HELLLLOOOO My Wonderful Beautiful Bay Area… Those of you who have enjoyed taking certain deductions yearly… be forewarned… certain tax benefits will be going up up and away… (the article below comes from Inman News)… please make your notes and be sure to take what you can before they disappear…

Real Estate Tax Talk. There are several tax credits and deductions set to expire at the end of the year, and given the federal deficit problem, there’s a good chance they won’t be extended. If you want to take advantage of them, you need to act before Jan. 1, 2012. Mortgage insurance premium deduction If you itemize deductions, you may deduct the premiums you pay for mortgage insurance, just like you do mortgage interest. However, this deduction is phased out if your income exceeds certain levels. To qualify for the full deduction, a couple or a single taxpayer must have an adjusted gross income of $100,000 or less. The deduction is phased out completely if AGI exceeds $109,000. For further details go ahead and check out the full article…click open the hyperlink below…

http://shar.es/oh6zE

There’s really some true advantages to “Online Shopping”!!… LOL

HELLLOOOOO My Wonderful Beautiful Bay Area… Have been soul searching for a nice something to post and share… its just that kind of day…Sorry sometimes the thoughts just dont flow.. Work has been at a very hectic pace but so appreciative for it… Life is Wonderful… Spring is Springing Up!!  Our climate is just where it needs to be and I hope you’re enjoying and experiencing all Our Wonderful Beautiful Bay Area has to offer…  Happy Spring to All…  have you ever done any gardening??… Its one of my favorite hobbies… last year we traveled to an Iris Farm in Brentwood… here’s a mere sampling of what we saw…

We were so delighted with the bountiful array of colors we had to bring some bulbs home to grow in our own Iris Flower Bed… If you’ve never seen a Bearded Iris and if you enjoy what nature can do… check this out!!…

The first of our bulbs to bloom!!

So Proud!!… Sooo Amazing!!… Enjoy!!…

Cheers Everyone!

Cheers and Enjoy Enjoy!!…

Related articles

• Coming Very Soon!!… (isiwu.com)
• Life in a Small House… under 100 sqft. (isiwu.com)

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HELLOOOOOO…. MY Wonderful, Beautiful, Wet and Cold Bay Area!!… Today we have a Q and A for you… check it out… (Send me your questions anytime…)

QUESTION… In today’s environment (February 2011) can one purchase a home with 10% down, credit score of 740, $200,000 income and a short sale in 2009?

Asked by Donsfan – Home Buyer in Oakland – Home Buying

ANSWER… Hello… As you must know the current market is not exactly a wonderful one to be in… one would think its very much to the advantage of the buyers to be able to buy lower than ever before… because of all the challenges in the lending process these days and because of all of its ever changing requirements it can be a huge headache to maneuver through… I suggest that you connect up with a realtor who has some years of experience to counsel and guide you through what can and cannot be done… Good Luck to you… Isi

Related articles

• How first-time buyers can get on the property ladder (telegraph.co.uk)
• Short Sales, Foreclosure and Your Credit Score (creditscore.net)

HELLLLOOOOOO My Beautiful, Wonderful Bay Area!!… Its a gorgeous day today…  hope you’re out there enjoying it!… Wanted to share some food for thought for all you 

First Time Home Buyers out there…  

First Time Home Buyers – so excited, filled with anticipation and hope for the future… the first homes you see may well be foreclosed properties – terrible carpeting, damaged walls, missing items, various aromas inside the house… the excitement and hope may begin to fade…

All of a sudden your dream home appears!!… Brand new kitchen, remodeled bathrooms, new paint, new flooring, new windows… its perfect!!… It’s the only one you want… no way will you consider those awful foreclosed/distressed homes!… its too good to be true!!…

Your Realtor informs you it’s a “Flip”…  what the heck is a “Flip” you ask?… A flip is a property purchased by an investor at a discounted price, either on the courthouse steps or some other means… the investor “Flipper” will usually send in a crew to upgrade and improve the home before putting it back on the market for a profit.  The upgrades usually include new paint, new flooring, new kitchen cabinets, new counters, new appliances, new dual pane windows, new hot water heater, a new roof and more…

The drawback is… permits are required for many of the upgrades, and in many cases the “Flippers” don’t bother.

Whenever improvements are made without the necessary permits its creates a real problem. Permits are required for almost every kind of home improvement.

When a buyer purchases a home without the required permits, they become liable for bringing the home to compliance.  This is the problem… time is money, to make a profit “Flippers” must get the home improved and back on the market asap.  Obtaining permits can take more time and delays and more money.

Since the “flippers” buy properties “as is” they inherit the pre-existing improvements – many without permits.  They really should get these properties into compliance with the local building departments BEFORE doing anymore additional work and re-selling.  Its safe to say this isn’t happening in most cases.

In Summary…

The Good?  Flippers are upgrading homes and improving neighborhoods.

The Bad? Shortcuts. Buyers should check city records for permits… None? Ask the seller to provide them.

The Ugly?  Not all flippers do good work. Some just paint over issues and hide problems to turn a quick profit. There’s no guarantee all improvements were installed properly and safely.

Make sure you get a proper home inspection so you know what you’re getting into. BUYER BEWARE!..

Thanks for checking in!! Your comments are always welcome…

Isi

Isi Wu… the realtor for you…
the right agent makes all the difference

Serving Clients All Over the Eastbay…

Related articles

• House Flippers: The Forgotten “Victims” Of The Real Estate Implosion (247wallst.com)

 

Hello My Beautiful Wonderful Bay Area ~ How are things going for you today?…  No matter whats going on in our crazy lives… this certainly brings a smile to most everyone’s face… it’s something we all have fond childhood memories of…  One of the most treasured guilty pleasures for most everyone is “ice cream“ !!!… its simply ageless… lots of late nights spent topping off a nice day or evening out, or going for a sweet treat with friends,  or spending time with a loved one or just going for a fun time…  One of my most favorite places to go is a place called Fenton’s … its not just a place for ice cream… its  a “happening” place to be… with darn good ice cream… all kinds… and an “all american” style menu filled with your favorite basic foods nothing fancy… but sure to please those who choose to have a meal before their “very special dessert”…here’s my attempt in sharing the essence of Fenton’s…  enjoy and if you havent been… you must try it at least once in your life!… soooooo soooo yummeeeee…

Clik This >>>>>>>>> >>>>               The Legendary ~ Fenton’s Ice Creamery

Thanks for checking in…

Isi

Isi Wu… the realtor for you

Serving Clients All Over the Eastbay!

Helllloooo My Wonderful Beautiful Bay Area!!…  Dim Sum is synonomous to Fun, Good Times, Delicious Food, Variety, Hot Tea and our Wonderful Beautiful Bay Area… or lets say most anywhere where there is a large population of Chinese… As a child growing up in our Wonderful Beautiful Bay Area… my sisters and I looked forward to having our weekly treat of dim sum with our mother… after making the rounds in Chinatown food shopping we got to top off the trip with a meal of dim sum… most dim sum houses are overflowing with folks at noon time… small plates with all kinds of dishes to enjoy!!…  Today… after many many years of  visiting dim sum tea houses throughout the US and the world… one of our very most favorite places is East Ocean Restaurant in the island town of Alameda, CA.

It is owned and operated by a family of sisters… all of whom focus on welcoming everyone who come to dine… It is by far one of the very best places to enjoy dim sum and always always served with a smile….  The mark of any great place to eat is not only the loyalty of its customers but its staff… the staff at East Ocean have been there many many years… there is a devotion to the business and to the people they serve… My husband and I have been loyal customers there for at least 17 years… the food is always fresh and always always served with a smile…  and the price is reasonable… if you’re ever in the mood to have Dim Sum served with lots of smiles… try East Ocean Restaurant.

When you go look for Millie or any of her sisters who will always greet you with a smile and a chat…