What is an Earth Craft Home?

An EarthCraft Home is the idea that a healthy, comfortable home can be built that reduces utility bills, while protecting the environment. The idea is to minimize environmental impacts, and to follow a systematic approach to homebuilding that utilizes the importance of understanding how the different components of a home work together. This means that the home performs better, is more economical for the homeowner, but it costs a little more than your normal construction costs. This can be achieved by using certain qualifying materials, addressing energy efficiency, indoor air quality, waste management, resource efficiency, durability, and water conversation. While EarthCraft Homes may be a little more expensive up front, the idea is that it should save you money over the long run with reduced utilities, maintenance, and repairs. If you have any questions on EarthCraft Homes, or are looking for EarthCraft Homes for sale in Charleston, please let us know and we can tailor a search, specific to your needs using our Charleston MLS search.

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Boeing Lands in Charleston!

Boeing announced that Charleston will be the final location for the 787 aircraft assembly plant, more specifically, North Charleston. This is great news for our local economy here in Charleston, as 3800 jobs are expected to be filled over the next seven years, and Boeing is to invest more than $750 million. This will also spur growth in real estate for the area, as many employees and future employees will be relocating here. The Boeing Co. will build the new line at its Charleston International Airport property instead of the other proposed location in Everett, Washington. This is big, as the unemployment rate is almost at an all-time high, and the local area will benefit from this massive company. We've already been speaking with Boeing employees awaiting the potential move, and now the news is final. If you are a Boeing employee, or have friends that are- we would be grateful to help them.

Senate Approves Homebuyer Tax Credit Extension

The Senate today voted unanimously Wednesday night to extend the $8,000 tax credit for home buyers beyond its scheduled November 30, 2009 expiration date. The credit would be available for contracts signed by April 30, 2010 and must close by June 30, 2010. Under the new legislation the credit will also now apply to home buyers who are buying their second or subsequent home. The credit currently applies only to first time home buyer.The Senate vote was 98 to 0.Under a compromise reached late last week, the tax credit for veteran homeowners will apply only to those who have lived in their current residence for at least five years. The credit for these buyers will be capped at $6,500 while first time buyers will continue to receive $8,000.Income levels will be extended from the current limits of $75,000 for a single purchaser and $150,000 for couples to $125,000 and $225,000 respectively. Above those limits there are diminishing credits available.The bill was passed as an amendment to legislation extending unemployment benefits. The House is expected to vote on the bill before the end of the week.Housing interests, especially the National Association of Home Builders and the National Association of Realtors, has pushed strongly for the extension and the Obama administration has also lobbied heavily for its passage. However, not everyone was in favor of it.Some critics have charged that the tax credit has merely moved sales that would have occurred sooner or later to an earlier date and that, when the credit finally does go away, the market will experience another severe downturn. A diametrically opposed opinion would have it that, while 1.4 million claims have been made, few sales were actually inspired by the credit. Others have argued that the current interest rates and low housing prices are enough of an incentive without spending tax money. The extension is expected to cost an estimated $11 billion on top of the $10 billion that has been spent to date.There have also been charges of fraud in the operation of the program. To combat this the new law has some expanded safeguards including a minimum age of 18 for obtaining the credit, a requirement that a settlement statement accompany the tax return claiming the credit and a prohibition on non-arms length transactions.Another criticism of the extension has been that it ends just as the "spring market" is getting underway. Diane Olick writing for CNBC's RealtyCheck said it "is sort of like offering cheap snow boots in July." ---- This article taken from MortgageNewsDaily.