Thursday Jun 30 2011

Six new families have moved into the Des Ewing-designed Readers Park scheme in
Ballyclare. Progress continues at a rapid pace at the Holm development.

Since last October, Readers Park has set the standard for excellence in home
design and Holm NI has revealed that more than 75% of the first phase has
been sold. Readers Park is part of the Westlands scheme that will see over
2,000 homes built to the north and west of Ballyclare over the next 15 years.

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A $2.7 million well system could help homeowners in south Mandan
with water in their basements.

The city is considering 17 deep water wells drilled into bedrock in
the Marina Bay, Borden Harbor, Bridgeview Bay and Falcon Drive
areas. The scope of the projects and estimated costs were discussed
at a special Mandan City Commission meeting Tuesday evening, though
no decision was made.

“We thought it was an easy, clear-cut thing, but as we dig deeper,
it is more complex,” Mayor Tim Helbling said.

The primary concern is how to pay for the project. The cost of the
well system and two of the bay plugs cannot be added to special
assessments because a special assessment district was not created.
There are also many options for how the city could divvy the cost
of the project among homeowners in the area, either by subdivision
or as a percentage of a home’s property value. City officials are 
working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to have the
project qualify for federal assistance.

Flood control efforts are estimated at about $8 million, city
administrator Jim Neubauer said. That includes the well system. So
far, only $2.5 million of that qualifies for federal or state
assistance.

“It depends on what FEMA does,” Neubauer said.

Generally, FEMA will cover 75 percent of the cost of a qualifying
project. The remaining 25 percent is to be covered by state and
local money. Although Mandan has not heard about how much the state
will provide for assistance, generally it would leave the city to
cover 3 percent of the cost, Neubauer said.

The city had the engineering firm Kadrmas Lee Jackson seek
requests for proposals for the well project. It received four
proposals, which had to include what kind of system would be used
and the company’s qualifications for installing such a project. The
proposals ranged from $2.5 million to $3.9 million and included
either deep wells, sandpoint wells or a combination of the
two.

Deep wells were preferred by KLJ project manager Brian Eiseman
because that type of system is less intrusive on people’s
properties and can be a more permanent fixture for flood control.
The wells could also be used to keep the bays filled,  which could
be an issue after the river recedes, Helbling said.

If each area covered the cost of its flood-control project, it
could range from $7,500 per home in the Marina Bay area to $31,000
per home in the Bridgeview area. Borden Harbor could be about
$18,000 per home and Falcon Drive area could be about $15,000 per
home.

If the cost was spread among all homeowners in the area, it could
be about $22,000 per home, including the cost of plugging the bay
and sandbag-related costs. Without the well project, it could be
about $14,000 per homeowner.

If the cost of plugging the bays and other associated flood-control
costs and the water removal project were divided by area, it could
be about $21,300 per home for Marina Bay, about $42,000 per home
for Borden Harbor and about $13,000 per home for Lakewood.

If the cost were paid back as a percentage of home value, it could
be about

2.5 percent of the home’s value. The city commission must decide
whether property owners without basements should pay, as well as
property owners with vacant land.

Mold is causing concern for homeowners whose basements are flooded.
The high humidity in the basements can cause mold to move to the
upper levels of a home. About 30 people attended the special
meeting.  Among their questions are when the project would be
completed and what they can expect with home values in the
area.

“Some people had a problem with the plugs that were suggested,”
homeowner Greg Larson said. “Then they didn’t happen right away and
then we did a lot of work that was not necessary if they came in at
an opportune time.”

It would take about a week for the company to start the project,
once it gets the ok. Then it would take about a week to drill the
wells. As each well is completed, it can be hooked up to a pump and
used immediately.

“In five to 10 days, you could see results,” Eiseman said.

Property values are anticipated to go down, and homeowners do not
want taxes to reflect a property value that is no longer accurate.
Homeowner Pamela Schmidt also suggested that the city try to
increase awareness about how the flood-control efforts in that area
protected property from potentially worse flood damage.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@bismarcktribune.com.)

There are very few themes for decorating a home that capture the imagination quite like an Asian inspired theme. There are many reasons for this one of which is the rich colors, fabrics, and textures that are the hallmark of these themes. There is a simplistic elegance about Asian décor that is almost impossible to imitate in other methods. It is simply put, stunning to walk into a room or a home that has been decorated in an Asian inspired motif.

This is not one of the lesser styles of décor when it comes to price. This elegance comes at a rather high price for the average consumer. However, the sparseness of this home decorating style make it possible when other styles with this sort of price tag would not be possible. One of the most important things to remember when attempting to bring an Asian style of décor into your home is the heavy reliance upon color and texture.

Dining rooms are particularly stunning when decorated in an Asian style. In this situation not only can the implements added to the room serve to improve and enhance the décor but also the placemats on the table can serve as an important tool in establishing the theme of this supremely elegant room. Chopsticks and dishes, particularly tea servings are other great enhancements to an Asian dining room. This is a room that many families will enjoy dining in.

It is recommended that because of the expense involved in many Asian themed home decorating styles that only one or two rooms in the home should be created based upon an Asian theme. This will keep the costs down as well as making those rooms focal points within the home rather than having the splendor lost among the excess.

If you are having a rough time narrowing down the two rooms, the bathroom also makes an excellent room in which to incorporate an Asian inspired theme. This is a room in which people go to relax and wash away the worries and stress of their days. For this reason, it makes perfect sense that some of the more tranquil and relaxing design accents of an Asian décor would be appropriate. Candles, figurines, calligraphy (waterproof of course), and Asian artwork make excellent touches for a bathroom, as do the more tranquil colors of some Asian inspired rooms. Fountains can be added to the room for an added taste of relaxation. Be sure that there is plenty of storage space as clean lines and an uncluttered surface are also important for the overall peaceful affect you should be hoping to achieve.

If either the dining room or bath or unappealing to your home decorating desires for an Asian theme you may want to take the theme into your bedroom. There are very few more romantic themes to incorporate into a bedroom than an Asian theme. You can use fabrics to create a very romantic atmosphere, rice paper window coverings to protect those inside from prying eyes, and candles throughout the room to finish off the creation. Furnishings in this room should be sparse and uncluttered. And Asian screens can be used in order to ‘section off’ the room or hide the piles of laundry or cluttered areas that you wish not to be detract from the overall romance of the room. Fans make a lovely decoration for the walls in a bedroom as does Oriental art or framed calligraphy in the words of love. Use wall sconces and indirect lighting rather than harsh, glaring overhead lights.

An Asian theme can be one of the most beautiful in the realm of home decorating if you are truly willing to invest the time and money it takes to do this theme properly. It can also be one of the most gaudy if you choose cheap and tacky decorations rather than quality accessories. If you choose to incorporate this theme into your home I hope you will keep that in mind while you are shopping.

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District releases tax costs for new school

Published 12:11pm Monday, June 27, 2011

The projections are in for a proposed bond referendum for a new grades 5-6 school.

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A $100,000 home’s property tax would increase by about $50 per year (or $1,000 total) if voters approved a 20-year, $28.9 million capital bond this November. A $150,000 home’s property taxes would go up by about $74.

By the same token, if the referendum fails, a $100,000 home’s property tax would go down by $76 and a $150,000 by $114.

Austin Public School officials released property tax projections last week. While property taxes would rise, a $20 million bond referendum on Austin High School renovations is set to expire this year, and the savings on that bond would offset most of the tax change according to district officials.

“This has been a community decision,” said Dick Lees, vice-chairman of the board. “This is of course not just a school board decision. All avenues were examined … and this is what the outcome was.”

The $28.9 million, which would go towards a new intermediate school and renovations to Woodson Kindergarten Center, would be split up over 20 years, ending in 2032.

“What we’re looking at, it’s pretty much in line with what we talked about during the (community) task force,” said Mark Stotts, Austin’s finance and operations director.

Although residential property values widely vary in the district, the average Austin home is going for about a $90,000 sale price according to Jerry Wolesky, Associate Broker and Manager of Fawver Agency Realtors.

“Our (home) prices are certainly not what they were,” Wolesky said. “They’re down.”

That $90,000 home’s assessed property value is what will be taxed, although the assessed value shouldn’t differ greatly from the sales price according to Wolesky.

Spreading the cost

Calculating property taxes is no easy matter, as there are plenty of loopholes, exceptions, codes and values to consider. The best way to think about the total tax impact of the referendum is to divide the bond levy cost by the district’s tax capacity, or a calculation of everyone’s share of property taxes, according to Donna Welsh, Mower County Financial Director.

The district’s tax capacity is a bit more complicated. Each property has its own classification, which signifies its property tax rate. The total tax capacity would be calculated by multiplying the total market value of every piece of property within the district by its tax classification rate percentage.

Residential owners bear the bulk of the tax capacity, as there’s far more residential property in the district than any other kind. Of the district’s total adjusted taxable value last fiscal year — around $14.9 million — residential owners accounted for about $8.9 million in its tax capacity. Commercial space accounted for about $2.9 million, and agricultural property accounted for about $1.7 million.

District officials took the housing market into consideration when calculating these bond projections. The district’s bond structure is set up to account for modest growth in bond interest and property value rates, according to Stotts.

“We think we’re conservative,” Stotts said about the bond interest district officials used to calculate the projections. “I think we’re using about a half percentage point higher, not knowing what the market’s going to do.”

In addition, district officials set up a bond repayment plan that would keep the capital and debt levies, which would encompass the bond referendum, even for the next 20 years. That means taxes wouldn’t go up or down based on the bond referendum, though some debt levies would expire in 2026. Stotts said the bond repayments wrap around the existing debt and is a standard practice among school districts.

By
Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 8:40 AM on 27th June 2011

Interest rates at a record low have sparked a leap of 11 per cent in the number of buyers this month.

Estate agents said low mortgage deals and lower asking prices from sellers has made the housing market more attractive for people on the look-out for a new home.

Property experts Hometrack predict sales will carry on increasing this summer after seeing the highest number of sales in three months.

Cashing in: There has been a leap of 11 per cent in the number of buyers this month, say industry experts

They also revealed house prices have dropped by 3.9 per cent in the past year and are set for further falls.

Prices fell by 0.1 per cent in June and have now dropped in 11 of the past 12 months.

They will fall by about 1 per cent in the
second half of the year as more new homes come onto the market but
demand remains subdued, causing the number of homes on estate agents’
books to rise, it predicts.

The Bank of England has kept the base rate at a record low of 0.5 per cent for the 27th month despite rising inflation.

Some predictions suggest the rates could stay low until 2014 which will boost demand on the property market.

Recent analysis also showed that in May mortgage lending rose by 12 per cent.

A total of £11.3billion was advanced during the month, up from £10.1billion in April, and also 1 per cent higher than a year ago, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

Hometrack research director Richard
Donnell said: ‘The second half of the year is set to see subdued demand
keeping a further downward pressure on prices.

‘While the balance between supply and
demand is not significantly out of kilter, subdued demand and weak
consumer confidence are set to keep headline prices under modest
downward pressure over the months ahead.’

The Bank of England has kept the base rate at a record low of 0.5 per cent for the 27th month despite rising inflation

The improvement in activity in the
housing market in June was also the result of a bounce-back after a
slump in May when viewings were disrupted by bank holidays around Easter
and the royal wedding.

Activity in the market varies in
different parts of the country, with demand for homes in London
remaining strong where the average time a property stays on the market
is at just six weeks. But in Wales it takes an average of 14 weeks to
find a buyer.

Michelle Slade, of price comparison website Moneyfacts, told the Daily Express: ‘This combination of competitively priced mortgages and properties being advertised at more realistic levels has given a much needed boost to the property market.

‘Not only that, but the longer base rate remains at 0.5 per cent the more likely home buyers and sellers could see mortgage rates fall further.’

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