Patricia Paul Properties

                    
 
Look at the unexpected visitor that came walking across our property yesterday in broad daylight.  It was a good size javelina (Pronounced:  havaleena).   Through the picture window our dogs watched its every move, and barked their heads off at the poor animal as it slowly lumbered across the street.  Though many people think the javelina is a boar or pig, it is actually a peccary.  Peccaries have jaws that are short and straight for crushing seeds and cutting plant roots.  They are omniverous, meaning they eat grasses, roots, seeds, and may also eat some small animals.  They are wild animals (not domesticated) and sometimes can be destructive.  They have been known to knock over our big green city trashcans on the eve of trash day, creating quite a mess!
 
Patricia Paul, GRI ** www.PatriciaPaulProperties.com ** (520) 548-2078  

Last year when the federal government implemented the first-time homebuyer's tax credit, I thought it was a great program and I helped some people take advantage of it.  When the program expired at the end of November, there was talk it would be reimplemented, and earlier this year, it was.  What I saw this past time was quite a scramble, especially as it got closer and closer to the deadline (which was April 30, 2010) to have an accepted contract.  Consumers saw the value of the credit combined with low interest rates and low property prices, and reacted.  Two days before the deadline I was still showing properties and writing contracts.  Whew!  That's calling it close! 
 
So we've made it past that hurdle, and now what?  Well, there are still people out there who need to buy and sell their homes, for a variety of reasons.   Always will be.  The housing market will hopefully continue to stabilize, and with a little luck, the economy along with it.  The fact remains that prices are still very low, and interest rates are still very low and it's still a good time to buy a home.  It will be interesting to see what the next several months hold in store.  
 
If I can help you with any of your real estate needs, please contact me.
 
Patricia Paul, GRI ** www.PatriciaPaulProperties.com ** (520) 548-2078

                  

There are places to visit that are good for the soul.  Miles of sandy beaches, the sound of waves breaking, the sea birds flying around...

These photos were taken near Corpus Christi, Texas, and at the Padre Island National Seashore on the Gulf of Mexico. 


                  

This week I find myself at the Padre Island National Seashore in Texas.  Near Corpus Christi, this coastal wilderness is located on the Gulf of Mexico.  The national seashore is approximately 70 miles long and consists of beautiful beaches, sand dunes, grasslands, and tidal pools.  Some of the popular activites here are fishing, boating, hiking, beachcombing, and birdwatching.  There are many areas where you can drive your car on the beach.  You could go down the coast to a practically deserted area and find solitude and nothing but the sounds of surf, wind, and birds.  You can camp right out on the beach if that's what you want.  I'm glad I got to visit this area and see what it is all about.  Hope you get to experience it some day, too!

Patricia Paul, GRI ** www.PatriciaPaulProperties.com ** (520) 548-2078

Available mid-March:

Cute and colorful!  This lovely 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home has 1,495 square feet of living space.  Bright, cheerful colors in living areas.  Nice open floor plan, formal living room plus family room.  Kitchen features gas stove, pantry, breakfast bar.  Ceiling fans, window coverings included.  Covered rear patio and enclosed back yard.  2-car garage.

Conveniently located near Kolb and Escalante.  Shopping, services, restaurants, and bus line nearby.  Close to DMAFB, Border Patrol, and other major employers.

Rent:  $1,100   *    Security Deposit:  $1,100

For more information, please contact:

Patricia Paul, GRI ** www.PatriciaPaulProperties.com ** (520) 548-2078

The number of applications for home loans and refinance loans reached a six-week high as interest rates slipped slightly lower.  Many buyers expect the rates to start rising in the spring of 2010, and want to complete their purchases before then.

Also driving some of the recent mortgage activity is the extended first-time homebuyers tax credit of up to $8,000, and a move-up tax credit of up to $6,500.  In order to qualify for these credits, home purchases must be under contract by April 30, 2010.

Buying a home still makes good sense now:  Mortgage interest rates are still at historic lows, home prices have fallen between 25-30% from the highs in 2005 and 2006, depending upon the location.  There is still a good amount of inventory out there to choose from. 

If you'd like to get pre-qualified for a mortgage, please contact me for a list of reputable, ethical lenders.  If you've been thinking about purchasing a home, please contact me for a free no-obligation consultation. 

If you've even been thinking about it, now is a great time to check it out!

Patricia Paul, GRI *** www.PatriciaPaulProperties.com *** (520) 548-2078

            Gas torch and tools.                                               The work area.

Here's part of my studio space for lampwork beadmaking.   I'm still determining how I want to arrange things.  It's a labor of love. 

Below are the pretty many-colored glass rods that are used to create the custom beads and samples of the end product.

     =       

     The glass rods I start with.                                 A sampling of the end product.

Patricia Paul, GRI *** www.PatriciaPaulProperties.com *** (520) 548-2078

As I'm typing this blog entry I am watching the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.  First there was the parade of athletes; that's always fun to watch.   That was followed by an extravaganza of visual displays, dancers, and fiddlers.  Then a presentation representing Canada's prairies, with a youth seemingly flying in the clouds.  It's a cool special effect!   Skiers and snowboarders are doing aerial tricks against a mountainous backdrop.  They are followed by a large quantity of skaters whose costumes house red and white lights.  Currently a beatnik-looking poet is reciting a poem about Canada and the environs.  That must be an Olympic first.  Now an eclectic mix of Canadian celebrities, an opera singer, and Royal Canadian Mounties.  And finally, "The Great One", Wayne Gretsky, and other Canadian super athletes light the Olympic torch to start the games.

Sadly these 2010 games are already marred by the fatal injury of an Olympic luge athlete, Nodar Kumaritashvili from the country of Georgia,  just hours before the games began.   He lost control of his sled while training, struck a steel pole, and died later at a hospital.

These Olympic games foster friendship, athletic excellence, and goodwill among athletes from countries all around the world.  I wish them all safe competitions and good luck.  Don't forget to watch your favorite events during the next 16 days!

Patricia Paul, GRI *** www.PatriciaPaulProperties.com  ***  (520) 548-2078

For the past couple of years the real estate market has been dominated by REO's (Real Estate Owned); or in other words, bank-owned properties that were acquired through foreclosures.

Banks were neither equipped nor knowledgeable about suddenly becoming Property Managers.  In many cases, by the time they took back the homes, the properties were in poor condition.  Sometimes appliances, cabinets and fixtures were removed.  Unattended swimming pools were green with mold and yards were covered with weeds.  They had homeowner's association rules they had to abide by.  The carrying costs were huge.  Plus, in order to sell these homes, the banks had to price them well below the market value of privately owned homes.

But the banks have come to the realization that they can cut their losses by about 25% if they agree to accept a short sale, rather than to foreclose on a property.   So in the future expect to see more short sales on the market, and fewer REO's.  This could be good news for both buyers and sellers.  Plus, new government regulations are attempting to standardize the short sale process.  It is a bit easier and quicker to accomplish now than those first few shorts sales when this whole mortgage mess began.

If you find yourself in the position of needing to sell your home to be rid of a  mortgage you can no longer afford, please contact me.  I can explain the short sale process, and help you work with your lender to get your house sold.

If you can afford your mortgage or don't have one, but still want to sell your home either to move up, downsize, or relocate, I can help you, too.  You may even qualify for a federal homebuyer tax credit.  Please call me today for your free no obligation consultation.

Patricia Paul, GRI *** www.PatriciaPaulProperties.com *** (520) 548-2078

Well, today was a special day.  As some of you know, lampwork beadmaking is my latest hobby and passion.  For the last few weeks I have been putting together my own glass beadmaking studio at home. 

Today it all came together and I was able to turn on my torch and create my first bead in my home studio.  The torch uses a mix of propane and oxygen.  It was all very exciting!   Once you create a bead then is has to be fired in a kiln to anneal it.  I'll include some photos later, when the beads come out of the kiln.

And now.....  I've got some creating to do!

Patricia Paul, GRI *** www.PatriciaPaulProperties.com *** (520) 548-2078