Real Estate Information Archive

It is here!! The just now published Wichita Falls Annual Real Estate Report is in the marketplace. This terrific, useful data was the brainchild of Ashton who spent countless hours in research of this information. It was made whole by our friend, Patrick Kemp, at Three Leaf Creative. You should be able to access it as an attachment today by clicking here.

The magazine in print will be mailed to 3500 households and will be available from us or at various locations around the city. Call if you seek one.

Spring definitely found us this weekend. It was a gorgeous weekend enhanced by the various trees and flowers in bloom. Did you notice the attractive red bud trees, the colorful tulips, the pear trees, etc. Many gardeners are now planting tomato plants, pepper plants, herbs, etc. Water sources are so vital. Please, let’s all continue to pray for rain.

The March real estate market has been solid, not overwhelming. This type of activity seems like it will be predominant in 2014. That is solid, but not great.

Thank you very much for believing in the Bishop Group. We appreciate all of you.

Home Selling 101: Capital Gains

For those who sold their home this year, it's important to understand how selling your home may impact your tax returns, now that tax season is upon us.  The following information explains how capital gains work for those who have recently sold a home.

If you sell your primary residence, you may be able to exclude up to $250,000 of gain – $500,000 for married couples – from your federal tax return. To claim the exclusion, the IRS says your home must have been owned by you and used as your main home for a period of at least two out of the five years prior to its sale.

There are a few catches: You also must not have excluded gain on another home sold during the two years before the current sale. However, special rules apply for members of the armed, uniformed and foreign services and their families in calculating the 5-year period.

If you do not meet the ownership and use tests, you may use a reduced maximum exclusion amount. But only if you sold your home due to health, a change in place of employment, or unforeseen circumstances.

An extra perk? If you can exclude all the gain from the sale of your home, you do not report it on your federal tax return. If you cannot exclude all the gain, or you choose not to, you must use Schedule D of Form 1040, Capital Gains or Losses, to report the total gain and claim the exclusion you qualify for.

How about for those with more than one home?

You can exclude the gain only from the sale of your main residence. You must pay tax on the gain from selling any other home. If you have two homes and live in both of them, your main home is usually the one you live in most often.

As a Member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I have a wealth of real estate and homeownership information that may be of help to you. Feel free to contact me any time to learn more about this important information, and be sure to forward this article on to any friends or family that may be interested as well.

Sincerely,

Tax Tips for Home Sellers

Tax season is approaching fast, and for those who sold a home this year, it's important to start thinking about how this may impact your taxes. Below are several of the need-to-know facts about tax season for home sellers.

Under $250,000? You may be able to exclude gains. Just because you profited on your home sale does not mean you have to pay taxes on it. In fact, if you're eligible to exclude your gains, you don't even need to note that you sold your home at all when you file.

To be eligible, you need to have made a profit of less than $500,000 on a joint return or $250,000 on an individual return, and the home must have been your primary residence for at least two years prior to sale.

You may not have to report your home sale at all. If you can exclude all of the gain--meaning it was under 500,00 on a joint return or $250,000 on a single--you probably don’t need to report the sale of your home on your tax return at all. Double check this with your accountant, but this is the case in most situations.

But you can't deduct your losses. While it's great you can exclude financial gains, you can't deduct financial losses, which is unfortunate.

The more homes, the more complicated tax-time can be. Several complications can arise from owning more than one property, be it an investment or vacation home. The home you live in the majority of the time is considered your primary residence. This is important because it's necessary for you to report any gains you may have made on your second home.

If you can't exclude gains...If you can’t exclude all of the gain because it was over the allotted amount, or you choose not to exclude it, then you will need to report the sale on your tax return. Keep an eye out for Form 1099-S, Proceeds From Real Estate Transactions.

If you’re selling your first home...One more reminder about selling your home and tax season: special rules may apply when you sell a home for which you received the first-time homebuyer credit.

Keep in mind that tax time can be stressful and busy, so it's always a good idea to have a professional look over your paperwork if you had an unusual financial year.

603 Main St.

Welcome to a fabulously restored property in the heart of Byers, TX. Located on Main Street, this property takes a historical small-town Texas building and turns it into contemporary residential space with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and 1-car garage. Fabulous open floor plan with stained concrete flooring, exposed brick walls, and soaring ceilings. Living area consists of living room, dining area, game room area, and contemporary kitchen with stainless steel appliances, Center Island, and oversized pantry. Luxurious master suite has access to the backyard. Master bath has Jacuzzi tub plus walk-in shower with rainfall shower head. Secondary bedrooms are generous in size and share a hall bath with tub/shower combination. Large utility room is off the attached garage. Open backyard with covered area.

3 Blue Sage Ct.

Fabulous Canyon Trails home perched on a quiet cul-de-sac lot with a
pool, 3 car garage, and stunning views. Amenities include: spacious
downstairs living space, 2 fireplaces, isolated master with wonderful
pool and property view, spacious master bathroom with jacuzzi
tub/shower/walk-in closet, formal study off of entry, convenient
downstairs half bath, very open kitchen with breakfast area/ample
storage/granite counter tops, 4 beds upstairs with 2 full baths, and a
fantastic lot with wonderful views of the native wildlife habitat.

Other Features Include:

• Canyon Trails cul-de-sac lot.
• Incredible view of the native habitat.
• Spacious downstairs living space.
• Formal study off of entry.
• 2 fireplaces - 1 in living area and 1 in kitchen.
• Ample storage in kitchen and nice workspace.
• Granite counter tops in kitchen.
• Breakfast area off of the kitchen.
• Large pantry in kitchen.
• Isolated master bedroom offers great view of the pool.
• Master bathroom is over-sized with his/her sinks, jacuzzi tub, shower, and closet.
• Upstairs offers 4 bedrooms or 3 beds plus a game room.
• Beds 2 and 3 share a full bath.
• Bedroom 4 has its own full bath with tub/shower.
• Bedroom 5 or game room has window view and closet storage.
• Utility room with sinks off of garage leads to kitchen.
• Convenient half bath off of kitchen and living area.
• Wonderfully kept backyard with fenced pool.
• 3 car garage and room for additional parking if needed.

Ashton Gustafson, a Wichita Falls realtor has been awarded the prestigious Certified Residential Specialists, the largest not-for-profit affiliate of the National Association of Realtors.

Wichita Falls residents have again begun receiving letters offering them water and sewer line insurance.  This most recent letter is from HomeServe USA Repair Management Corp. of Austin, Texas.  This offer is not a City program or a City requirement.  Home or business owners in the City of Wichita Falls ARE NOT required to carry water or sewer line insurance.  Citizens are urged to consult with their insurance provider and the Better Business Bureau for questions related to HomeServe.