Just Listed in Chester, Vermont
- Fabulous Open Floor Plan
Space and Sunshine
Chester – Fabulous 3 bedroom, 2 bath, open floor plan contemporary in one of Vermont’s favorite towns. Many upgrades within past year including: kitchen, baths, flooring and all new windows and doors. Close to skiing – beat the Sunday traffic home from Okemo! $385,000.00
Okemo Mountain Real Estate: Is Cobuying A Second Home for You?
Okemo Mountain Real Estate: Is Cobuying A Second Home for You?
Craig Venezia is a nationally recognized expert on home mortgages, and the author of Buying a Second Home: Income, Getaway, or Retirement. Second-home ownership in Okemo Mountain is more popular than ever due to such factors as the shrinking American family, older and wealthier households, and new technologies for working from home. One out of every three homes purchased in the United States today is a second home.
If you dream of owning a second home, but realize it isn’t in your budget at the moment, cobuying an Okemo Mountain second home may be just what you need to make your dream a reality.
Listen to Craig Venezia’s podcast. It may help you decide if cobuying is right for you.
Learn more about buying an Okemo Mountain second home by visiting ISellVermontRealEstate.com.
Ludlow VT Home Buying Mistakes; How To Avoid Them.
No matter what the condition of the housing market, purchasing a Ludlow VT home is a major commitment and a vital financial decision. A home is much more than a financial investment; it is an investment in a new lifestyle and a new way of looking at property. Those who are unprepared to make the leap from renting to home ownership can make some costly mistakes, and learning to avoid those blunders is vital.
Think With Your Head Not Your Heart
One of the most common mistakes made by first time home buyers is allowing emotion to rule the day. Although buying a home can be an emotional process, there are some things home buyers can do to prevent emotional ties from getting in the way of sound financial discipline.
While it is all too easy to picture your family relaxing in the backyard of a new home, take a step back and look at the home with the eyes of an investor. Pretend for a moment that you are not going to live in the house but are buying it as a pure investment. Is it still just as attractive, or has it lost some of its appeal? Emotional attachment is fine, but it should not overrule your good judgment.
Consider All the Costs of Home Ownership
Buying more house than they can afford is a classic blunder for many first time homeowners. One of the chief culprits behind this error is factoring in only the cost of the mortgage versus the cost of continuing to rent. While it is certainly appealing to go from collecting rent receipts to building up home equity, keep in mind that the costs of owning a home do not end with the monthly mortgage check.
Don’t Try to Time the Market
Market timing doesn’t work in the stock market, and it doesn’t work in the home market either. Although it can be tempting to try to wait for the market to hit rock bottom, you may be left out in the cold when the market starts to turn around. Many professionals, including home builders, lenders and real estate investors, have a great deal of difficulty timing the market, even with all their specialized knowledge and experience.
While some Ludlow VT home buyers will be lucky enough to sell their existing homes at the top of the market and buy their next one when the market craters, most of us will not be so lucky. There are bargains to be found in every real estate market; the key is to arm yourself with as much information as possible and shop smart.
Learn more about the Ludlow VT housing market by visiting ISellVermontRealEstate.com or giving us a call 800-659-1819 #103.
Okemo Mountain Real Estate: How Main Street Protects Against Wall Street
You can’t turn on a TV, computer or radio these days without hearing about financial crisis America is experiencing and the proposed $700 million dollar government bailout.
It is still unclear how this legislation will affect every day folks like you and me, but there are some things we can do to protect our personal financial futures.
Gibran Nicholas, chairman of the CMPS Institute, an organization that certifies mortgage bankers and brokers, makes 4 suggestions for protecting ourselves in today’s troubled economy in an article on Rismedia.com:
1 – Make Sure Your Investments Are Protected Through the SIPC.
2 – Make Sure All Your Bank Accounts Are Covered with FDIC Insurance.
3 – Max Out Your Home Equity Line of Credit Before Your Lender Cuts Off the Limit.
4 – Stop Making Extra Mortgage Payments and Take Out a Mortgage Even If You Don’t Need One.
Please read Nicholas’s entire article to best understand his suggestions. They are so important, I did not want to try to paraphrase his comments.
If you have question concerning Okemo Mountain real estate, visit ISellVermontRealEstate.com or give me a call, 800-659-1819.
Listing Videos
I now have 2 videos on my website for my listings. Please go to http://isellvermontrealestate.com, click my listings and then click to see the properties.
Irene
It’s Easy Being Green With Okemo Mountain Real Estate
Not so long ago helping the environment meant recycling plastic and newspapers, but today it has evolved into “green” thinking and extends to our Okemo Mountain real estate, homes and living environments.
According to a recent NAR survey, nine out of 10 Realtors® said their clients are interested in energy efficient features of green homes and the potential cost savings of such features. An overwhelming 90 percent agreed there will be even more interest in green building practices a year from now.
Results of a Harris Interactive poll by Move, Inc. show potential home buyers consider “green” building features more important than luxury amenities. Almost half of the adults surveyed (49 percent) said features such as solar panels or energy-saving appliances were “important,” compared to just 31 percent who rated luxury amenities important.
Ninety-three percent of all home buyers are not willing to pay more for green or energy efficient features when building a home, according to a recent independent study commissioned by The New York Times Customer Insight Group.
However, a recent survey from Green Builder Media reports U.S. home buyers are willing to pay a premium for more environmentally friendly, green-built homes.
More than half of home builders surveyed (250 residential builders across the U.S.) said that buyers are willing to pay a premium of between 11-25 percent for green-built homes. The same builders report that the average green home buyer is between the ages of 35-50 with a college degree and fair understanding of green products.
Despite the conflicting statistics, the U.S. Green Building Council believes thinking “green” is an industry and Okemo Mountain real estate trend, rather than a passing fad; not only does it save on energy costs, it is better for our overall health and the environment as a whole.
Learn more about Okemo Mountain real estate by visiting my website, ISellVermontRealEstate.com or giving me a call at 800-659-1819 #103.
Okemo Mountain Real Estate: Is Renting Your Vacation Home For You?
One of the biggest decision Ludlow and Okemo Mountain second-home buyers must decide is whether or not to rent their property when they are not using it. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, one-half of all second-home owners leave their home unoccupied for more than 330 days a year. The question becomes, will your vacation home be a financial burden or a financial cow with the rental income is can generate, thus paying for itself
Renting does have its pros and cons. Some owners don’t like the idea of ‘strangers’ in their home. Others don’t want the hassle of being a landlord, especially a long distance landlord. And then there is the decision to give up the prime vacation season for rental income. The flip side is renting your vacation home provides a stream of easy money.
EscapeHomes.com offers advice and tips when considering a Ludlow and Okemo Mountain vacation home purchase and deciding whether renting out that home is right for you:
Before You Buy
If you already know you will rent your vacation home, consider these questions as you look at properties:
Is there a rental market in the area?
What is the average rent that your neighbors receive?
If you are looking in a development, are there any by-laws which restrict your rental capabilities?
Is this a seasonal area or year-round location?
The answers to these questions will help you select a more lucrative property for your vacation home.
Rental Seasons
How do you decide when to rent your property and when to use it yourself? Since you are buying primarily for your own fun and enjoyment, you shouldn’t sacrifice this. If the home is in a one-season area, for example, summers at the Maine coast, then giving up that time of year for rental income defeats the purpose of having the home. In this case, you might look for a long-term (9-month) renter for the off-season, among the local population, while you use it in the summer. On the other hand, if you buy a winter ski condo or chalet, it is still highly rentable in the summer time for the mountaineering types. If you buy a property for weekend use, perhaps there are local people who need a Monday-Friday escape option. In short, if you balance your own needs with the market demands, you get both fun and money.
Practical Considerations
For successful renting, first find out the going rental market rate. Second, determine if you want to market it yourself, or use a rental agent. Self-marketing takes time, but often generates more qualified renters as you are not competing with all the other properties of an agent. Third, be sure to arrange for a property manager. This is different from a rental agency. The manager will take 10 to 20 percent of the rent, and free you up from cleaning, being on call for maintenance (especially important if you live far away), and dealing with the daily needs of the renters.
Make it Personal
By far, the most important factor in success is your personal investment in the process. This means your personal contact with your renters. From a simple welcome note and local maps to a thank-you note and on-going contact, your relationship creates a repeat flow of guests who not only love your second home as much as you do but also pay for the privilege of using it. What could be better?
If you are considering buying a Ludlow or Okemo Mountain vacation home, give us a call, 800-659-1819 #103. We are glad to provide you with the information you need to make a good buying and renting decision.
Think you want to rent out your Ludlow or Okemo vacation home, but don’t want to handle the day-to-day details yourself, we can recommend a reputable Property Manager.
Search all Ludlow and Okemo Mountain vacation homes for sale.
Okemo Mountain Real Estate: Second-home Sellers Pay For Tax Credits
Okemo Mountain Second-home Sellers Pay For Tax Credits
You have probably heard, last week President signed into law the Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act. This is the most comprehensive housing bill to be enacted in over a decade. The bill is designed to help more buyers of Okemo Mountain real estate realize their dreams, as well as, boast the struggling housing and mortgage markets.
One of the biggest benefits, and probably one of the most talked about provisions in this legislation, is the $7,500 tax credit to first time home buyers. Tax breaks are all well and good, but they have to be paid for somehow. While first time home buyers are getting a break, second home sellers will be paying for the $15.1 million dollars in tax cuts.
Up until the new legislation went into effect last week, homeowners could exclude up to $250,000 taxable profit on the sale of their home if they’re single taxpayers and $500,000 if married filing joint returns. The catch being, they had to live the in house as their primary residence for two of the five years before it is sold.
Many second home owners took advantage of this by moving into a property that was once a rental or vacation home, live there for two years prior to selling and benefiting from the tax-free profit.
The Basics of 1031 Exchange
Many homeowners have heard of a “1031 Exchange,” but few understand the basics of what an exchange actually entails. Today I want to cover just a few of the basics of the process, as it can be an invaluable method of homeownership for investment homeowners.US CODE: Title 26, §1031. Exchange of Property Held for Productive Use or Investment
What is a 1031 Exchange?
Put simply, it is the sale of one property in exchange for the purchase another property of similar value without the required payment of capital gains tax, all performed within a specific time frame. An example of when you might use a 1031 Exchange, as opposed to selling a home and purchasing a new one outright: you want to sell your current vacation home and purchase a new, similar one that has a few better features. You have not yet owned your current vacation home for two years, so you are subject to substantial capital gains taxes when you sell it. If you were to use a 1031 Exchange, you could “exchange” your current home for a new one and be relieved of the capital gains requirement. It is this difference between “exchanging” and not simply buying and selling which, in the end, allows you, the taxpayer, to qualify for a deferred gain treatment. In a nutshell: sales are taxable with the IRS and 1031 exchanges are not.
Important Rules of 1031 Exchange
1. The total purchase price of the replacement “like kind” property must be equal to, or greater than the total net sales price of the relinquished, real estate, property.
2. All the equity received from the sale, of the relinquished real estate property, must be used to acquire the replacement, “like kind” property.ISellVermontRealEstate.com. To request more information about 1031 exchange, please click here and select the reports you would like!
1031 Timelines and Rules
Identification period – the seller has exactly 45 days from the sale of the original property to identify other replacement property(s) that he proposes or wishes to buy.
Exchange period – the period during which the seller of the relinquished property must receive the replacement property. This period ends exactly 180 days after the date on which the person transfers the property relinquished or the due date for the person’s tax return for that taxable year in which the transfer of the relinquished property has occurred, whichever situation is earlier.
If you want to learn more about strategies for buying and selling investment properties, or are interested in Okemo Mountain real estate, please call me at 802-353-1983 or visit