Prudent Blogger

By MarketWatch

Don’t miss these top stories:

• Mortgage rates continue to slide

• Hedge funds embrace Treasurys

• Low rates are bad for financials

Wanna buy a house cheap? Fixed-rate mortgages are slipping and sliding, with the 30-year, fixed-rate loan at its lowest level since record-keeping began in 1971.

Inexpensive mortgages seem like a great way to jump-start the hapless housing market and the moribund U.S. economy. Buyers will surely jump at attractive rates, and beleaguered homeowners can refinance debt at lower, more manageable levels.

Why, the chief economist at Freddie Mac was positively sunny in describing the results of the agency’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey on Thursday. “Low rates are helping to heal many battered local housing markets by increasing home-purchase activity,” said Frank Nothaft.

Yes, money is easy, but getting it is hard.

Maybe somewhere the sun is shining, but not in Mudville. Credit is tight, and even qualified borrowers have enormous difficulty convincing lenders to cough up cash. Refinancing accounts for almost 80% of all mortgage activity nowadays, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, meaning new loans are few and far between.

In addition, many homeowners who want to refinance can’t take advantage of these low rates — and give themselves financial breathing room — because their house is worth less than the value of their current mortgage; they also may be unemployed or have tainted credit, among other ailments.

Is there a doctor for the house?

– Jonathan Burton, Money & Investing editor

REAL ESTATE

Mortgage rates continue to fall, setting record lows

Fixed-rate mortgages continued their decline to record lows this week and the 5-year adjustable rate also reached a new low, Freddie Mac reported.

See full story.

INVESTING

Danger of inflation and taxes on a portfolio

Most investors have heard of real returns — returns calculated after inflation — but perhaps not enough have considered what one investment manager calls “real real returns” — the impact that inflation, investing costs and taxes can have on a portfolio.

See Mutual Understanding.

Hedge funds pile into Treasury bond market

U.S. Treasury bonds, often a top choice for risk-averse investors, are attracting more interest from hedge funds now, according to a study by consulting firm Greenwich Associates.

See full story.

ECONOMY & POLITICS

Lower interest rates bad for financials: Goldman

A U.S. economic slowdown and lower interest rates are bad for financial-services companies, Goldman Sachs said.

See full story.

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More Personal Finance Daily

Aug. 28, 2010

The week’s 10 best Personal Finance stories

Aug. 27, 2010

Saving for retirement is no simple task

Aug. 26, 2010

Remember when a 5% mortgage was a great deal?

Aug. 25, 2010

If only investors could tell when execs are lying

Aug. 24, 2010

Where are you putting your money now?

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Say you have a disability and want your condominium association to allow you to park closer to your unit. Or your psychiatrist has advised you to get a dog as a companion, but your association’s rules do not permit pets. Maybe you discover that your unit has bedbugs, but your health condition cannot tolerate the insecticide that your cooperative plans to use to fumigate the building.

What can you do? What are your rights?

The magic words are &"reasonable accommodation.&"

The Fair Housing Act, as amended by Congress in 1988, prohibits housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status — and disability. Community associations are covered under the law.

If you have a disability — physical or mental — your association (or your landlord, if you are a tenant) cannot &"refuse to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices or services, if necessary for the disabled person to use the housing.&"

How do you prove disability? According to a recent case handed down by the D.C.Court of Appeals, you must show a disability and that the landlord (or community association) knew or should have known of the disability. You also must show that an accommodation is necessary for the use and enjoyment of the apartment, that the accommodation is reasonable and that the landlord (or association) refused the accommodation.

Rutland Court Owners is a cooperative in the Dupont Circle area. In August 2007, the co-op board was advised that there were bedbugs in the property. The board promptly arranged for an extermination company to inspect each unit and to make the appropriate treatment.

William Taylor has been a co-op owner since 1972. He suffers from several mental-health disorders for which he takes medication; he is assisted by a case worker and a psychiatrist.

According to the court, &"Taylor raised various concerns about the exterminator selection and about the chemicals that would be used in the extermination process.&"

The co-op board did allow owners to provide alternative treatment plans, if they were deemed effective by the board. And although Taylor advised the board that he had started on an alternative plan, based on studies from Johns Hopkins, he did not submit a formal plan to the board.

Ultimately, the cooperative revoked Taylor’s shares in the cooperative, and when Taylor did not move out of the building, the board filed a lawsuit for possession.

At trial, Taylor was required by the court to allow the extermination to proceed. He requested additional cleaning services to help prepare his unit for extermination. The trial court ruled that this constituted a &"reasonable accommodation.&" Not only did the board ignore that request, it proceeded within three months to fine him and, two weeks later, to propose to revoke his shares.

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Housing rental software firm RealPage Inc. (RP) rose 18% on its first day of trading Thursday as stocks in general moved lower.

The company’s stock opened at $13 a share on the Nasdaq, up 18% from its initial public offering price of $11. A total of 12.3 million shares were sold, about 1 million less than expected, at a …

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An Obama administration summit of housing industry leaders next week may yield clues on the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac , the two mortgage heavyweights that so far have sucked up close to $150 billion in taxpayer bailout funds.

The administration has vowed to produce a plan by January to change the role the two government-controlled firms play in supporting the housing market. The conference on Tuesday is aimed at soliciting views from top industry officials on how to the companies should be restructured.

The Bush administration seized Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in September 2008 as the financial crisis was reaching fever pitch. The two companies were heavily saddled with mortgage losses after the implosion of the U.S. housing market.

A consensus has since emerged that their former status as shareholder-owned but congressionally chartered entities, which fostered a belief in financial markets that the government would not let them fail, should not be resurrected.

Still, the debate over how much support the government should provide to foster homeownership is likely to prove messy given the diversity of views along the political spectrum. Any decision on what to do could take years to resolve.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has said there is a “good case” for the government to continue playing a role in housing finance. But he and other administration officials have been careful not to say what form that might take and how much support is needed.

Michael Barr, the Treasury Department’s assistant secretary for financial institutions, said on Tuesday the implicit guarantees of the past are not going to return.

“If we decide we want to subsidize the housing sector we are going to need to decide to do that explicitly, and people are going to have to pay for it. I think that would be a fundamental change,” Barr said.

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The Obama Administration has announced plans for the panel discussion on housing finance reform. On Tuesday, August 17 at 9 AM, the “Conference on the Future of Housing Finance” will take place at the US Treasury Department. The conference is being dubbed a “forum for public input” and will be completely open to the press.

The ultimate goal of the conference is for the administration to develop a plan for housing finance reform. Their proposal on the subject is expected to be given to Congress by January 2011.

The administration feels this panel will provide the opportunity to expand their insight into the subjects at hand. Dr. Raphael Bostic, HUD Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, says the conference will allow the administration the chance to “have a deep and wide understanding of these issues as we chart at thoughtful, sound path forward in reforming our housing financing.”

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan will moderate the panel discussion. The administration has assembled a diverse group of experts to speak on the topics, including citizen advocacy groups, economists, investors, market researchers, originators, securitizes, services, and private mortgage insurers. Topics to be discussed include “Supporting Capital for Multifamily Finance,” “Delivering Access and Affordability,” and “Aligning Private Market Incentives in the Housing Finance Chain.”

Other Panelists include Barbara J. Desoer, President of Bank of America Home Loans, Ingrid Gould Ellen, Professor of Urban Planning and Public Policy at New York Universitys Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, Bill Gross, Co-founder and Co-chief Investment Officer of PIMCO, Mike Heid, Co-president of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, SA Ibrahim, Chief Executive Officer of Radian Group Inc. and more.

The conference panels and official remarks are all open to the press, however the working breakout lunches are open to correspondents only. The event will be streamlined live for the public at www.treasury.gov.  For the full agenda, see here.

Written by Kelly Mellott

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Nan Holmes, a senior escrow officer at a title insurer, says her insiders view of the Treasure Valley housing market gave her the confidence three years ago to pay $370,000 for a new home in Boises Collister neighborhood. She got a price she liked from the builder and 100 percent bank financing.

That was before the bottom fell out of the housing market as borrowers with bad credit began defaulting in record numbers, setting off a recession. Holmes, who had earned $150,000 a year when real estate was booming, saw her compensation shrink by half when business cooled, forcing her to dip into savings and sell jewelry. She stopped paying the mortgage in April and has put the house on the market for $145,000 less than she owes the bank.

How long will it take for the market to turn so I can just break even? said Holmes, 55.

Home foreclosures are still climbing in Idaho and some other states, according to real estate data firm RealtyTrac Inc. With 14.6 million Americans out of work and consumer spending declining, further weakness in housing could push the economy back into recession, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said Aug. 1.

Home seizures soared 822 percent in Idaho in the second quarter compared with a year earlier, and the state now has the nations seventh-highest foreclosure rate, according to RealtyTrac.

Median home prices have tumbled by more than one-third in the Treasure Valley since their 2006 peak. The median price in Canyon County fell to $89,000 last month, according to the Intermountain Multiple Listing Service. In Ada County, it rose slightly to $160,000. The value of residential transactions in Ada County declined 62 percent in June from the peak four years earlier.

The housing downturn started late in the Northwest and now its ending late, said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moodys Analytics. Idaho, Oregon and Washington lagged behind the national cycle and will suffer declines after other areas stabilize, he said.

New defaults are declining and appear to have bottomed in states where the crisis began, falling 43 percent in California, 37 percent in Florida and 27 percent in Nevada in the second quarter from a year earlier, RealtyTracs data show.

The worst is over, but its going to be a long road ahead, said economist Steven Frable at IHS Global Insight Inc.

But the worst may not be over in Idaho. While one in 397 households nationwide received a notice of default, auction or bank repossession last month, one in 240 in Idaho did. Lenders seized 454 homes in Idaho in July.

Initial jobless claims nationwide rose in July, and unemployment stood at 9.5 percent (8.8 percent in Idaho), near a 27-year high, Labor Department figures show. More than 4.5 million people are collecting unemployment benefits, and an additional 3.9 million are getting emergency and extended payments. Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke told Congress on July 21 the outlook is unusually uncertain.

The numbers are exploding due to unemployment and economic displacement, said Rick Sharga, senior vice president of marketing at RealtyTrac. We will see them get a lot worse unless we see some job creation.

In Hubble Homes Charter Pointe subdivision in South Boise, more than half of the homes listed for sale are bank-owned or underwater, meaning the property is worth less than the mortgage. Dairy cows wander in a nearby pen, and baling machines grind into the night.

The neighbors arent used to living next to farming operations with manure and flies, said Richard Murgoitio, who sold 70 acres to Hubble Homes Inc. in 2001 and would like to sell his remaining land to builders. Were hoping they take us all out, if the economy ever turns around.

Holmes said her employer, TitleOne Corp., is down to 80 employees from a high of 175 in 2007. Her lender, Bank of America, took the first step toward foreclosure in July.

A divorced mother of two, Holmes put her house on the market in June and has applied for a federal program that offers incentives to loan servicers, investors and homeowners to complete short sales, in which the bank accepts less than what it is owed on the mortgage.

Shes asking $225,000. She hasnt had an offer.

A third of real estate listings in her area are distressed properties, with seven months of inventory on the market in Boise at her price.

I was never raised to be in this position, Holmes said. Ive tried everything I can think of.

The Idaho Statesman contributed.

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Housing stock vote begins

9:37am Friday 2nd July 2010

A VOTE to decide the future of Bolton’s 18,200 council houses starts today.

Tenants are being given the final say on the proposed transfer of Bolton Council’s housing stock to a remodelled Bolton At Home.

Ballot papers were sent out yesterday by the independent organisation Electoral Reform Services and tenants now have until noon on July 30 to cast their vote.

The council has been consulting with tenants since January about a proposal to transfer the ownership of its 18,200 homes to a
new-style Bolton at Home.

If the transfer goes ahead, it would mean £124 million is invested in homes and improving estates over the next five years and a £1.2 billion package of home improvements will be unlocked over the
next 30 years.

Almost £290 million of historic housing debt should be written off by the Government, although no firm guarantees have yet been given by the new Conservative- Liberal Democrat coalition.

However, if tenants vote against the transfer, the council says it cannot afford to keep maintaining homes to the required standard.

But the proposal has upset unions and some campaigners who feel homes should be kept in public ownership as a matter of principle. Council tenants have already had 28 days to look over an offer
document sent out in May, which includes details of the housing transfer.

Tenants can vote by freepost, online, by text or by phone, and all the details about how to vote are on the ballot paper. The transfer will only go ahead if the majority of tenants vote “yes” in
the ballot.

Cllr Cliff Morris, leader of Bolton Council, said: “I’d urge every tenant to use their vote and take this opportunity to influence the future of housing
in Bolton.

“Every vote is vital and we want the highest turnout as possible.

There are so many ways to vote, from texting to voting online, making it as easy as possible for people to vote.

“I’ve said all along that ultimately it’s the tenant’s decision and we will honour the wishes of tenants expressed through the ballot, whatever they may be.”

The result of the ballot will be announced on July 30 and letters will be posted out to tenants after this date.

For more information about the ballot, call ERS on 0208 889 9203.

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Kennewick General Hospital officials celebrated a victory Thursday when they learned a health law judge had dismissed an attempt by Kadlec Regional Medical Center to revoke state approval for KGHs proposed Southridge hospital.

It goes without saying that KGH is absolutely thrilled with the judges decision, said Wanda Briggs, vice chairwoman of the Kennewick Public Hospital District board. We really do believe it is a clear victory for KGH, for patients and for the Tri-Cities.

Kadlecs action was filed with the state Department of Healths Adjudicative Services Unit to appeal the issuance of a certificate of need for the Southridge project.

No hospital in Washington can expand without first getting a certificate of need from the state Department of Health and going through a process of justifying the growth.

Kadlec argued that because KGH also subsequently applied for a certificate of need to place an extra 25 beds at its Auburn Street campus after Southridge is built, and because that application depended on construction of the Southridge hospital, that KGHs original Southridge application had been improperly divided.

In turn, KGH filed documents asking to dismiss Kadlecs request. It argued Kadlec had waited too long to appeal and had never made any claims about how its interests might be affected by the Southridge project while the project was under consideration.

Health Law Judge John F. Kuntz agreed with KGHs argument and dismissed the appeal in a written order dated Monday.

Kadlec was disappointed but not overly surprised by the ruling announced today, Kadlec Health Systems CEO Rand Wortman said in a written statement Thursday. This is just another step in a long and complicated process. We recognized that the Department of Health could decline our motion to review its decision, simply based on the timing of the filing. But the overriding issue hasnt changed and Kadlecs position remains sound.

At the heart of the dispute are dueling requests to add beds to each hospital. Kadlec has asked to add 114 beds to its Richland hospital, while KGH has requested the extra 25 at its Auburn Street campus.

Those 25 beds wouldnt be added until after KGH builds Southridge and moves 74 of its allotted 101 beds there, leaving 27 in service at Auburn Street. The additional 25 would bring the bed count at a post-Southridge KGH to 74 at the new hospital and 52 at Auburn, for a total of 126.

Kadlec is licensed for 188 beds, but hospital officials want to build the remaining four floors of the 10-story River Pavilion tower and add 114 beds there, bringing the Richland hospitals total to 302 beds.

Kadlec cried foul when KGH asked for its 25 beds on the heels of Kadlecs 114-bed application because KGH officials hadnt disclosed expansion plans for Auburn Street when they applied to build Southridge.

Officials with the Richland hospital said it was clear the Southridge project and addition of beds at Auburn Street were part of one expansion plan and should have been on one application, not two.

So Kadlec protested the final certificate of need for Southridge when it was granted in March, and is arguing the state shouldnt have given final approval to that application in light of the subsequent application for 25 beds at Auburn Street.

Kadlec filed the appeal with the health departments Adjudicative Services Unit, as well as a court action in Thurston County. The Thurston County action still is pending.

KGH countered that it only applied for the 25 Auburn Street beds because Kadlec had proposed to grab all of the beds the community will need for the foreseeable future, thus preventing expansion by KGH down the road.

Kadlec also claimed in its appeal to the state that KGH had overstated admissions, occupancy rates and rates of growth in its certificate of need applications.

KGH has denied those allegations, saying Kadlec took the numbers out of context.

The judges decision didnt settle the questions of whether KGHs application was improperly divided and relied on inaccurate data. Kuntz only ruled on the timeliness of Kadlecs appeal, and whether the Richland hospital had legal standing to challenge the Southridge approval.

Briggs said the ball now is in Kadlecs court whether to accept a settlement offer in which KGH proposed to drop its 25-bed application if Kadlec will withdraw the Thurston County action, as well as a March 17 letter to the certificate of need program challenging the Southridge approval and a public records request to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development for documents related to KGHs efforts to obtain financing from the agency for the proposed hospital.

KGH officials have contended the public records request is intended to hold up financing for the new hospital.

KGH again urges the Kadlec board to do whats right and do it without delay, Briggs said.

Wortmans statement said the Kadlec board will meet next week to determine what action the Richland hospital takes next.

– Michelle Dupler: 582-1543; mdupler@tricityherald.com

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Buena High Schools class of 1975 is holding its reunion today through Sunday. For more information, e-mail Denise Lundin at DeniseL5@cox.net or Denise (Schulte) Leslie at spacemom@cox.net.

Free blood pressure checks will be offered by the Sierra Vista Regional Health Centers Wellness Depot from 8:30 to 10:30 am today. The depot is in the Mall at SierraVista.

Free movies on childbirth are offered at 2 pm every Saturday at Gentle Birth Services, 821 Highway 92, Bisbee. Upcoming movies: Saturday, Birth As We Know It; July 17, Hey, What About Me? (a video about siblings); and Aug. 7, The Business Of Being Born (Rikki Lakesdocumentary).

Huachuca Art Association plans a meet the artist reception for Edie Manion, pastel artist, from 4 to 6 pm Saturday at the HAA Gallery, 3818 Astro St. in Hereford, south of Highway 92. The public is invited. Come and enjoy food and drinks with the artists from the area. For more information, call 803-1262. The gallery is open Thursday through Sunday from noon to 4pm

Pop balloons for prizes in a fundraiser by the Tombstone Ray Fourr Unit of the American Legion. Cost is $1 a pop. Balloons will be sold from 4 to 9 pm Thursday and Friday, from 1 to 3 pm Saturday and Sunday, and also 5:30 pm to 9 pm July 4. Donations will support childrens Christmasparty.

The Friends of the San Pedro River will conduct interpretive walks along the river Saturday and July 10. The walks depart from the San Pedro House, 9800 E. Highway 90, at 8 am There is no charge for the walk, however, donations are accepted to support the docent programs. Dress appropriately for the weather: bring drinking water and use sun protection. For more information, call (520)459-2555.

In support of National Cholesterol Month, the Sierra Vista Regional Health Centers Wellness Depot will be presenting an informational talk on Know Your Numbers, What They Mean and What You Can Do to Lower Them on Tuesday from 2 to 4 pm For more information, call459-8210.

Chair yoga classes are offered every Wednesday at 8:30 and 10 am Registered yoga teacher Marcia Galleher welcomes students of all ages and levels to the sessions at Sierra Vista Regional Health Centers Wellness Depot in the Mall at Sierra Vista. Classes are$6.

The Sierra Vista Area Chamber is pleased to announce the guest speaker for the July Military Affairs Committee luncheon is Mike Quigley of the Wilderness Society. Quigley has worked for the federal government and several private corporations. The lunch is Wednesday at the Thunder Mountain Activity Centre from 11:30 am to 1pm

Registration has begun continues through July 9 for the AVVA 1020 Operation HOMEMission: Back to School Back Packs amp; School Supplies for Military Children. All military families on Fort Huachuca and Cochise County, pay grade E6 and below, can register their children for this event. Registration via e-mail, avva@cochisecountyvva.org, or contact Rose Possien at 226-5522 for moreinformation.

A water harvesting tour of seven residential properties is planned the morning of July 10. The tour will begin at 7:30 am or 8:15 am at 71 Witt Drive, Sierra Vista. Please arrive promptly for the talk. Maps and site descriptions will be available there and by contacting University of Arizona Water Wise at jwilliam@ag.arizona.edu or 458-8278, Ext.2141.

Friends of the Sierra Vista Library will have a half-off sale July 10 from 10 am to 3:30 pm All merchandise will be half off. The Friends bookstore is to the left of the main libraryentrance.

Join Friends of the San Pedro River for an interpretive walk at the Spanish Presidio Santa Cruz de Terrenate, an important historic site within the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, at 8 am July 11 or July 14. Meet at the Presidio parking area (about one mile north of Highway 82 on In Balance Ranch Road). For details, call 459-2555 or go online tosanpedroriver.org.

Carr House Sunday programs continue July 11 at 1:30 pm with Archives: Preserving History with Marsha Bonham, Cochise county treasurer. Bonham will review the struggle to establish a proper archives and protect records documenting Cochise County history. Directions to Carr House: From Sierra Vista, travel south on Highway 92 to Carr Canyon Road, turn right. Drive about 2.1 miles up Carr Canyon Road. Carr House is on the left after a large dip in theroad.

The Huachuca Area Republican Womens Club will meet at the Windemere Hotel on July 12. Social time begins at 10:30 am, followed by the meeting, lunch and a program. The featured speaker will be Jonathan Paton, candidate for Congress. Cost is $15. For reservations, call 366-0012 byWednesday.

Happy Achers will meet July 15 in the Fellowship Hall of the Sierra Vista United Methodist Church at 11:30 am Anyone over 50 is welcome. Please be generous when preparing your covered dish to share. Michael Grande has offered to entertain. Call 803-0630 forinformation.

The 1200 Club will hold its July meeting on July 16 at Pueblo del Sol Country Club. Social time will commence at 6 pm, followed by dinner and a meeting at 6:30. The program will be a gubernatorial forum. Speakers are Gov. Jan Brewer (tentative), and candidates Dean Martin and Buz Mills. Reservations may be made by calling Barbara at 459-1715 by July 14. Cost is $20 perperson.

AARP plans an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast at the Landmark Cafe from 6 to 11 am July 17. The pancakes will be blueberry or regular; all other breakfast item are regular price. This will benefit Senior Charities, Meals on Wheels, ViCAP, Area Agency on Aging and the SalvationArmy.

On-demand water recirculation pumps will be discussed by Dave Grieshop in an informational presentation at 10 am July 17. Learn the benefits of an on-demand system, including water and energy savings. The presentation will be at Energy Smart Concepts; 2185 E. FryBlvd.

The Southeastern Arizona Contractors Association will hold its monthly general meeting on Wednesday, July 21, 2010, at Pueblo del Sol Country Club beginning at 11:30 am, with lunch. This months program will be a presentation by the Upper San Pedro Water District Organizing Board regarding Implementing the Water District and Its Elected Board. Along with members and guests, the general public iswelcome.

Arthritis Brothers will be playing their heritage music live at the Landmark Cafe from 5:30 to 8:30 on July 26. There will be no cover charge. The Arthritis Brothers play music with minstrel-era roots from the 1880 through the early1900s.

A foreclosure prevention workshop is planned from 10 am to noon July 31 in the Mona Bishop Room of the Sierra Vista Public Library. The event is sponsored by the Better Business Bureau, City of Sierra Vista and SEAGO. Seating and workshop materials are limited, so please RSVP by calling 432-5301 (ask for the housing department) or e-mailing housing@seago.org.

Cochise Colleges Center for Lifelong Learning is sponsoring a one-day field trip led by Glenn Minuth on July 31 to the Catwalk National Recreation Trail in New Mexico. It follows a path of the pipeline built in the 1890s. Today, metal walkways that are bolted to the steep canyon walls trace the Catwalk wherever there was no room to cut a trail. The fee is $79. To register, contact the center at 515-5492, Ext5492.

Scholarships for local students who are pursuing careers in medical-related careers are being offered by the Sierra Vista Regional Health Center Auxiliary. Scholarships are $1,500 and will be awarded in September. Applications are available at the Sierra Vista Regional Health Center human resourcesoffice.

The HuachuCats Summer Send-Off Brunch Picnic will be held Saturday, Aug. 7, in Veterans Park, Ramada #3 from 10 am to noon. This is a free event. RSVP by Aug. 1 to Mary Alexander at: malexander14@cox.net or call459-8056.

A mix amp;mingle event will provide candidates for elected office state, county and local with an opportunity to meet, on an informal basis with people from the Sierra Vista area business community on Aug. 13 from 5 to 7 pm at Pueblo del Sol Country Club, 2770 St. Andrews Drive. Admission is $10, cash or check at the door only. Appetizers will be served and their will be a cash bar. For more information, contact Diane E. Erwin at membership2@sierravistachamber.org

Arizona Army Security Agency Association will hold its annual reunion Aug. 20-22 at the Desert Diamond Hotel and Casino, 7350 S. Nogales Highway, Tucson. The reunion is open to all former members of the Army Security Agency, those who served at ASA installations, and their families and guests. For more information, contact Robert Lynn, (520) 296-8916 orbelynn0407@aol.com.

A six-week course titled Learn to Identify Plants will be taught by Cecile Lumer, PhD The class will meet Fridays from 10 am to noon from Aug. 20-Sept. 24 at the University of Arizona South. Cost is $130. Enrollment is limited to 20 people and a $25 deposit will reserve a place in the class. For more information, contact Cecile Lumer at 432-4294 (e-mail: cecilelumer@gmail.com) or Joyce at 458-8278, Ext.2141.

Bisbee Bloomers Garden Tour is scheduled for 10 am to 4 pm Sept. 11. Nine gardens will be featured on this self-guided tour in Old Bisbee and Warren. The tour will showcase established gardens as well as gardens in which the soil has recently been replaced because of mining elements in the earth. Admission is $10. For more information, go to discoverbisbee.com or call432-3554.

1st Signal Brigade members who served in both Vietnam and Korea will be gathering the weekend of Sept. 16-20 at the Doubletree Hotel at Reid Park in Tucson. A day trip to Fort Huachuca is planned as part of the gathering. For more information, contact Howard Bartholf at howardsp5@aol.com or (804)381-8586.

Patagonia High School reunion is planned from 5 to 11 pm Oct. 9 at the Sonoita fairgrounds. Come reunite with fellow classmates and enjoy food, music and fun. If you can help locate alumni, contact Judy Basinger Jablonski at (520) 235-8771 or Terri Basinger Powers at (520)456-9081.

Sierra Vista Elks Lodge 2065 is looking for businesses or individuals with old, broken or unused computers. Computers will be refurbished and reconditioned by lodge members and given to needy children in our community. If you have a computer to donate, please call Stan at 458-1808 or249-2709.

Volunteer Interfaith Caregiver Program is a nonprofit organization providing services to the elderly, disabled and homebound residents of Sierra Vista and nearby rural communities. Services include transportation to appointments, shopping assistance, friendly visiting, basic business help, respite sitting and minor home maintenance. These services are provided free of charge by trained volunteers, although donations areaccepted.

If you need help filling out a food stamp application, the SEAGO Area Agency on Aging can help. Help is available Monday and Friday by appointment at 300 Collins Road in Bisbee. You may need you may need photo ID, birth certificate, income statements, child-care expense, utility expenses for most recent month, bank account statements, rent/mortgage for most recent month, terminated income if applicable, unemployment statements and Social Security cards. For more information or an appointment, call 432-5301, Ext. 205 (Graciela Murcio) or Ext. 208 (KathleenHeard).

Disabled American Veterans Fry Chapter 14 would like to thank all the servicemen and women, retirees and dependents of Fort Huachuca for their generous donations during our annual Forget-Me-Not fund drive. Your donations help the Fry Chapter 14 assist local veterans through our transportation and service officerfunctions.

American Legion Post 52, 12 Theater Drive, is now offering a full lunch menu Monday through Thursday from 11 am to 1 pm Open to members andguests.

Interested in native American culture, history, archaeology or southwestern art? Become a member of an exciting team of volunteers at the Amerind Foundation and Museum in Dragoon. Expand your knowledge, work with friendly people, contribute to public education and stewardship of Native American art and material culture. Museum store discount and free membership offered to all volunteers. Contact Deni at (520) 586-3666, Ext. 12, or deni@amerind.org. More information online at www.amerind.org.

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Land Registry figure show rise in Sefton house prices

Jul 2 2010

by Amy Salter, Southport Visiter

HOUSE prices in Sefton have risen by over 5% in the last year, new figures reveal.

The average house price in the borough was recorded at pound;135,411, in May 2010, compared with pound;128,666 the year before, according to the Land Registry data.

Sefton remains below the national average of 8.2% growth, but is well ahead of Liverpool, which experienced a year-on- year drop of -5.1% making it the third worst performing housing market in England and Wales.

Seftons increase may be welcome news to sellers, but the boroughs average is still only in line with the average in April 2005. The areas peak came in May 2008 when the average house price in Sefton was pound;154,757.

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