Jerry Newman,REALTOR®,Texas Agent San Antonio Real Estate & Military Reloc

YouTube Thursdays - Videos Can Promote You and Your Business
I made a pledge and goal for myself to start making more videos in 2012. I am still rather new to making and producing videos, but one thing I do know for sure. If you will join YouTube Thursdays Group, headed up by Ms. Debb Janes, you will see a wealth of information posted there every week.

This week Debb Janes wrote a post featuring Karen Kruschka’s outstanding video on her Prince William County community. Making videos on your local community as Debb stated makes a lasting impression on the consumers who read your blogs, and helps to promote that community and the real estate agent at the same time. We all know that Market Report and Community Reports is what will make those phone lines ring more. So, why not begin to add more videos into your Community and Market Reports. I know that I plan to do more of them. You can even do a slide show with still photos in Windows Live Movie Maker 2011.

I recently did a re-blog on one of our fellow Active Rain members, whose daughter had a very serious auto accident back in December 2011. Many of you may know or remember Ms. Sherri Wellborn from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. I discovered that Sherri has a YouTube Channel at MurfeesboroTN Homes For Sale. I would encourage you to stop by and subscribe to Sherri’s YouTube Channel to show your support for another AR Member who needs our prayers and our support.

You will want to stop by YouTube Thursdays Group to see other posts and videos this week by Cindy Edwards, Debb Janes, Cathy Bureau, Karen Kruschka, Andy Mooers, John McCormack “ the Q Man”, Michael Thornton, and Jill Sackler, just to name a few who are leading the way when it comes to making videos in 2012.

I have added a recent community video, or still slide show that I made on one of San Antonio's Growing Northwest Communities.

Tax Exemptions for Disabled Military Vets

Texas state government has done the right thing by offering a new tax exemption to a group that truly deserves our respect: disabled U.S. military veterans. Veterans who meet the highest threshold of qualifications will be exempt from paying any property taxes on their homesteads. To qualify for a full exemption, veterans must be classified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as being unemployable or having a 100 percent disability rating.

Veterans must also have received 100 percent disability compensation from the VA. Veterans wishing to claim the exemption can begin the process by contacting their county appraisal districts. House Bill 3613 from the 81st Texas Legislature allows the complete property tax exemption, which was effective from 2009 and onward. The law, however, does not allow the surviving spouse of eligible veterans to receive the homestead exemption.

Surviving spouses do remain eligible for the exemptions for people with disabilities and for people age 65 and older. Another exemption is also available for disabled veterans, including those classified by the VA as less than 100 percent disabled and those qualified for the full homestead property tax exemption.

Beginning at a 10 percent VA disability rating, a veteran can get an exemption of $5,000 to $12,000 for any one property he or she owns.

The tax exemption amount that a qualified disabled veteran receives depends on the veteran's disability rating from the branch of the armed service:

The disabled veteran must be a Texas resident and must choose one property to receive the tax exemption for all property tax purposes. For veterans receiving the full homestead property tax exemption, the additional exemption could be applied to non-homestead property.

If you or someone you know is a disabled veteran living in Texas, please learn all you can about this important property tax exemption. During these uncertain economic times, it has true potential to help those who have made tremendous sacrifices make ends meet. Veterans wishing to apply for the homestead exemption should contact their county appraisal districts. An application form for veterans and appraisal districts to use can be found on the Comptroller's Web site at Texas State Taxes for Public Accounts. To file for a disabled veteran's tax exemption, you must complete the application and file to the appropriate taxing authority. In San Antonio, that authority is Bexar County Tax Appraisal District. The deadline for filing for a disabled veteran's exemption is between January 1 and April 30 of the tax year. However, you may file for a disabled veteran's exemption up to one year from the delinquency date.

To find information about disability ratings or employ-ability from the VA, call (800) 827-1000. Disabled veterans receiving a homestead exemption may need to contact their mortgage lenders to adjust their escrow payments. If you are thinking about buying or selling a home in San Antonio, or any surrounding cites, Contact your Local San Antonio Real Estate agent, or you may call or text to 210-789-4216.

Texas has Great Benefits for Texas Military Veterans

Eligible Texas Veterans may apply for Land Loans, Forfeited Land Sales, Home Loans, or Home Improvement Loans. All of theses loans are made possible by the Texas Veterans Land Board. The TVLB was created in 1946 to assist veterans returning from World War II with an opportunity to own a piece of Texas. Since that time, the Board has dramatically expanded the kinds of loans and benefits available to Texas veterans and their families, all at little or not cost to Texas taxpayers. Today, the VLB manages a billion dollar loan program, oversees long-term care facilities, and state cemeteries across Texas - all exclusively for Texas veterans.

The Texas VLB loans and benefits are funded by bonds supported by the veterans participating in the program. Because veterans are reliable and responsible borrowers, these bonds are financially strong and allow for the most robust state veteran s benefits in the nation. So, what is the eligibility criteria for military veterans?

These benefits are available to any Texas veteran who served on active duty or reserve duty in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces or the National Guard, and has not been dishonorably discharged, and claims Texas as a primary residence. The residency requirement is easy to obtain for any military member. Other eligibility rules may apply. Spouses and dependent children of Texas veterans may be eligible for certain benefits too.

A Texas veteran wishing to buy land and own a piece of Texas may purchase one or more acres. Borrow up to $80,000 for a 30-year fixed rate loan at 7.25% interest, with a minimum of 5% down payment. The veteran must obtain a certified survey, have the lad appraised by a VLB representative, and pay $325 appraisal and contract service fee. What a great opportunity to be able to purchase land a with a below market interest rate.

Home Loans also give our Texas veterans a chance to purchase their Dream Homes with unbeatable, below-market interest rates, with little or no money down. The Texas VLB can make loans on most type of homes, but it must be the veterans primary residence, must be located in Texas, and it must be “Energy Star” compliant. Other requirements may apply.

Disabled Veterans and Surviving Spouses may qualify for an interest rate reduction of 50 basis points or one half of 1% on the available VLB rate for both VLB Home Loans, and Home Improvement Loans. To be eligible for this extra discount, veterans must have 30% or more service connected disability as rated by the VA. The loan limit is set at $325,000 for Home Loans, and $25,000 for Home Improvement Loans. For more information of any of these benefits for Texas Veterans, Contact your Local San Antonio Real Estate Agent. Veterans may also see Texas Veterans Loans for additional requirements and information too.

Rodeo Coming to San Antonio, TX
It’s that time of year again! Yes, San Antonio, it’s cold, the Spurs on the road, and it’s time for the Rodeo at AT & T Center. So, Let’s Rodeo San Antonio from February 9th through February 26th. That is 18 days of Live Music and Entertainment from some of best country and western performers in the industry. Plus, you can enjoy the world’s largest junior livestock show, a carnival, petting zoo, and one of North America’s Finest Bucking Stock.

The fun starts as early at 7:00 A.M. with the Junior Livestock breeding, and goes on through the late evening until 10:30 PM with live music and entertainment with some of your favorite stars. See San Antonio Livestock and Rodeo Show for a complete list of all the scheduled events and Rodeo Concert Entertainment.

Rodeo Tickets are $10 and $25, depending on the seats. All seats are reserved and include grounds admission. For ground admissions only, the tickets are $7 for Adults, $5 Seniors (55+), $ 5 Children (3 -12), children two years old and under are FREE.

The Rodeo Star Experience package is $200 per person. This includes a steak dinner with all the trimmings. 2 drink tickets(redeemable at select Aramark locations), complimentary parking in designated areas, rodeo performance seats in “Fan Zone”, Stage-side seating on the “dirt” during the concert, and “Star Experience” commemorative chair. To purchase tickets call 877-63-RODEO, or visit ticketmaster.com , or the AT &T Center Southwest Box Office.

All the concerts start at 7:00 P.M. every day except Saturday and Sundays, which have two performance times of 1:00 P.M. and 7:30 P.M. The list of entertainers include Chris Young, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, the Band Perry, Terry Fator, Alan Jackson, and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, just to name a few of them. The final show features Dierks Bentley with PRCA on February 25th.

So, Are you Ready to Rodeo in San Antonio, Texas?

(photo image is courtesy of Microsoft Publisher 2010)

Weltanschauung - Part II Extending the Active Rain Perspective
Keeping the primary goal and mission of Active Rain in mind, this post is an expansion from my earlier post, Weltanschauung - An Active Rain Perspective. Created and launched in the summer of 2006, Active Rain has become the largest and most active Real Estate Social Network in the world. Where else can you find a social network and marketing platform that gives not only real estate agents, but other professionals in this industry the opportunity to build relationships with their peers, and a chance to generate business, and to educate the consumers at the same time?

With over 220,000 members in Active Rain our AR community continues to grow and to lead the world in the real estate social network platform, and online marketing to consumers everywhere on the planet. From this point of view, Weltanschauung, in our Active Rain community has continued to lead the way by educating all professionals in the real estate market, and the general public too. Having the ability to blog to the pubic and our peers has given all members a chance to improve their relationships, their business, and their education.

I would be the first to admit that I had no idea where this blogging idea was going to take me, but in one short year, I have come to appreciate everything that I have learned in Active Rain, and the opportunity to literally reach thousands and even millions through online marketing with my Active Rain Blogs. That common bond that we all share in Active Rain is a true testimony as to what Weltanschauung in our AR community is all about.

The Active Rain Perspective in what we do was truly all summed up by one of our very own Ambassadors, William Johnson, in his featured post on the 3 E’s of Blogging, Educate, Engage, and Entertain. I know I value this excellent tool that Active Rain has given all of us in the AR Blogging community. Let’s continue to be the leading real estate social networking and marketing platform in the world.