SPRINGFIELD -- Missouri State University has finalized its 2009-10 men's basketball non-conference schedule, a slate that includes 19 home games at JQH Arena, including a pair of preseason exhibition contests in early November.

  The Bears will host the University of Missouri-St. Louis on November 2, and Henderson State on November 10 in its two exhibition games. The team then opens the regular season schedule with five straight home games at its 11,000-seat home facility, JQH Arena.

  The 2009-10 season opener will be on Monday, November 16 against Auburn, followed by three additional home games in the Hispanic College Fund Challenge, November 20-22, and a home date with Tulsa on November 28. The home tourney features Maryland-Eastern Shore, The Citadel and Eastern Michigan in a three-day, round-robin format.

  Following the five home games to start the season, the Bears travel to Arkansas-Little Rock on December 2, and then return to JQH Arena on December 5 to play Air Force in the inaugural Missouri Valley / Mountain West Challenge Series. The Bears continue the home stand on December 9 when they host UT Martin in the return game from last season's ESPNU BracketBusters.

  The team's longest road swing of the season takes place in the middle of December as second-year head coach Cuonzo Martin takes his troops to Arkansas State on December 12, before renewing the school's rivalry with St. Louis University on December 19 and closing out the three-game tilt at Arkansas on December 22.

  "It's a great schedule, and we certainly look forward to playing some excellent competition," said Martin whose 2009-10 squad features three returning starters and six newcomers. "As a player, this is the type of schedule you want to play: with teams like Auburn and Arkansas from the SEC, a tough home tournament that will push us for three straight days, some quality home games for our fans, and some good tests on the road. This is the type of schedule, with postseason-caliber opponents, to get a team ready for the conference season, and we're very happy with it."

  Including Missouri Valley Conference foes, the Bears' 2009-10 slate features 11 teams that appeared in one of the four postseason basketball events last season. Northern Iowa is the only NCAA tournament team on the slate, while five opponents played in the National Invitation Tournament, including quarterfinalist Auburn, second-round advancers Tulsa and Creighton, as well as UT Martin and Illinois State. Making the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament were Evansville, Drake, Citadel and Bradley, while Wichita State played in the College Basketball Invitational.

  The MVC schedule is expected to be released within the next two weeks and will include a home-and-home series with the other nine league foes. The Bears' final non-conference contest will be on Saturday, February 20 with a home game in the annual ESPNU BracketBusters series. The 2009-10 State Farm MVC Tournament will take place at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, March 4-7.

2009-10 Missouri State Non-Conference Schedule

  2009-10 Bears season tickets are available now by calling (417) 836-7678 or (888) 476-7849. When available, individual game tickets can be purchased on-line at www.MissouriStateTix.com, while team news, stats, updates, and ticket specials are available at www.MissouriStateBears.com, the official web site of Missouri State athletics.

After the hectic chaos of moving to a new home, it is becomes time for you, your family, and your pet to adjust. For dogs, moving can be particularly stressful because they do not understand what has happened to the family. Their world has been turned upside-down, and now they are living in a place that looks, smells and feels foreign and unfamiliar to their senses.

Because adjusting can sometimes be a hard thing for your pet to do, here are a few tips that may help the transition process be a little easier for Fido.

First, once you move into your new home, you will want to make sure you get your dog new tags. Sometimes pets can become worried and run away or they may become curious about their new surroundings and want to explore. Whatever the reason, getting your pup new tags is a precaution that you will not regret doing.

Next, make sure your pet has their toys, bones, doggie bed and blanket in an easily accessible spot. These are familiar items that are precious to your pet, and having them around will help give your dog a sense of security and belonging.

Make an effort to familiarize your pet with your new home and neighborhood. Let Fido roam freely around the house and explore the family’s new territory. Take your dog on walks around the neighborhood regularly so they can become familiar with the area and learn that this is their new home and neighborhood.

One of the best things you can do for your dog after moving into a new home is to pay them attention and assure them often that everything is all right. Spending time with your pet and taking the time to play with them shows them that you care and that they can have fun in their new home, though it is unfamiliar and frightening.

Unpacking all the boxes can take time, but the sooner you get it done, the sooner life can return to normal. This will also help your pet adjust to being in their new home when all of the furniture and common household items are settled into their new place. Once their bed and food and water dishes are placed in their permanent new spots, a small bit of your doggie’s normalcy will return.

Also encourage your kids to sit on the couch next to Fido and watch TV with them, take him on walks, and play with him. When interacting with the kids, your dog will imitate the confidence and security that emanates from your children as they play with the family pup.

Moving can be a hectic and stressful time for the whole family. Make sure that you don’t forget your dog in the full swing up settling down and getting family life back to normal. Pay attention to your dog and set them at ease. If your dog is upset and worried because of the move and new surroundings, it can rub off on the family as well. By unpacking as quickly as possible and setting your dog at ease, you will be able to settle in quickly and enjoy your home as a family.

In a changing market and troubled economic times, the number one question that Buyers, Sellers, Homeowners and Renters have is: "Has the Market Stablized?"  How can you find our find current market conditions?  Would you like to see online market updates, that are packed with live MLS data, maps, photos and graphs---automatically?  Instantly customized for your neighborhood and preferences. Find out what your home would sell for tody.  Give it a try at www.HomeValueToday.net

Washington, October 23, 2009

Existing-home sales bounced back strongly in September with first-time buyers driving much of the activity, marking five gains in the past six months, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

Existing-home sales – including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops – jumped 9.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate¹ of 5.57 million units in September from a level of 5.09 million in August, and are 9.2 percent higher than the 5.10 million-unit pace in September 2008. Sales activity is at the highest level in over two years, since it hit 5.73 million in July 2007.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said favorable conditions matched with a tax credit are boosting home sales. “Much of the momentum is from people responding to the first-time buyer tax credit, which is freeing many sellers to make a trade and buy another home,” he said. “We are hopeful the tax credit will be extended and possibly expanded to more buyers, at least through the middle of next year, because the rising sales momentum needs to continue for a few additional quarters until we reach a point of a self-sustaining recovery.”

Even with the improvement, Yun said the market is underperforming. “Despite spectacular gains in the stock market, principally from the financial sector recovery, most of the 75 million home owning families have more wealth tied to their homes. Home values could soon turn consistently positive and help the broad base of middle-class families, but we are not there yet,” he said. “We’re getting early indications of price stabilization, but we need a steady supply of qualified buyers to meaningfully bring inventories down and return us to a period of normal, steady price growth and to fully remove consumer fears, which would then revive the broader economy. Without a firm foundation for middle-class wealth recovery, the post-recession economic growth likely will be one of the weakest in U.S. history.”

Early information from a large annual consumer study to be released November 13, the 2009 National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, shows that first-time home buyers accounted for more than 45 percent of home sales during the past year. A separate practitioner survey shows that distressed homes accounted for 29 percent of transactions in September.

NAR President Charles McMillan, a broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Dallas-Fort Worth, said affordability conditions remain historically high. “Potential first-time buyers can take heart in that affordability conditions this year are the highest on record dating back to 1970, but with the first-time buyer tax credit scheduled to expire at the end of next month, people could hold back from entering the market,” he said.

“Our read is that housing overshot on the downside because homes are selling for less than replacement construction costs in much of the country, and the home price-to-income ratio has fallen below the historical average,” McMillan said.

Total housing inventory at the end of September fell 7.5 percent to 3.63 million existing homes available for sale, which represents an 7.8-month supply² at the current sales pace, down from an 9.3-month supply in August. Unsold inventory totals are 15.0 percent below a year ago.

“The current housing supply is the lowest we’ve seen in two and a half years,” Yun said. “If we could continue to absorb inventory at this pace, home prices would return to normal, modest appreciation patterns next year.

According to Freddie Mac, the national average commitment rate for a 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage fell to 5.06 percent in September from 5.19 percent in August; the rate was 6.04 percent in September 2008.

The national median existing-home price³ for all housing types was $174,900 in September, which is 8.5 percent lower than September 2008. Distressed properties continue to downwardly distort the median price because they generally sell at a discount relative to traditional homes in the same area.

Single-family home sales rose 9.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.89 million in September from a pace of 4.47 million in August, and are 7.7 percent above the 4.54 million-unit level in September 2008. The median existing single-family home price was $174,900 in September, which is 8.1 percent below a year ago.

Existing condominium and co-op sales jumped 9.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 680,000 units in September from 620,000 in August, and are 21.2 percent above the 561,000-unit pace a year ago. The median existing condo price was $175,100 in September, down 11.7 percent from September 2008.

Existing-home sales in the Midwest jumped 9.6 percent in September to a pace of 1.25 million and are 7.8 percent above a year ago. The median price in the Midwest was $147,600, which is 1.0 percent below September 2008

On Nov. 3, 2009, Springfield Public Schools will ask voters to approve a no-tax-increase bond issue that will leverage federal stimulus money to fund air conditioning, construction & improvements and technology.

Without increasing the current tax rate, Springfield residents can invest $50 million in our schools to create quality learning environments for all students.

To maximize resources.

Approving a bond issue in November will save Springfield taxpayers millions of dollars in interest because SPS will be able to access $5 million to $7 million in interest-free bonds available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These interest-free bonds, along with the district’s current bonding capacity and available debt-service funds, enable SPS to request a $50 million bond without having to increase the current tax.

To fulfill a promise.

With this bond issue, SPS will satisfy its pledge to air condition every school in the district. Air conditioning the remaining eight schools will complete the effort initiated a decade ago to achieve equity in the quality of learning environment available to students in every part of our community.

To invest in our community.

Quality schools create a quality community. The proposed bond projects will strengthen our community by upgrading schools in all areas of the district. This investment in our community will also create employment opportunities and generate demand for raw materials and supplies for local businesses. As intended by the stimulus package, the majority of the $50 million will be spent locally to employ contractors and laborers and purchase materials and supplies required to complete the proposed projects.

Who will benefit from improvements?

Air conditioning

• Boyd, Robberson, Rountree, Sunshine and York elementary schools
• Jarrett and Reed middle schools
• Phelps Center for the Gifted
• Tefft Center

Construction & improvements

• Hillcrest High School: electrical upgrade; auditorium remodel; restroom remodel; improvements to technology infrastructure; elevator installation in gymnasium; enclosed walkway between gymnasium and main building; kitchen improvements; roof, ceiling, floor tile and hot water pipe repairs and replacements; and stadium lighting.
• Westport Elementary School: A kindergarten through 8th grade campus will be developed at the current Westport site to combine the two schools. This will allow alternative programs to move to the Study building, saving more than $3 million, the cost to air condition and maintain the three buildings where they are currently housed, and creating room to serve more at-risk students. 
• Hickory Hills School: Construction of a new school, scheduled to be complete in December 2009, is currently being funded via lease participation certificates. A portion of this bond will provide the principal necessary to retire those lease participation certificates, saving interest and freeing up operating revenue.
• Jeffries Elementary School: addition of a gymnasium with a high-school sized court. The 10,000- to 11,0000-square-foot addition will include new restrooms and a corridor to connect the gym to the school building.
• Glendale High School: electrical and technology infrastructure upgrades, installation of new stadium bleachers and new stadium lighting.
• Kickapoo High School: installation of new stadium lighting.

Technology

• Every classroom in the district will be equipped with an LCD projector and interactive whiteboard.
• Aging student computers will be replaced as needed with N-computing units, a computer processing unit which can operate multiple student workstations. This will decrease related utility, maintenance and support costs.

A new Web site provides Missouri voters with information about a proposed state constitutional amendment barring politicians from imposing double taxation on sales of homes and other real estate.

Voters are encouraged to visit www.YesToSaveHomes.com to learn more about the proposal.

Petition signatures are now being gathered to place on the November 2010 ballot the proposal’s straightforward and simple language: “Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to prevent the state, counties, and other political subdivisions from imposing any new tax, including a sales tax, on the sale or transfer of homes or any other real estate?”

 Transfer taxes on home sales are double taxation because Missourians already pay annual property taxes on real estate, often over many decades of ownership.  Missouri is among just 13 states that do not impose a transfer tax on real estate sales, including all of Missouri’s neighboring states. As state, county and city revenues decline, politicians are tempted to impose new transfer taxes - just as Missouri citizens are struggling to make it.

“This unfair double taxation can happen in Missouri under current law. We are asking voters to keep politicians from penalizing Missourians with bad public policy that denies fairness and defies Missouri common sense,” said Elizabeth Mendenhall, a REALTOR® from Columbia, Missouri, and spokesperson for the Vote Yes To Stop Double Taxation campaign committee.

“Many Missourians have lost jobs or had pay cuts. Some have been forced to sell their homes, many at a loss, because of drops in property values. This is particularly true for lower-income Missourians, who typically spend a larger percentage of income on their home,” added Mendenhall, who is also president-elect of the 22,000-member Missouri Association of Realtors. “Our fellow Missourians who are experiencing this severe financial strain shouldn’t be subjected to more taxes - especially the unfair double taxation of a real estate transfer tax.”

When it comes to getting the best possible interest rate for your home mortgage, apparently big is not better. So don't overlook the little guys.

“Neglecting to include smaller community banks and credit unions could prove to be a costly admission," says Greg McBride, senior financial analyst with Bankrate.com of the loan-hunting process.

“In this market, in particular with jumbo large or jumbo confirming loans, smaller community banks and credit unions are very competitive,” says McBride.

Compared to large banks, which are more depended on the secondary market, small banks have more flexibility to offer lower rate loans because “they are not dependent on an investor in the second market to eventually buy it,” he said.

Smaller banks also have an incentive to offer better rates.

According to Darren Beck, chief marketing officer at LendingTree, smaller banks often have a harder time attracting customers than large banks as they are not as convenient, with fewer branches and ATMs.

As a result, he said, they often use loans with lower rates to bring in customers in then make up for the lost profit potential in other ways, such as the new customer’s credit card and banking business.

“The holy grail is that the consumer is looking for a mortgage but also has financial assets [that they can transfer] and may be a small business owner,” he says.

The proof is in the numbers. Based on a recent search, here's two comparisons.

Take for instance, someone with a good credit score (at least 700), who is looking for a 30-year fixed rate jumbo mortgage in the New York metro area for a $1 million loan with 20% down. According to Bankrate.com, which scans interest rates, the best annual percentage rate (APR)—which is the interest rate including mortgage insurance and certain closing costs, with points paid at closing—is 5.365 percent, and is offered by Astoria Federal Savings and Loan. The next lowest APR is 5.827 percent, and is offered by Sovereign Bank. Meanwhile, Bank of America, which also turns up in this search offers three different options, with the lowest being 6.064 percent.

Looking at another region shows a similar pattern. If a borrower were to look for that mortgage option for a house in the Chicago suburbs, the best APR of 5.878 percent available is from First Savings Bank of Hegewisch. Meanwhile, the best APR offered by Bank of America is 6.203 percent.

Keep in mind, though, when you hear about low interest rates, it is essential to compare deals on an apples-to-apples basis, as the advertised interest rate is only one part of the puzzle. There are a number of fees included in mortgage loans that could have a significant impact on your total costs including closing costs, pay down points, document preparation fees, underwriting costs and more.

Amy Bohutinsky agrees. “Smaller banks can be motivated to undercut bigger banks because they have more flexibility to do that,” however, that is not always the case.

She and other experts agree that the real key to getting the best possible rate is to shop around—which unfortunately many people are not doing to the extent that they should.

When people find a home that they want to buy “the mortgage comes as an after thought [and] that is a critical mistake. The difference in the terms of a loan can make an enormous difference in the amount you pay on that loan,” she says.

According to a survey, on average Americans who have purchased or refinanced a home loan in the past years typically spent less time researching a home loan (five hours) than they spent researching the purchase of a car (eight hours) or researching major home improvements such as kitchen remodels (ten hours).

“One of the things that always gets me is that people will spend weeks or months pondering the purchase of a digital camera,” says LendingTree’s Beck, but when they go to get a mortgage they often just go with whatever bank with which they do their checking.

“Most of the time, banks and lenders are going to have some wiggle room,” Beck said, adding “if not on the rate then in closing costs and points."

The countdown to the 2009-10 basketball season is underway, and Missouri State fans will have their first opportunity to meet the Bears and Lady Bears on Saturday, October 24 at JQH Arena for the annual Basketball Sneak Preview, presented by Ashley Furniture Homestores.

Doors to JQH Arena will open at 5:30 p.m. for a night of basketball activities, games and entertainment.

At 7 p.m., both teams will be introduced, the players will participate in skills competitions, and Lady Bears' head coach Nyla Milleson will address the crowd before her team hits the floor for a five-minute warm-up and 10-minute scrimmage.  Afterwards, Bears' head coach Cuonzo Martin will have his turn on the microphone before his team warms up and participates in a similar 10-minute scrimmage.

The evening will conclude with autograph stations, presented by AT&T Real Yellow Pages, in the JQH concourse along with free team photos, posters, and schedule cards.

Both teams will conduct their first official practice of the season on Friday, October 16 in separate closed sessions. The first exhibition games are November 1 for the Lady Bears against Missouri Western and November 2 for the Bears against Missouri-St. Louis.

Season ticket information, including the family plan package, is available now by calling (417) 836-7678. Current season ticket holders may pick up their 2009-10 tickets in the PRIME Overtime Club at JQH Arena on Sneak Preview Night.

Basketball Sneak Preview Order of Events

5:30 p.m. - JQH Arena Doors Open

7:00 p.m. - Lights Out & Spotlights On

Home Warranties have proven to be a great negotiating tool for both buyers and sellers.  We encourage all home sellers to include them with their homes that we list for sale in Springfield, Ozark, Nixa and the surrounding area. 

Most home warranties can be initiated at the time of listing the home and therefore provides coverage to the seller during the time it is on the market.  It is amazing how many things can go wrong when you decide to sell your home.  Invariably, a toilet will leak, the dishwasher or microwave will break or the air conditioning or heat will stop working.  For a modest co-payment, typically $50, the home warranty company will send out a technician to fix the problem.  In those cases where things are broken beyond repair, they may even replace the item. 

Now, we all know home warranty companies are insurance companies and they like to fight claims.  As the listing agent that uses home warranties all the time, this gives you leverage to work on your sales agent to get the job done.  It is amazing how well this works!

In addition to the above, home warranties really do work as great negotiating tools.  For example, when items are brought up on a home inspection, and there is a transferable warranty in place, the seller can often times negotiate fewer repairs.  

I have seen time and time again where home warranties really help.  I put them on all of my listings and I pay for it.  This is a great listing tool as well as a win win for buyers and sellers throughout the transaction.