Real Estate Information Archive

American National Bank of Wichita Falls, TX has officially released what it calls the "Easy Fix" Mortgage.

This loan program features:

• Combination purchase, refinance and repair loan for repairs or improvements up to $35,000.00.
• One-time closings.
• Allows purchase of a home in "as-is" condition based on "as improved value"

If you have questions about this loan program of looking to buy a "fixer-upper" in Wichita Falls, contact Ashton Gustafson at 940.691.7355.

For every home available for sale in Wichita Falls, see www.TheFallsHomeFinder.com.

Military Home Buyer Tax Extension - Soon to Expire

You must be in contract by April 30,2011 and close by June 30, 2011.

To see all of the Wichita Falls homes for sale at this time, see www.TheFallsHomeFinder.com.

Here is how they define service-person:

Definitions

• “Qualified service member” means a member of the uniformed services of the U.S military, a member of the Foreign Service of the U.S., or an employee of the intelligence community.
• “Official extended duty” means any period of extended duty outside of the United States for at least 90 days during the period beginning after December 31, 2008 and ending before May 1, 2010.

This came from http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/service_mem.php

We look forward to serving you at this time.

Ashton Gustafson - Bishop Realtor Group

Good Monday morning to you!

When the discussion of Real Estate comes up, everyone wants to point the finger a hundred different ways to explain why the market is or is not performing.

In all reality, there are just a few places to look for answers:
- Jobs
- Recent Sales Activity
- Inventory
- Mortgage Availability

Let's look at these on a local level...

Jobs - I attended the Wichita Falls Economic Forum this week, and found that Wichita Falls had actually created quite a few new jobs this year. Those new jobs and, of course, the jobs provided by Sheppard Air Force Base
give me great hope for the rest of 2011. A huge THANK YOU goes to our local business owners and Board of Commerce and Industry to keeping jobs in North Texas.

Recent Sales Activity - We have put a home in contract nearly every day this year, and we are up 40% YTD (last year was our firm's best year ever). The market is moving indeed, but PRICE is calling the shots. Which leads me to...

Inventory - We are at record levels of inventory at all price levels. Some of our market price ranges have over 12 months of inventory. See, www.TheFallsHomeFinder.com.

Mortgage Availability - I often hear that it is difficult to get a loan. This puzzles me. My personal stats show that I am qualifying over 90% of the clients that come my way looking to buy. Mortgage rates have never been this low, and we have plenty of happy buyers getting loans. See, www.ImAhappyBuyer.com.

If I can answer any further questions or serve anyone you may know this week, please let me know.

"What would our world look like if more people started projects, made a ruckus, and took risks?" Seth Godin

http://www.talkrealty.com/ashtongustafson

March 2011:

This month's edition covers Greater Wichita Falls real estate market activity and then we promote the value of a CMA.

Features special guest Terri Murphy of US Learning.

Good Monday morning to you!

The Real Estate industry is a very traditional business. People will always be looking for a new place to sleep, work, recreate, and live...and, people will always be looking to sell places to sleep, work recreate, and live. From now until "doomsday", the business of buying and selling Real Estate will be a significant part of our human experience.

However, this traditional business has taken on many non-traditional practices in the last 10 years. We used to only have the newspaper, now the news is sent to our phones. We used to only have open houses to freely preview homes, but now we swim in a sea of on-line virtual tours and information. The game has changed.

Therefore, I have made it my passion to pursue this traditional business in a non-traditional way...and it is working.

To see my non-traditional ways of selling real estate and helping buyers find their places of interest, see the information below...

www.TheFallsHomeFinder.com - The ONLY site made just for buyers in North Texas and the Greater Wichita Falls area.

www.TexomaHomeValue.com - Wondering what homes have sold for in your neighborhood?

www.LuxuryHomesWF.com - A daily list of new listings within the local luxury market.

www.TheFallsPodCast.com - A monthly Wichita Falls market update on the Real Estate market.

www.AshtonGustafson.com - One stop to find everything you need in the Greater Wichita Falls Real Estate market.

www.TexasBankOwned.com - Weekly list of foreclosed property available for sale.

www.TexomaListings.com - A daily list of new listings within your criteria.

www.ThePrairieWF.com - Looking to build in North Texas' 1st Green/Renewable community.

www.SeeWhatTheyAreSaying.com - See what our clients are saying.

If I can serve you this week or discuss with you my non-traditional ways of business, please let me know.

"If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten." Tony Robbins

Wichita Falls Mortgage Update

HUD has issued an increase in Mortgage Insurance Premiums effective with all case numbers assigned on or after April 4th 2011.  The annual premium will increase from 90 basis points (.90) to (1.15) basis points.  For example, this will mean an increase in monthly premiums of $75.00 per month to $95.83 or a 27% increase per month.  Obviously it is in a buyer's best interest to purchase a home prior to April 4th.

See www.TheFallsHomeFinder.com and let us know how we can serve you today!

www.LuxuryHomesWF.com

LuxuryHomesWF.com is a FREE service to help area home buyers view the finest homes Wichita Falls has to offer, the minute they hit the market. Your first email will list all homes currently for sale that meet your search criteria. Then each morning you will be emailed a list of all of the new homes for sale and price changes since your previous search. No more having to rely on manual searches. Fill out the form below and start your auto-email home search today! It's just that easy!

We look forward to unlocking the door to spectacular real estate on your behalf.

-Ashton Gustafson

Good Monday morning to you!

Market Report

Below you will see the January statistics from the Wichita Falls MLS. As always,  the price range of $100,000 - $120,00 had the most number of transactions closed. If you have any questions about the information below, please let me know.

February Pod Cast

Check out our pod cast update at www.TheFallsPodCast.com. This month we discuss tips for sellers looking to enter the market this Spring.

Spring Has Arrived

As the weather warms, so does the market. We have created the area's #1 site for buyers, www.TheFallsHomeFinder.com. When you create an account here, you are updated within YOUR criteria every morning. This is the best way to keep your thumb on the market and homes within your criteria. See why over 2,000 buyers have made this their #1 tool in buying a home in the Greater Wichita Falls areas.

If I can do anything for you or anyone you may know this week, please let me know. I look forward to hearing from you...

"Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth - that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves, too." Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Good afternoon!

I think we're starting to thaw here!

If you would like to view homes around Wichita Falls or of I can do anything for you this weekend, please let me know!

Be sure to check out www.TheFallsHomeFinder.com for every home on the market!

With rates this low, its a great time to buy!

Situational Report for Inclement Weather February 8, 2011

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE in NORMAN for the following Texas Counties: HARDEMAN-FOARD-WILBARGER-WICHITA-ARCHER- 
CLAY- 
1039 AM CST TUE FEB 8 2011 
...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING 
TO 6 PM CST WEDNESDAY... 
* MAIN IMPACT: HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. 
  HAZARDOUS TRAVEL DUE TO SNOW-PACKED ROADS AND LOW VISIBILITY. 
* ACCUMULATIONS: 6 TO 10 INCHES. MUCH HIGHER DRIFTS ARE LIKELY. 
* OTHER IMPACTS: DANGEROUS COLD. MINIMUM WIND CHILL -5 TO -15. 
  SOME RAIN AND SLEET IS POSSIBLE BEFORE A TRANSITION TO ALL SNOW. 
  AS TEMPERATURES FALL OVERNIGHT...THIS COULD LEAD TO A THIN LAYER 
  OF ICE UNDER THE SNOW...MAKING ROADS AND SIDEWALKS EVEN MORE 
  HAZARDOUS. 

STATE OF TEXAS 
The Governor has approved the activation of eight Texas Military Forces (TMF) high profile 
vehicles and personnel to support rescue of potential stranded motorists for the Wichita Falls 
area.  These are requested through the DPS and coordinated with the State RLO.   

PUBLIC UTILITIES 
EXTRA GENERATION RESERVED FOR NEXT FEW DAYS 
“In anticipation of this severe cold weather, Electric Reliability Council Of Texas, will procure additional generation capacity for real-time operations to help maintain reliable delivery of power during this extreme weather event over the next few days,” Tripp Doggett, CEO ERCOT.   
  
Wednesday’s peak demand is currently projected to be more than 54,000 MW between 8-9 p.m. , and more than 58,000 – which would be a new winter record – between 7-8 a.m. on Thursday.  The current winter peak demand record is 56,334 MW which occurred Feb. 3, between 7 and 8 a.m. 
  
The grid continues to have about 2,700 MW of generation capacity unavailable because of unplanned or forced outages. 
  
“Although we have no immediate concerns for the possibility of rotating outages tomorrow morning, ERCOT will be monitoring the grid closely because additional unexpected major losses of generation could force operators and utilities to begin emergency procedures to avoid an uncontrolled statewide blackout,” Doggett said.  “Rotating outages are ordered only as a last resort to ensure the security of the statewide transmission grid. “ 
If you have any questions regarding this information or you need a State resource, please contact me.   

John Henderson 
Emergency Preparedness Coordinator 
City of Wichita Falls