CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Mar 15 Bluebird Day, Mammoth Spring
Mar 15-16-Main Street Hardy Annual Gun & Knife Show
Mar 22 Hardy Easter Egg Hunt 12:00 Noon, Loberg Park
Mar 23 Sunrise Service Loberg Park
Mar 23 Easter Egg Scramble, Mammoth Spring
Mar 28-29-Annual FNBC Home, Garden & Sports Show, Ash Flat
Apr 12 Annual Spring Fairgrounds Flea Market, Salem
Apr 12 Spring Yard Sale & Business Sidewalk Sales, Salem
Apr 12-13-Spring River Art Guild Show
Apr 12-13-Dogwood Festival, Horseshoe Bend
Apr 19 Herbfest and Plant Sale, Mammoth Spring
Apr 19-20-Spring River Art Guild Show
Apr 19-20-Main Street Hardy Annual Arts & Crafts Festival
Apr 26 Hardy Garden Club Miniature of Petit Flower Show
Apr 26 Scalies & Slimes of AR, Mammoth Spring

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OLDER BUYERS SEEKING TO DOWNSIZE BUT NOT BY MUCH

Excerpts from NAHB Study in Broker Agent News.

(Washington – February 20, 2008) – With the 55-plus population expected to exceed 85 million by 2014, the nation’s home builders have been increasingly catering to the unique needs and interests of mature homebuyers, according to a new study that was released last week by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) in conjunction with their International Builders’ Show in Orlando, Fla.

“These boomer buyers may be scaling back in their home size, but they aren’t willing to sacrifice quality,” said Robert Tippets, immediate past chairman of the NAHB 50+ Housing Council and an active adult builder from Utah. “They’re still looking for new homes that are well-designed and have many of the latest bells and whistles,” he says, “What they are ‘downsizing’ is the maintenance that comes with owning the typical home with the big yard.”

How they might be affected by the slower housing market, he said, is in the selling of their existing homes. Despite that, however, Stemen remains bullish on the active adult segment of the housing industry. “Given the strong demographics of the baby boom generation, the active adult buyer will continue to be a very important housing consumer for a long time to come,” he said.

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Now is the time to list your property for Spring!
If you are considering making a move and presently own a home, the first place to start is to let me do a Competitive Market Analysis for you. The service is free. Just e-mail me at dicksackett@centurytel.net.



Taken from Broker Agent News

(Arlington Heights, IL – February 10, 2008) – It’s easy to see why financial improvements top this year’s list of New Year resolutions. Holiday spending, gas prices, and a tighter credit market have paved the way for a focus on money management, especially when it comes to buying or selling your home. Whether you are planning to buy a home in the New Year or preparing to put one on the market, here are a few resolutions that you can stick to in 2008. Any whatever your resolution may be, getting your credit in order should be high on the list.

“Credit is a determining factor to whether a client can obtain financing and at what cost for the purchase of a new home,” said Piero Orsi, President of the REALTOR Association of North West Chicagoland. “Lenders consider credit scoring when determining risk associated with any loan application, especially for homebuyers.”

If you are thinking about buying a new home this year, the first step is to get your credit in order. Your credit score determines what type of financing you will receive to purchase a new home. The U.S. average credit score is 593 according to Experian’s National Score Index. Credit scores can range from 400 to 900 and are based on the length of your credit history, the mix of credit you already have and the number of recent credit applications.

Here are a few resolutions that can help you prepare to buy:

o Know your credit. Make all credit card payments by the due date. Do the same for all your other bills. Apply for credit in moderation and take on new credit only when you need it. You can get a free credit report yearly at www.annualcreditreport.com, assigned to you by one of the three major credit bureaus (TransUnion, Experian or Equifax).

o Clean up errors. Once you know where you stand financially, you can take the steps necessary to clean up your credit report, which could include counseling from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A list of counselors can be found on the HUD Web site, www.HUD.gov.

o Get a handle on expenses. You probably know how much you spend on rent and utilities, but little expenses add up. Try writing down everything you spend for one month. You will probably see some great ways to save.

o Develop a budget. Track your spending to create a budget for what you actually spent over the last six months. This will allow you to see exactly where you are spending money and where to adjust accordingly to save more.

o Reduce your debt. Generally speaking, lenders look for a total debt loan of no more than 36 percent of income. Start by paying off car and student loans first and pay off credit cards every month.

o Increase your income. It may be necessary to take on a second part-time job to get your income at a high enough level to qualify for the home you want.

o Save for a down payment. Although it is possible to get a mortgage with only five percent down—or even less in some cases—you can usually get a better rate and a lower overall cost if you put down more. Shoot for saving a 20 percent down payment.

o Research down payment assistance programs. Many organizations offer assistance to first-time homebuyers, including federal loans and mortgage assistance. Visit www.fha.gov to learn more.

o Pay yourself first. On a weekly or monthly basis, set aside an amount you want to save towards your down payment. You can even open a special savings account to maintain the money so that you don’t spend it impulsively.


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