James Murr, www.cortiersrealestate.com

I hope the market statistics look as good for everyone else as they do for us in College Station. So far, we are beating 2008 and 2009 numbers, and honestly I am too busy to be writing this blog post right now. Unfortunately, our high end sales are still weak as they are across Texas but the average home price is strong and the units sold is higher.

If you're looking for a stable real estate market to invest in or move your family to, College Station is the place to buy your next home. Find all the homes within our search tool here College Station Real Estate

If any agents need help locating business, we have too many buyer leads and we are looking for good people to hand them out to. Cortiers Real Estate

The government has opened a whole new door to existing home owners to take advantage of the tax credit, it is a little lower $6,500 and has some special requirements, see them here Home Buyer Tax Credit

The Real Estate center published the most recent statistics regarding national appreciation/depreciation averages in metropolitan areas. Is anyone surprised that not only is the Texas real estate market remaining strong, but is also forecast to have the best real estate market in the years to come. The real estate center used a variety of factors to calculate each metropolitan area's risk of depreciation. Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio have the least likelihood of depreciation in the whole country, all have a risk index of less than one. College Station, along with three other Texas cities, claimed spots in the top ten appreciation rates for 2008. Among the top ten cities with the highest risk for depreciation, California claims two, Arizona claims one, and Florida claims the other seven. Although California has seen some of the greatest depreciation so far, their depreciation is speculated to level off in comparison to other areas. Texas remains relatively good amidst national speculation of continued depreciation. It is inevitable that the national market will rebound and all metropolitan areas will see consistent appreciation again, but for the time being, Texas seems to be the most stable real estate market in the country.

If you are interested in buying or selling real estate in Bryan College Station, contact Cortiers Luxury Realty by clicking the following link, Bryan College Station Real Estate, or call the office at 979-985-5610.

A few hints today on tax initiatives and real estate stability. Let's start with taxes. New "green tax" initiatives are underway, and we are already in a position to benefit. The Texas property tax code allows an exemption of the amount of the appraised property value that arises from the installation or construction of a solar or wind-powered energy device that is primarily for the production and distribution of thermal, mechanical, or electrical energy for on-site use, or devices used to store that energy. So if you are ambitious enough to build a wind farm in your back yard, you could see significant tax advantages from your eco-friendly construction. Wind farms are not the only source of renewable energy, solar panels are also a viable solution for alternative energy and potential tax cuts. These tax cuts don't just apply to the home owner. Corporations are looking at a similar policy if they choose to invest in energy. Texas allows a corporation to deduct the cost of a solar energy device from the franchise tax in one of two ways: (1) the total cost of the system may be deducted from the company's taxable capital; or, (2) 10% of the system's cost may be deducted from the company's income. I am sure incentives like these will give corporations something to think about as they go into a new year and a new administration.

If you are interested in buying or selling real estate in Bryan College Station contact Cortiers Luxury Realty by clicking the following link, Bryan College Station Real Estate, or call the office at 979-985-5610.

The changing economy has had varied effects on the real estate market. Understanding these changes is the key to making the most of them. I have a done a little research on recent changes to the economy that we might be able to take advantage of. There are a slew of new policies brought on by the relief programs, funded by federal bailout money. The Obama Stimulus Package proposes that the 7,500 dollar tax credit for first time home buyers become non-repayable. This means that if you are a first time home buyer, not only do you get to take advantage of the traditional $7,500 tax credit, but now you don't have to pay it back. The theory is that this incentive will create more purchases and decrease the supply of homes on the market. Of course this stimulus is only beneficial for first time home buyers, so Investors are pushing the Obama administration to make the stimulus package apply to all home purchasers, not just first time home buyers. According to economist this stimulus package could create 500,000 extra home purchases (and give us the opportunity to make some extra money on real estate investments). First time home buyers are certainly receiving an abundance of blessings from the government. I encourage all first time home buyers to inquire about down payment assistance and all other first time buyer programs. People are figuring it out. FHA loan applications jumped 19.2% last week, and if these incentives go through I am sure they will continue to climb. Take advantage of the programs available. Tomorrow I will let you in on more secrets to surviving market change.

If you are interested in buying or selling real estate in Bryan College Station contact Cortiers Luxury Realty by clicking the following link, Bryan College Station Real Estate, or call the office at 979-985-5610.