Jim Lee & Janet Holt Edmond Oklahoma Luxury Home Realtors

Banning the Production and Import of R-22 Refrigerant

January 1, 2010, begin the phase-out of R-22 refrigerant. R-22 or HCFC-22 is a refrigerant commonly used in residential air conditioning equipment and commercial refrigeration applications. It is a manmade chemical known as hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). The phase-out is part of a worldwide initiative, the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. The initiative is a plan to end the use of all ozone-depleting chemicals. The release of HCFCs and other manmade chemicals into the atmosphere have eroded the Earth's protective ozone screen. It has actually created an "ozone hole" above the South Pole. Scientists predicted that if the plan is successful, the ozone layer that protects the Earth from the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation will recover by 2075.

January 1, 2010 marked the banning of the production and import of R-22 (HCFC-22) for new systems. It is step one of a four step, twenty year process. In 2015, the sale and use of R-22 will be banned, by 2020 only recycled/reclaimed R-22 will be available and in 2030 it will be completely banned.

"The average American is pretty GREEN. That phrase certainly has taken on a new meaning in the past couple of years." remarked Jim Lee, broker/owner of EXIT STRATEGIES REALTY in Edmond Oklahoma. "Most of us don't mind helping clean up the environment but sometimes this task seems overwhelming. Some folks are wondering why the ban is stretched out over such a long period of time. The answer to this question was a wise decision by the powers that be. It is being phased out over a twenty year period so that the bulk of the switch to ozone-friendly refrigerants will occur through normal equipment replacement."

R-22 will be replaced with a product known as R-410A. Systems using R-410A are ozone friendly but are slightly more expensive than a comparable R-22 system. "Due to the cost difference many are asking if their current equipment can be modified to use R-410. The answer is yes, but the modifications are substantial and in most cases are not cost effective." states Lee.

With the currently state of our economy, many American's are facing issues that affect their immediate day to day living situation. Replacing their air conditioning units to help the environment in the future is not as important as surviving now! With that being said, there are ways to minimize the impact on the ozone layer using existing R-22 units. The most important thing that can be done is maintain the equipment. Major leaks rarely develop in properly installed and maintained equipment. If problems do occur, be sure to use a reliable service contractor who is EPA-certified. For more information regarding the R-22 phase-out and banning, visit www.EXITStrategiesRealty.com. Go to the (R-22 Refrigerant Phase Out Information) link at the bottom of the home page.

NEW INTERNET SCAM COST RENTERS THOUSAN

If you are looking for a new place to rent, and due to our current economic environment many folks are, you should be aware of the latest internet scam to take your money. Like those ready to buy a home, most people who are getting ready to rent start their search on the internet. One of the most popular places to start that search is Craig’s List. And why not? It is a great free service, but using it does require caution on the part of the consumer. So as a consumer you should remember the old adage, “If it sounds to good to be true it usually is.”

Recently, creative con-artists have started searching websites where “For Sale by Owners” post their listings. Many of the sellers on those sites, in order to make their homes sound more attractive to prospective buyers, give very explicit information regarding their property. From there it is simple for scammers to cut and paste information into free sites, such as Craig’s List. They include photos and details of the home they gleaned from the original seller’s posting but now the property is offered for rent. In order to make it very attractive to prospective renters they post the rent well below market value. These ads are usually posted for only a matter of hours but in that short time get hundreds of hits.

The renter is then contacted by the scammer, first through email and then by a disposable phone. They tell the renter that they had the house for sale but that the market is so slow they had to go ahead with their move and now they are offering the home for rent. They tell them they are renting it for just enough to cover the house payment. Sometimes the amount of rent they quote is only a fraction of what the house payment would actually be. The con-artist then goes on to tell them that they have friends staying at the home as house sitters until they can sell or rent it and if they will mail them the deposit, they will mail them the keys to the property and a copy of the lease within twelve hours of receiving the rental deposit. The keys never come! Of course they require the deposit to be in a money order with the “payable to” left blank or “cash”. Their reasoning for this is because they haven’t set up a bank account in their new location yet. In some cases when the keys don’t arrive the renters load up their belongings and showed up at the property on moving day. The person they meet at the front door is not a house sitter but the homeowner. In some instances, fights have broken out between the renter and the homeowner and the police have been called to put a stop to the debacle. In the end it is the renter who has lost out.

If you are a victim of or suspect this type of fraudulent activity, you can contact the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) in order to file a report. The FTC reporting toll free hotline is 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357). If the ad was on Craig’s List, you should report the ad as soon as possible to abuse@craigslist.org. Never give out personal information that is vital to your privacy such as social security numbers or birth dates.

EXIT STRATEGIES REALTY

EXIT STRATEGIES REALTY located at 3925 E. Memorial Road, Edmond OK, opened its doors on March 1, 2010. Broker/Owner's Jim Lee and Janet Holt have been successful Realtors in the Edmond, Deer Creek, and Northwest Oklahoma City Markets for nearly two decades. "Opening our own company seemed to be the next logical step for us. The EXIT brand, although only thirteen years old, is the most progressive real estate brand serving the general public today. The name ‘EXIT' means safe passage. Combine that with the fact that there are over one trillion EXIT signs across North America and you get safe passage with total name recognition. Our name, EXIT, is above every door in every public building across the country and in Canada. Advertising doesn't get much better than that!" states Jim Lee. "We look forward to serving our community with the same outstanding high quality service we have always provided along with leading edge technology." says Janet Holt. EXIT STRATEGIES REALTY is a full service real estate company. You will find them locally or on the net at EXITStrategiesRealty.com.

For more information about EXIT STRATEGIES REALTY, please call 405-285-9322. EXIT STRATEGIES REALTY is located at 3925 E. Memorial Road, Edmond OK.

April 30, 2010 Is The Deadline For Purchasing A Qualifing Home

Hurry! There is still time to qualify for the first-time home buyer's tax credit for up to $8000. As long as the home buyer has a property under contract by April 30, 2010 and is scheduled to close on or before June 30, 2010, they can still qualify for the Federal tax credit.

A tax credit of up to $6500 is also available for repeat home buyers who have owned a home for five consecutive years out of the prior eight years. "There are limitations on housing prices and buyer's income, so before buyers sign on the dotted line they should read the guidelines posted at IRS.gov or check with their Realtor. All Realtors should have a copy of the guidelines in order to serve their clients more effectively which allows them to make a more informed decision." says Jim Lee, broker/owner of EXIT STRATEGIES REALTY in Edmond, Oklahoma.

"Some of the great features of The Worker, Homeownership and Business Assistance Act of 2009 are that members of the military, Foreign Service and the intelligence community now qualify. This is a great incentive for military personnel serving in Oklahoma's military bases like Tinker AFB, Fort Sill Army Base or Vance AFB and members of the FBI located in Oklahoma City. The best benefit of the Federal home buyer tax credit is that it does not have to be repaid as long as the home is occupied as the principal residence of the buyer and is not sold for a minimum of three years. " says Jim Lee.
Taxpayers can claim the home buyer tax credit on either their 2009 or 2010 taxes. They must submit a copy of the HUD-1 settlement statement along with the IRS form 5405 to claim either the first-time home buyer tax credit or the repeat home buyer tax credit.

For more information about EXIT STRATEGIES REALTY, please call 405-285-9322. EXIT STRATEGIES REALTY is located at 3925 E. Memorial Road, Edmond OK 73013.

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