Tulsan’s Hit By Another Winter Blast
January 28, 2010
The greater Tulsa OK area is currently experiencing another Christmas Eve. Tulsan’s are now experiencing another Ice Storm very similar to the storm we had on Christmas Eve 2009 and the major ice storm of December 2007. This was the storm that cost Tulsa millions and we were not prepared for in any way. It took months if not years to recover from the 2007 ice storm because of all the devastation. The greater Tulsa area is expected to get up to 0.5 inches of ice and 6 inches of snow may accumulate before the storm wraps up Friday night, according to the National Weather Service.
The Icing will more than likely cause extended power outages in and around the Tulsa area, and American Electric Power-Public Service Company of Oklahoma has called in out-of-state utility crews to begin making their way to Oklahoma.
Gov. Brad Henry declared a state of Emergency on Wednesday night for all 77 counties so that heavy power company vehicles won’t be hampered by road weight and size limits.
“Our hope is the storm will not be as severe as many weather models have predicted, but we will be ready to respond to anything,” Henry said. “State troopers, National Guard personnel, emergency management officials, road crews and other first responders will all be on call, helping Oklahomans everywhere they can.”
The Tulsa Chapter of the American Red Cross has shelters on standby throughout northeastern Oklahoma, including seven in Tulsa, three in Broken Arrow and one each in Jenks, Collinsville, Sand Springs and Owasso, said Brian Jensen, senior director of emergency services.
Cold weather after the storm will likely drive more people with power outages to Tulsa area shelters for warmth. Each are stocked with heater meals and breakfast items, Jensen said.
The Salvation Army’s regular shelter is already filled to capacity, he said.
The Red Cross has stocked enough food to supply 10 shelters for four days, in case trucks aren’t able to get around on the roads, Jensen said.
“We feel pretty comfortable rights now with what we’ve done as far as getting supplies in place,” he said. “The next step is just to watch the system hit.”
As the ice begins to stick to roadways, travel will become hazardous. City of Tulsa crews reported to work early this morning with 6,000 tons of salt ready to combat the ice and snow.
The high today should be 32 degrees, with a low of about 26 degrees, according to the weather service.
Statewide, several flights were canceled at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City and Tulsa International Airport.
The National Weather Service expected up to 12 inches of snow in western and northern Oklahoma, while ice storms and widespread power outages were anticipated in areas south of Interstate 44.
Ice accumulations snapped electrical lines in southwestern Oklahoma, knocking out power to 100 electrical customers in Kiowa County near Hobart, said Andrea Chancellor, spokeswoman for Public Service Company of Oklahoma.
Emergency managers in the region said they expected more power outages as the storm intensified.
“With the amount of ice we’re getting on the lines, probably this afternoon parts of town will be in the dark,” said Hobart Police Chief Rex Brown.
Matt Lehenbauer, emergency manager in Woodward County in northwestern Oklahoma, said forecasters were predicting 14 to 16 inches of snow in the area.
“It looks like we’re going to get more snow than ice,” Lehenbauer said. “Our biggest concern is the loss of power.”
Terri Angier of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation said the agency discouraged travel in the region. Do to the Tulsa area forecast Schools and businesses alike have closed in anticipation of this major winter blast of 2010.
“We are asking people to please stay home today,” Angier said. She said the storm appeared as intense as a Christmas Eve blizzard that dumped up to 14 inches of snow on parts of the state, stranding scores of motorists on snow-choked roads.
An ice storm in 2007 knocked out power to 650,000 utility customers across the state.
The latest storm comes after a Tulsa’s Christmas Eve blizzard dumped up to 14 inches of snow on parts of the state. Scores of motorists were stranded on snow-choked roads, and most major highways and the state’s largest airport were closed.
Tulsa’s WNBA Name is Tulsa Shock
January 24, 2010
Ok folks, it’s final and Tulsan’s can celebrate, after many months of anticipation, the new Tulsa WNBA franchise officially unveiled its name today with the announcement of the new team name, logo and colors. The new Tulsa franchise will be named the Tulsa Shock and its colors black, red and gold. The logo features a basketball on top of “Tulsa Shock” with a lightning bolt through it. The “Tulsa” lettering has an Art Deco style inspiration which was influenced by our city’s rich history in Art Deco architecture.
The Tulsa Shock, formerly the Detroit Shock, moved to Tulsa in October 2009. In November, the team decided on a short list of three potential names which included Fire, Tempo and Shock and then gave the fans an opportunity to vote for their favorite on the Tulsa team’s Web site – www.wnba.com/shock. The name “Shock” received the highest amount of votes with 38 percent. Tempo finished second with 32 percent and Fire was third with 30 percent.
Shock’s president, Steve Swetoha, believes the familiarity WNBA fans have with the Shock name will go a long way in developing brand recognition for the team and lends itself well to promotions and marketing opportunities.
“I think its clear the Shock name resonated with fans because of the championship history it invokes, as well as the feelings of speed and power it brings. Our new name and identity fits perfectly with the style of play Coach Richardson brings to the team,” Swetoha said. “It’s the same name with a whole new meaning.”
“The Tulsa Shock – I love it,” head coach Nolan Richardson said. “Having an identity gets me more excited because I know we’re one step closer to tip-off, and we’ll look good when that day comes.”
Tulsa Shock has not finalized its uniforms at this time.
The Tulsa Shock team plans to unveil the uniforms this spring.
Fans looking to obtain ticket information can call 1-877-90-HOOPS (46677), go to the Tulsa Shock Web site or send an email to tickets@wnbatulsa.com.
While I think this is awesome that Tulsa has a professional team that we all can support, I still wish Tulsa would get a NBA team. I know we made an attempt in the mid 80’s with the Oklahoma USFL Pro Football team the “Oklahoma Outlaws” and they were sold out during all home games and then moved to Arizona before the league fell apart, but I still think that Tulsa would support a Men’s Pro team of some kind.
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Layoffs Imminent if Agreement not reached
January 22, 2010
Once again, the Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett has stated that layoffs are forthcoming for city employees if an agreement is not reached regarding salary cuts. A letter received by AFSCME Local 1180 from Bartlett stated that the city would be welcome a written counter-proposal to the salary cuts but wills stay with their original deadline of Wednesday for any counter proposal or the city will begin laying off city employees.
The AFSCME union polled its members to learn if the members would prefer a 5.178% pay reduction, or layoffs, the vote is only an opinion poll. The administration estimates that 65 employees will need to be laid off the results are not binding and are merely an estimate. Bill Roland, AFSCME Union President stated, “I think there’s other things that can be done. It’s still strictly up to the mayor and his staff as to what they will do, no matter what the opinion is here today, either the layoff or the pay cut.” The union president thinks the vote will show members are in favor of the layoff, as the majority are on the bottom of the pay scale at this time after taking cuts year after year. Roland went on to say, “It was real hard to take the 4.7% pay reduction when Mr. Lafortune had to implement that, knowing that the police department got a 6% raise.”
The Firefighter’s union is still in negotiation at city for a compromise to lessen the salary cuts and steer clear of layoffs. The Police union also began talks in hopes of a compromise. Terry Simonson, Mayor’s Chief of Staff stated, “We discussed it for a good hour and a half. We’ve now given their proposal to the finance department to work their numbers and the meeting was left that we would get back with them with questions or maybe a counter to their proposal. In any event, the conversation and discussion will go on, on a daily basis if need be.” “We’re willing to work, we’re willing to sit down, we want to be part of this city,” Roland said.
Mayor Bartlett explained that the Tulsa Human Resources staff would meet with department heads to look at the procedures for layoffs. Employees could receive the notifications as early as Friday. A seven days notice is required before the employees can be removed from the payroll.
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Hatian Lucien Antoine Watching from afar
January 19, 2010
Tulsa area athlete Lucien Antoine was great on the football field and finished his college career at Oklahoma State but today his mind and heart on with his homeland, Haiti and his family that are still there.
There is nothing Lucien can do but stand idly by and watch with the rest of the world. “It’s just a bad deal,” Lucien said.
Lucien better known as his nickname of the field, The Punisher, feels helpless and his voice shakes with this same feeling and his overwhelming feelings of being powerless.
The images flashed across the television and newspapers are of a city that Antoine knows very well. He was not born in the capital city but he did visit often and has spent memorable times there.
When Lucien was just a toddler, his mother moved to the United States, it took his mother over a decade to secure a green card for him. In order for Lucien to leave Haiti, he had to fill out all kinds of paperwork, which was done in Port-au-Prince.
“That’s where you’ve got to go and take care of everything, get your passport and everything like that,” Lucien stated. It took several months and this time was spent in Port-au-Prince.
At this time, Lucien was sixteen years of age and you certainly remember things from that stage in your life. What he does remember is more frightening when you consider the horror that devastated the area a few short days ago and that is as Antoine said in his own words, “It was crowded, a lot of people. Houses right next to houses. It was like everybody was close to everybody.” He went on to say, “There wasn’t a lot of space to move.” After a short pause he went on, “There’s going to be a lot of people that get affected because of that.”
He remembers the neighborhood in which he lived while getting all that paperwork completed in which all the homes were built on a hill. Most people in Haiti were not worried about building homes on a hill. The reason as Lucien explained is that “Mostly in Haiti, you have hurricanes. Things happen, but you never really expect an earthquake would hit Haiti.”
Antoine is waiting like others and in his words, “There’s nothing really that I can do,” Antoine said, but on a good note, “All I’m doing is just … pray and donate,” he said.
Cadillac Health Plans Taxation
December 30, 2009
First, you must understand what a Cadillac health plan is before we go any farther. The Cadillac Heath tax plan is not only a disaster for Tulsa’s economy but our nation’s as well. The United States Senate Finance Committee defines this plan as a “health insurance plan with yearly premiums higher than $8,000 for individuals or $21,000 for families.”
In December of 2009, a study was published that found that high-cost health plans do not provide extraordinarily expensive benefits to enrollees. The research conducted showed that 3.7% of the variation in the cost of family coverage in health plans sponsored by employees is attributable to differences in the actuarial value of benefits whereas only 6.1% of the variation is attributable to the mixture of benefit design and plan type.
The sad news is that the new insurance provisions suggested by the US government plan on taxing individuals they believe have Cadillac health plans.
Senator Max Baucus proposed the idea to aid in raising money for the overhaul of America’s health care, which is to place a new excise tax on the “most expensive health insurance policies, like the ones offered to partners at Goldman Sachs and other affluent professionals.”
The tax should raise more than a quarter of the $774 billion that is needed for the Baucus plan to work. The tax is a way to discourage the overly generous coverage that some experts are blaming for the problems in medical care.
The problem is that if you look across America you are going to find premiums in all kinds of ranges according to the location a family lives, the type of jobs they perform, and so on and so forth. The Cadillac plans that Baucus is considering includes many of our coal miners, firefighters, and older employees at small businesses, and many more. We are not just talking about billionaires but middle class citizens that do not have the extra to pay for healthcare.
The way it will work is that if you are now paying more than $8,000 your individual or $21,000 for your family plan, your insurance company would have to pay a 35% excise tax on any amount you pay over that amount. This does seem crazy, as the national average premium at this time is $13,375 for a family policy as reported by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Remember, this is average, so there are many above this amount.
According to a report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, around 1 in 10 family insurance plans will be subject to this excise plan. What is going to happen when insurance companies have to pay this excise tax? They are of course going to put the burden on their customers.
Harold A. Schaitberger, the general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, stated, “It puts a bigger tax on middle-income Americans who are already paying enough.”
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Making Great Real Estate Agents
September 20, 2008
As a Tulsa real estate agent, you more than likely find clients through word of mouth of satisfied customers. Due to this fact, you should be aware of what makes a great real estate agent and a very awful real estate.
Too many times, homebuyers or home sellers do not do their homework and wind up with a real estate agent they could almost strangle. The reason is they are more involved in the quest of new home. They want to hurry up and find home with all the amenities they desire and get packing or they want to sell their home quickly so they can move into their new home as well.
What should you look for in a real estate agent as a homebuyer or home seller?
Here is a list of the most popular things clients want to see in their real estate. By using this guideline, you should have a wonderful experience shopping for a real estate.
1. One that listens – Have you ever met a person that when you talk with them it seems to go in one ear and out the other? If you have a realtor like this, you have a terrible one. You need a real estate agent that will listen to your desires. If you give them an area, you wish to live, or a price range for your new home and the list you are given to see is in TimBuckTwo or $50,000 over your maximum range, you have a realtor that is definitely not listening.
2. One that works with you along the way – A great real estate agent will have leads ready for you to see in a very short time, explain to you about the house including any information they can find out about the sellers and even go so far as to have a list of lending companies that might help you. Will they not only give you this information, but also will go with you during the appraisal or help you fill out paperwork or whatever might be needed to make your home purchase go smoothly.
3. One that will help you objectively – You will more than likely fall in love with one of the first houses you visit, however, a great real estate agent will help you see everything there is to see a house before you sign the dotted line. You should have given your realtor a list of things you desire in a home such as location, size, and other amenities. When you see a home that has all the amenities you may want to sign the dotted line. Your real estate agent, if they are great, should remind you of all your stipulations and help you see all sides of the property. Is it smaller than what you envisioned, does it have a nice backyard for your dog, will it fit your lifestyle, etc…. If you are not happy with the purchase, later on you will not be as happy with the real estate agent.
4. One that understand the local market condition – If you are searching for a home in a different state than where you reside now using a local agent there may not be in your best interest. Think about it. Will your local agent know the good and bad parts of town, what the school district is like, what the neighborhoods are like, and so on and so forth? In order to learn about everything you need to know, you need a realtor that lives in the area and is an expert in their field.
Home Staging Basics
September 20, 2008
The new trend in Tulsa home sales is Home Staging, which is an awesome way in which to entice homebuyers and help real estates make a sale quickly. The answer to what home staging is and how it works are listed below. Just by using these easy tips, you will be able to sell your home faster and have satisfied homebuyers.
The number one reason home staging is so appealing is that you will be using techniques that will in fact make your property more attractive to home buyers. Begin with the first thing potential buyers will see when they drive up – the outside of the home and the property. Make it look attractive.
A list of what you should look at and improve on the exterior of your home and property include:
- Trim foliage
- Lay new sod if needed
- Paint the gutter
- Clean the gutters
- Remove clutter from the patios
- Paint the exterior of the home if needed
- Clean the exterior of the windows
- Clean window frames
- Weed the garden area
- Be sure all weed are gone from walkways
- Do not leave dead or dying hanging plants in plain view
- Wash the bricks if needed (in some cases, you might find moss or even mold growing on the exterior of your home)
- Clean the driveway – remove oil stains
- Change burned out light bulbs
Walk out in the street. Is the outside of your home more appealing? Does it look nice day and night? If not, notice what things stand out that make your home unappealing.
Now, on to the interior of your home. As you walk through the front door, look around as if this is the first time you have seen the home. You have to put yourself in the shoes of the homebuyer.
Things you should look at and improve or repair on the interior of your home include:
- Move furniture to be inviting – open feeling
- Paint areas that need painting – preferably neutral colors
- Remove all clutter from tables, bookshelves, and even in your cabinets – Women love to look in cabinets to see how much room is in there
- Check baseboards for chipped paint
- Check doorframes and trim for scuffs – Old English is a big help here
- Change light bulbs if necessary
If you are not sure how to make your home appealing there is a wonderful way to learn these tricks and tips. Many homebuilders use home staging for their model homes. Visit a few to get ideas of how you want your home to look. You will see that the exterior is clean and debris free and the interior will be open without clutter.
These little tips will allow homebuyers to envision their furniture in your home instead of seeing the lived in look.
First Time Homebuyers Questions Answered Part 2
September 2, 2008
Finding a Lender
Finding a lender may be the hardest or most confusing part of purchasing a home. The various establishments that offer home mortgage loans include banks, credit unions, savings and loan companies, private mortgage companies, and state government lenders.
Remember, if you were shopping for a new car, you would shop around and find the best deal for the car you desire. The same goes for finding a lender. All lenders have different criteria, offer different type of mortgage loans, offer different interest rates, and loan fees.
You can find a lender in a variety of ways. You can talk with you own bank, check through the yellow pages, search online, or talk with your real estate agent. In most cases, your real estate will be able to give you ideas of lending companies they normally work with that might be able to provide you with the type of mortgage loan you desire.
What other costs will I incur besides the monthly mortgage payment?
Of course, you will have to pay your utilities such as waters, sewage, gas, electric, and telephone. If these were included when you were renting you should be aware that now that you own a home, you will be responsible for these payments as well. In most cases, you can talk with your real estate agent to learn the average costs from the previous owner or if it is a new home, what others might be paying in the area for the same size home.
If you are moving into a community such that has a homeowners association, you will be required to pay dues for upkeep of the community. Some of these dues pay for upkeep of a community swimming pool, lawn care, and even storage facilities on the property.
Property taxes and insurance are other payments, but in most cases, these are included in with the mortgage payments. You should talk with your lender to ensure these are included and if not to learn how much the payments are and when they are due.
What the mortgage payment covers
Your mortgage payment will include:
- The principal – the amount that you borrowed to purchase your home.
- Interest – this is the payment to the lending company for the money you borrowed to buy the home.
- Insurance – to insure the home and property against fire and other hazards.
- Taxes – These property taxes are paid to the city and county.
What to take when you apply for a mortgage loan
- Social security numbers for yourself and spouse if they will be on the loan.
- Checking and saving account information for the last 6 months.
- Information of all other assets such as bonds or stocks.
- Paycheck stubs for proof of income.
- Credit card information.
- Outstanding loan information.
- 2 years income tax statements.
- References for employment.
In some cases, you may need more information, but these are the basics that you should bring with you when you apply for a mortgage loan.
Tulsa Real Estate Market
August 28, 2008
During the second quarter, median home prices fell across the United States, however, in the Tulsa real estate market, as reported by the Greater Tulsa Association of Realtors prices went higher.
The report showed that in June, the Tulsa area median home price was at $135,000 which was a .7% higher than May at $134,900 and was higher than one year ago in June 2007 of 2.3% increase. In June of 2007, the median home price was $132,000.
What does this say for the Tulsa area? What makes Tulsa different than the rest of the country? Well, to be honest, homes throughout Oklahoma are not as expensive as other states and are more affordable for the working class. Not to say that there are not million dollar homes in the state, as there is a wide range of homes for all walk of life in the state of Oklahoma. Overall, Oklahoma did not feel the major real estate bubble burst as was felt across America.
Tulsa Homes Are A Good Buy
Tulsa, Oklahoma has fought the good fight and is now reaping the rewards in the Tulsa real estate market. There are condos, single family homes, golf homes, and any other type of home you can think of in the area all at reasonable prices. If you look at the median price of a home in the Tulsa area and compare it to lets say Atlanta Georgia you will soon realize that you can get more for your money in Oklahoma. The same size home and features would be triple the cost in Atlanta over Tulsa.
If the real estate bubble has burst, keep it quiet. Oklahoma and especially Tulsa is not feeling the full effect as of yet. Home sales may be a bit slow and they may stay on the market a tad longer than normal, however, homes are selling and sellers are getting their asking price.
Other states are noticing more home sales; however, this is due to the dramatic drop in the median price and the amount of foreclosures. Many sellers are selling their homes for far less than what their home is worth.
Summary
A look ahead for Tulsa. With housing prices going up and a strong economy in Oklahoma, means that overall Oklahoma is battling this market crisis pretty well considering what is happening around the country. Maybe others should look into what is different in Tulsa and learn how to make it through this crisis and come out winners.