Senate Passes Extension on First-time Buyer Tax Credit
November 11, 2009
The Senate has given the final approval passing the extension on the first-time buyer tax credit. The House of Representatives vote was overwhelming as they passed the extension and added an expansion of the homebuyer tax credit. And, President Obama has signed the final approval, putting it into act.
The first-time homebuyer tax credit will be extended through April 30, 2010. Buyers will have until the end of June 2010 to close on their property. The new legislation also increased the income limit for couples with income up to $225,000. That is almost a $55,000 increase above what its current level.
Now, for the first time, buyers who already own a home are eligible for a $6,500 tax credit (known as a repeat buyer’s tax credit). The credit will be available to existing homeowners who have lived in their primary residence for five consecutive years out of an eight year homeownership. There is an eligibility limit of up to $800,000 for the price of the home.
Both credits are only available for primary residences. Secondary homes and investment homes are not eligible for the tax credit. The legislation goes into effect December 1 and is not retroactive.
Although there is a lot of concern about the $16.7 billion cost to keep stimulating real estate sales, it is still a popular plan for the moment and many homebuyers are taking advantage of it while it lasts.
Utility Savings Coming to Lake Havasu City Just in Time for Winter
November 4, 2009
Utility savings are coming to Lake Havasu City just in time for the winter months this year. Gas bills are expected to see a 16% to 18% drop this winter because of declining natural gas prices. This is such good news for Lake Havasu City residents that I just have to share the news in my blog.
According to an article I recently came across, the new costs per therm will range from around $1 beginning in November to about 94¢ in March. UniSource has designed a formula to cushion customers from rapid natural gas price swings.
Usually, UniSource under collects for gas and typically has to add a surcharge at the end of the season. But, in this case, there was an over collection when gas prices dropped very rapidly and there is now an over collection. So, everyone’s monthly natural gas bill is expected to be reduced by an average of $5.85 per month during the winter months and $1.28 during the summer months.
According to the article, gas companies recover the cost of gas they purchase and their transportation costs through what’s called a Purchased Gas Adjustor rate. This PGA rate is then calculated based on a 12 rolling month average and designed to reduce the instability of gas costs passed on to all customers.
The recent lowering in natural gas prices are due to an increase in supply of natural gas and lower manufacturing throughout Arizona and Nevada. And, customers in Lake Havasu City, Arizona are able to immediately able to take advantage of the natural gas prices. Other cities and states are not passing along the discount, so those customers will not see a change in their natural gas bills for the moment.
The gas companies making a point to lower the natural gas prices is just another part of what makes Lake Havasu City such a great place to live.
Improving Your Home’s Value with Landscaping
October 13, 2009
With so many homes on the market, every homeowner that is ready to sell their home is trying every angle to get the most value from their home and many are finding extra value in landscaping. The perceived value of a property can increase up to 11% through a sophisticated landscaping design that incorporates large plant sizes, evergreens, annual color plants and colored hardscapes.
Many professional landscapers believe that tree cover is an extra added value to landscaping. Tree cover provides an enriching and relaxing quality for the homeowner and the neighborhood. Tree cover also helps out with utility costs, as it helps shade the home during the summer and shelter the home during the winter.
If you’re a homeowner who is considering the addition of tree coverage, here are some tips to help you choose the best trees for your landscape.
* Take a trip to your local nursery and get advice from an expert. Since trees are a permanent fixture, it is important to know which ones will work with the yard you have before you invest your time and money on them.
* Some popular trees include: dogwood trees (they bloom each spring and are beautiful in the fall), birch trees (they have an unusual branch and bark pattern), a variety of apple trees (if they bloom fruit, it is a bonus), pine trees (the pine needles offer a unique appearance) and Japanese maple trees (they have brilliant colors).
* To provide shade and keep the home cool, plant trees on the south and west sides of the home.
* Buy water-efficient trees. Water-efficient trees will use less water than low water-use grass.
* Seek advice from your local water department to find a list and tips on water-saving types of vegetation. They can also let you know which ones are fire-resistant.
Whatever you choose for your landscaping design, I wish you the best of luck with it.
Finding Your Dream Home in Foreclosed Property
October 6, 2009
Finding your dream home in foreclosed property can be very appealing to many buyers, especially to those that are trying to stretch their dollars. The biggest challenge can be trying to find a good one, since the vast majority of bank-owned properties have been damaged and need repairs.
For those who are considering the purchase of a foreclosure, it is very important to know exactly how much work is needed on the property and how much it is going to cost you. Foreclosed properties come in various states of disrepair. Some will only need minor cosmetic fixes, but some may need major repairs.
A great place to start your home search is through a real estate agent. You can also find foreclosure listings on lender websites, such as Chase, Bank of America, Sun Trust and Citibank. Other ways to help your search along is by signing up with RealtyTrac.com for a fee of $49.95 a month. You can find pre-foreclosures and foreclosures in every state across the nation. There are also other sites like Foreclosures.com that charge $49.95 and BankHomeDirect.com that charge $19.95 where you can search for REOs. Just remember, your real estate agent can help you find the right property for free.
If buyers have learned anything out of the last couple of years, it is definitely buyer beware. Consumers have all heard the stories of copper wiring and pipes being ripped out and stolen. Some properties have had toilets ripped out and walls kicked in. And, we don’t need anyone to tell us that the water lines are damaged because the toilet was ripped out or the sheet rock will have to be replaced because the walls were kicked in. Using common sense and getting repair quotes ahead of time will help you know what you’re in for.
When looking for a great deal in a foreclosure, look at the properties that have been on the market over a month. Banks usually discount their properties around 20% to 30% to start with. After a month, the buyer may have more power in getting the bank to lower the price.
Lake Havasu City’s 13th annual Iron Man Golf Tournament had an all-women 
team competing for the first time ever this year, which made local history at the Courses at London Bridge Golf Course on August 29, 2009.
The all-women foursome included Anita Merideth, Cathy Blackman, Maria Delyria and Marilyn Mark,s who won second place at the full day event during a 54-hole, three course golfing tournament. Way to go girls!
It actually turned out to be an awesome event. The Pro Therapy’s foursome that included David Bell, John Twomey, Ken Kent and Scott Rodman took the winnings. They then donated back 75% of those winnings to the Eagles scholarship fund. The Fraternal Order of Eagles hosted the tournament, so those winnings went back toward the youth organizations and scholarships. Talk about giving back to the community!
It’s always great to hear about history being made, especially when it’s in my own local community. And it’s even better to hear that local events like this are making it possible to give back so much to the community and its future leaders.
Vicki Lind, Known for the Clients She Keeps, Lake Havasu City real estate expert
Kitchen Remodeling Ideas for Every Home
August 4, 2009
If you’re a homeowner that is thinking about remodeling your kitchen, I have a few ideas that are great for every home. Gone are the days of just replacing all your cabinets on the walls. Now, times have changed and it’s time to spend a little more to get a kitchen that not only functions well but looks great, too!
Many of us spend a lot of time in our kitchen. We sometimes prepare and eat two to three meals a day there. Therefore, functionality is of the up-most importantance to go along with style.
Here are some ideas to keep in mind when remodeling your kitchen. You don’t have to add everything, but consider what is important to you and spend your money wisely.
Lift-Up Doors
With lift-up model doors, there will be no more bumping and banging into your cabinet doors. These models open upward and out of your way. A great idea for kitchen cabinets.
Roll-Out Pantry Drawers
This is handy to have even if you have plenty of pantry space. Having some pantry storage stored in an area and filled with frequently used items near the food prep point on roll-out pantry drawers can save time and is convenient.
Lazy-Susan Cabinet
Having a Lazy-Susan in your corner cabinet really maximizes the storage space and allows you to easily access items by a quick turn. Blind corner pull-outs are also very useful for corner cabinets. This allows the first set of shelving to pivot outward when the cabinet is opened, then the second set of shelving can be easily slid out.
Trash Pull-outs
Keeping your trash out of sight is a big plus for any home and two bins are always better than one. With trash pull-outs, you can use one for wet trash and one for dry trash.
Filler Pull-outs
Use your cabinet space to its maximum. The empty space between cabinets and appliances that is usually filled with trim can be filled with narrow pull-outs for storage of pans, trays, spices, etc.
Triple-Drawer Cabinet
With a triple-drawer in your cabinet, you can have cooking utensils in one drawer, dishes in another and large pots in another.
Pull-Down Shelving
This is especially helpful for short, elderly or handicapped people. With just a slight tug of a pull-bar, the shelving will move down to an accessible height.
All these ideas are used to maximize the space and functionality of any kitchen. If you use some of these ideas, you will be well on your way to being more organized in the kitchen. If you use them all, you will have the most functional and organized kitchen in town.
Realtor® Vicki Lind ~ Lake Havasu City Real Estate
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Find Your Way Home in Lake Havasu City
July 7, 2009
If you are looking to purchase a foreclosed property in Lake Havasu City, the Arizona Department of Housing may have just the program for you. Your Way Home AZ allows buyers to utilize a 0% interest loan equal to 22% of the purchase price for any buyer in Mohave County that meets the following criteria:
1. They must be purchasing a foreclosed single-family home, condominium or townhome.
2. The property must be vacant at the time of purchase.
3. The buyer must use the property as their permanent residence.
4. The buyer must live on the property for 5-15 years or else the loan will not be forgiven. The amount of time depends on the amount of the loan.
If your household income is 120% or less of the median Mohave County household income, you may qualify for the Your Way Home AZ program. This means, for a family of four, your household income could be as high as $70,900.
As always, you are encouraged to get approved for financing before you go in search of a Lake Havasu City foreclosure. This speeds up the process as well as lets you know exactly what you can afford. So, please contact me today to help you with your Lake Havasu home purchase today.
Vicki Lind, Known for the Clients She Keeps, Lake Havasu City real estate expert
Find Your Way Home in Lake Havasu City
July 7, 2009
If you are looking to purchase a foreclosed property in Lake Havasu City, the Arizona Department of Housing may have just the program for you. Your Way Home AZ allows buyers to utilize a 0% interest loan equal to 22% of the purchase price for any buyer in Mohave County that meets the following criteria:
1. They must be purchasing a foreclosed single-family home, condominium or townhome.
2. The property must be vacant at the time of purchase.
3. The buyer must use the property as their permanent residence.
4. The buyer must live on the property for 5-15 years or else the loan will not be forgiven. The amount of time depends on the amount of the loan.
If your household income is 120% or less of the median Mohave County household income, you may qualify for the Your Way Home AZ program. This means, for a family of four, your household income could be as high as $70,900.
As always, you are encouraged to get approved for financing before you go in search of a Lake Havasu City foreclosure. This speeds up the process as well as lets you know exactly what you can afford. So, please contact me today to help you with your Lake Havasu home purchase today.
Vicki Lind, Known for the Clients She Keeps, Lake Havasu City real estate expert
The Top Home Improvement – The Bathroom
June 2, 2009
Despite the record foreclosure rates, there are many homeowners that are still able to make their mortgage payments. So, if you are among those homeowners who have been able to stay afloat through these hard economic times and you’re able to do a little home improvement, why not start with the bathroom?
The bathroom is still the #1 place for home improvement. It is the easiest and least expensive area to improve upon. Plus, with low interest rates and increased competition in the remodeling contractor’s field (meaning lower 
prices), this is the best time to do home improvements to add to your home’s value with popular upgrades.
Many homeowners are leaning toward the spa-like trend when remodeling their home’s bathroom. From both a personal and investment point of view, the advantages are very clear. Upgrading, renovating or remodeling a bathroom can add huge value to the home. The homeowner can also recoup up to 75% of the cost upon resale.
Some ideas to upgrade your home’s bath can include a luxurious water experience (which will turn a simple bath into a therapeutic relaxation area), adding a messaging bath/jet bath (which helps create a relaxing, soothing bath experience), adding ceramic tile lined showers and ceramic tile flooring, splashing on some new paint, upgrading the lighting and upgrading the countertops and cabinet hardware.
These bath improvements will drastically change both the look and feel of your home’s bathroom. And best of all, you can do it on a budget. Most bath improvements can be done by the homeowner. You can find many websites online with complete do-it-yourself instructions for just about every home improvement project there is for homeowners living on a budget. Be sure to shop around for the best prices on materials and look for sales. For those improvements that you feel you can’t do or that absolutely require a professional, make sure you get referrals and ask the contractor for pictures of his handy work.
When improving any area of your home, be patient, take your time and don’t be afraid to call a professional when you’re getting in over your head.
Realtor® Vicki Lind ~ Lake Havasu City Real Estate
Last weekend was a great weekend to be in Lake Havasu City and business owners were loving it, too. The Desert Storm Poker Run and Shootout was a huge success once again this year. The concrete data will not be available for a few weeks. But, if you were there, you saw just how successful the event was. The street party was wall-to-wall people and the lake was packed.
The event was awesome. Hotels were filled, restaurants were extremely busy and everyone was having a great time. There were even vendors and participants from two dozen states that came 
to join in the fun.
There are several events held throughout the year in Lake Havasu City that many residents get to enjoy and business owners are able to benefit from.
Lake Havasu City has seen a surge in visitors this year in record breaking numbers. Although the economy is still a little unstable, things seem to be picking up in certain areas of the country and Lake Havasu City seems to be one of them.
For entrepreneurs looking for a well balanced community with plenty of foot traffic, Lake Havasu City may be the city for you.
If you’re looking to relocate to some place new, take a look at Lake Havasu City. It is one of the most exciting communities in the country. The economy is great, education is top-notch; both public and private, there is a great selection of homes to choose from in a wide range of prices and more recreation than you can handle. The weather in Lake Havasu City is absolutely perfect for this resort town, making it easy to get outdoors and enjoy every type of activity possible. If you want to feel alive and vibrant year-round, Lake Havasu City is the place for you.
Visit the Lake Havasu City Visitor’s Bureau to find the best places to visit when in town and upcoming events.
Realtor® Vicki Lind ~ Lake Havasu City Real Estate
