I’ve got some hardcore analysis coming in a few days, but if you haven’t seen the latest real estate sales statistics for the OKC Metro, you should take a look.

At first glance, here are the things that jump out at me most:

• The obvious one; home sales are up 22% over this time last year
• Average sales price is down almost 8.5% over this time last year
• We’re down to almost a 5-month inventory (guess when that last happened)

How’d you like to see an analysis of sales broken down by price range? Stay tuned!

As you’re reading this I’ve been in my new house somewhere in the neighborhood of six weeks, and well, the honeymoon is over.  I’ve made quite a few changes, including: peeling enough layers of wallpaper to cover the White House, re-texturing the walls, painting every room, replacing nearly every single light fixture, installing a new front entry door, and replacing doorknobs one by one.

I’ve learned that a little corner of wallpaper sticking up can lead to another to do on the list.

It’s turning out beautifully.  While home ownership is by far the most rewarding thing I’ve put my heart (and wallet) to, the lessons learned have been manifold.

A few of my favorites:

• The day I shut off power to the entire house when I removed an old switch panel.  I was informed the switches had been bypassed when the new electrical panel had been added.  Wrong.  Luckily, I’m pretty calm under pressure and I’m not afraid to learn the hard way.  I rewired it in and voila! The lights came back on (it only took me four hours in the dark to figure it out).
• Just last week, my stove decided to breathe it’s last while I was preparing dinner for guests.
• About a week later, my refrigerator decided to take a vacation as well.

None of these compare to the sewer line incident. Somewhere in the middle of the third week in the new house, my sewer line backed up into my bathtub.  Stop. Soak that in. 

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Well, the news broke almost a week ago and in the spirit of good faith, I wanted to be sure we have REAL details about this extension/expansion before spewing a bunch of mis-truths and rumors, but apparently, I may be one of the few who put the brakes on

Truth is, you’ll find plenty of guessing out there, so PLEASE don’t buy into it all and take is as gospel. If you have specific questions about your situation, please wait until we have the real info before making any major decisions. If you’re not sure what you’re reading out there is correct, call your tax attorney or CPA for clarification, but I can tell you that right now what they’ll tell you is “the IRS hasn’t released a formal set of guidelines for this bill yet, so sit back and wait… we should know more in a few days.”

That’s where I am with it. When a formal release hits us, I’ll make sure you get all the best information right here on this blog, so stay tuned and in the meantime, let us know if we need to start sending you listings. Have a great day!

Ryan Hukill
Hukill Group – Paradigm AdvantEdge
405.802.4663

www.RyanHukill.com

Posted via email from Take Advantage of the ‘Move-Up’ Tax Credit Now

More kudos for our local economy were published by MSN.com recently. Low unemployment, continued improvement & growth in our city, and affordable living seem to be the common thread through all of these stories.

I told you the other day that the Tax Credit extension and modification had passed Congress and was headed to President Obama’s desk for signature. Now I’m excited to post that IT’S OFFICIAL… Obama has signed the bill into law and it’s time to get moving if you plan to take advantage! Call or email me immediately if you need details.

If you’re like most people these days you love the idea of having a beautifully designed home for the holidays but a shortage of time (and patience) keeps your sugar-plum dreams at bay year after year.

DESIGNING DIVA INTERIORS KNOWS HOLIDAY DECORATING.

I also know that whether you’re selling your home or staying put this winter, the right decor makes all the difference. If your home is on the market, turning the residence  into Santa’s workshop is not something I would encourage.  And even if you’re comfy cozy and not going anywhere this winter, choosing the right decor is still important.

As with your year-round furnishings, you want your holiday adornments to

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It’s a much-anticipated move that, for some reason, has taken a lot longer than most expected it would, but it’s being reported that the Senate has approved an extension (and modification) of the Home Buyer Tax Credit, which many believe will continue to drive the housing market upward, aiding in an overall economic recovery. Now, it’s up to President Obama to sign it into law.

The $8,000 maximum first-timer credit will continue and will now available to couples with income up to $225,000, a nearly $55,000 increase above the level in existing law.  A new $6,500 maximum credit would also be available to move-up homeowners who have lived in their current residence for five of the prior eight years.

The modification most likely to make an impact, in my opinion, is that a credit will now be offered to move-up buyers as well; not just the first-time buyers. Expanding the income limits will also open up the opportunities to a broader group of home buyers.

Steve Lackmeyer of the Oklahoman just put together a very cool video about the history of Bricktown and the surrounding area. Call me a geek, but I kind of enjoy hearing about what used to be and how we got to where we are, as well as where we could be going. Enjoy!