Totally Updated!!! This one story home offers 3 spacious bedrooms and high ceilings. Huge family room with gaslog fireplace and recessed lighting. Kitchen with granite counters, oversized undermount sink and tile backsplash. Master suite with sitting area. Master bath with double sinks and his and her closets. No backyard neighbors. Enjoy your morning cup of coffee outside on the arbor! Hurry this home won't last long!!!

Stunning 2 story entry with marble foyer, neutral colors, high ceilings and crown molding.  Hardwoods in kitchen and breakfast. Island Kitchen with lots of cabinets and double oven. Oversized bedrooms, plantation shutters. Very nice and private backyard with sprinkler system.

Gated golf course community! Beautiful 1 story home with elegant tiled entry and rotunda. Front windows with plantation shutters. This lovely home has an open island kitchen, gas range, tile backsplash, walk in closets, 2'' blinds and french doors leading to a study. It also has an ENORMOUS backyard with sprinkler system with room for a pool. Not many like this one so hurry.

Open concept single story with three bedrooms, two baths and study. Huge family room with fireplace. Upgrades include tile,granite counter tops, 42'' cabinets,carpet and pad plus all appliances including washer and dryer. The home will have 2' blinds throughout and a Mahogany with glass front door.

Read more: http://rismedia.com/2010-01-06/the-expanded-home-buyer-tax-credit-could-chase-away-the-winter-blues/#ixzz0ciHncFIP

Two story Brighton home nestled on a HUGE cul-de-sac lot!  This home offers an extended driveway w/gate  for extra parking.  5 spacious beds w/ large walk-in closets. Master on 1st flr w/ hardwood flrs. Luxurious master bath w/ double sinks, whirlpool tub, & sep. shower. Open family rm w/ gas fireplace. Formal dining w/ crown & chair railing. Island kit. w/ tile backsplash, recessed lighting, & a roomy walk-in pantry. Breakfast rm looks out into the large backyard w/ orange & lemon trees.  Hurry & make this home yours today!

Just in time for our New Year's celebrations (click here if you still don't know where to bring in 2010), research out of the University of Reading in the United Kingdom suggests that two glasses of champagne per day could improve your heart and your circulation.

Like red wine, tea, blueberries, olive oil and other so-called "super foods," champagne (and other sparkling wines like cava and prosecco) contains polyphenols, which appear to slow down the natural removal of nitric oxide, a vascular active molecule which controls blood pressure. Got that? Basically, the polyphenols lead to higher nitric oxide levels in blood, which can increase blood flow and decrease blood pressure and the likelihood of blood clots forming, reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

This discovery builds on the medical recommendation that two glasses of red wine are beneficial to the heart and circulatory system, though white wine has not been shown to offer similar benefits.

Like you needed a reason to break into the bubbly.

This three bedroom, two bath home includes a covered front porch & a covered back patio. It features tile in the kitchen, breakfast area, utility room as well as the hallway, entry & both baths. Granite counter tops, 42 inch cabinets, gas range, plus microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator, & washer & dryer are all included. A mahogany & glass front door, 2 inch blinds through out the home, garage door opener, ceiling fans in family & master bed room & premium light fixtures highlight this home.

Unique 1 story home offers 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, a formal dining & a study with French doors. Master suite offers a sitting room surrounded by windows. The large kitchen with 42 inch cabinets with under cabinet lighting, an island & a built in desk with granite counters. Huge family rm with a fireplace & leads to a covered back patio. Tile in entry, gallery, & all wet areas. Ceiling fan in the family room, study, & all bedrooms. This home is full brick on all four sides & is located on an over size corner home site.

1. Free Money. The $6500 Step up Buyer and $8,000 tax credit for first time home buyers is valid before April 30th 2010. This is a special tax credit from the government that you don't have to pay back, as long as you stay in the home for at least 36 months.

2. Affordability. Based on recent property declines and current interest rates, home affordability has not been higher since it was first tracked over 40 years ago. Your grandparents couldn't have received a better interest rate than you can today.

3. Tax Breaks. The IRS allows you to deduct the interest you pay on your mortgage, your property taxes and, in many cases for those who qualify, some of the costs to buy your home and mortgage insurance. Owning a home is a great way to lower your tax bill.

4. Build Wealth. Unlike paying rent, with each mortgage payment you make, you build equity and you decrease your income tax liability. Owning a home is still the best long-term investment.

5. Appreciation. As home prices have fallen precipitously in today's tough economy, the basis for realizing appreciation in future years is very strong. Historically, even with other periods of declining value, home prices have exceeded consumer inflation. From 1972 through 2005, home prices increased on average 6.5%, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

6. Stability. Knowing you can establish roots and raise a family in one location, free of the desires or needs of your landlord to sell the property you are living in. This is something no other investment provides. You can't live in a stock, and you can't raise your kids in a bond.

7. Independence. Enjoy the freedom to do what you want to your home. After all, it's yours to do what you wish. And, with any improvements you make, you have the ability to benefit from your investment. Try that with an apartment!

Below is a summary of the new modifications in the extension and expansion of the tax credit:

1)  The $8,000 tax credit will be extended and available for first-time purchases before May 1, 2010.

2)  A new $6,500 tax credit will be available for repeat buyers who purchase between December 1, 2009, and May 1, 2010. To qualify for this provision, buyers must have used the home sold or being sold as a principal residence consecutively for 5 of the previous 8 years.

3)  Prospective purchasers with binding contracts in place as of April 30, 2010, will be allowed an additional 60 days to complete the transaction.

4)  Income limits are expanded to $125,000 on a single return and $225,000 on a joint return.

If you know anyone looking to buy their first home at a time when prices and interest rates are still down, or if you are thinking of buying another home and getting the new $6,500 credit please contact us today.

Open the door to Prestige & Elegance! Gracious foyer with tile floors & custom mosaic design. Formal dining room with french doors leads out to the slate porch with a stunning view of the lake! Gourmet island kitchen with custom features. Family room with soaring ceilings & a wall of windows offer a dramatic view of the tropical paradise backyard with custom pool, spa, slate patio & gorgeous palms. Pre-plumbed for outdoor kitchen. Master bath with HUGE 13x5 walk-in shower! Study, gameroom, media room, water softener, & so much more!!!

Beauty, Warmth, & Value! This two story home located on a cul-de-sac lot in Cinco Ranch has a lot to offer! Soaring ceilings, crown moulding, chair railing, tile floors & tons of storage space. Four spacious bedrooms with master downstairs. Open kitchen with lots of cabinets and counter space. Formal dining with warm hardwood floors. Study with lovely french doors. Gameroom upstairs is perfect for the kids. Master suite with beautiful mouldings. Master bath with his and her sinks, separate shower, & whirlpool tub. Hurry and make this home yours today!

Potentially dangerous floor mats cited for company's largest U.S. recall

WASHINGTON - Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it will recall 3.8 million vehicles in the United States, the company’s largest-ever U.S. recall, to address problems with a removable floor mat that could cause accelerators to get stuck and lead to a crash.

“A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop a vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death,” Miller said.

NHTSA said it had received reports of 102 incidents in which the accelerator may have become stuck on the Toyota vehicles involved. It was unclear how many led to crashes but the inquiry was prompted by a highspeed crash in August in California of a Lexus barreling out of control. As the vehicle hit speeds exceeding 120 mph, family members made a frantic 911 call and said the accelerator was stuck and they couldn’t stop the vehicle.

“This is an urgent matter,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement. “For everyone’s sake, we strongly urge owners of these vehicles to remove mats or other obstacles that could lead to unintended acceleration.”

The recall will affect 2007-2010 model year Toyota Camry, 2005-2010 Toyota Avalon, 2004-2009 Toyota Prius, 2005-2010 Tacoma, 2007-2010 Toyota Tundra, 2007-2010 Lexus ES350 and 2006-2010 Lexus IS250 and IS350.

Toyota’s previously largest U.S. recall was about 900,000 vehicles in 2005 to fix a steering issue. The company declined to say how many complaints it had received about the accelerator issue.

The Japanese automaker warned owners that if they think their vehicle is accelerating out of control, they should check to see whether their floor mat is under the pedal. If a driver can’t remove the floor mat, Toyota advises drivers to step on the brake pedal with both feet until the vehicle slows and then try to put it into neutral and switch the ignition to accessory power.

For vehicles with engine start/stop buttons, Toyota said the engine can be shut off by holding the button down for three seconds.

In the August incident near San Diego, the fiery crash of a 2009 Lexus ES 350 killed California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Saylor, 45, and three others on State Route 125 in Santee. The runaway car was traveling at more than 120 mph when it hit a sport utility vehicle, launched off an embankment, rolled several times and burst into flames. One of the family members called police about a minute before the crash to report the vehicle had no brakes and the accelerator was stuck. The call ended with someone telling people in the car to hold on and pray, followed by a woman’s scream.

NHTSA investigators determined that a rubber all-weather floor mat found in the wreckage was slightly longer than the mat that belonged in the vehicle, something that could have snared or covered the accelerator pedal.

Toyota spokesman John Hanson said the final report had not yet been submitted in the California case.

“We don’t know what the actual cause was of that accident other than preliminary reports that have been published so it’s impossible for us to comment on that particular incident,” Hanson said.

In mid-September, Toyota ordered 1,400 Toyota and Lexus dealers nationwide to ensure that each new, used and loaner vehicles had the proper floor mats and that the mats were properly secured.

In September 2007, Toyota recalled an accessory all-weather floor mat sold for use in some 2007 and 2008 model year Lexus ES 350 and Toyota Camry vehicles because of similar problems.

For more information, consumers can contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s hotline at (888) 327-4236, Toyota at (800) 331-4331 or Lexus at (800) 255-3987.

The recall will involve popular models such as the Toyota Camry, the top-selling passenger car in America, and the Toyota Prius, the best-selling gas-electric hybrid.

Toyota said it was still working with officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to find a remedy to fix the problem and said owners could be notified about the recall as early as next week. Toyota spokesman Irv Miller said until the company finds a fix, owners should take out the removable floor mat on the driver’s side and not replace it.

Touched by Tradition! This home is located on a huge quiet cul-de-sac lot in Royal Oaks! With four spacious bedrms, both formals, & an intercom sys. Kit. w/ recent gas cook top, double oven, dishwasher, & garbage disposal. Enjoy getting cozy in front of the fireplace on those cold winter days in the family rm. Master suite w/ master bath offers a vanity, tub w/ shower & lots of storage space. Recent washer/dryer. The backyard is HUGE w/ mature trees & would be perfect for that dream pool!