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Don’t miss this chance to reduce your tax bill. Many local counties are offering on-line protests which will save you so much time. Make sure you take a moment to look into this before heading down to your local tax office.
Did the appraised value of your property go up? Do you think that value is unfair? If you answered yes to those questions, it’s time to file a protest with your central appraisal district. And don’t delay—protests in many Texas counties are due May 31.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please shoot us a message here and we will be glad to assist you.
The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts has posted a “Property Taxpayer Remedies” PDF that covers the basics.
The process includes:
Filing a protest with your appraisal district within the designated time period.
Attending an informal hearing to see if your differences can be quickly resolved.
Appearing before an appraisal review board, if your protest is not resolved at the informal hearing.
You’ll need to provide evidence to support your challenge of the appraised value, so give us a call if we can help you out.
For more information about protesting your appraised value, visit the website of the Texas Comptroller of Public Acccounts.
With spring in the area it’s time to start planting, so thought I’d share these helpful tips when picking out plants. Just a note, I found out that if you see spider webs on your plants, get rid of them quickly as they can cause plants to suffocate and take their nutrients!
How to Choose a Healthy Plant
You can’t judge a plant by its good looks. To pick the healthiest plant, take time to do a two-part visual inspection of the leaves and roots. It’s easy to slip a plant out of a pot. Press gently on the sides of the pot, or squeeze it in your hands. Invert the pot while holding one hand over the top of the soil and cradling the stems. Don’t pull the plant out by the stems.
Healthy Roots Healthy roots are white, ivory,or tan and should reach to the edge of the pot. (Pictured) The soil should smell moist.
Root-Bound Roots that are circling the bottom of the pot are a clue that the plant has been in the pot a long time. Before planting, tease out those circling roots and cut them off.
Sick Leaves or Roots Damaged leaves might indicate disease—don’t buy that plant. Roots that are slimy or mushy might be rotting. A foul sewer-gas smell is a sign of root rot.
Weeds Weeds growing on the soil surface around the perennial are a clue that the plant might have been carried over from the previous year. The plant might be healthy — check the roots to be sure.
Source Better Homes and Gardens
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Jim Striegel
(972) 899.0634
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Listed by: Jim Striegel Team, Real Estate Connections |
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Quiet country living near Lake Grapevine in Flower Mound, Texas! Immaculate Flower Mound Home For Sale! Wonderful 1-Story Home For Sale In Waterford Park in Flower Mound Single Family Residential for $1,329,000 in Flower Mound, TX
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Jim Striegel
(972) 899.0634
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Listed by: Jim Striegel Team, Real Estate Connections |
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Quiet country living near Lake Grapevine in Flower Mound, Texas!
Immaculate Flower Mound Home For Sale! Wonderful 1-Story Home For Sale In Waterford Park in Flower Mound Single Family Residential for $1,329,000 in Flower Mound, TX Custom Bridlewood Golf Course Community Home For Sale!
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Jim Striegel
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Immaculate Flower Mound Home For Sale!
Wonderful 1-Story Home For Sale In Waterford Park in Flower Mound Single Family Residential for $1,329,000 in Flower Mound, TX Custom Bridlewood Golf Course Community Home For Sale! Immaculate Affordable Starter or Rental Home For Sale in Lewisville, Texas
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Dallas Construction At An All Time High!
First quarter home starts in North Texas jumped almost 70 percent from a year ago. (DMN files)
North Texas home starts jumped almost 60 percent in the first quarter.
The big percentage risie in home starts was much greater than anticipated, and probably won’t continue through the rest of the year, analysts say.
“There is a lot of construction that wasn’t started in December because of the weather and that got pushed in to January,” said Ted Wilson, with Dallas-based housing analyst Residential Strategies. “On top of that we had a normal first quarter increase in activity.”
Builders started about 7,300 single-family homes in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in the first three months of 2014, Residential Strategies reported Thursday.
That’s the highest quarterly home start rate in the D-FW area since 2007. In our local area, I see new homes popping up all over. Looking to build? We have some amazing lots available here:
Source: The Dallas Morning News
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Homeowner Tax Breaks On The House
Tax season can make most of us cringe. But, if you’re a homeowner, make certain you meet with experts to see how you may benefit at tax time by owning a home.
Minimizing your tax liability is always the goal. Start first by getting all your paperwork together. Hopefully you’ve kept good, clean records of everything pertaining to your home. Remodeling projects can often be deducted, so go through your files and search for the paid invoices. However, repairs to restore items to their original state usually aren’t tax deductible.
If you haven’t kept good records, now is the time to start. It’ll pay off in 2015 when it comes time to do your taxes. Here are a few tips to get you ready for tax season this year and beyond.
The largest savings is the mortgage interest deduction. Homeowners love this one because, especially in the early years of a loan, it can save tons of money. The deduction can be claimed on both primary and secondary homes. Two requirements: your home is less than a million dollars and you itemize your tax return.
Find your property tax statement for the end of the year. Your property taxes paid are deductible for as long as you own the home. This is another tax savings that you’ll be able to record on your Federal form. Property taxes are taken as an itemized expense.
Improving your home can also be a tax write-off. Maybe you added a room addition, installed a new roof, or made general improvements to increase the value of your home, all of these things can help to reduce your tax liability and they can also increase the value of your home when it comes time to sell.
If you’ve installed energy-efficiency appliances or upgrades, you can offset your tax bill to the IRS, dollar-for-dollar for up to 10 percent of the amount that you spent on specific home energy-efficiency upgrades. That means items such as energy-efficient water heaters or insulation can help you at tax time. However, the cap on this deduction is a mere $500 (there are cases when it’s less. Check with your tax accountant for details).
With so many people working from home, the home (business) office is not only convenient but also a tax write-off. A new 2013 tax deduction allows homeowners who have an office in their house to claim $5 per square foot for up to 300 square feet (a simpler formula than previous tax years). So a room that’s 8×10 can save you $400.
Keep in mind that tax deductions are always on the government’s chopping block and some, like the energy tax credit, are gone after the 2013 tax year and not expected to return for future tax years.
There are many fees and expenses associated with owning a home. Don’t try to guess which things will help lower your tax bill. Instead, compile all of your home’s documents and receipts from the previous year and bring them into your tax accountant for advice. Often there are areas where you can save a little more, but you won’t know until you try.
Note:
Recently, the IRS announced that it has significantly updated “Your Federal Income Tax” forms. According to the IRS, Publication 17 includes important changes to help taxpayers “get the most out of various tax benefits and get a jump on preparing their 2013 federal income tax returns.” This 292-page guide contains thousands of interactive links to help taxpayers quickly get answers to their questions.
Other publications which may assist you include: No. 1, “Your Rights as a Taxpayer;” No. 502, “Medical and Dental Expenses;” No. 504, “Divorced or Separated Individuals;” No. 523, “Selling Your Home;” and No. 530, “Tax Information for First Time Homebuyers.”
A complete list can be found at http://www.irs.gov, click on Forms and Publications.
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Jim Striegel
(972) 899.0634
JStriegel@Realtor.com http://www.JimStriegel.com
Listed by: Jim Striegel Team, Real Estate Connections |
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Our recent listings
Single Family Residential for $1,329,000 in Flower Mound, TX
Custom Bridlewood Golf Course Community Home For Sale! Immaculate Affordable Starter or Rental Home For Sale in Lewisville, Texas Wonderful 1-Story Home For Sale In Waterford Park in Flower Mound Beautiful Corner Lot Home For Sale in Flower Mound, Texas
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Your home has weathered a vicious winter this year with winter lasting so long and being so harsh. As the cold retreats and the snow melts, your home deserves some well-earned TLC.
Even though you still might want to hibernate, there’s no better time to prepare your home to Bring On Spring! If you plan and prepare now, you can avoid costly repairs later.
Roof: Inspect the roof for thehe harsh winter weather has been beating on your roof all season. Make sure you inspect your roof for weather-damaged shingles.
Clean the Gutters: Clogged gutters can lead to water damage.
Clean/Replace HVAC Filters: Clean filters keep your system running efficiently and energy costs in check.
Clean Refrigerator Coils: Dirty fridge coils can also increase the electric bill.
Clean and Repair Driveways, Fences, Decks, and Patios: Remove salt, sand, and deicers. Repair cracks, holes, and gaps.
Check Window and Door Seals: Extreme cold can cause weather sealants to crack leaving these areas vulnerable to water damage.
Plan to Paint: Inspect indoor and outdoor areas for paint repair. Choose eco-friendly paints. Try a new color in a room or two for a fresh new look.
Check AC System: Hire a qualified heating and cooling professional to clean and service your AC system.
Replace Batteries in Smoke Detectors: Don’t neglect this lifesaving tip!
Clean and Repair Windows: Now is the time to hire a professional to get the inside and outside of your windows clean and check for any damaged seals.
Chimney Care: Check the exterior of the chimney for damage. Hire a certified chimney sweep to clean and inspect the flue.
Check Lawn Equipment: Make sure lawn mowers are ready for the first spring cut.
My favorite part of spring is the birds chirping and flowers blooming. How about you…What’s your favorite part of spring?
Are you ready for spring?
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