From Inman News….
“Top 5 tax breaks for homeowners
Q: We bought a house this year! We put $33,000 down and the bank financed $28,000. Can I write this off on my 2011 taxes? How much of it?”
Archive for the ‘Current Homeowners’ Category
Hunziker November Newsletter
Friday, November 4th, 2011
In This Issue:
Help your Community, Food Banks in Need
Fall Back and Smoke Alarms
IFA First Home Plus $3,500 Credit
5 Holiday Hosting Disasters to Avoid
Market Numbers
Energy Star Builders in Ames
Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011
The Energy Star program website contains a detailed report on builders in Ames, IA. Our own HCS Builders has built 469 energy star certified homes in Ames!
Click to view the report. A sample section is below.
| Name | Builder Type | Partner Since  |
Homes Qualified in Ames during Jul 2010 – Jun 2011* | Homes Qualified in Ames Total* | Homes Qualified Grand Total* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HCS Builders, Inc. 515-232-4224 |
Site-Built Homes | 2001 | 32 | 469 | 490 | |
| Rich Lepper Construction, Inc. 515-232-9287 |
Site-Built Homes | 2004 | 0 | 30 | 33 | |
| Hanson Homes, Inc. 515-292-3479 |
Site-Built Homes | 2008 | 3 | 7 | 8 | |
| Jon Hunziker Construction Inc. 515-296-1060 |
Site-Built Homes | 2008 | 4 | 9 | 9 | |
Relocation Due to Job Changes Increasing
Thursday, September 29th, 2011
We speak with newcomers to Central Iowa on a regular basis, and relocating for a job is one of the primary reasons people relocate here. As we have stressed many times in the past, real estate markets are local and individual regions do not always mirror national trends. However, troubled real estate markets elsewhere in the country have affected Central Iowa as fewer employees have been relocating nationally, and those who do have often been restricted in their ability to purchase a new home here due to difficulty selling in their previous location.
The Worldwide Employee Relocation Council® just released their 2010 member survey, which shows that relocation volume is picking back up again after being lower than average following the recession. Companies surveyed reported the volume of employees they relocated between 2009-2010 increased 15%. Respondents also anticipated they would transfer approximately 10% more employees in 2011 than last year. This increased has already been demonstrated by the American Moving & Storage Association, which reported corporate relocations have increased 13% in the 1st half of 2011 compared to the same period last year.
Post by: Tabitha Zesch, Relocation Director
Mortgage Scam Hits Homeowners
Thursday, June 23rd, 2011Many homeowners have experienced having their mortgage sold to a new lender: they receive a letter in the mail notifying them of the sale which instructs them to begin making their payments to a new company. Unfortunately scammers, aware of this common practice, have started mailing fake letters telling owners that their mortgage has been sold. The scam letters look official and often includes the name of the homeowner’s original lender and loan amount.
Homeowners who follow the instructions on the scam letter often make 1 or 2 payments to the new “company” before they are alerted by their true lender that their mortgage payments are late. By the time they figure out the scam, they may owe several thousand dollars in missed payments and late fees, and the money they mailed to the scam artist is gone for good.
If a legitimate sales of your mortgage occurs, you will receive a letter from your current lender informing you of the change prior to any notification from the new lender. The letters from each lender should include your loan number. You should also receive a copy of a release of your mortgage that has been filed with the county recorder’s office at some point.
If there is any doubt if a letter instructing you to mail payments elsewhere is legit, call your lender to confirm. Just be sure to use the number from your regular mortgage statements or look up the number yourself. Any phone numbers listed on the suspicious letter will probably not connect you to your real lender.
By: Tabitha Zesch, Relocation Director
Ames Parade of Homes tonight through Sunday!
Wednesday, June 8th, 2011
If you are thinking about purchasing a new home, building a home, or just enjoy seeing the newest trends in residential homes, we invite you to join us for the 2011 Parade of Homes. The tour, which is put on by the Ames Home Builders Association (ABHA) will be held from Wednesday, June 8 to Sunday, June 12, and will feature eight new construction homes in a variety of price points and neighborhoods. One of the featured homes was built by HCS Builders, a sister company of Hunziker & Associates, REALTORS®.
4140 Cochrane Parkway (Pinnacle Properties)
The Parade of Homes schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, June 8: 5:30pm to 8:30pm
Thursday, June 9: 5:30pm to 8:30pm
Friday, June 10: 5:30pm to 8:30pm
Saturday, June 11: 12pm to 8:30pm
Sunday, June 12: 12pm to 5pm
Not only will you enjoy the homes and decor on display, but you will also have a chance to win prizes! Hunziker & Associates, REALTORS® will be giving away 5 bags of groceries valued at $50 each. Additionally, if you visit all eight homes, you will be in the running for a raffle prize.
Tickets for the event are $5.00 each, and are good for all eight homes on all five days. Tickets will be available on or before the days of the Parade of Homes at the Greater Iowa Credit Union (Somerset location) as well as the Hunziker & Associates, REALTORS® office at 105 South 16th Street. On the days of the Parade of Homes, tickets will also be available at a ticket tent located on the corner of Stange Road and Northridge Parkway in Somerset Village. Hours of the ticket tent are 4-8pm Wednesday through Friday, 12-7pm on Saturday, and 12-3pm on Sunday. Portion of the proceeds to benefit Ames High Booster Club, Ames Little League, Big Brother Big Sister of Central Iowa and the Octagon Center for the Arts. www.ameshomebuilders.com
Guide to Ames
Wednesday, May 25th, 2011
Ames has so much to offer! Explore our 24 page guide at the link below.
Even long term residents can benefit from the “Things to Do” section or learn something they may not already know about the history of Ames or some of the businesses founded here.
Click on the guide to to view it online now!
Signs the High-End Market is Breaking Loose
Friday, May 6th, 2011
Homes above $300,000 in Ames have been the most challenged segment of our housing market since sales started slowing 2 years ago following several years of record sales activity. This price range represents the high-end of the Ames market, accounting for approximately 10% of the homes listed for sale.
This smaller segment has been impacted by the recession far worse than the remainder of our market. Inventory levels often floated above an 18 month supply or worse; far higher than the rest of the Ames housing market.
During the 6 month period from November to March, 2011, only 7 homes listed above $300,000 went off market pending a sale. April posted a strong turn around, however, as 8 homes went off market pending a sale in just that month alone. With only 32 high-end homes left on the market on May 2nd, the supply dropped to 4 months of inventory should sales continue at this pace. If the high-end market is building steam towards a healthy sales year is yet to be seen, but it certainly is a sign of improvement for sellers in this price range.
By Tabitha Zesch, Relocation Director
Why Iowa Housing Remained Strong
Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011A key factors that determines if housing will remain strong or faulter in an area is the unemployment rate. The chart below is a good example of this affect in real numbers.
Unemployment rates remained relatively low in Ames and Story County, Iowa during the recession and our housing markets remained fairly stable. Nevada and California, two of the states with the highest rates of unemployment, also topped the list of states with excessive foreclosures & devistating declines in home values.
Fortunately, Ames continues to experience job growth and this bodes well for the housing market as well.
By Tabitha Zesch, Relocation Director
Hunziker & Associates, REALTORS Blog Feed