News that hits us where we live… Last Thursday, Existing Home Sales soar 12.3% in December, to the yearly rate of 5.28 million, which well ahead of the 4.87 million rate the consensus anticipated. In general, existing home sales are off 2.9% compared to last year however that is when sales were falsely boosted by the homebuyer tax credits. All regions demonstrated sales increases in single family homes, coops and condo.

The stock of existing properties catapulted to 8.1 months from 9.5 months in November. The trend of existing home sales is up 38% since July and sales are now only around 5% off the long term pace, that has been a 5.5 million annually. All this has happened without government tax credit support. Clever buyers do not want to leave out on housing affordability that is at its highest level in 40 years.

Earlier in the week we saw housing starts drop 4.3% for December to a 529,000 unit annual rate. But colder temperatures and more snow than usual slowed starts in many parts of the country. Home completions actually increased for the month, while building permits shot up a strong 16.7%, to a 635,000 annual rate. We’re not out of the woods yet, as permits are off 6.8% from a year ago and starts are down 8.2% compared to last year.

Earlier last week, we witness housing begins to drop 4.3% for December to a 529,000 unit annual rate. Though colder temperatures and more snow than usual slowed begins in many parts of the country. Home construction actually catapulted for the month, while building permits shot up a firm 16.7% to a 635,000 annual rate. We are not out of the woods yet, as a permit are off 6.8% from a last year and begins are down 8.2% as for last year.

A collaborative study by the 50+ Housing Council of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the MetLife Matura Market Institutes demonstrates the recession has created 55+ buyers more practical when choosing a new home.  Considerations with regards to design have become less significant and financial issues have been more prominent based on the study.

Prior studies from these two organizations establish that most 55+ buyers depended on home sales carry on to finance a new purchase. The most current data demonstrates that option decreased during the economic downturn.

The report, “Housing Trends Update for the 55+ Market,” explores; latest released housing data from the Census Bureau’s 2009 American Housing Survey (AHS) on the 55+ demographic. The report concentrates particularly on households living in active adult group moreover age-qualified active adult groups where in at least one resident must be age 55+, some non-age-qualified 55+ owner-occupied groups, or age-restricted rental communities.

According to David Crowe, NAHB’s chief economist stated “By the year 2020, as Baby Boomers go into this age bracket, roughly 45 percent of all U.S. households will contain someone at least 55 years old.” “The number of those households looking housing better to their changing needs will therefore increase radically.”

Crowe stated that about 54,000 housing begins planned in 55+ groups this year, a 30% increase from approximated 2010 levels, however relatively modest construction. Begins in 55+ groups are planned to amplify another 46% to nearly 79,000 housing units in 2012.

Sandra Timmermann, Ed.D. Director of the MetLife Mature Market Institute stated that “Most 55+ consumers those who pick to move and those who keep on in their homes stated that they are happy and contented with their homes and communities.”

A little but increasing share of older households is taking advantage of the ability to change some of their home equity into a reverse mortgage or home equity change mortgage. They tend to be older, single-person households with lesser household income and lengthy housing tenure. Those with reverse or home equity conversion mortgages signified more than 241,000 households in 2009, which is a 54% boost since 2007.

This year we experienced and will experience four odd dates…

First was 1/1/11

Then 1/11/11

Next will be 11/1/11

And lastly 11/1/11

NOW try to figure this out….

Get the last digits of the year you were born then ADD the age you will be this year…..

What number did you get? Is it 111?

Strange right?

Kansas City area home prices become constant in 2010 according to figures from the Kansas City Regional association of Realtors indicate though the number of sales was depressed.

New-home sales plunged 21 percent last year to 2,107 however their average price edged up from $292,506 to $301,932 in 2010. Resales plummeted 9.4% to 22,563 properties however their average price of $150,132 strike the 2009 average of $147,459.

The number of new properties on the market in December was almost ¼ smaller than a year ago though that was more than counterbalance by the much-larger supply of resale homes up 14.5%.

Countrywide, the Commerce Department stated last Wednesday that builders started work last year on the second smallest number of properties in more than half a century as the fragile economy kept people from buying houses. Builders broke ground on 587,600 began in 2009. Those are the two worst years on records from 1959.

The trend is getting worse. The Commerce Department stated Wednesday that builders commenced work at a seasonally adjusted yearly rate of $529,000 new properties and apartments last month. That was a drop of 4.3% from November and the slowest trend since October 2009.

The scenario in the Kansas City was better. Final permit numbers were not available however more single-family permit 2,262 issued through November than the 2,155 issued in all of 2009.

This year always creates a flood of opinion on what the next 12 months will bring.  Many of the opinion are simply an extrapolation on what was happening in the closing months of the old year. However, some of the prognostications are worth screening just to get an idea of market sentiment.

RealtyTrac remains to forecast cynicism. Last year lenders filed a record 3.8 million foreclosures and RealtyTrac hesitates that the peak has been reached. Indeed it does not anticipate the trend to reverse until 2012. Resubmissions are one variable in RealtyTrac’s murky outlook. The company anticipates as many as 250,000 foreclosures will be resubmitted this year due to the mortgage-servicing scandal that happened in the fourth quarter of 2010. The continued foreclosure excess based on RealtyTrac will shear another 5 percent off average home prices this year.

RealtyTrac’s negative outlook on foreclosures and home prices outshined the National Association of Home Builders’ forecast from starts to increase 21 percent this year to 575,00 yearly units. Working down excess record takes time, and last year’s winter boost in starts was simply demand riding forward on the back of federal tax credits. Today, the market is more accustomed to economic reality.

Higher interest-rate pressure is also permeating within the Federal Reserve. Directors from the banks in Kansas City and in Dallas want to catapult the discount rate – the rate banks borrow from the Fed. To add up, the minutes from the Fed’s most recent meeting noted, “Positive growth indicated the recovery was continuing.” A progressing recovery means progressing inflationary pressure.

On the other hand, mortgage rates are keeping steady after run up into the New Year. We believe that presents an opportunity for borrowers to refinance or create a purchase before inflation impels rates higher.

If a pipe freezes up, switch off the main water supply at the shut-off control device inside your home. If the ice-covered pipe is not manipulated by a control device, check that it has not tear.

Once tear or split is observed, empty the cold water lines by unlocking the cold water taps and flushing the toilets. If the pipe is not split, try to soften it out by applying hot water bottles or a heat gun.

If you possess a Boiler and if some parts of the hot water system are frozen, there could be a possibility of explosion if the boiler (heat source) is kept lit, so make sure it is turned off or for solid fuel systems, extinguish the fire. Be cautious because even though water may be running from taps, other parts of the system may still be frozen.

Don’t attempt to defrost pipes too quickly as if there may be splits in the pipe that are not instantaneously noticeable. Don’t… Don’t use a naked flame to thaw a pipe. Always begin thawing a pipe at the end nearest the tap.

This year will truly be fast 4G wireless networks from Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile will definitely a main market tools. Business process software like aslntuit (INTU_) will see their markets uncovered to a latest generation of low- and no cost options.  And even legal expert will face firm competition from cheaper and digital options. This might be the year for you….

Here are some predictions this year:

Business broadband provider farewell….

This year, ultrafast 4G cellular networks will break the cable, phone and satellite industry. However, firms in the country as well as around the world will definitely compete by providing legitimate fast access to the Web. Purchasing access to the Web is speedily becoming like everything else online which is fast and cheap. With this, you should take advantage of it.

No cost accounting tools….

Spending good money for accounting software such as Quicken and QuickBooks is along the way… There are various low- and no-cost small-venture finance devices on the market such as Outright, FreeAgent, Xero, Yendo and more… On the other hand, QuickBooks could have a feature that others don’t. If you are compensating for the tools you utilize to file your books at this time, you have yourself to blame.

Less legal advice….

Trust me, the fall down in the cost of making basic business tasks will not stop with accounting. The once indestructible, unstoppable and inescapable American lawyer will be starving, giving advice on the blind hope someone is crazy enough to employ him or her for a few hours.

Guidance from a robot???

Indeed, machines will definitely aid you to make business decisions. Machines that think play a major role in many endeavours. An example of this are those account transactions about 80% of the financial market trading at New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq are finished by machines. This trend is vastly filtering down to small industries.

To sum up, 2011 will be the real deal!

Heavy snow can be softly rebuff trees and shrubs however allow ice to melt as expected.

Trim limbs damaged by ice or snow as soon as possible to avoid more damage and remain the bark from tearing.

Throughout dry periods fall planted trees and shrubs should be irrigated when the ground is not iced up.

Fruit trees can be trimmed now or in February or early March. Temperatures should be over 20 degrees or harm could be done to the wood. Prune trees before latent sprays are applied. Begin with apples, cherries and pears first. Nectarines and peaches should be clipped before they blossom.

Observe for rabbit and deer smash up. If they are difficulty, utilize Deer and Rabbit Scram. The following are the best product for keeping them away.

On the way out recession, American consumers are obtaining different approaches in their decision-making.

Black Friday brought the necessary, shameful Web videos of elders being compressed in the stampede for a Pillow Pet or a $3 toaster and Cyber Monday upped the stakes in the utterly different sort of consumer game, determined in large part by the flash-sale websites that have factually burst out in number and popularity this year.

On the other hand, many embraced “Buy Nothing Day.” However, some engaged in some of both. Some purchased usable gifts for kids and some donated 200 items of clothing and furniture for the holidays.

In some cases, psycho-behavioural theme may be felt in the real estate consumer sector this 2011. The homeowners’ mindset, for this matter will be mainly go in one of two directions.

Homeowners experiencing a considerable negative equity (having a much more value on their respective homes than they are worth) will be more and more willing to walk away from their properties, slashing their losses and tactically defaulting on their mortgages.

Determined by the swing to mobile and new technology gadgets such as iPad, 2011 assures to be the year that real estate business will have a complete shift towards to the industry of paperless. Nowadays, savvy digital agents can abridge the transition when the majority of agents persistently cling to their stacks of paper files.

Indeed the change from a utilizing paper to making a paperless industry will provide a huge competitive edge at the same time saving a remarkable amount of money and time. In contrary, it will also create sensational frustrations for the reason of forcing yourself to cope with agents, clients, lenders and mortgage professional who repudiate to accommodate a better mode of doing transactions.

A great example of this is a one agent slices his workload by 80 percent after shifting to paperless. IN California, there are about 92 items he wanted to accomplish from the time he took the listing to closing.  Each listing started with filing out the name of the client and contact number and information. Once the home was under contract, he will also have to enter buyer’s information as well a time consuming and less productive scenario….