Gloria Gomez Matthews

Well, We've had a couple of storms blow thru, and the seasonal color is now running down the streets in riveletts of water. Unless of course those leaves are blocking the drains.

A little GOOD NEIGHBOR maintenance. UNPLUG the storm drains,.. use your shovel, snow shovel and let the water flow! (yes, this is the pacific northwest and while it doesnt RAIN ALL THE TIME, we do get plenty). How appropriate this seattle based company is named "ACTIVE RAIN". (no we dont have web toes).

Still, before our rainy season onset...one beautiful day, I grabbed some great photos, and thought I'd share a couple with my friends and neighbors, in my favorite NEIGHBORHOOD, FELIDA, WA.

I will be putting up a series of them at http://www.FelidaHomes.com

Dont forget to visit Felida Red Barn, to feast your eyes and plan your thanksgiving feast!

NW 36th Ave, near FELIDA FIRE STATION

Dont forget to stop by the Felida Red Barn

Fall decorations, and Christmas trees coming soon!

As a member of the NAHB, I receive updates as they update their website. They have just updated this fabulously informative site, to include the newest edition of the tax credit and the EXISTING HOMEOWNER TAX CREDIT, at http://federalhousingtaxcredit.com/

This is a terrific resource for consumers and professional alike!.

Also, I cam across the Standard and Poors CASE SHILLER HOME PRICE INDEX, reflecting price trends across 20 cities. I've posted the graph here, (page one),

You can email me at matthews.gg@gmail.com to have a full report sent, or go to http://www2.standardandpoors.com/spf/pdf/index/CSHomePrice_Release_102706.pdf Remember that this report is dated October 27th, for the period ending in August, and reflect a 3 month moving average, so it is a "lagging indicator". Still its valuable information. THE PRICE INDEX REFLECT AN UPTURN IN PRICING, as of the october 27 report.

iNFORMATION IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT HTTP://WWW.FelidaHomes.com, along with complete search tools, and more.

Tonight on the local news, I heard a tidbit about the extension passing. So I looked on the internet and could hardly find a thing....awful quiet about such BIG NEWS.

I found an article at Business Week, so I'll include the link below. Its NOT as great as the plan I heard 4 days ago, but still includes Extending 8,000 to first time home buyers to april 30 and includes existing homeowners to 6,500, with 125k income limits for singles and 225k for two income households.

Here's the LINK. I hope there is some pent up energy in the normal moving and adjusting people do for various reasons, and that this incentive will stimulate and encourage homeowners to make these changes in the near term horizon.

IF we have the recovery underway that I have been hearing in the news, then low interest rates and low prices will soon be in the Rear View Mirror.

Ask yourself? When we begin to recover, and prices move up again (historically they will). Do you want the appreciation in the house that no longer suits your lifestyle/needs....or do you want the appreciation in the home that you will be in, for the next 10-15 years.

Just reflections....

The link to my BLOG and the Articles related to the extension are here:

http://www.felidahomes.com/blogs/gloria_gomez_matthews/default.aspx

http://www.FelidaHomes.com

Gloria Matthews
360-600-3042

Yes, there is quite a bit of chatter out there about EXTENDING the tax credit. IN ADDITION to the extension, there is considerable effort towards EXPANDING the TAX CREDIT beyond FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS to include resellers/buyers.

NO, this has not happened yet! But stay in touch with me at http://www.FelidaHomes.com or http://www.VancouverHotListings.com

The Expansion of the tax credit to 2nd or 3rd time homebuyers will likely provide incentive to people who have been sitting on the fence. This coming year, (if this passes), I would expect to see both the MEDIAN and AVERAGE home price INCREASE.

Does this mean RISING HOME VALUES? Im not so sure, but should bring some increased activity and some pressure on pricing moving UP, For pricing to move up significantly, We need more employment and more light in the ECONOMIC RECOVERY.

HOME SELLERS and HOME BUYERS, This could be "the perfect storm". If you have been thinking of a change, DOWNSIZING, UPSIZING, more land, less land, NEWER or what ever your goal, This could be the perfect time to make a change! With LOW INTEREST RATES, and signs pointing upward, placing yourself in your new home means, the appreciation comes in the HOME you want to be in for the next 10 years, not the one you have been in, and no longer suits you.

If I can help you PLAN your next MOVE, call me or visit me at http://www.FelidaHomes.com

You can also order a MARKET SNAPSHOT. It will show you the SALES activity in YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, complete with listing and selling prices, averages, time on the market. Flyer information TOO!

HOME SALES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD - The Market Snapshot

Always at your service,

Gloria Matthews, Jensen White Real Estate
FelidaHomes.com
360-600-3042

here's an article regarding the pending legislation, below!

This morning, I got an email from a national relocation research company that calls on me for area statistics. Her question was ..how much have homes gone UP? since march.

Well the MARKET ACTION from the MLS does say median and average home prices are up in august.

Inventories show at 8 months, the lowest in a long time, but are REAL prices ticking up? NO, I dont think so. Stabilizing maybe, but I dont think you could sell your house higher now, than you could in march. The higher median and average, simply means there are more homes (at higher price points), selling now, than in the spring, when it seemed the only thing selling were "STARTER HOMES".

The 8,000 tax credit is still in play, at least for another few weeks, AND today BEN BERNANCKE claims, the recession is OVER. But his statement is also full of Mixed Messages.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32858855/ns/business-economy_in_turmoil/ FULL ARTICLE.

If you would like more information on recent sales, statistics, or YOUR HOME VALUE, contact me, Im here to help and provide a realistic view of current home values, sales and inventories.

Gloria Matthews
http://www.felidahomes.com