What is an impound account?

An impound account is a trust account established by the lender to hold money to pay for real estate taxes, and mortgage and homeowners insurance premiums as they are received each month.

Where can I learn more about appealing my Boca Raton FL property taxes?

Contact your local Boca Raton FL tax assessor's office to see what procedures to follow to appeal your property tax assessment. You may be able to appeal your assessment informally. Mostly likely, however, you will have to go through a formal tax-appeal processes, which begin with an appeal filed with the appropriate assessment appeals board.

Are Boca Raton FL property taxes deductible?

Property taxes on all Boca Raton FL real estate, including those levied by state and local governments and school districts, are fully deductible against current income taxes.

What tax benefits are there toBoca Raton FL area homeowners?

Homeowners benefit from several generous tax advantages. The most important benefit is the mortgage interest deduction. People may deduct interest paid on mortgage loans totaling up to $1 million used to buy, build or improve a principal residence plus a second home. The IRS calls such loans acquisition debt.
Points paid by the buyer or seller on a new mortgage loan for the purchase or improvement of a principal residence are deductible for the year in which the home was purchased.
Any points paid on a refinance mortgage, a loan to purchase a second home or a mortgage on income property must be spread over the life of the loan, according to Edith Lank and Miriam S. Geisman, authors of "Your Home as a Tax Shelter," Dearborn Financial Publishing, Chicago; 1993.

Are points deductible?

If you are a Boca Raton FL buyer, and you or the seller pays points, they are deductible for the year in which they are paid only. You also can deduct any points you pay when you refinance your Boca Raton FL area home, but you must do so ratably over the life of the loan. Consult your tax or financial advisor.

Can I deduct the loss I suffered when I sold my Boca Raton FL area home?

The Internal Revenue Service currently does not allow deductions for losses on the sale of your own home. In fact there's no way to use a loss on the sale of your principal residence to your advantage on your income tax return.

What are the rules on capital gains when inheriting a house?

When children inherit a home, the Internal Revenue Service determines their basis in the property on the date of the owner's death. The cost basis is not the amount the owner originally paid for the house, but the property's fair-market value on the date of the parent's death.
Cost basis is a tax term for the dollar amount assigned to a property at the time it is acquired, for the purpose of determining gain or loss when it is sold.

How do I save on taxes?

Here are some ways to save money on taxes:
* Mortgage interest on loans up to $1 million is completely deductible for the year in which you pay it to buy, build or improve your principal residence plus a second home.
* Points, or loan origination fees, also are deductible no matter who pays them, the buyer or the seller.

Are taxes on second homes deductible?

Mortgage interest and property taxes are deductible on a second home if you itemize. Check with your accountant or tax advisor for specifics.

Who gets the furnishings when a home is sold?

It depends. Fixtures, any kind of personal property that is permanently attached to a house (such as drapery rods, built-in bookcases, tacked-down carpeting or a furnace) automatically stay with the house unless specified otherwise in the sales contract. But anything that is not nailed down is negotiable. This most often involves appliances that are not built in (washer, dryer, refrigerator, for example), although some sellers will be interested in negotiating for other items, such as a piano.

Do sellers have to disclose the terms of other offers?

Sellers are not legally obligated to disclose the terms of other offers to prospective buyers.

What are some pre purchase considerations to think about?

When you buy a resale home, you can find out a lot more about the Boca Raton FL area property and the neighborhood before you buy than when you buy a new home.

Land to support new-home developments usually is located on the outskirts of town. Potential buyers should ask the developer about future access to public transit, entertainment activities, shopping centers, churches and schools. Find out how far it is to the nearest library, for example.

Do Boca Raton FL area builders offer financing?

Builders often include financing programs to help move more buyers into a project early on. If it's a buyer's market in the Boca Raton FL area, you can be sure that developers will offer incentives such as low-down-payment financing.

What do you think of a Boca Raton FL area vacation home as an investment?

You can buy a vacation home today for investment purposes as well as enjoyment. And yes, there are tax benefits.
Some people buy a vacation home in the Boca Raton FL area to use as a permanent retirement home later, which allows them to get ahead on their payments. Another benefit is that the interest and property taxes on a vacation home are tax-deductible.
Some real estate experts predict that vacation homes will appreciate in value due to rising demand from the aging Baby Boom generation.

Should I buy a vacation home in Boca Raton FL ?

Today a vacation home can be purchased for investment purposes as well as enjoyment. And yes, there are tax benefits.
Some people buy a vacation home in the Boca Raton FL area with the idea of turning it into a permanent retirement home down the road, which puts them ahead on their payments. Another benefit is that the interest and property taxes are tax deductible, which helps to offset the cost of paying for a second home. A vacation home also can be depreciated if you live in it fewer than 14 days a year, or 10 percent of the rented days - whichever is greater.

What is the best time to sell your Boca Raton FL house?

There is no "best" time to sell per se. Selling a house in the Boca Raton FL area depends on supply, demand and other economic factors. But the time of year in which you choose to sell can make a difference both in the amount of time it takes to sell your home and in the ultimate selling price.
Weather conditions are less of a consideration in more temperate climates, but most of the time, the real estate market picks up as early as February, with the strongest selling season usually lasting through May and June.
With the onset of summer, the market slows.

Whose obligation is it to disclose pertinent information about a Boca Raton FL area property?

In most states, it is the seller, but obligations to disclose information about a property vary.
Under the strictest laws, you and your agent are required to disclose all facts materially affecting the value or desirability of the property which are known or accessible only to you.

How do lease options work and what are the benefits?

A lease option is an arrangement with you and a seller to exercise the option to buy a Boca Raton FL area home after you have rented it for a specific period. A portion of your rent would applied toward the purchase if the option is exercised. This is referred to as rent credit, which most institutional lenders will accept as part of the down payment if rental payments exceed the market rent and if a valid lease-purchase agreement is in effect, a copy of which must be attached to the loan application.

What is a lease option?

When a renter signs a lease with an option to purchase a Boca Raton FL property for a specific price within a certain time frame, that is called a lease option. In most lease-option situations, a portion of the rent is applied to a future down payment.
Lease options are most popular among buyers who don't have enough funds for a down payment and closing costs.

What is APR?

The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is the relative cost of credit as determined in accordance with Regulation Z of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System for implementing the federal Truth-in-Lending Act, according to Charles O. Stapleton III, Thomas Moran and Martha R. Williams, authors of "Real Estate Principles," 3rd Ed., Dearborn Financial Publishing, Chicago; 1994.

How are the rates set for seller financing?

The interest rate on an owner-carried loan is negotiable. Ask your Boca Raton FL agent to check with a lender or mortgage broker to determine the current rate on institutional first (or second) loans.
Seller financing typically costs less than conventional financing because sellers don't charge loan fees (points). Interest rates on an owner-carried loan will also be influenced by current Treasury bill and certificate of deposit rates. Sellers usually aren't willing to carry a loan for a lower return than they would earn if their money was invested elsewhere.

What kind of home insurance should I get?

A standard homeowners policy protects against fire, lightning, wind, storms, hail, explosions, riots, aircraft wrecks, vehicle crashes, smoke, vandalism, theft, breaking glass, falling objects, weight of snow or sleet, collapsing buildings, freezing of plumbing fixtures, electrical damage and water damage from plumbing, heating or air conditioning systems, according to the Insurance Information Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit group for the insurance industry.
Such policies are "all-risk" policies, which cover everything except earthquakes, floods, war and nuclear accidents.

What is guaranteed replacement cost insurance?

Guaranteed replacement insurance is a more comprehensive policy.
It tends to cost more, but it promises to cover the complete costs -- less deductible -- of replacing a destroyed house. With these sorts of policies, limits on the policies are not as common, because complete coverage is more explicit.

Do I need a home inspection before buying a Boca Raton FL area home?

Yes.
Buying a home "as is" is a risky proposition. Major repairs on homes can amount to thousands of dollars. Plumbing, electrical and roof problems represent significant and complex systems that are expensive to fix.

What's a home inspection?

A home inspection is when a paid professional inspector -- often a contractor or an engineer -- inspects the Boca Raton FL area home, searching for defects or other problems that might plague the owner later on.
They usually represent the buyer and or paid by the buyer. The inspection usually takes place after a purchase contract between buyer and seller has been signed.