The $8,000 first-time buyer tax credit program ends in just four short months. That means buyers need to be CLOSED on their homes by NOVEMBER 30th in order to receive the tax break.
What is the home buyer tax credit? It is a tax refund for 10% of a primary home’s purchase price (up to $8,000). The amount not used on your 2009 tax return will be refunded directly to you.
Who is eligible to receive the credit? First-time home buyers and those who have not owned a principal residence in the last three years prior to purchase.
Do income limits apply? Yes. The full amount is given to individuals who make up to $75K and married couples who make up to $150K per year (adjusted gross annual income). The credit amount phases out between $75K and $95K for individuals; $150K and $170K for joint filers.
If you want to take advantage of the home buyer tax credit, contact me today to discuss your plans. Keep in mind it’s typically 45-60 days to close on a traditional real estate transaction (short sales can take much longer). Don't hesitate and let this opportunity pass you by. Call me today at 707-484-8825 and let's get started now!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Avoid Foreclosure & Save Your Credit
Curious about Short Sales? Think Foreclosure is your only option? Think again.
Today there are millions of homeowners facing foreclosure, and many do not know where to turn. I understand how difficult this situation you are going through may be for you and your family, and I want you to know there are options available for you other than the devastating process of foreclosure.
I can help you through this stressful time. When you are ready to contact me for help, rest assured that any communication will be kept in strict confidence.
Please visit my website at http://www.avoidforeclosureinsonomacounty.com to learn about what options are available to avoid the foreclosure process. You can confidentially download free reports, learn the difference between a foreclosure and a short sale, and even use forms to see if you qualify for a short sale process.
Remember, if you need help, Mike is only a phone call or email away. And don't forget to go to my Website today and get the information you need to get started!
http://www.avoidforeclosureinsonomacounty.com
Today there are millions of homeowners facing foreclosure, and many do not know where to turn. I understand how difficult this situation you are going through may be for you and your family, and I want you to know there are options available for you other than the devastating process of foreclosure.
I can help you through this stressful time. When you are ready to contact me for help, rest assured that any communication will be kept in strict confidence.
Please visit my website at http://www.avoidforeclosureinsonomacounty.com to learn about what options are available to avoid the foreclosure process. You can confidentially download free reports, learn the difference between a foreclosure and a short sale, and even use forms to see if you qualify for a short sale process.
Remember, if you need help, Mike is only a phone call or email away. And don't forget to go to my Website today and get the information you need to get started!
http://www.avoidforeclosureinsonomacounty.com
Saturday, March 21, 2009
AVOID FORECLOSURE!
I just returned from San Diego where I received my training and certification as a CDPE, Certified Distressed Property Expert.
This training provided the tools, information and tactics that will definitely help me to effectively help homeowners who are in distress.
Distressed homeowners need an advocate that will act in their best interests and help them find the best solution to the financial crisis they are facing. I feel that this training has provided me with the tools and knowledge to give these distressed homeowners the expertise necessary to save their credit, relieve the uncertainty, and most of all, to help their family.
If you or someone you know has fallen behind and is in trouble with their mortgage, please contact me so we can confidentially discuss the situation and get started towards the path of recovery.
This training provided the tools, information and tactics that will definitely help me to effectively help homeowners who are in distress.
Distressed homeowners need an advocate that will act in their best interests and help them find the best solution to the financial crisis they are facing. I feel that this training has provided me with the tools and knowledge to give these distressed homeowners the expertise necessary to save their credit, relieve the uncertainty, and most of all, to help their family.
If you or someone you know has fallen behind and is in trouble with their mortgage, please contact me so we can confidentially discuss the situation and get started towards the path of recovery.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Do Something Green and Feel Good!
So there I was, standing at the sink, waiting for the hot water again, getting very frustrated! I caught an ad in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat http://www.pressdemocrat.com/ advertising a seminar on hot water heaters at Friedman's http://www.friedmanshome.com/ so off I went to check it out.
After hearing all the good ideas, the water heater sales guy mentioned a device called a "Chili Pepper" that worked really well at getting hot water to the sink...Bingo! I went into the plumbing department, purchased one at $179, and today installed it myself under the kitchen sink (the farthest point from the water heater in the garage). It took about an hour and a half, but boy does it work well. If you want to save money and feel good about doing something for the environment at the same time, give this a try. Here's a brief rundown on the product and how it works;
Works with tankless water heaters and any other kind of water heater too!
How the Chili pepper hot water pump works.
At the touch of a button, the Chili pepper pumps hot water from your water heater to your sink, or shower, while sending the cooled off hot water back to the water heater through the cold water piping.
The Chili pepper is a small powerful micro-processor controlled pump that installs under your sink.
When you push the start button, the Chili pepper pumps the water in a big loop from the water heater through the hot water piping to the Chili pepper, and on through the cold water piping back to the water heater inlet, a big loop.
When the electronic control circuitry detects an increase in the water temperature inside the pump of from 6 to 12 degrees, it shuts the pump off. The shut-off sensitivity is adjustable with a knob on the front of the Chili pepper.
When the circuitry detects a temperature over 96 degrees it locks out the pump until the water in the pump cools back down to below 96.
To start the Chili pepper a momentary contact is required. This can be provided by the push button included with each Chili pepper, or an X-10 UM506 universal remote receiver and remote transmitter can be used for remote operation.
The motor is a 250-watt brush-type 1/3 horsepower motor with a built-in automatic-reset temperature limit switch, ball bearings, and stainless steel armature shaft, custom manufactured for Chili pepper Sales.
The pump head is a centrifugal type pump that in combination with the above motor will pump approximately 2 - 3 gallons per minute in a typical residential plumbing system.
When the Chili pepper is connected to a typical residential plumbing system it pumps water at a rate of about 50 feet in 20 seconds with 1/2 inch copper pipe.
The Chili pepper has the most advanced state of the art electronic circuitry in the industry with the following features:
· Turns off automatically when the hot water reaches the pump.
· Chili pepper won't start if the water temperature in the pipe is over 96 degrees.
· If hot water doesn't arrive within 3 minutes, the pump shuts off.
Get your hot water faster!
The Chili pepper has a very powerful motor for its size. The Chili pepper pumps water at 2 - 3 gallons per minute in a typical residential setting. Many fixtures are now low flow meaning they restrict flow to as little as 1/2 gallons per minute. In many cases the Chili pepper can cut the time it takes to get hot water to 1/3 to 1/2 the wait.
Save Water!
Since no water gets run down the drain while you wait for hot water, you save significant amounts of water every time you use the Chili pepper.
Save energy!
If you leave your hot water fixture running and go do something else while you wait for it, and you come back to find it is hot, then any hot water you've run down the drain was wasting energy! And the energy to heat the water is far more expensive than the water itself.
Improve the performance of your dishwasher!
The number one cause of poor dishwasher performance is water that is not hot enough on the first cycle. By using the Chili pepper before you start your dishwasher you will get full temperature hot water to your dishwasher on the first cycle...and hot water is much better at dissolving detergent and cleaning dishes than cold water.
Reduced sewage output
The water that doesn't get run down the drain doesn't flow into the sewer or septic system either. Often your sewer charges are based on your water consumption...so by saving water you’re are saving money from your sewage charges...or reducing the load on your septic system.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
By reducing the amount of water you consume, the amount of water that has to be treated and pumped to you is reduced. Pumping and treating the water requires lots of energy...generating that energy pumps greenhouse gasses into our atmosphere. So by reducing the amount of water (and sewage treatment) you use, you help reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants as well.
You will feel good every time you use your Chili pepper appliance!
After hearing all the good ideas, the water heater sales guy mentioned a device called a "Chili Pepper" that worked really well at getting hot water to the sink...Bingo! I went into the plumbing department, purchased one at $179, and today installed it myself under the kitchen sink (the farthest point from the water heater in the garage). It took about an hour and a half, but boy does it work well. If you want to save money and feel good about doing something for the environment at the same time, give this a try. Here's a brief rundown on the product and how it works;
Works with tankless water heaters and any other kind of water heater too!
How the Chili pepper hot water pump works.
At the touch of a button, the Chili pepper pumps hot water from your water heater to your sink, or shower, while sending the cooled off hot water back to the water heater through the cold water piping.
The Chili pepper is a small powerful micro-processor controlled pump that installs under your sink.
When you push the start button, the Chili pepper pumps the water in a big loop from the water heater through the hot water piping to the Chili pepper, and on through the cold water piping back to the water heater inlet, a big loop.
When the electronic control circuitry detects an increase in the water temperature inside the pump of from 6 to 12 degrees, it shuts the pump off. The shut-off sensitivity is adjustable with a knob on the front of the Chili pepper.
When the circuitry detects a temperature over 96 degrees it locks out the pump until the water in the pump cools back down to below 96.
To start the Chili pepper a momentary contact is required. This can be provided by the push button included with each Chili pepper, or an X-10 UM506 universal remote receiver and remote transmitter can be used for remote operation.
The motor is a 250-watt brush-type 1/3 horsepower motor with a built-in automatic-reset temperature limit switch, ball bearings, and stainless steel armature shaft, custom manufactured for Chili pepper Sales.
The pump head is a centrifugal type pump that in combination with the above motor will pump approximately 2 - 3 gallons per minute in a typical residential plumbing system.
When the Chili pepper is connected to a typical residential plumbing system it pumps water at a rate of about 50 feet in 20 seconds with 1/2 inch copper pipe.
The Chili pepper has the most advanced state of the art electronic circuitry in the industry with the following features:
· Turns off automatically when the hot water reaches the pump.
· Chili pepper won't start if the water temperature in the pipe is over 96 degrees.
· If hot water doesn't arrive within 3 minutes, the pump shuts off.
Get your hot water faster!
The Chili pepper has a very powerful motor for its size. The Chili pepper pumps water at 2 - 3 gallons per minute in a typical residential setting. Many fixtures are now low flow meaning they restrict flow to as little as 1/2 gallons per minute. In many cases the Chili pepper can cut the time it takes to get hot water to 1/3 to 1/2 the wait.
Save Water!
Since no water gets run down the drain while you wait for hot water, you save significant amounts of water every time you use the Chili pepper.
Save energy!
If you leave your hot water fixture running and go do something else while you wait for it, and you come back to find it is hot, then any hot water you've run down the drain was wasting energy! And the energy to heat the water is far more expensive than the water itself.
Improve the performance of your dishwasher!
The number one cause of poor dishwasher performance is water that is not hot enough on the first cycle. By using the Chili pepper before you start your dishwasher you will get full temperature hot water to your dishwasher on the first cycle...and hot water is much better at dissolving detergent and cleaning dishes than cold water.
Reduced sewage output
The water that doesn't get run down the drain doesn't flow into the sewer or septic system either. Often your sewer charges are based on your water consumption...so by saving water you’re are saving money from your sewage charges...or reducing the load on your septic system.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
By reducing the amount of water you consume, the amount of water that has to be treated and pumped to you is reduced. Pumping and treating the water requires lots of energy...generating that energy pumps greenhouse gasses into our atmosphere. So by reducing the amount of water (and sewage treatment) you use, you help reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants as well.
You will feel good every time you use your Chili pepper appliance!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Sonoma County Early Spring!
As I was out and about travelling Sonoma County this past week (before the rain), I noticed the Mustard fields are blooming again!
There are a lot of folks who don't live in our area that have never seen these beautiful fields, so I wanted to share a picture with you.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Here's the Home buyer's Tax Credit!
O.K., so we didn't get the $15,000 full credit the Senate originally asked for, but it's definitely improved. Here's the details of the package that is contained in the new Stimulus Bill that just passed;
First Time Home-buyer Credit: First time home-buyers may qualify for a tax credit of up to $8000 up from $7,500 currently.
Removes the requirement under current law that the credit be payed back as long as the buyer stays in that house for at least three years.
Extends the credit's expiration date to Dec. 1,2009 from July 1.
Purchase must have been made after Jan 1, 2009 and before Dec 1, 2009.
Full credit available for those making $75,000 or less ($150,000 for joint filers)
So now there's no repayment and it's had a slight increase. If they will now work on the banks loosening up some of that TARP money for these first time home buyers, and let the interest rates adjust down like they should, I think people may have a real opportunity to purchase a home and take advantage of these great low prices!!!
First Time Home-buyer Credit: First time home-buyers may qualify for a tax credit of up to $8000 up from $7,500 currently.
Removes the requirement under current law that the credit be payed back as long as the buyer stays in that house for at least three years.
Extends the credit's expiration date to Dec. 1,2009 from July 1.
Purchase must have been made after Jan 1, 2009 and before Dec 1, 2009.
Full credit available for those making $75,000 or less ($150,000 for joint filers)
So now there's no repayment and it's had a slight increase. If they will now work on the banks loosening up some of that TARP money for these first time home buyers, and let the interest rates adjust down like they should, I think people may have a real opportunity to purchase a home and take advantage of these great low prices!!!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Lance Armstrong in Santa Rosa Sunday!
All right, this post is for all you fans of bicycle racing.
The AMGEN Tour of California stops in Santa Rosa this Sunday, and includes the very famous Lance Armstrong, just coming out of retirment.
Unless you reside on Mars, you know Mr. Armstrong as the winner of Seven consecutive Tour De France titles from 1999 through 2005.
Local favorite Levi Leipheimer, chasing his third straight TOC title will of course be one of the Santa Rosa favorites, but Lance is definitely the story.
Get your spot on the race route early as Santa Rosa should be almost shut down for this race. Have a great day, rain or shine!
The AMGEN Tour of California stops in Santa Rosa this Sunday, and includes the very famous Lance Armstrong, just coming out of retirment.
Unless you reside on Mars, you know Mr. Armstrong as the winner of Seven consecutive Tour De France titles from 1999 through 2005.
Local favorite Levi Leipheimer, chasing his third straight TOC title will of course be one of the Santa Rosa favorites, but Lance is definitely the story.
Get your spot on the race route early as Santa Rosa should be almost shut down for this race. Have a great day, rain or shine!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
The New Home Buyers Tax Credit
O.K., get ready to buy that first home! There is a bill that should be signed soon, that is going to allow for a $15,000 tax credit to anyone who purchases a home as a primary residence in 2009. The incredible part of this bill, unlike the current $7500 tax credit?
You do not have to re-pay this money!!!
This could be just what you've been waiting for given the fact that home prices are so low and interest rates will certainly fall even lower.
Call me for details on this incredible opportunity, and if you've been sitting on the fence waiting for a reason to buy a home, get ready to jump!
You do not have to re-pay this money!!!
This could be just what you've been waiting for given the fact that home prices are so low and interest rates will certainly fall even lower.
Call me for details on this incredible opportunity, and if you've been sitting on the fence waiting for a reason to buy a home, get ready to jump!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
No Fog in Bodega Bay For New Year's!
After days of foggy weather in Bodega Bay, http://www.bodegabay.com/ and stretching inland all the way to Santa Rosa http://ci.santa-rosa.ca.us/Pages/default.aspx and the Napa Valley, http://www.napavalley.com/ New Year's Day was absolutely glorious! No wind, clear blues skies, and views to die for. The golf course at Bodega Harbour http://www.bodegaharbourgolf.com/layout10.asp?id=158&page=2579 was very busy with lots of out of town visitors enjoying the use of the area while staying in one of the many Vacation Rentals http://www.vacationrentalsusa.com/
Here's a nice picture, taken from the front porch of a home on Pelican Loop that will show how absolutely gorgeous the day was.
If you would like more information about this spectacular part of Sonoma County, give me a call!
Happy New year!
Here's a nice picture, taken from the front porch of a home on Pelican Loop that will show how absolutely gorgeous the day was.
If you would like more information about this spectacular part of Sonoma County, give me a call!
Happy New year!
So You Think You Know Clam Chowder?
Everyone thinks they know good Clam Chowder. But I'm here to tell you that I have found the absolute best that I have ever tasted.
Now there are a lot of purists out there who say that New England Style Clam Chowder (the white one) is true clam chowder. Then there is the group that says they absolutely love the tomato based Manhattan Style (the red one). You can even read about the history of the stuff! http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/ChowderHistory.htm
I feel like a bit of an authority on this as my Father, a wonderful cook, was born and raised in Wiscasset, Maine. http://www.wiscasset-me.gov/He spent a lot of time in the early 30's and 40's and after returning from his stints in the service during WWII and Korea, scouring the different haunts found on Boylston Street in Boston, famous for their wide variety of restaurants http://www.bostoncitylinks.com/boylstonstreet.html After gathering all the information (this means enjoying chowder in nearly every restaurant that would serve it!), he developed a personal recipe that was one of the best that I ever tasted.......until now.
I am going to share this great little spot in beautiful Bodega Bay http://www.bodegabay.com/just for you, my Active Rain and Localism friends. The place is called the Spud Point Crab Company http://www.spudpointcrab.com/and it is located in Bodega Bays lower harbor, across from Spud Point Marina. It is owned and operated by Tony and Carol Anello, with fresh crab and seafood coming from Tony's boat (he has been a commercial fisherman for 35 years!) The good news, is they serve both styles of clam chowder, but you better get there early if you want to try the Red; it's really become popular! Also enjoy a wonderful fresh crab sandwich and crab cakes to die for. When we get our Salmon season back, I'm sure they will start selling smoked and fresh salmon again as well.
Don't go on Wednesdays, they're closed. Also, be prepared to be patient as this is a tiny little store with outside seating only, and there's just about always a line. Here's a picture I took last week when I went out with a couple of friends from the office for a little treat.
Now there are a lot of purists out there who say that New England Style Clam Chowder (the white one) is true clam chowder. Then there is the group that says they absolutely love the tomato based Manhattan Style (the red one). You can even read about the history of the stuff! http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/ChowderHistory.htm
I feel like a bit of an authority on this as my Father, a wonderful cook, was born and raised in Wiscasset, Maine. http://www.wiscasset-me.gov/He spent a lot of time in the early 30's and 40's and after returning from his stints in the service during WWII and Korea, scouring the different haunts found on Boylston Street in Boston, famous for their wide variety of restaurants http://www.bostoncitylinks.com/boylstonstreet.html After gathering all the information (this means enjoying chowder in nearly every restaurant that would serve it!), he developed a personal recipe that was one of the best that I ever tasted.......until now.
I am going to share this great little spot in beautiful Bodega Bay http://www.bodegabay.com/just for you, my Active Rain and Localism friends. The place is called the Spud Point Crab Company http://www.spudpointcrab.com/and it is located in Bodega Bays lower harbor, across from Spud Point Marina. It is owned and operated by Tony and Carol Anello, with fresh crab and seafood coming from Tony's boat (he has been a commercial fisherman for 35 years!) The good news, is they serve both styles of clam chowder, but you better get there early if you want to try the Red; it's really become popular! Also enjoy a wonderful fresh crab sandwich and crab cakes to die for. When we get our Salmon season back, I'm sure they will start selling smoked and fresh salmon again as well.
Don't go on Wednesdays, they're closed. Also, be prepared to be patient as this is a tiny little store with outside seating only, and there's just about always a line. Here's a picture I took last week when I went out with a couple of friends from the office for a little treat.
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