Category — News

If your taxes are high, as they are in many areas where home values have seen a drop in the past two years, consider appealing your assessment.  Maryland assesses property over three year cycles. Out-of-cycle appeal deadlines are December 31st for properties entering the 2nd or 3rd year of the cycle.

If you are in the 3rd year of your cycle you will receive a new tax assessment in January.  Appeal deadlines are within 45 days of issuance of new notices (January) at the beginning of a new cycle.

Not only will higher than necessary taxes effect your monthly payment, they will make it harder to sell your home.  If you need some recent sales in your neighborhood to support your appeal, please contact me and I would be happy to help you out.

It may come as no surprise that the crooks have figured out how to scam people looking for a home to rent online. 

Basically what happens is the data for a home listed for sale or rent is copied into a bogus Craigslist ad (unbeknownst to Craigslist of course).  Often the listed rent is way under market to attract attention.  Prospective tenants make contact and are told to wire the money for the security deposit and first month’s rent.  When the tenant shows up at the home the owners (if it isn’t vacant) have no idea what is going on.  Identity theft occurs when the prospective tenant emails the rental application to the fake “owner” thus giving them their social security # and other private information.

In our area this has been happening on Craigslist for sometime.  Most agents are aware of the situation and are savvy to what’s going on, but even then it can be hard to catch if your listing shows up on some website somewhere as a tool for scammers.  A home I had listed for sale and rent a couple of years ago appeared on Craigslist at a much lower rent (without my information to contact) – fortunately I caught it and had it removed, but it was impossible to trace who placed the ad.

This same scam is being done on other rental sites such as forrentbyowner.com.  So the bottom line is: beware and whenever possible use a Realtor® for all of your real estate needs.

For more information go to: http://www.fbi.gov/page2/july09/housingscam_072909.html

According to Forbes, Howard County, Maryland ranked 3rd richest in the nation based on median household income!  Montgomery County, MD comes in 10th.  Other area counties in the Top 25 are Calvert, MD, Charles, MD, Louden, VA (No. 1), Fairfax, VA, Arlington, VA and Alexandria, VA counties.

To check which other counties made the top 25 visit: http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/04/america-richest-counties-lifestyle-real-estate-wealthy-suburbs_slide.html

NAR, National Association of Realtors, has a phenomenal website for homeowners loaded with great information on home maintenance, upgrades and more.  This site will help you plan and organize home projects, give you ideas for home improvement as well as timely information on taxes, insurance and finance.

If you register on the site you can save the information you find, create to-do lists and set project reminders.  You can also customize the site based on where you live, how much money you want to spend (or save) or how handy you are with power tools!

There is even a section that helps you help your community with how-to’s on starting a Neighborhood Watch program, building a local playground and participating in city/county planning projects.

Click here to check it out for yourself –  HouseLogic .

Recently, I reported that the IRS did not have a form for applying for your tax credit.  Well, the wait is over.  Welcome Form 5405!

Click Here for Form 5405 and Instructions 

Having Trouble Making Your Mortgage Payment?

Don’t wait until it’s too late – you can avoid foreclosure! The sooner you get help the easier it will be. . .if you have missed a mortgage payment (or few) or think you might not be able to continue making your payment call me now!  You have options!

• Has your ARM adjusted (or will it do so soon)?  Can you make the new payment?
• Have you lost your job or taken a lower paying position?
• Are you forced to relocate and your home is now worth less than when you bought?
• Are you facing divorce and must sell your home for less than you paid?
• Do you have a change in your financial situation that has created hardship to the point you cannot make your mortgage payment?

Once you miss a single payment you are in default and the foreclosure process will begin.  

I am a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) and help homeowners in distress (job loss, relocation, adjusting ARMs, divorce, financial hardship, etc.).

You are not alone – millions of homeowners are underwater or upside down on their mortgage.  If you can make your payment and stay in your home that is the best option – but when this isn’t  the case, you need help.

 Call now for a free, confidential consultation.

Not only did Congress pass the extension of the $8,000 first time home buyer tax credit, they raised the income limits and added in a sweet $6,500 credit for homeowners who buy a home and have lived in their current home 5 consecutive years out of the previous 8 years. WOW! Keep in mind. . .this deal is over April 30th (you have to be under contract for a home purchase by that date).

Top 5 Reasons to Buy a Home -
5. You are only making your landlord rich by paying rent.
4. In most areas it’s still a “buyer’s market” and sellers are eager to sell.
3. Home prices have come way down.
2. Interest rates on mortgages are at historic lows.
1. The Government will give you $6,500 or $8,000 to buy a home!

With the Senate ready to pass their version of the Home Buyer Tax Credit and the House ready to accept it and send the bill along to the President – it’s looking more and more like this will really happen.  The best part is this won’t be limited to first time homeowners only.  Not only will they extend the credit to April 30, 2010, they will include a $6,500 credit for anyone who has owned their home at least 5 years.  In addition, the income limits will be raised to $125,000/year for individuals and $225,000/year for couples (current limits are $75,000 and $150,000) – even more people will be able to take advantage of a great market with low rates, lower home prices!

The New York Times