Gayle's Blog

The following is a press release from the National Assoc. of REALTORS:

FHA To Allow Monetization of Tax Credit

Shaun Donovan, secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, said that the Federal Housing Administration is going to permit its lenders to allow homeowners to use the $8,000 tax credit as a downpayment. Donovan's remarks came in an address to several thousand Realtors® gathered last week at a special Real Estate Summit program during the National Association of REALTORS Midyear Meetings in Washington D.C..

Secretary Donovan said that important changes, which NAR has been calling for, will help consumers purchase a home. "We all want to enable FHA consumers to access the home buyer tax credit funds when they close on their home loans so that the cash can be used as a downpayment," Donovan said. According to Donovan, the FHA's approved lenders will be permitted to "monetize" the tax credit through short-term bridge loans. This will allow eligible home buyers to access the funds immediately at the closing table.

Donovan said the Obama administration plans to further stabilize the housing market. "I do think we have some early signs hat the market overall is stabilizing," said Donovan. "Since January we've seen both home sales moving up and down around a relatively stable number and we are seeing the first signs that the rapid decline in home prices is starting to abate."

NAR President Charles McMillan, a broker in Dallas-Fort Worth, said, "As the leading advocate for housing issues and homeownership, NAR continues to take a leadership role in promoting ideas for improving our economy by stabilizing the housing and real estate markets. Today we have the best of the best to begin a dialogue, develop solutions and initiate action toward real estate and economic recovery."
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This is wonderful news for any buyer in the Monroe and West Monroe market today. Remember, you must purchase an existing home before December 1, 2009, to qualify for the tax credit.
Call, email or text me if you want to buy your first home and take advantage of this fabulous program. With interest rates so low, conditions are more favorable than any time within the past 50 years!

Gayle Causey
318-614-5615
http://GayleCausey.com

Keller Williams Realty
Monroe, LA

The long tradition of Open Houses on Sunday afternoon is about to be shaken up a bit. This past weekend (May 9) was just the beginning of a new era in open houses in Monroe/West Monroe, LA.

Keller Williams Realty hosted 30 open houses all over Ouachita Parish on Saturday afternoon! It was decided that Mother's Day (May 10) was a day set aside for moms, so they should not be inconvenienced by having to leave their homes to have them open on their special day.

Personally, I love the idea of Saturday Open Houses. I think it's good to give buyers the choice of 2 weekend days to see houses without having to make appointments. And, I also like the idea of having a Sunday off now and then. That doesn't mean that I won't show houses to my buyer clients on Sunday. I'm always happy to do that.  But, not hosting open houses on Sunday gives me a chance to have a little family time, too.

So, what do YOU think?  I would really like to know your opinion. If this is an idea that customers like, I think more and more Realtors will also jump on the bandwagon.

Please share your thoughts.

Gayle Causey
Keller Williams Realty
Monroe, LA
http://GayleCausey.com or http://WestMonroeRealEstate.com

If you aren't swimming through your yard right now, you're doing well!  We've had so much rain over the past week that it's almost time to get out the boats.

Now is a good time, before the stifling heat that's on its way, to check the drainage around your home. If water pools in the yard or near the house, it's time to do something about it. It's bad for the grass and it encourages mold and mildew around your home.

I'm certainly no expert, so go to your neighborhood garden center and ask for advice. Some of the local landscape firms do an excellent job at improving drainage. Sometimes it's simple--clean out the drains near the street, remove old leaves and pine straw from the natural drainage lines. Sometimes it's a little more difficult. You may have to install French drains or underground pipes (for lack of a better word) to move the water to a more appropriate location.

Either way, your grass will be more healthy and you will have a smaller crop of mosquitoes this summer. I won't tell you that all the work in the world will keep mosquitoes away, but it will help!

A beautiful lawn increases your enjoyment of your property, and it really helps when you are ready to sell!

Gayle Causey
Keller Williams Realty
Monroe, LA, USA
http://GayleCausey.com