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“The all too often call came in just a few minutes ago.  The new homeowners were excited about getting moved into their new home as soon as possible after closing.  Certainly the reminder from their real estate agent to have their house rekeyed should have been enough but it was not.  Maybe the reminder from a new neighbor that suggested that they get the house rekeyed before they move anything into their house…well, that was not enough either.  However, the person with a key to their house that came in while they were away over the weekend was what did it.  Now they are calling to get their house rekeyed.  We hear this story repeated way too often.  As soon as you are given the keys to your new home, get it rekeyed.  This is true even if the previous owner says he has given you all the keys.  Did he forget about the neighbor across the street that watered his plants while he was on vacation?  Maybe he did not know that the daughter’s ex-boyfriend has a copy.  What about the babysitter?  Keeping your home and possessions safe is what we do.  Give us a call.  We even offer a discount for homeowner’s getting their house rekeyed within 30 days of closing.  Our suggestion…do not wait that long.” 

Don Myers

www.thekeydepotsa1.com

210-340-1850

A Thanksgiving Poem, by CJ Beaman
IT was the night of Thanksgiving, but I just couldn’t sleep
I tried counting backwards, I tried counting sheep.
The leftovers beckoned– the dark meat and white,
but I fought the temptation with all of my might.
Tossing and turning with anticipation,
the thought of a snack became infatuation.
So, I raced to the kitchen, flung open the door
and gazed at the fridge, full of goodies galore.
I gobbled up turkey and buttered potatoes,
pickles and carrots, beans and tomatoes.
I felt myself swelling so plump and so round,
till all of a sudden, I rose off the ground.
I crashed through the ceiling, floating into the sky
With a mouthful of pudding and a handful of pie
But, I managed to yell as I soared past the trees…….
happy eating to all—pass the cranberries, please!
May your stuffing be tasty, may your turkey be plump,
May your potatoes On gravy have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious may your pies take the prize,
May your thanksgiving dinner stay off of your thighs.

By CJ Beaman, c 2001
~~~
I AM THANKFUL… For the teenager who is complaining about doing dishes– Because that means he is at home not on the streets.
For the taxes that I pay– Because it means I am employed.
For the mess to clean after a party– Because it means that I have been surrounded by friends.
For the clothes that fit a little too snug– Because it means I have enough to eat.
For my shadow that watches me work– Because it means I am out in the sunshine.
For a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing– Because it means I have a home.
For all the complaining I hear about the government– Because it means we have freedom of speech.
For the parking spot I find at the far end of the parking lot– Because it means I am capable of walking and that I have been blessed with transportation.
For my huge heating bill– Because it means I am warm.
For the lady behind me in church who sings off key– Because it means I can hear.
For the pile of laundry and ironing– Because it means I have clothes to wear.
For weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day– Because it means I have been capable of working hard.
For the alarm that goes of in the early morning hours– Because it means I am alive.
And finally, for too much email– Because it means I have friends who are thinking of me!
–Author unknown.

Its Monday morning and I am working at home today, I have emails to catch up on, and a jillion work related projects to get started on. But first, I had to clean out my refrigerator, YIKES!!!! (it is garbage truck day, those guys are heroes in my book, you should see what I gave them).   If there was a market for outdated fuzzy food, no doubt I could retire shortly.  My husband has an aunt that jokes (I wonder) about using her refrigerator as a penicillin incubator (we don’t eat at her house), I think that mine rivaled hers this morning.  I should definitely get a star at my weight watcher meeting this week, there is nothing left to temp me  in that fridge.  On to the deep freeze now.

Boy, what a nightmare that was.  I found my missing Thanksgiving turkey that I couldn’t find back then, which forced my husband to don his apron and cook steaks out.  My good deed to myself was to throw out the half empty 2 (OK, 3) gallons of Blue Bell Cookies and Crèam that no doubt I will miss in the middle of an upcoming night. Hallelujah Weight Watchers! And if anyone knows what I can do with a giant baggie of frozen marshmallows please let me know.  I guess I could make a crock pot stew out of all the odds and ends and un-identified, but I really don’t want to visit the ER this week so watch out garbage men, here it comes.  Um, I wonder how many points I get at Weight Watchers for carrying all this stuff to the curb.

This reminds me, all you sellers out there, CLEAN OUT YOUR CLOSETS.  When I show buyers they always want to check out the storage, closets are big on the “want” list, if your closet or pantry looks like my fridge and freezer, you are overdue for a good cleaning. It really impresses a buyer when they can open a hall closet and not have to dodge falling debris.  This week I saw some very creative collages of family trips to Disneyworld and the beach but I don’t think my buyers ever looked at the room, they got so focused on the pictures.  You are going to move anyway so pack it up and stack the boxes neatly out of the way.   Visit my website for additional info on getting your house ready to sell.

Now, on to my pantry.

“Texas is the most housing-affordable, high-growth state in the nation,” says Dr. Jim Gaines, research economist for the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University. “So far, skyrocketing home prices common to fast-growing states like California and Florida have not occurred in Texas.”

In mid-2007, the state’s median-priced home was $151,000 – some two-thirds the national median of $229,000 and about 75 percent less than California’s $589,000.

According to the Texas Housing Affordability Index compiled by Gaines, a Texas family earning the statewide median income has 152 percent of the income required to qualify for financing on the median-priced home. Nationally, families have about 16 percent more than is required.

Other measures show just how affordable Texas homes are. One expresses median house value as a multiple of median housing income. The lower the multiple, the more affordable the housing.

“In 2005, the national median home value was 3.62 times the median household income,” says Gaines. “In Texas, the median value was only 2.52. Current median prices to median household income multiplies are even higher, and the difference between Texas and the nation are even more pronounced.”

Gaines says housing affordability is just one card in a deck stacked in the state’s favor. The other winning cards include lower cost of living and cost of business, greater employment opportunities and an appealing lifestyle.

“Events and circumstances point toward a Texas-sized boom between 2005 and 2030,” Gaines writes in the latest issue of Tierra Grande magazine, a periodical sent to all the state’s real estate licensees. “The state’s population and economy — as well as its housing and commercial real estate markets — are poised to explode in volume and prices.”

Gaines says the real estate game is changing, and the stakes are getting higher.

“Things will change dramatically from what many Texas are used to,” he predicts. Population will be a key player at the table as Texas is projected to grow by 13.6 million by 2030.

“That’s the equivalent of adding another Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, another Houston metropolitan area, another San Antonio metropolitan area and another Corpus Christi,” he says.

“Growth and prosperity will spread throughout the state, but most of the growth will occur in the state’s urban areas,” says Gaines. “Four out of every five Texans will live in the Dallas-Fort Worth-to-Houston-to San Antonio triangle.”

New Texans will bring new jobs.

“Texas leads the nation in job creation. If Texas maintains its average employment-to-population ratio as expected during the next 25 years, the state will add another 4.5 to 5.8 million jobs,” says Gaines. “Job growth is expected to be stimulated by overall U.S. economic growth and enhanced by Texas’ employment-friendly characteristics.”

More people and more jobs will lead to higher personal income.

“Extending the long-term trend that began in 1969 suggests the state’s total personal income could increase by $1 trillion by 2030,” says Gaines. “The 2005 Texas median household income of $42,139 could reach nearly $68,000 by 2030.”

With the gains will come pains, says the noted economist.

“The projected population and employment boom will also strain local and state resources to provide public services and infrastructure,” he said. “Texas will experience the same growing pains as other high-growth states. State and local fiscal capacities will be stretched, and Texans will debate the level and type of growth they want in their communities.”

For more on Gaines’ Texas economic outlook for 2030, including his thoughts on what might disrupt the ideal game plan, see “Looming Boom: Texas Through 2030” available online at http://recenter.tamu.edu/pdf/1841.pdf.

The Real Estate Center (http://recenter.tamu.edu) has been providing solutions through research for 35 years. Funded primarily by Texas real estate licensee fees, the Center was created by the state legislature to meet the needs of many audiences, including the real estate industry, instructors, researchers and the general public.

As San Antonio was one of only 10 major metro areas that had positive home appreciation in 2007, this recent news about San Antonio employers and San Antonio’s job growth, should give us reassurance about the local market. In the simplest terms, positive job growth coupled with low interest rates means continuing demand for homes. Therefore if you decide to buy a home today in San Antonio it appears to continue to be a safe investment, because positive home appreciation, interest rates at 2 1/2 year lows and continued demand, and you will have a home in which you can build equity.

So I say to Rackspace…thanks for being a great employer…

“Rates on 30-year mortgages fell for a third straight week to the lowest level since the summer of 2005. Freddie Mac’s weekly survey showed that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages dropped to 5.69 percent from 5.87 percent last week.

On 15-year mortgages, rates dropped to 5.21 percent from 5.43 percent. Rates on five-year adjustable-rate mortgages declined to 5.40 percent from 5.63 percent, and rates on one-year ARMs fell to 5.26 percent from 5.37 percent. It marked the first time that the 15-year rate has fallen below one-year adjustable-rate mortgages in seven years. “

As the economy continues to show signs of slowing, the mortgage rates continue to make buying a home attractive. Combine that with competitive pricing for homes for sale due to bloated inventory, and now really is the best time to purchase.

If you are wondering how must you can afford, just click on our Home Buyer’s Calculators and you will know, and then visit our MLS search page and find homes that interest you in your price range, and we would be more than happy to get you more information on those homes.

There are three key areas to keep in mind. They are:

1. How vacancy provisions might apply; If you are selling a home and the
   home is vacant, it is imperative you contact your agent to make
   sure the proper coverage is in place. Most homeowner policies will not
   cover a vacant house.
2. How a delayed move-in can create coverage gaps for the buyer; If you
   are a buyer, and will lease back the house to the seller for a
   short period of time, you need to contact your agent (prior to closing) and let them know you won’t be moving in for a while so the proper binder can be sent to the title company.
3. How the parties’ interest in the property can be protected under a
   contract of sale. Assuming the seller doesn’t finance through a formal
   mortgage agreement, the new owner of the home can protect the financial
   interest that the seller has in the property through Additional Insured
   endorsements.

These tips were shared with us by Sally Singley with the Barnard-Donegan Insuarnce Agency. If you have any insurance questions you can contact Sally via email at ssingley@donegan.com.

We have all seen the headlines, “HOUSING CRISIS…”, “MORTGAGE MELTDOWN…” . And you are worried about the real estate market, or about your ability to qualify for a loan with a good interest rate. Maybe you don’t want to make a move yet, because you’d like to wait until you think the market is going to hit bottom.

But did you know that RIGHT NOW is the best time to buy? Buying an owner-occupied house is based on the local market, and it’s based on YOUR family’s needs and capabilities.

The San Antonio real estate market remains strong, despite what is happening elsewhere. If you can afford the monthly mortgage payments, then seize this opportunity to provide your family with the security of owning their own home. In fact, right now IS the best time to buy your first home. Why?

1. Long-term appreciation. Although real estate values operate on a cyclical market (increasing, then decreasing, then increasing), over the long term, appreciation is over 7% in San Antonio. So if you’re buying a long-term family home that you plan to leave for your children, the short-term market fluctuation shouldn’t affect your plans.
2. High inventory level. Right now, there are over 11,000 homes for sale in San Antonio, according to the MLS. New homes offered by builders are coming with huge incentives. In this buyers’ market, you’re in the driver’s seat!
3. Sellers are more willing to negotiate. Quite simply: more houses for sale = more choices for buyers = more leverage to negotiate better price and terms! Of the 11,000 homes for sale in San Antonio, 1,000 of those have already been reduced in price.
4. Great quality loans available. Yes, despite some things you may hear, borrowers can find terrific mortgage loans. FHA loans are still available, and you can use down-payment assistance. And now they’re at all-time low, competitive interest rates.
5. Tax break! Don’t forget that you can receive a mortgage interest deduction on your annual tax filing. It can be substantial enough to offset any additional expense of owning (versus renting). So now there’s no excuse!

The main reason to buy a house is because you and your family would like to have a safe, secure, stable home. Another reason is that you can begin owning real estate with an owner-occupied investment, and later on you can buy a larger “move-up” house. So if your property appreciates, that is great, it’s “icing on the cake”, but not the main reason to buy your home.

Now it’s time to get out there and find your dream home.