Good News for Housing

The Case-Shiller indexes of home prices increased again when compared to the previous month or the previous year. Both the 10-city and 20-city seasonally-adjusted (SA) indexes rose 1 percent and 0.9 percent respectively from May to June 2012. This is the fifth straight month for steady increases in the SA indexes. Since January, the 10-city and 20-city indexes have risen 3.5 percent and 3.6 percent respectively. The year-over-year changes were also much more encouraging than previous reports. At 0.1 percent and 0.5 percent respectively, the 10-city and 20-city annual changes were the first positive numbers since the end of the home buyer tax credit in 2010. Thirteen of the 20 metro areas experienced year-over-year increases and the seven that saw negatives were smaller (less decline) than the previous year-over-year comparisons. Dallas posted a 3.7 percent home price increase from last year. As economic curing continues across a broader segment of the country and the inventory of both existing and new homes dwindles, the National Association of Home Builders expects modest home prices increases to continue with some stronger improvement in the places that had the largest declines.

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           RISMedia, August 29, 2012

Home Buyer Tax Credit Updates

We are optimistically expecting the extension of the current 1st Time Homebuyer Tax Credit. What is currently before the Senate and house is an agreement that would extend the existing credit for first-time homebuyers, worth up to $8,000, while offering a new credit of up to $6,500 for some existing homeowners. The reduced credit would be available to all homebuyers who have been in their current residence for a consecutive five-year period in the past eight years. Lawmakers in Washington also raised the qualifying income limits to $125,000 for single taxpayers and $250,000 for joint taxpayers, from the current $75,000 and $150,000, housing-industry sources said. Under the Senate compromise, buyers must have sales agreements in hand by April 30, but they will have until June 30 to go to settlement, said the sources.

The measure still faces votes in the full Senate and the House.The real estate market definitely saw a positive impact with the 1st time homebuyer credit this year. Personally I have been able to help several new buyers this year and it is very exciting.

Now I think a lot of folks that have been considering selling and upsizing or downsizing will make their move with the added credit for existing home owners. As always, if you or anyone you know, is in need of real estate assistance please let me know and we would be happy to help them.

Home Buyer Tax Credit Updates

We are optimistically expecting the extension of the current 1st Time Homebuyer Tax Credit. What is currently before the Senate and house is an agreement that would extend the existing credit for first-time homebuyers, worth up to $8,000, while offering a new credit of up to $6,500 for some existing homeowners. The reduced credit would be available to all homebuyers who have been in their current residence for a consecutive five-year period in the past eight years. Lawmakers in Washington also raised the qualifying income limits to $125,000 for single taxpayers and $250,000 for joint taxpayers, from the current $75,000 and $150,000, housing-industry sources said. Under the Senate compromise, buyers must have sales agreements in hand by April 30, but they will have until June 30 to go to settlement, said the sources. The measure still faces votes in the full Senate and the House.

The real estate market definitely saw a positive impact with the 1st time homebuyer credit this year. Personally I have been able to help several new buyers this year and it is very exciting. Now I think a lot of folks that have been considering selling and upsizing or downsizing will make their move with the added credit for existing home owners. As always, if you or anyone you know, is in need of real estate assistance please let me know and we would be happy to help them.

New Foreclosure Reimbursements

Countrywide Borrowers Begin Receiving Notices of Foreclosure Reimbursements
07/31/2009 By: Carrie Bay
State officials have begun mailing letters to Countrywide customers who may be eligible for foreclosure relief payments. Countrywide’s parent company, Bank of America, said it will begin issuing checks to borrowers during the first quarter of 2010.
The reimbursements are part of the agreement reached last October between Bank of America, who acquired the once-subprime-leader in 2008, and state attorneys general from across the country to settle allegations of predatory lending brought against Countrywide.
Up to $150 million is allocated nationally to provide assistance for certain borrowers who experienced a foreclosure, short sale, or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure on their Countrywide mortgage. Forty states are participating in the program. Borrowers will be notified by letter from their state if they are eligible to receive a settlement payment.
Rust Consulting, a third-party administrator, will manage notifications and payment processing for eligible homeowners.
The foreclosure relief program is one of three components of Countrywide’s 2008 agreement with state attorneys general. The second part, the National Homeownership Retention Program, calls for the bank to modify loans and lower mortgage payments for up to 400,000 borrowers who financed their homes with subprime or payment option adjustable-rate mortgages serviced by Countrywide.
The third component of the agreement provides relocation assistance to borrowers who experience a foreclosure sale and agree to leave the property voluntarily. They are eligible for a cash payment to help them transition to a new place of residence.
Countrywide admitted no wrongdoing under the agreement reached with state prosecutors, and as a result of the unprecedented settlement totaling $8.4 billion, the individual states dropped their lawsuits against the lender.
Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, though, has filed a separate suit against former Countrywide CEO Angelo Mozilo, alleging the subprime leader employed deceptive marketing and sales practices to lure borrowers into risky, high-cost mortgages and then knowingly resold those unsustainable loans to securities investors.
According to a report by the Miami Herald, Mozilo is seeking to have the case dismissed on grounds that the Broward Circuit Court in Florida has no jurisdiction over him as a California resident. The hearing on Mozilo’s dismissal motion, originally scheduled for Wednesday, has been postponed but no new date has yet been set.
Mozilo also faces civil charges of fraud and insider trading brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last month.

Forbes names 25 Best Places to Move

Forbes 25 Best Places to Move

Google: Forbes: America’s 25 Best Places to Move

Then scroll down to In Depth: America’s 25 Best Places to Move
Then read in depth on each of the 25 Cities.

The Metroplex dominates the Forbes Best Cities:
#6 – Flower Mound
#7 – Frisco
#9 - McKinney
#12 - Carrollton
#19 – Allen
#25 – Plano
Other notable mention:
Coppell and Corinth

The Forbes List is one of the most respected annual reports in the nation.

Flower Mound School Recognition

Liberty Elementary named to Ask.com Safe Search Schools Program

Liberty Elementary in Flower Mound was recently selected to be part of the Ask.com Safe Search Schools Program and will be visited by NASCAR Driver Bobby Labonte on April 2 as part of the school's recognition.
Liberty Elementary was selected by a panel of experts (Jim Safka, Ask.com chief executive officer; Mike Helton, president of NASCAR; Bobby Labonte, professional NASCAR driver and Judi Westberg Warren, president of Web Wise Kids) from nearly 100 submissions because of its robust curriculum-integrated Internet safety education activities, as well as submitted student "lesson plans."
As part of their recognition, Liberty Elementary will receive new computers, Web Wise Kids computer programs and will have the school's name on the Ask.com #96 Ford Fusion for the upcoming weekend.

Marcus Marquee earns third Gold Crown

The Marcus Marquee Newspaper staff have earned their third Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Crown. This prestigious award was given to only 19 schools in the country! The Marquee is sponsored by Lori Herbst.

Fun Things Coming Up in DFW Area

City of Roanoke
Family Valentine's Dance
Bring your sweethearts to the Family Valentine's Dance! Twirl, dip and pose for one FREE, special family photo. Eat finger food, dance to the d.j.'s tunes, and enjoy all the fun with us from 7- 9 pm on Friday, February 13! Door prizes are included! Price is $10 per family/$5 for singles. Please call the Recreation Center for reservations at 817-837-9930.
Stop in the Visitor Center and Museum and enjoy our collection of vintage valentines from February 1 - 28.
Happy Valentine's Day!


Casa MaÑana Theatre
February 20 - March 8
Play Miss Nelson is Missing. When Miss Nelson is mysteriously absent from school, the rowdy students of Room 207 happily believe they've driven her away. Their celebration ends when the scary—yet eerily familiar—Miss Viola Swamp substitutes. See what happens in the new musical based on the popular children's books by Harry Allard and James Marshall. This show is suitable for all audiences. Go to www.casamanana.org

Wild About Flower Mound Festival
It’s back by popular demand! The Town of Flower Mound is presenting the Wild About Flower Mound festival to celebrate the fun and festive family atmosphere of the Town of Flower Mound. The festival will include non-stop family entertainment on two stages, great food, arts & crafts vendors, a large children’s area and other events and activities for the entire family.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a festival without live music! Dallas Mavericks house band, Emerald City will be featured on Friday night, April 17th and local disco favorites, Le Freak, will headline the festival on Saturday night, April 18th. Be sure to grab your friends, your family, your dancin’ shoes, and boogie down at the Wild About Flower Mound Festival!

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Family Concert

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Family Concert

PRESENTS PETER AND THE WOLF

The Family Concert Series is a shared musical experience for parents and children.


Introduce your child to the joys of music through the family friendly concert series presented by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. The next performance on June 11 features Prokofiev's popular Peter and the Wolf, a favorite of children and adults alike. This educational concert teaches children about the instruments of the orchestra in a fun and exciting way as Peter and his friends outsmart a big, bad wolf. Music Director Miguel Harth-Bedoya will conduct and FWSO cellist Karen Hall will narrate.

The concert takes place at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 11 in the Van Cliburn Recital Hall, 330 E. Fourth Street, one block east of Bass Performance Hall. Tickets are just $10 for adults and $5 for children age 10 and under. To order, call 817-665-6000 or visit the Ticket Office at 330 E. Fourth Street, Suite 200. (No website orders.)