As a Realtor®, it is always my pleasure to deliver good news to homeowners and home buyers. The timing on this news make a perfectly wonderful Christmas present for those considering a home purchase in 2009.
The mortgage interest rate has fallen to a historic record low of 5.17%! In just two weeks, the rate has fallen from 6% to the new rate.
A lower interest rate means that more people can qualify for a loan. It also means that qualified buyers have two great choices. They can purchase a home in their price range for a lower mortgage payment or they may choose to buy more home for the same payment as they could have purchased previously.
A lower interest rate gives home buyers more buying power. At today's rate compared to the rate a few weeks ago, a home buyer who qualified for a home loan of $100,000 may now be able to qualify for a loan closer to the $115,000 range.
That is happy news for everyone; the home buyer and the nation. A critical factor for the recovery of our national economy is greatly dependent on the recovery of the national housing market.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Yvonne
Although a little early, it was an almost white Christmas in Hammond on Thursday. The kids had a great time enjoying their rare snow day.
No one can appreciate snow like those who only experience the magic rarely. Adults and children enjoyed 
a snow fight or two and many built a snowman to show their artistic side.
This is not the first time it has snowed in the Tangipahoa Parish; but snow is unusual. The snow was much heavier and lasted much longer than our "normal" snow storms.
Even though it was a little early for a white Christmas, the gift of snow Mother Nature sent us was enjoyed and appreciated by most. Snow fell throughout the Tangipahoa Parish, covering it with about six inches of snow.
The children of the Tangipahoa Parish experienced a true snow day with the closing of their schools. Adults had to fight snarled traffic and unfortunately, as in any storm, there was an increase in traffic accidents. Some business were forced to close due to power outages. There were numerous power outages due to fallen tree branches throughout the area. Power was restored to most areas by Saturday.
Despite the power outages and traffic related problems, the snowfall did make our holly-jolly season just a little "holly-jollier".
Please post any of your "snow day" experiences in my comment section. I would love to hear about them and I am sure the other readers will enjoy them as well.
Hammond will show its support of safe driving practices this Saturday (December 13) as the host for the AARP Safe Driving Class. The class will be held at the North Oaks Diagnostic Center.
The holiday season is the perfect time to attend the class to learn some new driving tips or as a refresher course in driving safely. What better gift to give yourself and your family than knowledge that can keep you safe in the new year.
You can also give yourself the gift of savings on your automobile insurance premiums as insurance companies are required to give discounts to those who attend the class.
The class will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For more information you can contact Howard Edwards (429-1818) or to register contact Paula Joiner at 345-1952. The cost for the class is a reasonable $10.
The Hammond Research Station recently dedicated new facilities, a $1.1 million dollar project. The Hammond Research Station is one of the twenty research stations operated by LSU AgCenter.
The new facilities include an office building that houses an office for the manager and six offices for personnel. The 3,900 square-foot building also features a roomy 100-capacity conference room with state-of-the-art telecommunication equipment. A 1,400 square-foot multi-purpose building was also dedicated. The building includes two offices, a lab area, and a room for preparing plant samples. The new buildings replace those built in the 1950's.
The new facilities will allow for more research and educational programs for the public and professional growers. The conference room's telecommunication system will allow the station to televise educational programs and information to other AgCenters statewide.
The LSU AgCenter's main focus has been to conduct agricultural research for southeast Louisiana , especially in the field of vegetable and strawberry production, being major crops in the area. A new focus has been added with the development of the "green industry".
The "green industry" contributes about 2.2 billion dollars to the state's economy and is growing each year. The new facilities in Hammond will allow for more research in the new field of "green living".
LSU AgCenter hosts an awesome website, www.lsuagcenter.com. You will be surprised at all the information you can easily access from food safety to Holiday tips. You can also learn about the research the AgCenter is doing and what educational programs are being offered.
We all want to thank BP America for its very generous donation of $50,000 to the Livingston Parish Public Schools. The gift was a total and welcomed surprise to all.
BP America donated the funds in an effort to help with the costs of damages from Hurricane Gusta and Hurricane Ike. The two hurricanes were a double whammy greatly impacting many areas through out Louisiana and Texas .
The gift of money is greatly appreciated, especially after all of the support our communities received from BP America at the time of the storms. BP America worked in various communities for weeks following the hurricanes. They distributed bottled water, nonperishable foods, cleaning supplies and funds at that time.
The gift to the Livingston Parish Public Schools was part of BP America's Foundation total donation of $8 million dollars to various communities in Louisiana and Texas for disaster relief. BP America also donated to organizations such as: The United Way, The American Red Cross, and The Salvation Army. Funds were also earmarked for schools, community relief centers, and volunteer fire departments.
To help raise funds, BP America challenged its employees to donate and promised to match their donations up to $1 million dollars.
I would like to express my personal thanks to one and all, in the BP America organization for their efforts.
Yvonne
Yvonne Martin, providing real estate services for buyers and sellers. Areas servedL Hammond, Ponchatolua, Tickfaw, Loranger, Amite, Robert, Kentwood, Albany, Covington, Springfield, and Livingston.
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I once heard a saying that "People don't care what you know until they know you care." That saying has become my standard in real estate. I want each and every client to know that I do care.
With my focus on Technology and my tremendous investments in marketing programs and my constant increases in advertising venues I strive to be the best real estate agent in the market, never losing focus on what is important, you, the client.
If you want an agent, who displays dedication and competence; someone who knows the area, and someone who cares about you and your family, then call me. When you are ready to buy or sell, I make this pledge to you: That I will be the hardest working, most trustworthy and simply the right person for you to hire.
This is the business that I have chosen. This is the business that feeds, clothes and shelters my family. I tell you this to let you know that if you want quality service, a name you can trust and a person working hard for you, then hire me. You'll see that I am different from most. I rely completely on this business and so I treat each and every client as if they were a true friend and most are.
If you are moving into the area or if you have been here for years and are ready to step up or down. I am here to help you "come home". I specialize in the Hammond, Ponchatoula, Covington and surrounding areas' real estate market. I strive for excellence to ensure quality service and a real estate team you can trust.
My family has been in the area since the 1850's. I have been a Realtor in the area for several years. I understand the unique niche that the Hammond, Covington, Ponchatoula, Springfield, Albany, Amite, and surrounding communities have to offer. I have been here a while and I understand the complexities of the region and the people that I serve.
Here's What They're Saying:
Thank you Yvonne, I have never been happier. I was looking for a nice home and surroundings to retire in and very happy with our choice. We couldn't have done it without you and I will always remember that and I will continue to spread yyour name. A lot of people know about you but aren't ready to make a move yet, but I still feel that they will....sooner or later. Thx much!! - Mike Lutz
~~~ I wanted to take a m-nute to thank you again for all the hard work you did in assisting my husband and me in purchasing our first home. Without your help we would have been totally lost. I was awed by your knowledge and expertise. You guided us through the entire process with professionalism and dedication. I'm sure ours was a small purchase compared to other clients'; however, you made us feel just as important. You were readily available to answer questions, you returned calls promptly, and you went out of your way to complete and deliver paper work in a timely fashion. I was amazed at how well the entire purchasing process flowed. I remember first seeing the house on June 11, and we had the closing on June 27. We could not have had such a quick and problem free transaction without your guidance.
It's been three months now, and we are completely satisfied with our decision. We were well-informed buyers due to our wonderful agent.
Thanks again for your hard work. We will definitely recommend you to anyone we know. _ Ora Lynn Anderson Smith
~~~ Yvonne Martin was my agent three years ago. Prior to my meeting her, I had been looking for the right house for one year, to no avail. I was exhausted and frustrated when we met. She was amazing. After my first meeting with Yvonne, she got a firm grasp on the type of house I was looking for. Within days, I had a purchase agreement on my dream home. She was a pleasure to work with, and extremely effective in carrying out her duties. She later sold a property for me, which again, she did an exceptional job. All I had to do was show up to sign the paperwork at closing. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a new home. - Jennifer V. Daigle
~~~ Yvonne is a great agent! She sold our house quickly despite difficult market conditions. Through Keller Williams, she has access to current market data, which she used to help us price our home and develop strategies for marketing it. She was prompt in getting our house featured in their on-line sites and also in returning phone calls. She was diligent about contacting potential buyers, and showed our home often while it was on the market. She advised us well throughout the process. Working with Yvonne was a very good experience, and we would certainly use her services again in the future. - Carl and Toni Phillips
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