February 14th, 2010 B. Slade
Real Estate Transfer Tax is paid to the government whenever real property is granted, sold or transferred interest. This type of tax is also levied on holding companies of real estate. The government computes the amount of tax you need to pay based on determining factors relative to the real estate you have acquired.
There are some instances when payment of real estate transfer tax is exempted. Here are some common exceptions:
1. Gifts
2. Transfer of title to spouse due to divorce or nullity
3. Transfer to the State
4. Correction of deeds previously issued
5. Purchased at tax sale
6. Cemetery plots transfer
7. Transfer by law regulation
8. Transfer to a partner, in a partnership, due to death of a partner
9. Initial sale of manufactured housing
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July 11th, 2009 B. Slade
People have been waiting for a sign of recovery so they could sell their homes and with all the waiting comes a lot of false hope. This time round, industry experts are seeing that home prices have stabilized to their lowest levels, rising ever so slightly enough to get people selling. They are still quite low for not much improvement has been seen in the industry as a whole but they have improved a lot compared to the price drops they have seen during the developing recession. People have also been taking notice of the low mortgage rates, taking advantage, they refinance their mortgages in hopes of staving off foreclosure but be forewarned that the new predictions for the end of this crisis are placing it at 2012, a long way off so be sure you keep updated with current economic data to make wise decisions on your real estate.
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June 11th, 2009 B. Slade
Tis’ the time when fraudsters take advantage of people who are capable of spending, using the identity of others to leach out as much cash they can before abandoning talks resulting in a case of fraud that seems to be on the rise as people get more and more desperate for more cash. Jobs are being lost and the very people who have lost jobs in the housing market who know the system yet have not been able to ride the storm through are turning into crooks. The FBI has already caught and persecuted many of them yet for every one caught, several others get away and people are reeling from their activities who end up not knowing who to trust anymore. Caution is advised when engaging in shady deals for if they sound too good to be true, they probably are.
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May 9th, 2009 B. Slade
Green power is growing trend being sen on many fronts of the economy, from small homes to bigger companies who are opting to take advantage of the perks being given by the government for such who adopt them early. This is in support of the new Green Revolution which is aimed to lower our dependence on oil and reduce the pollution that comes from its use. From solar power, heat and wind turbines, they all promise free and clean energy for the home and business as we strive to make the earth last a bit longer for our children and many more generations. Read the rest of this entry »
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March 9th, 2009 B. Slade
There have been a rash of recent high-profile cases on the headlines, one of which is the “Metro Dream Home Program” which was found to have defrauded over a thousand people over several years worth $70 million dollars. The four people convicted of the fraudulent activities took on investors who gave in their hard-earned cash in return for investment opportunities and homes which their investments were to finance. They instead went into their pockets, fueling their lavish lifestyles, covering their tracks with donations to charity that seemed to throw off suspicions during the prime of their activities. Read the rest of this entry »
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December 30th, 2008 editor
Everybody knew and heard of the ambitious developments projects in Dubai UAE and in China where governments spent billions to promote and construct some of the biggest man-made structures on earth. They even went on to defy mother nature by building their own islands out of the sea, as a play ground for the ultra-rich and their whims for greatness. All of them have now fallen victim to the recession as the regular Joe, with prices going rock-bottom and ambitious plans grinding to a halt.
All these mega-development projects suffered one fault, too much hype. The overspending is based on ill thinking that the money will never run out. Imagine, Beijing’s famed Bird’s Nest Stadium, it’s gonna be converted partly into a mall. After billions of dollars of investment to rush it for one single event. Poor planning you might say or victim of the global slowdown, you be the judge.
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September 29th, 2008 B. Slade
With the rising costs of fuel and gas prices, and the incredible advances made in building materials green building is beginning to make a buzz in the construction industry today. Green building is the practice of creating structures and using practices that are environmentally friendly and resource efficient. It is not only an environmental initiative, but a smart economic move as well. Although green building practices tend to increase up-front construction costs, they often provide long-term benefits that may offset these increases. In fact, energy efficiency improvements can provide approximately 30 percent less energy than standard homes and can save homeowners approximately $200 to $400 per year. Green building standards are: building with materials that incorporate sustainable resources or utilize recycled materials, low energy consumption, minimal site disturbance, water conservation, solar orientation, water and energy efficiency, and healthful indoor-air quality. These standards include the Leadership in Energy Efficiency and Design (LEED) rating system, which is a nationally accepted standard developed and administered by the U.S. Green Building Council.
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August 13th, 2008 B. Slade
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Many Agents today are working longer hours to keep on the treadmill of life. They are delaying, or scrapping, long-range focus in the marketing and prospecting business system arenas. They often are neglecting their time investments for their health, families, and self-development areas of their life. They are spending a tremendous amount of time working on their business. They are truly an employee of their real estate business, rather than the owner, CEO, and visionary of their multi-million dollar sales company. If we are to continue to learn and grow, we need to be continual learners. We must become master-students of ourselves. We need to study our strengths and weaknesses. We must clarify our desires and passion for our life. Then create the plan to seize opportunities. The true key to success is through action and implementation. Think about where you are going and if you are fully equipped to get there. Do you have the tools ready to put into action? If you don’t have the tools of implementation, but you do have the desire for improvement and success, you are a candidate for a coach. Don’t sit back on your past success. Grab for the brass ring.
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March 30th, 2008 B. Slade
When you refinance your home loan, you basically pay off this existing loan through another lending institution. Refinancing allows you to change the condition of the loan according to your needs, take advantage of lower interest rates, and gives you more financial flexibility overall. To refinance your loan, take a new loan from the same or a different institution and use that loan to pay off your existing loan. Usually when you move to a new lender, they will take care of paying off your previous loan. Although you can use refinancing to pay off debts faster and to raise more money for a big purchase, remember that this is not always the answer for all cases. Explore all your options before you choose to refinance your loan.
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