Congress has unanimously approved a one-year extension, until Sept. 30, 2011, for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). A long-term extension has been a top legislative priority for NAR (National Association of REALTORS®). Earlier in 2010 the NFIP lapsed, causing major disruptions for REALTORS®, and with the Sept. 30 deadline fast approaching, NAR redoubled its efforts to extend the program.

REALTOR® advocacy efforts helped make the long-term extension a reality. When Congress returned to Washington, D.C. in mid-September, NAR was waiting with its federal political coordinators who came to D.C. to meet with key senators and urge the long-term extension. Additionally, on Sept. 22 NAR was ably represented by Maryland REALTOR® Nick D’Ambrosia. He stressed to the Senate Committee on Banking NAR’s commitment to extend and strengthening the program beyond 2011 for the long-term. While the one-year extension brings a level of certainty to the NFIP, there needs to be comprehensive reform measures to place the NFIP on more sound financial footing for at least another five years.

Flood Insurance Timeline

Sept. 21, 2010 S. 3814 Approved by Unanimous Consent in the Senate

Sept. 23, 2010 S. 3814 Approved by Voice Vote in House of Representatives

The bill now heads to President Obama for his signature as soon as next week. With program authority now extended for a year, it is expected that attention will turn to proposals to reform and ensure the financial soundness of the NFIP. While the House passed its reform bill (H.R. 5114) earlier this year, it is unlikely that a comprehensive reform bill will move until the 112th Congress goes into session next year.

Source: NAR

Americans overwhelmingly oppose any action by Congress to tamper with the mortgage interest deduction, according to a nationwide survey which supports the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REALTORS® position that home ownership incentives must be preserved.

Nearly 80 percent of respondents said they support retaining federal tax incentives to promote home ownership in a survey commissioned by the National Association of Home Builders. “These results show strong national voter support for keeping the mortgage interest deduction,” said Neil Newhouse, partner at Public Opinion Strategies, a research firm based in Alexandria, Va., which conducted the survey.

“Clearly, voters have a very strong connection to the home mortgage interest deduction and are not likely to respond well to efforts to reduce or eliminate it. In fact, voters overwhelmingly say they would be less likely to vote for a candidate for Congress who supported either eliminating or reducing the home mortgage interest deduction,” Newhouse said.

NAHB’s findings bolster efforts by NAR to refocus national attention on the benefits of home ownership. NAR’s Homeownership Matters initiative is dedicated to maintaining taxpayer incentives and challenging misleading reports in the media that are being used to attack long-standing government policies. NAR will host a free webinar on Sept. 28 featuring chief economist Lawrence Yun to provide practitioners and REALTOR® association executives with information on NAR’s initiative.

Even when told that getting rid of the mortgage interest deduction would help ease the federal budget deficit, 72 percent of respondents in the NAHB survey opposed any proposal to abolish the home mortgage interest deduction. This cut across partisan lines and home owner status; 76 percent of Republicans, 75 percent of Independents, and 64 percent of Democrats oppose eliminating the deduction. Meanwhile, 75 percent of home owners and 55 percent of renters also oppose doing away with the home mortgage interest deduction.

Public Opinion Strategies conducted the survey Sept. 9 through 12 to assess the public’s attitude toward the mortgage interest deduction and the importance of home ownership.

“As the midterm elections draw near, voters are sending a resounding message to Congress and the Administration: Don’t meddle with the mortgage interest deduction or other tax incentives that support home ownership,” said NAHB Chairman Bob Jones, a home builder from Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

Sources: NAR, National Association of Home Builders

¡Globalquerque!, New Mexico’s sixth annual World Music & Culture Celebration returns to the National Hispanic Cultural Center on September 24 and 25, 2010. This year’s festival will bring three stages of music from five continents over two nights. Relax in the intimate courtyard setting of the Fountain Stage, enjoy larger bands in the state-of-the-art 692-seat Journal Theater, or dance to groove heavy world music on the plaza’s outdoor Festival Stage.

Call the NHCC box office for tickets and information at (505) 724-4771.  For an updated list of this year’s line up visit:  http://www.globalquerque.com/

While you’re in Albuquerque, take a morning to visit us at Spring Canyon Ranch in Quemado or Vera Cruz Mountain Ranch in Ruidoso. Either drive will only take about two and a half hours. You’ll see the beautiful rural side of New Mexico and find out just why country living is living at its best!

For maps and driving directions, click here.

Good through September 30, 2010

You won’t want to miss this sale! Take a look at our already low-priced foreclosure lots, pick your favorite and let us take

$1000.00 off the purchase price!

This is your opportunity to own your very own slice of New Mexico land, to stake your claim in America and build your new life.

Call 888-812-5830 now or click here to ask for more details!

The Pie Town Annual Pie Festival includes a pie-baking contest, games and races, music, food, arts and crafts, and pie, pie, pie. Admission is free and parking is easy. The festival is held in Jackson Park each year and is a great opportunity to visit with friends, both old and new.

Pie Festival Video is Available!
Created by Dana Pence of Flamboyant Studios, this video shows highlights of the 2009 Festival.

The Festival is organized and operated by the Pie Town Community Council, and is our main fund-raising event. The Council, an all-volunteer organization, performs a variety of essential services in the Pie Town area. The festival would not be possible without the help of our volunteers and supporters.

Events loosely follow a schedule, and there are vendors selling food, crafts, and services throughout the day. There is a short break in the late afternoon / early evening, then we dance in the pavilion until midnight. During the dance intermission, we hold a benefit auction for the prize-winning pies from the pie-baking contest and we draw the winning names for the three raffle prizes.

Facts About the 2009 Pie Festival

2,540 pieces of pie were sold throughout Pie Town in a single day.

The 2009 Pie Festival raised about $ 7,000, which so far has been used for the following:

$ 3,000 was donated to the Pie Town EMS Department. This all-volunteer organization experienced a budget cut and was unable to pay for training for their emergency medical personnel.

$ 1,549 was donated to several community families who were experiencing financial hardship due to catastrophic events in their lives (house fire, cancer diagnosis, family deaths and accidents).

$ 500 was spent on a scholarship for a local graduating high-school senior.

$ 450 was used to provide food and shelter for a group from Bike & Build, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which organizes cross-country cycling trips to benefit the affordable housing cause in the United States.

$ 250 was spent on a Holiday Dinner for the community.

Pie Town back in the 40s—where the men were men, and the women did everything else. Check out pictures 16-21, talk about Wild West!

Pie Town still holds its yearly Pie Festival, it’s still home to some of the best pies in the Southwest and the people are still a friendly bunch ready to welcome you into their quaint, rural community. If you like peace and quiet, have had about enough of the rat race and value the beauty of wide open spaces and clear blue skies, come to Ponderosa Views and make every day worthy of pie a la mode! 🙂

Captured%3A America in Color from 1939-1943 %E2%80%93 Plog Photo Blog.

Mark Your Calendar:

November 6 – 7, 2010