Hello all,

Just wanted to add some information about HUGGS:

On February 20, KWTX was at the Gold Star Center to tape the presentation of the Dallas Foundation donation of $118,820 as well as a $2,500 donation and an art project from McLane Advanced Technologies. This is a link to the website for that:
http://www.kwtx.com/10cares/bigheadlines/13843312.html

Also an article appeared in the Killeen Daily Herald on February 21 regarding the presentation. Below is the link to the newspaper article.
http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?s=23208&q=Gold+Star+Center  

Thanks,
Jean

I am just about to get on a plane to head for Florida. I am attending a Coldwell Banker Conference and cannot wait to hear the new ideas and strategies from the nation's best REALTORS®.

Before I leave, I wanted y'all to know about an upcoming event for an important local organization.

HELPING UNITE GOLD STAR SURVIVORS OBTAINS SUPPORT
Communities and individuals honors America’s fallen heroes families

HUGSS is a non-profit charitable organization nationally headquartered at Fort Hood, TX and the members will be holding a press conference Wednesday, Feb. 20th @10:00 A.M. with four major announcements.

Hello again,

I received this update from Cyd West, Sr. VP with 1st Community Mortgage yesterday and I wanted to share this Market Update Report with all of you!!

"The bond market is taking a real hit today and is down almost 109 bps. This has resulted in several price changes through the day and ultimately higher rates. We are currently quoting VA/FHA at 6.125% with no points or origination and conventional at 6.375% with no points or origination. Tex Vet is still holding at 5.54% with 1 point, but if the week continues as it has started look for a higher rate on Friday when the land board reprices for next week. I’m afraid we are in for a wild ride this week!"

Just keeping you informed,
Jean

Be sure to check out our new listings on Loblolly from Salado Premier Homes.

We now have the schedule for the SAMI shows!! For all your needs in arts & crafts this is the spot. This show features vendors form all over and is a great place to get gift and home décor ideas.

The SAMI Show will be held at the Bell County Expo Center on these dates:

Mar. 8 – Mar. 9
Apr. 26 – Apr. 27
Jun. 21 – Jun. 22
Sep. 13 – Sep. 14
Oct. 11 – Oct. 12
Nov. 8 – Nov. 9
Nov. 28 – Nov. 30
Dec. 6 – Dec. 7

Thanks,
Jean

Take a look at our fantastic listings and make sure to check out the Visual Tour. Make sure and check back often as we update this with news and events from the community as well as changes in the real estate marketplace.

The Fort Worth Symphony is having a one night performance in Killeen! The performance will be held at the Killeen High School Auditorium on Wednesday, February 27th and begins at 7:30 pm. This will be a great opportunity to hear these wonderful musicians.

Tickets are on sale now and will also be available at the door.

Adults $5
Students $3
Seniors Free
Family Pass available at the door.

Location: Killeen High School
500 N 38th Street
Killeen, TX 76543

For more information, call (254) 501-0000.  

Thanks,
Jean

Make sure and check back often as we update this with news and events from the community as well as changes in the real estate marketplace.

In a study recently published by Countrywide, the Killeen-Temple-Ft. Hood area rank as one of the lowest risk areas in the United States to purchase a home. The study compared the major markets across the United States according to a “Soft Market Index” that ranked each area on a scale from 5 to 1. A score of 5 means that the area is “high risk,” whereas, a ranking of 1 means the area is “low risk.” The Killeen-Temple-Ft. Hood area received a score of 1. Echoing the recent news articles, the study shows that the Texas real estate market is still strong and not suffering from many of the ails that are plaguing much of the rest of the country.

Whether you're looking for an investment property or a place to live, here's a look at the cities you should seek out and avoid in 2008.
By Danielle Babb | January 23, 2008
For Entrepreneur.com

URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/money/personalfinance/article189454.html

The housing crunch and the excessive inventory--exceeding 10 months on resale homes--continues to take its toll on housing prices. But over the long term, housing is still a good investment. In fact, it's more than an investment; it's a home. Plus, you're not really saving anything by renting, as the costs of renting and owning are about equal (well, owning may be a little more). The tax benefits of home ownership far outweigh renting, too. With good housing prices in many great areas, this may indeed be the time to buy.

So now that I've convinced you this is a good time to buy a home, the next question is, Where do you buy one? No matter where you look, you should check out some basic economic fundamentals before buying. Is job growth stable in the area? Is income keeping up with inflation? Is crime above the national average? Is there a higher-than-average rate of foreclosures? These issues and others play a factor when deciding where to buy a house.

As a real estate investor and analyst, it's my job to provide buyers with qualified information on where to buy--and where to stay away from. Here are my thoughts for 2008 based on the indicators noted above.

The Top Places to Buy

Whether you're an investor like me or you're looking to purchase that next move up, here are my picks for the best areas to buy a home:

• Killeen, Round Rock, Austin, Texas: Killeen has the lowest average home price in any market in the nation while still maintaining quality. Round Rock and Austin have seen incredible job growth and very stable home prices despite the downturn nationwide. Jobs continue to grow here--a factor for keeping inventory low and prices stable.
• Mission Viejo, California: Mission Viejo has the lowest crime statistics in the nation. With no murders in 2007 and a low rate of violent crime, this is a good place to raise a family. Prices are relatively stable, and the job market in the nearby cities of Irvine and San Diego means there is consistent demand from job seekers.
• Palm Beach, Florida: I'm taking a risk here because this area has been pummeled by foreclosures in 2007. But there are also a lot of boomers retiring, and Palm Beach is looking mighty attractive. If you don't like this high of a risk (which translates to great prices), check out Tampa or Clearwater in the same state.
• Las Vegas, Nevada: Yes, Las Vegas has been hit hard by incoming investors, who watched their home values disappear and then left those homes empty. Las Vegas comes in quite high on the national foreclosure list, almost always within the top three metro areas. But there's an upside--a very strong job market. In 2007, Las Vegas experienced a 12 percent increase in population, partly driven by retirees looking for Sunbelt states to move to. Coupled with low prices, we could see inventories reduced here, which would also stabilize prices. Be careful what you buy, but I like it.

Places to Avoid

And now for the places you definitely want avoid:

• Detroit, Michigan: The job market is in chaos. People are getting laid off left and right. National statistics seem to point to a significant problem with job loss and job income not keeping up with inflation. As a result, many nice neighborhoods are now abandoned due to people leaving their homes. Inventories exceed one year (under six months is what we want to see), and the foreclosure problem hit Detroit hard. With fewer jobs to support home purchases, I don't see Detroit turning around anytime soon.
• Miami, Florida: Palm Beach is different than Miami, which sits in its gorgeous aqua water with half-built and abandoned condos, a shrinking job market, a tough time getting insurance against hurricanes and a job problem. Yes, you can get a good deal, but do this only if you don't need the appreciation from the home in the next decade.
• Riverside/San Bernardino, California: Even those lucky homeowners that bought before the boom are feeling it now. Riverside and San Bernardino counties in Southern California consistently lead California in foreclosures and rank in the top three metro areas nationally. The prices have plummeted, and jobs in the area are scarce. People moved there due to lack of affordability in Orange and Los Angeles counties (where their jobs were), so it's a commuter's area. Now that prices in the two counties have dropped, people can live close to their jobs. Although I grew up in Riverside County, I could never recommend it to anyone looking to buy a home.

Danielle Babb is an experienced real estate investor and specialist on the use of technology and real estate. She is also the co-author, with mortgage broker and realtor Bill Nazur, of Finding Foreclosures: An Insider's Guide to Cashing In on This Hidden Market, available from Entrepreneur Press.