City Programs | Skogman Real Estate

Single Family New Construction Program – Round 3

December 19, 2011
By skogman

Over the past couple of years the cities of Cedar Rapids and Iowa City have received funds from the Iowa Department of Economic Development to help replace homes lost in the flood of 2008. The Single Family New Construction Program is in its 3^rd phase and offers down payment assistance of up to 25% of the purchase price to qualified buyers. In order to qualify, buyers must meet income requirements based on the number of people in a household.

Iowa City Income Requirements

80% of Median Income:

1 Person household – $43,600 2 Person Household – $49,800

3 Person household – $56,050 4 Person Household – $62,250

100% of Median Income:

1 Person household – $54,500 2 Person Household – 62,300

3 Person household – $70,100 4 Person Household – $77,800

Cedar Rapids Income Requirements

80% of Median Income:

1 Person household – $38,300 2 Person household – $43,800

3 Person household – $49,250 4 Person Household – $55,700

100% of Median Income:

1 Person household – $47,900 2 Person household – $54,800

3 Person household – $61,600 4 Person household – $68,400

Iowa City received funding to build 31 homes in Round 3 and less than 5 are available as of Mid December according to the City website. Cedar Rapids received more funding and in turn was able to build more than 100 homes – all of which are to be built in the flood affected neighborhoods outside the 100 year flood plain.

Skogman Homes was granted 27 homes in Round 3, also called ROOT’s – Rebuilding Ownerships Opportunities Together. Of the 27 homes there are 14 left as of mid December. Homes range in price from $113,600 to $140,000 and are not to exceed $150,000. Visit Skogmanhomes.com to see a complete list of available lots and floor plans that qualify for ROOT’s.

For more information about the program visit the City websites:

Cedar Rapids

Iowa City

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Skogman Companies To Support Local Option Sales Tax

April 20, 2011
By skogman

On May 3^rd Linn County residents will be voting to extend the local option sales tax. These funds would be used to help pay for flood protection, street repair and property tax relief. Currently the Corp of Engineers has recommended a plan that will only protect the East side of the river, but both sides need it and this vote would ensure all are protected.

The Skogman Companies strongly support the vote for the flood protection plan and believe it is vital to the growth and future of this community. The city is in line for $65 Million in Federal money and its community members need to show support by voting for the 1% sales tax. We need to show that our community can provide its share of the funding before the state and federal money will be available.

Without flood protection for both sides of the river, residential neighborhoods and commercial businesses are at high risk of suffering another devastating flood and would significantly hurt those who in these areas. A second flood would cripple our community for more than a generation

Please vote on May 3^rd to extend the local option sales tax. This is the only way we can protect the East and West side of the River from another devastating flood.

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Cedar Rapids Housing Incentives

December 21, 2010
By skogman

In an effort to bring families back to the Cedar Rapids area after the flood in 2008, the city of Cedar Rapids has offered different housing incentives to stimulate the housing market and to replace many of the homes lost during the flood. The newest inducement is to bring those families who are not currently living in Cedar Rapids to the area. The city has access to more federal disaster money for new housing and there isn’t enough demand for current Cedar Rapids residents.

There is $11.7 million in funding that is expected to supply 235 new construction residential units, mostly single family homes and duplexes. This is said to add $44 million in total value to the city.

This incentive offers 25% down payment assistance and a free lot for homes and will be in the price range of $135,000 and $150,000. This could end up being a $35,000 incentive once the lot and down payment assistance are figured in. This would be instant equity for the new home owners.

The lots that will be available as part of this incentive are the homes the city acquired in post flood buyouts and were demolished. All are outside the 100 year flood plane with many in the Time Check Neighborhood in the northwest Cedar Rapids.

This incentive comes as part of third round of the Single Family New Construction Program, which received money from the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED). The first two rounds provided funding for 438 residential units with 110 units still available as part of round two.

The city of Iowa City and Cedar Falls have also received funding from the same program.

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$11.1 Million For Affordable Homes

October 29, 2010
By skogman

Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett and Governor Chet Culver stood outside Jennifer Trenary’s newly built home, to announce round 3 for the Single Family New Construction Program. Jennifer was able to purchase her home using the second round of funds that gives a 25% forgivable grant to qualified buyers. The maximum sales price is $180,000 so the grant may be up to $45,000.

Round 3 will give Cedar Rapids $11.1 million in state and federal funding to help rebuild or replenish some of the affordable homes lost in the 2008 flood. The goal is to revitalize flood-damaged neighborhoods where a number of lots sit vacant after the city buy outs. The plan is for all of the homes built with this program to be infill.

It is projected that more than 300 homes could be built with the $11.1 million. 1,300 homes are on the city’s buy out list with most of these being demolished.

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CRMA Free Summer

September 7, 2010
By skogman

Grant Wood Window, at Cedar Rapids Museum of Art

Part of Grant Wood's sketch for the stained glass window at Veterans Memorial Building

Last week we went on a tour of the Riley Collection: From Monet to Picasso at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. We had a group of about 35 agents, management and staff that went on the tour. There were pieces from many different artists in the collection, some that were well known and others that I had never heard of. There were pieces from Monet and Picasso, to Salvador Dali, Marvin Cone and Renoir. It was interesting to see pieces from different time periods and from different parts of the world all in one collection.

Once we finished touring the Riley Collection we went upstairs to see the Grant Wood Window Drawings. When we walked into the gallery we saw a massive 24 foot high by 20 foot wide drawing lying on the floor. These are the actual drawings used for the fabrication of the stained glass window in the Veterans Memorial building. Wood took these drawings to Munich, Germany to oversee the fabrication of the window. These drawings, when all put together, are the actual size of the window that was almost destroyed during the flood.

Overall it was a great experience and with Free Summer admission going on until September 19^th, there is plenty of time to check it out.

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Freedom Festival

July 1, 2010
By skogman

It’s that time of year again…time for the Freedom Festival! This is always a sure sign that it is summer in Cedar Rapids. Ever since I was little, I have loved the Freedom Fest and everything it represents. The family activities, the patriotism and the culture are all part of the spirit!

I love this time of year, not just because of the great childhood memories I have surrounding it, but also because there is always something to do! The Balloon Glow, the parade, the Office Olympics, tons of concerts and of course the big finale, the fireworks on July 4^thare just a few of my favorites. The events and activities that take place over these couple of weeks are not only entertaining but are educational and are a celebration of the community.

This year will be extra special with the fireworks returning downtown for the first time since the flood. I look forward to seeing the swarms of people gathering on the streets and roof tops to see the amazing display.

Have a safe and happy fourth of July!

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Two years later…

June 14, 2010
By skogman

It has been two years since we stood in the parking lot of our downtown office, watching water from the flooded Cedar River rushing up 1^stAvenue making its way toward us. It wasn’t until the water passed the rail road tracks and started seeping into our parking lot, that we started to get a little nervous.

Our land surveyor told us that our building was sitting at 34 feet, above the river, so as long as the water didn’t hit that point we would be OK. Luckily for us the river crested at 31 feet, stopping short of our building.

The realization that we were going to stay dry was bitter sweet. We looked around to our neighbors and they were not as fortunate. The river’s water covered more than 10 city square miles, leaving a wake of destruction in its path. More than 5,000 homes were damaged and over 900 businesses were affected.

While there have been great strides in the rebuilding process for homeowners and for businesses, there is still so much to be done. Buildings downtown sit empty and neighborhood blocks sit dark at night waiting to learn its fate.

Programs like Block by Block and Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) are helping to restore and rebuild homes in and out of flood affected areas . These programs are not only putting people back into their homes but are also building new homes in the Cedar Rapids area to replace those that are being torn down.

We have many hurdles yet to climb but day by day we are progressing toward full recovery and we look forward to a bigger and better Cedar Rapids.

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Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmer’s Market

June 4, 2010
By skogman

Living in Cedar Rapids my whole life, I grew up going to the Farmers Market at Noelridge Park with my mom, where she would buy sweet corn, tomatoes and the occasional kolache. Looking back, Noelridge was always what I considered to be a typical farmers market with home grown produce and baked goods.

While the Noelridge market is still running every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and is a great place to buy local goods, it seems the term ‘Farmer’s Market’ has taken a new shape and has become much more of an event.

I’m referring to the Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmer’s Market. This market gathers several times throughout the year in downtown Cedar Rapids (home of your very own Skogman Realtors), starting this Saturday, June 5^th. Eight total gatherings will occur on the first and third Saturdays of each month through September. Artisan gifts, meats and dairy and Iowa wine samplings are all a part of the market. While there won’t be any Cedar Rapids homes for sale at the market, there will be over 200 vendors offering plenty of other delights.

Produce still has a big presence, as does baked goods, crafts, and floral-themed offerings. But, what upi are now able to do is interact with the vendors on a new level. With live music, dancers, street performances and cooking demonstrations this market offers not just goods to be purchased but an experience you will not soon forget. I promise you’ll walk away with something tasty, or useful – or at least something to look back on fondly.

Pictures of the downtown farmers market People Shopping at the Downtown Farmers Market

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Pending Home Sales up in April

May 24, 2010
By skogman

Since February of this year, the real estate market in Cedar Rapids has been HOT! Pending home sales are up 29% in the months of February, March and April when compared to last year. In April alone, sales jumped almost 31%!

While we are ecstatic to present these numbers for the Cedar Rapids market, it would be foolish not to consider the homebuyer tax credit that ended on April 30^th and the role it played in the record high numbers.

With this in mind we decided to ask some of our buyers, (at the closing table) to tell us if the tax credits played a role in their decision to purchase a home. When asked to rank the influence of the tax credit on their decision, on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being ‘Very Influential’, 59% said the tax credit played a significant role in their decision to purchase.

What we can take from this is that the first four months of the year most likely were inflated with sales from May and June…to what extent we will just have to wait and see.

Pending Home Sales

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Round Two for the City’s New Affordable Homes Program

May 5, 2010
By skogman

In the summer of 2009 the City of Cedar Rapids in conjunction with the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) offered the first round of Single Family New Construction Program. This program’s goal is to help replace many of the homes that were lost due to the flood of 2008. As a result of this program 184 homes or condos were built in the Cedar Rapids area.

Round two of the Single Family-New Production Program is underway and selected builders have received their allotment of homes they were approved to build. The program offers a 25% grant to approved buyers in the form of a five year forgivable loan. The final price of the homes must not exceed $180,000 before the 25% credit is applied. All of the units must close on or before December 31, 2011.

Buyers must be able to:

Qualify for and obtain their own mortgage
Get approved by the City of Cedar Rapids
Meet income requirements

Lots that are eligible in the program are scattered throughout the Cedar Rapids city limits. There are not eligible lots within the 100 year flood plain or in the City’s geographically defined “Greenway” or “Construction Study” areas.

City applications are now available and must be turned in, in person at:

Housing Services

City of Cedar Rapids

1211 Sixth St SW

Cedar Rapids IA 52404

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