Difference between a conforming loan and a non-conforming in real estate? from your local Huntington county realtor

What is the difference

between a conforming and non-conforming loan?

The big difference is the borrowing limit, although other factors come into play.  Most everyone who gets a mortgage has a conforming loan. 

Conforming loans

Limits: Conforming loans are generally limited to $417,000, although there are higher limits in areas where housing is very expensive. The conforming loan limit  can go up to $625,000 in housing markets, such as certain counties in California, New York, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C., among others.

Loan-to-value ratio: Your down payment has to be equal to 20 percent or more of the home’s value, but first-time buyers can qualify for a conforming loan through Fannie Mae with as little as 3 percent down. Your mortgage lender helps with the required forms and analysis of what you qualify to buy.

Credit score: A conforming loan requires a FICO credit score of 620 or better. However, there are other government-insured mortgages (such as FHA loans) for lower credit scores.

Debt-to-income ratio: Your debt-to-income ratio can be no more than 36 percent (although some exceptions raise this to 45 percent) of your gross income.

Non-conforming loans

Sometimes people can't qualify for a conforming loan. They might need a non-conforming Jumbo loan to buy a property that costs more than the loan limit . Or they might have problem credit, such as a low credit score from bankruptcies. Self-employed people might not be able to document their income. 

In the case of credit or income documentation, some lenders might still make a loan, but the interest rates and down payments will be higher.

Such loans often require payment of large fees up front, and there could be expensive insurance requirements. 

Out with the OLD and in with the NEW...2017, from your local Huntington county realtor, Andy Eckert

Out with OLD and in with the NEW…….2017

I hope your 2016 was a healthy, happy and prosperous year for all of you. I also hope you spent a lot of time enjoying Mother Nature and your family and friends. I want you all to make 1 New Year resolution and that’s to plan 1 trip away from home and enjoy yourselves. The length of this trip doesn’t matter but the quality does. Go do something you really want to do or try something you have always thought about trying, life is too short for wishing for things to happen. Take a chance……..

My goal for 2017 is to watch my Son Sebastian graduate from college and find a good job in his field. I also look forward to seeing Aleah finish her Freshman year of High School with as little drama as possible. Olivia is my biggest challenge for her to find her place in the working world and start really living instead of just surviving. I also hope for Steph and I to take our health more seriously and get more active in our downtime. I weigh 240 lbs and I should be around 190lbs to feel good again, my hope is to slowly start the shaping up and firming up process. I remember talking with my old wrestling coach when I was 21 and hearing him say how hard it was to stay healthy when you get older, I said heck I’ll never weigh more than 200 lbs. he just smiled and said good luck. Well I showed him………NOT

I didn’t realize how much effect your health has on your day to day happiness and how much harder life is when tying your shoes causes a loss of oxygen and the threat of passing out. My wife has consistently shrinks my clothes because my pants and shirts are always getting tighter, she seems to keep my socks the same size.

In every page we turn in life some chapters end and some begin, I hope the chapters you ended in 2016 gained you wisdom and the chapters you’re starting in 2017 give you motivation.  For all the people that have passed this year my prayers are with you and your families. I want to offer up prayers for all of you that are struggling and fighting your own battles, may you win and kick ass doing it.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Real Estate 2017 - more homes, drones and stable interest rates, from your local Huntington County Realtor

The 2017 real estate market has some surprises in store as buying and selling might go high tech, and the mortgage market remains stable.

Here are some of the predictions by market experts for the new year.

Drones

Daniel Goldstein, writing for Market Watch,  expects real estate buying and selling to go high tech as drones become a feature of the selling process.

Drones aren't just for kids; they are for home buyers and sellers, too. It's a new way to inspect and show off a house for sale.

The Federal Aviation Administration has cleared the way for expanded use of drones by regular people who just want a view from the sky.

That means you could get a small drone and offer a sky view of your property or neighborhood. In fact, drone views are predicted to be the next thing in home selling.

Meanwhile, commercial drone pilots want to offer a view from the sky of expensive real estate, but FAA regulations have made much drone work illegal. Now, the FAA has lightened some requirement, especially one that required drone pilots to have a manned pilot license. New regulations allow commercial drone pilots to pass an unmanned  aircraft operator test.

According to MarketWatch, the use of drones in real estate now resides in the hands of homeowners and real estate agents who can legally offer sight-line aerial views of properties.

More homes to buy

For all of 2016, the real estate market favored sellers as low supply raised prices slightly.

During the next year, buyers should have more choices for homes.

An early indicator is an 8 percent rise in new homes completed and ready for sale in October 2016.

Most analysts see a brisk year for home building. This should make buyers happy since they will have more homes to choose from and prices should nudge down slightly.

Mortgage rates

One can't really say mortgage rates are inching up. That would be an overstatement. But rates are higher, as every analyst predicted. Even so, rates remain a fantastic deal and are historically low.

According to Bankrate, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage rose in December 2016 to 4.13 percent from 4.1 percent.

Bankrate's survey found: At the current 30-year fixed rate, you'll pay $484.94 for every $100,000 you borrow, up from $483.20 earlier in December 2016.

I am 50 years old and loving it, your local Huntington County Realtor Andy Eckert

I am 50 years old as of Oct 21st 2016

The first 10 years of my life consisted of being born and having life saving surgery a few months later (obstructed bowel). When I was a toddler I wandered off and was mauled by a neighbors dog and underwent reconstructive surgery on my nose and lip area which is why I have such animal attraction. The rest of the decade was pretty much made up of playing, school and burning stuff behind the garage.

The next 10 years consisted of me playing sports, learning about the outdoors and having the best childhood I could hope for. I started playing sports in the back yards of friends and on Yancy street mastering Tenny Ball and football by the age of 12. We played 21 next door at Bill and Ann Lightners for hours or until Bill told us to hit the road. I was introduced to wrestling by my Uncle Jack and his sons Pete and Dave. That took the athlete in me to a whole other direction and put me on a track to big things. I excelled at sports no matter what it was and at the time felt that was all I had to look forward to as I wasn’t a good student or a diligent worker. That’s about the time God stepped in and woke me when I had my diving accident and all plans changed. I finished that decade graduating HS with a love of reading and a desire to work with others.

When I entered my 20s I was still feeling the after effects of my neck injury so sports for me became golf and chasing girls, I never became the golfer I wanted to be, but I did manage to catch my girl. I spent my early 20s working, golfing, hunting and growing up. I always stayed close to my family and friends which I still do today. When born an Eckert you have 2 choices, to be social or to move. Halfway through my 20s I got married and started a family which accelerated my growing up phase. The rest of my 20s is a blur.

My 30s is where I started getting to understand my place in life as a Father, Husband, Brother, Son and Friend but mostly a Christian. I experienced the growth of my children and the loss of my job due to recessions and another near death experience. Dealing with the job loss was the hardest but the other 2 were a close 2nd. Steph helped me trudge along and showed me that there was hope and to keep working hard which paid off.

My 40s brought me into the Real Estate business full time and an entire different approach to life. I found myself having to be my own boss which was a challenge but also allowed for me to share myself and time with others in a bigger way. I found moving my kids to college was the biggest accomplishment of my life and seeing them grow into independent pain in the butts was rewarding and scary.

I now find myself starting a new decade wishing I would have taken better care of myself but ready to see this thing through to the end. The best Birthday gift I received was a letter from one of my best friends, Lisa Fortini reminding me how valuable a good friend is no matter how far away they live or how often we see each other or talk.

I do feel blessed with my LIFE and all of YOU!!!!!!!

Buying your first house? ask the expert, Andy Eckert, Huntington County Realtor

Ask the Expert

Q I’m buying my first house.  I am pretty sure I can spend $150,000 for my house because I did some calculations online. Problem is, lenders won't give me a firm quote until I buy something. What gives?

A   Online calculators can be excellent tools, but remember there are many costs associated with buying a house. One of those is the tax rate in the area you buy. You won't know that until you pick a property. You also will have to buy Private Mortgage Insurance if you put less than 20 percent down. PMI can change your monthly mortgage payment significantly. 

    No lender can give you an estimate until you have an address of the property you hope to buy. An address is required for the Loan Estimate, a three-page disclosure document.

    Start your home search by getting pre-approved for a loan. Go to a lender and give basic information about your finances. The lender will pull a credit report and discuss your income and debt. You should have no more than 43 percent debt to income. Usually, 36 percent is preferred.

    Once pre-approved you can get an agent and shop for your home. When you do find the property you want to buy, you can apply for a mortgage by going to different lenders and getting a Loan Estimate from each. The Loan Estimate, which has to be issued within three days after you apply, will give you detailed information about the loan, including the loan amount, interest rate, monthly payments and whether these can change.

    The Loan Estimate will also tell you the amount of cash you need to close and the estimated costs to close.

    It will list fees for things you can't shop for (appraisals, for instance) and things you can shop for (pest inspection, for example).

I am Catholic and proud to say that, as your Huntington County Realtor Andy Eckert

I am a Catholic and I’m proud to say that, why?

             Because a life without a belief system is a life wasted. There is so much to gain to have FAITH, and so much to lose, to not. I was born and raised in the Catholic faith and that means I went to church more than most, because we have a ridiculous amount of Days of Obligation to attend. When I attended Catholic school I think we had mass every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday throughout the school year. We also attended mass on every Sunday as a family. During Lent we went to Church to pray the stations of the cross every Friday at the end of the school day.

What does this mean?

It means that even though I did all these events I was still a bad boy most of the time, but I believed if I was heart fully sorry for what I did than I was forgiven by God. If that was all I learned through all my mass attendance and school teachings, then I had learned enough to get me to Heaven. The hardest thing to do in life is forgive yourself for all the stupid choices we make and then ask forgiveness for those choices from God. I believe   anyone who believes in God and also thinks that they can be forgiven for their sins are my Brothers and Sisters in Christ no matter what church they attend.

This month’s News Letter is dedicated to all those that helped me along the way with advice, a good example to follow, and love. I have had 3 Parish Priests since I was baptized as a baby. Fr Gollner, Fr Perry and Fr Ron who have helped shape me into the person I am today. I was also lucky enough to have met, at the time I was in middle school, a Brother Mike. Brother Mike eventually became Fr Mike and moved back to his home state of  Wisconsin. Fr Mike and I are good friends and see each other 1-2 times a year. I found a good friend and trusted advisor in Fr Mike and Fr Ron over the years, not as a person judging me but someone who understands what my potential was. I’m thankful for their guidance and friendship and I hope I live up to their expectations of me. I suppose if they don’t see me in  Heaven then they dropped the ball, but if I don’t see them then maybe they should have been asking me for guidance…..haha

Andy Eckert, your Huntington County Realtor

Home Inspectors Save Stress and Lower Prices from your local Huntington County Realtor, Andy Eckert

HOME INSPECTORS ACTUALLY SAVE STRESS, EVEN LOWER PRICES

For buyers and sellers, having a professional house inspection can ensure a happy sale.

For the buyer, the inspection is an obvious contingency. Buyers don't want expensive surprises after sale. A home inspection reveals the systemic condition of the home, not just whether the paint is new.

Inspectors take a close look at the home's inner health in 10 areas: interior and exterior, structure, roofing, plumbing, electrical, heating, air conditioning, and ventilation, and fireplaces. Theses evaluations are detailed. For example, in the case of roofs, inspectors will study shingles, flashings, roof drainage, skylights and chimneys.

Of course, even a house with some problems can sell, but the price will reflect needed repairs. That's where the seller's inspection comes in.

A seller is just as motivated as the buyer to know what is wrong with a house because necessary, but unfinished, repairs mean a lower price at sale, or even a deal that falls through. A home inspection gives sellers the chance to fix things before the house goes on the market and it is an important part of the clean-up, fix-up process.

You might not want to put on a new roof, but repairing the flashings and roof gutters, puts your house in a solid light. Buyers might not expect a new roof, but they don't want to find leaks. There are a variety of specific things that a home inspection can look for, depending on an individual's concerns. For example, a radon inspection checks a home for levels of radioactive gas and takes between two and seven days to complete. A termite inspection looks for damage to the wood structures of a home. With homes that have a well for water, well water testing is another option; for homes with a septic or oil tank, examination of those structures may be part of an inspection as well.

A general inspection should consider the condition of the roof, the water pressure and plumbing, electrical outlets and switches, and the crawl space and attic.

Finally, if you have a home inspection, find a place to sit down and relax. Don't follow the inspector around. After all, the inspector is working for you and the report will be for you only.

A Happy Anniversary Letter to my wife of 25 years, from your local realtor Andy Eckert

Stephanie D. Eckert, formally known as Ness, my wife, my friend and my children’s best gift.

             I met Steph in High School Chemistry class, which at the time, we  didn’t have any Chemistry. I followed her gymnastics   accomplishments because she was successful early on, as was I, on with my Wrestling. I always felt she was stuck up because she   wasn’t outspoken, but quiet. I later found out that she was just shy and insecure, which surprised me after watching her be so successful with her many accomplishments.

Steph and I started dating for a short time when she was a Senior in High School. Of course the relationship was more about me, than us, so I screwed that up. At the time I personally had no idea what I wanted out of life, and girls and golf, were a past time. A few years had passed after our Graduation and I began dating different women, but soon became tired of that life style. Then for some unknown reason I was pulled to go downtown for a drink late one night. I walked in and there she was. All the bad feelings either of us had towards each other washed away, and a new life for us began at that moment. I told her that night that she was stuck with me and we never looked back.

We have Loved hard, fought often, and forgave daily over the past 25 years. I couldn’t image my life without her or our  children. Over the years we’ve grown to deal with each other’s quirks. I kid her on a daily basis, which she has gotten used to, and now she tries to give some of that back once in awhile. I feel we complement each other with my take action personality and her no job is impossible attitude.  Our home isn’t the most organized or clean but it’s always open for friends, family and strangers to visit. We love people and spending time with our family which is small on Steph’s side, but large on mine. We have learned to support each other even when we don’t agree and we both want the same things for our children; Happiness, Success and a desire to keep family close and God closer.

I am blessed to have her and my children, I love my life.

I always have time for you or your referrals.

Rentals make great investments and the Top 8 Fastest growing housing Markets, from local Realtor, Andy Eckert

Rentals gain popularity for investments

Buy land. They're not making it anymore." - Mark Twain

Property is valuable and mostly becomes more valuable as time goes on.

This idea is not lost on today's legion of real estate investors or the average person. According to the Financial Security Index Survey released in July, 54 million Americans consider real estate to be the preferred cash investment for funds not needed for more than 10 years.

It is a great time to invest in real estate with interest rates are historically low. Owning rental property is one way to invest and immediately get return on your money. The key before you start is to ask yourself what you need to make on a rental.

Enlist a real estate agent to help you analyze rental rates and apartment prices in the neighborhood. Scour the classifieds to get an idea of what rents are in the area you would like to buy. Also, learn what properties are selling for.

Before you buy, know what your costs will be for taxes, maintenance, and profit. Can you be competitive at this location and still make a profit? One landlord writing in ConsumerismCommentary.com said she must make $500 profit on each rental per month.

Pick the right neighborhood. High crime areas will cost you money, according to Consumerism Commentary.  High rent areas probably will resist rentals. Sturdy middle-class neighborhoods are often best.

One useful talent is a flair for DIY. If you like doing general repairs, you can usually save on expected expenses. If you don't have such a flair, develop ties to handy-people who are skilled and available. You might be able to hire someone on demand for a low hourly rate.

Finally, once you have done the math and purchased your rental, find the right renter with a strict application. You must make your money back on a property so your three questions have to be: Can they afford the apartment? Will they pay the rent? Will they keep the property nice? To find out, check previous landlords. Verify income. After that, run a civil and criminal background check. 

One landlord even calls the mother or father of younger people who want to rent.

The 8 Fastest Growing Housing Markets, according to NAR

   City, State                       Up     Median Price

1. Boulder, Colorado         18.5%       $ 549,600

2. Elmira, N. Y.                 17.6 %      $ 115,600

3. Springfield, Il.               17.1 %      $ 143,100

4. Port St. Lucie, Fl.          16.1 %      $ 209,000

5. Cumberland, W.Va.      15.2 %      $   94,900

6. Rockford, Il                   15.1 %      $ 109,000

7. Daytona Beach, Fl.        14.7 %     $ 172,000

8. Tampa-Clearwater, Fl.  14.2 %      $ 199,900

3 Tips for Selling a Small Kitchen & Realtors Donate to local Boys & Girls Clubs, from your local Huntington County Realtor

3 Tips for Selling a Small Kitchen

Many buyers are in search of great kitchen space. But the kitchen can be one of the trickiest rooms to stage, especially when the space is small.

If your house is lacking in kitchen space, it's important to make it look as appealing as possible.

1. Remove all clutter and appliances from the counter-tops, leaving only one or two decorative items. This will make the space appear cleaner and larger, she says.

2. Make sure the kitchen is getting plenty of light. Dark spaces appear smaller, so to open up the space make sure any windows are allowing maximum light through. If that's not possible, add appealing forms of artificial lighting to do the trick.

3. If the cabinets have seen better days, consider painting them white. White reflects light and helps make a space feel much bigger and open.

Realtors® Donate Thousands of Hours, Dollars to Local Boys & Girls Clubs

WASHINGTON (August 16, 2016) — The National Association of Realtors® joined forces last year with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to enrich the lives of Club kids and teens in communities across the U.S.

Since December 2015, a total of 188 local Clubs and 18,200 Club youth have been positively impacted by Realtors® and more than $100,000 has been donated to local Clubs by associations, members and real estate firms.

"Today's kids are our future, so when I began my NAR presidential term, I knew I wanted to involve Boys & Girls Club. I am so proud of all the passion, time and effort put forward by the Realtor® family to better the lives of the children in the communities in which we live and work," said NAR President Tom Salomone, broker-owner of Real Estate II, Inc. in Coral Springs, Florida. "Realtors® work every day to build and improve communities, so it comes as no surprise to me that our members jumped at the opportunity to get involved with their local Boys & Girls Club and volunteer their time and energy to support Club kids."   

CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY

It's 4H Fair Time! Which includes, horse ppop, dust and elephant ears, from your Local Huntington County Realtor, Andy Eckert

This month will be full of horse poop, dust, Elephant ears and milkshakes. That’s right is 4H fair time….

We finished the horse show part and Aleah and Michael had a good fair showing. Aleah won some classes and a Grand Champion and Michael won 2 classes and a Reserve Champion. Aleah rode 3 different animals and excelled at all 3. Western Pleasure is her best events, English is her least Favorite and Contesting seems to be a lot of fun for her. Michael showed some halter and riding classes, which he did well in. I was really afraid because he doesn’t take failure well and riding isn’t easy. He came along so far in the past 45 days and I can’t thank Stephanie, Sebastian, Olivia and Aleah enough for all the instruction and support you gave him.

We now will be moving in the goats, rabbits and chickens and showing them for the next week or so. This is always a very busy time for our family with all the maintenance for animals during the fair. We will be running kids in the morning to feed and then again in the afternoon. I think we can allow them to stay during the day for part of the fair but Aleah has Volleyball practice also. It’s a good thing they learn a lot from raising and training these animals because it’s eating into my golf game.

Aleah starts her Freshman year at HNHS this Fall and she is a little nervous and so are we. I’m sure she will handle it all just fine and I just hope all the upper class boys don’t start hounding her.

Michael starts at Crestview MS this Fall and he is also excited and nervous but eager to get the show on the road. He is also excited that his sister Cassy will be coming home this Fall, it’s been way too long since she’s been at home.

Michaels Grandma and Sister Ashley spent the entire day watching him at the 4H horse show and really were proud of him and how far his riding skill has come. I kept his Mom up to date during the day while she was at work. He has a great support system.

I keep hoping Olivia lands a full time job in her field of work, maybe she will be closer to home. Sebastian just set up his apartment for next school year in Ft Wayne and will be moving at the end of the month. Jenny Hinen will be his roomy, good luck Jen.

Have a great Summer and always remember I always have time for your referrals.

God Bless

Andy

6 Steps to choosing a First Home, from your local Huntington County Realtor, Andy Eckert

6 steps to choosing a first home

First-time home buyers get a lot of good advice on finances before they buy their first home: They should be pre-approved for a mortgage, have cash on hand, and take a look a property taxes.

But before that, buyers should consider what they will look for in a home. 

Here are 6 considerations that will help you make the decision.

1 Take the long-term view. 

Young buyers should remember that their first home probably won't be their last. In fact, one way to financial success is to buy a starter home that will appreciate and then sell it later for a profit.  Use the profit to buy your next home; one suited to your needs at the moment.

2 Choose substance over style.

Granite counter tops should never be the make-it-or-break-it feature of a first home. That is just style. The best home is one that suits lifestyle needs. Put substance ahead of style every time.

3 Find the right size home.

Big is not necessarily better. In fact, a big home can be a burden for two working people. Consider the time you will spend cleaning, furnishing and decorating a home for a party of 20. 

In the same way, tiny is not necessarily better. Since a first home is rarely the last home, consider how much the home will be worth at resale. Will a tiny home be difficult to sell? Making an investment work over the long-term is a better idea than going with a trendy choice.     

4 Shun fashion.

A graceful Victorian home or the mid-century modern with potential might be the ultimate dream of a young person fascinated with architecture, but it probably isn't the best first-time buy. Think about the investment in maintenance and unforeseen problems that can crop up in an older home.

Fixer-upper shows can mislead buyers into thinking that a home that needs a lot of work is a great buy. Even for the handy-man, a fixer-upper may not be the right choice, even if the price is right. Consider how long the improvements will take, then double the estimate in time and dollars. Will that be acceptable?

5 Buy location not just bricks.

It doesn't matter how great the house, if it is located in an area with bad schools, high crime, and a run-down house next door, the house won't be worth as much at resale. Even if you don't have children, consider the school district.  A great school district increases the number of interested buyers at sale. At the same time, be open to a good location outside your preferred neighborhood.

6 Choose an expert then listen.

Find a real estate agent, then listen to his/her advice. The agent will advise you on price, negotiation, value, and possible pitfalls. There is no substitute for having a good agent on your side.

Can FHA help you buy your first home? and the Downside to Smart Homes, from your Local Huntington County Realtor, Andy Eckert

Can the FHA help us buy our first home

this year?

Maybe it can. 

The FHA has reduced its Mortgage Insurance (MI) rate, resulting in a monthly payment reduction of $80 on average, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

"Buying a home is about more than owning a roof and four walls. It's about investing in savings and building a family and planting roots in a community."

That was the message that President Obama relayed in his January 7 speech on housing and homeownership in Phoenix, AR. His speech announced significant improvements to mortgage loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration.

"We're going to start this week laying out some of the agenda for the next year. And here in Phoenix, I want to talk about helping more families afford their piece of the American dream, and that is owning their own home."

Obama announced that FHA Mortgage insurance premiums would be reduced from 1.35 to .85 percent on both purchase and refinance loans. The upfront mortgage insurance premium (UFMIP) will however, remain at 1.75 percent.

The White House estimates more than 800,000 homeowners stand to save on their monthly mortgage costs from the reduced MI premiums. They also predicted that 250,000 potential buyers will enter into homeownership over the next three years as a result of the changes.

CoreLogic estimates the change will benefit FHA borrowers with an average of $80 per month, or $900 per year, in savings.

The President's measures are designed to address homeownership numbers r adiating from the flagging first-time buyer market.

First-time buyer participation limped into 2015 accounting for a meager 33 percent of the overall homes sold, the lowest market share since 1987 and down from 50 percent in 2010.

Downside to smart homes

 Smart homes are now a reality wit Amazon Echo and Google home. Appliances, heat, air conditioning, power, lights, security cameras -- everything can link to your smartphone. Turn on your pool heat from 50 miles away. Turn up your AC at the same time.

Of course, there are still some downsides to smart homes that are worth considering.

According to Christopher Harper at maketecheasier.com, security issues are serious. Breaches are inevitable, and security strategies must keep changing to keep up with the hackers. Your  system quickly could become outdated.  Even if it is not outdated, a hacker could send the air conditioning system into Antarctic mode at any time. You take your chances.

Smart homes also add to big data. You are letting big companies that already know a lot about you know more about you.  Afraid of big business? Afraid of big government? 

Finally, smart homes still cost a lot of money to do things like turn up the heat and turn on a light. Is it worth it now?  

Land cruisers in the outback

You think your cell phone has blackout spots. Imagine the Australian outback.  We are talking 2 million square miles of blazing heat, unpleasant snakes, and no cell service.

According to gizmag.com, what the Outback does have is Toyota LandCruisers.  Toyota has joined with other corporations and universities to set up a LandCruiser Emergency Network.

Using a mix of technology, the plan is to supply LandCruisers in the area with plug-and-play wifi devices. Every Cruiser will be a little wifi hotspot with a 15-mile range. People will connect their phones to a nearby LandCruiser that will forward the message along a chain of other LandCruisers until the message gets to a base station.  Consider how important this would be if the message were FIRE.