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Top 10 Tax Breaks,
On The House
The New Year always turns thoughts to the new tax season and when it comes to taxes there's no place like home to find shelter. Your home offers a score of tax deductions and credits designed to help offset the cost of housing and to keep the housing market fueled with new buyers.
Here's a look at the Top 10 Tax Breaks, On The House.
Mortgage Loan Interest: The Mother Of All Tax Breaks, because interest payments comprises a large portion of your mortgage payment in the early years of the loan's term, mortgage
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interest on a maximum of $1 million in mortgage debt secured by a first and second home is deductible. Deductions reduce your taxable income against which your taxes due are calculated. The
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How To Accelerate Your Mortgage Application
The best way to deal with so much uncertainty in the mortgage market is the fast way. The faster you get your loan approved, the better shot you'll have at the home you want. Here are some ways to speed up the approval process for your home loan.
Be smart. Financial planners, your REALTOR®, mortgage brokers and lenders are all available to assist you to give you insight on what is likely to be your largest financial transaction ever. The more you know, the faster you can make decisions about how much you can afford, what loan is best for you, and how to shop for the best deal.
Be creditworthy. Pull your credit report to determine if there are any black marks that could stall your application or get it rejected. You are entitled to one free credit report each year from each of the three major credit reporting agencies -- Experian, Equifax and TransUnion -- which means you can get three different credit reports each year at no cost.
Be frugal. Certainly stretch to afford the most home you can buy, if you want
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Getting the Best Deal
On a Home
Buying a home is very often an emotional process especially if it's going to be your primary residence. Well, buyers, fear not -- just make sure you review these helpful tips before you make your next offer on a house. It could give you an advantage over another buyer in the market.
Determine true market size.
There may be plenty of homes in a particular area where you are house hunting, but that doesn't mean that they'll all be suitable for your needs. Identifying how many homes actually could be right for you will help to determine your negotiating power. Choices are always critical to creating a better deal.
Look for vacant properties.
Finding properties that are vacant is a good opportunity to get a deal. Very often sellers might have moved out because they purchased another home and they don't want to now have to carry two mortgages. The longer vacant homes sit on the market, often the more eager and motivated the sellers become to begin negotiating with buyers.
Look for the diamond in the rough.
Have you ever been shown a house and your first thought was, "This is awful. Who would ever live here?" The home sells; the new owner makes a few changes to it and puts it back on the market. You go see it again and it feels
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Thinking Green: An Early
Start on Gardening
Even though it's a cold outside in most parts of the country, it isn't too early to think about the garden. Spring will be here before you know it, so let's get prepared for making the garden look great.
And what better way than to give your plants a boost by planting them in pretty containers for an added zip?
Whether you live in condominium or a large home, containers can add color and style to a simple garden. To begin, there are three main elements to keep in mind when adding containers as a decor item in the garden:
Choosing the pots
Getting the right planting medium
Selecting the plants
Most importantly, the key is to create a healthy growing environment for the plant roots.
Daily News and Advice
Read about the events shaping the Real Estate market today, find current interest rates, or browse the extensive library of advice and how-to articles written by some of the top experts in Real Estate. Updated each weekday.
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