NAR Report 2012 Home Sales Looking Positive

Since starting in the real estate business in 1994, I cannot remember a time of being this busy this time of year.  Buyers are out looking AND they are out buying.  The reason?  A lot of buyers who have been sitting on the fence waiting are now getting off that fence and taking advantage of the incredibly low interest rates.  From first time buyers, to buyers who are downsizing or moving up, buyers are out buying!  And it's just not here in Jonesboro, AR either, take a look at the below article from the National Association of Realtors

NAR released its latest pending home sales index figure last week and for the second month in a row the index is up. But more than that, the index has broken 100. This is significant because the only time since the housing boom collapsed that the index has broken 100 is when the home owner tax credit was in effect. The fact that the index has returned to that level a year since the credit has been in effect means the housing market is strengthening completely on its own, without any stimulus.

NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun is upbeat about 2012 because in a number of areas indicators are pointing upward. Not only are home sales up but housing starts are up and home prices are stabilizing in many markets and heading up in some. In areas where they’re still down, the declines aren’t that great. More fundamentally, broader U.S. economic signs are looking positive, including the all-important jobs picture. About 100,000 job are being created a month, and that could rise to 150,000—still not a quick enough pace to get us back to where we were before the downturn but the headwinds are in the right direction.
Originally posted on NAR.org by Robert Freedman

Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole

Tried another recipe I found on Pinterest that was pinned from www.plainchicken.com.  Second recipe I've tried from Pinterest this week!  My husband and I really liked this dish, my grown son thought it was so-so.  It is pretty rich, but good.   The recipe makes 14 rolls and I made the whole recipe so we could eat leftovers. I would cut the recipe in half if I didn't want leftovers.

This can be a quick weeknight meal if you make the chicken mixture ahead of time and just scoop and roll when you get home from work.  I didn't have time to take pics of my own, so I'm using the photos from Plain Chicken.

Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole

2 (8 ounce) cans Reduced Fat Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls *I didn't use fat free*
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup, undiluted *I didn't use fat free*
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese or swiss cheese (or any cheese of choice) *I used cheddar*
1/2 cup milk

Filling
4 ounces cream cheese (very soft)
2 tablespoons butter (very soft but not melted)
1/2-1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tsp minced onion flakes *I used sauteed onions*
2 large cooked chicken breasts, finely chopped (or use about 2 cups, can use cooked turkey)
1/2-3/4 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)
2 Tbsp. milk
1-2 cup grated cheddar cheese (for topping)

Set oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13 dish with cooking spray. Mix together milk, 3/4 cup cheese and undiluted chicken soup (can season with black pepper if desired).

For the filling --- (make certain that the cream cheese and butter are very soft) in a bowl, mix the soft cream cheese with butter until very smooth, then add in garlic powder. Add in the chopped chicken, onion and cheddar cheese; mix well until combined. Add in 2 tablespoons milk; mix to combine (add in a little more if the mixture seems too dry). Season with seasoned salt or white and black pepper to taste. Unroll the crescent rolls. Place 1 heaping tablespoon chicken mixture (or a little more) on top of each crescent triangle, then roll up starting at the thicker end. Drizzle a small amount of soup mixture on the bottom of the dish. Then place the crescent rolls seam-side down on top of the creamed mixture in the casserole.
Drizzle the remaining sauce on top (you don't have to use the full amount of cream sauce, just use as much as desired) and sprinkle with 1 cup (or more) grated cheese, or amount desired. Bake for about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Cheesy Enchilada Casserole

This was voted the #1 Casserole for the year at Taste Of Home.

I found this spicy Mexican Casserole recipe on Pinterest and thought I would try it out.  It did win #1 Casserole, so it's gotta be good right?  Right!  It was good.  Did it make it to the top 10 of my favorite casserole list?  No, but it is very good!  Plus it’s fast to throw together, and I doubled the recipe for two dinner nights.  A night off from cooking is always welcome for us busy working people, so I wanted to share with all my blog readers.  We also crunched Tostitos on the top, which made it even better.  Below is the recipe before I doubled it.

It's so easy...

CHEESY ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef ( lean)

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 2 1/2 cups salsa (I used Picante Sauce-mild)

• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans

• 1/4 cup Italian salad dressing

• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

• 6 corn tortillas

• 1 can of drained corn

• 3/4 cup sour cream 

• 2 cups (4 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend or your favorite cheese

• 1 cup shredded lettuce

• 1 medium tomato, chopped

• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro (I chose to exclude)

Directions

• In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
• Stir in the salsa, beans, corn, dressing, sour cream, taco seasoning and cumin.
• Spoon a generous layer of meat mixture on bottom of 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
• Place layer of corn tortillas on top of meat mixture. Layer with half of the meat mixture, and cheese. Repeat as many layers as you like.
• The last & final layer should be a healthy dose of grated cheese.
• Cover with foil that has been sprayed with pam or other and bake at 400° for 25 minutes, or until hot & bubbly.  (I didn't have any pam, so I placed toothpicks in casserole to keep foil off cheese)
•  Let stand for 5 minutes before topping with lettuce, tomato and cilantro. Yield: 8 servings.

Enjoy!

Mortgage Applications Soar 4.5%

The below article probably explains the increased traffic of potential home buyers searching for homes on my website, www.NEAhomes.com.  I am literally receiving emails and/or phone call inquiries EVERY SINGLE DAY for the past week.  In all my years of real estate, I personally have not seen so much activity the first part of the year as I have in 2012.  Is this an indication of 2012?  Maybe!  I do know the record low interest rates have gotten peoples attention and many are taking advantage of it.  What I'm hearing a lot from these buyers are they have been wanting/needing to move up to a larger home and now they feel it's possible due to low interest rates.  I also have been picking up several first time home buyers for the same reason, low interest rates.  It seems people who have been sitting on the fence on purchasing a home are now getting off that fence and acting on their wants and desires.  I think it's a smart move!!!  These record low interest rates WILL NOT last forever.  If you're thinking of selling, NOW would be a good time to give me a call, so I can place your home in front of all these potential buyers that are actively searching for their dream home.  YOUR home could be the home of their dreams!   Call me anytime on my cell at 870-219-0652.

Mortgage Applications Soar 4.5%
Daily Real Estate News | Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Mortgage applications for purchase -- a gauge of future home buying -- increased 8.1 percent last week, the Mortgage Bankers Association reports. The purchase index on an unadjusted basis now stands at 41.9 percent higher than last year, signaling more people taking out loans to buy homes.
More home owners are also taking advantage of low interest rates. Refinance activity last week also increased, inching up 3.3 percent from a week earlier. Overall, mortgage applications were up 4.5 percent last week.
For the fifth consecutive week, 30-year fixed-rate mortgages have averaged at historical lows below 4 percent, Freddie Mac reported last week. For the week ending Jan. 5, 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 3.91 percent, with an average 0.8 point, matching the previous record low set a few weeks ago.

Source: “Mortgage Applications Rise 4.5%,” HousingWire (Jan. 11, 2012)

Slurried Brick...What Is It?

I am often asked the question, "Exactly what is slurry brick"?    Read the blog post by Elite Homes of NEA to find out out what slurry brick is, the history, and why it is a desirable trend.

Click to read Elite Homes of NEA's blog post, "Slurry Brick, What Is it"?