Nov 30 2009
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3219 Queensland Court, Fort Mill, South Carolina
Description: Large, 5 bedroom, brick front home with covered front porch situated on a safe and quiet double, cul-de-sac street. Home features formal living and dining rooms, family room, gracious foyer, cook&rsqu ….
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Nov 26 2009
Among the Many Things We Give Thanks For Are Loyal Clients and Friends Who Have Helped Make This Year A Success For Us!
Nov 25 2009
The 2009 Carolinas’ Thanksgiving Day Parade marches in uptown Charlotte starting at 10 A.M. on Thursday, November 26, 2009!
The Carolinas’ Thanksgiving Day Parade has evolved over more than six decades as a regional tradition and highlight of the Holiday Season. Founded in 1947 by four local businessmen to attract holiday shoppers to downtown Charlotte, the Thanksgiving week events have become so much more. The Parade and its ancillary events are produced by an independent, volunteer, non-profit, charitable organization, Carolinas’ Carrousel, Inc.
The parade has grown in size and diversity and draws over 100,000 people as spectators each year. In 2008, the television broadcast of the parade was seen by approximately 285,000 people. Close to 100 units participated in the parade, including area marching bands, floats sponsored by local organizations and corporations, step and drill teams, entertainers and other specialty units. In October 2008, TravelMuse.com named the Carolinas’ Thanksgiving Day Parade as the fourth largest Thanksgiving parade in the United States.
The Carolinas’ Carrousel, Inc. is committed to enhancing the regional area’s community life through quality family-oriented entertainment. The organization’s events officially announce and celebrate the beginning of the holiday season. In addition, it promotes academic and artistic excellence through awards to outstanding area high school students and marching bands. The Carolinas’ Carrousel, Inc. also exists to offer business, industry and the local citizenry the opportunity to participate in showcasing the region and to encourage excellence in the future leaders of the area.
For more information on the parade click here.
Nov 24 2009
With 37+ million motorists preparing to travel this Thanksgiving, a team of “million-mile accident-free” drivers are helping to make our roads safer. America’s Road Team Captains, elite professional truck drivers chosen by the American Trucking Associations, are offering advice on how to navigate through highway traffic and arrive at your destination safely. Tips include:
For the complete article go to www.truckline.com.
Nov 23 2009
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17422 Westmill Lane, Charlotte, North Carolina
Description: Bright and sunny home in much sought-after Southampton Commons neighborhood in prestigious Ballantyne area of south Charlotte. Home features approximately 2,500 square feet and an open floor plan ….
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Nov 20 2009
| Q: _Existing homeowner credit: Must the new house cost more than the old house? |
| A: _No. Thus, for example, individuals who move from a high cost area to a lower cost area who meet all eligibility requirements will qualify for the $6500 credit. |
| Q: _I am an existing homeowner. On October 25, 2009, I signed a contract to purchase a new home. I have lived in my current home for more than 5 consecutive years and am within the new income limits. I will go to settlement on November 20. Do I qualify for the new $6,500 tax credit? |
| A: _Yes. The existing homeowner credit went into effect for purchases after the date of enactment (Nov. 6, 2009). There is no reference to the date of contract for the new credit. The provision looks solely to the date of purchase, which is generally the date of settlement. |
| Q: _I am a first-time homebuyer but was not within the prior income limits at the time I entered into my contract to purchase on October 30, 2009. I will be covered, however, by the new income limits. When I go to settlement, will I be eligible for a credit? |
| A: _Yes. The new income limitations went into effect as soon as the President signed the bill. The income limit and other eligibility rules look to your status as of the date of purchase, which is the settlement date. So you should be eligible for the credit (or a portion of the credit if you’re within the phaseout range). |
| Q: _I am an eligible existing homeowner. I have a fair amount of equity in my home. I have found a home with a nonnegotiable price of $825,000. Will I be able to use any of the $6,500 tax credit? |
| A: _No. The $800,000 cap on the cost of the purchased home is firm at $800,000. Any amount above $800,000 makes the home ineligible for any portion of the credit. The $800,000 is an absolute ceiling. |
| Q: _I owned my home for 10 years, but sold it two years ago year and have been renting since. If I purchase a home, will I be eligible for the $6,500 tax credit if I meet all the other eligibility tests? |
| A: _Yes. Because you lived in the home for more than 5 consecutive years of the previous 8, you will qualify for the $6,500 credit. For example, say John and his wife bought a home in 2000 and lived there until 2008 when he got a divorce. Whether John has been renting or bought in the interim, he WOULD INDEED be eligible for the credit because he owned a home and occupied it as his principal residence for 5 consecutive years out of the last 8 years. The keyword here is “consecutive.” As long as he lived in that house for 5 years straight, what he did since then doesn’t impact eligibility. |
| Q: __I am an eligible first-time homebuyer. I entered into a contract to purchase on November 1, 2009. Do I have to go to closing before December 1? How does the extension date affect me? |
| A: _You do not have to close before December 1. Once the legislation was signed, it was as if the November 30 date had never existed. Therefore, so long as the binding contract is in place before April 30 and you close by July 1, you will be eligible for the credit. |
Nov 19 2009
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Feature |
Jan 1 – Nov 30 2009 Rules Enacted February 2009 |
Nov 7, 2009 – April 30, 2010 Rules Enacted November 2009 |
| First-time Buyer – Amount of Credit |
$8,000 ($4,000 married filing separate) |
$8,000 ($4,000 married filing separate) |
| First-time Buyer – Definition for Eligibility |
May not have had an interest in a principal residence for 3 years prior to purchase |
Same |
| Current Homeowner – Amount of Credit |
No Provision |
$6,500 ($3,250 married filing separate) |
| Effective Date – Current Owner |
No Provision |
November 7, 2009 |
| Current Homeowner – Definition for Eligibility |
No Provision |
Must have lived inprincipal residence consecutivelyfor 5 of the previous 8 years |
| Termination of Credit |
November 30, 2009 |
April 30, 2010
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| Binding Contract Rule |
None |
So long as a written binding contract to purchase is ineffect on April 30, 2010, the purchaser will have until July 1, 2010 to close |
| Income Limits(Note: Increased income limits are effective as of November 7, 2009) |
$75,000 – single $150,000 – married Additional $20,000 phaseout |
$125,000 – single $225,000 – married Additional $20,000 phaseout |
| Limitation on Cost of Purchased Home |
None |
$800,000 |
| Purchase by a Dependent |
No Provision |
Ineligible |
| Anti-fraud Rule |
None |
Purchaser must attachdocumentation of purchase to tax return |
Nov 18 2009
The Charlotte International Auto Show rolls into the Charlotte Convention Center on Thursday, November 19, 2009. With over 400 new vehicles on display attendees will get an opportunity to see at what is new and exciting in the automotive world, including a special “green room” and cars depicting the history of the automobile.The Charlotte International Auto Show is proud to have become the Carolina’s leading automotive event. The 2009 show will fill the Charlotte Convention Center with nearly 280,000 square feet of exhibits and features. The goal is to present a window into the automotive world that encompasses every automotive interest.
$8.00 (Adult – Ages 13 and up)
FREE (Children 12 and under)
| Thursday and Friday: | 12:00 Noon – 10:00 p.m. |
| Saturday: | 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. |
| Sunday: | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
Call 704-364-1078 for more information.
Nov 17 2009
HomeGain has released the results of its nationwide home improvement and home staging Home Sale Maximizer survey.
According to the HomeGain survey, the top five home improvements that Realtors recommend to home sellers based on cost and return on investment (from highest to lowest ROI) are:
1. Cleaning and de-cluttering ($200 cost / $1,700 price increase / 872% ROI)
2. Home staging ($300 cost / $1,780 price increase / 586% ROI)
3. Lightening and brightening ($230 cost / $1,300 price increase / 572% ROI)
4. Landscaping ($320 cost / $1,500 price increase / 473% ROI)
5. Repairing plumbing ($385 cost / $1,250 price increase / 327% ROI)
Some additional low-cost, do-it-yourself home improvements include: updating electrical, replacing or shampooing carpets, painting interior walls, repairing damaged floors, updating kitchen, painting outside of home, and updating bathroom(s).
The home improvement projects with the highest price increases to a home’s resale value are updating the kitchen ($1,200 cost / $2,850 price increase), followed by painting the outside of the home ($900 cost / $1,815 price increase) and home staging ($300 cost / $1,780 price increase).
Get a copy of HomeGain’s Home SaleMaxizer.
