City of Dallas September 22 Tax Foreclosure Sale

This link will take you to the Dallas City Tax Foreclsoure/Warrant Sale list of properties to be sold on September 22, 2009.  The link includes the rules for bidding, address and legal descriptions of the properties.

Here is an example of one of the properties (link will take you to photo from Google Maps): 132 W. Woodin

Pleasant Valley Sunday?

A few days ago, Rick Harrison wrote an insightful article about "cookie cutter" subdivisions (and the city ordinances that foster them) versus sustainable development:

Nobody likes the taste of “cookie cutter” development. In the forty years that I’ve been in the land planning industry, at meeting after meeting I hear planning commissioners and city council members complain about the same thing: That developers submit the same recipes to cook up bland subdivisions over and over.    Read the entire article here.

This reminds me of the Monkees song, "Pleasant Valley Sunday"

Another Pleasant Valley Sunday
Charcoal burning everywhere
Rows of houses that are all the same
And no one seems to care

Texas Assn. of REALTORS in Dallas 9/13-15

Did you know that not all licensed real estate agents are REALTORS?  REALTOR is a registered trademark of a professional organization whose members agree to hold themselves to a high level of professionalism and ethics.  In Dallas, most REALTORS belong to 3 separate REALTOR organizations at the local, state, and national levels.  This weekend, the Texas Association of REALTORS held its annual convention in Dallas at the Hyatt Regency.  I attended and learned a great deal.

Why should you choose to do business with someone who is a REALTOR?  Real estate is an ever-evolving industry with constant changes in state and national rules and regulations for the procedures used in transactions.  The professional REALTOR organizations do an outstanding job of keeping members up to date so that we can represent the best interests of our clients.

REALTOR organizations provide legislative advocacy, legal help, forms, education and training that are invaluable assets to our buyers and sellers.  Organizations also provide discounts, most of which can be shared with our clients.  (See my previous post for discounts available to you.)

So ask if your real estate agent is a REALTOR, and whether he/she is actively involved in their local board of REALTORS.  If the answers are "yes," chances are that you've made a wise choice!

DART Green Line Opening Celebrations

Preview the new Green Line stations on Saturday, September 12. 

Events hosted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at each of the four new stations. 

Click here for details.

Patriot Day 2009

On Patriot Day, we remember and honor those who perished in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. We will not forget the events of that terrible morning nor will we forget how Americans responded in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in the skies over Pennsylvania -- with heroism and selflessness; with compassion and courage; and with prayer and hope. We will always remember our collective obligation to ensure that justice is done, that freedom prevails, and that the principles upon which our Nation was founded endure.

Your A/C System and "Catch R-22"

Nursing an older air conditioning unit at your home?  If so, there are a few things you should know about a type of refrigerant called R-22.  Homes with HVAC units using R-22 are raising issues with buyers who are not only concerned for the environment, but also concerned with energy efficiency and cost of repair and replacement.

R-22 has been the refrigerant of choice for more than four decades. Unfortunately for the environment, releases of R-22, such as those from leaks, contribute to ozone depletion. In addition, R-22 is a greenhouse gas and the manufacture of R-22 results in a by-product that contributes significantly to global warming. As the manufacture of R-22 is phased out over the coming years as part of the agreement to end production of HCFCs, manufacturers of residential air conditioning systems are offering equipment that uses ozone-friendly refrigerants. Many homeowners may be misinformed about how much longer R-22 will be available to service their central A/C systems and heat pumps.

Phaseout Schedule for R-22

January 1, 2010:  After 2010, chemical manufacturers may still produce R-22 to service existing equipment, but not for use in new equipment. Manufacturers will only be able to use pre-existing supplies of R-22 to produce new air conditioners and heat pumps. These existing supplies would include R-22 recovered from existing equipment and recycled.

January 1, 2020:  Use of existing refrigerant, including refrigerant that has been recovered and recycled, will be allowed beyond 2020 to service existing systems, but chemical manufacturers will no longer be able to produce R-22 to service existing air conditioners and heat pumps.

What Does the R-22 Phaseout Mean for Consumers?

Availability of R-22:  The Clean Air Act does not allow any refrigerant to be vented into the atmosphere during installation, service, or retirement of equipment. Therefore, R-22 must be recovered and recycled, reclaimed, or destroyed. After 2020, the servicing of R-22-based systems will rely on recycled refrigerants. For the next 15 years or more, R-22 should continue to be available for all systems that require R-22 for servicing.

Cost of R-22:  While consumers should be aware that prices of R-22 may increase as supplies dwindle, consumers are not likely to be subjected to major price increases within a short time period. Although there is no guarantee that service costs of R-22 will not increase, the lengthy phaseout period for R-22 means that market conditions should not be greatly affected by the volatility and resulting refrigerant price hikes that have characterized the phaseout of R-12, the refrigerant used in automotive air-conditioning systems.

Servicing existing units

Existing units using R-22 can continue to be serviced with R-22. There is no EPA requirement to change or convert R-22 units for use with a non-ozone-depleting substitute refrigerant. In addition, the new substitute refrigerants cannot be used without making some changes to system components. As a result, service technicians who repair leaks to the system will continue to charge R-22 into the system as part of that repair.

Installing new units

The transition away from ozone-depleting R-22 to systems that rely on replacement refrigerants like R-410A has required redesign of heat pump and air conditioning systems. New systems incorporate compressors and other components specifically designed for use with specific replacement refrigerants. With these significant product and production process changes, testing and training must also change. Consumers should be aware that dealers of systems that use substitute refrigerants should be schooled in installation and service techniques required for use of that substitute refrigerant.

A Common Sense Approach To Servicing Your System

Along with prohibiting the production of ozone-depleting refrigerants, the Clean Air Act also mandates the use of common sense in handling refrigerants. By containing and using refrigerants responsibly their ozone depletion and global warming consequences are minimized. The Clean Air Act outlines specific refrigerant containment and management practices for HVAC manufacturers, distributors, dealers and technicians. Properly installed home comfort systems rarely develop refrigerant leaks, and with proper servicing, a system using R-22, R-410A or another refrigerant will minimize its impact on the environment. While EPA does not mandate repairing or replacing small systems because of leaks, system leaks can not only harm the environment, but also result in increased maintenance costs.

A Common Sense Approach To Purchasing New Systems

Today's best air conditioners use much less energy to produce the same amount of cooling as air conditioners made in the mid-1970s. Even if your air conditioner is only 10 years old, you may save significantly on your cooling energy costs by replacing it with a newer, more efficient model. Products with EPA's Energy Star® label can save homeowners 10% to 40% on their heating and cooling bills every year. These products are made by most major manufacturers and have the same features as standard products but also incorporate energy saving technology. Both R-22 and R-410A systems may have the Energy Star® label. Equipment that displays the Energy Star® label must have a minimum seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER). The higher the SEER specification, the more efficient the equipment. 

You should consider energy efficiency, along with performance, reliability and cost, in making your decision. And don't forget that when purchasing a new system, you can also speed the transition away from ozone-depleting R-22 by choosing a system that uses ozone-friendly refrigerants.

Source:  Environmental Protection Agency

Rep. Kent to Host Town Hall

Texas District 102 Representative Carol Kent will host a Town Hall Meeting at Fretz Park Auditorium on Tuesday, September 15, at 7:30 p.m. In addition to an update on legislative issues affecting the District, noted Austin journalist Harvey Kronberg of the Quorum Report will present his take on the recently completed Legislative Session.


Learn more about the 81st Legislative Session and how it will affect you!

RSVP to RSVP@RepCarolKent.com.