Forever Families: Ryan hopes for a home for the holidays - YNN ...

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2012 sales of new homes, change from 2011:
??January: 496, up 49 percent
??February: 497, up 26 percent
??March: 693, up 35 percent
??April: 631, up 43 percent
??May: 739, up 57 percent
??June: 845, up 39 percent
??July: 722, up 58 percent
??August: 945, up 55 percent
??September: 810, up 15 percent
??October: 1,021, up 85 percent
Source: ASU W.P. Carey School of Business
GILBERT ? Kori Rockwell said it was exciting to see her dream home being built from the ground up.
She, her husband and three daughters have been in love with every aspect of the four-bedroom house since they moved into a KB Home development last month, Rockwell said.
?We wanted a house that hasn?t been lived in, we wanted a house that didn?t have somebody else?s problems associated with it,? Rockwell said. ?It was exactly what we wanted, and there wasn?t anything in it that we didn?t like.?
Rockwell is just one of many Valley residents who have been snapping up newly constructed homes this year.
According to a report by Arizona State University?s W.P. Carey School of Business, 1,021 new single-family homes were sold in the Phoenix area during October, an 85 percent increase from the same month last year.
For the year, 7,399 new single-family homes have been sold, up 37 percent from the same period in 2011.
?It?s certainly hotter than it was,? said Mike Orr, author of the ASU report and director of the W.P. Carey School?s Center for Real Estate Theory and Practice. ?It?s not returned back to normal yet, but it?s increasingly getting there.?
New home sales held 12 percent of residential property market share this October, up from 7 percent in 2011, the report said.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 10,357 single-family building permits had been issued in Maricopa and Pinal counties this year through October. For all of 2011, the number was 7,297.
Orr said the strong growth will not lead to another real estate bubble.
?A bubble occurs when people forget that bubbles are possible,? he said. ?Right now everybody is very very aware that we went through a bubble, so the chances of another bubble in the next 10 years is almost zero.?
Jim Belfiore, president of Belfiore Real Estate Consulting, a Phoenix-based residential property research company, said the new home segment started to recover 18 months ago and the resurgence will continue into next year.
?In the spring of 2013, you are going to see that the new housing market is better than it has been in the past six years,? Belfiore said. ?It is going to be an astounding spring.?
David Godlewski, president of the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association, said Tucson lags Phoenix in single-family home construction but will follow the Valley?s lead in coming years.
?We are starting to see some improvements,? Godlewski said. ?I?m optimistic that we will be able to sustain and see increases in 2013.?
Connie Wilhelm, president of the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona, said low interest rates are encouraging buyers to enter the market.
?It allows people to get into a home and afford mortgage easily,? Wilhelm said. ?It?s a great incentive.?
At the same time, a dwindling supply of foreclosures has pushed prices higher and left loan-burdened traditional buyers in a worse position to compete against cash-rich investors. She said this motivates traditional buyers to enter the new home segment.
The rebound is also spurring residential property investors to buy land in the Valley. Last month, two deals were sealed in Mesa.
In mid November, a New York City-based real estate investor, GTIS Partners, bought 563 acres in southeast Mesa near Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.
The investor plans to develop 400 residential lots for 3,500 single-family homes and 50 acres of commercial lots for hotels, shopping malls and offices.
?We invest across the country, but we are particularly excited about the Phoenix market,? said Teddy Karatz, vice president of GTIS Partners. ?It has all the makings: It?s a top-tier city and it?s highly affordable.?
Shortly after that deal, a Scottsdale-based home builder and community developer, AV Homes, and another New York City-based residential property investor, JEN Partners, announced a co-purchase of 527 acres of land adjacent to the parcels GTIS bought.
AV Homes plans to build 1,000 homes, and JEN Partners will develop 550 sites to sell to home builders.
?We are definitely coming out of the worst home-building cycle ever, and our job growth is coming back,? said Carl Mulac, vice president of AV Homes. ?A lot of things are pointing to the right direction right now for recovery.?
Nate Nathan, president of the land brokerage firm Nathan and Associates, said his company has done 131 transactions in the last five months in the Phoenix area, up from 80 in all of last year.
?It?s an absolute frenzy to buy finished lots or platted lots, the busiest my company?s ever been,? Nathan said.
Source: http://cronkitenewsonline.com/2012/12/report-surge-in-new-home-sales-signals-rebound-under-way/
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Last year, the environmentalist lobbying group, Greenpeace, issued its "The Silent Energy Revolution" study which crowed:
The bright future for renewable energy is already underway. This new analysis of the global power plant market shows that since the late 1990s, wind and solar installations grew faster than any other power plant technology across the world....
To get some idea of just how well renewable energy "revolution" is doing in the marketplace let's take a look at how cleantech stocks have been performing on average. Over at the Washington Times, climate catastrophe skeptic Steve Goreham, executive director of the Climate Science Coalition of America, asks, "So, how is your green energy stock doing?" His answer is not at all well. His conclusion is based on the 7-year trends identified by the Renixx Index of the 30 biggest renewable energy companies. Since Goreham doesn't want anyone reprinting his article, I've put a couple of illuminating stock trends charts below. The first one is the Renixx Index for the past five years - dropping 90 percent in value since 2009.
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LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) ? Ben McLemore is already accustomed to being on the finishing end of alley-oop dunks.
He was on the giving end on Saturday.
It happened midway through the second half, when the freshman guard looked toward the rim and then lofted a pass that Kevin Young snared in mid-air. The senior sparkplug for ninth-ranked Kansas proceeded to throw down a dunk over Colorado's Xavier Johnson that brought another capacity crowd in Allen Fieldhouse to its feet.
In a game full of highlights, that one might have defined the game.
McLemore finished with 24 points, Young added 16 points and eight rebounds, and the Jayhawks rolled to a 90-54 victory over the Buffaloes, sending their former Big 12 foe limping back to the Pac-12.
"He was talking to me ? he kept saying, 'I'm running and running,'" McLemore said. "We got on a break, and I tossed it up to him and he finished it, and the crowd got into it and we kept rolling."
Elijah Johnson hit three 3-pointers and finished with 11 points, and Travis Releford added 10 points and six assists for the Jayhawks (7-1), who used an 18-3 run fueled by feisty defense to bury the Buffaloes early.
Kansas pushed the advantage to more than 20 by halftime, surpassed the 30-point barrier with 17 minutes left and extended it to 40 with about 8 minutes to go before substituting liberally down the stretch.
"That was an old-fashioned (butt) whipping right there, is what that was," Colorado coach Tad Boyle said. "It's not like our guys wanted to roll over and die. Kansas just came out and took our heart."
Josh Scott finished with 19 points to lead the Buffaloes (7-2), who have lost two of three after rattling off six straight wins to start the year. Askia Booker added 15 points, and leading scorer Spencer Dinwiddie was held to four points on 1-for-4 shooting. Xavier Johnson missed all four of his field-goal attempts before fouling out.
"It all comes down to defense," Dinwiddie said. "It's not like they were hitting contested 3s, they were dunking on us and absolutely humiliating us. There really is nothing else to say."
Colorado has lost 19 straight to the Jayhawks, and 46 of 47, dating to the 1991 season. The longtime Big 12 member, which bolted for the Pac-12 last season, still hasn't won at Allen Fieldhouse since the 1982-83 season, a span of 29 games.
Kansas coach Bill Self is 18-0 against the Buffaloes, and has won 11 straight against the Pac-12.
"That's the first time we've played a game in our building where we didn't let our opponent get comfortable in the game from the outset," Self said. "That's what we're supposed to do every game."
The Jayhawks led 43-22 at halftime after turning Colorado over 12 times and coughing up a possession just twice in the first 20 minutes. The result was a lopsided 22-2 advantage in points-off-turnovers, and a big lead despite missing its final 10 3-point attempts of the half.
McLemore nearly outscored the Buffaloes by himself, pouring in 17 points.
The freshman guard, who sat out last season as a partial NCAA qualifier, did his best work slashing through the lane and getting to the foul line. But he also picked Colorado's pocket on a couple of occasions, once tipping the ball over a defender's head and tracking it down for an easy dunk and an 18-3 lead in the opening minutes.
"I give my teammates a lot of credit," McLemore said. "We just go out there and have fun."
The only stretch in which Kansas wasn't having fun came midway through the first half, when it missed seven straight field goals, and Colorado closed within 29-18. As if on cue, the Jayhawks scored the next nine points to force Boyle ? who played for Kansas in the 1980s ? to call a frantic timeout.
Dinwiddie, who had scored at least 20 in three straight games, played only 12 minutes in the first half. He picked up two fouls in the first 5 minutes, and at one point went to the locker room favoring his left ankle.
The Jayhawks put the game away with an 11-2 run to start the second half.
The spurt included a nifty feed from Young to Jeff Withey under the basket, and a block by Withey on Colorado's Andre Roberson that led to a run-out and a dunk by Releford. Young had a hand in several buckets early in the second half, and finished 8 of 9 from the field as the Jayhawks shot 55 percent for the game.
"When you're playing a team like Kansas in a building like this, your mistakes get magnified," Boyle said, "and they just put it to us."
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mclemore-leads-no-9-kansas-past-colorado-90-212053843--spt.html
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If you own a small business, you undoubtedly find yourself with not enough time in the day to get everything done. As a result, attention to detail must be focused on the most important tasks at hand in order for your business to run smoothly.
So, where does paying your employees (where applicable) sit on that list of required items at your company?
One way to keep employees happy and giving you their best effort is to make sure they are paid properly and on time. If their payments are miscalculated and/or late, their desire to put in a good day's work can seriously be impacted.
In order for the busy small business owner to meet this need, that sometimes means going outside their own office and hiring a payroll outsourcing firm, giving the business owner one less important responsibility to handle.
If you find yourself in this position, what are some things that should come into play when you discuss doing payroll in-house or outsourcing it?
Among the areas to focus in on include:
* Provider background - Just as you would spend the time to research any business you work with, extra attention should be given to any payroll providers you consider. Check to see their track record of working with other customers, if they have any history of complaints against them, and if they are financially stable. It is a good idea to get some referrals from other small business owners using such services that you are friendly with;
* Time saved on the job - If you got outside your company with payroll duties, you free up time for the individual or individuals (typically the HR department) who had previously handled this responsibility. When that is the case, that person or persons can then assist you with other duties. It also removes the pressure from such individuals for properly calculating pay, taxes to be withdrawn, and any benefit issues that can typically arise with payroll, including deductions towards health insurance and 401k plans;
* Taxes do matter - Especially in cases where you are outsourcing payroll, make sure you deal with a company that gets it when it comes to taxes. It is not at all uncommon for small businesses to get a letter in the mail from the IRS, specifically stating that they did not calculate their taxes correctly when doing payroll. When that happens, the company is subject to a potential financial penalty. You will also want them to handle preparing W-2s and 1099s at year's end. Finally, make sure the payroll provider is bonded, meaning your small business has protection from liability when finances are incorrectly reported;
* Employee security - If you turn to payroll outsourcing, make sure they can promise security for you, specifically involving employee data. Information such as how much the worker is being paid, their Social Security number, home address etc. need to remain confidential. If you are transmitting the information via fax machines or even a computer software program, it is important to confirm that the data will be properly protected;
* Up to date with benefits - You not only want a payroll provider who can properly and efficiently handle payroll and taxes, but one that is also up to speed with requirements regarding things like health benefits and 401k plans. Some or many of your employees may be eligible to participate in both, so it is important that the correct amount of money is deducted each pay period for such items;
* Terms of contract - Lastly, make sure you have in writing exactly how much it will cost for the payroll provider to handle your needs. Will you have a one-year contract with them or a longer-term one? When trying out a new provider, it is wise to go with a shorter term deal so you have the ability to see what you do and do not like about their services.
As you head into the New Year, consider working with a payroll provider if you find doing payroll in-house is getting to be too taxing.
If it is, it pays to take the time and find the right payroll provider the first time around.
Photo credit: smallbusinessbranding.com
Dave Thomas covers small business topics for various websites.
Source: http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=182491
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TIP! An important bit of personal development advice is to always treat your body well. Your body has a natural intelligence and will let you know when you need to eat to curb hunger, to drink to satisfy thirst, to stop eating because you?re full, and other needs to which you should give attention.
It can be quite difficult to begin any personal development plan. It?s so tough to know where to start, since there are so many facets of a human being. This article was created to provide a ?road map? to help you reach your desired destination in your journey of self improvement. The following article will prepare you for personal development success.
TIP! Head to a movie with your best friend if anxiety is a problem in your life. Movies are social settings, but they do not require conversation or uncomfortable socialization.
Do not over do it physically when trying to attain a goal. Trying your hardest and doing your best are important, but not important enough to ignore the warning signs of an impending limit. Caring for yourself is important when you are striving towards a desired end. If you were to sacrifice your body in pursuit of improving yourself, it would be counter-productive to your needs.
TIP! Do you drink too often? Is smoking or anything else harming your body? Your body is certainly a temple, yet these types of behaviors disregard its sanctity. A great way to improve your life is to say goodbye to bad habits that are only hurting you.
Wisdom and modesty are two integral components of life. Keep an open mind and learn from new situations you encounter. You should also learn to recognize the elements you cannot change. Exercise modesty to stay within your boundaries. Wisdom will help you do better in the future, based on the past!
TIP! Do not expect to accomplish your goals and transform your life without deciding to do so and taking action. You can only change and grow when you openly welcome the changes and choose to evolve.
Praise others, flatter them, and show your appreciation. Resist the urge to focus on the negative and instead speak out in kindness to others and you will find yourself being kinder to yourself, as well.
TIP! The way that you feel mentally has a large effect on how you feel physically. Develop a regular fitness routine and follow a nutritious, satisfying diet plan.
In order to succeed in personal development, you must change your attitude. Living life under the burden of bad or negative attitudes will continue to hold you back, and in fact, will undo all your personal improvement efforts. Your goals will be more attainable, and your life happier, with a positive approach to your everyday world.
When developing a plan for personal improvements, include the values that are most important in your life. This means that you must try your best and value that.
TIP! Each day should be an opportunity to top the previous day?s accomplishments. Push yourself to pursue every opportunity for improvement.
Put your core beliefs into practice. Everyone has a set of beliefs that is integral to their identity. When your core principles are well-thought-out and defensible, acting in accordance with them will improve your self esteem. This will also help you develop consistency.
TIP! Try to be the best that you can be. Follow your passions if you want to be truly great.
The people in your life should have similar interests. They?ll help you stay on track by being good role models for positive behavior, and you?ll better balance any negative energy you get from people who aren?t as supportive of your self-improvement goals.
TIP! If you desire to be successful in life, you will need a respectable coach who knows what he or she is doing. Behind every champion, there is a coach that helps serve as a mentor.
When you start missing your self-made goals and guidelines, that?s a sign that you need to take a moment to figure out what the problem is. Look around online and try to find others that have had similar goals and see how they compare. The issues holding you back might include not making enough of an effort, employing a flawed method, or aiming for goals that are too ambitious.
TIP! You can negatively impact your life by wishing others ill; remember what you want for others may come back to you. Wanting others to succeed, and helping them to do that, can often lead to your own achievements.
Remove the disorganization from all aspects of your life. Getting organized can give you a wonderful feeling of accomplishment, and staying organized will only increase your confidence. Doing this will also relieve you of the stress you felt when things were disorderly. You can stay calm knowing that everything has a place where it belongs.
TIP! Give yourself a boost of confidence by reciting all the things you like about yourself. Make a self-empowering post-it note or note card.
Therapy is a great way for anyone who wishes to work on self improvement to explore their own personal demons. Though self-help books and online resources are great, they typically will not offer as much as a one-on-one therapy session can. Even the simple act of having someone impartial that you can talk to can improve your chances for success. Books can?t talk back like a trained professional, after all.
TIP! The secret to unlocking your happiness could be taking a few short jaunts outside of your comfort zone. Most people avoid risks because they don?t want to fail or feel bad about their capabilities.
Become a more well-rounded person by developing your leadership qualities. Leadership is generally approached as being influential. Evaluate your leadership skills honestly. Which events had the most impact on the way you live your life? What kind of skills have you acquired? What attributes make you a good team player? Answering these questions should help you realize how you can improve yourself as a leader and a team member.
TIP! You need to care for yourself before you can care for others. It doesn?t matter if you are succeeding or failing in your path.
As you can see, personal development is simpler than it looks. By breaking your self improvement process into small, manageable goals, you?ll find yourself closer to your goals by the end of every day. You?ll be able to practice what you?re seeking to adopt as habit, and you?ll increase your own morale to continue. These tips are only a springboard, it?s up to you to build a better life.
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Associated Press
Posted on December 7, 2012 at 5:04 PM
Updated today at 5:05 PM
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) ? Michele Bachmann has dramatically reduced what had been a more than $1 million debt from her failed presidential run and she has her congressional re-election effort to thank for it.
New campaign finance reports released Thursday show the Minnesota congresswoman repaid more than $750,000 in presidential campaign debt by transferring it from her congressional account. More than $500,000 of that was shipped over between late October and late November.
Bachmann, a Republican, is one of the most prolific fundraisers in Congress. She narrowly won a fourth term in November over Democrat Jim Graves.
The congressional run was her second 2012 campaign. She waged a brief run for the GOP presidential nomination but dropped out after a poor showing in Iowa's leadoff caucuses.
Her debt now stands at about $170,000.
Source: http://www.nwcn.com/news/politics/182549551.html
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