Leelanau and Benzie County Michigan

TaX info new tax bill

Mary DeWitt — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:32:00 GMT

Nonitemizers can deduct property taxes for 2008 in addition to their standard deduction..The extra write-off is capped at 1,000 for marrieds and 500 for singles..break lapes after 2008

First - time home buyers get a tax credit up to 7500 for buyin a main home after 4-8-08 and before 7/1/09

to be eligible purchasers must not have owned a principal residence in the us in the previous 3 years.

credit phases out between 150,000 and 170,000 of AGI for married couples and 75-95,000 for single filers. It is refundable to the extent it exceeds the buyer's regular tax liability, but does not offset the AMT.

Home buyers in 2009 can elect to take the credit on 2008 income tax returns.

(the Hooker) BUT the credit is recaptured ratably over 15 years! without any interest starting 2 years after the year the credit is claimed. Thus a first - time home buyer who claims a 7500 tax credit for a purchase in 08 must pay an extra 500.00 income tax in 2010 and in later years. If the homeowner sells the residence before the credit is fully repaid the sell is taxed that year on the lesser of the gain from the sale (if sold to an unrelated party) or the unrecaptured balance of the credit.

Credits for low incom housing and fixing up old buildings are juicier; They now can offset the AMT

rule applies to low income projects ahat are put in service after 07 and rehabilitation expenses incurred after 07

2005 hurricanes victims will get relief

Congress did restrict a break for turning a second home into a main home:

Any credit card issuers wil have to file 1099;s on payments to merchants starting with payments for 2011

Lots of info out there this might be the year to get an account lol

Taken for the Ki[linger Tax Letter...as always we are not accountants..and must refer to an accountant.

Rets

Mary DeWitt — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:58:00 GMT

Has anyone read the info on rets in your emails from point2?

The NAR is having everyone use a rets system I believe by 09.

There is a new standard rets. my understanding is that is being used by areas in Florida, Calif and out east.

We had a meeting on it at our mls. does anyone know if point 2 is going to use the standard rets?

Blogs on Point 2 have picture galleries

Mary DeWitt — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:17:00 GMT

Your blog if you use them, also has a picture gallery!

My problem with the picture gallery is that if you keep adding pictures it ends up deleting the old pictures due to the amount of space the cache holds. I want to add more pictures without losing the ones I put in allready.

So p2 needs to supply me with more space:)

All sorts of possibilities with this ability to ad photos.

Sorry for all your confusion!

cache on the photo gallery for blog

Mary DeWitt — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 21:29:00 GMT

It's this simple

I've been using it for pictures of National Parks...Only so much space, add new picsbl and zap the old pictures are gone.

It takes a lot of time to download.. what MORE SPACE please!

Great place to showcase the neighborhood...

Anyone use their photo galleries...geat idea gets visitors...your the expert

and of course the pics are compliments of your real estate company.

Videos

Mary DeWitt — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 21:14:00 GMT

Here's what I know.

Professional doesn't rank as high as amataur on google.

2nd there are alot of hosting sites that do it for free I've found eleven.

Have you notice lots of the bigger cities are searching there properties by address!

You can have audio with the video...walk through the home

What you say and what you print matters. just answer the question how will they find me..produce your video and audio accordingly.

Scanners fax machine

Mary DeWitt — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:01:00 GMT

I would like to invest in a scanner and fax machine Like the all in one idea.

Had a great machine hp7410. scanning function failed. When that goes so does the copy, scan, fax send,

due to the flat bed scanner that no longer works.

This machine is not very old and I'm not into throw aways. which is what this is.

Has anyone had a reliable all in one that lasted over 3 years. laser injet...whatever just reliable and good ouput.

Thanks for all of you that will contribute

AM I CRAZY?

Mary DeWitt — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:30:00 GMT

Another agent used my pictures of a home I had listed when she relisted it!

Is this a normal thing? I have never done this. ISn't this like stealing anothers advertising and marketing!

Not only that I use the lake pictures ( very unique sunset) in other advertising I do that doesn't even have the home it it. She is using that to. Here brochures too! Now I have to go an undo all my stuff.?????

Is this ok or am I crazy!!!!

This is cool stuff www.vreo.com THE NEW WAY!

Mary DeWitt — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 21:24:00 GMT

Now this is paperless! so that's what you do with the tablet laptop!!!!

gotta see.

By the way anyone know of a good and inexpensive E&O. Anyone know of insurance by transaction.

Yeah Passed the Broker Test!

Michigan #1 and it's not in car sales!

Mary DeWitt — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 21:01:00 GMT

I heard the other day it was in foreclosures. Classes in short sales and foreclosures everywhere you go.

I live in a resort area where expensive waterfront is selling,,,you know the stuff over a million.

Apparently the one's with money know that there is an opportunity out there with all the choices available and are taking avantage of it. Our primier lakes rarely have more than 4-6 available on any givin year.

I've seen well over 20 on two of our best lakes. They are moving. I lost a 1.2 the other day. bummer!

Back in Detroit the only thing that is selling are the foreclosures because the banks are dumping them!

So the homes that are not in foreclosure can't sell their homes and can't become that second home buyer or the couple that are ready to spend the rest of their day's on or near Lk Michigan, Glen Lake or Crystal Lake.

There is alot of fraud with these foreclosures too!... anyway they are saying the worst has yet to come!

It is not a pretty picture. Looking for those out of state or out of the us buyers with money!

Just so you know National Geographic rates glen lake and crystal lake in the top5 inland lakes in the World.

I had a client email me who just vacationed up here and was enamored (sp) by the beauty and the color of the lakes here. He is looking to buy as soon as he sells the place he bought in Tennesee the year before!

WE call this the trinkeling down effect:)

Listing book explained on last post INteresting business model

Interesting Business model.

Mary DeWitt — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 02:03:00 GMT

I was fortunate to see a business model which join internet, direct response marketing and multitier marketing.

I was surprised as to the comparison to Real Estate. I was very impressed with how well they put it together and the training. The products are sold only by the company and the reps.

The customers had to sign in to register. And it was the only place to get the product. It was so much like the listing book.

Time has come to eliminate the 3 party selling fo leads.....Wake up everyone times are changing and p2 and listing book do it so well.

IDX features

Mary DeWitt — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 11:58:00 GMT

You have all been so helpful with the virtual office info ..it's wonderful.

Now if you can give me your best idx solutions. Love listing books price and features and can see a whole lot of trees saved. So automated for buyers and sellers. doesn't look like our mls is smart enough to join. so whatever. I'm looking for something as good don't think there is anything better but I'm listening!

Thanks!

virtual offices

Mary DeWitt — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 21:33:00 GMT

Does any body have one. I'm talking maybe 2 brokers together and hoping that everything else is virtual.

Has anybody done any of these. Virtual office phones and answering inc. virtual closings.

Any recommendations. I don't want to deal with agents, I no longer what that competitive crap that goes on.

any ideas I'm listening. Also any paperless ideas i'm looking for as well. Give me everything you got.

Maybe 3 brokers. like a doctors office so you can have a vacation.!!!!!!

Anybody? Yes I'm looking to change real estate and do it my way. that's how I want to do it.

Point 2 to the rescue! Networking is great!

Mary DeWitt — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 15:08:00 GMT

My daughter is moving to LA and needs a short term rental for an internship. Looked up a point 2 agent to see if I could get some assistance in her area. Sheri Fejeran was there to help. Hooked my daughter up with a great website and we are off and running. Needless to say my daughter is happy and thinks her mom is great!

I think Sheri and p2 is great! Thanks sooo much!

E pro

Mary DeWitt — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 11:16:00 GMT

Has anyone taken this class? It seems rather pricey! How long does it take to do it? Was it worth it? I'm afraid to take it that it might be a waste of time and money!...(read more)

To good to miss..Credit to Active Rain and Gary Boelens of Lake Tahoe

Mary DeWitt — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 13:24:00 GMT

Where did they go wrong ...Selling Crest toothpaste at $35.00 a tube!

I love sharing someones funny stuff.

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Home : Blogs : Gary Bolen (CRS, CLHMS) Lake Tahoe Real Estate Information : Lake Tahoe Real Estate Information

We tried, but couldn’t sell Crest for $35.00 a Tube!

Procter and Gamble just fired us. They gave us the right to sell Crest for $35.00 a tube for the last six months and we didn’t get one offer. The market is bad, we knew that, but we advertised the hell out of it. They said we’re through, and now they’re going to give this opportunity to someone else (oh darn!).

“But we do advertising better than anybody”, we told them. “You didn’t produce”, Procter growled as Gamble snarled through grimaced, Crest -streaked pearly whites, “You didn’t advertise it Right!” (They are such a lovely couple.)

We can’t, for the life of us, figure out why it didn’t sell. Lets see how we advertised it, and maybe you can tell us where we screwed up.

Internet:
80% of all people with a toothbrush look here first. So this is where we targeted our advertising first.

We hit all of the usual and customary sites, including Who’s Who in Luxury Toothpaste and Luxe Dental Portfolio.
We even put it on Craig’s List.
A also did a custom Website with a virtual tour of a good mouth brushing and a Dental Tips Blog.

The Dental Registry (DLS):
We’re all over it, and Dental.com (DAR) too.

Television:
We did co-branded television and print campaigns. They were saturative, and based on focus group findings of what people most expect in their high-end toothpaste.

Campaign spokesanimal was Bugs Bunny.
Footage of Bugs had starlight filters on his two front teeth, which sparkled a plenty from every angle.
Featured celebrity endorsements from Mr Ed, Francis the Talking Mule, Bucky Beaver and a cable television special targeted to the youth demographic of Butthead getting his braces off. (Like Butthead, we still couldn’t score.)

Magazines:
Coordinated print campaign that ran concordant to television spots.

Bugs was featured first, with teeth prominent in all print ads. (Starlights added graphically to teeth.)
Included Scratch and Sniff Pages in Vanity Fair, Cosmopolitan and other high profile publications.

Newspapers:
National PR campaign to generate news, plus “Name That Rabbit” contest in local newspapers.

Direct Mail:
Postcard campaign to everyone in our data base who has a mouth.

Grocery Stores:

Point of Purchase Displays.
End Aisle Free Brushing stations w/ teaser samples.

Whew:
We were exhausted when it was all over. No stone was unturned in our effort, yet no sales.

What Did We Do Wrong?
That is the question. And we have no idea.

With everything we did, why could we not sell Crest for $35.00 a tube?
What can we do to stop Procter and Gamble from giving someone else this opportunity?
What does selling Crest for $35.00 a tube have to do with selling a house?

We appreciate your feedback.