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Great news for home buyers, sellers and owners, alike.  The homebuyer tax credit has been expanded to include step up buyers, who have owned a home for 5 years.  It also extends the tax credit through the end of 2010.  

GREAT NEWS! 

It appears that Senate Democrats have recognized the tremendous value of the First Time Homebuyers Tax Credit and odds are it will be renewed soon. At this time, it is believed that the credit will allow anyone purchasing a home, by April 30, 2010, to participate and receive the full credit available.

The credit will continue until the end of 2010, but the amount of tax credit will drop by 2 percent every 90 days.  The graduated benefit should help the housing market recover into and through the 2010 summer selling season.

Here is the text of the story as reported in Bloomberg News today:
Senate Democrats on Board with Credit Extension

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) says Senate Democrats have agreed to extend the first-time home buyer tax credit.  The latest version extends the program to home sales signed not closed by April 30. Purchasers would have another 60 days to close the sale.  The credit will also be expanded to include so-called step-up buyers who have lived in their current home for at least five years.

The credit would be cut slightly to a $7,290 cap.  Income eligibility for first-time home buyers would stay the same, but it would rise for step-up buyers to $125,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples.
Source: Bloomberg News, Dawn Kopecki and Ryan Donmoyer (10/27/2009)

Toxic, sulfur laden sheetrock, Made in China, is making people sick, causing electrical wiring to go crazy and is corroding copper, wire and stainless steel in American homes.   The problem has affected thousands of homes in 20 states, yet, the US court system is powerless when to hold Chinese manufacturers (most of which are owned by the Chinese government) responsible for problems caused by their products.

The hardest hit area of the country may be the slowly recovering New Orleans area, and the coastal area’s wiped out by Katrina.  After enduring floods and mud, this man-made victimization is the last thing these communities need or deserve.   For those wondering how bad the problem is….The problem is so bad that local governments, already low on funds, are waiving property taxes for homes rebuilt with the Made in China, toxic sheetrock.

                                      Facts About Toxic Chinese Drywall and Sheetrock:

1. The sheetrock may emit a sulfuric odor, which smells a bit like rotten eggs.
2. Health Problems are being Reported.  The most common health effects from the drywall are skin rashes, blisters and headaches.
3. Homeowners insurance does not cover claims due to construction defects.  When insurers discover a property has Chinese drywall, they are canceling homeowner policies.
4. The gases emitted by the Chinese Drywall eat away at any copper, aluminum or stainless materials inside the home.  This means that appliances, wiring, mirrors, computers, toys, plumbing pipes and fixtures, jewelry, HVAC or any systems that contain these component materials will also be damaged, usually beyond repair
5. Seller’s of Homes that contain Chinese Sheetrock must disclose that fact, even if all the sheetrock in the home has been replaced.
6. If your home contains any Chinese Made Drywall/Sheetrock file a compliant with Consumer Product Protection Council and also check about making a local compliant with your state.
7. For updates on the Chinese drywall, multi-district lawsuits (MDL #2047 to to www.laed.uscourts.gov and click on Drywall MDL.

One tell tale sign of toxic sheetrock can be seen in the corners of mirrors

Watch for corrosion in and around plumbing fixtures, refrigerators, ac units, on stainless steel appliances or any area with metal components.  

Our two cents:  In light of this most recent, very serious, and potentially deadly, problem with cheap imports, all Americans need to reconsider their ongoing love affair with everything cheap and Chinese.  If the US government, who allows these imports, can’t force the Chinese manufacturers to stand behind the products they sell, then the retailers, who chose to buy these goods should have to.    The cost of uprooting families and replacing all the sheetrock, mechanical systems and personal property in over 60,000 reported homes is overwhelming.   If anyone deserves a taxpayer bailout, it’s these innocent homeowners who have been victimized by governments and retailers, alike.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net.  All our products are MADE, ASSEMBLED and SHIPPED right here in the USA!!!   In November, we will celebrate our 20th Anniversary, proving that you can hire US workers and run a profitable business.   Thank you for your support over all these years and please tell your friends about us!!!

A new website The Bed Bug Registry is a free, public database of bedbug infestations. Use it to check for bedbug reports before booking a hotel room or renting an apartment.

The Bedbug Registry gives travelers and renters a reliable and neutral platform for reporting their encounters with bedbugs. Though most Americans have still never encountered one, these retro pests are spreading extremely quickly across several American and Canadian cities.

Bed bugs are easy to transport in luggage and very hard to get rid of. For this reason they have become an especial nuisance for hotels, who are not eager to publicize their infestations. You can’t tell whether a building or hotel room has them based on cleanliness - the bugs can thrive anywhere there are cracks and crevices to hide in.

Until a reliable, safe pesticide becomes available, avoiding bedbug encounters will be the only reliable way to ensure they don’t spread into your own home.

To Read More About How to Spot and Stop Bed Bugs Before You are Eaten Alive,  CLICK HERE!!!    

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net. Place a Free Property Listing on in our database or Search for Thousands of Deals in Complete Privacy.

For those of us searching for signs of a bottom in the housing market, the writing is now on the wall.  The charts are bottoming out and leveling off.

10 Noteworthy observations and signs include:

1. The rate of REO’s (real estate owned by the bank) coming onto the marketplace has slowed across the country.
2. In May, sales prices for existing homes rose 3 percent from April levels.
3. The number of Sold Homes surged in California, Nevada, Arizona and other hard hit area’s of the nation.
4. Even in Las Vegas, the epicenter of the crash, sales prices are firming and seller’s are receiving near full asking price, albeit at a 50 percent discount to pre-crash levels.
5. Inventory levels of existing and new homes has fallen in recent months.
6. The doomsayers were wrong about runaway inflation and rising rates.  30 year fixed interest rates remain at a very attractive 5.5 percent and banks are lending money.
7. Stocks of pubically traded home building companies have moved off their bottoms and are trading within a sustainable uptrend range.
8. The number of housing starts increased for the first time in months.  Since financing for speculation homes is hard, if not impossible to obtain, we assume these homes are already sold before construction begins, signaling demand.
9. Large home builders are starting to acquire select tracts of land for future development.
10. The rate of borrowers receiving notice of foreclosure has seen a meaningful decline of late.

Finally, we have a glimpse of light at the end of a long tunnel.  While the market will surely continue to experience difficulties, news indicates that the worst may well be behind us. 

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net.   The summer home selling season is rapidly getting away.  If you need to sell a home, nothing beats the power of the MLS to get you noticed.  To learn more about the advantage of selling by owner and taking advantage of the MLS, Click Here.

A delight for commuters and motorcycle enthusiasts alike, The Zero is a new electric motorcycle with sharp style and enough speed to embarrass other bikers at stop lights. 

Made in California, the Zero is fast, agile and a joy to ride.   “People have waited decades for these things to be practical”, said Neal Saiki, inventor and founder.  “We make every part of the bike”, said Saiki, “It’s very light and half the weight of a normal motorcycle.”  In addition to being pollution-free, the street and dirt versions of the bike are silent when running. 

One limitation for consumers may be the bike’s range and price.  It runs between 40 and 60 miles, before it needs to be re-charged.  And, the price is a bit steep at $13,500, which is about double the cost of a gas powered equivalent.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for sale or rent website.  Seller’s can post property information on InfoTube.net for FREE.  Buyers can search the database for thousands of properties often seen no where else on the web.

In a bad economy, housing con’s, scams and fraud are on the rise.   The increase in real estate related scams is up so much this year that the Obama administration is involved, and promises “We will shut down fraudulent companies more quickly”.

Here are some of the most common scams seen in the housing industry and tips about how to protect yourself and your family.

Promise to Stall or Halt Foreclosure

Foreclosure scammers are the worst of the worst.  Like vultures, they swope down to pick at the flesh and bones of weak and vulnerable.   These companies promise to stall, avert or stop the foreclosure process.  Many families which are facing the loss of their homes interupt their “pitch” as an answered prayer.   Don’t Fall for It. 

Homeowner’s can identify these companies because they always ask for an upfront fee for their service.   In addition to losing thousands of dollars to these con men, the victims also waste precious time in working with their lenders, which means that this scam can actually speed up the foreclosure process.

Homeowner’s are advised to check with the Better Business Bureau, their lender and the Hope Now organization, before doing business with any company promising the stop a Foreclosure.  

Loan Modificiation

The state of California issued permits to real estate agents for loan modifications.  The state now has almost 600 Realtors, so far, that can collect upfront fee’s for negotiating loan modifications and short sales with lenders on behalf of the homeowner.

We have heard reports that some of these companies charge $2500-$3000 to negotiate with lenders, saying they provide more service and expertise than overworked non-profits do.

Consumers should ALWAYS be on High Alert if they are ask to pay upfront fee’s to anyone, especially when the service provider can not guarantee results.   There are a lot of starving real estate agents out there, so beware and always verify credentials before paying for any upfront service.

Where to go for Real Help.

1. Homeowner Preservation Foundation.  1-888-995-4673 
2. Hope Now    Website Link
3. Making Home Affordable. gov   Website Link
4. Your Lender
5. Beware:  Don’t be fooled into working with companies because they have official sounding names and copy cat websites.  The government recently shut down 5 companies and issued warning letters to 71 others who are operating under names that sound legit, but aren’t. 

Thank for for visiting InfoTube.net homes for Sale and Rent Website.  The website where Property Owners can place a Free Listing and Home Shoppers can Find thousands of properties seen no where else on the web.

This short video clip offers a very interesting look at changes in world demographics and the progress of information technology.  Do yourself a favor and watch this one.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for sale website. Place a free property listing on the site or search our database for thousand’s of property listings.

Dear Home Owner, Home Buyer and InfoTube customer:

If you had to find one single group of people to blame for our economic crisis, you’d definitely have to consider the financial products division of AIG.

They made huge, bad bets on the housing market that have cost taxpayers $170 billion…so far.¹

But get this: The Washington Post just reported that these people are receiving $450 million in bonuses—and they got their first installment on Sunday.² They destroyed our economy, and now they’re being rewarded for it with our bailout money!

President Obama has instructed Treasury Secretary Geithner to use “every single legal avenue to block these bonuses and make the American taxpayers whole.” But AIG isn’t budging—they claim that even after hundreds of billions of dollars and a direct request from the President, their “hands are tied.”

We need to turn up the heat.

Tomorrow, AIG’s executives are appearing before a House subcommittee, and we’ve got a chance to give them a piece of our minds.

Can you sign our petition and submit a question for the heads of AIG? Or better yet, an idea for how we should get our money back? If you do before 5 p.m. ET today, we’ll make sure it gets to the committee in time for tomorrow’s hearing.

Click HERE to add your name and submit your comment.   Thank you for participating.  It is our money!!!!

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