This country needs to address its needs for comprehensive immigration reform.

Yes, there are some deep divisive issues, like what do you do with the 15 or 20 million people that may already be here illegally. Is there a way to create a pathway for these people to become legalized without being rewarded for being illegal?

Maybe, something along these lines would start us thinking and coming up with solutions. Every person that is here illegally would be given a date by which they would have to register, get a social security number, a drivers license and be assessed a fine, (5K to 10k) that would be payable over a 5 year period, during this 5 year time they would be required to learn English, pay taxes and stay out of trouble. If they fail to register, once they are apprehended they would be deported and never allowed back into this country.

If an American, individual or Company hires an illegal that has not registered they would be fined an impressionable amount…$15,000 to $20,000 for each person they hired.

At the end of 5 years, provided they have complied with all the requirements, they would be granted citizenship. Ok I’m sure there is room for a lot of tweaking in this idea, so let’s hear from you.

The El Paso real estate market continues to be brisk.

Community leaders!
I heard on a local radio talk show today that El Paso lacks leadership in its elected leaders…I say that there are many in this community who have the wisdom, vision and charisma to be great leaders..Since perfection is unattainable and we all have this in common these potential leaders also lack “perfection”. Who in their right mind enthusiastically steps in to the political arena and subjects their entire life to being analyzed, scrutinized and judged by people that are also imperfect.
So if we have great leaders, do also have a better real estate market?

How do we know when the housing market has bottomed?

Waiting for the bottom is a tricky endeavor. You and I won’t know when the bottom is hit until after the fact Yeah it will be about 6 months later that the reports will come out saying that the housing market hit bottom on such and such a date and is now heading up..Oops, we missed the bottom!
If you’re looking to buy a home in the El Paso real estate market, consider these facts;

• As I write there is still an $8,000 tax credit for first time home buyers and a possible $6,500 for present home owners who are buying.
• Interest rates are at or near historical lows. Depending on your credit you can expect to secure financing in the low 5% or even high 4%.
• There are currently more homes on the market than buyers. This is a good time to negotiate a good deal.
• The impact of being about 8,000 short on rentals and the huge impact of the influx of new troops and their families has not been felt yet so it’s still an excellent time for buyers in the El Paso market.
• And finely if you’re currently renting, at the end of the year all you have is an accumulation of rent receipts and “O” equity.

So don’t put it off, the El Paso real estate market is ripe with good deals. Go out and get yours today!

What do buyers and sellers want from their agent?

The Sunday paper is filled with agents who spend their hard earned money to simply gloat about how much money they have made. You have all seen the ads, “A Gazillion Dollar” producer all the way down to “One million Dollar” producer. The reality is none of these advertized figures are the amount of money that agent actually earned. For example a one million dollar producer may have earned as high a $26,000 or as low as $14,000. It’s not the dollars that the agent earned that matters it’s the level and quality of the service that the agent renders that makes a difference to the next client. In my opinion these agents are throwing their money away. The newspaper, on the other hand, is happy to see them run these ads.

I contend that buyers and sellers are not impressed by these ads and they aren’t dazzled by boastful agents, and no one wants to feel that they are being sold. What any buyer will welcome are the unmistakable benefits of choosing any particular agent.

Show the potential client what they get when they choose you to represent them! What is extraordinary about your services? Does your service start even before there is a commitment and is it sincere? Make sure that you’re not just offering ordinary service (service that is expected). Pride yourself in offering service above and beyond what is expected.

The El Paso real estate market is starting to heat up so make sure you get a great agent to represent you in your selling or home buying

Get Loan Approved before finding a home

Get loan approved!

I hear buyers say, “I know that I can qualify for what I’m looking for! I will find a lender once I have found the home that I’m interested in”.

In The El Paso real estate market today, if you do not submit an approval letter from a mortgage company at the same time as you submit an offer, your offer will more than likely not be presented.

The real estate market has changed. Getting financing is not the slam dunk that it used to be and lenders requirements are much more stringent. So if you’re a buyer in the El Paso real estate market, you should position yourself as the absolute strongest buyer that you possibly can. It’s going to reduce stress in the buying process and allow you to negotiate the best deal you can.

In my opinion, using some of our local lenders also is an advantage because they use local underwriters who know our market as opposed to out of town underwriters who may lump the El Paso real estate market with real estate as a whole and that can cause some unfair biases. Another reason to use local lenders that have been recommended by your real estate agent is, the agent through experience has assembled a team of professionals that are critical to having a smooth stress free closing for your benefit. The lenders that they recommend are ones that have proven to be competitive, reliable, responsive and honest.

So when you’re out looking for a home and your agent recommends that you get loan approved they are insuring that your transaction flows smoothly and stress free and ultimately you are the winner.

A case for the rate case!
The El Paso Electric Company filed a rate case with the Public Utility Commission to increase its rates in December 2009. The electric company’s franchise agreement with the city is also up for renewal and renegotiation. One of the perks or incentives is the electric company is offering:

• Go along with our rate increase and we will move one of our facilities down town, bringing 130 new people to the down town area.
El Paso has an average of 202 days of sun per year and is number 6 in the country for annual possible sunshine days. El Paso could easily be the solar capital of Texas. One of the keys for this happening is in the outcome of the negotiations taking place right now between the city and El Paso Electric.

• Without a favorable outcome for the electric company’s consumers, El Paso will never be able to reach its potential of being the mega solar area of Texas like the Permian Basin became for oil.

• It boils down to the fact that in New Mexico, the same electric company that serves El Paso, buys back the surplus renewable power generated through things such as solar panels from New Mexico consumers at a rate around 12 cents per kilowatt-hour.

• In El Paso they buy it back at a rate of around 3 cents. This is a huge disadvantage to El Paso.

I will get into the importance of the buyback rate in a moment. As the negotiating proceeds between the city and the El Paso Electric Company time is of the essence for the elected leaders at city hall to insist:

• That as part of any rate increase and Franchise renewal, the purchase of surplus renewable power generated on roof tops of private homes will be purchased by the electrical company at 12 cents per kilowatt-hour.

• That those 130 electrical employees be brought into the downtown area to.

If this happens you will see an explosion of installation of roof top solar panels, maybe even the manufacturing of solar panels here in the city and more research and development at UTEP thereby bringing more clean high paying energy jobs to this region. I fully understand that these negotiations are like a game of chicken or poker, lots of bluffing and posturing and ultimately if the utility company feels they are not getting a fair shot with the city they can take their case to Austin and have it heard by the Public Utility Commission. Here is where it’s going to take leadership and skilled diplomacy on the part of city leaders to persuade the electric company to do the right thing by being a catalyst in allowing El Paso to compete on an equal footing in trying to become the solar capital of Texas.

Here is why that buy back rate is so important. Today at the kilowatt-hour that the electric company is willing to pay you for your surplus renewable power (electricity), if you install solar panels on your home is around 13 to 15 years payback time. At 12 cents that payback is around 4 to 7 years, there are additional tings that the home owner can do that will help the payback time be shorter, such as installing energy efficient light bulbs, weather stripping and extra insulation. Buying a solar home and amortizing the extra cost of solar over 30 years is negligible compared to the savings every month on the family budget. If we can get to where, instead of having to be concerned about an electrical bill, we actually receive a check in the mail each month from the electric company, there would be an explosion in the El Paso real estate market, homes would become more affordable and as demand for solar increases, the cost of solar panels will decrease.

So contact your city Representatives and don’t let them be hoodwinked by the utility company. This is one of those rare opportunities for El Paso to put itself on the map. let’s not miss out on being the capital of solar energy in the South West. The outcome of this rate case and franchise renewal is pivotal to our future.

Ok now the votes are counted:

We have some winners and some candidates that are in runoffs.

Let’s make El Paso the winner by holding our elected officials accountable. We elected them to get things done, move the community forward not entrench themselves as career politicians. How about this concept-we will continue electing you as long as you get things done for our city and not because you happen to be a Republican or Democrat. How long must we endure politicians or political parties that feel they are doing us a favor by us electing them?

El Paso is steeped in a rich history and culture, yet we continue to lag behind when it comes to believing in ourselves as a major modern city.

The rest of Texas ignores us and we continue accepting being the step child of Texas. We somehow have bought into the victim mentality, where we are at someone else’s mercy.

It’s our fault for letting ourselves be led like sheep and treated as insignificant. It doesn’t have to be that way; YOU and I can change things by letting our pride rise up and pour out like the flowing mighty Rio Grande, before it was harnessed. We have things in this city that many other cities would love to have for example:


• Our old west Mexican heritage dating back beyond the 1800’s.
• The only major city sitting right on a border of another country and two states.
• The most delicious Mexican food in the country.
• An unmatched symbiotic relationship with Mexico. (granted things are out of kilter right now)
• Our Franklin Mountains (the tail end of the Rockies) traversing through our city along with a historical river that runs through our mists.
• We are home to the oldest missions in the country.
• And yes we, not San Antonio, are the true gateway to Mexico.
• We have some gorgeous historic architecture that permeates our downtown area.
• Our spectacular sunsets and our abundance of clear and sun filled days.
• We have a young and thriving population.
• We also have a population that is starved for leadership that can paint of picture of the future where they can see themselves in a community that entices young bright minds to stay and build their own future; where there are opportunities and high paying jobs, diverse cultural activities and where illiteracy and poverty are the exception and not the norm.

El Pasoans, this can be our El Paso! It’s going to take people like YOU and me to have big dreams and not allow anything or anyone to steal our dreams. We have to come together as a united group. Let’s be proud of who we are and stop trying to be something that we’re not. We will never be a Scottsdale or Albuquerque or San Antonio or Tucson, we are El Paso. Let’s focus on all the positive things we have that make us unique. The future of this great city is in our hands, let’s never blindly hand it over to a political party or to politicians…you have cast your vote now HOLD YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE.

My usual blog is about the El Paso real estate market, with the elections I decided to change it up a bit..then again elections and market conditions may go hand in hand