Instead of posting different blog entries, I bring you everything empassing financing in one complete guide.  I hope you enjoy.

Please don’t hesistate to contact me if you have any questions. – Toni

These new figures come from the 2009 American Housing Survey, the definitive source of information on the quality of housing in the United States. Statistics are provided for apartments, single-family homes, manufactured housing, new construction and vacant housing units.

Issued jointly every two years by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, this survey provides detailed information on the characteristics of the nation’s housing stock.

A wide range of specific topics is covered, such as the presence of air conditioning, crowding, housing costs, special living services offered to older residents, safety equipment present, type of heating fuel used, satisfaction with the neighborhood, cost of utilities and size of the home. The survey also covers the demographic characteristics of the housing units’ occupants.

“So many of these measures are really unique to this survey,” notes Tamara Cole, chief of

the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey Branch. “Together they provide a comprehensive view of the quality of the nation’s housing stock. This survey is also a longitudinal one, meaning it follows the same unit over time. For example, you can track the remodeling done to a specific unit from one survey to the next.”

The information can be accessed at

 http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing/ahs/nationaldata.html.

The 2009 survey indicates that respondents are generally quite content with where they live: about 70 percent rate their homes an 8, 9, or 10 on a scale of 1 to 10 with 28 percent giving them the “best” rating of 10. Residents of new construction tend to rate their homes even more highly: 84 percent gave them between an 8 and 10, and 45 percent gave a perfect 10 rating. Likewise, more than two-thirds of residents (68 percent) rated their neighborhood highly with 25 percent giving it a “best” rating. People living in newly built homes rate their neighborhoods especially highly: 75 percent (rated highly) and 35 percent (rated best), respectively. (See Graphs 1 and 2.)

Other highlights for the nearly 112 million occupied housing units:

– The median year housing units were built was in 1974, with owner-occupied units being slightly newer (median of 1975 compared with 1971 for renter-occupied units).

– The median purchase price of homes was $107,500; for a newly constructed home, it was $240,000.

– Thirty-two percent of owner-occupied units were owned free and clear, 66 percent had a regular and/or home equity mortgage and 2 percent had only a line-of-credit.

– The most important consideration for recent movers in choosing their homes was financial (28 percent), followed by room layout/design (15 percent) and size of home (10 percent). Furthermore, the most common reasons recent movers had for choosing their neighborhoods were convenience to job (20 percent), convenience to friends or relatives (14 percent), look/design of neighborhood (10 percent) and the house itself (10 percent).

– About two-thirds (64 percent) of the units used a warm-air furnace for heating; 12 percent used an electric heat pump; and 11 percent used a steam or hot water system. The latter is increasingly falling out of use as only 2 percent of new units use this system.

– About half of homes (48 percent) had a separate dining room and three in 10 (30 percent) reported two or more living rooms or recreation rooms. About one-third (35 percent) had a usable fireplace.

– About two-thirds of housing units (65 percent) had central air conditioning and another 21 percent had window units; for new units, the percentage with central air conditioning was even higher (89 percent).

– About nine in 10 units (93 percent) reported the presence of a smoke detector. Additionally, 36 percent reported having a working carbon monoxide detector, 45 percent purchased or recharged a fire extinguisher in the last two years and 5 percent had a sprinkler system.

– Most homes had three or more bedrooms (64 percent), with the percentage even higher in new homes (80 percent). Additionally, about half of homes (51 percent) had two or more bathrooms, with the percentage even higher (89 percent) in new homes.

– Ten percent of communities had secured entrances, with the likelihood somewhat higher (15 percent) in new communities.

Data from this survey are available at the national and regional level, and for inside and outside metropolitan statistical areas, and urban and rural areas.

The U.S. Census Bureau conducts the American Housing Survey to update statistics for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The survey data contain a wealth of information that can be used by professionals in nearly every field for planning, decision-making, market research or various kinds of program development.

The Pending Home Sales Index, released today by the National Association of Realtors, dropped 2.6 percent to 75.7 based on contracts signed in June from 77.7 in May, and is 18.6 percent below June 2009 – another sign of the stagnant housing market.

“In many cases, people who have been trying to sell their homes for awhile have moved forward with their plans regardless, leaving a vacant home on the market,” said NAIC President and West Virginia Insurance Commissioner Jane L. Cline. “Having an unoccupied home can create several insurance implications that typically are not covered under a standard homeowners policy.”

The Added Risks of Vacant Homes
Homeowners policies are meant to insure homes that are occupied, so they generally include exclusions for neglect or property abandonment on a home left vacant or unoccupied for a specified number of consecutive days.

In insurance terms, a vacant home is one the resident has moved out of and taken his/her belongings with him/her. An unoccupied home is one where the resident is not staying at the home, but the furniture and other belongings remain.

Because vacant and unoccupied homes pose a higher risk for damage than occupied homes, insurance companies insure these properties differently and usually at a higher price. These risks include:

– Break-ins: When a home has been unoccupied for awhile, it can show signs that nobody is around – unkempt lawn, full mailbox, no lights on – that can tip off burglars to an easy target.

– No emergency response: Without anyone home to call 911 or respond to emergencies, a manageable problem – such as a small electrical fire – can turn into a much larger, more costly disaster.

– Property liability: There is no one present to prevent others from entering the property or to supervise activity, which could increase the likeliness of an accident on the premises or property damage when the owner is not there.

Keeping A Vacant Home Properly Insured
The definition of vacancy and unoccupancy can vary from policy to policy. Some insurers may not pay claims if a home is vacant for 60 days or more. Some policies might automatically shift to a different amount of coverage (e.g. liability insurance only) after a specific number of days unoccupied.

Many homeowners policies have a “vacancy clause” that can be triggered if the homeowner is gone for an extended period of time. If this happens, the homeowner could violate the terms of their contract and some or all of their coverage may not apply in the event of a loss.

“Before you decide to leave a home vacant or unoccupied for a long period of time, talk to your insurance agent or company to learn how they define vacancy and unoccupancy, and whether the company will pay claims if a house is unoccupied,” said Cline. “Be honest about your situation, because while an extra policy might cost more, it could save you money down the road should there be an accident or damage to the home.”

Many insurance companies offer an endorsement that will provide coverage for a dwelling that is unoccupied for an extended period of time. Vacancy policies can also be purchased for different term lengths to cover a few months to a year, depending on the need.

The cost of vacancy coverage depends on the company and state in which the property is located, but costs usually are higher than a typical homeowners policy due to the overall increase in risk.

The fish made me realize that one of the least rewarding aspects of business travel comes at the end of the day, when you’re exhausted, your brain hurts (so much small talk, yet so much on the line) and you come home to a room where some stranger slept last week.

Nothing against the fine purveyors of road sleep, but short of the pricey 1,000-thread-count destinations, most hotels can’t provide the comfort, familiarity and restfulness of home. They can, however, get a little closer if you do some planning.

Which Nate Berkus does.

Oprah’s favorite designer (and, as of Sept. 13, host of the nationally syndicated “The Nate Berkus Show”) said by e-mail that he travels “all the time” for both work and pleasure but always makes a point of bringing the things that make a hotel stay more comfortable.

“To feel at home wherever you land, pack your own ‘What-I-can’t-live-without’ list,’” Berkus said. “I always bring a good pair of running shoes and an iPod, so if there is a gym, you can de-stress after a long flight.

“I also bring flip-flops, even in winter, so I have something to wear in the room and after the shower. … It’s about bringing the items you reach for every day and will be the solve-alls for any needs that come up.”

Flip-flops in winter! I love it. Check out the other tips.

HOMEY TIPS
Berkus’ thoughts got me polling friends, family and colleagues who travel for business about what turns their hotel room into a restful place. Here is a sampling of the results, with special attention paid to things that aren’t obscenely heavy or impractical:

Comfortable lounging clothes. (A no-brainer, though the flip-flops are a nice addition.)

The electric toothbrush from home. (When pressed, the respondent said, yes, it’s worth bringing despite the weight of the toothbrush and the charger. Little luxuries go a long way, he said.)

Your own pillowcase freshly washed in your usual detergent. (Hadn’t thought of this; great idea.)

Music and small, high-quality travel speakers. (Music is an obvious essential, but the speakers make sense because you probably wouldn’t listen to the music on travel headphones at home).

Your own alarm clock. (One woman said her husband bought a clock on which he could record his own alarm sound. His was his daughter saying, “Wake up, Daddy!” Awwwww.)

A throw blanket. (A woman said she brings one she usually keeps on her couch and spreads it on the hotel bed when stretching out to read or watch TV. A smart move considering the number of people who have spent time atop that same hotel comforter.)

Your usual shampoo and soap. (Another no-brainer.)

Framed family photos. (If you’re the sentimental type and gone more than a couple of nights, not a bad sight to wake up to).

Fresh-cut flowers. (Again, for more than a few nights, why not? I’d never do it, but I understand the attraction.)

Whether it’s two, 20 or 200 people, it’s easy to understand why people have trouble speaking in public.

For this, Toastmasters offers 10 ways how you can control your butterflies and get more comfortable giving presentations:

1. Know your material. Pick a topic you are interested in. Know more about it than you include in your speech. Use humor, personal stories and conversational language – that way you won’t easily forget what to say.

2. Practice. Practice. Practice! Rehearse out loud with all equipment you plan on using. Revise as necessary. Work to control filler words; Practice, pause and breathe. Practice with a timer and allow time for the unexpected.

3. Know the audience. Greet some of the audience members as they arrive. It’s easier to speak to a group of friends than to strangers.

4. Know the room. Arrive early, walk around the speaking area and practice using the microphone and any visual aids.

5. Relax. Begin by addressing the audience. It buys you time and calms your nerves. Pause, smile and count to three before saying anything. (“One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand. Pause. Begin.) Transform nervous energy into enthusiasm.

6. Visualize yourself giving your speech. Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear and confident. Visualize the audience clapping – it will boost your confidence.

7. Realize that people want you to succeed. Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining. They’re rooting for you.

8. Don’t apologize for any nervousness or problem – the audience probably never noticed it.

9. Concentrate on the message – not the medium. Focus your attention away from your own anxieties and concentrate on your message and your audience.

10. Gain experience. Mainly, your speech should represent you — as an authority and as a person. Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking. A Toastmasters club can provide the experience you need in a safe and friendly environment.

He failed as a day-trader and barely survived in New York on a beer budget, but Marcos Esparza Bofill has been hit with a $172 million tax bill by the IRS.

“Who’s the IRS?” Esparza Bofill, a twentysomething Spanish émigré, asked a friend who alerted him to his astronomical back taxes.

Esparza Bofill moved to New York from his native Spain in 2006 to try his hand at day-trading. When he nearly went bust after a year, he moved back home.

“He lost money while he was here. He couldn’t afford rent,” said friend Adam Baruchowitz of Brooklyn.

Esparza Bofill didn’t file an income tax return for the year he was here swapping stocks – and that’s leading to big problems with Uncle Sam.

The feds tracked his every trade. But because Esparza Bofill never accounted for his losses or expenses in tax filings, the IRS presumed he made a pure profit – a staggering $500 million in income.

“He definitely wasn’t a $500 million-a- year earner,” another friend, who asked not to be identified, told the Daily News Tuesday.

“He lives a very modest life,” the friend said of Esparza Bofill, whose tastes lean more toward garage music than the symphony. “So just to think that all of a sudden he owes $172million is pretty ridiculous.”

A tax-lien notice the IRS sent to Esparza Bofill’s old walkup apartment in Alphabet City was posted Tuesday on thesmokinggun.com website.

Esparza Bofill declined to comment Tuesday.

“He doesn’t know what’s going on, ya know. Like, he’s not an American native,” said the friend. “So, all of a sudden, the IRS is looking for him, and the first thing he says to me is, ‘Who’s the IRS?’

“He thought I was joking when I first started talking to him about it,” the friend added. “I said, ‘No, it’s not a joke, man. This is for real.’ I’m like, ‘Try to Google yourself,’ and all of a sudden three blogs popped up.”

Manhattan CPA Marc Albaum said Esparza Bofill’s problems with the IRS are not unusual. “If you don’t file, the IRS assumes that you have 100% profit, that basically it’s as if you bought the stock at no cost,” Albaum said. “Now, the remedy for this is simply to file. He could wipe out anything he owes,” said Albaum.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/08/24/2010-08-24_thought_you_had_irs_problems_failed_daytrader_nailed_with_172m_bill.html#ixzz0xhR0EzYN

Hong Kong architect Gary Chang doesn’t sacrifice any square inch of his tiny, 350-square-foot apartment. He’s found a way to turn it into a home office, master bedroom, kitchen, guest room, media center, and more…in just 350 square feet.

Chang designed what he’s nicknamed the “domestic transformer” and has shown how a smart design style can truly make the tiniest spaces contain all you ever need.

The rooms in Chang’s 350-square-foot space are created by sliding walls that reveal new spaces and functions. Up to 24 new spaces can be created.

For example, where you see a wall in the living room, you can pull it away to show a linen closet. Move it again and you’ll find a soaker bath tub.

Pull the mounted TV forward, and you’ll find the full kitchen behind it. That home office can quickly transform into the dining room.

It’s a case of now-you-see-it-now-you-don’t design in making small spaces seem bigger.

“The house transforms and I’m always there, I don’t move. The house moves for me,” Chang told Planet Green TV in a video segment about his space.

Basements can adopt a split personality. On the one hand, it’s a sweet storage space with minimal décor and a high tolerance for accumulating dust. Yet when it’s time to sell — especially in a competitive real estate market — or expand the home’s livable square footage, the basement needs a little dressing up. That’s when home owners and real estate pros can work together.

One approach is to think big and transform this below-ground level into higher-end living space, whether that’s a family room, children’s play area, or guest bedroom. “I have seen people take a basement and turn it into a family room, put in nice carpeting, and even build a little room around the utilities,” says Chobee Hoy of Chobee Hoy Associates in Brookline, Mass. “Hanging pictures … anything that looks pretty.”

It might encourage a sale. Yet it might not up the asking price, says Hoy. Many times a basement is not included in a home’s total square footage of livable space. “The square-foot value is not as high as the second or third floors. Don’t put in the fanciest bathroom you can, because you might not get your money back,” she says. “You might have trouble selling the house for what you think it will sell for.”

Still, buyers want more room for the asking price, and a basement provides that option.

“Sometimes if a buyer needs extra space, and that’s the only space that’s available, that’s attractive,” says Hoy. She’s seen photographers gravitate towards homes with sizeable basements simply because they make great darkrooms and studios.

A listing for a home that Steve St. Arnault, an associate with Newbury Properties in Quincy, Mass., is attempting to sell has a basement that could be a model for all the dark, damp basements out there. In fact, he says, “it’s a bright and sunny spot.” The home owners painted the exposed pipes a brilliant shade of copper. Travertine flooring is a step above concrete or cheap carpet. “They wanted to encourage resale,” he says. “They also added a master bedroom suite on the top floor and granite countertops in the kitchen.”

But for basements that need just a little decorating rescue, there’s a lot of hope.

“Make the basement a place that you want to go to,” suggests Peter Jeswald, author of Basement Ideas That Work: Creative Design Solutions for Your Home (Taunton Press, 2007). “So often, basements are associated with low-quality, cheap hung ceilings, wood paneling, and inexpensive carpet on the floor. Treat it no differently than you would the first floor of your house.”

Home owners should start by upgrading the basement’s entryway and gradually work their way through the space, with the end goal a lighter, brighter, and cleaner basement. If it’s down a dark, narrow stairwell, open up that stairwell or — at the very least — install brighter lighting. In lieu of opening up the staircase, which can be quite expensive, Jeswald suggests add a half wall or creating an open railing. “Make it so that you’re no longer traveling through a narrow door to this narrow, dim-lit stairway,” he says. “Long, narrow spaces accentuate the feeling of being depressed.”

But if the end goal isn’t more square footage but simply a cleaner basement, there are many inexpensive approaches to consider, starting with a broom and dustpan.

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