Robert W. Bowen

The other day I posted about all of the things to do in the Logan area. Yesterday I went on a hike up Logan Canyon. For my hike I drove up to Tony's Grove Lake. There are many trails that lead off of the lake. For this hike I decided to go around the lake and up around the rim of the valley. It was a gorgeous day. Only pictures could describe this beauty. So, I thought I'd share a couple photos to illustrate the beauty here. Enjoy...

While I was attending college here in Logan, Utah I talked to other students who were attending Utah State University from all over the country, and world for that matter. People told me all the time that there was nothing to do in Logan. I was shocked to hear this. I’ve lived in this area most of my life and I know there is an adundance of things here in the valley. Logan has great things to offer for almost anyone.

For the outdoor enthusiast Logan is a paradise. Logan is located in Beautiful Cache Valley and surrounded by mountains in every direction. If you enjoy fishing, hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, snow skiing, snowmobiling, four wheeling, or water skiing then Logan is a great place to live. With all of these great activities so close you may have a hard time fitting them all in on your weekends.

I personally am an avid snow skiier. I anxiously await the snow every year so I can spend my days up at Beaver Mountain, our local ski resort. Beaver Mountain in my opinion is Utah’s best kept secret. Being a small resort travelers pass by for the larger resorts in Salt Lake City. During the week there are no lines at the resort and in the morning you have access to some of the freshest powder in Utah.

The best part of Logan is being able to spend the day out on an adventure and your evenings out on the town. In addition to Logan’s many outdoor adventures there are many cultural activities. Logan is home to the Utah Festival Opera Company and Ellen Eccles Theatre. Visitors from all over the United States come to Logan for the Opera. When out on the town Logan is the home of many of Utah’s best hometown restaurants including the Coppermill, Blackstone, Hamilton’s, Cafe Sabor, Le Nonne, and many more.

Logan has many sporting events that the locals enjoy supporting. Logan is the home of the Utah State University Aggies. The Logan residents are proud and loyal fans of their Aggies. The Spectrum where the Aggies Basketball team plays is almost always a sell out crowd. It has been said that The Spectrum is the hardest court to play on in the West due to the loud fans.

If you are considering a move to a place where you will always have things to do then Logan, Utah is the place. And for those students at USU who think there is nothing to do in Logan, well it’s time to get out of the dorm and experience Logan.

Getting into your first home is a big step and often a hard one. Owning a home brings great benefits that many people would love to have. Are you one of the many people in the United States that is still renting and you don’t think you’ll ever be able to own a home? Now is a good time for you to get into a home. It may still be a stretch, but it is worth checking into.

This past year, the Government approved a $7500 Tax Credit for first time home buyers. This is a great option available for buyers. If you bought a home after April 9, 2008 you may be eligible for this credit. This credit combined with low interest rates and a large inventory make now a great time to buy for first time home buyers.

I’ve received many calls from people who have questions about this tax credit. Here are the details.

• The tax credit is available for first-time home buyers only.
  
• The maximum credit amount is $7,500.
  
• The credit is available for homes purchased on or after April 9, 2008 and before July 1, 2009.
  
• Single taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 qualify for the full tax credit.
  
• The tax credit works like an interest-free loan and must be repaid over a 15-year period.
  
• The tax credit is equal to 10% of the purchase price of the home up to a max of $7500.
  

The main question I get from people is when do they get this money. Being a tax credit you will receive it with your income tax return. This means that you still have to come up with the money for down payment and closing costs. This can be a stretch to come up with this money. There are some ways that can help you with this. Being the buyers market that it is, it is pretty easy for us to get the seller to pay your closing costs.

So how much money do I need for a down payment? Well, it depends on the loan you get. FHA loans require 3% down, USDA loans let you finance 100%, and conventional loans just depend.

To find out if now is a good time for you to buy a home give me a call. I’ll get you in contact with a lender that will help you know the exact costs to obtain the loan. From the information given by myself and the loan officer you will be able to make an informed decision about whether now is a good time for you to make a move into your own home.

If you live in the Logan, Utah area, I am holding a seminar for first time home buyers on October 24, 2008. For more information and to register for the class click here. For more information regarding the tax credit click here.

If you have turned on the news at all recently you’ve probably heard doom and gloom regarding foreclosures, banks going under, and the overall economy going to hell in a hand basket. Yes, it is scary stuff. In reality though, economies naturally work just like a roller coaster. My point is, don’t let the current economic downturn get you down.

Should I buy now? That is the question that is plaguing a lot of people’s minds. Watching the news these days could scare just about anyone from investing in anything. Keep in mind that real estate has no national market. Each local area has its own real estate market.Here in Logan, Utah we still have a strong market and strong local economy. Yes, our growth has slowed, but we are still gaining value on our homes.

Here are a few reasons why now is a great time to buy in Logan, Utah.

• People selling their homes are willing to negotiate more on price now than they were a year ago at this time.
• Buyers have more to choose from than ever before.
  
• Mortgage rates are still low compared to what they have been in the past.
  
• The local economy in Logan is still growing and strong.

If you want to sell your home, you have some things to think about. Currently in Logan there is a large inventory of homes for sale. You have to understand that in order to sell now you may need to be willing to take a lower offer on your home. This is not necessarily a bad thing. If you are looking to move into a larger or nicer home take into account that they will probably be willing to take a lower offer as well.

For more information on the local market in Logan, Utah give me a call or email me. I’d love to help you with all of your Logan area real estate needs.

Can I just say that the government needs to stop trying to fix the economy? Economies go up and down. That is natural. The government's involvement is just making things worse. For instance, this bail out only rewards banks that failed. They failed because they made poor operating decisions. How many times does the government bail out a restaurant because they are at risk of closing?

Some of you may remember the European Connection that was here in Logan a few years ago. I personally felt that their food was awesome. I loved eating there. But they failed. Not enough consumers felt the same way I did. They closed their doors. The government did not mail them a check for them to continue operating so that I could continue eating there. As much as I miss eating there, I understand why they failed. It's natural people.

So why should the government bail out banks that obviously don't know how to manage money appropriately. Take this as an example. Shortly after AIG was bailed out their executives went on an elaborate weekend retreat spending hundreds of thousands of tax payer dollars. That is ridiculous! That bail out is being funded by us... Yes, us. Taxpayers are the ones who will pick up the bill.

Our so called representatives in Washington don't have a clue about the economy. Most of them have never actually been in the real world. The governments job is to keep us safe and do things that the private sector won't do... such as fund parks, build roads, etc. Their job is not to provide health care for every citizen. There job is not to bail out failed businesses. There job is not to be involved in every little thing that happens in this country.

Our economy will make it through these troubling times. But the only way the economy can be corrected is if we allow poorly operated business to fail. Yes, it is not bad for these banks to no longer exist. They don't know how to handle money. They loan it to people that can't repay it. Their executives waste gobs of money on retreats. Their executives make gobs of money for driving down their own stock prices.

Believe it or not... because I know you are more than likely indoctrinated by the mainstream media... there are still lots of banks that are doing just fine. Yes, I will repeat that: there are still lots of banks that are doing just fine. Regional banks that have been more conservative in their lending practices will still loan you money. They do require good credit and the ability to repay. That's why they are still in business.

I would like to issue a homework assignment for our government officials. Go home this weekend and Read An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith. Maybe then you can begin to have a glimpse of understanding into how the free market economy works. Until you understand it quit trying to act like you know something.

Our politicians do not represent us well at all. We don't really have any good options when it comes to voting in November. It was sickening to hear the comments from one of our representatives on the news last week regarding the bail out. He said (I'm paraphrasing) he knew his constituents did not approve of the bail out, but he voted for it anyway. How is this representation? I think it is clear that our country is no longer a free country. Our government officials do what they want for there interests, not ours.

Adam Smith speaks of an 'invisible hand.' When the private sector is allowed to operate on their own this invisible hand will work. When the government steps in they just screw things up.

Anyway, that's all for now. Make sure you really study up on how the candidates you are going to vote stand on the issues of the economy. Before you vote... figure out who is the lesser of the two evils.