Sticks in the Ground

Honoring All Who Serve

Today I pause to honor all who are now or have served this great nation as a member of our armed forces.

Throughout history our military has been committed to protecting and preserving basic human dignity and freedom among the peoples of the world.

I speak from experience knowing that all American soldiers abhor war. That is why serving is such an extraordinary act of selflessness and commitment to the principles upon which this great nation was founded. All men are entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

The reasons our armed forces exist must continue to be maintaining the security of our country and the establishment and preservation of PEACE throughout the world.

.....blogging from Kingwood, TX

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Homebuyer Tax Credit Extended

The Homebuyer Tax Credit has been extended and expanded. It is extended to April 30, 2010 and adds tax benefits for current homeowners.

Current homeowners may qualify for as much as $6,500 on their joint tax return. They must have used the home sold or being sold as their principal residence consecutively for 5 of the last 8 years.

First-time homebuyers may still qualify for as much as $8,000 tax credit when filing jointly.

If the contract to purchase is in effect by the provisions expiration date, homebuyers will have until July 1, 2010 to complete their transaction.

Eligibility income limits have been increased to $125k for single and $225k for married taxpayers.

An $800,000 limit has been imposed on the cost of the purchased home.

This is a true tax CREDIT and has no repayment provisions as long as the taxpayer lives in the home for 3 years.

The intent here is to STIMULATE the housing market and we are quite confident it will have the desired result. This is real value that will make the choice of buying a home in the near term more compelling.

.....blogging from Kingwood, TX

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Important Taxpayer Amendments

UPDATE: Each of the property rights propositions discussed below gained voter approval in statewide voting. The property tax system in Texas will be improved for the taxpayer as a result.

Original Post:

On November 3rd Texans will have an opportunity to approve four significant changes to the state constitution. These amendments have the potential to  dramatically change the property tax structure of  the state in a good way.

Gabriel Lopez, legal council for the Texas Association of Realtors analyzed these four propositions and translated them into common sense English to help each of us make an informed decision.

Here is a summary (excerpted from Mr. Lopez's article) of the bottom line meaning of each of these important propositions:

Proposition 2
The central appraisers are using a practice called “highest and best use,” which is a method that allows a property to be valued on potential use rather than the current use.  Proposition 2 will  mandate that a residence be appraised only as a residence, regardless of what the highest and best use of the property may be.

Proposition 3
Passing this amendment would allow the state to have direct enforcement and oversight over every appraisal district. This would ensure that there is uniformity of the appraisal processes across the state. This is important because state funding for public schools is based on the taxable property in each school district.

Proposition 5
The main responsibility of the board of equalization is to hear appeals of the appraised value to taxable property and to resolve disputes between taxpayers and the appraisal districts. Appraisal districts have had a difficult time appointing boards in rural counties. By allowing appraisal district to pool together their qualified applicants, it would enable those counties to ensure that the appraisal process is handled professionally and in a timely manner.

Proposition 11
This amendment would narrow the scope under which private property could be taken by eminent domain. It essentially would eliminate the taking of private property for either private economic development (e.g., a shopping mall) or to boost tax revenues. Lastly, as of Jan. 1, 2010, the power of eminent domain could be granted only by a two-thirds vote of the Texas Legislature.

The entire article is available on line at Lost in Translation.

Be sure to make your voice heard on November 3rd.

.....blogging from Kingwood, TX

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Rainwater Harvesting – What’s the Benefit

Capturing and reusing rainwater for landscape use is obviously a way to conserve the municipal water supply, but, according to gardening experts, the rainwater is high in nitrogen and trace minerals, a real bonus for plants.

The Community Associations of The Woodlands recently installed a rainwater harvesting tank, the first of its kind at a public building in South Montgomery County. The 2,500-gallon tank collects rainwater from the office roof at the Parks, Recreation and Environmental Services facility in The Woodlands, providing drip-irrigation to more than 1,000 square feet of demonstration gardens at the site.

The public is invited to see the system and learn about rainwater harvesting methods for home and business at Woodlands Landscaping Solutions on Saturday, September 26, from 9 am to 12 noon at 8203 Millennium Forest Drive. The free, annual, how-to event promotes water-wise gardening.  For more information, visit http://www.thewoodlandsassociation.org, click on Environmental Services and then Woodlands Landscaping Solutions or call 281-210-3900.

P>.....blogging from Kingwood, TX

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New Rules Improve Mortgage Info for Home Buyers

Two federal agencies have adopted rules that change what information lenders, mortgage brokers, and closing agents provide to borrowers regarding mortgage loans. The intent is to improve the information provided in order to help a home buyer make a more informed decision. With the new rules comes potential closing delays. Here's a brief overview of the changes.

The Fed’s 3 day Rule – “Early Disclosure”
The Federal Reserve Board now requires Lenders to provide a good faith estimates (GFE) of loan costs within three business days of a borrower's loan application. The new rules also prohibit the closing from taking place until seven days after the borrower receives this so-called “early disclosure”. The rules prohibit a lender from collecting fees from the borrower before the borrower receives the early disclosure, other than a reasonable fee for obtaining a credit report. If the interest rate of the proposed loan increases by .0125%, a new disclosure must be provided and 3 days are added to the closing cycle. This rule applies to the purchase of primary and secondary residences. Along with refinance transactions and home equity loans. Investment properties are exempt.

Standardized GFE & Coordinated HUD-1
As of Jan. 1, 2010, The US Department of Housing and Urban Development will requires a new good faith estimates (GFE) form and a new HUD-1 settlement statement. The new good faith estimates form is intended to better disclose key loan terms and costs. Its terminology will match the items presented on the new HUD-1 statement, facilitating easy comparison. Besides clearly comparing consumers' estimated and actual costs, the new HUD-1 statement will highlight the mortgage as FIXED or VARIABLE and will specifically state any PREPAYMENT PENALTIES or BALOON PAYMENTS included in the mortgage agreement.

.....blogging from Kingwood, TX

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Unintended Consequences – Protect Your Credit Score

The goal is to keep your credit history as clean as possible. With increasingly stringent requirements for mortgage loans, car loans, home improvement loans, you name it, a good CREDIT SCORE is more important than ever before.

You would think that if you have credit cards which you use infrequently that you would be better off if you close them out, simplifying your credit card holdings. Turns out that doing so may actually cause your CREDIT SCORE to drop.

One of the key factors in determining your CREDIT SCORE is the ratio between the amount you owe and the total amount of credit you command. This simple math ratio deteriorates if you eliminate a good size credit line (your credit card limit) and do nothing to proportionally reduce your debt balance at the same time.

Think twice before you cancel that card, it may not be in your best interest to do so. You should also note that certain banks will unilaterally cancel your card if there is little or no activity for an extended period of time.

Now, more than ever, its important to be pro-active in managing your good credit standing. 

.....blogging from Kingwood, TX

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Technorati Tags: Housing,Credit Score

Questions About the Energy Efficiency Tax Credit?

Are you thinking about adding insulation, a radiant barrier or new “energy efficient” windows to your home? Is your A/C or heating unit about at the end of it’s useful life. Do you need a new water heater?  Well, completing any of those projects before the end of 2010 may be more economical than you thought. There is a new Federal Tax Credit for Energy Efficiency. The credit can be as much as 30% of the cost of the improvement. But, like everything else related to the tax code, the bottom line impact is different for different types of “energy efficiency projects”. For some installations the cost of both materials and labor are considered, for others only the cost of materials. And the materials used must comply with the guidelines established by Congress. For specific answers to the most common questions on this subject please go to Energy Credit Frequently Asked Questions.

.....blogging from Kingwood, TX

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Technorati Tags: Housing,Tax Credits

TERMITES - trickier than you think

 Termites pose a constant threat to your home if you live in Texas. Many believe that they are easy to spot, should they begin to attack your structure. People generally look for the telltale sign of mud tunnels crawling up the side of the foundation. If found, chances are the little devils are on the attack. By nature termites are subterranean and must return to the earth each evening to gather moisture. That’s why they build the mud tunnels. HOWEVER, if you allow foliage such as VINES to grow on your house, you have just managed to make home invasion by termites that much easier. You have eliminated the need for these destructive creatures to “return to the earth”. You have provided them with a very acceptable alternative source of moisture. Give yourself a fighting chance, don’t make it easy for these pests to attack your home undetected.

.....blogging from Kingwood, TX

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Technorati Tags: Housing,Termites

$8,000 FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER INCENTIVE AVAILABLE IN ADVANCE

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced that its $8,000 incentive for first-time homebuyers has been revised from a refund at tax time to cash made available for assistance on down payments or closing costs.

The mechanics of the new program, according to National Association of Home Builders economist Robert Dietz, allow lenders to purchase tax credits from the buyers and then collect the rebate from the IRS.

Homebuyers must still come up with the Federal Housing Administration's mandatory down payment of 3.5 percent on their own, but they can use the tax credit to lower their principal balance and save on monthly payments.

"Families will now be able to apply their anticipated tax credit toward their home purchase right away,” said HUD secretary Shaun Donovan. “What we're doing will not only help these families to purchase their first home but will present an enormous benefit for communities struggling to deal with an oversupply of housing."

.....blogging from Kingwood, TX

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Technorati Tags: Housing,Tax Credit

MORTGAGE APPLICATIONS RISE

                                                 NEW YORK (CNNMoney) –  U. S. mortgage applications rose last week along with the demand for home purchase loans, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).

The group’s seasonally adjusted index of mortgage applications, which includes both purchase and refinance loans, for the week ending April 3 increased 4.7 percent to 1,250.6.

Demand for home purchase loans, an indicator of home sales, far outweighed demand for refinancing. The MBA's seasonally adjusted purchase index of loans to buy homes rose 11.1 percent to 297.7.

Borrowing costs on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, excluding fees, averaged 4.73 percent, up 0.12 percentage points from the record low reached the previous week.

The four-week moving average of mortgage applications, which smoothes the volatile weekly figures, was up 13.3 percent.

.....blogging from Kingwood, TX

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Technorati Tags: Housing,Mortgage