Owners still see value in real estate

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NAR: Owners still see value in real estate


NEW ORLEANS – Nov. 8, 2010 – Homebuyers today have affirmed a long-term view of homeownership, the typical seller is experiencing positive returns and the vast majority of homeowners see their property as a good investment, according to the latest consumer survey of homebuyers and sellers. The study was released during the 2010 Realtors® Conference & Expo.
The 2010 National Association of Realtors Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers is the latest in a series of large national NAR surveys evaluating demographics, preferences, marketing and experiences of recent homebuyers and sellers.
Although typical sellers had been in their previous home for eight years, up from seven years in the 2009 study, first-time buyers plan to stay for 10 years and repeat buyers plan to hold their property for 15 years.
NAR 2010 President Vicki Cox Golder says the pattern of buyers taking a long-term view has solidified over the past few years. “This underscores two simple facts – homeownership encourages stability; and the longer you own, the better your investment.”
http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=249964&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+floridarealtors+%28Florida+Realtors%29

Federal Reserve to buy bonds at a rate of 75 billion a month, let's hope China doesn't hold back on buying our bonds?

Cape Coral Century 21 Birchwood Realty Rick Swift Realtor "Where your new home begins" http://www.rickswift.com/  239-357-1844


For immediate release

Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in September confirms that the pace of recovery in output and employment continues to be slow. Household spending is increasing gradually, but remains constrained by high unemployment, modest income growth, lower housing wealth, and tight credit. Business spending on equipment and software is rising, though less rapidly than earlier in the year, while investment in nonresidential structures continues to be weak. Employers remain reluctant to add to payrolls. Housing starts continue to be depressed. Longer-term inflation expectations have remained stable, but measures of underlying inflation have trended lower in recent quarters.
http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/press/monetary/20101103a.htm

Hopefully China won't hold back on buying our bonds .This would cause interest rates to rise and put a long term affect on bringing our country back to a healthy nation again. This gives money back to the banks so they can borrow from each other and hopefully loosen up the credit for the big investors such as the banks and big business borrowers. Will this trickle down to the small business owners that create jobs, haven't we done this before and the banks tightened credit and you only got loans if you were clean and green and not on the edge of a loss.So a big business restructures their debt at a lower rate, but tightens up the job creations, and runs with less employees doing more till their debt load is more manageable. It's hard for the person who lost a job wants to get back into home ownership, because of short sale or foreclosure. They are not clean and green anymore, or less than desirable credit and would not qualify for a loan at the lower rate. So if  the gov. insures the loan then the banks are more likely to make the loan, depending on the ability to repay the debt. This seems like we have done this before. What if China holds off buying more of our notes, and interest rates rise and gas , groceries, and other commodities rise, Does this makes sense? I certainly don't know for sure? but let's hope the Fed,banks and others have it right this time. JUST MY OPINION

The National Oil Spill Commission and its Chief Counsel Fred B public hearing on preliminary findings regarding BP’s Macondo well blowout.

Cape Coral Century 21 Birchwood Realty Rick Swift Realtor "Where your new home begins" http://www.rickswift.com/  239-357-1844

Monday, November 8, 2010
The National Oil Spill Commission and its Chief Counsel Fred Bartlit will hold a two-day public hearing on preliminary findings regarding BP’s Macondo well blowout.
Updated Agenda: November 8-9 Hearing
The National Oil Spill Commission and its Chief Counsel Fred Bartlit will hold a two-day public hearing on preliminary findings regarding BP’s Macondo well blowout. The primary focus of the hearing will be on the causes of the rig explosion. An updated version of the agenda follows:
Monday, November 8, 2010 and Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Grand Hyatt Washington
1000 H Street NW, Washington, DC
Live video stream at http://www.oilspillcommission.gov/

(Doors open for media/camera setup at 6:30 a.m. both days)
Day 1
8:00 a.m. On-Site Registration
9:00 a.m. Call to Order
Christopher A. Smith, U.S. Department of Energy, Designated Federal Officer
Opening Remarks by Commission Co-Chairs Senator Bob Graham and William K. Reilly
9:15 a.m. Presentation by Chief Counsel Fred Bartlit
10:45 a.m. Break
11:00 a.m. Presentation by Chief Counsel Fred Bartlit
12:30 p.m. Lunch Break
1:30 p.m. Panel 1: Panel Discussion with BP, Transocean and Halliburton
Mark Bly, Executive Vice President of Safety & Operational Risk, BP
Bill Ambrose, Director of Special Projects, Transocean
John Gisclair, Insite Support Service Coordinator, Halliburton / Sperry Sun Drilling Service
Richard F. Vargo, Jr., Gulf of Mexico Region Manager—Cementing, Halliburton
3:00 p.m. Break
3:40 p.m. Panel 1 (cont.): Panel Discussion with BP, Transocean and Halliburton
5:45 p.m. Closing Remarks by Commission Co-Chairs Senator Bob Graham and William K. Reilly
6:00 p.m. Meeting Adjourns
Day 2
8:00 a.m. On-Site Registration
9:00 a.m. Call to Order
Christopher A. Smith, U.S. Department of Energy, Designated Federal Officer
Opening Remarks by Commission Co-Chairs Senator Bob Graham and William K. Reilly
9:15 a.m. Panel 2: Experts on Oil Well Drilling and Operations
Dr. E.C. Thomas, Consulting Petrophysicist and Owner, Bayou Petrophysics
Charlie Williams, Chief Scientist, Well Engineering and Production Technology, Shell Energy Resources Inc.
Steve Lewis, Advanced Drilling Technology Implementation Engineer, Seldovia Marine Services
Dr. John Rogers Smith, Associate Professor, Department of Petroleum Engineering, Louisiana State University
Darryl Bourgoyne, Director, Louisiana State University Petroleum Engineering Research and Technology Transfer Laboratory
10:45 a.m. Break
11:00 a.m. Panel 2 (cont.): Experts on Oil Well Drilling and Operations
12:30 p.m. Lunch Break
1:30 p.m. Panel 3: Regulation of Offshore Drilling
Dr. Walter Cruickshank, Deputy Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement
2:00 p.m. Panel 4: Plans for Regulation
Michael Bromwich, Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement
2:45 p.m. Break
3:00 p.m. Panel 5: Industry Safety Culture
Marvin Odum, President, Shell Oil Company, and Upstream Americas Director, Royal Dutch Shell
Rex Tillerson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, ExxonMobil
4:00 p.m. Questions and Wrap-Up with Chief Counsel Fred Bartlit & Senior Science and Engineering Advisor Richard Sears
4:40 p.m. Closing Remarks by Commission Co-Chairs Senator Bob Graham and William K. Reilly
4:45 p.m. Break
5:00 p.m. Public Comment
5:30 p.m. Meeting Adjourns

http://www.oilspillcommission.gov/meeting-5/meeting-details

Posted by Rick Swift at 4:02 AM 0 comments

congrats to Rick Scott

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Cape Coral Century 21 Birchwood Realty Rick Swift Realtor "Where your new home begins" www.rickswift.com 239-357-1844


Rick Scott great start to change let's start the job creations good luck

It's over start your engines and let's get started!! today we start a new direction for our country

Cape Coral Century 21 Birchwood Realty Rick Swift Realtor "Where your new home begins"
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It's over start your engines and let's get started!!!
Today we start a new direction for our country. Hopefully everyone got a wake up call to put the old style of
politics to rest and start thinking how to bring the country together for a common good. We need to work together. An old friend used to say the wheels on the bus go round and round, either your on the bus or your not. Then he used to say the birds of a feather flock together. Let's start by creating jobs, and get people creating business ideas, and to get the flow of money moving again. This would be a start to becoming a healthy nation again. We stood up and were counted in this election, the people do make the difference. This is to all let's give it a real try

Florida’s consumer confidence gets big boost

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Florida’s consumer confidence gets big boost


GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Oct. 27, 2010 – Historically low interest rates, bargains on condominiums and a moratorium on foreclosures likely caused a six-point jump in Florida’s consumer confidence in October to 74, its highest level in six months, according to a new University of Florida (UF) survey.
“Much like the spike in April’s consumer confidence, this increase was not expected,” says Chris McCarty, director of UF’s Survey Research Center in the Bureau of Economic and Business Research. In April, home appliance rebates sparked the increase, he says.
All five of the index components rose in October, with the biggest increase in perceptions about whether it’s a good time to buy big-ticket consumer items, which jumped 10 points to 85.
Perceptions of personal finances now compared with a year ago rose six points to 55, while perceptions of personal finances a year from now rose seven points to 85. Perceptions of U.S. economic conditions over the next year rose five points to 68, while perceptions of U.S. economic conditions over the next five years rose two points to 78.
http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=249501&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+floridarealtors+%28Florida+Realtors%29

New report: Amendment 4 passage would have ‘devastating consequences’

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New report: Amendment 4 passage would have ‘devastating consequences’


TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Oct. 21, 2010 – Florida TaxWatch released a new report this morning on the potential outcome of Amendment 4 passage on Nov. 2. According to the report, passage would severely harm the state’s economic recovery, future job creation, and dampen personal income.
The economic impact analysis, "Land Use Planning by Referendum: The Economic Consequences of Amendment 4" – conducted by the Florida Council of Economic Advisors at Florida TaxWatch and a team of researchers from the Haas Center at the University of West Florida – explains the future if Amendment 4 passes, which would require voter approval of all changes to local comprehensive land use plans that cities and counties use as a specific outline for future development.
http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=249079&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+floridarealtors+%28Florida+Realtors%29

What does the foreclosure crisis mean to you?

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By M.P. MCQUEEN, MARY PILON and JESSICA SILVER-GREENBERG
Wall Street Journal


For the vast majority of homeowners, new questions about the state of foreclosures appear to be irrelevant. Few people seem to have been wrongly thrown out of their homes, and those who have been are generally months or years behind on their mortgage payments.
But the fallout from the crisis is beginning to be felt in real-estate markets across the country, particularly in places dominated by vacation homes and investment properties. Some of the worst-hit areas could be Western ski towns, because fall is the busiest time of the year for sales.
By the Numbers

27%

Percentage of total home sales in 2009 that were second homes.

30%

Percentage of total mortgage defaults attributable to second-home and investment properties.

4.57%

Percentage of mortgages in some state of the foreclosure process, June 2010.

9.4 Months

The average amount of time from default until foreclosure proceedings begin on a "jumbo" mortgage loan.

.Real-estate salespeople in some of those places are worried. "September and October are usually the height of the selling-season for us," says Rich Armstrong, who owns the brokerage Rare Properties in Jackson Hole, Wyo. "Now we are seeing a number of what we call 'fence sitters,' people who would have leapt in even a month ago, but now are waiting on the sidelines."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303339504575566842307890662.html

Housing most affordable in more than 40 years

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SAN FRANCISCO – Oct. 13, 2010 – Beacon Economics’ new Beacon Economics Home Affordability Index finds that in August homes were at their most affordable level since data became available (1969). Beacon Economics developed the Beacon Economics Home Affordability Index based on the percentage of income an average family would need in order to make mortgage payments on an average priced home.


The August estimate shows the cost of homeownership (mortgage interest plus principal payments after a 20 percent downpayment) falling to 16.9 percent from 17.1 percent in July. Overall, the Beacon Economics Home Affordability Index has remained below 20 percent for the past twenty-one months.

“Home affordability has reached an historic high,” says Beacon Economics Founding Principal Christopher Thornberg. “Nationwide, prices are down approximately 25 percent from their peak, and mortgage financing rates are at all-time lows.” Moreover, the high level of affordability is likely to drive demand and reduce the stock of excess inventory, ultimately resulting in the need for new housing, a rise in prices, and a pickup in new construction, according to Thornberg.



http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=248778&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+floridarealtors+%28Florida+Realtors%29

WASHINGTON – Oct. 15, 2010 – Nearly eight out of 10 respondents believe buying a home is a good financial decision,

Cape Coral Century 21 Birchwood Realty Rick Swift Realtor "Where your new home begins"


NAR: Nearly 8 in 10 Americans think buying a home makes good financial sense


WASHINGTON – Oct. 15, 2010 – Nearly eight out of 10 respondents believe buying a home is a good financial decision, despite ongoing challenges with the economy and housing market. That’s according to the 2010 National Housing Pulse Survey, an annual report released by the National Association of Realtors®.
The survey, which measures how affordable housing issues affect consumers, also found job security concerns to be the highest in eight years of sampling, with 70 percent of Americans saying that job layoffs and unemployment are a big problem in their area; eight in 10 cite these issues as a barrier to homeownership.
“The real issue facing the nation’s economy right now is that many Americans can’t find meaningful work to support their families,” said NAR President Vicki Cox Golder. “While a job recovery is what’s needed right now to get the economy and housing market back on the right track, owning a home continues to be part of the American Dream and one of the best long-term investments in your future.”
http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=248883

Families will suffer if foreclosure freeze continues

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NAR: Families will suffer if foreclosure freeze continues


WASHINGTON – Oct. 13, 2010 – Thousands of first-time and move-up buyers who hoped to make a foreclosed property their new home now face uncertainty, anxiety and possibly remorse as they worry that closing could be in jeopardy.
For many, the dream of homeownership could turn into agony if their home purchase is indefinitely delayed by a moratorium on foreclosures declared by some banks, the National Association of Realtors® said yesterday. The moratoriums are needed, banks say, to review all of the foreclosures in their portfolios to make sure they’re in compliance with the law and that titles are clear.
NAR warned that a prolonged review process would have a damaging impact on many communities and hinder the nation’s economic recovery.
“As the leading advocate for homeownership issues, we understand that many lenders need a time-out to review their actions to ensure that homeowners are not improperly foreclosed on and that the lenders are following regulations and state laws. After that, the foreclosure process must resume quickly to return stability to families, the housing market and the economy,” said NAR President Vicki Cox Golder.

http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=248790&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+floridarealtors+%28Florida+Realtors%29

Internal Revenue Service Statistics of Income (SOI) data, NAHB studied how housing tax deductions benefit different age groups. The analysis found that pro-housing policies benefit younger households most – homeowners who typically have large mortgages, a small amount of equity and growing families.

Cape Coral Century 21 Birchwood Realty Rick Swift Realtor "Where your new home begins"
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Housing tax credits benefit young most


WASHINGTON – Oct. 5, 2010 – New research from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) finds that the benefits of housing-related tax deductions, such as the mortgage interest deduction, generally decline in value as individuals age.
Using Internal Revenue Service Statistics of Income (SOI) data, NAHB studied how housing tax deductions benefit different age groups. The analysis found that pro-housing policies benefit younger households most – homeowners who typically have large mortgages, a small amount of equity and growing families.
“Opponents falsely argue that the (mortgage interest) deduction is only for the wealthy, but it is clear that the mortgage interest deduction is also of great value to younger homeowners,” says Robert Dietz, assistant vice president for Tax and Policy Issues for NAHB. “Any tampering with this deduction would have a disproportionate impact, as a share of household income, on younger homeowners … (and) these are households who have growing demand for homeownership due to marriages and children.”


http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=248374&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+floridarealtors+%28Florida+Realtors%29

UNBELIEVABLE!!! where does Washington get their numbers from

Cape Coral Century 21 Birchwood Realty Rick Swift Realtor "Where your new home begins"  http://www.rickswift.com/


UNBELIEVABLE!!! where does Washington get their numbers from
taxes in Florida based on 182,400 median home price and taxes only 1773. a year.  sign me up with three quarters of the population to follow I'M homesteaded and it's alot more than 1773 dollars for the taxes  must have got their numbers from 2005 or a political office where's my refund

Fla. property taxes not high, not low


WASHINGTON – Oct. 4, 2010 – Using 2009 U.S. Census data, the nonprofit Tax Foundation created a state-by-state comparison of property taxes using three criteria: median property tax paid, property tax as percentage of a home’s worth, and property tax as a percentage of median income. In all three comparisons, Florida ranked around the middle, New Jersey came in at No. 1 for most expensive, and Louisiana finished at No. 50.
The median property tax paid on a home in Florida was $1,773, which puts the state at No. 23 in the state-by-state comparison. New Jersey ranked No. 1 with the median homeowner paying $6,579; in No. 50, Louisiana, the median homeowner shelled out only $243. The median property tax nationwide was $1,917.
As a percentage of the home’s value, Florida ranked No. 22 based on a median home price of $182,400. New Jersey again ranked No. 1 based on a median price of $348,300, while Louisiana’s median home value was $135,400. The national median home value used for the study was $185,200.

http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=248239&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+floridarealtors+%28Florida+Realtors%29

Bank of America says it is delaying foreclosures in 23 states

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WASHINGTON (AP): Bank of America says it is delaying foreclosures in 23 states as it examines whether it rushed the foreclosure process for thousands of homeowners without reading the documents.
Bank of America is not yet able to estimate how many homeowners cases will be affected, a spokesman for the nation's largest bank says.
A bank official acknowledged in a legal proceeding in February that she signed up to 8,000 foreclosure documents a month and typically didn't read them.
The Associated Press obtained the document Friday.
The executive's admission adds the nation's largest bank to a growing list of mortgage companies whose employees signed documents in foreclosure cases without verifying the information in them.

Consumer confidence inches up as worst of oil spill crisis ends

Cape Coral Century 21 Birchwood Realty Rick Swift Realtor "Where your new home begins"
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Consumer confidence inches up as worst of oil spill crisis ends


GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Sept. 29, 2010 – The sealing of the BP oil well in the Gulf of Mexico put a stop to the hemorrhaging of Florida’s consumer confidence, which rose two points to 68 in September, its highest level since May according to a new University of Florida survey.
“With the Gulf oil spill largely behind us, consumer confidence has begun to recover to pre-spill levels,” said Chris McCarty, director of UF’s Survey Research Center in the Bureau of Economic and Business Research. “This is by no means a return to a state of optimism. Overall confidence is four points lower than it was at this time last year.”
Although this month’s consumer confidence is 10 points below the April reading of 78, all five of the index components posted gains. Rising four points were expectations of U.S. economic conditions over the next year, to 62, and expectations of U.S. economic conditions over the next five years, to 73. Rising one point were perceptions of personal finances now compared with a year ago, to 52, and expectations of personal finances a year from now, to 79. Perceptions of whether it is a good time to buy big-ticket items increased two points to 76.
http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=248069&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+floridarealtors+%28Florida+Realtors%29

A ray of hope for flood insurance extension

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A ray of hope for flood insurance extension


WASHINGTON – Sept. 23, 2010 – The U.S. Senate passed a one-year extension for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) last evening. The House must now approve the bill and send it to President Obama to avoid a temporary NFIP shutdown after Sept. 30.


If NFIP shuts down, current homeowners cannot renew a policy, and homebuyers cannot secure a policy, which can postpone closings of flood-zone homes that require a mortgage.
Also yesterday, The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) testified to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs on the importance of renewing the flood program, which is set to expire for the ninth time in two years. Congress has already approved eight short-term extensions, essentially punting the issue down the field.
“We are pleased that last night the Senate passed S. 3814 to extend the NFIP for one year until Sept. 30, 2011. We urge the House to immediately do the same,” said Realtor Nick D’Ambrosia, who testified on NAR’s behalf. “However, this month-to-month approach has hindered recovering real estate markets and exacerbated the uncertainty for the more than 5.5 million taxpayers who depend on the NFIP to protect them against floods.”
http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=247473&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+floridarealtors+%28Florida+Realtors%29

FlORIDA sees increase in international buyers

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Fla. sees increase in international buyers


ORLANDO, Fla. – Sept. 21, 2010 – A number of factors contributed to the decline in home sales nationally and in Florida specifically, but the growing importance of foreign homebuyers has offset some of the damage. Roughly two out of every three Realtors in the state had at least one international transaction within the past year.
While U.S. buyers continue to struggle, foreign buyers generally see U.S. real estate as a desirable, profitable and secure investment. In addition, a weak U.S. dollar has made Florida real estate even more attractive recently.
The National Association of Realtors®, in cooperation with Florida Realtors, conducted a survey of Florida members, asking them about their experience working with international clients. The survey was conducted in July-August 2010. A total of 936 responses were received.

http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=247350&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+floridarealtors+%28Florida+Realtors%29

Obama administration: $208.4M to stabilize Fla. neighborhoods

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TAMPA, Fla. – Sept. 10, 2010 – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded an additional $208,437,144 in funding to Florida communities struggling to reverse the effects of the foreclosure crisis, the third round of funding through HUD’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP).
To kick off the Florida funding – part of a $1 billion package for all states – HUD Deputy Secretary Ron Sims joined Congresswoman Kathy Castor yesterday in Tampa, which will receive $4.7 million for local foreclosure efforts.
“We want to make certain that we target these funds to those places with especially high foreclosure activity so we can help turn the tide in our battle against abandonment and blight,” said Sims. “As a direct result of the leadership provided by Senator Chris Dodd and Congressman Barney Frank, who played key roles in winning approval for these funds, we will be able to make investments that will reduce blight, bolster neighboring home values, create jobs, and produce affordable housing.”
http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=246589&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+floridarealtors+%28Florida+Realtors%29

"HOPE AWARDS" homeownership award seeks entries

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"HOPE homeownership award seeks entries


WASHINGTON – Sept. 20, 2010 – Know an organization or Realtor working to promote minority homeownership? Nominate them for the National Association of Realtors®’ 2011 Home Ownership Participation for Everyone (HOPE) Awards.
The HOPE Awards were created exactly for times like this – “to recognize and support those individuals and organizations that plant the seeds of hope, in families, communities and the nation, when the barriers to homeownership grow and overshadow the American Dream.”
Applications are due by Dec. 17, 2010. Winners receive $10,000 and paid travel expenses to attend the awards ceremony.
For more information, visit the HOPE Awards website at: http://www.hopeawards.org/


http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=247253&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+floridarealtors+%28Florida+Realtors%29

10 tips for hiring a home remodeling contractor

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10 tips for hiring a home remodeling contractor


YORK, Pa., – Sept. 3, 2010 – An uptick in homeowners are opting to remodel to increase a potential sales price or just upgrade their living space. According to StateofLife.com, remodelers should keep the following in mind:
Tip No. 1: Does your contractor have proof of insurance?
Ask the contractor to have his insurance company mail or fax a copy of his current contractor insurance card to you. If the contractor can’t do this – stay away. Why? If there is an accident at your home, you are then liable. This also applies to any sub-contractor or employee that the contractor may use – those individuals should have active insurance cards faxed or mailed to you as well.
Tip No. 2: Check references and see photos

Ask for at least three references with two for the same type of project you’re planning – and call the references. Additionally, ask the contractor to provide photos of previous work, especially for the same type of project. If he produces lawn and garden photos and you’re planning a bathroom remodel, you may want to check with another contractor.
Tip No. 3: Does your contractor take debit or credit cards?

Besides your ability to earn a few points, bonus miles or cash back, credit card acceptance is a good sign that a contractor is financially savvy and has a bank behind his business. Even many small, one-man shops take cards if they have a good relationship with their business bank or credit union.

http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=246307&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+floridarealtors+%28Florida+Realtors%29