Client Appreciation Night! This Thursday at Golfsmith!
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This event will be held at the Scottsdale location @
There will be contests, prizes, and it will be catered by Mortons Steakhouse! Best of all... It is FREE!
Please let us know if you plan to attend.
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Posted at 10:18AM Mar 09, 2010 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in General | Comments[0]
Cleaning For A Reason
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Free Housecleaning for Cancer Patients
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If you know any woman currently undergoing Chemo, please pass the word to
her that there is a cleaning service that provides FREE housecleaning - 1 time per month for 4 months while she is in treatment. All she has to do is sign up and have her doctor fax a note confirming the treatment. Cleaning for a Reason will have a participating maid service in her zip code area arrange for the service. More info available at www.CleaningForaReason.org |
Posted at 11:53AM Mar 04, 2010 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in General | Comments[1]
The National Do Not Call Registry
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National Do Not Call Registry
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The National Do Not Call Registry gives you a choice about whether to receive telemarketing calls at home. Most telemarketers should not call your number once it has been on the registry for 31 days. If they do, you can file a complaint at this Website. You can register your home or mobile phone for free.
Just go to https://www.donotcall.gov to Register your Phone Numbers
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Posted at 03:58PM Feb 19, 2010 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in General | Comments[0]
Search the MLS with ListingBook.com
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ListingBook.com |
 If you're thinking about buying or selling Real Estate you can set up an account with ListingBook.com that will allow you to browse through all of the properties in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) anytime you want. The problem with searching through other real estate websites is that most of the listings are outdated. This website updates listings from MLS every 30 minutes.Follow the link below to set up your ListingBook account. With your Listingbook account you can view up-to-the-minute area sales information including Days on Market, List Price, Price Changes, and Sold Price, if available. With Listingbook, you Know It All! Your account is free and loaded with powerful tools you will not find on any other website. It is extremely easy to use. With listing Book you can easily:
To Link with Robyn's Listing Book Account fill out the
"Search Like An Agent" Form At:
To Link with Louisa's Listing Book Account fill out the
"Search Like An Agent" Form At: www.LWard.ListingBook.com |
Posted at 04:51PM Jan 28, 2010 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in General | Comments[0]
Home Buyer Tax Credit Extended and Improved
New legislation, the Worker, Homeownership and Business Assistance Act of 2009, which was signed into law on Nov. 6, 2009, extends and expands the first-time homebuyer credit allowed by previous Acts. The new law:
- 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.
General Information
Homebuyers who purchased a home in 2008, 2009 or 2010 may be able to take advantage of the first-time homebuyer credit. The credit:
- Applies only to homes used as a taxpayer's principal residence.
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Reduces a taxpayer's tax bill or increases his or her refund, dollar for dollar.
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Is fully refundable, meaning the credit will be paid out to eligible taxpayers, even if they owe no tax or the credit is more than the tax owed.
Click Here for Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Posted at 02:57PM Nov 13, 2009 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in General | Comments[0]
Tax Forms Needed to File For the $8000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit
The 1st form you need is the "First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Form" (Form 5405):
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5405.pdf
The 2nd form you'll need to Amend your 2008 Taxes:
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040x.pdf
Here are instructions to help you fill out the amendment form (above):
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040x.pdf
Posted at 10:23AM Sep 10, 2009 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in General | Comments[0]
Act protects renters amid foreclosures
Act protects renters amid foreclosures
Renters living in foreclosed homes have been thrown a lifeline.
In the past, a few days after a foreclosed home was sold in a trustee sale, renters heard a knock on the door. They had to go. Never mind the fact that they still had plenty of time left on their lease. That contract was wiped out by the foreclosure. The bank which likely took over the home wasn't interested in being a landlord.
All that changed on May 20, when Congress passed the Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act.
It says renters must now be given at least 90 days before they have to go. And they might be able to stay longer. If the new owner is an investor, the terms of the lease still hold. The renter doesn't have to leave until the lease runs out, and the payment has to stay the same. If there is no lease, the 90-day rule still applies.
Now there are some rules. The renter can't be the person who lost the home in foreclosure, or their family. The lease needed to be an arms-length transaction, meaning it can't be rented to a friend at the last minute. And the rent has to be "not substantially less" than fair market.
It could complicate life for some banks, and even for people who want to buy foreclosed homes. But it brings a little fairness back to a system that often tossed innocent
Posted at 03:45PM Sep 09, 2009 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in General | Comments[0]
$8K First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Deadline Approaching
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$8K First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit |
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Who Qualifies for the Tax Credit?
-Never owned a home
-Have not owned a home within the last 3 years--determined by HUD 1 date when previous home was sold
-You must Close on the house between January 1 and November 30, 2009 Types of Properties -Primary Residence - Single family, 2-4 units (must occupy one unit) town homes, condos, manufactured homes, mobile homes and houseboats.
-New Construction - "Purchase Date" is the date the owner occupies the home (between Jan 1 and Nov. 30, 2009) Note: They could have owned land and are in the process of building. Income Limits $75,000 Single Person (Partial Credit up to $95,000)
$150,000 Married Couple (Partial Credit up to $170,000)
Based on Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) line on IRS Form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ Amount of Credit -10% of Sales price
-Up to Maximum of $8000
-Partial Tax Credit if income exceeds $75,000 or $150,000 Repayment Tax Credit -If sold within 3 years, the entire tax credit needs to be repaid! After 3 years, no repayment is due.
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If you have already Purchased a home in 2009 and have yet not filed for your $8000 Tax Credit, we have the forms you need to get your credit. We have the forms you need to amend your 2008 Taxes and get your money this year. Call us if you need these forms! |
Posted at 06:00AM Aug 31, 2009 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in General | Comments[0]
Property Tax Reduction Scam
Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning Arizona residents to beware of misleading letters from an alleged Phoenix-based company called Property Tax Review Board (PTRB) that claims, for a fee of $189, that they can help homeowners reduce their property tax bills for the 2009 tax year.
“These letters are designed to look as if they are coming from a government agency, but are nothing more than an attempt at charging Arizona residents for something they can easily do on their own for free,” Matthew Fehling, BBB President/CEO said.
The letters state that due to the drop in property values, residents need to file again for a reassessment of their 2009 property taxes. However, according to the Maricopa County Assessor’s Office the deadline to file for an administrative review for a possible reduction for the 2009 tax year expired in April 2008.
BBB advises consumers not to send checks, cash, credit card or bank account information to an unknown solicitor. Property owners who have questions about property values and taxes are advised to contact their County Assessor’s Office directly.
Posted at 09:04AM Aug 24, 2009 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in General | Comments[0]
2009 Phoenix Business Journal's Top Real Estate Agents, Teams, & Brokers
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2009 Phoenix Business Journal's Top Real Estate Agents, Teams, & Brokers |
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We are proud to announce that we've made the 2009 Phoenix Business Journal's "Book of Lists". They have ranked the 25 top residential Real Estate teams in the the valley and we're on it! Our team of just 2 agents have outperformed much larger teams to rank us #24 in all of the Residential Real Estate teams in the valley. Thank you for all of your referrals and continued trust in us.
We also wanted to share the news that RE/MAX Excalibur ranked #8 in the top Real Estate companies in all of Maricopa county. For a copy of the lists, visit http://www.excaliburresourcecenter.com/documents/2009_Book_of_Lists.pdf View RE/MAX's Market share compared to other Real Estate Companies in the Valley:
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Posted at 03:25PM Jul 30, 2009 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in Real Estate | Comments[0]
Arizona Pool Barrier Laws and Regulations
The State of Arizona has updated its list of the political subdivisions in the State of Arizona with swimming pool barrier laws. To obtain a copy of the pool barrier law requirements that may affect your property, contact the department listed in the link, where available, for pool barrier laws online:
http://www.aaronline.com/documents/pool_contacts.aspx
Posted at 11:04AM Jun 25, 2009 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in General | Comments[0]
Foreclosure Prevention Forum Set with Representatives from Chase and other lenders
Foreclosure Prevention Forum Set with Representatives from Chase and other lenders
Posted at 10:05AM May 14, 2009 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in General | Comments[0]
We are Now CDPE Certified!
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Posted at 04:02PM Apr 08, 2009 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in General | Comments[2]
MakingHomeAffordable.GOV
The federal government has launched a new website with online tools that will allow a homeowner to determine if they are eligible to participate in the "Making Home Affordable" loan modification and refinancing program.
The site is www.makinghomeaffordable.gov and shares information about how this program works and who is eligible for assistance. This is the same $75 billion program you may have heard of recently in the media.
Posted at 12:29PM Mar 23, 2009 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in General | Comments[0]
Obama Housing Plan Should Help Thousands in Arizona
An article from AZCentral.com, reports that the federal government's "Making Homes Affordable" plan should help thousands of overextended Arizona homeowners reduce their monthly payments. Details of the program were released yesterday. The plan aims to bring consistency and standardization to the loan-modification process. It includes a variety of new financial incentives for lenders and borrowers to participate. There are two major components to the program: one aimed at helping homeowners refinance and one aimed at helping homeowners modify their loans. Homeowners are required to have at least 20% equity to refinance under the program.
http://www.azcentral.com/business/news/articles/2009/03/04/20090304biz-mortgage0304-ON.html
Posted at 11:05AM Mar 23, 2009 by Louisa Ward & Robyn Viktor in General | Comments[0]
