Committee Votes to End 2 Housing Aid Programs
Republicans in the House Financial Services Committee voted Thursday to end two foreclosure programs that they argue haven't done enough to help struggling home owners.
One program at risk is aimed at helping borrowers who owe more than their homes are worth to refinance into 30-year fixed rate mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration, which is known as the FHA's short refinance program. The other program is aimed at helping unemployed home owners by allowing them to make payments on their homes for up to two years.
A vote to terminate the two programs is expected to go before the full House for a vote next week. The effort will likely fail once it reaches the Democrat-controlled Senate, Reuters News reports.
Meanwhile, Republicans have delayed a vote to end two other housing aid programs: The Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), another foreclosure prevention program, as well as a program designed to help local and state governments stabilize neighborhoods hard hit by the foreclosure crisis.
Source: "Republicans Take Steps to Kill Obama Mortgage Aid," Reuters (March 3, 2011)
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT GREEN BUILDING WHAT ALL THE HYPE?
I read a great article in the National Geographic " Green Design Spree Aims to Trim US Government's Big Energy Bill from Dec. 2010 and really enjoyed it. As a GREEN Designee of NAR, I decided it was high time I started spreading the green news!
Guess how much the US government's annual power and fuel costs are? For years it has been clear there is a huge opportunity here, actually the US Congress has been setting federal efficiency goals since 1978. Energy use per square foot in US government buildings has fallen nearly 30% since 1985. The challenges remain substantial, stay tuned for ways to save energy in you home.
Do you know what your family's carbon footprint is? Find out
Guess how much the US government's annual power and fuel costs are? For years it has been clear there is a huge opportunity here, actually the US Congress has been setting federal efficiency goals since 1978. Energy use per square foot in US government buildings has fallen nearly 30% since 1985. The challenges remain substantial, stay tuned for ways to save energy in you home.
Do you know what your family's carbon footprint is? Find out
Friday, February 18, 2011
HOW TO LOCK YOUR CAR AND WHY! How people break into your LOCKED car.
I locked my car. As I walked away I heard my car door unlock. I went back and locked my car again
three times. Each time, as soon as I started to walk away, I would hear it unlock again!
Naturally alarmed, I looked around and there were two guys sitting in a car in the fire lane next to
the store. They were obviously watching me intently, and there was no doubt they were somehow involved
in this very weird situation. I quickly chucked the errand I was on, jumped in my car and sped
away. I went straight to the police station, told them what had happened, and found out I was part of a new,
and very successful, scheme being used to gain entry into cars.
Two weeks later, my friend's son had a similar happening. While traveling, my friend's son stopped at a roadside rest to use the bathroom. When he came out to his car less than 4-5 minutes later, someone had gotten into his car and stolen his cell phone, laptop computer, GPS navigator, briefcase--you name it. He called the police and since there were no signs of his car being broken into, the police told him he had been a victim of the latest robbery tactic--there is a device that robbers are using now to clone your security code when you lock your doors on your car using your key-chain locking device.
They sit a distance away and watch for their next victim. They know you are going inside of the
store, restaurant, or bathroom and that they now have a few minutes to steal and run. The police officer
said to manually lock your car door by hitting the lock button inside the car--that way if there is
someone sitting in a parking lot watching for their next victim, it will not be you!
When you hit the lock button on your car upon exiting, it does not send the security code, but
if you walk away and use the door lock on your key chain, it sends the code through the airwaves where it can be instantly stolen. This is very real.
Be wisely aware of what you just read and please pass this email on. Look how many times we all
lock our doors with our remote just to be sure we remembered to lock them-- and bingo, someone has our code and whatever was in our car!
From: RCAR
three times. Each time, as soon as I started to walk away, I would hear it unlock again!
Naturally alarmed, I looked around and there were two guys sitting in a car in the fire lane next to
the store. They were obviously watching me intently, and there was no doubt they were somehow involved
in this very weird situation. I quickly chucked the errand I was on, jumped in my car and sped
away. I went straight to the police station, told them what had happened, and found out I was part of a new,
and very successful, scheme being used to gain entry into cars.
Two weeks later, my friend's son had a similar happening. While traveling, my friend's son stopped at a roadside rest to use the bathroom. When he came out to his car less than 4-5 minutes later, someone had gotten into his car and stolen his cell phone, laptop computer, GPS navigator, briefcase--you name it. He called the police and since there were no signs of his car being broken into, the police told him he had been a victim of the latest robbery tactic--there is a device that robbers are using now to clone your security code when you lock your doors on your car using your key-chain locking device.
They sit a distance away and watch for their next victim. They know you are going inside of the
store, restaurant, or bathroom and that they now have a few minutes to steal and run. The police officer
said to manually lock your car door by hitting the lock button inside the car--that way if there is
someone sitting in a parking lot watching for their next victim, it will not be you!
When you hit the lock button on your car upon exiting, it does not send the security code, but
if you walk away and use the door lock on your key chain, it sends the code through the airwaves where it can be instantly stolen. This is very real.
Be wisely aware of what you just read and please pass this email on. Look how many times we all
lock our doors with our remote just to be sure we remembered to lock them-- and bingo, someone has our code and whatever was in our car!
From: RCAR
Saturday, February 12, 2011
REAL ESTATE IS ABOUT JOBS! - Ron Phipps, 2011 NAR President
Later this week, the Treasury Department will issue a report recommending changes to the structure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This is the latest development in a years-long debate over what the government’s role in housing should be.
As REALTORS®, we know better than anyone else just how vital housing is to families and to our nation.
Fact: For every additional 1,000 home sales, about 500 jobs are added to the economy. Those are real jobs that give our families, friends and neighbors a chance to work.
Fact: Every home purchase pumps $60,000 into the economy.
Fact: Housing accounts for more than 15 percent of the national gross domestic product.
Fact: Home owners pay 80 to 90 percent of ALL federal income taxes.
We need to change the dialog. Critics say housing is a drain on federal resources. We know better. Housing is the engine that drives our national economy. Eight of the last ten recessions have ended as a result of robust housing markets. The other two ended as a result of war spending. The choice is easy. America needs a healthy housing market to thrive.
In the days ahead, NAR will be reaching out to Congress and the White House to emphasize the clear connection between housing, jobs and the economy. Rather than limit support for housing, and the availability of credit, NAR is calling on Congress and the White House to advance policies that will move the housing market back to a healthy 5.5 million sales, where it SHOULD be.
We will be asking lawmakers to:
■Preserve the mortgage interest deduction at current levels.
■Move the credit pendulum to equilibrium, defined by a median credit score of 720.
■Maintain government backing in the mortgage market as part of GSE Reform.
These three steps would help bring the housing market back to a normal level, possibly generating an additional 1 million home sales and 500,000 jobs.
As the voice for real estate, we hope that Congress and White House gets the message: real estate is all about jobs.
I invite all of you to engage with us. Go to Realtor.org/homeownership for the latest information and to see how you can join the movement. — Ron Phipps, 2011 NAR President
As REALTORS®, we know better than anyone else just how vital housing is to families and to our nation.
Fact: For every additional 1,000 home sales, about 500 jobs are added to the economy. Those are real jobs that give our families, friends and neighbors a chance to work.
Fact: Every home purchase pumps $60,000 into the economy.
Fact: Housing accounts for more than 15 percent of the national gross domestic product.
Fact: Home owners pay 80 to 90 percent of ALL federal income taxes.
We need to change the dialog. Critics say housing is a drain on federal resources. We know better. Housing is the engine that drives our national economy. Eight of the last ten recessions have ended as a result of robust housing markets. The other two ended as a result of war spending. The choice is easy. America needs a healthy housing market to thrive.
In the days ahead, NAR will be reaching out to Congress and the White House to emphasize the clear connection between housing, jobs and the economy. Rather than limit support for housing, and the availability of credit, NAR is calling on Congress and the White House to advance policies that will move the housing market back to a healthy 5.5 million sales, where it SHOULD be.
We will be asking lawmakers to:
■Preserve the mortgage interest deduction at current levels.
■Move the credit pendulum to equilibrium, defined by a median credit score of 720.
■Maintain government backing in the mortgage market as part of GSE Reform.
These three steps would help bring the housing market back to a normal level, possibly generating an additional 1 million home sales and 500,000 jobs.
As the voice for real estate, we hope that Congress and White House gets the message: real estate is all about jobs.
I invite all of you to engage with us. Go to Realtor.org/homeownership for the latest information and to see how you can join the movement. — Ron Phipps, 2011 NAR President
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
2010 ENERGY TAX CREDIT FROM HOUSE LOGIC
- (New!)
Get Your 2010 Energy Tax Credits: Filing Tips for Form 5695
Sidestep snares in the complex IRS Form 5695 to get all the 2010 energy tax credits you’ve got coming. Read
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.
Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Monday, February 7, 2011
SODDY DAISY - NEW DEVELOPMENT - TIMBER RIDGE ON SHORT LEAF LANE
Town Homes and Single Family Homes in the low 100,000's
A client of mine closed on a Town Home last week on Short Leaf Drive. This is a really nice community located off of Dallas Hollow Road in Soddy Daisy. It is on a dead end street, is zoned for very desirable schools in Soddy Daisy. This is all new quality construction by a local builder. There are a few Town Homes and Single family home move in ready as well as more are being built. Some are 1 level and some are 2 level, and garages are available.
A client of mine closed on a Town Home last week on Short Leaf Drive. This is a really nice community located off of Dallas Hollow Road in Soddy Daisy. It is on a dead end street, is zoned for very desirable schools in Soddy Daisy. This is all new quality construction by a local builder. There are a few Town Homes and Single family home move in ready as well as more are being built. Some are 1 level and some are 2 level, and garages are available.
Friday, February 4, 2011
SIX STEPS TO PERFECT TOMATOES
- SUN - 10 hours of direct sunlight per day - they will grow in less but get diseases, be rangy, and have light yields.
- GREAT SOIL - rich, well drained and rich in organic nutrients.
- LOTS OF FOOD - a few good handfuls of calcium can prevent those black squishy spots.
- TRANSPLANTING - Do in early morning or late afternoon on a cloudy day, water thoroughly before transplanting.
- WATERING - Continuous and uniform, too much rots roots. Too little causes cracking. Containers - every other day (every day in the hottest weather). In the ground 2-3 times per week.
- BUGS - Keep insecticidal soap spray on hand and use at the first sign of insects.
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