November - December 2009

Hello!

Hope all is well as we enter this holiday season! Still enjoying the great weather. We have been very busy this past month. Sparked by the rush of first time homebuyers. The number of new sales has picked up! That is good news. The bad news is that the US Treasury announced that there will be “a new wave of foreclosures”. The upside is that more people can afford to buy homes.

We will not being going anywhere during the holidays. Just working and staying at home. Whatever you are planning, I wish you a fun and safe holiday season!

Social Security Q and A (from Jim Pavetich)

Q: I lost my Social Security card and am afraid someone else could be using my number. Should I report it to Social Security?
A: If you think someone is using your number to work, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. But reporting a lost or stolen card to Social Security will not prevent its misuse, so if you think someone is using your number, other action should be taken: 1. Contact the Federal Trade Commission online at www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft or call 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338). 2. File an online complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. 3. Contact the IRS Identity Theft Hotline by calling 1-800-908-4490 Monday-Friday, 8 am to 8 pm. 4. Monitor your credit report.

Q: In retirement, do I have to pay income tax on my Social Security benefits? A: You will have to pay federal taxes on your benefits if you file an individual federal tax return and your total income is more than $25,000. If you file a joint return, you will have to pay taxes if you and your spouse have a total income that is more than $32,000. Contact the IRS at 1-800-829-3676 and ask for Publication 915, Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits or get it online at www.irs.gov/publications/p915/index.html.

Tucson and Vicinity Re-Sale Statistics

News, Notes, Upcoming Events…

• University of Arizona Icecats faceoff on November 6th, 2009 and wrap up the season February 27, 2010.
• The Grant Rd./Craycroft project was supposed to be done sometime in December and is now projected to be sometime in January 2010. Although they hope to operate 2 lanes in each direction from November 21, 2009 to December 4, 2009. 3 lanes after that.
• November 17, 2009: Peter, Bjorn and John at the Rialto
• January 22-24, 2010: Tucson Golf Expo at the TCC.

Did You Know…

• Researchers say babies who are deprived of oxygen at birth have a much lower risk of brain damage if they are given a cooling treatment that induces mild hypothermia.
• Boxing became a legal sport in 1901.
• Bolivia holds the highest turnover of governments. Since their independence from Spain in 1825, Bolivia has had almost 200 governments. Since 1945, Italy seen more than 50 governments and more than 20 Prime Ministers.
• As we get closer to the Winter Olympics; the 1st Winter Olympics were in 1924 at Chamonix, France.

3343 N. Diamond Butte Way $239,900 Great location. Gated community and backs up to a greenbelt area...	6920 N. Mercer Spring Place $780,000 Carefully situated on high foothills lot; located in a gated community.….

If you are looking for a roofer, check your 2009 Service Directory.
If you don't have one, please call me!
(This Newsletter is for information only and is not an attempt to solicit other Broker's listings.)