"Wild as the Texas wind" is how Marty Robbins described the cowboy sitting with his girlfriend in an El Paso cantina. This haunting song and scores of western movies have helped build the image of this place as an exotic, dusty place where water is scarce and life is simple.
The land has a rich history of the Spanish and Native American lifestyles. Residents can still visit missions that combine the best of both cultures, eat authentic Mexican food, or walk across the border into Mexico for a day of shopping and exploring.
One of the best things about this area of West Texas is there are still cowboys, gringos, and Native Americans – the Tigua Indians of the Pueblo tribes. The influences of these cultures come together in El Paso, a city nestled in classic western geography but with all the modern conveniences that help define a good standard of living.
It's easy to find homes designed around with southwestern style architecture in El Paso. The one story homes with flat roofs are popular in the real estate community, and interiors feature curved arches leading into rooms and cool tile floors. A favorite feature of design in that area is ornamental iron work on the outside of houses.
The median home price is about $150,000, but nicely situated condos for half that price can be found as well as million dollar estates with million dollar views of the Juarez and El Paso Mountains.
Fortunately many residents in this area can afford to own their own homes because the job market has remained fairly steady. Helping boost the economy is defense spending and civilian jobs brought in by Fort Bliss Army Post – jobs that range from physician assistants to engineering to clerks at the retail stores on the post. In addition, because it is on the Mexican border, the Customs and Border Protection Agency, the office Immigration and Naturalization Service, and the Drug Enforcement Agency have offices located in the city.
Compare and select from the lowest mortgage rates in the Texas area using the mortgage rate calculator. Texas Mortgage Rates
El Paso, Texas certainly provides cultural diversity, affordable homes, a steady job market, and outdoor activities that are geared toward both mountains and the desert.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Ohio Housing Rollercoaster Has Many Ups and Downs
Some residents of Ohio can either walk away from their homes they’ve considered abandoning because the value is much less than the amount owed. Others can walk into new homes through the Welcome Home Funds program.
That Ohio has bragging rights in being home to the theme park with the most roller-coasters in the world is appropriate. One roller coaster specifically is almost the exact opposite by its enormous success as a small community in southern Ohio is in its gradual demise.
On the flip side, people considering home ownership may be eligible for up to $5,000 in funding if they meet income and other eligibility requirements. The Welcome Home Funds can be combined with federal tax incentive money for a combined amount of up to $13,000 to buy.
On the other side of the state and ten years after the Blue Streak opened, the Shawnee Main Street Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. However, because of job losses and a shift in the population away from Shawnee, the little town is fighting to stay alive. What was once a charming town of 6,000 people living in homes that featured balconies and awnings now has only about 600 residents who daily view the signs of decay.
Find and compare home loans and mortgage rates in the Ohio area from some of the most reputable lenders. Ohio Mortgage Rates
Searching for real estate listings, there were no houses for sale in Shawnee, neither by owner or listed by real estate agents. However, one house was listed as being in foreclosure thereby making the foreclosure rate 100 percent.
Back to the north in Sandusky, the roller coasters are enjoying better success than home sales. Fifty-seven homes are listed for sale in the town that used to be a safe haven for the Underground Railroad. However the foreclosure rate is severe as one in every 615 homes received a foreclosure filing in early 2010.
With this combination of whimsy and affordability, clearly Ohio should be a state swarming with homebuyers!
That Ohio has bragging rights in being home to the theme park with the most roller-coasters in the world is appropriate. One roller coaster specifically is almost the exact opposite by its enormous success as a small community in southern Ohio is in its gradual demise.
On the flip side, people considering home ownership may be eligible for up to $5,000 in funding if they meet income and other eligibility requirements. The Welcome Home Funds can be combined with federal tax incentive money for a combined amount of up to $13,000 to buy.
On the other side of the state and ten years after the Blue Streak opened, the Shawnee Main Street Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. However, because of job losses and a shift in the population away from Shawnee, the little town is fighting to stay alive. What was once a charming town of 6,000 people living in homes that featured balconies and awnings now has only about 600 residents who daily view the signs of decay.
Find and compare home loans and mortgage rates in the Ohio area from some of the most reputable lenders. Ohio Mortgage Rates
Searching for real estate listings, there were no houses for sale in Shawnee, neither by owner or listed by real estate agents. However, one house was listed as being in foreclosure thereby making the foreclosure rate 100 percent.
Back to the north in Sandusky, the roller coasters are enjoying better success than home sales. Fifty-seven homes are listed for sale in the town that used to be a safe haven for the Underground Railroad. However the foreclosure rate is severe as one in every 615 homes received a foreclosure filing in early 2010.
With this combination of whimsy and affordability, clearly Ohio should be a state swarming with homebuyers!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Walk Away or Walk Into Homes in Ohio
Ohio is one of six states where homeowners can turn over the deed to their homes rather than going into full foreclosure by banking giant Citigroup. The program allows people to remain in their homes for six months before moving on and it preserves at least some of their credit score as opposed to the hit a full foreclosure would take.
On the flip side, people considering home ownership may be eligible for up to $5,000 in funding if they meet income and other eligibility requirements. The Welcome Home Funds can be combined with federal tax incentive money for a combined amount of up to $13,000 to buy.
Some residents of Ohio can either walk away from their homes they’ve considered abandoning because the value is much less than the amount owed. Others can walk into new homes through the Welcome Home Funds program.
While Ohio is one of the states hard hit by the slumped over whimpering real estate market, there are signs of recovery. For example, one housing predictor showed that Ohio cities claimed the four of the top give spots in real estate growth for 2010, including Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Toledo. Not surprisingly, each of these cities has wonderful perks for residents and visitors alike: the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Schmidt’s Sausage Haus und Restaurant in the heart of German Village in Columbus, the gorgeous park on the Ohio Riverfront in Cincinnati, and bragging rights as hometown of the actor who played Corporal Klinger in M*A*S*H*, Jamie Farr, in Toledo.
If you’re looking to buy real estate in Ohio, be careful to not plan a housing development on McKinley Street in Bellefontaine, though. Reportedly the shortest street in America, two small bedrooms can be substantially wider than the 20 foot length of the road. The street may actually be the perfect location for the tiny houses that are growing in popularity across the nation (perhaps for their affordability in heating and cooling, but just as likely because the housekeeping is minimal).
Wherever you end up in the Buckeye State, you’ll find a multitude of fun discoveries scattered across the plains, river valleys, and near the great lake of Erie. You can see the world’s oldest traffic light, the passenger pigeon memorial, or a shrubbery collection in Columbus of Georges Seurat's impressionist painting, A Sunday Afternoon On The Island of La Grande Jatte.
With this combination of whimsy and affordability, clearly Ohio should be a state swarming with homebuyers!
Compare and select from the lowest mortgage rates in the Ohio area. Ohio Mortgage Rates
Thursday, February 11, 2010
New York Residential Real Estate Leveling in Areas
While everyone wants to spread the news about real estate in New York City, there’s a big wide world outside the bright lights. I recently asked a friend of mine from New York to tell me something exciting about real estate in and she confirmed that like the rest of the nation, New York home-owners are all struggling – from upstate, downstate, the Allegheny Mountains, the Adirondacks, and all over.
“Unfortunately the only thing we're hearing up here is, ‘We're selling our home and renting in order to stay above water.’ The people I'm talking about are career couples with no children who are in their early fifties. They are worried about job security and have taken huge losses in the markets. Not such a cheerful story I'm afraid, but the only thing in real estate in our realm.”
Key in Sheri’s description is the fact that people are selling. The markets in New York are gaining a little traction, though some areas have an almost two-year absorption rate (the amount of time it will take to sell the current listings based on the number of houses sold per month and if no more are listed). Real estate is gaining traction because the average number of days on the market is dropping.
For example, real estate agent Natasha Pazdzerskaia recently reported that in Somers, New York the average days homes were on the market in January 2010 was 163. In January 2009 it was 190 and January 2008 the number of days was 169. In Woodbury, Andy Yakubovsky’s data supports the same findings. In January 2010, the average days on the market were 85, 130 in 2009, and 123 in 2008.
Of course all real estate is local, so these numbers can vary widely in different areas.
Although my friend describes the fears and struggles faced by New Yorkers in today’s economy, the job market will return and with it so will consumer confidence. And remember, for homes to be selling, someone is buying. Hopefully the buyers will again be regular people pursuing the American Dream.
Compare and select from the lowest mortgage rates in the New York area. New York State Mortgage Rates
“Unfortunately the only thing we're hearing up here is, ‘We're selling our home and renting in order to stay above water.’ The people I'm talking about are career couples with no children who are in their early fifties. They are worried about job security and have taken huge losses in the markets. Not such a cheerful story I'm afraid, but the only thing in real estate in our realm.”
Key in Sheri’s description is the fact that people are selling. The markets in New York are gaining a little traction, though some areas have an almost two-year absorption rate (the amount of time it will take to sell the current listings based on the number of houses sold per month and if no more are listed). Real estate is gaining traction because the average number of days on the market is dropping.
For example, real estate agent Natasha Pazdzerskaia recently reported that in Somers, New York the average days homes were on the market in January 2010 was 163. In January 2009 it was 190 and January 2008 the number of days was 169. In Woodbury, Andy Yakubovsky’s data supports the same findings. In January 2010, the average days on the market were 85, 130 in 2009, and 123 in 2008.
Of course all real estate is local, so these numbers can vary widely in different areas.
Although my friend describes the fears and struggles faced by New Yorkers in today’s economy, the job market will return and with it so will consumer confidence. And remember, for homes to be selling, someone is buying. Hopefully the buyers will again be regular people pursuing the American Dream.
Compare and select from the lowest mortgage rates in the New York area. New York State Mortgage Rates
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Getting Real with New York Real Estate
A friend of mine moved to New York City several years ago. In my mind, I pictured her as a glamorous working girl who would hop on the subway every morning after grabbing a quick coffee at the corner bagel shop. I was certain her lunches were filled with window shopping and that she spent her evenings watching famous plays on Broadway.
Her own reality was far different than what I imagined, though. She was unable to afford living in the city, so found a nice apartment across the river in New Jersey. Plays were an important part of her life, but she only went every few months, as disposable income permitted.
Real estate in New York City is far different than in other areas. For example, if you wanted to live in the Upper West Side – in The Dakota perhaps – the three bedroom, two bath home where West Side Story was conceived is available now for just under $6 million. If that’s too rich for you, a one-bath studio apartment on West End can be yours for just $435,000. The operative word is “studio” where there is on separate bedroom. The almost half-million dollar purchase price does not cover the monthly maintenance fee of $964, which does include utilities.
A recent report by Prudential’s Douglas Elliman shows housing prices have doubled in the last ten years in Manhattan. For example, a decade ago the average price of a home was $710,000. The average price this year is almost $1.4 million. However, prices are coming down as indicated by the 12 percent DROP from the previous year.
With this kind of up and down activity on the home buying/selling front, the good news is there are real estate agents available and ready to help you find real estate to rent. This is a phenomenon that we’re starting to see across the nation, but it has been perfected by New York agents. Often renters will be required to pay a finder’s fee, but overall rents are dropping along with home prices.
The least expensive place to buy an apartment in New York, as reported by Habitat New York, is Uptown, Brooklyn or Queens. Here, studio apartments start at $1200 and three bedrooms start at $3,000. The most expensive are in the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, and Midtown apartments that start at $1,600 per month and go upwards of $12,000 per month.
If you’re ready to take a bite out of the big apple, be prepared to pay the apple’s weight in gold to buy or plan a good commute for the most affordable apartment rentals.
Compare and select from the lowest mortgage rates in the New York area. New York Mortgage Rates
Her own reality was far different than what I imagined, though. She was unable to afford living in the city, so found a nice apartment across the river in New Jersey. Plays were an important part of her life, but she only went every few months, as disposable income permitted.
Real estate in New York City is far different than in other areas. For example, if you wanted to live in the Upper West Side – in The Dakota perhaps – the three bedroom, two bath home where West Side Story was conceived is available now for just under $6 million. If that’s too rich for you, a one-bath studio apartment on West End can be yours for just $435,000. The operative word is “studio” where there is on separate bedroom. The almost half-million dollar purchase price does not cover the monthly maintenance fee of $964, which does include utilities.
A recent report by Prudential’s Douglas Elliman shows housing prices have doubled in the last ten years in Manhattan. For example, a decade ago the average price of a home was $710,000. The average price this year is almost $1.4 million. However, prices are coming down as indicated by the 12 percent DROP from the previous year.
With this kind of up and down activity on the home buying/selling front, the good news is there are real estate agents available and ready to help you find real estate to rent. This is a phenomenon that we’re starting to see across the nation, but it has been perfected by New York agents. Often renters will be required to pay a finder’s fee, but overall rents are dropping along with home prices.
The least expensive place to buy an apartment in New York, as reported by Habitat New York, is Uptown, Brooklyn or Queens. Here, studio apartments start at $1200 and three bedrooms start at $3,000. The most expensive are in the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, and Midtown apartments that start at $1,600 per month and go upwards of $12,000 per month.
If you’re ready to take a bite out of the big apple, be prepared to pay the apple’s weight in gold to buy or plan a good commute for the most affordable apartment rentals.
Compare and select from the lowest mortgage rates in the New York area. New York Mortgage Rates
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Tree Houses Not Just for Kids in Washington State
What child in the U.S. has not dreamed of having a tree-house? To climb a sturdy ladder that lifts you into the branches of a strong tree, where you can hide among the leaves and watch the world go by from the comfort of a secret hideaway?
These imaginative dreams can become reality for adults in the lush wooded areas of Washington State. With homes sitting hundreds of feet in the air, the views are often breathtaking for people whose hearts lift with proper elevation.
There are several builders in Washington who specialize in tree house construction. Designs can be both simple and elegant, but all architecture must be done around the tree. Important factors to consider when designing a tree house are allowing for continuing growth of the tree while also stabilizing the house for inclement weather like windy days. Key to a safe design is allowing walls to be self-supporting (independent of the tree), but also strong enough to hold up the roof. Some tree houses are designed with stilt foundations (like beach houses), but the actual rooms and walls weave in and out of branches.
The interior of a tree house should be simple, but light-weight furnishings could include beds, couches, tables and décor that are only limited by your imagination.
The downside of this high-rise real estate is potential loss of the comforts of modern life. For example, while plumbing is possible, it may need to be done in a way that promotes composting. If you want running water, tree kits are available with this feature, but be sure your Washington real estate building permit allows this.
Check out the Washington Mortgage Rates and try to compare and select from the lowest mortgage rates in the Washington area.
These imaginative dreams can become reality for adults in the lush wooded areas of Washington State. With homes sitting hundreds of feet in the air, the views are often breathtaking for people whose hearts lift with proper elevation.
There are several builders in Washington who specialize in tree house construction. Designs can be both simple and elegant, but all architecture must be done around the tree. Important factors to consider when designing a tree house are allowing for continuing growth of the tree while also stabilizing the house for inclement weather like windy days. Key to a safe design is allowing walls to be self-supporting (independent of the tree), but also strong enough to hold up the roof. Some tree houses are designed with stilt foundations (like beach houses), but the actual rooms and walls weave in and out of branches.
The interior of a tree house should be simple, but light-weight furnishings could include beds, couches, tables and décor that are only limited by your imagination.
The downside of this high-rise real estate is potential loss of the comforts of modern life. For example, while plumbing is possible, it may need to be done in a way that promotes composting. If you want running water, tree kits are available with this feature, but be sure your Washington real estate building permit allows this.
Check out the Washington Mortgage Rates and try to compare and select from the lowest mortgage rates in the Washington area.
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