There are many holidays during the year that are perfect for decorating your home.  Thanksgiving is another great holiday for decorating your home with things from both nature and items from the craft store.  Therefore, if you are wanting to make your home look and feel festive this Thanksgiving holiday, we have some tips on how to make Thanksgiving decorations the Oklahoma way.

 * Table Centerpiece – Everyone loves a beautiful centerpiece on their Thanksgiving table and it’s very easy to make one.  You can easily take a beautiful basket or bowl and fill it with mini pumpkins, fall flowers, herbs or pieces of beaded fruit.

* Autumn Wreath – These wreaths give a warm welcome feel to every home.  You can simply start with a plain grapevine wreath and use a glue gun to attach fake fall flowers, mini pumpkins, berries and other fall foliage.  To make your wreath really pop, you can hot-glue a Thanksgiving themed bow to it.

* Place Cards – For a more formal Thanksgiving setting, you can add place cards to your table.  To make your place cards, you will need to cut pieces of card stock to the desired size you are wanting and fold them in half so the cards will stand up on the table.  You can use Thanksgiving themed stickers or stamps to decorate your cards.  The name of each dinner guest needs to be on the front of each card.  You can use a marker, letter stickers or templates to do your writing.

* Napkin Rings – Napkin rings really help give off a festive feel.  A simple way to make napkin rings is to use items from nature, such as acorns.  Or make them out of card stock by cutting a piece of colored card stock into 2” wide x 6” long strips.  Loop each strip and staple them.  Using a hot glue gun to glue acorns or other fall décor to the napkin rings.  Be sure to allow your napkin rings to dry completely before using.

If you are pressed for time and still want to decorate for Thanksgiving, no worries.  You can still do it.  Simply write your guests’ names on napkins or mini pumpkins and use those for your place cards.  Use fake fall leaves and throw them around your table or group a bunch of mini pumpkins together for a festive feel.

We hope you enjoy these Thanksgiving holiday decorating tips the Oklahoma way.  For more ideas, visit the DIY website.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all from Realtors® Tom & Bev Herring

Home sales bounced back strongly in September with the help of the first-time buyer’s tax credit driving much of the activity.  This marks five gains in the past six months, making sales activity its highest in over two years, according to an article released on Realtor.org.   

Existing home sales include single-family homes, condominiums, townhomes and co-ops.  Each one jumped 9.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.57 million units in the month of September from 5.10 million in August.  

Since the tax credit has recently been extended for first-time home buyers and there has been an addition to the tax credit for repeat buyers, many are feeling hopeful to see even more strong home sales activity because it’s what’s needed for a few additional quarters to help us reach a point of a self-sustaining recovery.

Since September, housing inventory has fallen 7.5% to 3.63 million existing homes for sale.  Now, unsold inventory totals are 15.0% below a year ago.  The current housing supply is the lowest it has been in over two years.  If this could continue, home prices could return to normal by next year.

In the Northeast, existing home sales were 11.8% higher than September 2008.  The Northeast’s median home price was $234.700, which is down 7.0% from one year ago.

In the Midwest, existing home sales jumped up 9.6% in September, making them 7.8% higher than they were that same month one year earlier.  The median home price in the Midwest was $147,600 in September, which was down by 1.0% from one year ago.

The South’s existing home sales rose 9.0% in September, which is 10.0% higher than sales of September 2008.  The South’s median home price in September was $153,500, which is down 7.6% from one year ago.

The West saw a surge of 13.0% in their existing home sales in September, which was up 5.7% from September 2008.  The West’s median home price was $219,000 in September, which was below what they were one year ago.

Discover the Difference…Realtors® Tom & Bev Herring

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There’s a lot of talk about ONEOK Field around Tulsa, Oklahoma and its benefits to the entire metro area.  So, we wanted to talk about some of those benefits in our blog this week. 

The creation of ONEOK Field will create new jobs, bring visitors and visitor dollars and help increase property values.  The benefits will result in increased property tax revenues and sales tax revenues, 1.417% of which goes to the county.  Tulsa is continuing to do their best to rank among the best in the nation by continuing to invest in improving in economic development.

The ONEOK Field will benefit Tulsa most by providing around 1,400 temporary construction jobs and 200 permanent positions.  The field is expected to bring in an estimated 400,000 new visitors each year to downtown Tulsa, resulting in an estimated $160,000 in annual sales tax revenue for Tulsa, which will significantly help improve city’s development activity.

Tulsa, Oklahoma residents throughout the region will benefit from the new jobs, the visitors’ dollars, the increase in property values and sales tax revenues.  They will also have the opportunity to enjoy more activities and entertainment in the downtown area. 

The ONEOK Field will be a great addition to Tulsa, Oklahoma and we hope to see more like it that will be just as much of a benefit.

Discover the Difference with Realtors® Tom & Bev Herring

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Real estate investing is still a good investment, as the majority of Americans plan to work as long as they possibly can during their retirement age.  Therefore, if you want to enjoy your retirement, we have some advice about real estate investing to help you along your way.

Recently, Bankrate, Inc. released a study that showed that most working Americans are planning to work well into their retirement age.  This will definitely redefine the view of traditional retirement.  Bankrate’s study found that 75% of working Americans plan to keep working during retirement age.  One-third of those plan to keep working because they will need the money and 30% plan to keep working because they enjoy it.

From these findings, it is important to be financially ready for retirement so you can enjoy it.  And, real estate investing is still a great way to do that.  No matter how much value properties have lost over the last few months, we must remember the fundamental reasons of investing in property: equity building and long-term investment.  Real estate should be a long-term investment, not a get-rich quick scheme.  Therefore, here are some fundamental things to look for when searching for a property to invest your future in.

* Income Production: When buying the property, you want one that will be a good rental or lease property.  The payments you receive will be income you can use to pay the mortgage and other expenses associated with the property.  Ideally, you want to collect enough in rent to cover the mortgage payment, expenses and have a little extra left over to put in savings.

* Equity Build-Up: When receiving payments from your tenants for rent, a portion of each payment goes to the principal and interest of the loan.  To pay down the principal faster and save on your interest payments, add as much extra as you can to your payments.

* Control: You can have control of part of the property without having to pay for the whole thing upfront.  This is done by using “Other People’s Money.”  It allows you to use the income gained to pay off the mortgage and gain more equity.

* Tax Advantages: Your rental property can be considered a business.  You can get great tax deductions with the property.  A good accountant will help you take every advantage of these tax laws.

* Buying Property at the Right Time: Now is the perfect time to find great properties at below market value.  This is also a great time to build equity in the property you purchase.  The market will be turning around soon and your property will have instant equity.

* Picking the Right Time to Sell: Once each one of your properties has a considerable amount of equity in them, you can then sell each one.  Contact a real estate professional to seek their advice on when is a good time in the real estate market to sell.

Discover the Difference with Realtors® Tom & Bev Herring

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A few of Tulsa’s schools are getting A+ for their hard work.  This isn’t just good news, but excellent news.  Three of Tulsa’s schools were awarded the Blue Ribbon Award, making them official Blue Ribbon Schools: Booker T. Washington High School, Miami Wilson Elementary School and Claremore Roosa Elementary School.  This is a very special honor given only to schools that are academically advanced or have made extreme gains in student achievement.   After learning about this distinguished accomplishment, we began to research how these schools have become Tulsa’s Blue Ribbon Schools and we found that they have superior goals.

Tulsa’s district goals include:

* Student Learning and Performance – Students will meet or exceed national and state standards in mathematics, reading, social studies and science.  Students will also be prepared for post-secondary education and employment.

* Effective and Efficient Operations – Tulsa Public Schools and offices will meet or exceed standards for excellent performance.  They will provide a safe and secure learning environment for each and every student while addressing knowledge and improvement opportunities.  The district will also systematically deploy an alternative education for students who need it.

* Parent/Guardian Community Support – Every school community will demonstrate parent/guardian involvement and support by 100% membership in the parent/guardian association.  This will help collaborate schools, parents, business, civic, community organizations, local and state agencies to support student success.

* Staff and Faculty Focus – Create a positive work environment in self renewing organizations.  The district will also provide high quality development to every employee, ensure recruitment, support and retention of certified personnel.

* Performance Excellence – To win the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award by 2010. (We think the most impressive goal.)  Track and tend to all of the above goals.

If you are looking for awesome schools for your children to attend along with a great community to relocate to, you can find it right here in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  The community offers both Blue Ribbon Schools and a wonderful community to live.

Realtors® Tom & Bev Herring  ~  Tulsa, Oklahoma Real Estate

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We have great news: pending home sales are up, up, up for the sixth consecutive month.  And, according to the National Association of Realtors®, this is also the first time in six years that the market has seen such a streak. 

Here’s a quick look at the Pending Home Sales Index according to realtor.org.  A forward looking indicator, which is based on contracts signed in June, rose 3.6% to 94.6% from 91.3% in May and is 6.7% above June 2008, when it was 88.7%.  July 2003 was the last time there were five consecutive monthly gains.

We believe that a combination of positive market factors is what’s fueling the gains.  Affordable home prices, low interest rates and a large selection of homes are also encouraging buyers who have been procrastinating about buying a home.

The lower priced homes have seen the most activity.  Many first-time buyers are taking advantage of the $8,000 tax credit before the November 30, 2009 deadline. 

More statistics show that Pending Home Sales rose in the northeast 0.4% to 81.2% in June and is 5.8% above one year ago.  Pending Home Sales in the Midwest increased 0.8% to 89.9% and is above June 2008.  There was a big jump in the index in the South from 7.1% to 100.7% in June and is 8.9% higher than one year ago.  The West’s index rose 2.9% to 100.4%.  However, it was 0.2% below June 2008, which isn’t down too much.

Currently, a median income family who earns $60,700 could afford a home that costs $289,100 if they put 20% down.  That is assuming they dedicate 25% of their income to the mortgage principal and interest.

Everyone likes good news about the real estate market, especially when it’s news like having Pending Home Sales being up for six consecutive months, which hasn’t happened in six years.

Realtors® Tom & Bev Herring ~ Tulsa, Oklahoma Real Estate

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Realtors® Tom & Bev Herring ~ Tulsa, Oklahoma Real Estate

Here’s some interesting news we recently came across.  The Cherokee Nation is investing in the future of Tulsa, Oklahoma.  They will be launching a new tourism campaign designed to share their heritage with outsiders. 

There will be four historically authentic new tours offering insight into the lives of the Cherokee people.  They will tell their story and share their lives with the general public. 

Along with the tours, visitors can enjoy several historical cultural sites throughout the 7,000 square miles of the Cherokee Nation.  Visitors will find that each place they visit has a story of its very own to tell of a legacy that its ancestors left for the community.

The Cherokee Nation is now inviting visitors to visit these historic places to learn how their Nation evolved and grew from it.

Tours for the Cherokee Nation are $35, which includes lunch.  And visiting the historical sites is free.  For more information about the tours and historical sites, you can visit the Cherokee Nation website at www.cherokeetourismok.com

We enjoy sharing news that will benefit the communities we serve and it looks like this will definitely help boost the economy in and around the Tulsa area.  So, if you are interested in learning about the Cherokee Indian culture, this would be a great opportunity to benefit from the information they will be sharing.

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In some areas of the country, including our own, we have seen some innovative ways to sell a home in today’s real estate market.  You can actually buy a home and help a charity all at the same time and feel really great about it.

The house raffle has been in the real estate industry for decades.  However, now there is a whole new way that the house raffle works. 

Many homeowners are worried that they will not be able to sell their home in this bad economy.  Therefore, several have turned to raffling it off in hopes of selling it for what they owe or more.  The catch now is, for the raffle to be legal in many states, you have to donate a portion of it to a charity.

Single-family homes are being raffled off for $100 per ticket, with an open raffle of around two to three months.  Some homes raffles have been successful, selling 27,000 $50 tickets to buy a $432,000 home.  Others have seen success with selling 6,280 $100 tickets to buy a $390,000 home.  And yet others have been successful with selling 6,500 $100 tickets to buy a $400,000 home.  The list goes on and on with many success stories. 

Some homeowners have had more trouble with house raffles than others because of state laws.  However, many have gotten around that with the help of nonprofit organizations.  Whereas an individual cannot raffle their own home and donate a portion of the money to the charity, a charity can raffle a home and donate a portion of the money to a person.  Of course, more legal issues arise in this type of situation, but many have found success in it.

So, if you’re a homeowner having a really hard time selling your home, this may be an option for you.  Just remember, it is always good to contact a real estate professional when handling any type of real estate transaction.  Even if it’s a house raffle.

Realtors® Tom & Bev Herring  ~  Tulsa Oklahoma Real Estate

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Selling a home in today’s real estate market can be slightly hard to do, especially against the competition of the many short sales and foreclosures.  Therefore, homeowners have to prepare their homes to sell quickly.  We would like to share some cost-effective ideas to help sell your home that we found on pillartopost.com.

Many homeowners get overwhelmed at the prospect of the repairs, renovation or upgrades needed before they can put their home on the market.  However, there is good news.  There are many home fixes that can be done to make the home appear more appealing for little or no cost.

Here are some cost-effective fixes that will help get your home sold quickly:

Get Rid of Odors

Bad odors are offensive to everyone.  Before showing your home to prospective buyers, open the windows and let in some fresh air.  Use baking soda to help get rid of really bad odors.  You can lightly sprinkle baking soda on the carpet, let it stand for a while and then vacuum it up.  Average cost – $0.

Focus on Curb Appeal

Pay close attention to your yard and landscaping.  Cut back any overgrown plants and bushes.  Use a blower or sweep off the driveway, sidewalk, porch, deck and stairs.  Also, pressure wash anything that’s dusty, dirty or moldy.  Average cost – $15.

Window Washing

Clean windows will always make a home look clean and well-kept.  Purchase a good streak-free window cleaning product to clean your windows.  No professional cleaner is needed for this task.  Average cost – $25.

Homeowners may also want to consider having an inspection done prior to putting their home on the market.  This will let you know of any major problems that may need to be repaired, such as plumbing, electrical, mold growth, etc.  Many inspectors will often give advice on what you need to do right away and what can be held off on; something that is not that big of a problem.

Simple yet cost-effective ideas such as these can really make a big difference when it comes time to sell your home.  For more tips and advice for homeowners, buyers and sellers, please visit our website.

Realtors® Tom & Bev Herring  ~  Tulsa Oklahoma Real Estate

At Tuesday night’s public meeting, city officials unveiled their new ideas of a master plan for the City of Tulsa.  The new plan will include many exciting proposals along with urban housing of many kinds and a train that will travel through downtown Tulsa and connect to all nearby suburbs. 

Everyone in Tulsa knows that from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., downtown Tulsa is the place to be.  However, after 5 p.m., it’s a virtual ghost town.  Therefore, there is a need for change in the city and the new master plan will be a huge help with that.

In the downtown Tulsa area, there are currently around 300 residential units that are ready to be built with hundreds more on the way.  This will allow for thousands of Tulsa residents to work and live in the downtown area.

Downtown Tulsa will soon be transformed, making it easier for the next generation to come in and do their own thing in Tulsa.

More of the master plan includes changes to the East Village.  It will soon include an art museum, an outdoor amphitheater, green buildings and tons of green space.  Everyone has been talking “green”, and the City of Tulsa is going all out.

The city now has a wonderful plan ahead of it and what could be a great future for many years to come.  We can’t wait to see some of these great changes start to take place.

Realtors® Tom & Bev Herring  ~  Tulsa Oklahoma Real Estate

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