Mortgage application volume increased 9.1 percent last week compared to the previous week on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

On an unadjusted basis, the index rose 10.4 percent, but was down 52.3 percent compared with the same week a year ago.

Much of the decline compared to the previous year pertained to refinances. The unadjusted purchases index increased 9.8 percent compared to the previous week and was down 19.1 percent from a year ago.

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The Home Buyer Tax Credit is a new legislation congress passed that was developed to stimulate the U.S. housing market and address the economic challenges facing our nation.

With the Home Buyer Tax Credit, First time Home Buyers Tax Credit will be extended to up to $8,000, if you are a first time home buyer, you are eligible for this, it runs until April 30, 2010. The Home Buyer Tax Credit also expands the credit to grant up to $6,500 credit to current home owners purchasing a new or existing home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010.

If you have specific questions or need additional information, please contact a tax professional or the Internal Revenue Service at 800-829-1040.

1. Inconspicuously green: A very traditional home can become energy- and resource-efficient. When this house in Washington, D.C. was built in the 1950s, most of its windows got direct sun. But then it was remodeled to better suit D.C.’s steamy summers. The porch columns are not chemically treated to repel rot or harvested from some far-off rain forest. Instead, they’re made from the naturally rot-resistant trunks of Eastern Red Cedar trees grown nearby.

2. The Eaves: A roof should overhang walls by at least one foot. That keeps the sun off windows and exteriors, which helps the house stay cool in summer. It also protects siding from the weather, meaning you may be able to go twice as long between repaintings or re-sidings.

3. Reuse and remodel: The house you fix up will probably be much greener than anything you build in its place, no matter how cutting edge the new design or how much recycled material you use. Sure, some old houses just can’t be saved. But even a building with serious problems can give you plenty to work with.

4. Size Matters: Fight the urge to go big and high. Not only is a smaller, well-proportioned house easier to heat and to cool, but you’ll need to buy less furniture to feel at home in it.

5. Use renewable energy: Let’s just say you probably won’t be installing a wind turbine in your backyard anytime soon. Even if the homeowners association didn’t come after you with torches and pitchforks, the truth is most places aren’t breezy enough.

The Sun
A solar water-heating system can reduce the fossil fuel you’ll need for showering and washing clothes. Before installing one, determine whether you have a sunny enough location to recoup the up-front costs, which can range from $3,000 to $8,000.

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NikNik over at mytechopinion.com made this really interesting post on the 10 Social Media Lifeskills for Real Estate Professionals. It is rather interesting how she show how you can use character education and lifeskills to help with our business goals and strategies. Below you will find the 10 Social Media Lifeskills for Real Estate Professionals.

1. Integrity- Be the real you. Strive for authentic engagement by being the same person you are online that you are offline. Instead of selling what you do, share who you are and your daily experiences. And when it comes to your avatar (profile picture) be a person, not a real estate logo. People connect with people, not signs and buildings.

2. Active Listening- Although it’s important to share your interests, it’s even more important to pay attention to others. Learning what your network is passionate about only helps you ask better questions, provide better resources, and become a better advisor. Who’s Talkin? and SocialMention are 2 social search engines that make it even easier to monitor certain people and topics you care about.

3. Effort- Add value! Know your expertise and passion well enough to identify resources that may be helpful to your network. If you’re not sure where to look for great resources, try a social bookmarking tool like Delicious or Digg where others share their favorite articles. Monitor your resources and share regularly, provide your own insight and strategies for implementation.

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Patrick Square, Clemson’s first traditional neighborhood development (TND), has opened three fully furnished models of its Village Homes. The models represent the various sizes and price ranges of the seven distinct Village Home styles. Featuring Colonial, Carolina, Craftsman, Greek Revival, Georgian, and Victorian architecture, the Village Homes were designed by renowned TND Urbanist/Designer Lew Oliver of Whole Town Solutions.

“Patrick Square has a traditional look, but it is an ultra modern community incorporating the latest sustainable construction practices and fiber-to-home technology for digital services,” said Patrick Square’s President Michael Cheezem.

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The Palmyra, a Solis Resort and Spa; a natural hideaway that magically captures the essence of Jamaica in a quaint tropical island setting. The Palmyra boasts the added luxury of Jamaica’s first destination spa, designed under the guidance of global spa guru Susan Harmsworth, CEO and Founder of global spa company ESPA.

This elegant sanctuary offers luxury living and accommodations in spacious condominiums and villas. Enjoy the soft Ocean Breeze and delight in Jamaica’s Newest Resort, Residences are available for purchase, prices starting in the mid US$400’s.

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Next Generation Data Ltd announces it has secured significant debt finance facilities from Lombard, the asset finance arm of The Royal Bank of Scotland. This is to help support the investment required for infrastructure equipment to fit out data halls inside the massive 75,000 sq metre building for the company’s first major blue chip customers. These are moving their extensive data centre operations into NGD Europe from early next year.

The £200 million project commenced eighteen months ago to convert the former LG Electronics semiconductor plant near Newport, South Wales, into a state-of-the-art Tier 3 data centre. NGD Europe has the flexibility to accommodate the current and future expansion requirements of the very largest corporate customers as befits a true next generation data centre. UK and overseas organizations with several older data centre sites that have become too small or constrained by lack of power now have the opportunity to consolidate their operations under NGD Europe which offers some of the best value available within its existing infrastructure.

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