The categories are rated from 0 to 100.  Ulster County scored very well in three categories, with an 80 in Arts & Culture, 71 in Safety, and 70 in Governance.  Dutchess County was the only other county that scored at least a 70 in any category, scoring a 71 in Governance.  To see the full report CLICK HERE.

Regional Snapshot

The region has a total land area of 3,715 square miles. It is nearly twice the size of the state of Delaware. Ulster County alone is larger than the state of Rhode Island. Nearly one million people reside in our four-county region.

Dutchess County has almost a third (31%) of the region’s people, but less than a quarter (22%) of the land area. About two in five (41%) regional residents live in Orange County, where there is a land area about the same as in Dutchess (22%).

Sullivan County, with more than a quarter of the land (26%), is the least populous (8%). Ulster County has 30% of the land in the region and 20% of the population.

Age: About one quarter (23%) of our region’s residents are under the age of eighteen. Twenty-three percent are age 18 to 34, 30% are age 35 to 54 and 24% are 55 years of age or older.

Children, those under age 18, live in 36% percent of regional households. Seniors, those age 65 or older, reside in 23% of the households in the region.

Race: Seventy-five percent of residents in our region are white, 12% are Hispanic or Latino, 8% are Black or African-American, 3% are Asian and 2% reported some other race.

Land Use: Approximately one third (32%) of the region’s land is classified as residential. Just under a quarter (24%) of the land is deemed vacant and about one in every five acres (21%) is wild, forested, conservation lands or public parks.

Agricultural lands comprise 10% of the region. Each of the remaining categories – Commercial, Public Services, Recreation and Entertainment, and Industrial represent less than 5% of land use in our region.

Of the four counties, Dutchess County has the most land dedicated to residential development (41%) and agriculture (18%). Sullivan County has the most vacant land (30%). In Ulster County, home of the Catskill Forest Preserve, over one third (34%) of the acreage is wild.

To see the full report CLICK HERE.

One of the obvious ones, beyond paying bills on time, is to not be overextended on credit. Lenders look at how credit is managed, so someone with $10,000 credit limit but owes $9,000 won't appear as good a borrower as someone who owes only $1,000 of the $10,000 limit. Therefore, it is important to pay down credit before applying for a loan. This can help raise your credit score and get a better rate.

When you do pay down the debt, such as on a credit card, keep the account open to show lenders you have a long credit history and you are responsible by not maxing out every loan you get. Be wary, however, of some creditors who have started reducing credit limits as amounts are paid off. You may need to ask for the limit to be raised, or switch to a new credit card.

Next, verify your credit score every year, or right before you apply for a large loan such as a mortgage, to make sure there is nothing on the report that is inaccurate. While other credit report requests could harm your score, because it indicates you are looking for help often, requesting your own report does no damage to your record. There are three credit bureaus that maintain reports. Request them all through www.annualcreditreport.com. Reports are free once a year. Nearly eight in 10 reports have an error, according to the U.S. Public Interest Research Groups. Be wary of firms that offer free credit reports only after you sign up for another service with a monthly fee.

If you do see a mistake, follow the instructions to dispute the charge. If the mistake was caused by a certain circumstance you feel was not common, also dispute it.

The importance of good credit in our changing economy cannot be overemphasized. Those neglecting their credit are positioning themselves to be shut out of the economy, and at risk of not having a lifeline when times are tough. In addition, those with poor credit also face higher expenses as interest rates, insurance premiums, and rental rates can be higher for those without excellent credit, not to mention employers may shun applicants that do not demonstrate responsible money management.

Make it a point to audit your credit at least once a year and make managing it a priority in your life. Doing so will eliminate chances of financial disasters.

RISMEDIA, July 6, 2010

Comparing sales from January 1, 2010 through July 15, 2010 with sales from the same time period in 2009, there has been an increase of 160 homes sold, a 33.6% increase.  The average sale price decreased from $240,296 to $235,503, a 2% decrease.  The median sale price increased from $206,730 to $209,875, a 1.5% increase. Sales increased for homes in every price category, except for the lowest and highest priced homes, those priced under $100,00 and over $501,000.

When you compare sales for the January 1, 2010 through July 15, 2010 with sales from 2008, there have been appreciable drops in average and median sale prices.  The average sale price dropped from $300,999 to $235,503, a 27.8% decrease.  The median sale price dropped from $245,000 to $209,875, a 16.7% decrease.

The average and median sale price for 2010 is slightly lower than what it was in 2004!  But with prices remaining fairly stable for the past year and a half, perhaps we have hit the bottom of the market.  

The following chart is broken down by Ulster County town, for the period January 1, 2010 through July 16, 2010.  It lists the number of units sold, the average list price prior to sale, the average sold price, a comparison of these two figures, and the average days a listing is on market, beginning with the listing date and ending with the sold date.

Woodstock had the highest average list and sold prices for Ulster County, and the Village of Ellenville had the lowest average list and sold prices.  Rosendale had the highest ratio of sold price compared to list price, and Ellenville had the lowest ratio.  Marlborough had the highest number of days on market, and Hurley had the lowest.

To see the full report from NAR, CLICK HERE.

Conclusion: A study commissioned by the Minnewaska State Park Preserve, the Mohonk Preserve and the Sam’s Point Preserve determined that tourism and park/preserve operations generate a positive economic impact on the local area of $12.3 million and support 358 local jobs.  The study was conducted by Business Opportunities Management Consulting using economic impact models used by the National Park Service.

Background: The Shawangunk Ridge (Gunks) is a geologically unique branch of the Appalachian Mountains regionally famous as a destination for world-class rock climbing and other outdoor recreational activities.  In Ulster County, over 30,000 acres of the Gunks are protected, primarily as part of the Minnewaska State Park Preserve, the Mohonk Preserve and Sam’s Point Preserve.  These three entities have commissioned this economic impact study to quantify the benefits to the region associated with their operations and the tens of thousands of tourists that come to the Gunks each year.

To determine the impact that Minnewaska, Mohonk Preserve and Sam’s Point have on the region, the Money Generation Models (MGM) that were developed for estimating economic impacts for the National Parks Service were used.  The MGM models are able to estimate spending by visitors based on information about the number of visitors to each of the three preserves.  With additional information about local spending on park/preserve employees, operations and capital expenses, the models are able to calculate the economic impact and number of jobs supported in the local area.  

Economic impact is quantified in the form of the value added to the local economy.  The value added represents the sum total of the increased value to goods and services that is generated by the local activities being evaluated.  In so doing, the model captures those flows of money that go to local businesses and residents and backs out flows that go to businesses and individuals outside of the local area.  The MGM models also use sophisticated multipliers based on studies of national park operations to take into account the secondary effects resulting from recirculation of money spent by tourists, the park/preserves and park/preserve employees.  This includes the number of jobs supported by these secondary effects.  

Results: Using information from the three entities and applying the MGM models provided the following information about the impact of Minnewaska, Mohonk Preserve and Sam’s Point on the local economy:

• Annual visitors to Minnewaska, Mohonk Preserve and Sam’s Point: 392,695
• Annual spending by visitors to Minnewaska, Mohonk Preserve and Sam’s Point: $13,051,000
• Annual local sales taxes generated by visitors to Minnewaska, Mohonk Preserve and Sam’s Point: $459,000
• Total economic impact of Minnewaska, Mohonk Preserve and Sam’s Point on the local economy: $12,307,593
• Number of local jobs supported by Minnewaska, Mohonk Preserve and Sam’s Point: 358

Of the total $12.3 million in economic impact, $4.5 million is from the effects of spending on park/preserve operations by the three organizations and $7.8 million is generated by the spending of visitors to the three entities.



Of the total 358 jobs supported by the three entities, 242 are the result of visitors to the area, 63 are employed by the park/preserves and 53 are supported by park/preserve operations spending.



The above economic impact estimates were generated by the Money Generation Models (MGM) using 2009 visitor and financial information (most recent available fiscal year) from Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Mohonk Preserve and Sam’s Point Preserve.

Get Educated. A little mortgage know-how goes a long way toward ensuring you get an affordable mortgage

Before you hire an agent or find a lender, get educated on the loan process and key factors that make a loan affordable. You’ll want to know about loan types – fixed-rate mortgages, adjustable-rate mortgages, FHA and VA loans – and the full range of line items that contribute to the total cost of securing the loan, including discount points, appraisals, and real estate agent commissions.

If you would like more in-depth information, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) can put you in touch with the nearest housing counseling professional in your area. Visit the HUD Website for more information. You can also check with local government, neighborhood associations and neighborhood bank branch offices for information sessions on home buying as well as homebuyer- education programs.

Get Your Finances in Order. Given today’s stronger lending guidelines, it’s more important than ever to get your finances in order<

First, get a copy of your credit report, which usually includes your credit score. If your credit score is low (anything below 620), take the time to improve it. If you find errors on the report, take the time to correct them. This may put your home buying plans on hold (creditors typically look for a two-year history of consistent, on-time bill payment to establish good credit), but it could result in a better loan and more affordable rates.

Establish a Budget. Before you start searching for your home, make sure you know how much home you can afford

Lenders will evaluate all your debts and take into account your full financial situation in qualifying you for a mortgage. A key factor is how much income you bring in vs. how much you will pay out each month. Here’s a good guideline to check where you are: Your housing expense (the mortgage payments on the house you are buying) should generally not exceed 28 to 33 percent of your total monthly gross income – and all revolving debt (including car payments, credit cards payments, and your mortgage payment) should not exceed 36 to 40 percent of your total monthly gross income.

It’s always helpful to create a monthly budget, itemizing all your recurring expenses, including estimated maintenance costs, taxes, utility bills, and condo or homeowners’ association dues. Then, test your budget. If you can pay all these debts and continue to add to savings, you may be ready to buy a home. If not, you may have to revise your plans.

Start Saving. Having savings in reserve helps ensure you can afford the upfront costs of homeownership

These include:

• Down Payment – Five to twenty percent of the purchase price. (Keep in mind, a lower down payment means you’ll have to qualify for a higher loan amount and pay for mortgage insurance – adding to your monthly mortgage payment).

• Deposit – Two percent of the purchase price, typically. Sometimes called earnest money, a deposit shows the seller you’re serious about buying the home. If your offer is accepted, the deposit or earnest money will be applied towards the down payment. If your offer is rejected, the down payment will be returned to you.

• Closing Costs – Three to five percent of the purchase price, on average. These costs include all fees required to execute the sale, including attorney fees, title insurance, appraisals, and points.

Get Pre-Approved. In today’s competitive market, home buyers should get pre-approved for a mortgage before they begin their house hunt.

To be pre-approved for a loan, your lender will gather information about your job, assets, income, and debts and then determine how much financing you’re qualified to receive, backed by a pre-approval letter. When you’re ready to make an offer, this letter will tell the seller you’re a serious and qualified buyer. It will also give you an edge over competing buyers who are not pre-approved.

Keep in mind, pre-qualification doesn’t mean you have an approved loan. You’ll still need to apply for a loan if your offer is accepted.

Do your homework and know your options

Ask questions and get explanations so that you have a complete understanding of any modification or refinance. Always be sure to read and understand all paperwork before signing. Don't sign papers in exchange for a promise that someone else will pay off your mortgage.

Don’t pay for counseling. Free, legitimate help is available

Beware of high-pressure sales tactics, including pressure to act quickly, and deals that appear to be too good to be true – they are. A legitimate housing counselor will never ask you to sign paperwork before you understand it. You don’t need to pay for counseling – call 888-995-HOPE or go to www.HUD.gov to find a free HUD-Approved housing counselor.

Know the person you’re working with. Make sure your housing counselor is HUD-approved

Before responding to any person or organization offering to "save" you from foreclosure, find out if the organization is HUD-approved. Find a housing counselor on the HUD.gov website. Your lender or a HUD-approved housing counselor is the safest source of information and help. No one should guarantee you they can stop foreclosure.

Don’t submit your mortgage payments to anyone other than your mortgage company. Beware of people who ask you to send your payment to them

Scammers might ask you to make your payments to them; however, they pocket your payments instead of sending them to the lender. You should only send your mortgage payment to your mortgage company.

Ask for Help. Again, free, legitimate help is available

Contact the HOPE Hotline (1-888-995-HOPE) or Fannie Mae at 1-800-7FANNIE (732-6643) or your servicer for help. To report a scam, visit www.preventloanscams.org. To learn more about avoiding scams, visit www.loanscamalert.org.

4 weeks from move date: Get organized and start notifying the right people and companies that you'll be moving soon and give them a date to forward or terminate service. Start looking for licensed and professional moving companies, moving guides and relevant coupons.

Tip: If using a professional mover, get quotes from multiple moving companies to get the best deal that is right for you and your needs. Ask plenty of questions like whether or not they give binding quotes and what kind of insurance is included. Be sure to talk with them about the different options available with full-service moves such as packing and unpacking services and providing boxes and packing supplies.

Tip: Important documents such as your child's school records may need to be accessible during your transition. Make sure to put these items aside and make copies of any records for yourself, in case you forget what box they're packed in.

3 weeks from move date: Once you've selected a mover, begin by taking inventory of your belongings and their worth and decide what will be coming with you to your next home.

Tip: Start cleaning out closets, drawers and storage areas of your home and divide things into categories: "pack," "recycle" and "give to friend." You can always have a garage sale or donate old items to charity. This will make packing day a lot easier and you may reduce the total weight you'll be paying for to move.

Tip: If you're moving yourself or contracting for a self-service move, pack the items you know you won't need until 30 days after the move. It will feel great to get started early.

Tip: If possible, take pictures of rooms and areas inside the home or apartment you'll be moving into so you can start thinking about placement of furniture, artwork and other items. This will help save time, headaches...and money...on moving day.

2 weeks from move date: If you choose not to take advantage of full service mover packing services, or are planning to do it yourself and rent a truck, start packing things into boxes. Figure out the logistics of the move, travel plans and if other specialized plans need to be made.

Tip: If you are using a professional mover find out what items are on their "non-allowables" list and discard those items or find a way to transport them separately.

Tip: Instead of stacking plates, pack them vertically; they will travel safer this way.

Tip: If you are moving long distance, remember travel arrangements for your pets. There are pet-exclusive airlines available such as Pet Airways but regular airlines have travel options for pets as well.

Tip: If you have young children, you may want to make childcare arrangements so you can be 100% focused on moving day and your little ones remain safe and busy with fun activities.

Tip: Schedule "move out" cleaning service, carpet cleaners and heavy appliance disposal if necessary for once you'll be out of the home you're vacating. Even if you're selling your current home, it's a nice welcome for the buyers to move into a clean and tidy home.

1 week from move date: Set aside valuable items and keep those with you. Clean before moving and leave your house or apartment as clean as it was when you moved in.

Tip: Make sure the details for paying the moving company are taken care of. Some will require money orders or cashier's checks upon delivery; know their policy in advance to avoid stress on moving day.

Tip: Start eating all the frozen foods you have, or give them to a neighbor or friend. This way you won't have to throw them away on moving day, or worry about packing an ice chest.

Tip: Also think about necessities for managing moving day like confining your pets and anticipating the amount of time you will need.

Tip: Place necessities such as toiletries, toilet paper, rags, "must-have" cooking supplies and organize them in boxes marked "open first" so it's easy to find the initial items you'll want handy on those first few days of being in your next home. Don't forget the flashlight!

Tip: If possible, take one last tour of the new location and identify water and gas shut off locations, as well as the electrical breaker box just in case something happens in the first few days so you're prepared. Might be smart to drop off a fresh box of light bulbs too!

Moving day and beyond: Take one last walk through and make sure nothing has been forgotten or overlooked. Also, make sure all doors and windows are locked and switches turned off, then you are on your way to your new house or apartment.

Tip: Go back to the photos you took when you began to pack up. Now you can show the movers or those helping you unpack exactly where everything goes with photos.

Tip: Unpack one room at a time according to basic needs starting with the kitchen and at least one bathroom...and don't forget to make a bed as early in the day as possible if you'll be sleeping in your home that evening! Remember, you don't have to unpack everything in one day, or even in one week.

Tip: After you've settled in a bit, introduce yourself to some neighbors, ask for advice on the best places to eat, grocery shop, etc. This way you will feel like part of the community and can get some great local tips.

“Our goal is to make sure consumers can sustain their mortgages and remain in their homes over the long term, while helping our lender partners offer a range of mortgage products for qualified borrowers,” said Marianne Sullivan, Senior Vice President of Single Family Credit Policy and Risk Management at Fannie Mae. “These policy changes reflect our intention to continue providing liquidity to different market segments by ensuring that support for ARM products remains in appropriate circumstances.”

For ARMs with initial periods of 5 years or less, Fannie Mae will require that borrowers be qualified at the greater of the note rate plus 2% or the fully indexed rate (index plus margin).  The company also said it will continue to make available an interest-only loan product, but will change its qualification criteria. The maximum loan-to-value ratio cannot exceed 70%, the borrower’s credit score must be 720 or higher and the borrower must have a minimum of 24 months of liquid asset reserves remaining after loan closing. Balloon mortgages, which typically offer lower initial interest rates but leave a significant balance due at maturity, will no longer be eligible, except with special approval.

All loans not meeting the new guidelines must be purchased as whole loans on or before August 31, 2010, or delivered into MBS pools with issue dates on or before August 1, 2010.  Fannie Mae exists to expand affordable housing and bring global capital to local communities in order to serve the U.S. housing market. Fannie Mae has a federal charter and operates in America’s secondary mortgage market to enhance the liquidity of the mortgage market by providing funds to mortgage bankers and other lenders so that they may lend to home buyers. Our job is to help those who house America.

For more information, visit www.fanniemae.com.

“I use this analogy,” Dell says. “If you take care of yourself—exercise, eat right, don’t drink too much alcohol, don’t use drugs—you’re going to have a much better chance of staying healthy. Similarly, if you keep the landscape healthy, whether it’s the lawn or anything else, you’re going to have fewer problems.”

How do you break free of the high-maintenance lawn care cycle? Drawing from interviews with Dell, Tom Christopher, editor of The New American Sustainable Garden (due out next year) and Annie Spiegelman, author of Talking Dirt assembled a list of basic tips to get you started.

1. Don’t overwater. Most people grossly overwater their lawns. Consider getting a free ‘water audit’ if your water company offers one, or just turn the sprinkler off and observe the results. If your grass doesn’t spring back when you step on it in the heat of the afternoon, it’s time to water. Watering four times a week is too much in most parts of the country.

2. Water deeply. It’s better to water deeply than frequently. Many lawns do well with 15 to 20 minutes at a time, once or twice a week. For maximum efficiency, give the water a chance to seep in: Water for 10 minutes, wait 20 minutes and then finish watering.

3. Get adequate coverage. If your sprinkler doesn’t cover a spot, you end up with a dry area or an overwatered lawn.

4. Give the soil breathing room. Aerate your lawn once or twice a year in the spring or fall with a gas- or foot-powered aerator. This loosens the roots and lets water and fertilizers penetrate.

5. Try a lush look. If you keep your grass 3 inches high, it will ‘shade out’ weeds, denying them the sun they need to grow and take over your lawn.

6. Reduce your lawn size. Less lawn means less watering. Consider a border planted with low-maintenance ground cover instead of grass.

7. Kick the chemical fertilizer habit. Don’t pump too many nutrients into your lawn. One fertilization with an organic fertilizer in early fall is plenty.

8. Go natural. Insecticides with ingredients such as vinegar and orange oil are sold at many nurseries and boiling water kills weeds.

9. Keep grass clippings. Rather than removing them, rake them gently over your lawn. They’re free and rich in the plant nutrient nitrogen.

10. Consider low-maintenance grass. Ask your local university extension program or agriculture department to recommend a low-maintenance grass (options include fine fescues and buffalograss) that grows well in your region. These easy-going grasses are designed for your region and will thrive with minimal water and mowing.

(c) 2010, Chicago Tribune.

Comparing sales from January 1, 2010 thru April 24, 2010 with sales from the same time period in 2009, there has been an increase of 70 homes sold, a 31.5% increase.  The average sale price increased from $232,509 to $241,285, a 3.7% increase.  The median sale price increased from $190,000 to $209,120, a 10% increase. Sales increased in every price category, except for sales of homes over $1 million.

Comparing sales from January 1, 2010 thru April 24, 2010 with sales from all of 2009, the average and median sale prices were almost exactly the same. 

When you compare sales for the January 1, 2010 thru April 24, 2010 with sales from 2008, there have been appreciable drops in average and median sale prices.  The average sale price dropped from $288,758 to $241,065, a 16.6% decrease.  The median sale price dropped from $239,200 to $209,120, a 12.6% decrease.

The average and median sale price for 2010 is slightly lower than what it was in 2004!  But with prices remaining fairly stable for the past year and four months, perhaps we have hit the bottom of the market. 

Few people can buy a home for cash. According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), nearly nine out of 10 buyers finance their purchase, which means that virtually all buyers -- especially first-time purchasers -- required a loan.

The real issue with real estate financing is not getting a loan (virtually anyone willing to pay lofty interest rates can find a mortgage). Instead, the idea is to get the loan that's right for you -- the mortgage with the lowest cost and best terms.

REALTORS® routinely suggest that consumers start the mortgage process well before bidding on a home. Many lenders (the sources of money) and programs, for example, are available right here in the finance section of Realtor.com as well as through recommendations from local REALTORS®. By meeting with lenders -- either online or face to face -- and looking at loan options, you will find which programs best meet your needs and how much you can afford.

REALTORS® also recommend pre approvals for another reason: Purchase forms often require buyers to apply for financing within a given time period, in many cases, seven to 10 days. By meeting with loan officers in advance and identifying mortgage programs, it won't be necessary to quickly find a lender, check credit, and rush into a financing decision that may not be the best option.

"Pre-approval" means you have met with a loan officer, your credit files have been reviewed and the loan officer believes you can readily qualify for a given loan amount with one or more specific mortgage programs. Based on this information, the lender will provide a pre approval letter, which shows your borrowing power. You can visit as many lenders as you like and get several pre-approvals, but keep in mind that each one carries with it a new credit check, which will show up on future credit reports.

Although not a final loan commitment, the pre approval letter can be shown to listing brokers when bidding on a home. It demonstrates your financial strength and shows that you have the ability to go through with a purchase. This information is important to owners since they do not want to accept an offer that is likely to fail because financing cannot be obtained.

How do you get pre-approval?  Real estate financing is available from numerous sources, including lenders here in the finance section of Realtor.com, mortgage companies that have worked with local REALTORS® and in some cases, individual REALTORS® themselves. Based on his or her experience, the REALTOR® may suggest one or more lenders with a history of offering competitive programs and delivering promised rates and terms.

The loan officer will carefully review your financial situation, including your credit report and other information. The lender will then suggest programs which most-closely meet your needs. For instance, a first-time buyer may qualify for state-backed mortgage programs with little money down and low interest rates, while a repeat purchaser (someone who has bought a home before) with more equity (money invested in the home) might want to get a 15-year loan and the lower overall interest costs it represents. Typically, first-time buyers opt for the traditional 30-year loan, with either a floating interest rate or a fixed rate of interest over the life of the loan.

1. Costs that can be deducted as expenses from a buyer’s or seller’s personal income on a tax return

2. Costs that can be used to alter the basis of the home, with the idea of lowering the capital gains

Note that a second, or vacation, home generally qualifies for all of the same deductions as a principal residence provided that it isn't rented for a significant portion of the year.

Buyers may deduct the following items associated with buying a home as expenses on their personal income tax in the year that they buy the home.

Points—including loan origination fees and loan discounts, provided that the home is your principal residence, the amount is clearly stated on the settlement statement, and the purchase meets the nine criteria for deducting points established by the IRS. (See www.irs.gov/prod/forms_pubs/pubs/p53001.htm for details on these criteria.)

If the buyer doesn't satisfy all of these criteria, points must be prorated and deducted over the life of the mortgage.

Buyers may add the following costs associated with a purchase to the basis of their home. These additions will increase the basis and serve to lower the capital gains liability when the home is eventually sold:

1. Transfer or stamp taxes and recording fees, if paid by the buyer.

2. Title abstracts.

3. Title insurance.

4. Attorney’s fees for preparing their documents for closing.

Buyers cannot deduct as expenses on their income tax or add to the cost basis of the home:

1. Fees for an appraisal required by the lender.

2. Rent paid to occupy the home before closing.

3. Cost of credit reports.

4. Loan assumption fees.

During the period of homeownership, owners of single-family homes, condominiums, coops, and other types of property occupied as a principal residence may deduct the following items as expenses each year on their income tax returns:

1. Interest paid on a mortgage loan(s) of $1 million or less taken out to buy, build, or improve a home. If the loan amounts you owe on your first and second home together exceed $1 million, not all interest is deductible. Note that married couples filing separately may each deduct interest on a total mortgage debt of $500,000.

2. Late payment charges on mortgage payments

3. Real estate taxes paid on the home in the year they are paid

Homeowners may not deduct:

1. Homeowners association dues or assessments.

2. Premiums for fire or homeowners' insurance. (Note that this is often included in the monthly house payment.)

At the time of the sale, the sellers may deduct the following expenses from their income taxes:

1. Any reserved real estate taxes credited to the buyer at closing. However, these deductions can't be taken until the year that the property taxes are actually paid to the taxing body.

2. Any mortgage interest paid for the portion of the year that the house was owned.

3. Any remaining, undeducted points for the satisfied mortgage.

In calculating the capital gains resulting from a sale, the sellers may add the costs following items to their existing basis:

1. Transfer or stamp taxes and recording fees, if paid by the seller.

2. Recording fees, if paid by the seller.

3. Attorney’s fees for preparing their documents for closing.

4. Real estate commissions paid to a broker and sales associates.

5. Money spent to repair the house prior to sale, if spent within 90 days of the sale.

When we come back from shooting the photographs of a property that we are about to list on the Ulster County Multiple Listing Service, we first download the photographs from our camera to a folder on our computer.  We then open up our photo-editing software, and import those photographs into this program.  (To find a photo-editing program, go to Google, and type in “photo editing software“.  Google offers a very good free program called Picasa.)

Within the photo-editing program, we may do a number of things so that our photographs present the property in the best light [pun intended].  We might straighten, crop, lighten, darken, or brighten the photographs, so that the photographs show the property the way we actually saw it.  We are “fixing" the photographs because we may not have had proper lighting, or we did not hold the camera straight, or we forgot to use the flash, etc.

Occasionally we will retouch the photograph to hide an unsightly item that we forgot to move before we took the photograph.  We never retouch a photograph to hide something that is permanently there, such as a power line or telephone pole, because that would be unethical.  But if we forgot to remove that red rubber ball or that ugly garbage can before we took the photograph, we will now try to retouch it out of the photograph.  From our experience, retouching is difficult to do because the picture often looks worse with the “offensive” item retouched out of the photograph, than when that item was in the photograph.  So, we often forgo retouching, and just curse ourselves for not having seen that offensive item before we took the photograph.

We do not edit every photograph that we took, just those that we might want to use.  Once we have finished editing, than we export the edited photographs to a new folder. At this point, we pick the photographs that we will put on our Multiple Listing Service, our team website (www.UlsterCountyHouses.com), and on the slide show or property website that we will set up just for this property. 

We are now ready to use our edited photographs to prepare a virtual tour, but I will cover that procedure in my next article.

A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a conservation or government agency that perpetually restricts specified activities on a piece of private property for the purpose of conservation. For example, a landowner may give up the right to subdivide the land into building sites, while retaining the right to farm the land. The land that can be protected must have "significant" conservation values, according to the IRS. These values include forests, wildlife habitats, open spaces, wetlands, and more. The easement stays with the property and is binding on all future owners. Conservation easement is a popular tool for landowners who want to retain ownership of their property and protect it for generations to come. The landowner essentially gives up "development rights" however, can continue to own and manage the land according to the rights outlined in the easement. These easements can be transferred by charitable gift or sale, and often bring significant tax deductions. A conservation easement is also a critical tool used to ensure that the land stays within a family for future generations. The family possession of the land is made possible due to the fact that the easement removes any development rights, which lowers the land market value, and in turn lowers the estate tax.

Tax Savings:

Conservation easements may provide substantial tax savings, because the landowner receives a federal income tax deduction. The value of the tax deduction is determined by the value of the easement. The value of the easement is determined by a professional appraiser and equals the difference between the fair market value of the property before and after the easement takes effect. As stated by the IRS, to qualify for this income tax deduction, the easement must be: a) perpetual; b) held by a qualified governmental or non-profit organization; and c) serve a valid "conservation purpose."

Issues:

Conservation easements are not appropriate for every landowner. The IRS requires that the property in question has "significant" conservation values, such as a wildlife habitat, wetlands, forests, etc. Landowners should know that conservation easements may be overridden by eminent domain when the public value of the proposed project exceeds that of the conservation interest being protected by the easement. Conservation easements may also result in a considerable reduction in the sale price of land, because of its restrictions on building.

Getting It Done:

Consult a professional appraiser in your area before requesting the easement. In most areas, the landowner will need to contact their local conservation or government agency, at which they will evaluate the property to determine if it meets their criteria. If approved, the easement is signed by both the landowner and agency and is recorded in the local land records.

More Information On This Topic:

What is a Conservation Easement?

The Nature Conservancy: How We Work

American Land Conservancy