http://www.restoratif.org Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:08:45 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 Intense international promotional campaign of Forex [1] market has led to creating a very appealing characteristic of this marketplace. The turnover of capital on Forex is much more than the turnover of all other stock exchanges. It’s not expensive to implement currency operations at Forex and every day amount of these operations is really huge. You will not find any other currency market that works on the twenty four hours basis. Undoubtedly, plenty of benefits are at your disposal at Forex. You will certainly like that your potential income is not restrained if you work on the Forex market. The turnover of this market allows the experts to compare it with illegal markets (for instance, illegal substances, and so on). But of course, operating at Forex market is completely legitimate, so you shouldn’t worry. It’s not possible to talk about a working day in the usual understanding, as a working day is not clearly defined – you decide by yourself how long it will take. Thus, you can have your main job and trade on Forex when you have free time. Everybody has the equal rights at Forex. You will not have a chief there and will not be a subordinate. The turnover of the market is so big that there is no risk to fall a victim of some manipulations (fraud is an exception) if you act as an individual trader. Hence, everybody can achieve success on the financial market, contracting with the reliable Forex brokers [2] and undergoing a special Forex training. The operations of the market participants are not limited by some production constraints. All currency transactions are made with the help of your personal computer with the access to the Internet. You shouldn’t go on business or work overtime anymore and will have more time for your family. If you work on the Forex market, the outcome will be in front of you instantly. And no need for paper work or official circumlocution. Once you’ve learnt to conclude successful deals on Forex you will not be nervous when you hear that the level of unemployment is increasing. Moreover, if you are a successful trader you will stand to win, while working in the pecuniary institutions. Working in the sphere of finances, you always can choose a particular speciality in this sphere, taking an additional course. So, diversity of the Forex online [3] operations enables you to select that kind of activity, which you prefer. [1] http://fibogroup.com/ [2] http://fibogroup.com/beginners/about_forex.html [3] http://fibogroup.com/beginners/how_start.html http://www.restoratif.org/what-can-explain-popularity-of-forex.html Forex currency trading [1] appears to be the fastest web based financial trading business in the world. FX market or forex exchange market is a market that greatly depends upon the movement of forex currency and the forex trade. In forex trading, the use of an automated forex trading system that automatically sends forex indicators and forex signals will be more like a boon for the forex exchange investor. The forex exchange market provides perfect and solid trading platform to the forex investor so that they can earn consistent profit. The daily trade turn over of this market is over $3 billion and there is a high chance for a young trader to carry out high volume of forex transactions quiet easily. Traders love to use automated forex trading system in forex trade because the system offers smart tips and strategies of almost all experienced forex traders and forex brokers. If you do want to get the benefit of this automated device then it is important for you to open up a forex account [2] with an online forex trading broker. It is also necessary for you to check out the comments and reviews about the automated forex trading software. Although, there are hundreds of automated trading platforms available in the currency trading market but it is really difficult to buy the right one. You should also check out the competency and working of the forex trading software to get to know whether it can easily meet your automated forex trading preferences or not. The biggest benefit of using an automated forex trading platform is it supplies the forex trader the live and updated forex trading charts in the live forex exchange market. With the help of automated forex robot, you can get the quick and instant access to online forex brokerage firms and individual forex brokers who will help you to improve your forex trade. Remember that the currency trading industry is volatile and it generally demands the latest information regarding to the forex trading rates and the movement of the forex currency pair in the market. If your trading software is providing you delayed information about forex exchange rates and about currency pair then it can be a high risk for your forex trading. The use of automated forex trading system is quiet easy and simple. Your client will offer you training tutorial and eBooks along with the software so that you can learn to use forex trading [3] system easily and can able to earn some heavy gains in the forex trading market. [1] http://nordfx.com/forex-currency.html [2] http://nordfx.com/forex-education.html [3] http://nordfx.com/ http://www.restoratif.org/the-benefits-of-using-online-forex-trading-system.html Article Summary: Real Estate had been the apple of investment to the few who have the gold. When real estate are developed or bought for the purpose of generating income, it becomes an income property. No wonder why there are numerous of income property for sale and for rent.November 25th, 2011 – Because of the holiday the statistics this week are a bit off, but interesting non-the-less. Durango Real Estate Statistics and Weekly Update! Great deals, new listings, foreclosures and sold comparables What sold over this past week? 17 properties sold Article Content: November 25th, 2011 – Because of the holiday the statistics this week are a bit off, but interesting non-the-less. Durango Real Estate Statistics and Weekly Update! Great deals, new listings, foreclosures and sold comparables What sold over this past week? 17 properties sold in Durango, Colorado and area over the last week Click Here for Sold Listings New Durango Real Estate Listings this week: There are 15 new listings this week, click here for new listings. Bankowned Listings (REO): Due to continuing interest I am including REO property, that means “Real Estate Owned” in bank-lingo, in other words, bankowned properties, or foreclosed properties after the foreclosure process is completed. The bank/lender now owns the property. They are typically sold at a discount, hence the popularity! There are no new REO listings this week! And Back by Popular demand – the Market Snapshot – Free and Instant Home Valuations! A cool map based comparable report that shows new listings and sales comparables to your house, for sellers or buyers.   Sign up by clicking here. Or go to Durangohousevalues.com. You’ll love it! If you’d like to see any  listings or statistics that we are not covering please don’t hesitate to send an email or post a comment. Maybe you’d like to be alerted to new listings in a specific price range or type. Let us know, we’re here to help. NEW – We now offer full service property management and property maintenance to ensure maximum cash flow for your investments. If you own a rental property let us help you maximize your profit. If you are looking for homes for rent, check in with us as well. Sign up with us by January 1, 2012 to manage your rental, and get FREE set up (0.00 cash value). Click here for our Property Management Page. Sign up to receive automatic emails of new listings by sending me a quick email and letting me know what you’d like to see, claudia@blueribbondurango.com. To see virtual tours of some of my listings click here Have a great weekend! Feel free to call or email me if you’d like to talk about real estate or go to look at properties! ___ Claudia Williams Owner/Ecobroker/Exchangor Blue Ribbon Properties, 835 Main Ave #214, Durango, CO 81301 970 247 8388 (office), 970 749 3555  (cell), 970 247 8360 (fax), claudia@blueribbondurango.com Connect with Claudia on facebook, Buzztown Durango, twitter and my blog articles Be sure to LIKE Blue Ribbon Properties on Facebook! Get the current market situation and find out what your home is worth. Sign up for the market snapshot here Disclaimer – these links and information are based on the Durango local multi listing service. While all information is deemed accurate there are no guarantees. Does not include for sale by owners or foreclosure properties that are not listed on the MLS. --------------------- http://www.restoratif.org/online-realestatethanksgiving-statistics-nov-25th-2011-weekly-durango-real-estate-sales-and-listings.html Article Summary: Find Out The Latest Trends and Information Regarding Buying And Selling Real Estate. This blog has post in the topics of Home Buying, Home Selling, real estate news and tutorials.Dec 2nd, 2011 – The holidays are here – today is Noel Night in Durango (our Main St version of Black Friday),  come on out! Here’s your Durango Real Estate Statistics and Weekly Update! Great deals, new listings, foreclosures and sold comparables. What sold this past Article Content: Dec 2nd, 2011 – The holidays are here – today is Noel Night in Durango (our Main St version of Black Friday),  come on out! Here’s your Durango Real Estate Statistics and Weekly Update! Great deals, new listings, foreclosures and sold comparables. What sold this past week? 24 properties sold in Durango, Colorado and area over the last week. Some really good deals – check it out. Click Here for Sold Listings New Durango Real Estate Listings this week: There are 24 new listings this week, click here for new listings. Click here for new listings Bankowned Listings (REO): Due to continuing interest I am including REO property, that means “Real Estate Owned” in bank-lingo, in other words, bankowned properties, or foreclosed properties after the foreclosure process is completed. The bank/lender now owns the property. They are typically sold at a discount, hence the popularity! There are 4 new REO listings this week! click here for repo-bankowned listings And Back by Popular demand – the Market Snapshot – Free and Instant Home Valuations! A cool map based comparable report that shows new listings and sales comparables to your house, for sellers or buyers.   Sign up by clicking here. Or go to Durangohousevalues.com. You’ll love it! If you’d like to see any  listings or statistics that we are not covering please don’t hesitate to send an email or post a comment. Maybe you’d like to be alerted to new listings in a specific price range or type. Let us know, we’re here to help. NEW – We now offer full service property management and property maintenance to ensure maximum cash flow for your investments. If you own a rental property let us help you maximize your profit. If you are looking for homes for rent, check in with us as well. Sign up with us by January 1, 2012 to manage your rental, and get FREE set up (0.00 cash value). Click here for our Property Management Page. Sign up to receive automatic emails of new listings by sending me a quick email and letting me know what you’d like to see, claudia@blueribbondurango.com. To see virtual tours of some of my listings click here Have a great weekend! Feel free to call or email me if you’d like to talk about real estate or go to look at properties! ___ Claudia Williams Owner/Ecobroker/Exchangor Blue Ribbon Properties, 835 Main Ave #214, Durango, CO 81301 970 247 8388 (office), 970 749 3555  (cell), 970 247 8360 (fax), claudia@blueribbondurango.com Connect with Claudia on facebook, Buzztown Durango, twitter and my blog articles Be sure to LIKE Blue Ribbon Properties on Facebook! Get the current market situation and find out what your home is worth. Sign up for the market snapshot here ___ Claudia Williams Owner/Ecobroker/Exchangor Blue Ribbon Properties, 835 Main Ave #214, Durango, CO 81301 970 247 8388 (office), 970 749 3555 (cell), 970 247 8360 (fax), claudia@blueribbondurango.com Connect with Claudia on facebook, Buzztown Durango, twitter and my blog articles Be sure to LIKE Blue Ribbon Properties on Facebook! Get the current market situation and find out what your home is worth. Sign up for the market snapshot here Disclaimer – these links and information are based on the Durango local multi listing service. While all information is deemed accurate there are no guarantees. Does not include for sale by owners or foreclosure properties that are not listed on the MLS. --------------------- http://www.restoratif.org/online-realestatedec-2nd-2011-weekly-durango-real-estate-stats-sold-and-new-listings.html Article Summary: Looking to get the latest information on the real estate market? This blog will provide you with up to date, honest, practical information about buying and selling Real Estate.December 8th, 2011 – The Durango Community has come together to celebrate the lives of Gena Rych, 27; Tyler Black, 24; Jan (Measles) Osborne, 50; and Stephen Osborne, 59 who died in Saturday’s plane crash near Silverton. May we always keep them in our hearts. Here’s Article Content: December 8th, 2011 – The Durango Community has come together to celebrate the lives of Gena Rych, 27; Tyler Black, 24; Jan (Measles) Osborne, 50; and Stephen Osborne, 59 who died in Saturday’s plane crash near Silverton. May we always keep them in our hearts. Here’s your Durango Real Estate Statistics and Weekly Update! Great deals, new listings, foreclosures and sold comparables. What sold this past week? 13 properties sold in Durango, Colorado and area over the last week. Some really good deals – check it out. Click Here for Sold Listings New Durango Real Estate Listings this week: There are 30 new listings this week, click here for new listings. Click Here for New Listings Bankowned Listings (REO): Due to continuing interest I am including REO property, that means “Real Estate Owned” in bank-lingo, in other words, bankowned properties, or foreclosed properties after the foreclosure process is completed. The bank/lender now owns the property. They are typically sold at a discount, hence the popularity! There are 3 new REO listings this week! Click Here for Repo-Bank Owned Listings And Back by Popular demand – the Market Snapshot – Free and Instant Home Valuations! A cool map based comparable report that shows new listings and sales comparables to your house, for sellers or buyers.   Sign up by clicking here. Or go to Durangohousevalues.com. You’ll love it! If you’d like to see any  listings or statistics that we are not covering please don’t hesitate to send an email or post a comment. Maybe you’d like to be alerted to new listings in a specific price range or type. Let us know, we’re here to help. NEW – We now offer full service property management and property maintenance to ensure maximum cash flow for your investments. If you own a rental property let us help you maximize your profit. If you are looking for homes for rent, check in with us as well. Sign up with us by January 1, 2012 to manage your rental, and get FREE set up (0.00 cash value). Click here for our Property Management Page. Sign up to receive automatic emails of new listings by sending me a quick email and letting me know what you’d like to see, claudia@blueribbondurango.com. To see virtual tours of some of my listings click here Have a great weekend! Feel free to call or email me if you’d like to talk about real estate or go to look at properties! ___ Claudia Williams Owner/Ecobroker/Exchangor Blue Ribbon Properties, 835 Main Ave #214, Durango, CO 81301 970 247 8388 (office), 970 749 3555  (cell), 970 247 8360 (fax), claudia@blueribbondurango.com Connect with Claudia on facebook, Buzztown Durango, twitter and my blog articles Be sure to LIKE Blue Ribbon Properties on Facebook! Get the current market situation and find out what your home is worth. Sign up for the market snapshot here Disclaimer – these links and information are based on the Durango local multi listing service. While all information is deemed accurate there are no guarantees. Does not include for sale by owners or foreclosure properties that are not listed on the MLS. --------------------- http://www.restoratif.org/real-estate-housesdecember-8-2011-weekly-durango-real-estate-statistics-sold-new-listings.html Article Summary: Looking to get the latest information on the real estate market? This blog will provide you with up to date, honest, practical information about buying and selling Real Estate.December 16th, 2011 – Here’s your Durango Real Estate Statistics and Weekly Update! Great deals, new listings, foreclosures and sold comparables. What sold this past week? 20 properties sold in Durango, Colorado and area over the last week. That’s 7 more than last week! Article Content: December 16th, 2011 – Here’s your Durango Real Estate Statistics and Weekly Update! Great deals, new listings, foreclosures and sold comparables. What sold this past week? 20 properties sold in Durango, Colorado and area over the last week. That’s 7 more than last week! Some really good deals – check it out. Click Here for Sold Listings New Durango Real Estate Listings this week: There are 22 new listings this week, click here for new listings. Click Here for New Listings Bankowned Listings (REO): Due to continuing interest we are including REO property, which means “Real Estate Owned” in bank-lingo, in other words, bankowned properties, or foreclosed properties after the foreclosure process is completed. The bank/lender now owns the property. They are typically sold at a discount, hence the popularity! Please follow this link to our foreclosure page on our website. It shows all active bankowned and foreclosure listings in the area and is continually updated. Bookmark it and visit it often! Or email us, info@blueribbondurango.com to get set up for automatic email notifications on new bankowned listings! Click here for Foreclosures & Bankowned Homes in the Durango & Surrounding Areas     And Back by Popular demand – the Market Snapshot – Free and Instant Home Valuations! A cool map based comparable report that shows new listings and sales comparables to your house, for sellers or buyers.   Sign up by clicking here. Or go to Durangohousevalues.com. You’ll love it! If you’d like to see any  listings or statistics that we are not covering please don’t hesitate to send an email or post a comment. Maybe you’d like to be alerted to new listings in a specific price range or type. Let us know, we’re here to help. NEW – We now offer full service property management and property maintenance to ensure maximum cash flow for your investments. If you own a rental property let us help you maximize your profit. If you are looking for homes for rent, check in with us as well. Sign up with us by January 1, 2012 to manage your rental, and get FREE set up (0.00 cash value). Click here for our Property Management Page. Sign up to receive automatic emails of new listings by sending me a quick email and letting me know what you’d like to see, claudia@blueribbondurango.com. To see virtual tours of some of my listings click here Have a great weekend! Feel free to call or email me if you’d like to talk about real estate or go to look at properties! ___ Claudia Williams Owner/Ecobroker/Exchangor Blue Ribbon Properties, 835 Main Ave #214, Durango, CO 81301 970 247 8388 (office), 970 749 3555  (cell), 970 247 8360 (fax), claudia@blueribbondurango.com Connect with Claudia on facebook, Buzztown Durango, twitter and my blog articles Be sure to LIKE Blue Ribbon Properties on Facebook! Get the current market situation and find out what your home is worth. Sign up for the market snapshot here Disclaimer – these links and information are based on the Durango local multi listing service. While all information is deemed accurate there are no guarantees. Does not include for sale by owners or foreclosure properties that are not listed on the MLS. --------------------- http://www.restoratif.org/online-real-estatesdecember-16-2011-weekly-durango-real-estate-statistics-sold-new-listings.html Article Summary: Find Out The Latest Trends and Information Regarding Buying And Selling Real Estate. This blog has post in the topics of Home Buying, Home Selling, real estate news and tutorials.Season’s  Greetings This year has brought expansion to Blue Ribbon Properties, we added three new agents welcoming Terry Sadler, Don Ferris and Bill Powell. We’ve expanded into property management in Bayfield, Durango and Farmington area in addition to our continuing premium Article Content: Season’s  Greetings This year has brought expansion to Blue Ribbon Properties, we added three new agents welcoming Terry Sadler, Don Ferris and Bill Powell. We’ve expanded into property management in Bayfield, Durango and Farmington area in addition to our continuing premium real estate sales services in Colorado and New Mexico. Sales volume is up and that’s a tentatively strong signal for the upcoming year! What a turbulent year 2011 has been, another year marked with dramatic changes and challenges. Several of you took advantage of the opportunities in this market, refinanced at historically low interest rates or bought real estate at reduced prices. Others are still waiting in the wings for the right deal to come along, or maybe you are getting frustrated trying to sell your property in a tough market. Regardless of your position in the real estate market, we continue to see that your need for accurate and up to date information is greater than ever. We continue to pride ourselves on having established our blog as one of Durango’s best sources for real estate statistics! Every Friday we post an update of sales and new listings and we are proud to say that our number of subscribers is steadily increasing. If you haven’t subscribed to our blog articles, we would like to encourage you to do so at BlueRibbonDurango.com or follow us on Facebook at fb.com/blueribbonproperties. Overall, the recent activity, coupled with the pent up demand of potential home buyers who haven’t bought in the past few years, leads me to continue to forecast a healthy albeit slow market recovery. Being the optimist that I am, I can’t help but point out the positive news and real estate market headlines over the past few weeks: “The U.S. Economy – Finally, Some Positive News”, The Economist, Nov 26, 2011 “an improved outlook for at least the near future is now showing up all over the economic data.“ “Housing in 2012: Things are looking up”, Money Magazine, Dec 2011 “The outlook: Most of the country will see the housing market stabilize, just don’t bet on a big increase in prices.” “Housing looking better …”, Durango Herald,  Nov 20, 2011 “We’ve recently had some OK local economic news. Real estate appears to be recovering. Builders are feeling confident enough to start spec homes for would-be buyers, and between September and October, foreclosures fell 15 percent. New home permits are trending upward nationally and in Colorado. The National Association of Home Builders reports new home sales rose 5.7 percent last month. Nationwide, home inventory has fallen to about six months, a far cry from the 12-month surplus in 2009. And some believe the pent-up demand of people waiting for a more robust economy, living with family and friends, is about to be unleashed..” As another year comes to a close we are reminded of just how fortunate we are to have wonderful families and friends, steady business and last but not least we get to live in beautiful Durango and enjoy all the wonderful activities around us. We know that it is the people in our lives that bring real joy and happiness. Together we can overcome anything! We sincerely value your business and are here to help you with all your real estate needs. If you know anyone who may be thinking about buying, selling or renting, or simply could use information on real estate please do refer them our way. We promise to take excellent care of you and them! Have a Happy New Year! Here’s to an awesome 2012! Claudia Williams and the Blue Ribbon Team   Claudia Williams Owner/Ecobroker/Exchangor Blue Ribbon Properties, 835 Main Ave #214, Durango, CO 81301 970 247 8388 (office), 970 749 3555  (cell), 970 247 8360 (fax), claudia@blueribbondurango.com Connect with Claudia on facebook, Buzztown Durango, twitter and my blog articles Be sure to LIKE Blue Ribbon Properties on Facebook! Get the current market situation and find out what your home is worth. Sign up for the market snapshot here                 --------------------- http://www.restoratif.org/online-real-estateseason%e2%80%99s-greetings-from-blue-ribbon-properties.html Article Summary: Online Real Estate Blog, provide guides of real estate, home insurance, home loans, provide new information of real estate industry.Thought this was quite interesting from CBS Money Watch! We could all use some tips on how to save money on our taxes! Before you slide into a holiday-induced brain freeze, there are a number of steps you can take before year end to save you money, courtesy of Uncle Sam. There are Article Content: Thought this was quite interesting from CBS Money Watch! We could all use some tips on how to save money on our taxes! Before you slide into a holiday-induced brain freeze, there are a number of steps you can take before year end to save you money, courtesy of Uncle Sam. There are lots of other juicy tax benefits that are slated to disappear at the end of 2011, but read carefully, because some are subject to income testing. “A little planning can go a long way,” according to Michael Goodman, CPA/PFS, CFP and President of Wealthstream Advisors. He advises acceleration of deductions this tax year if you expect to be in a lower tax bracket next year. 7 deductions due to expire in 2011 1) Higher education expenses: Taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes (AGI’s) of up to ,000 for singles and 0,000 for couples can claim ,000 of deductions for college tuition and fees. (IRS Publication 970) 2) Mortgage insurance deduction: Borrowers with AGI’s up to 0,000 may be able to treat qualified mortgage insurance as home mortgage interest, which means that 100 percent of 2011 premiums may be deductible. The insurance contract had to be issued after 2006 and deductions are phased out in 10 percent increments for homeowners with AGI’s between 0,001 and 9,000. (IRS Publication 936) 3) State sales-tax deduction: If you itemize your taxes, you can choose to take an itemized deduction for state sales taxes instead of state and local income taxes. This is a no-brainer for residents of states without income taxes, such as Texas and Nevada. But it might also work for people in areas with low state-income taxes that made a large purchase during the year such as a car or an engagement ring. (IRS sales tax calculator) 4) Energy efficiency upgrades: Here’s where going green can save you green. If you make energy efficiency improvements to your home before the end of the year, you may be eligible for a tax credit of 10 percent for the cost, up to a maximum of 0. Approved improvements include new windows, insulation, high efficiency furnaces, water heaters and air conditioning, among many. Be sure to keep your receipts and manufacturer certification. (Energy Star items that qualify for the tax deduction) 5) IRA charitable donation: Donors over age 70 1/2 can contribute up to 0,000 of traditional IRA assets directly to one or more qualified charities (but not a donor-advised fund). While there’s no tax deduction, the gift is excluded from income, and can count as part or all of the required minimum distribution. The charity must be qualified as publicly supported (no private foundations or donor-advised funds), and the distribution must go directly from your IRA to the charity without going to you first. The timing of this could be perfect if you haven’t yet taken your required minimum distribution for 2011; if you don’t need the money; or if you don’t itemize. (IRS Publication 590) 6) Enhanced adoption credits: As part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (March 2010), the Adoption Tax Credit was extended one year until Dec. 31, 2011, the amount of credit was increased to ,360 and it was made refundable, meaning that families can benefit even if they have less than ,360 of federal income tax liability. If adoption expenses have been paid for by an employer, you may qualify to exclude up to ,360 from income. The credit is subject to income phaseouts from 5,210 to 5,210 in AGI. (IRS Topic 607) 7) Classroom deduction for teachers: K-12 educators who work at least 900 hours during the school year can claim an above-the-line deduction of up to 0 (0 if married filing joint and both spouses are educators, but not more than 0 each) of any unreimbursed expenses (books, supplies, computer equipment (including related software and services), other equipment, and supplementary materials) used in the classroom. (IRS Topic 458) 9 More year-end tax tips (with no expiration, except the calendar) 1) Mail your checks for deductible purchases: Procrastinator alert! If you’re the type of person who waits until the last minute for everything, take note: To qualify for write-offs of charitable contributions and business expenses, your payments must be postmarked by midnight Dec. 31. The IRS says just writing “December 31″ on the check does not automatically qualify you for a deduction; and pledges aren’t deductible until paid. Donations made with a credit card are deductible as of the date the account is charged. 2) Give appreciated stock or fund shares to charity: Get in the holiday spirit, with the help of Uncle Sam. One way to lower your tax bill in April is to donate appreciated securities, like stocks, bonds or mutual funds, to a charity. You’ll write off the current market value (not just what you paid for them) and escape taxes on the accumulated gains. Since charities don’t have to pay capital gains on the gift, they get the full value of your generosity. Goodman says “donor-advised funds are a great solution for quick year-end planning. If you know you want the deduction but can’t make the decision as to which charity you want to use, the DAF allows you to capture the deduction now and decide on the charity later.” 3) Take advantage of low capital gains rates: If you’re in the 10 or 15 percent bracket — taxable income below ,900 for married couples and ,950 for singles — profits on long-term capital gains (or ones owned more than 12 months) won’t be taxed at all in 2011 and 2012. That’s right: Your capital gains tax rate will be ZERO percent. It might make sense to sell taxable assets at gains in the next two years, because most experts believe that rates will rise in the future. That goes for high earners, because the current top rate is at a historic low of 15 percent. Given that a new 3.8 percent tax on net investment income is set to take effect in 2013 for joint filers with AGI’s of 0,000 or more (or 0,000 for single filers) it makes sense to consider locking in gains at this year’s lower rate. Goodman warns that “the portion of the capital gain that puts you over the taxable income threshold will be taxed at the higher cap gains rate.” 4) Sell losers: If you have investment losses in a taxable account, now is the time to use those losers to your advantage. You can sell losing positions to offset gains that you have taken previously in the year, to minimize your tax hit. If you have more losses than gains, you can deduct up to ,000 of losses against ordinary income. If you have more than ,000 of losses, you can carry over that amount to future years. 5) Avoid getting soaked by a wash sale: If you are starting to clean up your non-retirement accounts to take losses, don’t get soaked by the “Wash Sale” rule. The IRS won’t let you deduct a loss if you buy a “substantially identical” investment within 30 days, what’s known as a wash sale. To avoid the wash sale, wait 31 days and repurchase the stock or fund you sold, or replace the security with something that is close, but not the same as the one you sold…hopefully something cheaper, like an index fund. (IRS Publication 550) 6) Fully fund your college savings 529 plan: The average public university now charges over ,200 for tuition and fees — a massive 8.3 percent increase from last year — so now’s the time to get a leg up on your education savings with a 529 plan. Money saved in these programs grows tax-free and withdrawals used to pay for college sidestep taxes, too. You can invest up to ,000 in 2011 without incurring a federal gift tax and many states offer state tax deductions for the contributions. (529 Plan information) 7) Use your flex account or lose it: Some employers require employees with flexible spending accounts (pretax dollars that pay out-of-pocket medical and childcare expenses) to forfeit contributions that go unused by Dec. 31. If you have an FSA, check your company’s rules. If you have cash sitting in the account and your deadline is year-end, spend it to avoid leaving money on the table. Retirement withdrawals: According to Fidelity Investments, two-thirds of all IRA holders haven’t yet taken their required payouts (required minimum distributions or MRD), which must be withdrawn by Dec. 31. There is one exception: Taxpayers taking their first required payout may do so by April 1, 2012. The penalty on not taking your required minimum distribution is steep — 50 percent on the shortfall. (IRS FAQs about MRDs) 9) Project your income: If you’re self-employed, estimate your income for 2011 and 2012. If your tax bracket could rise next year, delay making tax-deductible business purchases until January, when the write-offs will become more valuable. If you think you’ll bring in less money in 2012, do exactly the reverse. Here is a link to the article, Click Here Happy Holidays! Don’t forget, I am licensed in Colorado & New Mexico, and am eager to help you in Real Estate Sales & Property Management in LaPlata County & San Juan County! Stacy E. Engle, (970) 759-6411 . (970) 247-8388 . (505) 334-8814 . stacytune@durangolive.net . BlueRibbonDurango.com Don’t forget to like us on Facebook! --------------------- http://www.restoratif.org/real-estate-housesyear-end-tax-tips-2011.html Article Summary: Looking to get the latest information on the real estate market? This blog will provide you with up to date, honest, practical information about buying and selling Real Estate.December 23rd, 2011 – Hope you have a Merry Christmas! Here’s your Durango Real Estate Statistics and Weekly Update! Great deals, new listings, foreclosures and sold comparables. What sold this past week? 17 properties sold in Durango, Colorado and area over the last week. Some Article Content: December 23rd, 2011 – Hope you have a Merry Christmas! Here’s your Durango Real Estate Statistics and Weekly Update! Great deals, new listings, foreclosures and sold comparables. What sold this past week? 17 properties sold in Durango, Colorado and area over the last week. Some really good deals – check it out. Click Here for Sold Listings  New Durango Real Estate Listings this week: There are 26 new listings this week, click here for new listings. Click Here for New Listings Bankowned Listings (REO): Due to continuing interest we are including REO property, which means “Real Estate Owned” in bank-lingo, in other words, bankowned properties, or foreclosed properties after the foreclosure process is completed. The bank/lender now owns the property. They are typically sold at a discount, hence the popularity! Please follow this link to our foreclosure page on our website. It shows all active bankowned and foreclosure listings in the area and is continually updated. Bookmark it and visit it often! Or email us, info@blueribbondurango.com to get set up for automatic email notifications on new bankowned listings! Click here for Foreclosures & Bankowned Homes in the Durango & Surrounding Areas  And Back by Popular demand – the Market Snapshot – Free and Instant Home Valuations! A cool map based comparable report that shows new listings and sales comparables to your house, for sellers or buyers.   Sign up by clicking here. Or go to Durangohousevalues.com. You’ll love it! If you’d like to see any  listings or statistics that we are not covering please don’t hesitate to send an email or post a comment. Maybe you’d like to be alerted to new listings in a specific price range or type. Let us know, we’re here to help. NEW – We now offer full service property management and property maintenance to ensure maximum cash flow for your investments. If you own a rental property let us help you maximize your profit. If you are looking for homes for rent, check in with us as well. Sign up with us by January 1, 2012 to manage your rental, and get FREE set up (0.00 cash value). Click here for our Property Management Page. Sign up to receive automatic emails of new listings by sending me a quick email and letting me know what you’d like to see, claudia@blueribbondurango.com. To see virtual tours of some of my listings click here Have a great weekend! Feel free to call or email me if you’d like to talk about real estate or go to look at properties! ___ Claudia Williams Owner/Ecobroker/Exchangor Blue Ribbon Properties, 835 Main Ave #214, Durango, CO 81301 970 247 8388 (office), 970 749 3555  (cell), 970 247 8360 (fax), claudia@blueribbondurango.com Connect with Claudia on facebook, Buzztown Durango, twitter and my blog articles Be sure to LIKE Blue Ribbon Properties on Facebook! Get the current market situation and find out what your home is worth. Sign up for the market snapshot here Disclaimer – these links and information are based on the Durango local multi listing service. While all information is deemed accurate there are no guarantees. Does not include for sale by owners or foreclosure properties that are not listed on the MLS. --------------------- http://www.restoratif.org/real-estate-housesdecember-23-2011-weekly-durango-real-estate-statistics-sold-new-listings.html Article Summary: Real Estate had been the apple of investment to the few who have the gold. When real estate are developed or bought for the purpose of generating income, it becomes an income property. No wonder why there are numerous of income property for sale and for rent.A very interesting article from Trulia about the housing market in 2012! As we wrap up 2011, Trulia’s Chief Economist looks ahead at what’s in store for the battered housing market and which cities have a big reason to celebrate the New Year. My crystal ball is never as crystal-clear Article Content: A very interesting article from Trulia about the housing market in 2012! As we wrap up 2011, Trulia’s Chief Economist looks ahead at what’s in store for the battered housing market and which cities have a big reason to celebrate the New Year. My crystal ball is never as crystal-clear as I’d like, but I do think that we can expect a gradual economic recovery to move the housing market a few steps back toward normal in 2012. Before getting into the predictions, let me be upfront about what I’m assuming. After 14 months of job gains, I expect the economy to continue its slow but determined recovery. I don’t do my own macroeconomic forecasts, but every single one of the fifty-ish economic forecasters surveyed by the Wall Street Journal expects the economy to grow throughout 2012, and that makes sense to me. Here’s what I expect in 2012 and what it means for agents: Delinquencies will go down, but foreclosures will go up. Fewer borrowers will fall behind on their payments next year, thanks to the strengthening economy and refinancings. The share of delinquent borrowers is already down more than a quarter from the peak a couple of years ago. But many borrowers who fell behind on their payments during the housing crisis are still in limbo: last year’s robo-signing controversy threw a wrench in the gears of the foreclosure process. That means that some delinquent loans haven’t yet gone through the foreclosure process. Once a settlement is reached with banks over robo-signing, we’ll see a new wave of foreclosures and foreclosure sales. What it means for agents: Despite the decline in delinquencies, the wave of foreclosures will hurt. New foreclosures will depress prices for several reasons – foreclosed homes are often sold at a discount and used as comps for non-distressed homes; vacant homes bring down the value of their neighbors; and high foreclosures are the worst thing for consumer confidence in the housing market. That will hurt seller motivation even more than buyer motivation since lower prices will mean deals for some buyers. Agents should be gearing up with competitive pricing strategies to catch buyers and preparing to counsel their traditional seller-clients about the depressed prices to come in high-foreclosure areas. Rents will rise – which is a bad thing. With fewer people buying homes and more people losing their homes to foreclosures, rental demand is increasing. High rents will hold back economic growth if businesses can’t pay workers enough to have a roof over their heads. Squeezed city-dwellers won’t get relief until late 2012: that’s when a wave of new multi-unit construction projects that started late this year will be completed and available for rent. To tackle growth-killing high living costs in the priciest cities head on, local governments need to get rid of height restrictions and arduous permitting processes, which hold back urban construction and push development to the suburbs. What it means for agents: Rising rents and falling prices make buying a great deal – but only for prospective buyers who can afford the downpayment and qualify for a mortgage. When counseling buyers, agents need to be aware of the struggle and sacrifice required to save for down payments in this climate. But the good news is that there will be clients motivated by available inventory and low prices – even though these clients may require more hand-holding around financing options. Mortgage rates will inch up – which will probably be a good thing. A stronger economy will push Treasury bonds and mortgage rates up because inflation becomes more likely and investors demand higher rates to hold bonds. But lots of factors can push rates up or down. For the housing market, which direction rates go is less important than why. Gradual economic recovery is good news for the housing market even if it means higher mortgage rates – because higher mortgage rates should go hand-in-hand with greater housing demand. What it means for agents: Higher mortgage rates mean higher monthly payments for buyers, but a stronger economy means that buyers will be better able to afford those rates. Higher rates probably won’t hold back buyers much: rates are only one of many factors that enter into the cost of buying a home, and for many buyers the downpayment is a much bigger barrier to homeownership than the monthly payments. Also, buyers need to be reminded that homeownership has other costs on top of the monthly mortgage payment, like insurance and maintenance, which can add half again as much to the cost of owning a home. Agents should help buyers figure out the overall costs and benefits of homeownership, not just the monthly mortgage payment.  Government will sit on its hands. In election years, politicians don’t take risks: they’re more talk and less action, so don’t expect any bold housing policy reforms next year. What’s more, with the housing market now recovering, we’re not in enough of a crisis to force political opponents together. Instead, in 2012 we’ll see the effects of modest housing proposals from this year: easier refinancing under the expanded HARP program, and more government-owned homes coming to market for sale or rent. But the bitter debate in Washington over the budget deficit and debt will continue. What it means for agents: No news may be good news: I don’t expect major changes in policy that will upend the housing market. But government is slowly scaling back support for housing, both to encourage the private sector to come back in and also to help deal with the federal budget deficit. Late this year we saw increased fees on Fannie and Freddie to help fund the payroll tax cut, lower conforming loan limits, and proposals to scale back mortgage interest deduction. Agents should explain to buyers what these changes means for their mortgage costs, both before and after taxes.   Smart cities are hot.  In 2012, the local housing markets that will enjoy rising prices, new construction or both, are those that start the year with stronger job growth and fewer empty homes holding back the market. My top five cities to watch are Austin TX, Houston TX, San Jose CA, the Boston suburbs, and Rochester NY. Most of these cities have strong high-tech industries or high-skill workforces. During the housing boom, the go-go cities tended to be lower-skill, lower-education metros. But in 2012, smart is hot. What it means for agents: All markets are local. Even though the housing bubble and bust affected nearly all markets, each local market is recovering – or not – at its own pace. National indicators are helpful in understanding where the market is going overall, but buyers and sellers need to understand what’s happening in your local market – which could be very different from the national picture Click Here for the Link to the Trulia Article Claudia Williams Owner/Ecobroker/Exchangor Blue Ribbon Properties, 835 Main Ave #214, Durango, CO 81301 970 247 8388 (office), 970 749 3555  (cell), 970 247 8360 (fax), claudia@blueribbondurango.com Connect with Claudia on facebook, Buzztown Durango, twitter and my blog articles Be sure to LIKE Blue Ribbon Properties on Facebook! Get the current market situation and find out what your home is worth. Sign up for the market snapshot here --------------------- http://www.restoratif.org/real-estate-onlinewhat-the-crystal-ball-says-about-the-housing-market-in-2012.html