Pro-Link Blog

 Housing Assistance Tax Act of 2008

The single largest provision in the $15.1 billion package of housing tax incentives in the recently enacted “Housing Assistance Tax Act of 2008” (the Housing Act) is a measure allowing individuals buying their first home to take a tax credit of up to $7,500 of the purchase price. Designed to help reduce the existing stock of unoccupied housing, the tax credit allows qualified home buyers to subtract the credit amount from their federal income tax when they buy a home. However, they are then required to pay the credit back over 15 years. The result is that the credit resembles an interest-free loan that must be repaid to the government.

The 15th Annual Artsplash

Saturday, August 30th from 10 am - 7 pm

Sunday, August 31st from 10 am - 5 pm

$3 for those 12 and over, free for children 11 and younger

ArtSplash is a project of the Sioux City Art Center. The “prequel” to ArtSplash was the Sioux City Art Fair, which was held over the course of an afternoon in the parking lot of the previous Art Center building. Artsplash, a festival of the arts, has grown into a family event.

Jim Trucano, Feng Shui expert with Pro-Link Realty, recently added another article entitled "Simplicity" to his website. 

Feng Shui is an example of a philosophy or methodology that has received quite a bit of recent attention and has the potential to help move a home through the sales cycle and expedite a closed transaction. And, although we know it’s anchored in ancient Chinese traditions, it promises very modern benefits from simple activities like furniture and other personal item placement.

Feng shui practitioners advocate that adherence to their principles will channel positive energy and deflect negative energy. If this is true then one can realistically expect a decrease in the anxiety level in our buyer clients and a corresponding increase in our seller’s satisfaction.

Jim Trucano

cell:  712-301-2300

e-mail:  Jim@jimtrucano.com

website:  www.jimtrucano.com

Staged homes tend to sell much faster and often for substantially higher prices than comparable homes that have not been similarly prepared for sale.

According to the San Jose Mercury News in 2000, “Good staging is effective because when potential buyers walk into a house, they carry with them all their hopes for their new life in the new place…how they feel in the home ultimately gets reflected in the sales price and the number of offers….prestige, love, dreams, all the common denominators we all ave as human beings, are at work in the home purchase…the staging maximizes, intensifies all those feelings.”

The following is a summary of the results of HomeGain.com’s 2007 national survey, based on 10 areas of home improvement identified by 2000 real estate agents in HomeGain’s original survey in 2003.

Typical cost of staging: $403-$584

Price increase (of home staged vs. non-staged): $1,938-$2,431

Return on investment: 343%

Percent of agents recommending staging: 93%

An interesting note – the return on investment in the initial 2003 survey was around 169%. Five years later, that number has climbed by 174 points!

Our agents exclusively use Erika Newton, owner of ReArranged Interior & Redesign Services as our home stager.  Check out the links on the left hand side of our website to learn more about Home Staging.

It’s a great weekend for live music in Sioux City this weekend.  Tonight is Fridays on the Promenade, and Saturday night is the 2^nd Annual Big Sioux Bash. Please read below for info on both.

Tonight is the sixth Fridays on the Promenade concert of the 2008 summer season. The show starts at 6 pm, and is done by 8 pm, and is held in front of the Promenade Theater, around the Roth Fountain at 4^th and Virginia. Concerts will continue every-other Friday night through September. A different musical act is brought in for each show, with musical styles ranging from rock, to blues, to bluegrass. Admission is only $2, and there is a cash bar and food available with part of the proceeds going to a local charity. The shows are a lot of fun, and don’t take up your entire night. There is limited seating, so you may want to bring a lawn chair with you.

Check out the website at www.fridaysonthepromenade.com.

The musical guest for the evening is T. Wilson King.

The Sioux City Community Theatre and the Tom Peterson Memorial Foundation team-up for the 2nd Annual Big Sioux Bash set for August 23rd.  A rocking line-up of 5 regional bands has been set for the Big Sioux Bash.  Scheduled to perform on the Tom Peterson Stage include: Wavelength, 35 South, Quartus, 3D, and The Magnificent Board of Directors.

Gates open at 11:00 am, bands will begin performing at 12:00 noon. The Magnificent Board of Directors are the headliners of the Big Sioux Bash for the 2nd year and will perform 10:00 pm - 12:00 midnight. Food vendors and a beer garden will be available in addition to the 12 hours of music from The Tom Peterson Stage.

Tickets are on sale now for $10.00 and are available at the Sioux City Community Theatre Box Office. Tickets the day of the event are $12.00 and will be available at the entry gates. Parking will be available in lots near the theatre and shuttle service will be available to the concert site, which is in the south parking lot at 1401 Riverside Blvd.

Get registered for our monthly sweepstakes drawing and you could win $1,000! That will go a long way to a down payment on your dream home, some new landscaping, or some home remodeling. Either way, it’s cold hard cash – so register now! http://www.pro-linkrealty.com/Win$1000

Good luck! We hope you’re the next lucky winner!

Bureau of Economic Analysis at the United States Department of Commerce has just released the federal government's annual report of income growth for 2007. Of the 363 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) in the United States, Siouxland cracked the top-ten tying for sixth most improved in percentage of income growth over the previous year.

Art, Friends, Food, and Fun....if you love any or all of these things then you won't want to miss the upcoming Sculpt Siouxland Final Tour and Reception!

This event is free and open to the public and they encourage you to bring children, spouses, friends, and co-workers as we take our final guided tours of the sculptures, talk about the mission behind the project, tell behind the scenes stories about how the sculptures are made and what inspires the artists, and even vote for your favorite piece before we award the ‘People’s Choice’ and ‘Children’s Choice’ award which is awarded at this year’s Art Splash!

Meet the Sculpt Siouxland Committee and members of the Sioux City Growth Organization at 4th Street Grill at 5:00pm, with guided walking tours starting at 5:30, 5:45 and 6:00 pm - all tours will last approximately one hour; with a short presentation and socializing following the tour at 7 pm. 

Food and Drink Specials will be available courtesy of 4th Street Sports Grill

In July 2008, there were 481 homes on the market in Sioux City with the average list price of $143,794 compared to 464 homes in June 2008 with the average list price of $138,984 and 459 homes in July 2007 with the average list price of $131,997.

Within the entire MLS area, there were 168 homes sold in July 2008. The price range of homes sold were 29 under $50K, 56 homes between $50K-$99,999 and 83 homes that were $100K & over.

Click on the housing button above to take you to the Siouxland Market News where you can download the entire report.

Friday, August 8th

Click Here to check out the website.

Tonight’s musical guest is Saint Elvis.

 Saturday, August 8th

	Meet at the Roth Fountain at 10:00am to take part in a guided tour of the Sculpt Siouxland Exhibit along 4th Street in downtown Sioux City.  You can learn about what inspired the artists and talk with the volunteers that help to bring these pieces to Sioux City each year.  To learn more, go to www.siouxcitygo.com.
	Movies in the Park is a free family night of entertainment.  Come out to the Grandview Bandshell this Saturday night and watch Surf's Up.  Bring your own blankets, snacks and drink.

Sunday, August 8th

Orpheum Presents Alice Cooper in concert at 7:00pm.  Visit www.orpheumlive.com to learn more.

Check out these sites for more ideas!

www.nightlifesux.com

www.siouxlandevents.com

Central Bank is pleased to announce...MORE grant funds, up to $5,000 per borrower, but time is limited!

Grant funds are available on a first come, first serve basis for qualifying borrowers who purchase a home in Sioux City.  Borrowers do not have to be first time homebuyers but do need to meet income guidelines. Income must not exceed $46,480 for 1 - 2 persons per household and $53,452 for 3 or more persons per household. Grant funds will be reserved at the time of application and the loan needs to be closed by September 30th.

Call Dianna at Central Bank today to reserve your grant funds!

Phone:  712-293-2265     Equal Housing Lender

Bring a treat back for your co-workers or take your family out to a Siouxland Dairy Queen for a Blizzard on Thursday, August 7th to support St. Luke's Children's Miracle Network. Help kids like Chloe to get better and continue to eat more Blizzard treats! Participating DQ locations supporting St. Luke's Children's Miracle Network include Sioux City (Morningside, So. Hills Mall, Riverside, Floyd Blvd, Hamilton Blvd), South Sioux City, Sergeant Bluff, Le Mars, Cherokee, Storm Lake, Emmetsburg, Norfolk and Wayne.

Cookin' Kitchens
If you're considering remodeling or redesigning your kitchen, you're thinking like a pro. A well designed, spacious kitchen is worth its weight in gold. Not only does it benefit those that live in the home, but generates some of the highest recuperation of remodeling expenses, as well as generating a 5-10% increase in the value of your home.

Bathrooms Equal Bank
 Bathrooms are a major consideration when purchasing a home. Adding a bathroom can also be a boon to those wanting to increase the value of their home, often yielding in a 5-10% jump.

Windows are a win
Aside from their obvious aesthetic qualities, windows add more perceived space to a home. A house that feels more spacious will sell as if it were more spacious. Windows are fairly inexpensive to install, and their overall impact on your home's value can be quite noticeable.

Hit the Deck
Think of a deck as a way to increase your overall square footage without all of the costs and hassle associated with adding a new room to your home. More living area is an automatic increase in a home's overall value. As a general rule of thumb, if you're going to be adding a deck to your home, the square footage of the deck should never be more than one-third of the interior square footage.

So, before you start digging that pool in your living room, consider these home improvements that are guaranteed to build upon your home's value!