Home Buyer Credit Check

I am not really the type to accept or qualify for most government welfare programs, but sometimes the government is giving away money. With the recent recession, the government created a number of incentive programs to jump start economic growth. The Cash for Clunkers deal, extension of unemployment benefits and a first time home buyer credit were just a few of these stimulus programs. If you happen to fall within the guidelines, then you just need to complete some paperwork and the money will be yours.

I have never in my life received an unemployment check from the government. Even when I was laid off, I had over 3 months severance and found a job before it ended. So while I paid into the unemployment system for over 10 years, I never used it. As I understand it now, you can get an unemployment check for up to 99 weeks now. Where is the incentive to find work with that kind of handout?

In the Fall of 2009, the Federal government extended the original home buyer credit and expanded it to long term home buyers. The original plan gave $8000 to any first time home buyer. It expired last year and Congress decided to extend to April 2010 and expanded it to include anyone that had lived in there home for 5 years and give them $6500. Wow, what a nice bonus! I now just qualified, owning my last home for 5 years.

I put my home search into high gear during the Winter of 2010. Within a couple of months I found allot of good deals with foreclosures and bank owned properties. I finally decided on a brand new construction at the end of February and closed on the house on March 10th.

I had already filed my 2009 taxes electronically. So on March 31st, I paper filed an amended Tax Return for the home buyer credit. For the home buyer credit, you had to file by paper with 5-years home owner documentation, since their were reports of many people scamming the system. On May 18th, 2010 I got my check!

Cracking Pocket Aces!

Its been a while since I won at Poker (five sessions...just a really bad run), but last night was a +$500 night! I knew at some point I would start winning again and it would be with avengence. It could have been another really early night, after I picked up pocket Kings in the Big Blind. A guy in early position limps in for $2 and a few other call. I bump it to $25 and he pushes all-in for over $500. He had me covered, since I just started and I had about $200 in-front of me. I consider for a second if he could have pocket Aces and if he would have limped in like that. I put him on AK and call. The flop spikes a King and I throw down my top set!. He shows me pocket Aces! Whoops, bad call, but he should not have slow played. I might have folded pre-flop if he raised and re-raised my re-raise. Instead he played weak and became week, a classic poker mistake.

A few minutes later I get pocket Aces under the gun so I raise to $20. Only the guy to my left calls. The flop is K-10-3 and I bet $30. The guy re-raises me to $70 and I smooth call. The turn is a Jack and I quickly check. He checks! The river is a rag like a 8 and I figure I have to be good, so I value bet $50. The guy pushes all-in for another $150! It seems like an over bet that he doesn't want me to call, so I call! He says "you must be good I have a king.." and show my Aces. Now my stack is close to $700...

I play a little more hitting a set of 444s and getting pocket Kings 2 more times before deciding to call it quits after about 4 hours of play. I cashed out $735, that is about $133/hr. A very fortunate session for me and I can say, "yes it is better to be lucky then good." And when you are lucky you better be good by quiting while you are still ahead.

Current Stats

Sightseeing in Austin and Lake Travis

This past weekend I took a cruise on Lake Travis. It was the first time on Lake Travis for me. It was a blast. I rented a pontoon and drove around the east part of the lake. I checked out Hippie Hollow, the Oasis and Mansfield Dam.

Home Improvements

Its been a busy month for me. I closed on a new house March 10th, 2010. I went to Charleston, South Carolina on March 12th for a wedding for and old college friend. Been trying to move in ever since and get it ready. I have absolutely no furniture and will be starting from scratch. First things I got was a bed, TV and recliner. I also had a Water Softener installed and gutters installed all around the house. Lennar only had front gutters installed.

Things To Look For In A New House

Here are all the things I really like about my house. If you are looking for a new house I would consider only a brand new house at this point. Look for these little details. They make a big difference in the long run and believe it or not, the cost of a new build really isn't that much difference then a used home. This list is, admittedly, a list of "technical" things, since Im a technical guy. If you want to see a listing of non technical items then just do a google search.

Brand New Construction using the latest in building technologies and meets all the high-efficiency code of Austin Green Building Program. All new homes have to be built with the latest building codes. Most of these codes require better building techniques and money saving energy efficient materials to be used. A new home will be warrantied for at least one year and many major items warrantied for up to 10 years. Why settled for a home "as-is" when you can get warranty and some peace of mind for the same price or better? Look at JD Power's rating for builders in your area. Here is a link to the builders ratings for Austin, TX.

LP TechShield, Radiant Barrier used on the roof to block 97% of the radiant heat of the Sun. This alone will save allot in cooling and heating the house, especially in the hot summer months of Texas. The barrier typically reduces heat in the attic by up to 42%, which equals to about a 17-39% monthly savings on cooling costs. There are many suppliers of radiant barriers and the technology is relatively simple and very effective no matter who you use. Existing homes can also be retrofitted with the technology to achieve similar results.

TJI Engineering Wood used to support the 2nd floor, this prevents squeaks in the floor. TJI joists resist the bowing, twisting and shrinking that can lead to squeaky floors. TJI joists save on labor because they are lightweight and install quickly. The beams are stronger then lumber wood and can span much greater distances without additional support beams underneath. The technology is also "Green" since you can use scrap wood in the OSB layer.

Lime Stone exterior, just looks dam nice. Any brick or stone house always looks better then a non brick house. While it is just a facade and provides little structural support, it still acts as a thermal mass to help moderate the house's overall temperature. On this house the Lime stone is literally 4 inches thick. They say their is little insulating value to the stone, but I still feel like it takes longer to heat up in the morning sun compared to a wood or vinyl sided home.

High Efficiency HVAC system - a 14 SEER Lennox Air Conditioner and heat pump - costs less to keep the house cool and heat. If the temperature falls below freezing then a back-up radiant heater kicks in.

Dual pane low E Windows . The glass is coated with a thin layer of tin. This absorbs the UV rays and prevents the heat from entering the house. The window frames are also made of Vinyl which is more insulating then aluminium when tends to conduct heat more readily then vinyl.

Seven zone Sprinkler system that shuts off automatically with use of a rain sensor. This wireless device has a ceramic sensor that communicates to shut-off the system if it is wet outside.

Jump ducts in every bedroom for better circulation and energy efficiency. Typically, when you close a room door the ventilation system has to work harder to push air through the closed door. By adding a vent to the each room the system can just push the air through the vent for better air flow. The only hassle now is that I have more filters to replace in each room, but this is a better way in the long run.

DSC Security System with wiring for CAT5, telephone and Fiber Optics. I have a fiber optic connection at the road. This should give me the fastest possible Internet connection. The house being pre-wired means that an installer doesn't have to worry about fishing cables through all the walls.

I don't cook much, but I love the look of Granite Counter tops in the kitchen! For what ever reason, after looking through so many homes, a plain laminate counter top just says old and dated to me. Yes, Granite doesn't add much functionality to a home for a guy that doesn't cook much, but dam a Granite kitchen just looks awesome! It is one of those things that catches the eye and makes you fall in love with the place. Click the picture to see the entire counter top.

(you can click on at picture above to see more details..)