Jeanne Kozak

This is always a question I am sure gardners and non-gardners toy with every year.

If I plant my own garden...

• I can choose what I want to plant and harvest
• I can grow organically without pesticides
• It is more affordable to grow my own food
• It is a good way for my family to work together, learn about foods and learn good work ethic
• It is good exercise
• I can learn to appreciate nature

If I choose to visit the local farmers' market...

• I support the local farmers' and local economy
• It takes much less time and energy
• I can buy a wide range of organic products
• My family can share the experience of the farmers' market and supporting small, local businesses
• The variety and choices of foods and produce will be greater

The truth is, it should be somewhere in between for most of us. Working your own land has a deep satisfaction and many healthy benefits. Supporting local farmers' and small local businesses is essential for the future of our small farms.

For Dan and I, we grow a lot of our own food. In the center of all the produce is my herb garden, my favorite part of the garden. We really enjoy our time together canning and storing food for the coming winter months...But we also look forward to our Sunday morning trip to the local farmers' market to visit friends, listen to local musicians, buy free range eggs, fruit and veggies, plants and flowers, hot coffee and a cinammon bun. Then it is back home to our 1200 square foot garden and all the fun and hard work that comes along with it. Spring is just around the corner and I can't wait!

For the past 4 years, I have been part of an amazing group of Habitat For Humanity volunteers from Frederick County, Maryland, even though I live in West Virginia. I got an email from HFH in Waveland/Bay St. Louis, MS. with this very touching story of the Children of 911 Victims taking their time to help build a home for a family that may have lost everything they had in Hurricane Katrina.

I was so excited to see this because this is where our Habitat group has gone for the last 2 years on our twice a year mission trip, Waveland/Bay St. Louis, MS, where the eye of Hurricane Katrina made landfall and destroyed nearly everything in its path. We are leaving on our next trip March 12-19 and we cannot wait to get going. I am sure most of us have our bags packed, tool belts neatly packed with our own favorite tools, Habitat shirts, hats etc. all clean from the October trip. And we will be in the same place as these amazing children, such an honor.

Watch the video and read the story, you will see the spirit and generosity of these children that lost so much themselves on 9/11/2001, so willing to give to others that have suffered loss too. I wish we could have been there to meet them.

Oh, and I plan to blog and post pics through our week long build March 12-19 for you to see. I hope to be able to work some, but I am having back surgery March 3, so I had to promise I would take it easy, be like the mascot this time...hmmm, we'll see. Watch for my blog and watch us build a home, hopefully from the foundation to blessing it for the family before we leave. Life Changing!

HFH Bay-Waveland was Affiliate of the year for 2009 and 2010, they are a great group of people.

Existing home sales numbers continued moving up in January. This is the third month in a row, putting the numbers above levels from just 1 year ago, the first time in 7 months that sales activity was higher than the previous year.

• Existing-home sales increased 2.7 %, that makes the adjusted annual rate 5.36 million in January 2011
• The annual rate in December 2010 was 5.22 million
• The annual rate was 5.09 million in January 2010. That adds up to 5.3% increase.

Consumer confidence seems to be on the rise, and with some signs of improvement in the economy and on the jobs front, this may be creating more favorable housing conditions.

The one negative issue that still must by addressed is the unnecessary tightening of credit. There are good qualified owner occupant buyers that are getting locked out of the housing market at a time when the housing affordability index is the best in over 40 years and interest rates have not been this low since Eisenhower was President . There is high level of all cash purchases, and investor activity is high. This is bothersome to me. We need to get homes into the hands of "qualified" owner occupant purchasers so that our communities and neighborhoods can come to life again. And Americans can once say that "Home Ownership Matters" to People, to Communities and to America.

On my sidebar there is a widget for the "Home Ownership Matters" page on realtor org. I urge you to put it on your page, spread the word. We are over 1.1 million strong and we have a huge voice in Washington. We can make this happen.

Read the entire article from NAR on realtor.org

Even if your home was built before the idea of sustainable living was the buzz word, you can still be more environmentally friendly and save money by reducing your utility usage.

Make use of the sun, it is free. Check out where the sun rises and sets and use that to your advantage if you are installing solar panels or thermal systems. You may want to install larger windows to capture more of the free heat.

Make a chart of your utility bills and see where you are wasting energy dollars.

• Turning your heat down 1 degree could save as much as 10% on heating costs
• Close the curtains at night
• Install bottom sweeps on doors
• Check for drafts and add weather stripping
• Turn heat down at night, try a programmable thermostat
• Do an insulation audit, and add where you need to
• Turn lights off when not in use
• Use low energy light bulbs
• Never leave electronic equipment on stand-by, turn them off when not in use for long periods
• Only run dishwasher and washing machine with a full load
• Dry clothes outside when possible and practical
• Pressure cookers are fast, economical and energy efficient
• Replace old appliances with Energy Star appliances
• Showers use less water then baths
• Install water saver toilets
• Wrap your water heater, replace if more than 15 years old
• Insulate pipes in unheated areas such as attics and crawl spaces

Can you make some lifestyle changes that are good for you and the environment? These will of course depend on where you live.

• Use public transportation, carpool or walk more often
• Shop locally
• Visit farmers markets for fresh locally grown food
• Buy more organic products and products labeled "fair trade"
• Reduce what you throw away in the landfills
• Recycle everything you can
• Re-use as much as you can
• Donate instead trashing

These are all simple changes that you can make that may not only save you money, but help preserve our precious environment. Every little bit helps, even one or two changes can make a difference. The more you do, the more you will want to do. It can be addictive...sort of like Active Rain, right Rainmakers!

All HUD Homes are sold strictly "AS IS". The FSMs inspect the property when it is received into HUDs inventory. There may be hidden defects like termite, mechanical, structural, water, lead based paint, which may make the property uninhabitable. HUD also does not guarantee that the property will meet local codes, building codes, or that there are no easements or title issues. This is the risk that the buyers takes when bidding on a HUD Home.

Page 3 of the Sales Contract (HUD-9548) has a statement regarding condition, make sure that your buyers REALLY read it. I have them inital the page.

The property condition report is not a guarantee that there could not be other problems. The Assest Manager may be requested by HUD to perform some cosmetic repairs if they feel it is necessary, otherwise all repairs are the buyers responsibility and done after closing.

The buyer does not take possession until after closing and may not store anything, occupy, make repairs or enter the property without their agent present. DO NOT give keys of lockbox combos to anyone not authorized to have them. Agents must be present at all time for showings and inspections on their buyers behalf.

"OCCUPYING OR WORKING ON A HUD HOME PRIOR TO OWNERSHIP TRANSFER WILL BE CONSIDERED TRESPASSING. IF DISCOVERED, HUD MAY CANCEL THE SALES CONTRACT AND THE BUYER WOULD FORFEIT THEIR EARNEST MONEY DEPOSIT. THE SELLING BROKER MAY ALSO HAVE THEIR BIDDING PRIVELEGES SUSPENDED"

If home was built prior to 1978, the buyer will be required to have a lead based paint disclosure addendum as part of the contract, in addition to the EPA brochure for lead based paint.

The FSM will conduct a lead based paint inspection and create the LBP Inspection Report when a home goes under contract with FHA financing. Some areas have their own requirements for dealing with lead based paint, and require further inspection and elimination of LBP hazards. Know your area and what is required, but all work must be approved by HUD before it is done.

New guidelines were put into effect in 2009 for stabilizing lead based paint in HUD Homes. HUDs responsibility depends on the type of financing, as I read it.

• All FHA Loans(except 203(k)) If deteriorated LBP is identified in the inspection report and the cost is less than $4000, HUD will stablize and conduct a new inspection to comfirm that it is now satisfactory. If greater than $4000, HUD may, at its sole discretion 1) cancel the contract 2)allow the buyer to switch to FHA 203(k) or conventional. Purchaser will receive all of the deposit back if HUD cancels the contract.

• FHA 203(k) Loans - HUD will credit the buyer for stabilization estimate up to 10% of the purchase price to a max of $4000

• All other financing - HUD is not responsible for LBP stabilization

In all cases, the buyers must sign the Lead Based Paint Disclosure Addendum as part of the contract and receive a copy of the EPA approved brochure.

As a reminder there are 3 types of properties listed:

• IN - Insurable - Will quality for FHA 203(b) Loan
• IE - Insurable-Escrow - Needs less than $5000 in repairs. The buyer closes and uses funds in escrow from loan proceeds (or they can bring cash) for the repairs, in most cases the home is eligible for FHA 203(b) loan. The buyer may not move into the home until the repairs are completed and escrow released.
• UI - Unisurable - Needs more than $5000 in repairs, not eligible for FHA 203(b) but could be for FHA 203(k). Conventional and cash may be an option.

The new HUD procedures have only been in use a short time, so we are all still in a learning process. We have found that while HUD is strict on their policies, some of those policies just have not worked and they have worked with us. Deadlines are one of those things that do not seem to be open for discussion, so make sure to follow their instructions closely. The listing agent will be able to help you to some extent, but we are limited in our ability to do much if you do not follow HUDs instructions.

Subscribe to my blog and follow the series on Selling HUD Homes. I would be happy to talk with you also if you have specific questions. I am certainly not an expert, but as a listing broker for HUD, we are required to teach and help however we can to make this a successful program. More information can be found on HUDs website