How to Write Off Your Move to Ludlow, VT
Many home buyers are not aware of the fact that most moving expenses for a job-related move are tax deductible. If you want the savings, however, it is extremely important to keep detailed records of all moving expenses, including house-hunting trips, if your move is job-related.
If you are moving more than 35 miles from your current home, you can deduct all kinds of moving expenses, including but not limited to: your family’s travel expenses, including meals and lodging; the cost of transporting furniture, other household goods, and personal belongings; food and hotel bills for up to 30 days in the new city if you have to wait to move into your new home; and the costs associated with selling your old home or leasing your new home.
The IRS’s Publication 521, “Tax Information on Moving Expenses,” provides all of the details on deducting items related to your move, including limits to how much you may deduct. You can download the publication using the link above, or pick it up for free at any IRS office!
Thinking about moving to Ludlow, VT? Start by searching the MLS here, or call me at 802-353-1983 for all of your Ludlow VT real estate needs!
Get Ready For Fall Foliage in Ludlow VT!
Summer is coming to an end and, in Vermont, that means the beautiful autumn foliage season is upon us.Visit this web site
to see photos of the incredible vibrant colors of fall, get and share tips of where to spot the most stunning foliage, and get started planning a trip to take in the wonders of this perfect season in Vermont. You can also see maps and timetables that show the changing of the leaves through the season so that you won’t miss seeing Okemo Mountain in all of its autumnal glory!
An Okemo Mountain area vacation home is the perfect investment if you find yourself drawn to the splendor of Vermont every year. Please visit my website or email me today to learn how to make your dream a reality!
Tips for Homeowners in Ludlow VT
The recent coverage of Hurricane Dean and other weather-related disasters across the country should be giving homeowners everywhere cause to take a minute and review their homeowners insurance policies. It is a good idea to look over your policy periodically to be sure you are familiar with all of its details and feel comfortable that you will be protected before a natural disaster strikes or you have to file a claim. Below are 5 tips for understanding your homeowners insurance:
1. Look for exclusions to coverage. For example, most policies do not cover flood or earthquake damage as a standard item – these coverages must be purchased separately.
2. Look for dollar limitations on claims. Even if you are covered for a risk, there may be a limit on how much the insurer will pay. For example, many policies limit the amount paid for stolen jewelry unless items are insured separately.
3. Understand replacement cost. If your home is destroyed you’ll receive money to replace it only to the maximum of your coverage, so be sure your insurance is sufficient. This means that if your home is insured for $150,000 and it costs $180,000 to replace it, you’ll only receive $150,000.
4. Understand actual cash value. If you choose not to replace your home when it’s destroyed, you’ll receive replacement cost, less depreciation.
5. Understand liability. Generally your homeowners insurance covers you for accidents that happen to other people on your property, including medical care, court costs, and awards by the court. However, there is usually an upper limit to the amount of coverage provided. Be sure that it’s sufficient if you have significant assets.
To learn more about homeownership and Okemo Mountain real estate, please visit my website or call me at 802-226-8022.
How Walk-able is Your Ludlow VT Neighborhood?
Get great free widgets at Widgetbox! This week I came across a website that is just so neat, I had to share it. www.WalkScore.com allows you to type in any address, and it will rate the “walk-ability” of that property by calculating its distance to things like the nearest grocery store, movie theater, library, school, park, and pharmacy.10,000 steps per day to reap the many benefits of walking. Why not consider the walk-ability of a neighborhood if you are in the market for a new home or a vacation home in Ludlow? Or, if you have recently purchased a vacation home in Vermont, check out the walk-ability to various destinations in your new “neighborhood away from home.”website or call me today at 802-353-1983. I would love to help you find a new neighborhood to explore on foot!
We all know that walking is important for our health and, with all of the hype over “going green” lately, we know that walking instead of driving when possible is one way that we can all help to save the environment. In fact, it is recommended that adults tread
To learn more about Okemo Mountain real estate and neighborhoods, please visit my
Back To School in Ludlow, VT
The summer is flying by – as it always seems to do – and it is almost time to start thinking about sending kids back to school again!Whether you are new to the Ludlow area or already have kids in school here, now is the time to take a good look at how the schools are measuring up.
Below is a link to reports and data on Vermont schools – does YOUR child’s school make the grade?
Vermont School Reports
To learn more about moving your family and Ludlow VT real estate, please call me at 802-353-1983 or visit www.ISellVermontRealEstate.com.
10 Ways to Make Your House in Ludlow VT More Saleable
1. Get rid of clutter. Throw out or file stacks of newspapers and magazines. Pack away most of your small decorative items. Store out-of-season clothing to make closets seem roomier. Clean out the garage.2. Wash your windows and screens to let more light into the interior.
3. Keep everything extra clean. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates. Mop and wax floors. Clean the stove and refrigerator. A clean house makes a better first impression and convinces buyers that the home has been well cared for.
4. Get rid of smells! Even if you think you house does not have smells, spring for a good carpet and drape cleaning to eliminate any possible cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Keep the windows open when possible (if road noise is not an issue).
5. Put higher wattage bulbs in light sockets to make rooms seem brighter, especially basements and other dark rooms. Replace any burnt-out bulbs.
6. Make minor repairs that can create a bad impression. Small problems, such as sticky doors, torn screens, cracked caulking, or a dripping faucet, may seem trivial, but they’ll give buyers the impression that the house isn’t well maintained.
7. Tidy your yard. Cut the grass, rake the leaves, trim the bushes, and edge the walks. Put a pot or two of bright flowers near the entryway.
8. Patch holes in your driveway and reapply sealant, if applicable.
9. Clean your gutters. Remove any debris such as pine straw that has accumulated on the roof.
10. Polish your front doorknob and door numbers. Remember, the door is the first part of the home potential buyers see!
For more information about real estate and selling your home in Ludlow, VT please call me at 802-353-1983 or visit my Web site https://www.isellvermontrealestate.com/. I would love to help make your home more saleable!
Summer Fun in Ludlow, VT – Part 2
In continuing with the theme of curing kids’ summertime boredom, I’ve compiled a list of ways to get your children outdoors and exploring the beautiful natural surroundings of Ludlow, VT:
1. Go on a Bug Hunt Equip your child with a baby food jar or bug jar and encourage them to look for natural life around them. Look under leaves & stumps (be sure to turn them back over), on tree trunks & leaves and in flowers. Handle the bugs gently and let them go when you are done. Name your favorite bug according to its colors, the way it moves or something different about it.
2. Listen to the World Around You Have your child sit and listen to the sounds of nature by closing their eyes, and counting on their fingers the different sounds they hear. Compare natural vs. unnatural sounds. Try this in several different habitats such as in a field, near a pond and in a forest and compare the kinds and numbers of sounds heard.
3. Look at Nature Before a visit to a park, have your child decorate two toilet paper rolls. Staple them together to make mini-binoculars. Take them outside for a game of “I Spy” looking for items from nature. Look for things near by, in middle range and far away.
4. Get a New Perspective Have your child lie face upward under a large tree. Have them look into the branches. Can they see the top branch? What patterns can they see? What other things are present? They can pretend to be the roots of the tree in the soil. What do they feel like? What animals can they see moving around in the tree?
5. Use Imagination Choose an area with natural ground coverings such as leaves, cones, wild grass etc. and sit down. Give your child 6 short pieces of straw or toothpicks. Have them pretend to shrink down to the size of an ant with you. Their job is to lead a nature walk for creatures the size of an ant by choosing 6 interesting things along a one meter stretch of ground. Encourage them to use their imagination!
6. Wet Noses Wet the underside of your child’s nose with a small wet sponge. This improves their sense of smell just as it does for deer and rabbits. Find familiar smells such as flowers to try, then go on to other things like rubbing a leaf between your fingers and smelling or scratching a pine needle. Also try moss, bark, pitch or grabbing an handful of leafy soil etc.
7. Discover Color in Nature Get 10 old paint swatches of various natural colors from a paint store. Cut them into individual squares and take these and your child to a natural area. One at a time, have your child look for each color in nature. You will be amazed at what colors you can find if you really look!
8. Touching Nature Blindfold your child and lead them to a tree to get to know it by feeling the bark texture, finding branches and any other way to recognize a specific tree without looking at it. Still blind-folded, lead your child back to where you started. Now take off the blindfold and have them try to find their tree using their sense of touch to confirm it. What other senses helped them to locate their tree? (sounds, sense of balance, smells, warmth etc.)
9. A Night time Experience Go with your child to a safe natural place at night. Cover your flashlight with red plastic so you won’t startle the animals. Try out some of the ideas above to learn about plants & animals of the night. It takes about 20 minutes for your eyes to fully adjust from bright light to darkness.
10. A Rainy Day Experience Dress to stay dry but with your hands free (no umbrellas) and go out on a rainy day with your child. Peek into puddles. Llisten for bird & frog calls. How many kinds of raindrops can you see? Can you find plants with a drip tip? Try to find out where animals go when it is raining.
For more information about living and real estate in Ludlow, VT please call me at 802-353-1983 or visit my Web site https://www.isellvermontrealestate.com/.
Summer Fun In Ludlow, VT – Part 1
Summer is in full swing and as the novelty of being out of school begins to wear off, most parents are bracing themselves for the inevitable “I’m booooored” that is just bound to come out of their children’s mouths soon. Luckily, beautiful Ludlow, VT has more to offer than just wintertime fun!
Below are links to several fun things to do with your children this summer to get them outside and enjoying this perfect time of year in Ludlow:
• State parks in southern Vermont
• Places to hike in south/south central Vermont
• Places to fish in south/south central Vermont
• Museums to visit in Vermont
• Factory tours in Vermont
• Go on a llama hike in Vermont!
For more information about living and real estate in Ludlow, VT please call me at 802-353-1983 or visit my Web site www.ISellVermontRealEstate.com. Happy trails, and here’s to an exciting second half of the summer!