Kingsland, GA

Enjoy Live Jazz and Hors d'oeuvres from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on December 14

Celebrate with Millicent Harwell and her hardworking staff the opening a Totally Free Home Ownership Center at on Gross Road in Kingsland, Georgia.

Totally Free offers:

Housing Counseling- one on one sessions for homebuyers

Homebuyer Workshops - helping you prepare to go from renting to owning

Loss Mitigation - assisting in homeowners stop the loss of their home

Credit Counseling - learn to budget and how to improve your credit rating

For more information call Totally Free at 912-576-5576.

Kings Grant in Kingsland

$155,000 - $160,000

3 homes available 1901 - 2140 sq.ft

King's Grant is the newest ENERGY STAR Community in Kingsland Georgia. Built on 100 acres in the heart of the City of Kingsland

Utilities:

This will be Kingsland, Georgia's first certified energy start communities for ages 55 and older. The community will be conveniently located to I-95 and US-17 which intersects with the heart of downtown Kingsland, GA.

If you would like to see floor plans or would like more information regarding this new community and when construction will start on these homes please feel free to contact me at www.KingslandGARealEstateOnline.com or www.StMarysRetirementLiving.com and I will be happy to speak with you. My contact information will be on either site as well as your ability to research other St Marys GA retirement real estate and Kingsland GA retirement real estate.

In this issue:

Realogy CEO Richard A. Smith was a featured speaker at the prestigious Milken Institute 2009 Global Conference on April 28 as part of a lively panel titled -Jump-Starting the Housing Market.‖ During the hour-long panel discussion, Smith stated that while the Obama administration has focused on the foreclosure issue, the solution to the problem is on the demand side. Smith demonstrated Realogy's thought leadership by explaining how the government could take stronger action by lowering mortgage interest and expanding tax credits from first-time buyers to all homebuyers. Both of those actions would spur home sales activity and thus create a positive overall impact on the economy. The panel was moderated by Fox Business News anchor Brian Sullivan. Follow this link to the Milken Institute site and click -play‖ to watch the complete panel discussion.

For all your real estate needs in Kingsland, GA and for real estate in Saint Marys, GA please feel free to visit me at www.TraciGetsResults.com or www.StMarysRetirementLiving.com

ERA Economic Stimulus Resource Center

This section is designed to provide you with the information and resources you need to help your clients understand the benefits and opportunities that are available through the federal government. Whether your clients are trying to buy their first home or save their current home from foreclosure, you can find ways to help them here.

First-Time Homebuyer Federal Tax Credit

The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) estimates that each home sale, at the median price, generates "approximately $62,000" of economic impact.

Each home sold benefits not only your bottom line, but the health of the overall economy. Below you will find information and resources to help your clients, and potential clients, make the decision that NOW is the time to buy a home!

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 included an enhanced First-Time Homebuyer Federal Tax Credit. The enhanced housing stimulus provides a maximum tax credit of $8,000 for first-time home purchases that occur between Jan. 1 and Dec. 1, 2009. This tax credit does not need to be repaid unless the individual re-sells the home within three years.

• Read the memo from Charlie Young discussing the enhanced stimulus.
• Use this PowerPoint to help explain this part of the housing stimulus to your clients.
• View the Consumer Guide from NAR for a snapshot of the requirements and limitations on the tax credit.
• Send the "First-Time Homebuyers Federal Income Tax Credit Improved and Extended" press release, available in the Feature News/Columns/Bylined Article section of My PR Agent, to inform your community about this opportunity.

Resources:

• NAR First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit

FHA Allows Tax Credit to Be Monetized Toward Purchase Cost

On May 29, 2009, the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) announced that the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will now allow first-time homebuyers to monetize their tax credit for use toward the purchase cost of a FHA-insured home. FHA still requires a minimum of 3.5 percent down payment from other sources. However, the monetized tax credit can be used as an additional down payment or toward closing costs. This allows first-time homebuyers to benefit from the federal tax credit at the time of purchase, instead of waiting until they file their tax return.

Conditions do apply to this rule change and they are outlined in the HUD letter announcing the change.

• Tell your community about this valuable development. Send the "First-Time Homebuyers Can Take Advantage Of Key Change in Housing Stimulus Plan" press release, available in the Feature News/Columns/Bylined Article section of My PR Agent.

Resources:

• Read HUD letter announcing the rule change and outlining all conditions and requirements
• Access IRS Overview and IRS Forms that apply to the First-Time Homebuyer Federal Tax Credit

ERA Save the Dream Initiative

It is no secret that the increased number of foreclosures has had a tremendous impact on home prices, consumer confidence and families across the country. The federal government and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have created resources to help homeowners refinance or renegotiate their mortgages. Alex Perriello, president and chief executive officer, Realogy Franchise Group, has asked that we in the real estate industry take steps to help keep our clients and neighbors out of foreclosure. Here you can access resources designed to help families keep their homes.

• Read the Call-To-Action from Alex Perriello.

Resources:

• Making Home Affordable: Refinance or modify your loan
• HUD Guide to Avoiding Foreclosure
• Hope Now Web site

Realogy President and CEO, Richard A. Smith, will sit on the Business Roundtable Housing Working Group to develop and promote actionable items to revive the housing industry. Read the press release here.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was signed into law on February 17, 2009. The bill includes several provisions, in addition to the First-Time Homebuyer Federal Tax Credit, that stand to affect the real estate industry.

Resources:

• American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - NAR Resource Page

General Federal Government Resources

• Contact Your Senator
• Contact Your Congressman

West Hempstead ERA customer cited at Obama tax speech

• Click here to view the article
• Click here to view the photo of the President with the West Hempstead ERA Customer.

VIDEO: Realogy CEO Talks About Jump-Starting the Housing Market

Realogy CEO Richard A. Smith was a featured speaker at the prestigious Milken Institute 2009 Global Conference on April 28 as part of a lively panel titled "Jump-Starting the Housing Market." During the hour-long panel discussion, Smith stated that while the Obama administration has focused on the foreclosure issue, the solution to the problem is on the demand side. Smith demonstrated Realogy's thought leadership by explaining how the government could take stronger action by lowering mortgage interest and expanding tax credits from first-time buyers to all homebuyers. Both of those actions would spur home sales activity and thus create a positive overall impact on the economy. The panel was moderated by Fox Business News anchor Brian Sullivan. Follow this link to the Milken Institute site and click "play" to watch the complete panel discussion.

Business Roundtable's Housing Working Group

The Business Roundtable's Housing Working Group, chaired by Realogy CEO Richard A. Smith, announced its recommendations for the White House and Congress that are aimed at jumpstarting the housing market in order to stimulate a broader economic recovery.

The Business Roundtable's recommendations are as follows:

• Keep mortgage interest rates at historically low levels (below 5 percent) for at least one year;
• Expand the current First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit incentive from the lesser of 10 percent of the purchase price of the home or $8,000 to a higher limit of either 10 percent or $15,000 for all homebuyers, remove the income restrictions and include all primary residence purchases for one full year;
• Conduct a thorough review of current foreclosure mitigation and loan-modification programs in light of rising loan-modification re-default rates;
• Make permanent the current temporary conforming loan limits; and
• Continue to review and strengthen government efforts already underway to review and refine mortgage lending practices.

The Business Roundtable's Housing Working Group is part of the Business Roundtable, an association of chief executive officers of leading U.S. corporations.

Resources:

• Click here to read the letter from Charlie Young
• Click here for the Business Roundtable press release and its Housing Working Group's detailed recommendations.
• Click here to read an article from The Wall Street Journal containing an interview with Richard Smith about the recommendations and why they are crucial to jumpstarting the housing market.

I have to tell you about one of the most invigorating, exciting, thrilling, and let's not forget SCARIEST things I have ever done! This last weekend I signed up for a class to learn to ride a motorcycle. This may not seem like anything out of the ordinary but if you knew me personally you wouldn't believe your eyes or ears unless of course, you saw it personally. Today, is Monday morning and I still can't believe it myself.

I have always been a passenger on motorcycles when I was younger and when I was a teenager but I was always happy being the passenger and just too scared to learn how to ride for myself. I finally decided I wanted to learn to do one thing that was a "hard" thing for me to do, and to choose just one new thing that I would learn how to do by myself. This kind of goes along with the movies like The Bucket List or the things you would do if you knew you may never get the chance to do. I am not dying but I wanted to do one brave thing.

I enrolled in Dave's motorcycle safety class which is titled Southeast GA Regions Motorcycle Safety Foundation Course. This class is absolutely amazing! Dave's slogan is he will teach you to ride a motorcycle whether it is your first time on a motorcycle or your 1,000 time on a motorcycle. From those who have never ever sat on a motorcycle, and for those who don't know the difference between a John Deere and a Harley Davidson. Dave can teach you to ride a motorcylce.

Yes, his slogan is true and yes, I was skeptical because I thought yeah maybe some other "newbee" but not me. I'll be the first one to fail this course or wreck his motorcycle for sure and for certain but I will tell you how it turned it out later in the blog. I was a nervous wreck for two weeks solid since I got this idea in my head and then took the first step in downloading the application, and then finally submitting the application to Dave. I was scared to death when I went into the first class on Friday night. I walked in on Friday night at 6:00 pm and was greeted by a few others and yep, you guessed it all of them had a motorcycle. One of the ladies actually works at a Harley Davidson shop, one of them had beeen riding with her husband, and the other had been riding dirt bikes and four wheelers up until this point. Talk about feeling intimidation right out of the start gate the nervousness intensified by about 5 million percent. Friday night is the class room portion of the school or at least the majority of the class room portion and you learn alot about motorcylces which was great for people like me who knew nothing about motorcycles except what one looked like and that I had ridden on the back of one. I couldn't believe not only the different types of motorcycles, but important safety factors about the motorcycle itself and the motorcyclists and the things as a motorcyclists you should be aware of when you ride. There is an excellent video you watch about safety and the things to do while you are riding and the importance of those things. For example, safe following distance, perception, searching, evaluating, and executing. One of the most important things is learning that you are responsible for the motorcycle and responsible for the decisions and actions you make. One would think this is common sense but as the weekend went on I learned many of the motorcyclists on the road today think it is the "bike's" fault they wrecked or someone else's on the roads fault when in reality it was the motorcyclists bad decision. This was alot to think about when I left on Friday night.

Ok, its now Saturday morning and we were on the driving range at 7:45am ready to go. We are "donned" in our protective AMFSI approved gear which is long sleeves, protective eye wear, long pants, and protective shoes, gloves, and of course a helmet(which Dave provides as part of the course). The motorcycle is also provided for you. The motorcycles you learn on are the Suzuki GZ 250 which that day might as well have said 1800 for all I knew. The one thing I knew for sure was it looked intimidating. My classmates were nice enough and let me choose first so i chose a nice looking black motorcycle #7 to be exact. After studying the controls and locating the primary controls on any motorcyle Dave said we were ready to roll. I thought he could have said ready to throw up I was so nervous but he gave me a grin and said it would be fine. We started in on our first exercise and we learned to mount the bike and take responsibility for it. After another couple of exercises we were off to our next lesson which was ride the motorcyle to the end of our lane and turn the motorcycle around and do it again. I couldn't believe I actually got to the end of the lane. I was smiling like a kid in the candy store.
As Saturday progressed our lessons and instructions increased. Dave would read the lesson, demonstrate the lesson, and then it was our turn to demonstrate the lesson. Once we had done the first couple of lessons I was still nervous but I was completing the exercises at hand, then Dave gave the dreaded last words "by exercise 4 I will know if an individual needs to come back and try another day" I wanted to say holy crap I don't want him to ask me to come back I really want to do this and I knew deep down that I could. When Dave walked away to get on the bike to demonstrate the lesson he just talked about I said to my class mates I don't want to go home and they said what are you talking about and I said I have to prove myself for one more lesson and then I can stay. All of them in unison, said we already had that lesson so you are safe(at least for a while longer). I thought my eyes would bug out of my head or I would have a heart attack right there. I was so relieved I didn't know what to say except that I was thrilled from that point on I knew I was going to learn to ride a motorcycle. We rode through demonstration after demonstration for about 5 or 5 1/2 hours Saturday and I completed them all successfully although, I wouldn't say they were all pretty but they were completed. After the range on Saturday we went back to the class room for more instruction, more video, and then the final exam (which must be passed).
On to Sunday morning, we arrived at the driving range for more intense learning. We started our first few exercises of the morning and for the first time I felt myself starting to loosen up and relax a little, I was actually enjoying the exercises and having fun. Don't get me wrong I was still scared and nervous but I was trying to relax and enjoy the ride. As the day progressed I was able to get my speed up and get my skills "tuned up".
By half way through the day we were ready for the final graded exercises and then I was back to a bucket of nerves. We were going to be evaluated on making a left hand figure eight turn and a right hand figure eight turn, swerving and manuevering to miss an obstacle, coming to a quick immediate stop, and cornering which is also managing curves. I went through my first obstacle and I "cracked under pressure" I thought ooooooooh I am done for but I wasn't I continued to strive and put my head back in the game and concentrate like nobody's business in order to get proficient at these tasks.
I was so scared I didn't even know if I had done them right or wrong until evaluation time and I was so excited I wanted to jump and down and yell "we did it"! All of us passed the class and got our cards. There is nothing like being handed that card. Yes, you have the ability to get your motorcycle license now but there is something much more important than that you have built confidence, you have learned safety, you have learned skills and techniques many others don't use or can't use, you assume responsibility, you learn your limits, and you walk away with being taught only good skills and habits to take with you for a lifetime. You have been giving the fundamentals and you can build on them for the rest of your riding life.
I can't tell you how much fun this class is and how important this class is if you have ever wanted to ride a motorcyle and even if you are an experienced rider then you will learn something in this class, you will learn about some habit you should break, and you will learn to be in tune with what's around you at all times as well as be in tune with your motorcycle. Did you know that just because you are willing to take a passenger on your bike that your bike might not be able to handle the passenger based on the bike's limitations. Imagine that, how many do you think consult the owner's manual to make sure that you and the passenger don't outweigh the recommended weight allowance for the bike. This might seem like a minor detail that you wouldn't think about in advance but if you wreck your bike it would have been nice to know that or think about that before you hit the highway.
I am so excited we have the opportunity for this class right here in Kingsland, GA and the results will be with me for a life time.
Thanks Dave for being the best instructor and having an unlimited supply of paitence. You are awesome and I loved your class.
If you or anyone you know rides a motorcycle then I suggest you make this small investment in your bike, your future, and the lives around you while you are riding. It is a very small price to pay in comparison to what you get. Many people forget that whether you are riding in a car or riding on a motorcycle there is a loved one that could be getting the phone call about your accident and they will be scared to death and possibly even devastated if you are someone else were killed. Be a responsible biker and take this class it may save your life and the life of someone else. It will be the bestinvestment you will make.
If you would like information about Dave's class then feel free to visit him at www.srmsi.net and you can learn about the class as well as download and application for the class.

If you have any other questions concerning Kingsland, GA or St Marys, GA or are looking to relocate to the area, or you need real esate information regarding Kingsland, GA or St Marys, GA real estate then fell free to visit me at www.TraciGetsResults.com or www.StMarysRetirementLiving.com and learn all about Kings Bay Georgia.