About Allyn's Lakeland Village

As the April dead line comes to close check this info out

• Extends deadlines for purchasing and closing on a home.
• Authorizes the credit for long-time homeowners buying a replacement principal residence.
• Raises the income limitations for homeowners claiming the credit.

Under the new law, an eligible taxpayer must buy, or enter into a binding contract to buy, a principal residence on or before April 30, 2010 and close on the home by June 30, 2010. For qualifying purchases in 2010, taxpayers have the option of claiming the credit on either their 2009 or 2010 return.

For the first time, long-time homeowners who buy a replacement principal residence may also claim a homebuyer credit of up to $6,500 (up to $3,250 for a married individual filing separately). They must have lived in the same principal residence for any five-consecutive year period during the eight-year period that ended on the date the replacement home is purchased.

People with higher incomes can now qualify for the credit. The new law raises the income limits for homes purchased after Nov. 6, 2009. The credit phases out for individual taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) between $125,000 and $145,000 or between $225,000 and $245,000 for joint filers. The existing MAGI phase-outs of $75,000 to $95,000 or $150,000 to $170,000 for joint filers still apply to purchases on or before Nov. 6, 2009.

Several new restrictions apply to homes purchased after Nov. 6, 2009.

• Purchasers must attach a properly executed settlement statement to their return.
• No credit is available if the purchase price of the home exceeds $800,000.
• The purchaser must be at least 18 years old on the date of purchase. For a married couple, only one spouse must meet this age requirement.
• A dependent is not eligible for the credit.
• The new law gives the IRS broader authority to deny first-time homebuyer credit claims, without having to first audit a taxpayer's return. Known as math error authority, this authority applies, retroactively, to credits claimed on original and amended 2008 returns, as well as to claims yet to be filed.

Additionally, there are new benefits for members of the military and certain other federal employees:

• Members of the military and certain other federal employees serving outside the U.S. have an extra year to buy a principal residence in the U.S. and qualify for the credit. Thus, an eligible taxpayer must buy, or enter into a binding contract to buy, a principal residence on or before April 30, 2011. If a binding contract is entered into by that date, the taxpayer has until June 30, 2011, to close on the purchase. Members of the uniformed services, members of the Foreign Service and employees of the intelligence community are eligible for this special rule. It applies to any individual (and, if married, the individual's spouse) who serves on qualified official extended duty service outside of the United States for at least 90 days during the period beginning after Dec. 31, 2008, and ending before May 1, 2010.

• In many cases, the credit repayment (recapture) requirement is waived for members of the uniformed services, members of the Foreign Service and employees of the intelligence community. This relief applies where a home is sold or stops being the taxpayer's principal residence after Dec. 31, 2008, in connection with government orders received by the individual (or the individual's spouse) for qualified official extended duty service. The credit is still allowable even if this happens during the year of purchase. Qualified official extended duty is any period of extended duty while serving at a place of duty at least 50 miles away from the taxpayer's principal residence (whether inside or outside the U.S.) or while residing under government orders in government quarters. Extended duty is defined as any period of duty pursuant to a call or order to such duty for a period in excess of 90 days or for an indefinite period

I thought all involved might like this info to help us stay possitive!

When dealing with bank-owned properties, there's a usual ranking in which buyers' offers get accepted, Generally, they start with cash buyers, then they go to the 20 percent down borrowers, then they go to the FHA people ,those with mortgages approved by the Federal Housing Administration which require a 3.5 percent down payment

There's a proliferation of cash buyers at the entry-level of housing, with some groups buying multiple properties, fixing them up and then renting them.

When buying call a REATOR Happy hunting!

www.daryldatus.com

Things to ask yourself as you go thru the buying process-

1. Does the home include the most important things on the list?
   
2. What qualities made the house you chose stand out from the others you looked at?
   
3. Did you find many houses that met your needs or was this one a rarity?
   
4. If you can back out of the contract, is it realistic to think you will find a house that's "better?"
   
5. What was special about the house just a few days ago and how has it changed--really changed?

Analyzing the facts that lead you to the home will help you sort out your feelings about the contract. Was it truly a poor choice or would you be nervous moving forward on any house?

www.daryldatus.com

For buyers and sellers who are new to the garage sale scene, here are some tips:

What to know if you're selling
-Price low. That should be the goal if you want to get rid of stuff. For pricing guidelines, visit thrift stores, not eBay.
-Heed the signs. Keep signs on every other block and every corner where a turn is required in the city (a half-mile apart along longer stretches in the suburbs). Make sure the address and sale dates are large and easily readable. Add balloons to attract the eye.
-Sell with others. Doing it alone is too much work.
-Sell to early birds, but charge extra, say a $10 "tax" for a purchase. Keep it short. Make the sale one or two, but not three, days.
-Promote yourself. Advertise as much as you can in the newspaper and on Craigslist, Facebook and bulletin boards.
-Cut prices. Advertise that on the last day or last afternoon, everything is half-price.
-Offer details. Be specific about sale items in an ad, such as a leaf blower, musical instruments or furniture.
-Be friendly. Greet everyone who comes to the sale.
-Group small items and sell everything for $1 or more to eliminate coins.
-Plan ahead. Take the spring and summer to collect, price and box items to sell in the fall.
-Choose the best hours- 8 a.m. to noon on Thursday and Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.
-Donate leftovers. Call ahead to have charities pick up what's unsold.

What to know if you're buying
-Don't bring your purse. Leave it in the trunk. Keep quarters, ones and fives in a pants pocket or jacket.
-Cruise around. Check good neighborhoods for better quality goods, but haggle if prices are too high.
-Shop later. Browse in the late afternoon or on the last day for the best bargains. Any offer is fair near closing time.
-Play it safe. Skip cribs, mattresses, car seats and hockey helmets due to possible safety concerns.
-Set limits. If you're concerned about overbuying, commit to limits on spending or the number of items.
-Leave your card. Ask to be called if an item remains unsold and the seller is willing to accept your price.

Happy hunting.

www.daryldatus.com

The Hoods Canal Spot Shrimp sport season generally opens during the month of May with clear blue skies and majestic Olympic Mountain views. This has lured the sportsmen and ladies out like only Hood Canal can. With baited and set pots the fishermen awaited the first easy limit. By 10:00 am the first shrimp are in the cooler . . Still, limits (80 shrimp/person).

This is truly one fishing activity that the boater and crew need to be prepared for and not have any impaired senses.

DEPTH: Didn't matter the first opening, 200-230 ft worked well and was supported by local knowledge. I fished 250-300 ft but you need the right length of lines to fish 300 ft. Double buoys or additional floatation is important in the Hood Canal because of the tides. Weighted pots for quick descents and to hold position is important also. It is not uncommon for the current to push the pot off the edge.

BAIT: If it isn't "Puss n'Boots" cat food your not fishing. I usually use cat food, with addition ingredients with fish scraps as hanging bait. You need the odor to draw the shrimp in and the hanging bait to keep them in.

TRAPS: It turns out that trap design is important, but "quick fisher" style tunnels are a must. The short fishing time and soaks mandates fast, easy entry by the shrimp but requires the pot to be pulled every hour or less. This also allows you to be sure you are in the right location/depth and to rebait.

LINES: I like the hard lay nylon leaded line and will not use the "yellow poly" which 95% of what everybody else uses. I also use one length of line for each pot with no knots or weighs because it is safer to power pull. The yellow poly requires lead weights to be snapped on during setting and removed during hauling.

LOCATION AND COORDINATES: Ya sure! Set where everybody else is. Don't bother going if you don't have a good depth sounder and don't let go of the buoy until you feel the pot resting on the bottom. This can be a high gear lost sport.
This is a very heavily regulated sport in Hood Canal. I saw two Fish and Game boats, one Sheriff boat, and one Coast Guard inflatable, don't they have anything else to do? The Fish and Game also check every boat at some public boat launches. I wonder if they made their quotas or limits?

The sport is fun and the Shrimp taste good. Watch the Weather, know what the tide is doing, and be prepared to get wet when retrieving your boat.

Have a great time.

www.daryldatus.com