Lennar Homes at Blackstone County Club, Southeast Aurora’s premier country club community, offers homes for growing families and empty nesters alike. What’s more, purchasing a new Lennar home means buying an “Everything’s Included” residence filled with luxury features and upgrades included in the price…at no extra charge. Of equal importance, buying a new home has never been more affordable with special below market financing rates available through Lennar’s affiliate lender, Universal American Mortgage Corp, on finished inventory homes.

Lennar at Blackstone Country Club has recently added one ranch plan and two 2-story plans to its impressive offering, giving buyers more choices with a total of nine plans now available, with floorplans ranging in size from 2,133 to 3,900 finished square feet. All designs include a three-car garage and full basement with nine-foot ceilings. And the variety of lot locations is amazing with golf course, cul-de-sac, open space, walkout basement and vista view lots available.

For a limited time, Lennar is paying the first year membership dues to Blackstone Country Club, where neighbors become friends and a multitude of social events and activities take place. Some upcoming events include Canvas and Cocktails, Wines of the Worlds Tasting, Texas Hold’Em, Kids Movie Night and Valentine Crafts, New Member Mixer and Father/Daughter Dance. Recently added club features are the Spa and Antsy Pants drop-in child care. Even though Blackstone is a private country club community, it’s very affordable, casual and family friendly.

Lennar currently has two ranch plans and two 2-story homes available for quick move-in for those ready to take advantage of the current low interest rates. There’s never been a better time to buy, and what better way to start the new year than in a brand new home.

For more information, contact Dotson Skaggs with Kentwood Real Estate at 303-550-4566 or via email at Homes@WeAreColorado.com. Additional information is available online at www.WeAreColoradoHomes.com.

“As the cold wind blows during the short dormant days in the heart of winter. We find warmth and happiness in thinking about the gifts that you helped give children during the 2011 Christmas season. The economic realities represented in the faces of the customers standing in the long ling lines at the 2011 shop speak to the need. Once again we are reminded that through the simple act of giving a toy we can possibly help stabilize a family or inspire a less fortunate child to make positive life decisions based on the seemingly arbitrary positive acts of others.

Corportate Toys

There were 12,531 homes on the market in December, down 33.6 percent from the same month in 2010. In 2000, the inventory hit a low of about 9,000.

Most experts say that if inventory continues to drop, it could have a dramatic impact on the market, perhaps reducing the number of transactions.

In August, the number of metro Denver homes on the market dropped more than 20 percent from the year before, and the downward trend continued throughout the year.

According to the Denver Post, homes priced at less than $200,000 are getting multiple offers, and there has also been a surge in activity for homes priced above $500,000.

The tax break is favored by the real estate industry but is the bane of most economists who consider it a waste of money amid concern about the federal budget deficit.

There are detailed proposals to replace the mortgage interest deduction with a tax credit targeted to entry-level buyers, according to Alan Zibel in an article posted on the Wall Street Journal’s blog.

However, any arguments defending any new proposals have not convinced the American public, according to a survey conducted by the home builders association. The poll found huge support for the mortgage interest deduction, a key reason why most politicians aren’t talking very much about scaling it back or getting rid of it. A huge 73 percent of 1,500 voters surveyed opposed eliminating the home deduction, and more than half opposed proposals to scale it back.

President Obama proposed to limit the deduction for home mortgage interest as part of a broader deficit reduction proposal. Jim Tobin, senior vice president for government affairs at the builder’s group, said politicians should not ignore the public’s broad support of housing.

The poll also found that 61 percent of those surveyed oppose reducing or eliminating federal support for the mortgage market if it results in higher mortgage rates.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 136 points from the day before. In addition, Standard & Poor’s 500 edged back into the black for 2011 at year’s end.

The number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes in November rose more than seven percent to the highest level in 1-1/2 years, according to the National Association of Realtors.

The four-week average of unemployment claims fell to a 3-1/2-year low, an indication that hiring could pick up.

As a whole, the U.S. population grew by 2.8 million, reaching 311.6 million people. That growth of 0.92 percent was the lowest since the mid-1940s, hurt by fewer births and less immigration following the recent recession. The nation’s growth is now at its lowest point since before the baby boom.

In all, 38 states showed slower growth in 2010 and 2011 than in either of the previous two years during the recession. Twenty-three of these states are in the south and west regions. A total of 28 states showed either slower in-migration or greater out-migration than in either of the first two years of the recession. Colorado was one of these states.

Source: New York Times and the Associated Press.

In an article penned by John Gittelsohn on Businessweek.com, about 18 percent of modified loans were at least 90 days delinquent within a year in the third quarter, compared with 20 percent in the previous three months, according to the Comptroller’s Mortgage Metrics Report. Delinquencies for loans 30 to 59 days late decreased 3.3 percentage points from the previous quarter to about 34 percent.

Modifications implemented during the first quarter of 2011 defaulted at a higher rate than the previous two quarters because the payments were not lowered as much, according to the report. That’s because a bigger share of the recent modifications were under banks’ proprietary programs rather than the government plan.

The average modification implemented in the third quarter reduced payments by about 24 percent, or $382 a month. Loans reworked under the U.S. government’s Home Affordable Modification Program lowered payments by 35 percent on average, or $567.

“Rates on 30-year fixed mortgages have been at or below four percent for the past eight weeks (prior to December 22nd) and are now almost 0.9 percentage points below where they were at the beginning of the year, which means that today’s homebuyers are paying over $1,200 less per year on a $200,000 loan,” said Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist at Freddie Mac. “This greater affordability helped push existing home sales higher for the second consecutive month in November to an annualized pace of 4.42 million, the most since January.”

New construction of single-family homes also showed a back-to-back monthly gain in November to the largest increase since June. Moreover, homebuilder confidence in December rose to its highest reading since May 2010.

For details on Denver Real Estate opportunities, visit www.DenverRealEstate.com.

The sales volume through November 2011 represented a 3.8 percent decrease in volume but clearly shows that the luxury home market is maintaining its strength. The highest price paid for a luxury home so far in 2011 was $8,200,000, which is an increase of 17.1 percent for the high price of $7 million last year.

Average days on the market was 178 days for 2011 compared to 337 days last year, which is a huge change of 47.2 percent less. These figures were compiled through Metrolist, Inc. for the seven-county metro Denver area.

For more information on Denver Real Estate, visit www.DenverRealEstate.com. You’ll find details on available homes representing nearly every conceivable price range, style, and size in some of Denver’s most desirable locations.

There were tours of the historic mansion, a shopping bazaar dedicated to helping local charities, and professional family photos with Santa.  Some families chose to have their photographs highlight the mansion rather than Santa.  Santa didn’t seem to mind.  To keep warm on the cold winter day, Kentwood agents served cocoa, hot cider, homemade cookies and other snacks.  A professional pianist played holiday tunes on the historic grand piano.

The event was an opportunity for Kentwood’s Cherry Creek agents to reconnect with their clients during the holiday season and to say thank you for another wonderful year.