Market Fluctuations Throughout the US.

Throughout the country as the housing market is starting to recover prices have once again shot through the roof. Or, in other areas of the country, such as Florida and Nevada, home values are expected to continually depreciate over the next year. According to Fox, “Approximately one-third of the [U.S. home] markets forecast are expected to appreciate in the next 12 months, and two-thirds are expected to depreciate," Fox said. "In the longer 12- to 24-month horizon, we anticipate this ratio to even out to 50-50, with half appreciating gently and half depreciating similarly.”

Texas Holds a Steady Hand

So why is Texas so lucky? Homes here in the Lonestar state are growing in appreciation rapidly while prices increase only moderately. According to researcher Eric Fox, “"The primary reason for the strong Texas showing is that Texas cities did not have a huge run-up in prices that occurred with much of the rest of the country," said Eric Fox, Veros' vice president of statistical and economic modeling. "Unemployment rates in Houston, Dallas and other Texas cities are below the national unemployment rate. Also, the months' supply of homes for sale in Texas is modest."

Texas has maintained a rather steady economic environment and when the market improved, home prices did not have to inflate and compensate for high unemployment, because unemployment throughout Texas is relatively low. This article is good news for current residents or anyone who may hope to invest in the Texas real estate market.

Rapid growth and urban sprawl has put pressure on the environment, local governments, sanitation facilities, educational programs, health care and even transportation. In a recent report, the University of Michigan reports that:

"Because governments have less revenue to spend on the basic upkeep of cities and the provision of services, cities have become areas of massive sprawl, serious environmental problems, and widespread poverty."

Obviously, our methods need a bit of work if we wish to sustain our environment and way of life. Change can be scary for most, but the government is here to help us ease back into our rural roots.

Home Makeover Assistance

Living in the country can be an appealing, fleeting thought for the urban dweller from time to time, but there is one incentive being offered throughout the southwest to make this dream a reality. A new series of grants will enable residents to connect with a rural water source. The funding provided through these grants can be used for hook-up fees, installation, even new fixtures. One of the more daunting prerequisites of country life is not having everything at your fingertips. Programs such as these are striving to make rural life as accessible as the urban lifestyle.

Employment Benefits in a Rural Life

Job incentives are increasing as well. If you are looking to go green with your small business there is a new “Rural Energy for America Program”. This program provides grants and assists in renewable energy development. It provides funding to farmers, small business and other rural ventures that wish to become more environmentally friendly.

Home Purchasing Assistance

With help available for both work and home, there is a final set of incentives you may want to discuss with your realtor. There are numerous government programs available to help consumers qualify for and secure a home loan. Many of these programs are considered to be “Guaranteed Housing” and offer bonuses such as zero down payments or no limit on purchasing prices.

For some, a rural life can be the ultimate dream. With incentives for housing, jobs, even home makeovers, would the rural lifestyle be something you could consider? Contact a trusted realtor for more information, even listings. Though population numbers in rural areas have decreased, many folks still consider themselves “a little bit country” and incentives such as these are making the transition a more viable option for many families.

Re-think function: In a small house or apartment, functional storage space is traditionally considered a covetable necessity. Apartment Therapy, however, has shared a few ideas for closets and other valuable spaces within a smaller home that utilize them in different ways. Bed nooks and alcoves are popular with those living in studios and smaller apartments, and to make up for the lost storage space, AT provides numerous solutions like wardrobe alternatives and alternative bed ideas to help you visualize a new concept in your current place.

Take pride in a tiny space: Small, Cool 2010 is a contest hosted by Apartment Therapy in which dwellers of demure spaces enter photos of their humble abodes to show how they made the most of their space. By comparing 300 square-foot studios with like-sized homes, readers are handed countless ideas for their own small spaces that allow those who arent rolling in the real estate riches to live in style.

Small size matters, even when you have the room: With the positive attitude behind modest redecorating, the perks of a small space and smaller costs for first time home buyers are now up for discussion courtesy of Apartment Therapy and other like-minded lifestyle blogs. As these trends are explored in this call and response forum, opportunities for further discussion are popping up and those selling homes can apply these same tips and tricks for making the most of a space to larger homes as well.

Outlined in their online action center, the National Association of Realtors defines the programs in question and explains why their expirations could be particularly damaging to the owners of residential and commercial properties. To quote the NAR:

• “The NFIP insures millions of residential and commercial property owners in nearly 20,000 communities across the U.S. With the expiration of this programs authority, the flood insurance that lenders require as a condition of a mortgage in federally-designated flood areas is no longer available. Families and businesses in those areas are no longer able to buy property. Just as importantly, those with existing mortgages are not able to renew their required coverage.”

The NAR continues in regards to the Section 502 Rural Housing Program:

• “RHS has announced that existing program commitment authority will be exhausted by the end of April and lenders are no longer accepting applications.”

In order to prevent these important legislations from going overlooked, join the National Association of Realtors in call for urgent action on behalf of Congress regarding the National Flood Insurance Program and the Section 502 Rural Housing Program.

I'm outing myself ...I'm a Republican.

During the State of the Deficit speech last night, Mr. Obama was busy talking about creating temporary jobs via the Spending Bill (errr ...Stimulus), scolding evil Wall Street, slamming "big banks", and (yet again) blaming his predecessor for the current administration's problems. Yet, he failed to mention how he was going to help the one industry that was at the forefront of the economic collapse ...the real estate industry.

Oh, he talked about stepping up mortgage refinance so distressed homeowners can "work-out" mortgages; and, he mentioned that home values had declined. But, he didn't talk about how to solve the mortgage crisis, why home values had declined, nor what can be done to stabilize values.

It seems this Administration's only solution to the housing problem is to delay the inevitable. Delay foreclosure by stepping up mortgage refinance. Keep false hope alive!

I'm sure it will do some good for a few homeowners that need a financial break. But, in my opinion, it doesn't allow for the self correction that the industry needs.

In my opinion, the real estate industry needs to fail so it can succeed. It needs to rid itself of the non-qualified buyers and cleanse itself of the over leveraged assets. It needs the late 1980's all over again.

The run in the real estate market post 1990 was unprecedented. It was an incredible bull market and I can only hope to see a market half that good the next time around. But, it would never have happened if the government did not let things take their course and let things fail.

Mr. President, as you aptly mentioned last night, you were not elected to do things that were popular. So, please be unpopular and stop giving away free down payment money and tax credits to falsely prop-up an industry that needs decontamination. Please let banks fail, mortgage companies go out of business, and let foreclosures happen so that the industry can correct itself, stabilize and move forward.

BTW ...while you're at it, let GM go out of business and the over-sized unions go by the way side so the auto industry can correct itself as well.