Madison, MS

The last month I've been a busy bee with the housing market, but what can I attribute this to? Interest Rates, or Stimulus Package? Maybe and Maybe!

I've got a good idea though my sellers are helping me price their listings at fair market value and that my friend is what is moving this market!

And, as we know, price is king when buyers are looking for homes.

Remember, your results may vary depending on the home condition and the part of the country you are located in. But, the next time you’re ready to list a home, explore the option of pricing strategies. A listing price can be your most powerful marketing tool...

Closing March 20th!

Closing February 27th!

Short Sale Closing Pending!

If your looking to sell your home in the Metro Jackson Area be sure to call me before you do for your home selling consultation.

Contact Jeffrey Dillon

Herrington Realty Company

601.502.4693

Yesterday I shared information about the new MLS system adopted by the Jackson Association of Realtors. Today I've learned how to implement one of the features I've seen agents from other regions utilize, and I wondered "How'd They Do That?"

Now I know!

For one, they had a quality MLS. Second, the agents spent a little time learning the enhancements, the bells and whistles, if you will.

Want to see what I learned? I knew you would.

I can now prepare a search, for instance, for waterfront homes for sale and paste the code into my website or blog, like I've done here. So whenever a consumer wants to look specifically for waterfront properties, the information will be up to date, as I've selected only active listings to appear in my search criteria.

Awesome!

How about homes located in golf communities? Yep. Done.

Homes in BOTH waterfront and golf communities? I can do that, too.

The really cool part is that as an IDX subscriber, my contact information is highly visible.

I'm so excited about this new feature and I'm sure buyers and sellers will love it, too.

(I should remind everyone as a caveat that the system is new and some data was "misplaced" during the transfer of information. Some homes for sale may inadvertently be omitted from the search due to the MLS conversion. There are bound to be glitches with an undertaking of this size.)

If you are looking for a specific home you think should be listed, but isn't on my search report, contact me and we'll try to figure out the problem.

Isn't this cool? Being able to save and post specific searches onto your website has a lot of possibilities.

What do you think? Can you see the value?

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Pat Starnes, a Realtor since 1988, specializes in Mississippi Residential Real Estate and can assist you with buying or selling in the Jackson MS Metro area.

Search homes for sale in Brandon, Pearl, Flowood, Madison, Ridgeland, Florence, Bryam, or Jackson, MS.

Written and Published by Pat Starnes REALTOR

Want to save a couple of bucks and continue saving into the future? Take advantage of one of the many energy savings tax credits available this year from Uncle Sam.

Home improvement insulation tax credits are available...let's look at how you qualify.

The insulation's primary purpose must be to insulate. That means siding does not qualify, but a vapor retarder does.

A vapor retarder is a specially treated paper, thin plastic sheeting, or low permeance paint that prevents condensation of water vapor inside wall or ceiling materials. This trapped moisture can cause damage to the wallboard and paint as well as structural deterioration.

The product you use must be expected to last for at least 5 years or have a 2 year warranty. The cost of installation (your labor) cannot be included in the total. A manufacturer's Certification Statement is required. Remember, for tax purposes its a good idea that you save your receipt and the Manufacturer's Cert.

A Manufacturer’s Certification is a signed statement from the manufacturer certifying that the product or component qualifies for the tax credit. The IRS encourages manufacturers to provide these Certifications on their website to facilitate identification of qualified products. Taxpayers must keep a copy of the certification statement for their records, but do not have to submit a copy with their tax return.

You must insulate between Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2009 and use IRS Tax Form 5695 (version 2009) when filing for the credit.

How much of a tax credit do you receive? You'll get 10% of the cost of the insulation, up to $500.00.

For more information about saving energy and saving your hard earned dollars contact Gary N Smith toll free at 1-877-809-6139 or find him online: www.GaryNSmith.net

As co-chairman and on behalf of the entire Building Green Works Committee at the Home Builders Association of Jackson I’d like to thank Mississippi Home Corp for their efforts in promoting affordable resource efficient housing in Mississippi. Our HBAJ Green Committee includes builders, associate members, utility companies and government agencies. We’re proud to have them serve on our committee.

As a certified NAHB Verifier I believe this contest will not only promote energy efficient construction, but will offer Mississippi residences affordable homes that help them save water, live more comfortably in cleaner air, save money through lower maintenance cost and will encourage the public to save our planet’s natural resources.

In support of the contest, I would also like to announce that the Jackson Association will host the NAHB Certified Green Professional course (see below) February 17-19 at our office in Ridgeland, MS. The CGP designation recognizes builders, remodelers and other industry professionals who incorporate green building principles into homes— without driving up the cost of construction. The three day class provides a solid background in green building methods, as well as the tools to reach consumers. The class will explain how to accrue points in seven categories: water, energy and resource efficiency; lot and site development; indoor environmental quality; global impact and homeowner education. The program sets point requirements in each category for the bronze, silver and gold levels. McGraw Hill reports that by 2012 - 20% of new homes built in the US are expected to be HERS rated, performance tested and built green.

The future? There is no doubt, through energy consumption and the living environment, the homes we build today will impact on our children and our grand children. That’s why it’s so important that we focus our efforts on the “science” of building construction.

Building Green is smart.

Building green is affordable.

First, through this contest and then into the future we will all be…Growing a Greener Mississippi. So…from the HBAJ Building Green Works Committee, Thank You!

Mississippi Home Corporation was created by the State in 1989 to serve as the State’s Housing Finance Agency. In that capacity, MHC administers the Mortgage Revenue Bond program and the Housing Tax Credit program, among others. MHC’s mission is to enhance Mississippi's long-term economic viability by financing safe, decent, affordable housing and helping working families build wealth.

For more information about the NAHB Green Building Program visit NAHB online at www.NAHBGreen.org.

For more information about the contest contact Gary Smith toll free at 1-877... or online at: www.GaryNSmith.net.

Madison Among '10 Best' For Families In U.S.

Family Circle

working in conjunction with On Board, a New York City based

research firm, delved into the things Americans most want in a

hometown. Their results culminated from "a first of its kind

investigation to identify the best communities across the

country that combine big city opportunities with suburban

charm." They sought out "locations that offer an ideal blend of

good jobs, top rated schools, wide open spaces and a lot less

stress." Their findings and the ten cities selected will appear in the August 2007 issue of

Family Circle

The Family Circle and On Board's ten top towns came from "a list of 1,850

places with populations between 15,000 and 150,000." From that list, "800 localities

were selected based on family-friendly criteria including low crime rate, health care, air

quality, green space, schools, and jobs. Family Circle assessed which towns best met

those standards and ranked them according to state. The winners were selected from the

highest-rated towns in the top 10 states nationwide."

Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler said she was humbled by the announcement. "It is

an honor to be chosen as one of Family Circle's inner circle of cities. Their definition of

ideal hometown life is very true to our daily dreams and desires for Madison. Familysaid that in all the ten cities selected, Moms and Dads are hands on - they

Circle

volunteer in schools and coach sports. Of course, volunteerism is what really makes a

community. Churches and the volunteer spirit are in essence the backbone of any town.

I salute Family Circle for understanding this and for caring about hometown America in

such a special way. I am grateful for all the benefits that Mississippi brings into the life

of every community. This is the people's award."

Published 15 times a year by Meredith Corporation, with a circulation of 3.9

million and 20 million readers, Family Circle is one of the most widely read monthly

magazines in the world. Family Circle provides smart, relevant advice, sensible

solutions, and inspiration in a voice that encourages and celebrates success in its pages

and online at www.familycircle.com. Family Circle has always been committed to

women's issues and in 1973 became the first women's magazine to fully underwrite a

professional women's sporting event, the Family Circle Cup, an annual women's tennis

tournament held in April in Charleston, S.C., at Family Circle Magazine Stadium.

Family Circle

segment with Hannah Storm called "In the Family Circle."