Cindy Hartman

Be sure that:

• Repairs you've requested have been made. Obtain copies of paid bills and any related warranties.
  
• All items that were included in the sale price-draperies, lighting fixtures-are still there.
  
• Screens and storm windows are in place or stored.
  
• All appliances are operating.
  
• Intercom, doorbell, and alarm are operational.
  
• Hot water heater is working.
  
• HVAC is working.
  
• No plants or shrubs have been removed from the yard.
  
• Garage door opener and other remotes are available.
  
• Instruction books and warranties on appliances and fixtures are there.
  
• All personal items of the sellers and all debris have been removed.

New Years always get me motivated - so I start cleaning, throwing away trash, organize and file papers, and on and on...

This is a great time to :

clean up that database...

delete those unused icons off your desktop...

let GO of those potential leads that will never pan out...

delete old and junk email...

throw out all those old condiments from the back of the fridge that only have an inch of stuff in them...

trash those packages of meat in the freezer that are covered with frost...

are you REALLY going to eat that last half an ounce of cereal in those four boxes that are in the cabinet?

let go of that jar of specialty mustard in the cupboard that someone gave you for christmas 4 years ago...

clear out all the linens in the linen closet that you put there 10 years ago when you moved in...

ragged and torn towels are great for the workshop...so why do they keep showing up in my bathroom?

if the elastic is worn, it's time to buy new underwear...

Just go ahead and drink that wine in the wine rack...what the heck are your saving it for? And it's always good to rotate stock!

Be Safe

A potential buyer calls, we're motivated, he wants to meet at the house - do we jump in the car and meet him at the house?

Be safe.

In this market we may tend to forget our processes. Meet your new client at the office first. Let your office know where you'll be. If you do meet a previously unknown client at a home, keep your car keys with you in your hands and use the security alarm if you feel threatened. Wait at the front door at a vacant home and let the buyer go in and take a look without you.

I don't encourage open houses for clients who still occupy the home - you're letting strangers who haven't been "vetted" by a Realtor to enter your home. Would you open your door to strangers to walk through your home at any other time?

Just some thoughts. .. We're entering rough times, and it's a good time to take a moment and think about what we are doing.

The full answer is a little complicated. If you are a first time home buyer (defined by the IRS), you have an income of less than $75,000 ($150,000 if married filing joint), and you bought a new home between April 9th, 2008 and July 1, 2009 you are eligible for the Federal Housing Tax Credit for First time Home buyers.

The $7,500 credit is called a refundable credit. This means it will first be applied towards any money that you owe the IRS. Whatever is left over will be given to you.

However, it must be paid back over the next 15 years (that's $500 a year). If you sell the house during that time, the remainder of the $7500 must be paid back from the gain on the sell of the home. If you sell the home for a loss, the debt is canceled!

My thanks to Maximum Title, for this explanation -