About Butte County, CA

Successful Selling In A Buyer's Market of Paradise CA Homes For Sale Part 5of 8

We are discussing Pricing The Home from our previous post on Processing The Information.

PRICING IT RIGHT: That means pricing relevant to this market, in real time, with an eye to developing trends that may effect sales during the marketing period. There is always a price range for a given home in a given location at a given time. Therefore pricing strategically within that range subject to inventory, etc. is critical in a Buyer's Market. That also means pricing to capture the attention of the target market for your property. Just like when you first drive through a neighborhood you notice far more than after you've been there awhile. Let's say you want to price your home attactively. It's best to capture the attention of your buyer when they first become aware of your home on the market. The value of right pricing plays a greater part when there is a large inventory of homes in your local market. Paradise CA homes for sale

Once you've priced your home right prepare to market. Paradise CA homes for sale

Next time we will look at: Market Aggressively

This information is provided by your Realtor, and is not a substitute for the advice of your legal or tax adviser. This information is provided as an example of the types of evaluations that are helpful, to Buyers and Sellers, when considering real estate transactions. Paradise CA homes for sale

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An earnest money deposit is used to secure a purchase contract, which means the buyer doesn't have to worry about the property being sold out from underneath them. Without an agreement, the seller would be free to sell the home at anytime. An earnest money deposit, however, secures the availability of the home as the potential buyer obtains an inspection, appraisal and financing for the purchase.

How Much Good Faith Is Enough

So, just how much of an earnest money deposit is required? Truthfully, it depends on a number of factors, including the home's purchase price, your location and the standard as set by other sellers. In most cases, the earnest money deposit is negotiable and the seller will be happy in knowing that the potential buyer is serious enough to offer their money in good faith.

How An Earnest Money Deposit Is Used

If the transaction is successful and the buyer follows through with the purchase, an earnest money deposit is most commonly refunded to the buyer or applied to closing costs. If the buyer defaults or is unable to obtain financing, the seller often has the discretion to retain the earnest money deposit as damages or as otherwise described in the purchase agreement.

Using Your Dollars And Sense

When it comes to an earnest money deposit, it's essential that buyers know who should receive the money and how to handle the payment. In most cases, the deposit should be made payable and presented to a licensed real estate broker, an attorney or escrow company. Your REALTOR® can assist in getting your earnest money deposit into the right hands. It's important to obtain a receipt, which should clearly outline the purpose of the deposit. The funds will be handled in accordance with the purchase agreement and/or as agreed upon by both the buyer and seller.

Before handing over a good faith deposit, make sure that you have faith in the person accepting your money. Potential buyers should not give an earnest money deposit directly to the seller, nor should they give it to anyone who claims to be with a brokerage firm unless their credentials are verified.

CHICO REAL ESTATE 2009 YEAR END TAX STRATEGIES AND ENERGY SAVINGS

As we near the end of 2009 this is a great time to consider year end tax planning. Federal Home Energy Tax Credits and recent technology advances in heating,cooling and renewable energy equipment have created a Win-Win opportunity for the home owner. The pay back available by combining energy savings and the Federal tax credit can be shortened considerably. The actual pay back time will depend on the home's present source of energy. Chico Real Estate

U.S. Internal Revenue Service News Release

People can now weatherize their homes and be rewarded for their efforts. According to the Internal Revenue Service, homeowners making energy-saving improvements this fall can cut their winter heating bills and lower their 2009 tax bill as well.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act), enacted earlier this year, expanded two home energy tax credits: the nonbusiness energy property credit and the residential energy efficient property credit.

Nonbusiness Energy Property Credit

This credit equals 30 percent of what a homeowner spends on eligible energy-saving improvements, up to a maximum tax credit of $1,500 for the combined 2009 and 2010 tax years. The cost of certain high-efficiency heating and air conditioning systems, water heaters and stoves that burn biomass all qualify, along with labor costs for installing these items. In addition, the cost of energy-efficient windows and skylights, energy-efficient doors, qualifying insulation and certain roofs also qualify for the credit, though the cost of installing these items does not count.

By spending as little as $5,000 before the end of the year on eligible energy-saving improvements, a homeowner can save as much as $1,500 on his or her 2009 federal income tax return. Due to limits based on tax liability, other credits claimed by a particular taxpayer and other factors, actual tax savings will vary. These tax savings are on top of any energy savings that may result.

Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit

Homeowners going green should also check out a second tax credit designed to spur investment in alternative energy equipment. The residential energy efficient property credit, equals 30 percent of what a homeowner spends on qualifying property such as solar electric systems, solar hot water heaters, geothermal heat pumps, wind turbines, and fuel cell property. Generally, labor costs are included when calculating this credit. Also, no cap exists on the amount of credit available except in the case of fuel cell property. Chico Real Estate

Not all energy-efficient improvements qualify for these tax credits. For that reason, homeowners should check the manufacturer's tax credit certification statement before purchasing or installing any of these improvements. The certification statement can usually be found on the manufacturer's website or with the product packaging. Normally, a homeowner can rely on this certification. The IRS cautions that the manufacturer's certification is different from the Department of Energy's Energy Star label, and not all Energy Star labeled products qualify for the tax credits.

Eligible homeowners can claim both of these credits when they file their 2009 federal income tax return. Because these are credits, not deductions, they increase a taxpayer's refund or reduce the tax he or she owes. An eligible taxpayer can claim these credits, regardless of whether he or she itemizes deductions on Schedule A. Use Form 5695, Residential Energy Credits, to figure and claim these credits.

A draft of the Form 5695 is available HERE

(Source: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=214873,00.html)

This information is provided by your Realtor, and is not a substitute for the advice of your legal or tax adviser. This information is provided as an example of the types of evaluations that are helpful, to Buyers and Sellers, when considering real estate transactions. Chico Real Estate

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