Here are some facts, predictions and bits of information I have stumbled across the past couple of days while catching up on my reading. You may or may not find them interesting but you just might be surprised.
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) predicts existing home sales of 5.02 million in 2008, 5.32 million in 2009 and 6.2 million in 2010. (Optimism, I love it! All I want is 53 of those closings next year.)
Texas is one of the major states still posting home price increases. (Does buy low and sell high ring a bell?)
U.S. foreclosures are up 27% YTD in 2008 while Texas is down 18% YTD 2008. (Our foreclosure boom is over if it ever got here.)
NAR predicts 30-year fixed rate mortgages to average 6.2% in the fourth quarter of 2008, rise to 6.5% during the second half of 2009 and average 6.7% in 2010. (Get those credit scores up and buy now.)
Zillow.com accuracy statement indicates that its' median error for Galveston County was 20.9%! That's huge and over $40,000 on a $200,000 home. (Would you use a surgeon whose error rate was that high?)
Texas properties posted for foreclosure in the first half of 2008 were down 17.7% from the same period in 2007. (Please stop asking me to find that foreclosure you can get for half of list price and sell within 30 days for triple what you paid for it.)
Prime and subprime ARM mortgages represent about 20% of all mortgages but 60% of all foreclosures. (Knowing our government they probably commissioned a $10,000,000 study to figure this out.)
The average homeowner can save $180 per year with a programmable thermostat. (Another item for the honey-do list.)
In CNBC's rankings of states' economies Texas came in first. (And Texas Tech will be first in next weeks coaches poll.)
I have a question for the almost 56,000 real estate agents, the almost 9,000 loan officers on Active Rain and all of the consumers who read it. I will tell you in advance that I do have my own self-interest in mind when asking this question. Honesty is the best policy. My question is: 
and all of the families are out shopping. I was talking with another agent in the office today and she had stopped by one of our area malls to browse before coming into the office. She said it was packed. (She then started talking about shoes and I left the conversation at that point.) That answered the question as to why the phones weren’t ringing in the office. Tax free weekend equates to low home sales weekend.
would be starting pretty soon. I know I use the a school district websites fairly often. I look at the calendars and of course the school menu is the most important webpage on the school district websites. When my grandson spends the night with me once a week we ritually check the school menu to see what is being served the next day. If it isn’t something palatable to him Grandpa is making the good old brown bag lunch. All too often we have forgotten to check the menu when he first gets to my house. When we do forget this early check and don’t check it until 8 in the evening I often run to the frig hoping that I have the correct food for a 10 year old boy’s lunch. Several nights I have considered sending him to school the next day with beer and peanuts or a frozen tv dinner before deciding that the more prudent thing to do was make the late night store run to buy healthy lunch food. JUST kidding about the beer and peanuts!!!! Anyway I thought it would be a good idea to furnish you with the various school district websites that surround the 
It is that time of the year again. School starts in twelve days and that also means it is time to sign-up for fall sports. I highly recommend the Conroe Family YMCA Fall Youth Sprots Program for all kids ages 3 - 15. This fall the Y is offering tackle football, soccer and volleyball. Almost all of the games are played at the Conroe Family YMCA. You will find information on each of the sports below.
be versus improving your credit for as little as $995 and receiving a whole lot of other benefits besides credit improvement. If you have any question please shoot me an email or comment. I will direct you to some good resources on credit improvement. And remember please consult with a licensed and informed mortgage officer for a full appraisal of your situation.
