BURRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!

Am I at the beach? You could have fooled me! We are having an Arctic cold front bringing temperatures to lows which we haven't seen since 2005. This morning it was 23 degrees when I took the children to school. The high today is only around 36 degrees. And tonight is no better! Lows around 19!!!

The good thing is, it will pass as quickly as it came and our mild temperatures will return. Sometimes I wonder, what are we complaining about? Parts of the Northwest are experiencing 40 and 50 BELOW and snow upon snow.

I guess that's why I love living in the south. We have mild winters with average temps around 52. Cold spells come and go quickly and warm days are always around the corner. Like last week, it was 70 degrees. Christmas Day was a perfect day for a relaxing walk on the beach with temps in the upper 60's pushing 70.

I will not lie. I am a summer girl 100%. I LOVE warm weather and being able to get out and enjoy the sunshine. So for today, I'll wrap up and try to stay warm by the fire but this weekend it's water slides and pools and a local indoor water park. A perfect weekend to escape the winter.

Hope you all have a great long weekend!

First Time Homebuyer Tax Break

I'm sure by now you have heard of the First Time Home Buyer Tax Break signed by President Bush. But what basically does this mean for you and who is considered a first time buyer? Take a look at this simple break down of the bill. As always, please be sure to talk with your accountant and/or financial advisor to verify your situation before hand.

As of 1/13/09 the credit is this:

Signed by President Bush under Housing Assistance Tax Act 2008

Applies to home purchased after 4/8/08 and before 7/1/09, purchased is defined as closing and exchange of titles.

Taxpayer cannot have owned home in prior three years; if Married Filing Jointly, then neither spouse could have owned jointly/severable in this time period

Max amount of credit is $7500; since a credit much more advantageous than deduction

Ratably phased out for higher wage earners: (Married File Joint Mod Adj. Income 150k-170k; Single: Mod. Adj. Income 75k-95k) If single and income is above 95k or married file joint and above 170k, then ineligible

Credit repaid "interest free" over 15 year recapture period. If home is sold prior to 15 years, then accelerated recapture schedule. If divorce or involuntary conversion, accelerated recapture will not begin. If death, then surviving spouse can elect to skip that year and pick up the next year after death.

Credit will appear on separate line on form 1040; may need to fill out additional required schedule as advised in instructions on 1040 form.

This information was taken from National Association of REALTORS Government Affairs Update. Again, please consult your accountant, financial advisor, or attorney to make sure you are eligible for this program and to verify all details.

Wow! This weekend was busy. One of my sellers received an offer and another seller is currently working out a deal with another offer. This should be the trend for 2009. Interest rates are still very low (check with your mortgage broker or current lending institute for quote) and inventory is high. Most sellers have become realistic in their asking price and are now pricing aggressively.

With the New Year comes renewed hope. Face each day with a positive can do attitude and remember "Tomorrow never comes".

Please contact me if you have any questions about the market in general, buying or selling, investing or looking for a second home. I will be happy to help.

Sunset Beach Bridge

The new $32 million bridge currently under construction is ahead of schedule. The Brunswick Beacon reported this week that if workers keep on this schedule the bridge will be complete by mid 2010, about six months ahead of the scheduled December 2010 date. The old pontoon bridge which is still being used is set to be removed in December 2010.

BCC Fitness & Aquatics Center

I wrote yesterday about how NC and Brunswick County are growing fast. My next few blogs will prove just that.

The Brunswick Beacon reported this week on the new Brunswick Community College Fitness & Aquatics Center scheduled to open by February 1, 2009. This is very exciting for all residents in the county. The center will include a 9,000 sq. ft gym with seating for 1,500 spectators and 3 lane elevated track will be above the gym floor. Runners/walkers can make about 12 laps to get a mile. This new center will also include a fitness center with aerobics studio, classroom space, 2 pools, drop in child care and much more.

Memberships are available for residents and non-residents of Brunswick County. This facility will also be used by area swim teams and volleyball teams. This is a very exciting opening for us since there is no local YMCA or housing of such equipment.

Check back tomorrow for the Sunset Beach Bridge update. It's ahead of schedule!

Growing Fast

I recently read that North Carolina is the fourth fastest growing state in the country. Brunswick County is about the eighth growing county in the country. Wow!! This is the place is be!

I have always lived in North Carolina and always appreciated the vast variety the state has to offer. There are beautiful mountains which offer many experiences all year round. The spring and summer offer cooler temperatures and attractions for all ages. Tweetsie Railroad is a family experience with an old western train ride, The Blue Ridge Parkway is a beautiful, peaceful ride and perfect for picnics, historic Asheville and then Cherokee offers a Native American experience. In the fall and winter, visitors come to enjoy the changing leaves and the many ski resorts filled with sleding,skiing, snow boarding, ice skating, etc. Or you can enjoy a quiet relaxing get-a-way in a mountain cabin.

The Coastal area offers many beaches for all preferences. From quiet Holden Beach to Historic New Bern and Morehead City to Kitty Hawk and the Outer Banks. Whether you are a fisherman, surfer, history buff, or avid shell collector, Eastern NC is filled with something for everyone.

North Carolina offers a taste of every season without extreme conditions for long periods of time. It is an old southern state still filled with tobacco farms, Christmas Tree farms, shrimpers, large corporations and state of the art health care facilities. And lets not forget good southern hospitality and cooking.

If you've never visited our beautiful state, I encourage you to come for a visit and stay awhile.

I'm Back!!

With the new year comes New Year Resolutions. I've never been one to make New Year Resolutions, thinking why do you have to make resolutions at the beginning of the year. I always resolved to do things as needed. Whether it's to drop a few pounds, volunteer more or spend more time with family, I try to take care of those things as they come to me throughout the year. Well, I do have a New Years Resolution for 2009 and it is to Blog several times a week. I know everyday would be best, but lets start with something that is a little more attainable.

So there you have it a new year and new blogs. I hope you will check in daily and check out the information set to come your way. This year will be filled with Brunswick County happenings from events/festivals, to the new hospital and many other things going on to real estate and mortgage news.

I wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year!