About Vanderburgh County, IN

The local FBI and computer repair shops are being swarmed with calls regarding an email you don't want to open. This scam isn't about tricking you into revealing personal information, all they want you to do is open the email.

The email poses as an FBI agency or some sort of government authority. Inside they may ask you to send money, or personal information. However, if you opened the email they could already have all the information they need to steal your savings.

Scam emails have been circulating throughout the Tri-state for several weeks. The sender falsely claims to be an FBI agent. "They may claim to be the FBI, the IRS, The Secret Service. In any case, these institutions would never contact you by email," said Detective Kurt Pritchett with EPD.

Pritchett says, if someone see's a reputable company on the email like the FBI for example, they're more likely to open it. That's exactly what scam artists want. "This type of email contains software that can be like a Trojan Horse or something where they can gain access to your computer," he said.

This means, hackers can steal your personal information and your bank account numbers just because you opened an email. The FBI has received several hundred calls about this scam. Over the past few weeks, numerous calls have came to computer repair shops like PC Quest. "One gentleman called and said he clicked on some FBI email and now his computer is frozen. His computer wouldn't let him out of the program," said Angie Tennison the manager of PC Quest.

To keep this from happening, officials say do not open emails from anyone you do not know. Plus, make sure your computer has a reputable anti-virus running at all times. If you get the FBI scam delete it. If you've already opened it go ahead and delete it anyway, run a virus scan and call your computer technician.

Source: http://tristatehomepage.com/content/fulltext/?cid=96231

More than 40 percent of all home buyers in 2009 will qualify for the federal tax credit, costing the government about $15 billion, twice the original estimate, but most housing experts applaud the policy and favor expanding it.

Now the decision is up to Congress.

Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody's Economy.com, believes that the credit should be expanded to all homebuyers, even investors, through summer of 2010. "The risks of not doing something like this are too great," he said. "I don't think the coast is clear."

James Glassman of JPMorgan Chase also favors expanding the credit but continuing to limit it to first-time buyers.

Industry members who are lobbying for the extension are optimistic and say they believe an extension will be approved in some form. "There will be a lot of water under the bridge, a lot of compromise, between now" and a final bill, said Richard A. Smith, chairman of the Business Roundtable's Housing Working Group.

Source: The New York Times, David Streitfeld (09/15/2009)

http://www.realtor.org/RMODaily.nsf/pages/News2009091601?OpenDocument

Homebuyers contemplating purchasing a condominium should review a long list of documents and other information to make sure that the property they are considering is a solid buy in this challenging market.

The following information is a the top of the must-consider list:

• Budget. Examine the current budget, a year-to-date statement of income and expenses, and a couple of previous years' budgets to see how they've changed.
• Reserve study. Understand the plan for maintenance and how it will be paid for.
• Special assessments. Ask if there have been any and whether more are planned.
• Delinquencies. How many owners are behind in their payments? Many lenders say no more than 15 percent of owners can be in arrears or they won't write mortgages in the complex.

Source: Chicago Tribune, Lew Sichelman (08/23/2009)

We trust you enjoyed a relaxing Labor Day weekend. I know we did.

The next two months will be busy in the real estate business. The $8,000 first time homebuyer's tax credit is scheduled to Expire November 30^th. There is very little time to complete purchases in time to take advantage of this program and we anticipate that title companies will be scrambling to accommodate closings scheduled for the end of November.

There have been some very positive articles recently about home sales nationally. Specifically pending contracts (a forward looking indicator) have increased for six consecutive months and are at their highest level since July of 2007. Although reviewing National information is fine, local statistics are much more important to your personal housing decisions. Locally, average sales price for all of 2008 was $119,301.

This year through August average sales price is $117,390, a decline of only 1.6%. List price to sale price is also virtually unchanged from 95.61% for 2008 compared to 94.69% this year to date. These numbers suggest that prices have declined but only very slightly and that buyers who think they are going to buy homes at significant discounts from a couple of years ago will be disappointed. As we said last month sales and inventory levels in our local market remain remarkably consistent. Our market, although not booming, is still healthy. The best way to determine market value for your home is to compare it to recent sales of homes of similar condition and location. We would be happy to help you determine the market value of your home, just give us a call at 812-499-9234 or email at Rolando@TheTrentiniTEam.com

Things are going very well here at F. C. Tucker Emge Realtors and next month we will update you on some of the services we make available to our customers and clients.

The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation (EVSC) is implementing a program to address issues at three schools designated by the state department of education as chronically underperforming. Educators have voted in favor of what the corporation calls the Equity School Concept, which will investigate the needs of each of the schools. EVSC Superintendent Vince Bertram says the schools are in need of fundamental change if educators are going to make a difference with the students.

Educators in the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation have voted in favor of the adoption of the Equity School Concept in three EVSC schools - Delaware Elementary, Howard Roosa Elementary, and McGary Middle School. The concept was developed by EVSC personnel and Evansville Teachers Association leadership. Voting through the Evansville Teachers Association took place for the past several days and was completed on Sept 2.

Excellence and Quality Unite in Transforming Youth will investigate the individual needs of each of the schools, which have been identified by the state Department of Education as chronically underperforming schools.

"We must fundamentally change these schools if we are to make a difference for our children," said Superintendent Vince Bertram during a news conference on Friday (9-4-09). Bertram explained that Equity Schools will include a professional development academy that trains educators for these schools, a longer school year and a change in the structure of the school day.

Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett believes that in many cases innovation is necessary for improvement. "The leadership of the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation in the quest for student success is well documented," said Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett. "When I look at districts that are known for innovation, the EVSC is one that always is at the front of my mind."

In order to work at one of these schools, an individual must have successfully completed the professional development academy that will be offered from October 2009 through December 2009 - for a total of 40 hours of training. Participation in this academy is by application and approximately 150 teachers, administrators and counselors will be selected. After completing the academy, teachers will be able to teach in an Equity School, or have the opportunity to take the knowledge gained in the academy out to other schools and build capacity throughout the corporation.

Evansville Teachers Association President Keith Gambill said the program will devote more resources "to teachers in the classroom who understand the children they serve each day." Applications for participation in the Equity Schools Academy were sent today to administrators, teachers and counselors in the corporation. Individuals will be selected to participate based on responses the employees submit on their application.

Bertram said additional days of instruction and a longer time in the classroom, would be a benefit to students and will be employed at these schools. Teachers and administrators will work collaboratively to determine the school's structure.

Educators selected for these positions will be compensated for the additional time and effort required to address the needs of our students in these schools. The EVSC is hopeful that these efforts undertaken by these innovative schools will be acknowledged by the awarding of Race to the Top funding, provided through the federal government for innovations in education. "This funding is critical if we are to sustain the expected ground-breaking results that our students and community deserve," Gambill said.

Source: Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation & Inside INdiana Business http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?ID=37567