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Tierra Grande

January 2009

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January 2009

In This Issue

Commercial Outlook

Title Industry

Conservation Easements

Determining Home Values

Land Markets

Residential Outlook

Energy-Efficient Mortgages

No-Interest Loans for First-Time Buyers

Selling in Mexico

Condemnation and the Trans-Texas Corridor

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Features

The H Factors
< 1 minute read
Jan 19 2009

The H Factors

Center research findings indicate that household income and age of the housing stock are the most important factors in determining Texas home prices.
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Taking Title: Industry Offers Peace of Mind
< 1 minute read
Jan 19 2009

Taking Title: Industry Offers Peace of Mind

The title industry assures property buyers that their ownership interests are protected. The industry has grown as Texas' economy has thrived. But as evidenced by losses paid, it remains a...
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Psst! Heard About EEMs?
< 1 minute read
Jan 19 2009

Psst! Heard About EEMs?

FHA's Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) Program allows the costs of purchasing and installing energy-efficient features to be incorporated into FHA-insured new home loans or refinancing loans.
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Land Whoa! Hot Markets Cool
Land Markets
< 1 minute read
Jan 19 2009

Land Whoa! Hot Markets Cool

The general decline in economic activity in the aftermath of the financial meltdown threatens Texas land markets. Market observers predict sales volume will diminish, and prices will stagnate in the...
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Beginner’s Luck: Interest-Free Government Loans for First-Time Homebuyers
< 1 minute read
Jan 19 2009

Beginner’s Luck: Interest-Free Government Loans for First-Time Homebuyers

First-time homebuyers may benefit from a $7,500 interest-free government loan for homes purchased and occupied after April 8, 2008, and before July 1, 2009. The loan is repaid over 15...
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Conservation Easements Revisited
Land Markets
< 1 minute read
Jan 19 2009

Conservation Easements Revisited

Texas landowners have historically been skeptical of conservation easement tax benefits, but the Pension Protection Act of 2006 and the farm bill passed in 2008 significantly improved those benefits. Landowners...
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Realtors Without Borders
< 1 minute read
Jan 19 2009

Realtors Without Borders

Selling Mexican real estate to Texans or Texas real estate to Mexicans is easier now than it was. Partnering with cross-border counterparts is essential to success.
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Condemnation and Compensation: Landowners’ Rights and the Trans-Texas Corridor
< 1 minute read
Jan 19 2009

Condemnation and Compensation: Landowners’ Rights and the Trans-Texas Corridor

Property owners who face condemnation of their land for toll roads or other parts of the now-defunct Trans-Texas Corridor should protect their interests by learning landowner rights and knowing the...
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Lost in Space: Fewer Workers, Higher Commercial Vacancies
< 1 minute read
Jan 19 2009

Lost in Space: Fewer Workers, Higher Commercial Vacancies

Release of pent-up demand from businesses that have been postponing decisions since January 2007 could result in a pleasant surprise in summer 2009.
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’09 Outlook: Nothing Certain but Uncertainty
< 1 minute read
Jan 19 2009

’09 Outlook: Nothing Certain but Uncertainty

This year (2009) will not be as good as the past few for Texas housing markets thanks to the global economic recession and capital market collapse. Home sales will continue...
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