The Absorption Rate is the ability of the real estate market to absorb or sell all of the houses for sale in a given amount of time. For example, if 100 homes are sold every month and there are 1200 homes for sale, it will take 12 months to sell all of the homes currently for sale. If there are 2400 homes for sale, the absorption rate will be 24 months or 2 years for all of the homes to sell. It is important to remember that this does not take into account the number of houses will be listed, and there are new listings daily!                   The following figures are for the month of January 2013.   In the entire Shreveport/Bossier market there are 1920 Homes For Sale. Last month only 244 homes actually sold! That’s a 7 ½  month supply of homes if no more homes come on the market. La... 02/16/2013

Created following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, Homes for Heroes® is the nation’s largest hero savings program.  We affiliate with Realtors® and lenders who agree to provide significant rebates and discounts to those who serve our nation and its communities every day.                     If you are a service member, firefighter, law enforcement officer, teacher, or healthcare worker and plan to buy, sell, refinance, or rent in the near future visit: Hero Savings or call 866-443-7637 toll free. Heroes Save: Buying: Savings vary, but you will receive discounted lender fees from your Homes for Heroes affiliated lender and on other real estate related services. Also, when your transaction closes, your Homes for Heroes Real Estate Affiliate’s company will donate 25% of the gross ... 01/24/2013

      If you are active duty military and you have PCS (Permanent Change of Station) orders to Barksdale Air Force Base, in Bossier City, Louisiana, here are five reasons to consider using your VA Home Loan Benefits to purchase a home in the area:   #1 Competitive interest rates - even with less than perfect credit #2 100% financing  #3 Flexible Credit Requirements #4 No monthly mortgage insurance. Unlike conventional and FHA loan products, with monthly mortgage insurance premiums that could add to your monthly payment, there is NO monthly mortgage insurance with the VA Loan. #5 The VA Funding fee can be financed into the loan   For years, few loan professionals have focused on this incredible loan program or taken the time and energy to become a specialist in  serving those individuals... 07/05/2012

Military families at Barksdale Air Force Base, Bossier City, Louisiana, can enjoy a discount with a local photographer. Many businesses around Bossier City offer discounts to military families who are stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base. I am excited to share an opportunity for military families with the local photographer, Beth Lee. Beth Lee Photography is offering a military discount of 20% off her regular priced packages. You can contact her via her Facebook Page HERE or her website HERE. Below is just a sampling of her amazing work:   Babies:   Children:     Families:       07/02/2012

Recently, I conducted an impromptu survey on the Barksdale Military Life and Information Facebook group to see what the most highly recommended apartments are for those PCSing to Barksdale AFB. Criteria for the list would be location, military friendly, and amenities. Below are the top 5 apartment complexes as voted by current Barksdale AFB residents. (Note: I am just the messenger! I have never personally rented from these apartments, so this is not an explicit endorsement of any of them. They are not listed in any particular order)   Bossier City: Lexington Place (located right outside the north gate of BAFB) 1301 Williamsburg Drive, Bossier City, 71112 Fellow military members voted for this apartment complex for its location (backs up to base) and amenities. Someone even mentioned th... 01/08/2012

I am in the process of putting a report together for my Military clients PCSing in and out of Barksdale regarding where the Military tend to buy (based on VA loans used*) and the market conditions in those areas. I thought it was interesting and had to share a sneak peek of the top neighborhoods military tend to buy.   The top 3 Areas that Barksdale Area Home Buyers purchased homes in 2011: #1 North Bossier with 26% of all VA loan home purchases in the Shreveport-Bossier Area!#2 South Bossier with 22% of all VA loan home purchases in the Shreveport-Bossier Area!#3 Haughton with 19% of all VA loan home purchases in the Shreveport-Bossier Area!   These rankings are based off the total number of homes purchased with a VA loan by Multiple Listing Service Zone. I have also broke it down by n... 01/05/2012

    November is "Military Family Appreciation Month". In honor of this, and during this season of thankfulness, why not consider saying a personal "thank you" to a military family for their extraordinary service and sacrifice to our great American heroes. Although, there are probably dozens of reasons to appreciate the spouses, children, parents and extended family members of our men and women in uniform, here are my top seven reasons why we should appreciate and be thankful for our military families - please add your own to the comments: 7. They are tough. Incredibly tough. When their loved ones return home carrying the wounds of war, either physically, mentally or emotionally, their families are there to embrace them. In the case of severe injury, many must give up life as they have k... 11/23/2011

Yesterday, the Louisiana Department of Education released the School Performance Scores for the state, and for the first time in was done with the same A-F system of grading that is used to evaluate students.  In the past the scores were given in the form of star ratings, using the scoring system below. Performance Label School Performance Score Academically Unacceptable Below 60.0 (Through 2010)Below 65.0 (in 2011)Below 75.0 (in 2012) Academic Watch 60.0 - 74.9 (in 2010)65.0 - 74.9 (in 2011) One Star 60.0 - 79.9 Two Stars 80.0 - 99.9 Three Stars 100.0 - 119.9 Four Stars 120.0 - 139.9 Five Stars 140.0 and above   This system was confusing, and many have argued that does not accurately represent the conditions of the schools.  This ultimately resulted in the lack of much needed improvem... 10/06/2011

VA loans are a great avenue for not only the military and veterans but normal people too!  Especially for Investors!   In the Barksdale AFB area we saw a slight rise in homes values when the Global Strike Command moved in.  Now that they are almost all here we have seen prices begin to drop in the area.  They are not dropping dramatically, just back to the pre-Global Strike real estate market.  Unfortunately, that is putting a lot of military personnel in a tough situation.  A lot people bought during that time, and now are PCSing to other areas. The problem they are facing is that the value of their home is slightly less than their mortgage because they haven’t lived here long here to pay off the VA funding fee, let only build equity in their home.  Though this is an unfortunate situat... 10/03/2011

When I have clients moving to the area they always ask what they should definitely do when while in Shreveport-Bossier City.  Locals have a long list of things they recommend, but it is hard to recommend them until I experience them personally.  One thing I have found being a military spouse is that the area we are stationed in is only as good as I make it.  The only way to truly enjoy yourself is to immerse yourself in the culture.  This morning I experienced yet another great part of the Shreveport-Bossier City area… Southern Maid Donuts.   Even though Southern Maid was not founded in Shreveport-Bossier; it most definitely is a staple of their local culture, and is an indispensable part of the Southern tradition which began in 1937 in Dallas, TX.  It quickly made its way to the Shrev... 10/02/2011

  This is the fourth of a five part series on how to use DiSC® testing and personality profiling to perfect and improve your sales approach and build better relationships with your team members and referral partners.  According to the DiSC® Personality Profiling model, the High S personality type is defined by loyalty, dependability, and compassion. People classified as High S add a personal touch, and are the players that everyone needs on the team. Their mission is to serve, and they like to be commended for it.General Characteristics High S personalities are understanding and friendly. The value they provide to a team is reliability and dependability. They are loyal team workers, and are compliant towards authority. They are patient and sympathetic listeners.Communicating with a High... 08/28/2011

I came across a great program for military first-time homebuyers today, and I had to share it!  It is called the Dream Maker Grant from Pentagon Federal Credit Union (you do not have to be a member of the credit union to qualify).  Through this grant First-Time Homebuyers can get free money to use toward their closing costs and down payment.  To qualify you must be military (active, reserve, guard, or veteran), and must have a gross household income that is $55,000 or less (or a maximum of 80% of your community’s median income level).  You also must be a First-Time Homebuyer, meaning you have not owned a home in the last 3 years or have lost it to divorce or disaster.   So what do you get?  How does up to $5000 sound?  It’s true.  If you meet the qualifications above, you are eligible f... 07/26/2011

Moving with children can be a stressful and traumatic experience, especially for small children.  However, it doesn’t have to be.  Read through these easy tips on making relocating with children easy and exciting for them, and less stressful for you!   Be Positive!  It is not uncommon for kids to echo their parent’s emotions.  It is important to be upbeat and encouraging toward your children about the move.  Even if you are stressed to your wits end.  Trust me, if you relieve the stress on your children, you’ll relieve some of your own stress.  Be sure to keep your family’s schedule on track, so the kids don’t feel overlooked. Communication goes a long way. Be sure to involve your children with the plans.  Explaining the move game plan with your kids will not only make them feel better... 07/23/2011

Knowing your credit score before applying for a mortgage is very beneficial for you.  You can purchase your score directly from the credit bureaus without affecting your score.  This is ideal, in case there is an error and/or your score is much lower than you anticipated.  Checking before you apply gives you the opportunity to correct any issues you might have on your report.  Were you aware you can view your credit report from all three credit bureaus for free once a year?  Completely free, meaning no catches or monitoring programs to sign up for like you see on TV.  Go to AnnualCreditReport.com to request your reports from Experian, Transunion and Equifax for free!  If you see any errors be sure to contact the credit bureau that has the error right away to correct the issue 07/22/2011

What can be accomplished when it RAINS for 40 days and 40 nights? Well, for one thing, you have a FLOOD! This past week-end, I reached my 40th day (and night) of blogging, reading posts, commenting, hunting for graphics, and researching material for posts.Now - 40 days and 40 nights later.......what are the results? Well, some can be measured and some cannot. Below are some of the MEASURED results: One featured post, one neighborhood featured post, one called shot. I have made 320 comments and have received 159 comments. Of my 57 blog posts, I had two series: #1 - A five part series on "Three Secrets to a Fast and Easy VA Home Loan Experience" ; and, #2 - A six part series on "Having a Star Spangled Heart to Serve Those Who Serve". It continued to rain - and my points continued to grow.... 07/14/2011

  As we celebrate today the 235th anniversary of our DECLARATION of INDEPENDENCE, I will share the 6th and final blog on "Having a Star Spangled Heart to Serve Those Who Serve".  ]Parts 1-5 of "Having a Star Spangled Heart to Serve Those Who SErve" and linksare:   #1 - "H.E.A.R.T." Star Spangled Heart Part 1 #2 - "H" is for Star Spangled Heart Part 2 #3 - "E" is for Star Spangled Heart Part 3 #4 - "A" is for Star Spangled Heart Part 4 #5 - R is for Star Spangled Heart Part 5 And today we conclude the acronym H.E.A.R.T. with:       T – is for “Trust”. We want to EARN the trust of these honored men and women of the United States Military. Trust means that these warriors can rely on us to do what we said we would do when we said we would do it and in the manner we said we would do it in. ... 07/04/2011

R – is for “Raving Fans”. That is what we are looking to create – RAVING FANS! We want clients for life! Because I want to be their mortgage strategist for life, I have in the last few months taken the necessary tests to obtain my personal license in 3 additional states, all because of my military clients! When my clients are transferred and they receive a PCS ( “permanent change of station”), I want to not only assist them with their strategy for either selling or renting their present home, I want to put them in a home in their new location! After the closing, we let our clients know that we will be making a donation and purchasing a pair of combat boots in their honor from the Boot Campaign, a non-profit organization which contributes to wounded warriors.  Their motto is "When They C... 07/03/2011

As I continue with my six part series on "Having a Star Spangled Heart to Serve Those Who Serve",  today we talk about the "A" in the acronyn H.E.A.R.T: A – is for “Above and Beyond”. We want to be known as the Team that goes the extra mile – whether it means staying late to meet with a client who has been in the field, or speaking to a client late at night Central time, because that’s when its early morning in Iraq! There are times when our clients are staying in temporary quarters or a hotel room, and it is necessary that we keep in contact through cell phone and e-mail. We seek to let our clients know every step of the way what’s going on and how long we anticipate the process taking. In the event the client needs a temporary computer, we have a laptop available in the conference roo... 07/01/2011

A report issued Monday by the U.S. government showed core inflation rising 2.5 percent in the last 12 months for its biggest one-year gain since January 2010.  Everyday living is becoming expensive, it seems.  But there are some U.S. towns in which the cost of living remains affordable -- and downright cheap -- as compared to the national average. They're detailed in a BusinessWeek piece titled "The 25 Cheapest Cities In The U.S." In comparing costs across 340 urban areas as compiled by the "Council of Community and Economic Research", cities in Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee and Oklahoma ranked consistently high. Cities in Hawaii did not. Take note, though. Although the BusinessWeek piece highlights inexpensive cities in which to live, a low cost of living does not necessarily correlate to... 06/29/2011

Today. We. Are. Rich." was the quote I fell in love with as I read the prologue to Tim Sanders' new book by the same name - "Today We Are Rich"  as I was flying home from my company's annual meeting last week. The author tells of an incident from his youth when his grandmother, Billye, although financially strapped herself, reached out to make a difference in the life of a stranger who needed help. Afterwards, she told her young grandson: "....because we were able to share, we're worth something. By being able and willing to give, WE ARE RICH." She goes on to say "There's bank-account rich, and there's rich in spirit. The second kind is achieved when you make a difference." I sat back and wept. I now had a "name" for the emotion I was experiencing - "Today. We. Are. Rich". Several month... 06/26/2011