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What is the Interest write off deduction?

by Dean Thompson


What is the Interest write off deduction?

        Tax deductible interest is a borrowing expense that a taxpayer can claim on a federal or state tax return to reduce taxable income.    Mortgage interest for both first and second (home equity) mortgages, mortgage interest for investment properties are among the list of deductions you can take on your taxes.   This is another reason why owning a home is more favorable than renting. In addition to building equity in a home that you...

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Why landscaping can make your home sell faster and for more money

by Dean Thompson


Why landscaping can make your home sell faster and for more money

      Plain and simple, the quality of your landscaping determines whether or not your home feels inviting from the outside.   Curb appeal is what people call it and it’s a key ingredient in the decision to buy a home to more than 71 percent of homebuyers. As you know, landscaping plays a huge role in the curb appeal that you present to prospective buyers for your home. The first impression is key: if buyers don’t like what your home looks like from...

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Why you should make a list of the top 20 features you love about your home when selling?

by Dean Thompson


Why you should make a list of the top 20 features you love about your home when selling?

    Who knows your home better than you do?   The short answer is nobody.   And because of that, you should take the time to make a list of the top 20 features you love about your home before you put it on the market.   You see, if you like those things about your house, then so will someone else. And, in an effort to help your agent get your home sold faster and for more money, it will help if you point out the things you really dig about your home that...

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Marketing Strategies: Luxury homes vs average priced homes

by Dean Thompson


Marketing Strategies: Luxury homes vs average priced homes

    As you can imagine, driving up demand for a luxury home takes a uniquely different approach than does selling a regular home.   From the word, go, you need a strong, clear and focused strategy that details how it will position your luxury home above the ordinary, illustrating and marketing its unique features in proper manner to perfect buyer at the perfect price. There are some very different ideas, thoughts and strategies around marketing a luxury home, which in...

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Owning vs. Renting

by Dean Thompson


Owning vs. Renting

      Making the decision to own a home versus renting one is no small decision. Not only does it affect your expendable cash, but it also has a huge impact on your lifestyle and how much money you’re able to save over time.   Sometimes, the goal to achieve the “American Dream” of owning a home clouds some people’s vision for the future and they buy a home when they should really be renting one.   Similarly, there are people who...

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Property tax assessment too high...what you can do about it?

by Dean Thompson


Property tax assessment too high...what you can do about it?

    An increase in home values is great because it increases the equity in your home without you having to invest more money in making it happen. Unfortunately, as the price of your home increases, so does the perceived value of your home in the eyes of your local tax assessor. When that happens, your taxes also go up. The bad news is that your tax rate - the annual percentage of your home’s value that you pay - is fixed by the state and/or municipality in which you...

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How to sell a home that didn't sell

by Dean Thompson


How to sell a home that didn't sell

        The housing market is faring much better than it was a few years ago, but that doesn’t mean every home sells for top dollar or for that matter, sells at all.   So, if your "for sale" sign has been sitting on your front lawn a lot longer than you expected, you might be wondering how to sell your home that didn’t sell when you thought it would.   As a best practice, it ideal to consult your real estate agent, assuming that...

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When is the best time of the year to sell?

by Nikki Maschke


When is the best time of the year to sell?

    You want to sell your home, maximize the amount you sell it for and get it sold in a reasonable amount of time. While there’s no horrible time of the year to sell your home, there are better times of the year to put it on the market to get the best results for yourself. We’ve done the research and the results are in. Here’s the best time of the year to sell. And the winner is… Life happens and sometimes, you just don’t have a say...

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Top deal breakers for a home under contract and how to fix them

by Nikki Maschke


Top deal breakers for a home under contract and how to fix them

    Selling your home, while exciting, can also be extremely stressful. Even the best of real estate agents have to deal with complicated issues that arise with a home sale. In fact, you’ll find that even when seller and buyer get along great and the sales process is humming along smoothly that challenges can crop up requiring lots of negotiations and may delay the transaction weeks before you can close on the transaction.  Conversely, some deals are complicated...

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Why you should wait to buy that car until after your home purchase?

by Nikki Maschke


Why you should wait to buy that car until after your home purchase?

    Getting preapproved for a mortgage is a major step in buying a home. When done properly, it’s like having cash in your hands so you can negotiate effectively with a seller to buy a home.   It’s easily one of the most important things you can do in order to buy the home of your dreams.   But its name gives you a hint as to how fragile this financing instrument can be.   You see, it’s a “pre” approval, which means you’re...

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