Let’s see a few interesting facts comparing the White House to a typical home in America. My conclusion is the White House is just like my house in the urban area of Washington DC. 🙂 Also, it seems like people don’t seem to enjoy living in the White House as much, so they usually “move” after 4 years (some may want to stay for 8 years) instead of a typical American living in their homes for around 12 years. Happy President’s Day!
Quận Fairfax chứng minh thị trường nhà năm 2014 khá ổn định. Mặc dù những thông số gần giống như năm 2013, nhưng rõ ràng thị trường khá mạnh. Toàn quận có 13,549 căn nhà bán (phân nửa là nhà Single Houses và phân nửa kia gồm cả condos và townhouses) trong năm 2014, con số này ít hơn năm 2013.
Fairfax County demonstrated a stable market in 2014. It was a healthy market although the stats are almost the same to previous year of 2013. There were 13,549 houses sold in 2014, a 10% decrease from 2013, and almost 1/2 of which is single family homes while the other half was comprised of townhouses and condos .
Giá thành trung điểm tăng khoảng 1.1% tới giá $460,000. Giá nhà single houses cao hơn, ở tầm $702,606, và nhà townhouses trung bình ở giá $368,002. Chủ nhà trung bình nhận được 97.3% giá rao bán. Các căn nhà nằm trên thị trường lâu hơn năm ngoái. Trung bình tốn khoảng 45 ngày thay vì 37 ngày trong năm 2013. Điểm này chứng thực rằng số lượng nhà quá thừa thãi trên thị trường trong mùa Xuân và mùa Hè của 2014.
Median sold price still gained 1.1% to $460,000. Single family homes were at $702,606 and Townhouses were averaged at$368,002. Sellers generally got 97.3% of their list price. It took a bit longer for sellers to sell their homes in 2014 than the previous year. The average days on market was 45 days versus 37 days in 2013. This was a true reflection of the abundant inventory during the spring and the summer of 2014.
Vấn đề vay mượn vẫn gây khó khăn cho người mua nhà, khoảng 13% không vay mượn, 65% mượn theo chương trình vay mượn thông thường, chỉ có 8% sử dụng chương trình do chính phủ bảo đảm.
Những chủ nhà hiểu biết thực tế của thị trường cảm thấy mạnh dạn, nhưng những người mua tìm giá rẻ thì thất vọng vì số lượng nhà gặp khó khăn trả nợ giảm dưới 5%.
Nếu bạn quyết định mua nhà thì có thể yêu cầu Hướng dẫn mua nhà ở đây. Hoặc bạn có thể email để tìm hiểu chi tiết về thị trường trong khu vực mình ở.
Financing continued to be a challenge for many buyers, 13% of buyers made their purchase in cash (no financing). 65% of buyers used Conventional Financing and only 8% used FHA financing.
It is very encouraging to realistic sellers while it could be challenging for buyers who are looking for good deals. Distressed inventory went way down to less than 5% in the county.
Email now to discover the market update for your own neighborhood.
Owning a home can pay off at tax time.
Take advantage of these homeownership-related tax deductions and strategies to lower your tax bill:
Mortgage Interest Deduction
One of the neatest deductions itemizing homeowners can take advantage of is the mortgage interest deduction, which you claim on Schedule A. To get the mortgage interest deduction, your mortgage must be secured by your home — and your home can be a house, trailer, or boat, as long as you can sleep in it, cook in it, and it has a toilet.
Interest you pay on a mortgage of up to $1 million — or $500,000 if you’re married filing separately — is deductible when you use the loan to buy, build, or improve your home.
If you take on another mortgage (including a second mortgage, home equity loan, or home equity line of credit) to improve your home or to buy or build a second home, that counts towards the $1 million limit.
If you use loans secured by your home for other things — like sending your kid to college — you can still deduct the interest on loans up $100,000 ($50,000 for married filing separately) because your home secures the loan.
PMI and FHA Mortgage Insurance Premiums
You can deduct the cost of private mortgage insurance (PMI) as mortgage interest on Schedule A if you itemize your return. The change only applies to loans taken out in 2007 or later.
By the way, the 2014 tax season is the last for which you can claim this deduction unless Congress renews it for 2015, which may happen, but is uncertain.
What’s PMI? If you have a mortgage but didn’t put down a fairly good-sized downpayment (usually 20%), the lender requires the mortgage be insured. The premium on that insurance can be deducted, so long as your income is less than $100,000 (or $50,000 for married filing separately).
If your adjusted gross income is more than $100,000, your deduction is reduced by 10% for each $1,000 ($500 in the case of a married individual filing a separate return) that your adjusted gross income exceeds $100,000 ($50,000 in the case of a married individual filing a separate return). So, if you make $110,000 or more, you can’t claim the deduction (10% x 10 = 100%).
Besides private mortgage insurance, there’s government insurance from FHA, VA, and the Rural Housing Service. Some of those premiums are paid at closing, and deducting them is complicated. A tax adviser or tax software program can help you calculate this deduction. Also, the rules vary between the agencies.
Prepaid Interest Deduction
Prepaid interest (or points) you paid when you took out your mortgage is generally 100% deductible in the year you paid it along with other mortgage interest.
If you refinance your mortgage and use that money for home improvements, any points you pay are also deductible in the same year.
But if you refinance to get a better rate or shorten the length of your mortgage, or to use the money for something other than home improvements, such as college tuition, you’ll need to deduct the points over the life of your mortgage. Say you refi into a 10-year mortgage and pay $3,000 in points. You can deduct $300 per year for 10 years.
So what happens if you refi again down the road?
Example: Three years after your first refi, you refinance again. Using the $3,000 in points scenario above, you’ll have deducted $900 ($300 x 3 years) so far. That leaves $2,400, which you can deduct in full the year you complete your second refi. If you paid points for the new loan, the process starts again; you can deduct the points over the life of the loan.
Home mortgage interest and points are reported on Schedule A of IRS Form 1040.
Your lender will send you a Form 1098 that lists the points you paid. If not, you should be able to find the amount listed on the HUD-1 settlement sheet you got when you closed the purchase of your home or your refinance closing.
Property Tax Deduction
You can deduct on Schedule A the real estate property taxes you pay. If you have a mortgage with an escrow account, the amount of real estate property taxes you paid shows up on your annual escrow statement.
If you bought a house this year, check your HUD-1 settlement statement to see if you paid any property taxes when you closed the purchase of your house. Those taxes are deductible on Schedule A, too.
Energy-Efficiency Upgrades
If you made your home more energy efficient in 2014, you might qualify for the residential energy tax credit.
Tax credits are especially valuable because they let you offset what you owe the IRS dollar for dollar for up to 10% of the amount you spent on certain home energy-efficiency upgrades.
The credit carries a lifetime cap of $500 (less for some products), so if you’ve used it in years past, you’ll have to subtract prior tax credits from that $500 limit. Lucky for you, there’s no cap on how much you’ll save on utility bills thanks to your energy-efficiency upgrades.
Among the upgrades that might qualify for the credit:
To claim the credit, file IRS Form 5695 with your return.
Vacation Home Tax Deductions
The rules on tax deductions for vacation homes are complicated. Do yourself a favor and keep good records about how and when you use your vacation home.
Homebuyer Tax Credit
This isn’t a deduction, but it’s important to keep track of if you claimed it in 2008.
There were federal first-time homebuyer tax credits in 2008, 2009, and 2010.
If you claimed the homebuyer tax credit for a purchase made after April 8, 2008, and before Jan. 1, 2009, you must repay 1/15th of the credit over 15 years, with no interest.
The IRS has a tool you can use to help figure out what you owe each year until it’s paid off. Or if the home stops being your main home, you may need to add the remaining unpaid credit amount to your income tax on your next tax return.
Generally, you don’t have to pay back the credit if you bought your home in 2009, 2010, or early 2011. The exception: You have to repay the full credit amount if you sold your house or stopped using it as primary residence within 36 months of the purchase date. Then you must repay it with your tax return for the year the home stopped being your principal residence.
The repayment rules are less rigorous for uniformed service members, Foreign Service workers, and intelligence community workers who got sent on extended duty at least 50 miles from their principal residence.
Related: A Homeowner’s Guide to Taxes
This article provides general information about tax laws and consequences, but shouldn’t be relied upon as tax or legal advice applicable to particular transactions or circumstances. Consult a tax professional for such advice; tax laws may vary by jurisdiction.
Dona DeZube has been writing about real estate for more than two decades. She lives in a suburban Baltimore Midcentury modest home on a 3-acre lot shared with possums, raccoons, foxes, a herd of deer, and her blue-tick hound. Follow Dona on Google+.Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/tax-deductions/home-tax-deductions/
As the weather gets cooler, it’s a good time to check your HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) system to make sure it’s operating properly. While it’s wise to have your HVAC inspected by a heating professional every fall and spring, you can increase the efficiency of your system by following 
these simple maintenance tips from American Home Shield.
Now: Use a high-efficiency pleated filter with an electrostatic charge that works like a magnet to grab the tiniest particles. Replace the filter every 90 days and check it monthly. If it looks dark and clogged, change it, and if you have pets, you may need to change it more often.
Keep the air-conditioning unit free of leaves, pollen, grass or branches that can interfere with its future efficiency. Make sure there is at least two feet of space cleared around outdoor units.
Monthly or Seasonally: Inspect the insulation and refrigerant lines monthly. Before winter sets in, replace the humidifier filter and turn on the water.
Annually: Replace the battery in the carbon monoxide detector. Walk around the exterior of the house and check that outdoor AC units and heat pumps are on firm and level ground. Pour one cup of bleach mixed with water down the AC condensate drain to prevent a buildup of mold and algae, which can clog the drain.
Always: Keep at least 20 percent of a home’s registers open to avoid putting unnecessary strain on the HVAC system.
Following these simple tips can prolong the life of your HVAC system and help you be prepared for whatever the winter season may bring.
FromCRS – Your Home newsletter, Monday, 27 October 2014
Fairfax County alone had more listings than a year ago (total of 1,127 new homes entered the market). Nevertheless, it does not satisfy the high demand in the area. Unemployment rate is way down to 3.6% as of the end of 2013 (www.virginialmi.com). Fairfax main employment is still in the area of Professional, Scientific, and Technical services, which added 10% of job growth to the field.
Average Home Sales Price in Fairfax County is $491,144 at a 96.4% Average Sold to List Price that a homeowner will get from listing the house. Average days on market of a house is 58 days, and it is at its 5-year low.
It is still a seller’s market in general. On the other hand, buyers are currently very skeptical about the market. With the help of Realtors, buyers are getting the right home for their family, and sellers are moving towards their goals faster. The price bidding war is still happening although it is more tolerable now than before.
Original Article From HouseLogic.com
By: Dona DeZube
Published: October 12, 2012
Feds try to punish states that slowed the foreclosure process because of robo-signing.
Location is often the most desirable thing about a property. But next year, where you live might cost you more if you get a new mortgage.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency wants to raise mortgage origination costs in Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, and New York – states that put the brakes on the foreclosure process a couple of years ago in the wake of the robo-signing scandal.
FHFA, which oversees mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, would charge lenders extra fees (between 15 and 30 basis points on Fannie and Freddie loans) in those states.
Although the robo-signing scandal started in Florida (at a Florida law firm hired by Fannie Mae), it spread nationally. Some states responded by making it harder for lenders to foreclose, which also makes it more expensive to foreclose. FHFA wants to charge lenders higher fees in those states to cover those higher costs.
Here’s what the lenders would have to pay:
•Illinois: 15 basis points
•Florida, Connecticut, and New Jersey: 20 basis points
•New York: 30 basis points
And, of course, the fees would get passed on to consumers, most likely in the form of interest.
What would it cost me?
To figure out how much more you’d pay in interest, divide the fee by five, FHFA said. In New York, the 30 basis point fee would translate into a 6 basis point interest increase (30 divided by 5); for example, 3.06% when the market rate is 3% for a mortgage. Borrowers in Illinois would pay 3 basis points more (15 divided by 5), and Connecticut, Florida, and New Jersey borrowers would pay 4 basis points more (20 divided by 5).
The increased fees would raise monthly mortgage payments on a $200,000, 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage in those states between $3.50 and $7.00 a month, FHFA estimates.
Is it fair?
Officials in the five states and some members of Congress said the FHFA’s actions were meant to force states to change their foreclosure laws, to make it quicker and easier to foreclose when home owners don’t make their payments.
One of the reasons foreclosures take so long in some of those states is because officials in those states made lenders go back and double-check their paperwork after discovering attorneys working on Fannie Mae foreclosures routinely rubber-stamped or just flat-out made mistakes on their paperwork.
“It’s hard to see this as anything other than bullying states that are protecting home owners from foreclosure abuses,” said U.S. Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.). “If Fannie and Freddie properly underwrite new mortgages and have decent servicing, the cost of complying with state foreclosure laws cannot credibly justify an increase in the g-fee. FHFA has no business holding a state’s new mortgage market hostage to extort weaker home owner protections for existing mortgages.”
FHFA, meanwhile, argues that the five states are “clear outliers” that set up expensive road blocks for lenders who want to take back homes from home owners who don’t make mortgage payments. By charging extra for home loans in those states, Fannie and Freddie will make sure home owners in other states don’t have to cover those higher costs.
FHFA is looking for comments on the issue, so let me share mine. Fannie and Freddie (along with FHA (http://www.houselogic.com/home-topics/fha/) ) were pretty much the only source of mortgage money during the housing crisis. We need them (or a replacement organization very much like them) if we’re going to have mortgage money around during the next dip in the real estate market cycle.
Meanwhile, politicians aren’t delving deep on housing issues, including foreclosures or what they think Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should do going forward, so voters have no firm idea where the candidates running for office in November stand.
Combine that lack of interest in discussing housing with the current gridlock on Capitol Hill, and it’s not surprising that FHFA is stepping into that leadership void to try and squeeze borrowers in those five states to make more profit for Fannie and Freddie and not make everyone pay more.
You can also share your thoughts about the proposed fee by sending an email to FHFA (mailto:gfeeinput@fhfa.gov) by Nov. 18, 2012.
By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon
Published: December 8, 2011
Relocated homes are a double blessing: They let buyers fulfill the dream of home ownership by picking up a house for next to nothing, and they keep old homes out of the landfill.
This may be the ultimate in reusing and repurposing materials, and we applaud this trend: For as little as $1, some people are buying homes off a “used-home lot” — homes that would otherwise be torn down — and just paying a delivery fee, between $15,000 and $60,000, to have the house transported to their lot.
Tough economic times are making these “cash and carry” homes more and more popular, according to The New York Times.
The relocated homes are bargains for both the new and old home owners: Newbies can pick up a house for next to nothing, while previous owners save on demolition and dumping fees.
Operators of used-house lots, especially along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts and in the upper Midwest, say sales have increased as much as 60% over the last three years. “It seems like we’re even busier when the economy is bad,” Warren Davie, owner of a structural moving company and a used-house lot in Kenner, La., told the Times.
Some owners of delivered homes figure they saved about 40% to 60% of what it would cost to build a comparable house.
Jennifer and Craig Davis moved a 1,500-sq.-ft. vacation home by barge across Puget Sound to Hat Island for $65,000. The house arrived no worse for wear, except for a few hairline cracks in the drywall, easily repaired with some Spackle or joint compound.
We didn’t find any used-house lots listed on the web, but the International Association of Structural Movers can help point you in the right direction, according to its chief executive N. Eugene Brymer. Email him at gbrymer@windstream.net.
Would you consider moving a house to your lot? Do you know of any used-house lots in your area? . Link to original article
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.
Copyright 2013 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Những dấu chân của mùa thu đã bắt đầu xuất hiện ở ngưỡng cửa: lá úa vàng, thời tiết khắc lạnh hơn, và ngày ngắn dần. Trong lúc sửa soạn cho những tháng tới như: cất đi quần áo mùa hè, kiểm tra hệ thống sưởi, và bảo quản sức cách nhiệt của căn nhà, xin đừng quên các vật liệu cảnh quang xung quanh nhà.
Nếu bạn đã cắt cỏ suốt mùa xuân và mùa hè thì cũng chưa nên dừng lại. Tiếp tục cắt cho tới khi cỏ ngưng mọc. (Tùy vào thời tiết của vùng bạn đang ở.) Về phần cắt cỏ, bạn cũng đừng quên cái máy cắt cỏ. Cạn bình xăng vào cuối mùa thu vì xăng còn lại trong máy qua mùa đông sẽ trở nên đặc lại và có thể làm máy khó nổ vào mùa xuân.
Khi nhiệt độ rớt thấp, thì những lá cây quanh nha cũng bắt đầu rơi rớt. Bạn nên cào lá thường xuyên để cỏ có thể “thở” được. Bao lâu thì bạn nên cào lá? Hầu hết các chuyên viên làm vườn khuyên bạn đừng đợi hơn 3 hoặc 4 ngày. Tuy nhiên, nếu lớp lá trở nên dày hoặc nặng vì mưa thì bạn nên cào càng sớm càng tốt.
Nếu khu vực bạn ở có tuyết hoặc đá thì bạn nên bảo vệ những bụi hoa quanh nhà bằng cách phủ hoặc che chở. Bắt đầu bằng cách xây 1 cái lồng bằng dây kẽm, gắn cọc xuống đất. Cột chặt vào cọc, rồi cột bên hông của căn nhà để tránh gió lớn. Sau cùng là ống nước tưới. Cạn hết nước trước khi cất đi cho mùa đông và tắt ống nước ngoài sân để tránh tình trạng ống nước bị đông đá và bể.
Có đúng là mùi của căn nhà định đọat thành bại việc bạn bán căn nhà không? 
Chắc hẳn là vậy. Một cuộc thăm dò dư luận của công ty địa ốc Canada, Royal LePage, đã cho thấy mùi trong căn nhà ảnh hưởng lớn đến quyết định mua hay không của người mua nhà. Cùng kết quả thăm dò chỉ rõ rằng 53% người mua nhà chú trọng tới những mùi nặng như mùi thuốc lá và mùi thú nuôi trong nhà hơn là sự ngăn nắp và gọn gàng của căn nhà, hoặc màu sơn tường quá rực rỡ, hoặc vườn tược không được chăm sóc và bảo quản kỹ càng.
Sau đây là một vài cách để làm cho căn nhà của bạn quyến rũ tới khứu giác của người mua:
– Không nên làm át mùi bằng sáp (đèn cầy) thơm hoặc hương liệu với cánh hoa khô. Người mua nhà sẽ nghi ngờ rằng bạn muốn giấu diếm mùi gì đó.
– Ráng sử dụng gia vị hoặc nấu thịt cá ở mức tối thiểu ngày trước khi cho coi nhà. Tốt nhất là đặt mục đích “ít mùi” khi nấu nướng
– Gởi thú nuôi đi chỗ khác. Dọn sạch thùng rác và thùng tiêu của thú nuôi.
Giải trừ mùi nặng chỉ là 1 bước đầu tiên, nhiều chuyên gia trình bày nhà cửa khuyên chủ nhà nên dùng mùi đầm ấm của căn nhà “homey smell” để cuốn hút người mua nhà. Nghĩ cho cùng, ai mà không cảm thấy sảng khóai khi ngửi mùi thơm bánh qui, bánh nướng vừa mới ra lò?
Theo thống kê của Hội Đồng An Tòan Quốc Gia (NSC), mỗi năm có hơn 2 triệu rưỡi trẻ em 
bị chấn thương hoặc tử thương do những tai nạn trong gia đình. May mắn là có nhiều chuyện bạn có thể làm được để bảo vệ an tòan cho các em – chỉ cần nhìn quanh căn nhà mình dưới góc độ của các em thì bạn sẽ nhận định được nhiều mối nguy đe dọa các em.
Nghẹt thở là tai nạn thường xảy ra nhất cho các em dưới 4 tuổi và là nguyên nhân phổ biến nhất trong các tai nạn cho các em dưới 1 tuổi. Để tránh các tai nạn này, bạn cột chặt hoặc để các dây nhợ ngòai tầm tay của các em. Đừng quên cất tất cả các vật thể nhỏ: đồng tiền xu, nhẫn, pin (batteries). Trong phòng ngủ của các em, các thanh chắn nôi không nên nên cách xa nhau hơn 2 inches 3/8. Hội đồng An Tòan Sản Phẩm cho người tiêu dùng có 1 danh sách của những nôi em bé được phê chuẩn ngay trên mạng của họ: www.cpsc.gov
Một mối nguy hiểm nữa là nước nóng trong nhà có thể làm cháy hoặc bỏng da em bé. 1 cách đề phòng dề nhất là điều chỉnh nhiệt độ máy điều nhiệt nước nóng thấp hơn 120 độ F. Nếu bạn không chỉnh nhiệt độ được thì nên gắn các công cụ chống bỏng vào vòi nước và vòi tắm để điều hòa nhiệt độ nước nóng.
Để ngăn ngừa điện giật, bạn nên đóng tất cả các ổ cắm điện bằng những nắp ổ cắm mà bạn có thể mua dễ dàng ở các tiệm ngũ kim. Những nắp ổ cắm đó phải khó gỡ và có kích cỡ trung bình để các em không nuốt được.
Bạn có thể đọc thêm thông tin liên quan ở www.cpsc.gov hoặc www.nsc.org/library/facts/babyprf.htm
