New Construction Homes for Sale in Burnt Hills NY, Stewart Construction-Custom Home Builder. NAR Urges Congress, Administration to Approach Changing FHA Slowly
The National Association of Realtors® urged Congress and the administration to move cautiously before making changes to the Federal Housing Administration program that has served the needs o
f millions of American families for more than 75 years without needing a federal appropriation.
FHA remains financially strong because it has taken steps to ensure solid underwriting standards and responsible lending practices, said Charles McMillan, NAR immediate past president, in testimony before the House Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity today.
"As the leading advocate for housing issues, NAR believes that one of the best ways Congress can help strengthen FHA is to quickly consider and pass legislation that would make current loan limits permanent," McMillan said. "It's important to note that higher balance FHA loans perform better than lower balance ones. While some argue that higher balance loans put taxpayers at risk, such loans actually strengthen the program and reduce risk to the fund."
New Construction Homes for Sale in Burnt Hills NY, Stewart Construction-Custom Home Builder. NAR Urges Congress, Administration to Approach Changing FHA Slowly
NAR strongly supports H.R. 2483, the "Increasing Homeownership Opportunities Act." Current FHA loan limits are as high as $729,750 in high-cost areas, and are set to expire at the end of the year and revert to lower amounts, greatly hindering the housing recovery process. A decrease of current limits would adversely affect 612 counties in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
Explaining that FHA has played an important role in the recent housing and economic crisis by filing the gap left by private lenders, McMillan said FHA insured almost 30 percent of single-family mortgages in 2009 and more than 50 percent of first-time buyer loans. "Historically, FHA's market share has hovered between 10 and 15 percent of all loans. And when the private market is strong enough to return, we welcome a reduced FHA market share," he said.
New Construction Homes for Sale in Burnt Hills NY, Stewart Construction-Custom Home Builder. NAR Urges Congress, Administration to Approach Changing FHA Slowly
McMillan said NAR strongly opposes H.R. 3706 that would raise the FHA downpayment. "While that would increase an individual's investment in the home, it would not add a penny to FHA's reserves and would disenfran
chise many FHA borrowers," he said.
NAR also opposes a new FHA initiative that increased the up-front mortgage insurance premium (MIP) from 1.75 percent to 2.25 percent because it adds to the closing costs home buyers already face. NAR supports legislation to reasonably increase the annual MIP to replace FHA capital reserves, but in turn, FHA should reduce the up-front premium due at the closing table.
McMillan said NAR was also concerned that FHA wanted to decrease seller concessions to 3 percent. Reducing seller concessions could put homeownership out of reach for many buyers, he said, because it could require buyers to pay more at closing.
New Construction Homes for Sale in Burnt Hills NY, Stewart Construction-Custom Home Builder. NAR Urges Congress, Administration to Approach Changing FHA Slowly
McMillan applauded FHA's stepped up enforcement and oversight of lenders making FHA loans. In 2009, FHA removed approval of or suspended 274 lenders. "Realtors® support adding more tools to help FHA protect borrowers and taxpayers," he said
New Construction Homes for Sale in Burnt Hills NY. Stewart Construction-Custom Home Builder. Finding your brand essence
I got an email from someone who had hired a consulting firm to help his company find their true brand selves. They failed. He failed. He asked me if I could recommend a better one.
My answer:
The problem isn't the consultant, it's the fact that if you have to search for a brand essence, you're unlikely to find one.
Standing for something means giving up a lot of other things, and opening yourself to criticism. Most people in the financial services industry (or any industry, actually) aren't willing to do that, which is why there are so few Charles Schwabs in the world.
First, decide it's okay to fail and to make a ruckus while failing. THEN go searching for the way to capture that energy and share it with the world.
Clothes don't make the man, the man makes the man. Clothes (and the brand) just amplify that. Seth Godin.
New Construction Homes for Sale in Burnt Hills NY. Stewart Construction-Custom Home Builder. Finding your brand essence
New Construction Homes for Sale in Burnt Hills NY. Stewart Construction, Custom Home Builder. The House Master eNewsletter.
ROOF MAINTENANCE
Winter can play havoc on roofs; check out these tips for identifying roof damage and preparing for spring time showers.
http://enewsletter.housemaster.com/3_2010.html
PROS AND CONS OF AIR DUCT CLEANING
Now that you're having thoughts of warmer weather, you may be attracted to advertisements promoting air conditioning system duct cleaning. But before you hire someone to do the dirty work, consider the pros and cons.
http://enewsletter.housemaster.com/3_2010.html
DON'T LET THE BED BUGS BITE
Once considered only a problem in hotels and similar transient housing situations, these bugs may have moved into your neighborhood.
http://enewsletter.housemaster.com/3_2010.html
TANKLESS WATER HEATERS
This energy efficient alternative to the conventional style water heater has become heavily marketed, but is it an option for every home?
http://enewsletter.housemaster.com/3_2010.html
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Learn about the proper way to deal with a flooded water heater, the downside of improper thermostat settings, soundproofing options, and treatment for wood-boring beetles.
http://enewsletter.housemaster.com/3_2010.html
New Construction Homes for Sale in Burnt Hills NY. Stewart Construction, Custom Home Builder. The House Master eNewsletter.
New Construction Homes for Sale in Burnt Hills NY, Stewart Construction-Custom Home Builder. I'm mad at everyone
No, not you. Not anyone in particular, actually.
I'm angry at the idea of 'everyone' and what they want and what they say.
Everyone says you should do your site and your online presence a certain way.
Everyone is upset at what you did.
Everyone is frustrated at the slow pace government is getting this done.
Everyone knows you should listen to your customers and do what they say.
Everyone knows that our school is wasting money.
Everyone says you need to go to a 'good' college.
You get the idea. That everyone.
The one that's almost always wrong. Seth Godin.
New Construction Homes for Sale in Burnt Hills NY, Stewart Construction-Custom Home Builder. I'm mad at everyone
Burnt Hills Homes for Sale, Stewart Construction. New Construction-Custom Home Builder. Fear of philanthropy (avert your eyes)
Peter Singer is famous for posing a stunningly difficult question, paraphrased as, "If you are walking by a pond and you see a child drowning, do you save her? What if it means ruining a very fancy pair of Italian shoes?" Okay, if we assume the answer is yes, then why not spend the cost of those shoes to save 20 kids who are starving to death across town or the world? There's really no difference. Or by, extension, invest in research or development that solves a problem forever... The issues are proximity and attention.
My take is that most people would instantly save the kid, but given the choice, probably wouldn't take the road by the pond again any time soon. We like to avoid these situations, because these situations make us uncomfortable.
Burnt Hills Homes for Sale, Stewart Construction. New Construction-Custom Home Builder. Fear of philanthropy (avert your eyes) Avert your eyes.
The reporter tells you, I'm going to show you a video of the meat you're going to eat for dinner being slaughtered. Avert your eyes. Or the fundraiser says I'm going to tell you about easily avoidable suffering in the developing world. Avert your eyes...
It boils down to a simple question, "how much is enough?" She knows that one iPod is all she needs, but she wonders how much philanthropy is enough? And this is a key marketing question for anyone seeking donors.
Do I have to use up all my Italian shoes? How much is my share? ...and at some point, will we end up avoiding Singer's question altogether?
If you don't give anything to good causes, then you define enough as zero and you have no worries about achieving 'enough'. A sad but effective strategy.
If you give money to emergencies, friends with the guts to ask and the occasional feel good moment, you've also defined 'enough' in an easily achievable way. Your gift is a reaction to inputs.
What about people who make substantial, anonymous donations to long-term causes? How do they know what's enough? How do they decide that now it's okay to go out for a fancy dinner and not send the money to the worthy cause instead? If the solution isn't clear, if it's limitless, how do they avoid the temptation of avoiding the problem by doing nothing?
Burnt Hills Homes for Sale, Stewart Construction. New Construction-Custom Home Builder. Fear of philanthropy (avert your eyes)
Marketers at good causes have a real challenge as they try to raise money from people who aren't billionaires. As they approach people with $10,000 or $100,000 in the bank, this fear of not seeing a limit is very real, and if it's not confronted, they will fail at both raising the money and generating satisfaction for the donor.
The Mormon Church says, "tithe". Loosely paraphrased, they say, "10% is a lot, and 10% is enough." This is actually very smart, because they've created a difficult but achievable standard, a way to be a member of good standing in their tribe.
When my dad ran the local United Way drive as a volunteer, he pushed for one percent. "One percent isn't a lot, but it's enough."
What's enough? I don't think good cause marketers need to worry so much about which number or figure they choose, but I think they need to dream hard about whether giving people comfort with a ceiling will bring in a new class of significant donors. Too many people still avert their eyes.
Burnt Hills Homes for Sale, Stewart Construction. New Construction-Custom Home Builder. Fear of philanthropy (avert your eyes)
PS this same thinking works for marketers trying to persuade people to join a gym, learn an instrument or go on a diet... if people can't figure out what 'enough' is, where the end lies, they may decide it's not worth starting. Sad but true.
Our building philosophy is simple: build a product that exceeds our client’s expectations using only quality products and experienced craftsmen.
Stewart Construction Inc. is a second- generation, family- owned and operated business. Our family has been building and remodeling homes in the Capital Region for 40 years. The company is owned by Todd Stewart, who lives with his wife and three children in Vienna Heights, a Stewart subdivision built in the late 1990's. We are a small- volume company, which means that we take a very hands- on approach to your project, and we pride ourselves on personal service and customer satisfaction. Our building philosophy is simple: build a product that exceeds our client's expectations using only quality products and experienced craftsmen.
An open line of communication is vital for any project to go smoothly. We encourage you to visit the site with Todd during the construction process. Ask questions, voice concerns, and offer ideas. Your involvement assures that your new home is exactly what you dreamed it would be. We also encourage anyone who is considering building with us to talk to our past clients to see what the experience was like. Building a custom home, big or small, can be a daunting task. Let us guide you through it and make it the fun and exciting experience it should be.
We think our clients say it best: "...we feel we have not only acquired a beautiful home, but have gained a good friend." Thank you for considering Stewart Construction to build your new home.
Our Building philosophy is simple. Build a product that exceeds our client's expectations using only quality products and experienced craftspeople. We never make exceptions to this rule and our satisfied clients are proof of that fact. Todd personally oversees each major aspect of construction to ensure that it is done right and meets our high standards.
An open line of communication is vital in order for a project to run smoothly. We encourage you to visit the project during the construction process to ask questions, voice any concerns, and offer ideas. Your involvement helps to assure that your new home is exactly what you dreamed it would be. We encourage everyone who is considering building with us to talk with our past clients to get a feel for what working with Stewart Construction will be like.
Along with backing every home we build with our Residential Warranty, we also offer the opportunity to have your home Energy Star labeled through New York State's Energy Smart Program, or, through the National Association of Home Builders, you may choose to have your home built to the standards of the National Green Building Certification Program, an ANSI- certified green building program, which encompasses the Energy Star guidelines and goes on to address many other "green" features. These two programs allow our clients to ensure that their homes are environmentally responsible.
Thank you for considering Stewart Construction Inc. for your new home building project.
As a longstanding partner in the New York ENERGY STAR labeled Homes program, Stewart Construction has the opportunity to offer our clients a way to verify the energy savings they can expect to receive from their new home.
The Energy Star Program was started in 1992 by the federal Environmental Protection Agency as a way to promote the use of energy efficient products and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In New York it is administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and is called New York Energy Smart.
New York ENERGY STAR labeled Homes employ proven technologies and advanced building practices to use approximately 30% less energy than conventionally built homes. These practices include comprehensive air sealing, high-density insulation, duct sealing, high-performance windows and doors, high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, mechanical ventilation systems, and energy-saving appliances and lighting.
At Stewart Construction, our building practices have always included a comprehensive system of insulation, air sealing and ventilation. Through the New York ENERGY STAR labeled Homes program, we are excited to be able to provide our new homeowners the option of having their home tested and certified to meet the high standards of an ENERGY STAR labeled home.
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