Nice 2 Bedroom End Unit Townhome for Sale in Bloomington

Southern Utah East Zion Property for Sale

Housing Chart

Well they say that when rates have not changed much and that has been our story for the last couple of weeks.  That it could mean that the economy is on the rise.  That’s a pretty good thing with the holiday seasons just around the corner.  Just two months away we are looking forward to our Thanksgiving dinner with our friends and family. 

The chart above shows the worst in the housing market may have slowed down and the housing industry may be on its way to stabilizing.

Here is our new video watch it and let us know what you think..

 Southern Utah Escalante Property

A special thanks to my friend Art with iMarketingTactics letting me know about animoto so I could get this video done.

Focusing on the good news… Just about two weeks left to be able to get this Tax Credit.

$8000.00 Home Buyers Tax Credit has helped many southern Utah first time home buyers. Including my son with his first home. This program has been a very positive part of our stimulus packages that have been put together for the housing situation. My hope is that they can push for an extension and an expansion of the credit so more people are able to receive it.

$8,000 Home Buyer Tax Credit at a Glance

Information on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

• The tax credit is for first-time home buyers only. For the tax credit program, the IRS defines a first-time home buyer as someone who has not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase.
• The tax credit does not have to be repaid.
• The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000.
• The credit is available for homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 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.

Tax Credit Expires December 1, 2009

Happy Labor Day Weekend

News and notes about Labor Day.

First I want to mention that my son Kris has just purchased his first home (Of course was able to take advantage of the $8000.00 Tax Credit for first time home buyers).  The wife and I are packing up for this weekend to go visit him and his new home in Las Vegas. In-spite of packing up the dog and the car we are so excited to be able to share this monumetal moment with him. I’ll be adding pictures later…

Did you know that Labor Day started in Canada around late 1870’s, that same year America adopted the holiday. Usually a day regarded of rest and parades it also marks a time that I love the most the beginning of both college and NFL Football.

Land Perc Test

A client asked Kay the other day “What is a perc test?”

This is a great question…

A perc test (it can also be spelled perk – both are correct) perc is the short name for percolation test.
 
A perk test is very important aspect with the build ability of a lot being purchased or sold.  It is a test which measures the absorption rate of the soil where a proposed septic system will be installed.
 
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A percolation test (from percolation, colloquially called a perc test) is a test to determine the absorption rate of soil for a septic drain field or “leach field”. The results of a percolation test are required to properly design a septic system. In its broadest terms, percolation testing is simply observing how quickly a known volume of water dissipates into the subsoil of a drilled hole of known surface area. While every jurisdiction will have its own laws regarding the exact calculations for the length of line, depth of pit, etc., the testing procedures are the same.

In general, sandy soil will absorb more water than soil with a high concentration of clay or where the water table is close to the surface.

Testing method

A percolation test consists of digging one or more holes in the soil of the proposed leach field to a specified depth, presoaking the holes by maintaining a high water level in the holes, then running the test by filling the holes to a specific level and timing the drop of the water level as the water percolates into the surrounding soil. There are various empirical formulae for determining the required size of a leach field based on the size of facility, the percolation test results, and other parameters.

For leach line testing (the most common type throughout most of the country), a minimum of three test holes are drilled, most commonly six to eight inches in diameter. Ideally, these should be drilled to different depths from three to six feet below the surface. For better, more conclusive results, five drill holes are used in a pattern of one hole at each corner of the proposed leach field and one test hole in the center. Testing of these holes will result in a value with units of minutes per inch. This value is then correlated to a predetermined county health code to establish the exact size of the leach field.

Testing for horizontal pits typically requires five to eight test holes drilled in a straight line, or along a common contour, from three to ten feet below the surface. Testing is identical to leach line testing, though the end result is a different type of septic system, established through a different calculation.

Vertical seepage pits are slightly different in testing methods due to their large size, but the basic testing method is essentially the same. A hole, typically three to four feet in diameter is drilled to a depth of twenty or thirty feet (depending on the local groundwater table), and a fire hose is used to fill the pit as quickly as possible, and then, again, its dissipation rate is observed. This rate is used to calculate the size and number of pits necessary for a viable septic system.

Finally, for leach line systems and horizontal seepage pits, a “deep hole” is drilled to find the water table or to approximately twelve feet (dry). Exact depths will again depend on local health codes. In the case of a vertical seepage pit, local groundwater data may be used, or if the drill hole reaches groundwater, the pit will be backfilled again according to county health codes.

Here are just some of the methods that Kay is using to get your property listed so that it attracts others so that they can find your home, and/or land.

Pictures can say it best – by adding tons of professional quality photos to your property.

Here are some examples of listing photos from just a few of Kay’s websites.

To help you get the most for your money in your real estate projects, it maybe time to thinking about a new or improved bathroom. 

Fix it up vs. replacing: Instead of buying costly new cabinets, try resurfacing them or even painting them, you then can create an updated new look with some nice handles and drawer pulls. Curb appeal is very important when selling your home. Take a look around as if you where someone coming to see your home. Look for the places you might find that are unappealing and repair the damaged walls and redo the caulking around sinks.  

Improve vs. Expand:Instead of knocking down walls, you can gain space by replacing a hinged door with a pocket door. Put in a recessed medicine cabinet for more storage space. You could even install a bowed shower curtain to increase the interior shower space, something my wife likes.

Lightening and Brightening: Try repainting with neutral colors, they seem to help lighten up a room.  Show off the vanity by placing task lighting. I have  have to admit I really love the way natural light fills up the room after installing a window.

Think Green: The big buzz word of today’s real estate is to ‘Think Green’. You can replace old windows with energy-efficient models and you may even qualify for a federal tax rebate. One more idea for ‘Thinking Green’ is to replace your leaky faucets with low-flow models.