Reminder to Home Buyers: Tax Credit Expiring Soon
by CMBA President Steve Squire, Berscheid Builders, Inc.
Central Minnesota Builders Association (CMBA) wants potential home buyers to be aware that they still have the opportunity to take advantage of the $8,000 first-time home buyer or $6,500 repeat buyer tax credits, as long as they act quickly—the credits expire on April 30, 2010. Read more
St. Cloud Area Sizzling Spring Events
by CMBA President, Steve Squire, Berscheid Builders, Inc.
CMBA is presenting two spring events in March the HomeShow and Spring Tour of Homes. Read more
Tips for a Successful Walk-Through of Your New Home
By Steve Squire, Berscheid Builders, Inc., President Central Minnesota Builders Association
Before you go to settlement on a new home, you and your builder will do a “walk-through” to conduct a final inspection. The walk-through provides an opportunity for you to spot items which may need to be corrected or adjusted, and allows you to learn about the way your new home works. Read more
Heat Your Home Efficiently This Winter Season
By Steve Squire, Berscheid Builders, Inc.
President, Central Minnesota Builders Association
As temperatures drop this winter season, one thing inevitably rises — your home fueling costs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), families spend on average $1,400 a year on home utility bills — with home heating and cooling making up 46 percent of the cost. With this winter’s forecast, ensuring your home is energy-wise is essential for your comfort and budget. Read more
Housing Tax Credit Now Open to More Home Buyers
By: David Werschay, Werschay Homes, Inc.President, Central Minnesota Builders Association
If you’ve been thinking about buying a home, and weren’t eligible for the first-time home buyer tax credit, here’s some good news: the housing tax credit has been expanded and extended. Read more
A National Look at Home Prices
by David Wershcay, CMBA PresidentIntroduction
- S&P/Case-Shiller, a leading measure of U.S. home prices, released its latest monthly home price statistics on July 28, 2009.
- The data tracks national home prices and includes 10-city and 20-city composite home price indexes of major markets. The report compares prices on a year-to-year, quarter-to-quarter and month-to-month basis. To view the latest release, click here.
- The latest report tracked the difference in home prices between May 2009 and earlier periods. Read more
National Association of Home Builders on YouTube
NAHB now has its own page on the popular video sharing Web site YouTube. By visiting www.YouTube.com/NAHBTV you will find videos featuring: Read more
New Homes Getting Smaller
by David Werschay, President Central Minnesota Builders AssociationIn a reversal of the “McMansion” trend of years past, new homes are being built with less square footage – but make up for it with smart design.
Home buyers are finding that they would prefer to spend their housing budget on quality products and features, rather than sacrificing that quality for more space. This sentiment was mirrored in the 2007-2008 Consumer Preferences Survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) in which 58 percent of respondents answered that they would prefer a smaller house with high-end amenities rather than a larger home with fewer amenities. Read more
Tax Benefits Increased on Energy-Efficient Home Improvements
by David Werschay, President Central Minnesota Builders Association
Home owners looking to save money on heating and cooling costs with energy-efficient improvements to their home can also benefit from a newly expanded federal tax credit.
In the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Obama, previous energy-efficiency credits were not only renewed, but were significantly improved. Before, home owners were able to recoup 10 percent of the cost of each approved energy upgrade with the lifetime cap of $500. The new credit has tripled those amounts to 30 percent and $1,500, respectively. Read more
Get the Best Bang for your Remodeling Buck
By: David Werschay, Werschay Homes, Inc. President, CMBA
Your home is your castle, but sometimes that castle may need a facelift. Remodeling is a great way to create a home environment that can meet your family’s changing needs and tastes without you having to spend a lot of money.
Before you spend your hard-earned dollars, however, make sure that the changes you make now will have longer-term benefits for you when you look to sell your home in the future. Read more