Lang Realty — Lang Realty

PGA Village Feature

Lang — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 14:31:31 +0000

PGA Village feature in Fairway Living magazine.

Villager Realty at PGA VILLAGE Open Houses!

Lang — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 19:44:49 +0000

FLORIDA REALTORS OPEN HOUSE

OPEN HOUSE WEEKEND
Sat., 3/26 and Sun., 3/27
1:00 – 4:00

PGA VILLAGE Neighborhoods – Main Gate

CLUBSIDE
9632 Crooked Stick Lane

OAKHILL
8313 Belfry Place (Sun ONLY 1-3)

MUIRFIELD
8323 Muirfield Way (Sun ONLY 12-3)
8432 Muirfield Way

PLANTATION LAKES
7684 Wyldwood Way

GREENBRIER
7760 Greenbrier Cir (Sun ONLY 1-4) MARSH LANDING
7302 Marsh Landing

RESERVE CREEK
7240 Reserve Creek Drive
10119 Bay Tree Court

TORREY PINES
7026 Torrey Pines Circle (Sun ONLY 1-4)

THE PINES
9413 Avenel Lane
9518 Avenel Lane

SCARBOROUGH ESTATES
9315 Scarborough Court
9320 Scarborough Court
9329 Scarborough Court

PGA VILLAGE – South Gate

TOMPSON POINT
8608 Tompson Pt Road

KINGSMILL
8832 One Putt Place
8937 First Tee Road
8938 First Tee Road
8849 First Tee Road

THE LAKES
9222 Champions Way

5 Tax Tips, Tricks and Traps for Homeowners

Lang — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 20:22:35 +0000

If you ask a roomful of homeowners what’s so great about owning versus renting, and you’ll hear them holler in unison: “the tax deductions!” And it’s true – homeowners who itemize their taxes are able to deduct 100% of their mortgage interest and property taxes from their income tax returns.

That means that if you’re in a 28% tax bracket, Uncle Sam effectively subsidizes about a third of your borrowing costs or more, making your home more affordable or allowing you to buy a larger home than you could have otherwise. Also, big chunks of your closing costs are tax deductible, and hundreds of thousands of dollars of any profit (or capital gains) that you realize when you sell your home are exempt from income taxes.

At tax time, it’s critical to know what you’re entitled to, so you can claim it. So, here are five essential need-to-knows about home-related income tax tips to help you get the most tax-reducing bang out of your home-owning buck – and to avoid hefty home ownership-related tax traps.

1. You Have to Itemize Your Return to Claim Your Deductions

During the recent debate on Capitol Hill about whether the mortgage interest deduction should be eliminated (it won’t be, not anytime soon), it came out that nearly 40% of homeowners lose out on their major tax advantages every year when they fail to itemize their income taxes. If you own a home and otherwise have a fairly simple return, it might be tempting just to take the standard deduction – and if your mortgage, property taxes and income are low enough, the standard deduction might outweigh your homeowners’ deductions. But you’ll never know if you’re losing out on the tax advantages of itemizing unless you try; before you grab a pen and start filling in that 1040-EZ grab those forms from your mortgage company and answer the questions on tax software like TurboTax, which will automatically do the math on whether itemizing or taking the standard deduction will result in the lowest tax bill – or the highest tax refund – for you.
2. Plan Ahead and Be Strategic When Taking a Home Office Deduction

According to the Small Business Administration, the average home office deduction is $3,686 – multiply that by your tax bracket – 15%, 20%, 30% or whatever it is, and that’s what you’ll save on your taxes by writing off your home office. Know, though, that the space you designate as your home office cannot be exempted from capital gains tax when you sell your home later. The $250,000 (single)/ $500,000 (married filing jointly) income tax exemption for capital gains is only good on your personal residence, after all – not including any space in your home you’ve claimed as your tax-advantaged office. If you foresee selling your home for much more than you bought it in the future, near or far, discuss this with your tax preparer to see if the few hundred bucks you save is worth the capital gains complication later.

3. Tax Relief for Loan Modifications, Short Sales and Foreclosures Is Only Around Through 2012

While the long-term housing outlook is beginning to look up, 2011 is projected to be the peak year for foreclosures during this market cycle. Distressed homeowners who are on the brink of a short sale, loan modification or foreclosure should be aware that normally, any mortgage balance that is wiped out by one of these outcomes is taxed as what the IRS calls Cancellation of Debt Income, or CODI.

Under the Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Relief Act of 2007, the IRS is currently not charging income taxes on CODI incurred through a loan mod, short sale or foreclosure on most primary residences through 2012. But right now, banks are taking many months, or even years, to work out mortgages in all of these ways; the average foreclosure in New York state right now occurs only after 22 months of missed mortgage payments. If you foresee any of these outcomes in your future, don’t put things off. Do what you can to get to closure on your distressed home and loan, ASAP, while you won’t have income taxes to add as the insult on top of your significant housing injury.

4. Project the Income Tax Consequences of a Refinance or Property Tax Appeal

Homeowners everywhere are working on applying for a lower property tax bill on the basis of the last few years’ decline in their home’s value. Those who have equity have flocked en masse to refinance their 7% home loans into the 4% to 5% rates of the last few months. These strategies offer some of the heftiest household savings out there for the corresponding investment in time and money they take. But here’s a caveat for savvy homeowners who slash these costs: remember that property taxes and mortgage interest, the very costs you’re minimizing, are also the basis for the major tax benefits of being a homeowner. So plan ahead for your income tax deductions to go down along with your taxes and interest.

5. Don’t Forget Those Closing Costs

If you bought or refinanced your home in 2010, you may be so focused on your mortgage interest and property tax deductions that you forget all about your closing costs. Any origination fees or discount points that were paid to your mortgage lender at closing are tax deductible on your 2010 return, get this – even if the seller paid your closing costs. If you can’t figure out exactly what you paid, look for your HUD-1 settlement statement, that legal sized paper full of line item credits and debits that you should have received from your escrow provider or title attorney at, or just after, closing. Can’t find it? Drop your real estate agent or mortgage broker an email; they can usually get a copy to you quickly.
Note: This post first appeared on WalletPop.com on 2.28.2011.
Trulia.com
116 New Montgomery Street,
Suite 300
San Francisco, California 94105

Michelle Agrusa – Villager’s Rookie of the Year

Lang — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 18:33:46 +0000

Villager Realty is proud to announce that REALTOR Michelle Agrusa is our “Rookie Agent of the Year” for 2010. Michelle had a successful first year as a REALTOR. Broker, Larry Ieropoli, says, “Michelle is an asset both to Villager Realty and to her customers.”

Michelle Agrusa is a native of Long Island, NY. She relocated to the Treasure Coast in 2003 and resides in the St Lucie West area. Prior to her career in real estate she served in the banking industry for 17 years with her last position as a Sales Manager. Over the years she has provided excellent customer service and established a great rapport with her customers. Shortly after her daughter started kindergarten she acquired her real estate license and joined Villager Realty. Michelle says, “I have been very successful in Short Sales and Foreclosures and because of my previous experience I know the workings of the banks.” She is a dedicated professional and loves working with her customers to help them with all their real estate needs. To contact Michelle call her at 772- 263-6131 or via email at mdagrusa@aol.com.

Happy New Year!

Lang — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:49:05 +0000

The Value of Home Maintenance

Regular home maintenance is key to preserving the value of your house and property. Read
Tax Tips for Homeowners Looking Ahead to 2010 Returns

From energy tax credits to vacation home deductions, check out these tax tips for homeowners looking ahead to 2010 returns. Read

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Wishing all of our customers a Happy New Year!

Lang — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:30:14 +0000

Larry Ieropoli and the entire Villager Realty team would like to extend best wishes for health, happiness and prosperity to all of our customers in 2011. Happy New Year to All!!

Helpful Tips

Lang — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 21:39:15 +0000

(New!)

Pet Odor Can Chase Away Buyers

Don’t let pet odors derail your home sale. Read
5 Tips to Prepare Your Home for Sale

Working to get your home ship-shape for showings will increase its value and shorten your sales time. Read
(New!)

Master Closet: DIY vs. Custom

Personalize your master closet with special storage features that you select and install, or hire a professional to do the work. Read

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Assistance Buying and Selling

Lang — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 20:07:40 +0000

How to Assess the Real Cost of a Fixer-Upper House

When you buy a fixer-upper house, you can save a ton of money, or get yourself in a financial fix. Read
Fielding a Lowball Purchase Offer on Your Home

Consider before you ignore or outright refuse a very low purchase offer for your home. A counteroffer and negotiation could turn that low purchase offer into a sale. Read
7 Tips for Staging Your Home

Make your home warm and inviting to boost your home’s value and speed up the sale process. Read

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Pricing & Prep That Sells Your Home

Villager Realty — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 19:56:42 +0000

How to Use Comparable Sales to Price Your Home

Before you put your home up for sale, use the right comparable sales to find the perfect price. Read
Listing and Selling Your Green Home

If you want to get the full value for your green home when it comes time to sell, use a green real estate agent and a green MLS. Read
Make Your House FHA-Loan Friendly

Know the basics of FHA loan rules and you stand a better chance of selling your house or condo. Read
6 Reasons to Reduce Your Home Price

While you’d like to get the best price for your home, consider our six reasons to reduce your home price. Read
5 Tips to Prepare Your Home for Sale

Working to get your home ship-shape for showings will increase its value and shorten your sales time. Read

Villager Realty Welcomes Melanie Velez – REALTOR

Lang — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:19:10 +0000

Melanie Velez

VILLAGER REALTY Welcomes Melanie Velez – Your Trust Bi-Lingual REALTOR!

Villager Realty LLC the exclusive onsite Real Estate Office in PGA Village serving all of St. Lucie and Martin Counties is proud to announce the newest member of our team, Melanie Velez.

Melanie, a native of Miami, Florida, has served both Broward and Dade counties, and now happily resides in the Tradition area of Port Saint Lucie. She works alongside partner, Elaine Baese, and together they are proud to offer three languages and over 15 years experience to their clients. Melanie is fluent in both English and Spanish and Elaine is fluent in English and French.

She understands that for a buyer, choosing the right home for your family is very important. There is no substitute for a great REALTOR® who will have patience, be reliable, and listen to your needs every step of the way. For a seller, Melanie also understands how to achieve the maximum value for your home. She is committed to helping you achieve the best results.

For more information about buying or selling a home contact Melanie Velez at 772-475-1317 or email Melanie@villagerhomes.com . Visit Villager Realty today located at the main entrance to PGA Village at the west end of St. Lucie West Boulevard at Exit 121 off of I-95 in the St. Lucie West area.