BRIGHTON, Mich., April 20 /PRNewswire/ – The three most important things to remember when moving and buying a new home are: location, location, location. As potential homebuyers start looking for new homes, RelocateAmerica.com, the premier website in providing relocating consumers access to resources for their upcoming relocation, has released its 13th annual list of “America’s Top 100 Places to Live for 2010.”

The “Top 100 Places to Live” list features several breakout categories such as the Top 10 Recovery Cities, Retirement Cities, ‘Earth Friendly’ Cities, Recreation Cities and Small Towns.

New for this year, the Top 10 Recovery Cities focused on areas poised for swift economic recovery. Many of these communities did not see the massive real estate bubble that formed in other areas and have a more diverse economy.

To be considered for the list, a community is nominated at RelocateAmerica.com. From the thousands of submissions, RelocateAmerica.com’s editorial team reviews the nominations and selects the Top 100 Places to Live, as well as the Top 10 for each smaller category, based on interviews with local leaders; feedback from residents; and economic, environmental, education, crime, employment and housing data for the past year.

“Given the tough economic times our nation is facing, homebuyers have re-evaluated their priorities and are looking to relocate to communities that offer plenty of perks, but minimal hassle and cost,” said Peter Meyers, Vice President, Research and Content Development, at RelocateAmerica.com. “While some cities are facing a road to recovery that could take years, others are poised for a quick rebound – and already have seen growth. We wanted to highlight those cities that are on the road back to economic health.”

Click to view and download photos of the “Top 100 Places to Live.”

The “Top 100 Places to Live” list is organized with the Top 10 communities ranked and the remaining 90 compiled alphabetically, to recognize all the communities on the list.

The complete Top 100 List, compiled annually since 1998, can be viewed and towns can be nominated for next year’s list by visiting www.RelocateAmerica.com.

RelocateAmerica.com is operated by trueV New Media Group.

What is interesting is how various areas and price points are affected in different ways. Just as California, Florida, and other parts of the country have been hit worse than Texas, areas and price points within the cities are impacted differently. For example, in San Antonio, homes priced under $200,000 are selling much faster than homes priced over that. As the price goes up, the time on the market increases accordingly. If you are in more rural areas, you have the issues of gas prices and commute times. A buyer’s market is typically determined by the inventory levels. If you have an inventory of 7 months or more, you have a buyer’s market. So, to be specific here in San Antonio, we have a buyer’s market above $300,000. We tend to be in a seller’s market under $200,000, and a balanced market in between the $200 to $300k range.

Buyers and sellers need to understand the market as it affects them. Too many times, they are fed the generalities of the market and not the specifics as it should be. For anyone needing a detailed market analysis, we are available.

By the way, at our last OPEN HOUSE, three open houses actually, we gave away a $25 gift card and the winner was Thea Platz. Congrats!

It offers two living areas, one with a fireplace;  two eating areas, a conveniently located kitchen and inside utility room.  There are two patios, one on each side of the house and a two car garage.  It is set on  a large lot on a cul-de-sac street.  This is a great  home for anyone ,  just starting out or downsizing.   The carpet was replaced recently but it could use a little TLC.  If you want to take a look at this home, call Joy Myers at 210-259-6643 for a personal tour or visit www.bradfieldproperties.com/780274 for photos of property.   Don’t wait ,  foreclosures are  selling fast. 

Also, if you are in the market to buy soon, ask about the tax credit for first time home buyers up to $8000. And check back here on Wednesday to find out who won the drawing from this open house for a gift card and to find out when and where the next open house will be. We will be doing open houses on a regular basis with drawings for free gift cards as well. Again, if anyone has any uestions on foreclosures or real eatate in the SanAntonio area, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

At the end of the town hall meeting, Dave said there were 3 things we can do: GET UP AND TAKE ACTION; STOP LISTENING TO LOSER TALK; and  START GIVING.

I think that too often we have the mindset that we cannot change or control what happens; we simply accept the decisions of others, whether it be the government of people around us. Nothing could be further from the truth. We as individuals can control what happens to us.  We can make smarter choices, take smarter actions, and  produce better results in our lives. The question is whether we are willing to make the effort or accept the status quo. It is time for each of us to look “within ourselves” and  ask ourselves some hard questions. Are we willing to get out of our comfort zone, start making smarter choices, and taking action to get the results we want?  We can, we just have to make the commitment, have the conviction in our hearts, and the courage to make it happen. Again, take a little time and visit www.townhallforhope.com . You won’t be disappointed. 

Like the rest of the country, San Antonio has certainly been affected by the tough economic conditions that exist today. We are experiencing a correction in our market as a result. Here are some numbers to  consider. Overall, sold homes for the last 12 months are down approximately 28% over the previous 12 month period. These numbers come directly from the San Antonio Board of Realtors. That is a serious downturn in sales. However, keep in mind that 2006 was a record year, 2007 was almost as good. Business cycles. The upside to these numbers is that homes are currently selling for 96 to 98% of list price, the same as in the previous 12 months. In addition, homes are maintaining their value or slightly increasing in value, NOT DECREASING! Homes are staying on the market for 30 to 60 days longer than in the past, but that simply makes for a good buyer’s market at this time. Sellers need to be patient; buyers should look seriously at the opportunities right now as the leverage is on their side.  But, what is our future?

In San Antonio, the future is very strong. We anticipate the housing market coming back in 2009. Forbes.com just rated San Antonio as the number TWO BEST-VALUE CITY in the country, right behind Austin. The military is bringing in additional personnel to handle the medical training for all of the services, which will infuse millions of dollars into our local economy. Microsoft just opened a data center that also will have a major economic impact on San Antonio. It is projected to become the single largest user of power in the area. We have 2 PGA golf couses being built as well as a 1000+ room J.W. MARRIOTT  Hotel. This will attract golfers from around the world. All in all, I cannot think of a better place to buy or invest in real estate than San Antonio, Texas.

San Antonio is still one of the strongest markets in the country. As a matter of fact, Forbes Magazine ranked San Antonio as one of the nation’s strongest housing markets, behind only Seattle and Oklahoma City. The reason, a 11.2% increase in home prices.

With that said, San Antonio has not totally escaped the economic times.  The sub prime issues have certainly affected us. Mortgage companies have tightened their parameters, thus taking a percentage of potential buyers out of the market. Many investors  have virtually disappeared from our market because of their exposure in other markets.  This has changed the dynamics of our market. Builders have stopped buiding spec homes. They placed large incentives on their inventory to move existing product. That inventory has for the most part been sold off, which now drives buyers back to pre-existing homes.

So really, how is the San Antonio real estate market?  Just as it is nationally, some areas are stronger than others. Another factor is price. There are certain price points that are stronger than others. The lower price points are more active than the more expensive properties.  So, is it a buyer’s market? It depends on the area, the price point, and the individual seller’s position. Every transaction stands alone.  The bottom line for a buyer: Find an experienced agent that knows the market that can convey good, current information to you so that you can make an educated buying decision. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. 

“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.