Typically, every few years American homeowners have the value of their property assessed by local government. The property tax you pay is based on the local tax rate, which you have no control over (except at the voting booth!), and the assessed market value of your home, which you can appeal and thus potentially lower… Read More
What can you tell me about various communities, what each one offers, and what is allowed by the HOA? You’d be surprised at how different the Phoenix Valley’s communities can be. Some are incorporated and others are not. This is important to know by the way for both value and convenience. Amenities offered vary greatly… Read More
Hosting family and friends is one of the best parts of having a vacation home or living in a vacation spot, but having extra people staying in your home can put a strain on your home’s systems and appliances. Check out these five ways to help avoid disaster. 1. Run your oven through its self-cleaning… Read More
How different is your current home from the typical newly built home? Click the link below and find out using a fun interactive infographic from the Census Department. – click for HUD Interactive Infographic – Highlights of Annual 2013 Characteristics of New Housing from HUD via Housing and Urban Development Website. Of the 569,000 single-family… Read More
Whether you’re buying a home, selling a home or staying right where you are, there’s a wide range of deductions you can take. Some of them are well-known, some less so, and there are a lot of twists, so it pays to review the rules. The IRS has outlined key home deductions in Publication 530…. Read More
If you installed energy-efficient home improvements in 2014, you may be eligible for a $500 tax credit. Among the home improvements that might qualify for the tax credit: Doors Windows Insulation HVAC systems Water Heaters Roofs Skylights Biomass stoves Tax credits are valuable because they offset the tax you owe, dollar for dollar. For example,… Read More
I can keep this one short. You can change almost anything about a home, from little things like paint and carpet to a complete remodel, even rebuilding from the ground up. I’m a big believer in buying for location. It’s the one thing, really the only thing you can not change.
Refinance If you haven’t yet refinanced your mortgage or home equity loan to take advantage of today’s low interest rates, there’s still time to lock in a great deal. Jay Brinkmann, chief economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association, expects mortgage rates to rise to 4.8 percent in 2015, and to 5.4 percent by the end… Read More
Real Estate As An Individual Retirement Account Investment If you think the stock market is overvalued, you’ve been disheartened by the relatively low rates of return offered by your traditional fixed income investments or you need to diversify your retirement portfolio, you can open a self-directed Individual Retirement Account (IRA) that invests in real estate…. Read More
by Sam Frizell @Sam_Frizell / TIME Jon Stewart is running a five-week industry training session for army veterans who want to get into the television business. The New York Times reports that the longtime host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show has developed the program over the last three years, but refrained from publicizing it… Read More
