Though I wish I had time enough to post highly entertaining and educating blog posts on River Banks to Corn Fields on a dialy basis, I find there are plenty of other good bloggers with posts that I think Dubuque real estate interested readers will find value in.  Though not sure this will be a regular feature of this blog, here’s a summary of some of the best blog posts I found in the last few days.

————————————————————-

First up is a mortgage financing column by Terry Savage, nationally known author and expert on personal finance as well as a regular television commentator on CNN, CNBC, PBS, and NBC on issues related to investing and financial markets.

Mortgage Rates At 5 Percent or Lower, But Be Careful Refinancing

In the midst of all the bad news about mortgages and home foreclosures, there is really some very good news for qualified borrowers. If you’re purchasing a new home, or if you’ve decided to refinance, you can now lock in some enticing low rates, thanks to the Federal Reserve’s determination to bring mortgage rates down and get the economy growing.

According to Bankrate.com, the national average for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage has fallen to 5.06 percent.

Read Full Article Here…

————————————————————-

Next up is Tim Parker from Elementary Finance in an article that describes the great combination of the $8,000 credit for first-time homebuyers and the “cheap property market”.  While I wouldn’t characterize the Dubuque market as being cheap, at least in pricing terms compared to recent years, our lower than national average housing prices do certainly apply.

First Time Home Buyer Credit, Cheap Property Market: Time To Buy A House!

Here’s a tip for first time home buyers entering this property market: when you consider the advantages of an $8,000 tax credit and a cheap real estate market, 2009 looks like a great time to buy a house!

We had a lot of wind yesterday. I looked outside this morning and found a yard full of sticks from the trees, leaves from my neighbor, and I’m noticing that it’s about time to paint the exterior of our home, one of my least favorite jobs. Owning a home can take a lot of time and expense but for many, its drawbacks are far more complicated than sticks, leaves, and paint. It’s economic.

Since the beginning of the recession in late 2007, credit has become more difficult to find and because of that, prospective buyers are finding it much harder to save up for a home.

 Read Full Article Here…

————————————————————-

Last up is part of a Home Seller Series by Charles Woodall of Century 21 Key City in Dothan, Alabama.  Here he talks about three basic types of home buyers that you will likely encounter as a seller and how to strategize for each one.

Home Sellers Series – 3 types of home buyers you need to know about

While I’m not inclined to put people, in this case home buyers, into definite, immovable categories, it is important in our business to look at these things and try to help our seller clients determine how to use the information to their advantage. Sellers need to not only know how we attract buyers (marketing plan), but also what appeals to different types of buyers. I saw a presentation this past week that put all home buyers into one of these three categories, so I thought I would talk a little about each of them.

Read Full Article Here…

The Iowa Workforce Development office in Dubuque is sponsoring athe Dubuque Apprenticeship Job Fair on Wednesday, February 18th at at 680 Main St. 2nd floor, from 10-2 p.m (Veterans only from 10-Noon).  Refreshments will be served.

Representatives from the following building trades will attend: area Armed Forces recruiters, carpenters cement masons, electricians, HVAC, insulators, millwrights, pipe fitters, plumbers and sheet metal. Additional trades may be added to the list until the day of the event.

Complete Details Here (IWD Press Release)

Since I was toying around on MSNBC’s site, I also found this completely unrelated video about how getting enough sleep will help you lose weight. I, like a lot of folks, could stand to take off a few, and if getting more sleep is the key, cound me in!  I’ll be sleepy-sleep time by 8:30 tonight!

After finding the Encyclopedia Dubuque this morning ( kudos to the Dubuquer for link), I was following link after link in several other Dubuque area blogs.  I found an interesting volunteer program, known as DuRide “that provides a safe and personalized transportation option for seniors who are unable or do not want to drive any longer”.  It is available throughout Dubuque, Asbury and East Dubuque. 

DuRide is a non-profit organization and is administered locally.  Seniors, according to DuRide’s website, can use the service  for these and other trips:

• Appointments and errands
• Grocery store and meals out
• Church services
• Visiting friends and relatives
• Taking a class
• Recreational activities – movies, concerts, plays, casino, exercise

There is a fee schedule for trips ($3 for zero to five miles, $4 for five to eight miles, and $5 for eight to eleven miles) plus an annual administrative cost of $40.  Use the service just a few times a year and you could easily beat the cost of a taxi over that same time period.

DuRide is looking for volunteer drivers.  There will be a pair of informational meetings with orientation on February 11th at the Dubuque Red Cross (2400 Asbury Road).  Session One is at 3:30 and Session Two is at 5:30. 

Give it a shot, help our Dubuque community seniors get around town to enjoy the same great things we all take for granted.

Encyclopedia Dubuque is one of those Internet gems you happen to stumble upon now and then.  I don’t know how I’d not found this prior to today, but here’s a really cool site which I’ll be adding to my blog roll on the sidebar to the right of this web page.  It an wiki-style online encyclopedia specific to the Dubuque area. 

 Encyclopedia Dubuque

 It’s not all that extra fancy, but it’s a great quick resouce for Dubuque information. If you wanted to look up information about Union Park, The William M. Black, Dubuque Greyhound Park, or any of hundreds of Dubuque-specific entries, they’re in there.

A quick blog find for you about the trade-offs between traditional and tankless water heating systems.  While tankless systems are generally considered more energy efficient, they don’t make sense for everybody in all cases. 

Read Sam’s Blog Traditional vs. Tankless post HERE   

Personally, with eight kids in our home, five of which are teens and pre-teens, we’re looking very hard are someday installing a tankless system.  The regular 40 gallon tank system we have has a hard time keeping up with demand.  But, I can’t justify having a 50, 60, or 70 gallon tank sitting around filled with hot water all day and night (at a significantly higher energy cost) to keep up with the kids and their 20 minute showers.

Super-Dee-Duper video short about best practice tips on selling your home.  I don’t find a single bit of advice here that I don’t already subscribe to and recommend to my sellers.

h/t Lani Rosales of Agent Genius.