Gorgeous custom home w/Brazilian cherry hardwood flrs, exceptional detailed wood molding & cabinetry throughout. Kitchen w/granite counters, breakfast bar, stainless steel appl., gas stove, double oven, reverse osmosis, large pantry, desk area & eating nook. Master w/large walk-in closet, tile flrs & counters, dual vanities soaker tub & separate shower. Office w/french doors, separate living & dining rooms. Bonus room, wet bar w/sink, tons of storage, waterfall pond in backyard & much more. A must see!

In November the President and congress passed an amended extension of the Home  Buyers Tax Credit.  The extension allows for First Time Homebuyers as well as Previous Home Owners to receive a tax credit for purchasing a home.  Below are a few of the guidelines for qualifying for the tax credit.

 Who is Eligible

-First-time homebuyers, who are defined by the law as buyers who have not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase, may be eligible for up to an $8,000 tax credit.
-Existing homeowners who have been residing in their principal residence for five consecutive years out of the last eight and are purchasing a home to be their primary residence may be eligible for up to a $6,500 tax credit.
-All U.S. citizens who file taxes are eligible to participate in the program. 

Income Limits

Homebuyers who file as single or head-of-household taxpayers can claim the full credit ($8,000 for first-time buyers and $6,500 for repeat buyers) if their modified adjusted gross income is less than $125,000.

-For married couples filing a joint return, the combined income limit is $225,000.
-Single or head-of-household taxpayers who earn between $125,000 and $145,000, and married couples who earn between $225,000 and $245,000 are eligible to receive a partial credit.
-The credit is not available for single taxpayers whose adjusted gross income is greater than $145,000 and married couples with a adjusted gross income that exceeds $245,000. 

 Effective Dates

-The eligibility period for the tax credit is for homes purchased after Nov. 6, 2009, and before May 1, 2010. However, home purchases subject to a binding sales contract signed by April 30, 2010, will qualify for the tax credit provided closing occurs prior to July 1, 2010. 

Beautiful custom home with a bright floor plan, hardwood floors, plant shelves and vaulted ceilings. Formal living room, office with french doors and cozy family room. Kitchen features breakfast bar, large pantry, built-in desk and eating nook. Master suite has separate shower, large bathtub, vanities and large closet. Great backyard with garden space and patio. A must see!Floor plan and style design included in tour, check it out.

Cozy home on a corner lot with split bedroom open floor plan. Hardwood floors, tile, plant shelves and new carpet through out. Master Suite has walk-in closet, dual vanities, soaker tub with separate shower. Den/office with french doors. Oversized two car garage. Backyard features large deck , play structure and gorgeous landcaping. A must see home!

Spectacular home located in the prestigious Colony Subdivision w/beautiful pool area & walkout/daylight basement. Amazing open flr. plan w/Brazilian hardwood flrs,tile, granite cnters, custom fixtures & painting throughout. Gorgeous kitchen w/huge walk in pantry, tons of storage, dble oven, gas stove & incredible rim view. Master Suite w/dual vanities, lrge walk-in closet, jetted tub, limestone tile & separate walk-in shower w/dual adjustable shower. Family, Living, Bonus & Rec rooms, outdoor BBQ & more!

Heating and Cooling Tips

*Set your Thermostat as low a is comfortable in the winter and as high as is comfortable in the summer.

*Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed

*Clean warm air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed;make sure they're not blocked by furniture, carpeting , or drapes.

*Bleed trapped air from hot water radiators once or twice a season if in doubt about how to preform this tasks, call a professional.

*Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators.

*Turn off kitchen, bath and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing;when replacing exhaust fans consider installing high-efficiencies, low-noise models.

*During the heating season, keep the draperies and shades on your south facing windows open during the day to allow sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.

*During the cooling season, keep the window coverings closed during the day to prevent soar gain.   (U.S.Department of Energy)

Energy Auditing Tips:

*Check the insulation levels in your attic, exterior and basement walls, ceilings, floors, and crawl spaces. Visit www.energysavers.gov for instructions on checking the insulation levels.

*Check for holes or cracks around your walls, ceilings, windows, doors, light and plumbing fixtures, switches, and electrical outlets that can leak air into or out of your home.

*Check for open fireplace dampers.

*Make sure your applianecs and heating and coooling systems are properly maintained. Check your owner's manuals for the recommended maintance.

*Study your family's lighting needs and use patterns, paying special attention to high-use areas such as the living room, kitchen, and outside lighting.  Look for ways to uselighting controls-like occupancy sensors, dimmers and timers-to reduce lighting energy use, and replace standard (incandescent) light bulbs and fixtures with compact or standard flourescent lamps. (US department of energy)

Stay tuned weekly for more energy saving tips. 

The question keeps coming up, "what is in the future for the real estate market?' No one has a crystal ball, but here are some thoughts. Right now we have a large inventory of homes on the market that are either bank-owned or short sale properties. They are pretty much homes that were purchased through the "0% down or no documentation of income" type loans. We are probably seeing a slow down of those types of homes.

What does the future hold. Research data indicates that the next round of homes coming on the market will be those that were purchased with ARM (adjustable rate mortgage) loans and with the huge jump in interest rates that they include, these will also, to a large part, become bank-owned and short sales.

The general wisdom is if you don't have to sell, wait for a couple of more years. Eventually we will get out of this mess. Meanwhile, if you are an investor, or a 1st time home buyer, now is the time to get serious about purchasing a home at a great deal!

Easy access with new driveway, beautiful views in prestigious Crosstimber Ranch less than 1/4 mile from South Fork of Payette River for great fishing, hunting, and Southfork Landing for snow tubing.

I had the Evaluation done and I am looking forward to the printed results. As it was, it was amazing to see them use a special infrared camera that identified the areas where heat was coming into the house. What an eye opener.

Stay tuned for the results and the energy savings that can be achieved with some simple "fixes".

Your have to see this amazing lot in The Colony. Located on a quiet, private lane, this 1.5 acre lot is fully fenced and has a magnificent view of the Boise foothills. This lot is complete with automatic sprinklers sourced from the pressurized community irrigation system. This is one of the last lots available in The Colony, a fabulous, established community!

The signing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, better known as the    stimulus package, contains several positive provisions to energize the housing market.  The stimulus is expected to play a significant role in the recovery of the housing market.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

*First time home buyer tax credit was raised to $8000: If you purchase your home between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009.  Home buyers must live in the home for 3 years without selling in order to be eligible.  Use of credit reduces the purchaser's income tax liability. 

*Tax credit 2^nd loan option:  If you qualify for the first time home buyer credit and want to use it to purchase your first home in 2009, Idaho Housing has a new program that will allow you to borrower the credit as a down payment on your new home.  Call for details

*Mortgage rates are expected to continue to fall based on the buying of another $200-300 billion of mortgage papers from the GSEs, this will free up agencies to purchase additional mortgages: Falling mortgage rates, as the result of improving liquidity and credit in the mortgage market, will lower monthly mortgage payments for buyers and home owners.

*Fannie Mae has raised its total of investment properties financed to 10: The higher limit means investors can now obtain financing on up to 10 properties versus the previous 4.

*Mortgage Interest deductibility, Real estate tax deductibility, and the $250,000/$500,000 cap on tax free gains were all preserved.  The preservation of these important tax breaks continue to underscore that buying or selling a home remains a great tax  shelter for individuals and families.

*Loan limits up to $729,750 have been reinstated in high cost areas:  This allows borrowers to avoid a higher cost “jumbo” loan and instead allow them to get conforming loans with lower rates.

As always, it is important to check with your professional accountant to know how it applies to you specifically. Here is a basic breakdown for you to review.

First-Time Homebuyer: Someone who has not owned a principal residence during the 36 month period edning with the purchase date of the residence.

Purchase Date: Existing home - Date Title closes; New Construction - Date of occupancy

2009 Credit:

• Lesser of 10% of home's purchase price or $8,ooo
• If sold or no longer the taxpayer's principle residence within the 36 month period following the purchase date of the residence, the full credit must be repaid that year.
• Credit phaseout for modified Adjusted Gross Income about $75,000 to $95,000 ($150,000 to $170,000 for Married Couples Filing Jointly).
• Refundable credit
• Can elect to take credit on 2008 or 2009 tax return. Can use this election to avoid phaseout of credit.

Click Here

Still accepting offers- Custom home located on Banbury Golf Course w/views of Bogus Basin. Home features an open floor plan w/vaulted ceilings, silhouette shades wood trim,travertine, Brazillian hardwood & tile throughout. Spacious gourmet kitchen w/granite counters, island, huge pantry, double ovens, dishwashers & sinks. Master Suite has amazing walk-in closet, sitting area, fireplace, dual raised vanities w/an extra vanity, separate shower and soaker tub. There is a rec/loft area,theater & bonus room.