the many nuances, which are unique to the city, equipping businesses to survive and thrive through advocacy, training and networking.

For more information about the GHBC, please visit www.ghbcc.com.

Source: Misty Blue Media

Alexis & Sade Moore

Coach Cam

Junious Williams

Lyndsey Brantley

Kevan & Ayesha Shelton

Derrel Noris

Bianca & Carris Carey

Understanding VA Home Loan Requirements

By d-mars.com News Provider

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) guarantees loans made by qualified lenders for the benefit of servicemembers, veterans and their families. Fortunately, these once-limited home loans have become increasingly easy to find and remain one of the most cost-effective products on the mortgage market.

“A couple decades ago, a lot of lenders thought VA loans were too difficult to navigate,” says Rashalon Hayes, assistant vice president of field mortgage at Navy Federal Credit Union. “Today, there are plenty of lenders experienced with VA loans that can walk you through the process.” In fact, roughly 45% of the mortgages Navy Federal originates are VA loans.

Meeting VA home loan requirements can help you buy, build or renovate your home with little or no down payment. Because the VA backs a portion of each loan in their VA Home Loan Guaranty Program, lenders can offer more favorable terms for new home purchases and refinancing.

GET PRE-QUALIFIED FOR A LOAN. Receive a pre-qualification from your lender and begin the homebuying process.

OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE OF ELIGIBILITY (COE). This certificate from the VA confirms your military service and verifies you are eligible to receive a VA-guaranteed loan. Your lender can establish eligibility and obtain a COE for you. You can also apply online at the VA for this document.

Make sure the purchase agreement that your real estate agent drafts has a VA option clause. This clause states that you aren’t legally bound to purchase a home if the VA appraisal amount is lower than the seller’s asking price. “Some buyers worry this provision will hurt their offer, but VA loans can actually strengthen a contract offer since income is more reliable and seamless to verify,” Hayes notes.

GET A VA APPRAISAL. A VA-certified appraiser determines the home’s fair market value and looks for obviously needed repairs to ensure the property meets the VA’s Minimum Property Requirements (MPRs).

HAVE THE HOME INSPECTED. Hire a professional home inspector to check the home’s structure for defects and to inspect items like electrical wiring, plumbing, and heating and cooling systems.

SIGN THE CLOSING DOCUMENTS. After the home closing, it’s official! Congratulations on your new home. And remember: If you need to refinance your home in the future, you can use a VA loan for that, too.

Learn more about your VA loan options to see if you qualify to purchase a home with no down payment.

Your path to buying a home with a VA loan:

Your path to buying a home with a VA loan:

As a longtime partner of veterans, servicemembers and their families, Navy Federal knows the VA loan process inside and out. Their experienced lenders can help explore whether you meet VA home loan requirements and answer any questions along the way.

Is the Daily Commute Back? Survey Reveals New Driving Trends

By d-mars.com News Provider

Americans' relationship with vehicles turned in a new direction over the last year and a half, and it is evolving yet again. As vaccination rates increase, restrictions ease and a sense of "normalcy" returns, new research is revealing trends in the way drivers view, depend on and take care of their vehicles.

The daily commute is back, but routes are changing

According to Hankook Tire's latest Gauge Index survey in late spring 2021, while 45% of people say they are driving every day (more than twice as many as this time in 2020), they are going to what were previously considered "usual places" less

SHOP FOR A HOME. Work with a trusted real estate agent to find a home that meets your needs and fits your budget. Navy Federal even has a unique service called RealtyPlus, which pairs homebuyers with a coordinator specially trained to support servicemembers and their families through the buying, selling and financing processes.

SIGN A HOME PURCHASE AGREEMENT.

often. The survey found that onethird of drivers still say they are heading to the office or school much less often than before (33% and 36%, respectively).

But the daily drive isn't the only thing that has shifted. The lasting economic impact of the pandemic combined with increased availability of in-home entertainment and food delivery apps could factor into a more permanent shift in how people are engaging with social, shopping and entertainment options. Most Americans point to curbside restaurant service (46%) and grocery pickup (45%) as the pandemic-driven services they would most like to see stay. Entertainment-based outings are still at lower levels, too, the survey found. Sixty-one percent of people say they are driving to events much less often than prior to the pandemic, and 54% say the same for restaurants. While that could be a ripple effect of continued event cancellations, it may also speak to a longer-term trend as lifestyles

have shifted.

Dependence on car travel is growing

One in five (19%) Americans bought a new - or used - car because of the pandemic. This emphasizes another trend the latest research unveiled: a steadily growing dependence on vehicular transportation.

Understandably, the pandemic changed the way many viewed highly crowded mass transit options. And while air, train and public transportation seems to be quickly gaining steam again, most (78%) Americans still rank automobiles as the mode of transportation they are most likely to use through the end of the summer.

That includes using cars for travel, too. Seventy percent of those planning travel anticipate using a car as their primary method of getting to their destination. Key factors behind the decision include flexibility (49%), an added feeling of safety over other forms of transportation (45%), in addition to general

preference (47%).

Source: BPT

However, car maintenance skills still need some tuning up

Despite this increased dependence on cars and road travel, the survey found that while many Americans have the equipment to handle an on-the-road emergency, they don't necessarily know how to use it. For example, two-thirds (64%) of drivers own a tire jack, but 20% don't know how to change a tire.

However, it is promising that most people (77%) owned their car maintenance tools prior to the onset of the pandemic. Perhaps the next evolution of Americans' relationship with vehicles will be ensuring they're kept in tip-top shape, for whatever the road ahead may bring.

Looking down that road, Hankook will continue to monitor the shifting landscape, as, due to the uncertainty of the pandemic and varying local restrictions, these trends may change in the future.

Source: BPT