Well Is Official!!!!!!
Well I have made it official I am now working at Reallyscape LLC a Division of Dane Aurther Properties doing business as www.Lakeplace.com and www.Landbin.com
LakePlace.com’s History…
In 2002, business partners Dave Gooden and Cameron Henkel were separately involved in a search for their own lakefront family retreats. They were not sure of an exact location, but both knew what they could afford. After endless Internet searches, newspaper searches, and driving time – they found themselves running into a lot of walls. Although the Internet was undeniably the most convenient way to locate and browse available properties, most websites covered only a small geographic area and were very difficult to navigate. After discussing the problems they encountered, the idea for LakePlace.com was born. In the fall of 2003, LakePlace.com
Fast Forward to 2009…
LakePlace.com is now one of the most visited websites in the Midwest. We brought on some very talented people who have helped us grow into the largest online database of Minnesota & Wisconsin lake property for sale, cabin rentals, and resorts. From the beginning, our goal was to create a solution to a problem, and we hope we have made your search for a lake place a little easier than ours was back in 2002.
Whether you plan to purchase a lake home, cabin, or lake lot, or you just want to get away for a weekend – we hope you will agree that LakePlace.com is a great place to start!
The January 2010 Twin Cities housing market has shaped up to be nearly identical to January 2009.
The January 2010 Twin Cities housing market has shaped up to benearly identical to January 2009.-Pending sales are down slightly from a year ago, but not by much.-New listings are down slightly from a year ago, but not much.-Inventory is rising slowly, but not much.After the roller coaster ride the local market has experienced over thelast four years, perhaps “not by much” is a welcome respite.-There were 558 signed purchase agreements for the week endingJanuary 23, down 2.3 percent from a year ago.-New listings posted 1,522 units, down 0.6 percent from a year ago.-The current inventory of active listings is 20,629, down 17.5 percentfrom a year ago.The February 2010 Supply-Demand Ratio sits at 6.99, which meansthere are 6.99 homes available for each buyer. That’s a drop of 8.5percent from a year ago and the lowest February mark since 2006.
“Yun believes there will be significant improvement by the spring of 2010,”
Amid a number of assurances that the economy is recovering comes a mixed outlook on 2010 for the real estate market.
A recent survey of real estate investors in the Houston area likewise indicates a positive outlook for the year. Of the 122 investors surveyed, 77 percent said they believe now is a good time to buy property in Houston. 36 percent of them said that home values have already hit bottom in that Texas city, while 34 percent expect things to bottom out in the next six months to a year.
Last week’s International Builders Show in Las Vegas played host to a panel of economists, all of whom agreed that the housing market will remain on the upswing in 2010, but that surrounding economic factors will make the recovery a slow and fragile one.
The National Association of Realtors® posted an article to its Web site claiming that the worst is over for the housing market, and things will be better for investors in 2010.
“If 2009 was the year of economic recovery, 2010 will be the year of growth,” NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said. He sees the strong performance in home sales on the low-end of the market in 2009 as a kick start to increased lending and more “jumbo” loans for higher end real estate listings in 2010.
Addressing a California realtors association earlier this month, Yun said, “There has been a positive impact in the market from the housing stimulus package and recent tax credits.”
“Yun believes there will be significant improvement by the spring of 2010,” the Los Cerritos Community News reported.
With slightly less optimism, Washington state’s Chief Economist Arun Raha told a crowd gathered for the state’s Realtors “Legislative Day,” that 2010 isn’t likely to bring much relief for home sales.
Raha, instead, said he expects “the residential housing market to improve in 2011, while the commercial real estate market could take until 2012 to recover,” The News Tribune reported.
Raha pointed to consumer confidence as a stumbling block. “Consumer confidence … hasn’t improved because consumers are largely influenced by unemployment rates and the price of gasoline,” Raha told the realtors. Additionally, he said housing is affected by a slowdown in household formation as more college graduates move back in with their parents because they can’t find work.
Home Tax Credit Expanded
The home tax credit for first-time buyers, included as part of the February 2009 federal stimulus package for the housing industry, has proven to be extremely popular, luring upwards of 1.4 million Americans to file for it according to the IRS. The credit, along with current low mortgage rates, has made the dream of home ownership an attainable goal for new buyers.
Home Tax Credit Expanded
The $8,000 credit, which was originally scheduled to expire in November 2009, enjoyed such a groundswell of support that Congress extended it until April 30 of this year. In addition, a $6,500 tax credit was added for existing home owners who wanted to ‘upsize’.
The incentive was created as part of the stimulus package as a way to jump start moribund real estate sales. As it was the collapse of the housing industry that helped to feed the recessionary economic climate, it was hoped that stimulating the sector would enable it to lead the way to recovery.
Tax Credit Uses
Many new home owners have used the credit just as they would the money received through a tax return. In some cases, it has been used to make purchases for previously foreclosed homes that might have been lacking in appliances and other basic essentials.
The home improvements generate revenue in a number of economic sectors tied to the housing industry. Appliance stores and plumbing supply depots are among the primary beneficiaries.
Home Sales Boosted
According to the National Association of REALTORS®, the tax credit program, abetted by reasonable mortgage rates, has boosted home sales nationwide. In October and November of 2009, buyers rushed to take advantage when it was believed that the program would soon end.
The proportion of first-time purchasers was elevated by over 10 percent when compared to the typical home sales mix. It is hoped that the April 30 extension, along with other factors such as potential buyers receiving their tax return money will help to maintain the sales momentum.
Another Extension?
There are rumblings that since the tax credit program has worked so well, that another extension could be in the works. If the economy and housing industry is not in full recovery by the middle of the year, Congress is already in discussions about making it available past the current April 30 deadline — this, according to a research note written by Jaret Seiberg of Washington-based Concept Capital.
