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Buyers Want Your Home for as Little as Possible.
Are you thinking of selling your home? You should know exactly what it's worth before making such an important decision. Let us do a quick "Comparative Market Analysis" for you, for free, and with no obligation. Also known as a CMA, this analysis compares your home to others that are currently on the market and to those that have recently sold. As top real estate agents, we determine the value of homes daily. Using the information you provide below, we can perform a quick market analysis, and give you a free estimate of what your home is worth in today's market. Remember, market conditions can be different, even one neighborhood to the next. We know how to take all these factors into account when determining the true market value of your home. This service is completely free and without obligation. There are absolutely no strings attached. Why? We want the chance to show you our expertise as top real estate agents. Please provide us with some basic information on your home. We'll get back to you quickly...
First Time Buyers >Your Principal Residence
The Federal Tax Code allows married taxpayers to exclude from capital gains taxes up to $500,000 in profits from selling a home (singles can exclude $250,000). In order to qualify for this exemption, you must prove that that the home has been your principal residence for at least two out of the last five years. The establishment of the home as a principal residence depends on the facts of each homeowner's circumstance. Here are two cases to consider.
Homeowner A has lived at 25 Pine Drive for 12 years. Although he stays at his vacation cottage in another town for up to three months out of each year (sometimes more), 25 Pine Drive is his principal residence, where he lives most of the time. When he sells the home, Homeowner A (filing as a single individual) can keep up to $250,000 in tax-free profit.
Homeowner B buys 108 Maple Street, intending to live there. He rents it out while waiting to sell his current home, where he has lived for six years. His principal residence sells at the end of two years. Homeowner B moves into his new house, lives there for three months, and then decides to travel. After a six-month trip, he regrets buying 108 Maple Street and sells it. Even though he has owned the house on Maple Street for over two years, it won't qualify as "owner-occupied", because he only lived in it for a few months. Thus Homeowner B is not eligible to claim the tax exemption when he sells the house on Maple Street.
Consult your tax advisor for advice about your particular circumstance.
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| Q |
What does "contingency" mean in real estate?
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| A |
A contingency is a specified event that must take place before a home purchase contract is binding; for example, a sale can be said to be "contingent upon the sale of the buyer's current residence." |
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