GREATEST TAX SHELTER OF ALL!

Homeownership is the greatest of all tax shelters. Just consider:

1) You can deduct all of the interest paid annually.
2) You can deduct all of the property taxes paid annually.
3) You can get an equity loan on your home, pay off all your credit cards, and STILL deduct all the interest paid annually.
4) You can sell your home and, if you made a profit, it too comes to you tax free (up to a certain amount).

There has been talk over the years about limiting some of the goodies; but for right now this is the greatest tax shelter of all! Email me john@johncmartin.com, and let's talk!

HOME SALES

Home sales in and around Tyler, Texas were off by a significant percentage during April, as compared to April 2008. That, of course, leaves an increase in the number of homes on the market.

When there's an increase in the number of homes on the market, then prices begin to drop a bit. In a market in which home prices have remained relatively steady throughout this downturn, a reduction in price means an opportunity for buyers to get a better deal on the home that they want.

And also, in a market in which beautiful homes were already available at a fraction of the cost of many other areas, an additional reduction is especially attractive. So, click on the web site link above, and let's find yours. And email me at john@johncmartin.com with your criteria.

BIGGEST BLUNDER

There are still sellers out there who think that their house is the exception. They think that the other houses that are on the market are really overpriced; yet when you get to their house, they think that it should have a higher price because it is better. Overpricing a home because of an emotional attachment only makes selling it that much more difficult.

Listen to your realtor. An unrealistic view of the value of your home is the biggest blunder you can make.

John C. Martin, Realtor

NEW STATS

Thirty-year mortgage rates fell to 4.78 percent Friday, hitting their lowest level since Freddie Mac started tracking rates in 1970.
Adjustable-rate mortgages also eased, but one-year, adjustable-rate mortgages are averaging rates nearly the same as 30-year fixed rates, at 4.77 percent.
Freddie Mac officials reported borrowers who refinanced their mortgages in the first quarter reduced their combined mortgage payments by about $2.5 billion over the coming year.

The Pending Home Sales Index from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) showed a 3.2 percent gain to 84.6 from February, when it was 82. The index stands 1.6 percent higher than a year ago.

These statistics suggest that lots of people think it's time to buy a home. Homes in Tyler Tx are available for you right now; and they are WAY less expensive than in most other areas.