Here are four simple ways to avoid capital gains on your house sale! No one likes taxes, unless you are getting a tax return of course. Capital gains are a tax that you have to pay when you sell something for more than you paid for it. In this case we will use your South Nashua home as the example. Say you buy your South Nashua home for $250,000, and then you sell your South Nashua home for sale a year later for $275,000. That is considered a capital gain, and you have to include them when you file your taxes.

Wait Before You Sell

If you want to purchase a South Nashua home for sale as a primary residence, and later you decide it isn’t the right fit for you and your family and you want to sell it, you should wait at least two years before you do so. As long as it has been your primary residence for two of the last five years, will remove any gain you may make under $250,000. For a married couple it is even more, up to $500,000 at $250,000 per person.

A one year wait will also mark the value of other sales as a long-term capital gain, and you may even save 10%-20% depending on your tax rate. However, we always suggest asking your accountant, it doesn’t hurt to check with your local CPA to make sure the rules have not changed and that you are still making a sound decision.

Sell When Your Income Is Low

Your income level will impact the amount of long-term capital gains tax you will pay. The lower your income percentage is, the less money you will pay when tax time rolls around. The higher your income tax bracket, or the more you make yearly, the more you will be required to pay come the end of the year. People in the 25-35% income bracket pay around 15% on capital gains, while taxpayers in the 39.6% bracket pay 20%, and  in the 10%-15% bracket you may not be required to pay any long-term capital gains at all.

You are best off to sell your property when your household income is the lowest so you can avoid paying capital gains tax at all. However, that is not always possible so always discuss it further with your CPA to make sure you are selling at the right time.

Keep Your Home Improvement Receipts

Keep all your records! Make sure to keep receipts for any home improvements or additions you’ve made to your South Nashua home for sale over the years that you have lived there, or while you owned your South Nashua home. In addition to increasing your home’s value, any improvements that you make to your home increase your basis in the home and that will reduce your capital gains tax.

This tax-savings strategy can be particularly valuable! If you have a gain on your South Nashua home for sale and the house doesn’t qualify for the primary residence exclusion, or you’ve exceeded your exclusion amount it may come in handy.

An improvement is anything that betters your home. It could also restore your South Nashua home to a previous condition or adapt the condition it is in. Adding rooms, a deck, a pool, or even landscaping the property all count as improvements to your South Nashua home for sale. Upgrading windows and doors, plumbing, insulation, heating, cooling, wiring, irrigation or an indoor sprinkler system also qualify. Restoring damaged parts of your home, remodels including new kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, and built-in appliances are also improvements that are deductible. Retain copies of receipts and records and keep a log of all the purchases you’ve made.

Move Often

Although this can be time consuming, selling your South Nashua home for sale will help you use the capital gain to its fullest potential. You need to have lived in your house for at least two years to claim the exclusion. The IRS will allow taxpayers to use the exclusion multiple times, but no more than once every two years. This means you could sell multiple homes at a large gain and never pay a dime in taxes!

The capital gain exclusion is large enough that many taxpayers will never have to pay taxes on the sale of their Sale Nashua homes or for that matter wherever you live. AS stated previously, a married couple can exclude up to $500,000 or $250,000 each. However, if you’ve held your property for a long time, bought in desirable area, or you are single then the exclusion may not completely cover your gains.

If you are looking for a South Nashua New Hampshire home for sale give Harmony Real Estate a call at (603) 883-8840. You can also visit our website at www.Harmony-RE.com for a list of South Nashua homes for sale. Our team is a family and we will make sure you find a home that best suits your needs! We look forward to hearing from you!

A seller’s agent is a real estate agent that exclusively represents the seller of a house for sale in a real estate transaction. There is a contract between the property owner (otherwise known as the seller) and a real estate agent (also known as the seller’s agent) agreeing to sell your South Hudson home for sale. The contract requires the real estate agent to perform exclusive confidential duties for the seller such as researching recent selling prices for comparable properties in South Hudson NH, showing the property, marketing the property, and advising the seller on the best offers received for the listing. A Hudson seller’s agent must hold an active license in the State of New Hampshire under the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission. They may also be referred to as a listing agent. 

A real estate agent is expected to make the home selling or buying process easier for you. Here are some things you should expect from a seller’s agent.

Price Your Hudson Home Right

Pricing your South Hudson NH home for sale properly is very important when you are a seller’s agent. An exceptional agent will price a home using their knowledge, training, and understanding of the market and comparable sales in the surrounding area. Knowing how to price a home for sale is one of the many valuable skills a REALTOR® can give you as the seller. If you are a smart seller, you will find an agent that will price your home based on the selling price of other similar homes that have recently sold in South Hudson.

If you have updated your home, then it will most likely be priced for more than you bought it for but it all depends on the current market. Currently, we are in a seller’s market and prices are rising yearly. As a seller, you should be aware that pricing your South Hudson home for sale to high can cause problems with the sale. If your Hudson home for sale is priced too high, buyers will most likely look elsewhere.

Communication is Key

A well-trained Hudson sellers agent must communicate properly with the seller. You need to know what’s going on with the sale of your South Hudson NH home. There are too many real estate agents that will only check in when they receive an offer, and that is not proper etiquette as an real estate agent. Real estate agents should always keep in touch with their sellers, especially after a showing so they can give any feedback, or discuss any concerns with you about your South Hudson home for sale.

Even if there aren’t any offers on your home, it is still comforting for your agent to keep in touch so you know you are getting what you’re paying good money for!

Verify Buyer Qualifications

Anyone can say that they are interested in purchasing a Hudson home for sale, but not everyone can get a pre-approval for a home loan. A good sellers agent will be sure that anyone making an offer on your home is qualified, and pre-approved for a home loan, and if not they will kindly decline their offer until they provide proof.

There is a very big difference between a mortgage pre-qualification and a pre-approval. A pre-qualification means that they are qualified, but that doesn’t mean that they will be approved for the loan. A pre-approval means that the lender checked the buyers credit report, as well as their employment, and their income, which are key factors in getting a loan commitment. Loan commitment is the step just before closing, it means that the bank is agreeing to lend the buyer the money for their South Hudson home purchase.

Negotiate for You

Your seller’s agent should always negotiate and work their hardest for the best terms and conditions of the seller. When you hire an agent who isn't worried about when their next sale takes place, you will get much better advice, and a much better outcome. REALTORS® who advocate for their clients are always striving for the best possible terms for the transaction and their client.

Everything in a real estate contract is negotiable, and a good Hudson seller's agent won't hesitate to take an offer for your South Hudson home for sale that will make you happy. If you want the sale of your South Hudson home to be closed at a certain time, they have the negotiation skills to make that happen. It’s best to negotiate this all at the onset to make sure everyone will be on the same page for closing. A good agent will understand the importance of getting things done on time and in an orderly fashion for you, their seller.

Attend the Home Inspection

A seller's agent should attend the home inspection to be sure that they can properly represent you properly. This is why you are paying a REALTOR®, to make things easier for you when selling your South Hudson home for sale. Although you may not expect them to attend the home inspection, they should do it regardless. Your agent can keep track of everything that the inspector states about the home, as well as see anything they may find wrong.

This will also help your sellers agent to protect you from any unreasonable requests, and help them to hear everything first hand. Some buyers may try to exaggerate about everything in hopes that you will make any repairs needed, or that they will be able to purchase your South Hudson home cheaper than the listed price. Home inspections often become the second time where more negotiations are made on your South Hudson home for sale.

Finalize Loose Ends

Selling a Hudson home for sale involves a lot of work. Your REALTOR® must be on top of everything. There are many small details that must be taken care of which is a big selling point for their services. As you get closer and closer to closing your Hudson home for sale, your real estate agent needs to relieve your stress and take care of all the loose ends for you. The less work you have to do, the more appealing your REALTOR® will be. Then you will be more likely to recommend their services to others seeking a real estate agent to help them sell or buy a South Hudson home.

If you are looking to buy or sell a home in South Hudson or in the surrounding area give us a call. The agents at Harmony Real Estate will keep your best interests in mind.

Closing Costs are fees that are associated with the purchase of your Southern NH home for sale that are paid at the closing of a real estate transaction. The closing is the time at which the title of your Southern NH home for sale is transferred from the seller to the buyer. The closing costs of the loan are incurred by the buyer. While the seller pays for commission, transfer of the deed and a few other miscellaneous state fees.

There are many different fees you can expect to encounter when you are closing on a new home in Southern New Hampshire. They vary widely depending on where you live, the type of home you purchase, and the type of loan that you choose to take out. These fees may include:

• Application Fee: The application fee covers the cost for the lender to process your application. Before submitting an application, ask your lender what this fee covers. Not all lenders charge an application fee, and if they do it is possible it can be negotiated.
• Appraisal: This fee is paid to the appraisal company to confirm the market value of the home you intend to purchase. It typically costs from $400-$600 depending on the property type. With a VA or FHA loan the lender will require the appraisal to be at or above the purchase price unless the buyer is capable of paying the difference in cash which is typically not possible. If you are a conventional buyer in Southern NH and have a large down payment you should make the contract subject to the appraisal.
• Closing/Escrow Fee: This is paid to the title company or the escrow company for conducting the closing. It usually ranges from $350-$600 depending on the company and type of closing. The title company or escrow oversees the closing as an independent party in your home purchase. We suggest using a company this knows Southern NH laws.
• Courier Fee: This covers the cost of transporting documents to complete the loan transaction as quickly as possible. Usually courier fees don’t cost more than $50 each.
• Credit Report: A credit report is needed to get your credit history and your credit score. Your credit score plays a big role in determining the interest rate you’ll get on your Southern NH loan. Typically the credit report runs from $25-$50 but could be more costly if there was a credit problem that had to be resolved.
• Escrow Deposit for Taxes & Insurance: Often you are asked to put down up to six months of property tax and mortgage insurance payments when closing in Southern NH. So make sure to budget for it.
• Flood Zone: This is paid to a third party to determine if the property is located in a flood zone. This should also be a small fee under $50.
• Home Inspection: You will most likely get your own home inspection to verify the condition of a property, as well as to check for home repairs that may be needed before closing on your new home. Depending on whether there is a septic and well or public water/sewer and what other tests you do such as mold, lead, pests, radon, pool, etc. will determine how costly this will be. The basic inspections costs from $400-$1200 and could potentially be more depending on the tests you decide to have done on your Southern NH home for sale.
• Homeowners Association Fees: The Seller will pay for this transfer which will show that the dues are paid current, what the dues are, a copy of the association financial statements, minutes and notices. There may also be a one-time fee for the buyer to join the Association that goes into the Reserves.
• Homeowners’ Insurance: This covers possible damages to your Southern NH home. Your first year’s insurance is often paid at closing and the cost varies based on the size of the home, your credit and the amenities.
• Lender’s Title Insurance: This is insurance to assure the lender that you own the home and the lender’s mortgage is a valid lien, and it protects the lender if there is a problem with the title. The cost varies based on the sales price of the Southern New Hampshire home you buy.
• Owner’s Title Insurance: This is an insurance policy that protects you if someone challenges your ownership of your home. This cost also varies based on the price of the home you buy.
• Origination Fee: This covers the lender’s administrative costs. It’s usually about 1% of the total loan.
• Prepaid Interest: Most lenders will ask you to prepay any interest that will accrue between closing and the date of your first mortgage payment.
• Property Taxes: Typically lenders will want any taxes due within 60 days of purchase by the lender to be paid at closing. There may also be taxes due to the owner that were prepaid.
• Recording Fees: This is a fee charged by your local recording office for the recording of public land records. It is usually around $50.
• Transfer Taxes: The transfer tax is one of the largest fees you encounter in New Hampshire. The NH Transfer tax is $15 per $1,000 of the sales price. This fee is split between the buyer and the seller unless otherwise agreed to in writing. In other states there are different fees and it may only be born by the seller.
• Underwriting Fee: This also goes to your lender, covering the cost of researching whether or not to approve you for the loan. An underwriter looks at your file and makes the decision as whether your Southern NH home loan will be accepted or not.

Home buyers will pay anywhere between about 2% to 5% of the purchase price of their home in closing fees but it typically ranges around 3.5%. Your lender will give you a loan estimate for your loan, which will include what the closing costs on your home will be. Many of the fees that make up closing costs may be negotiable. You can also look around for different lenders to see who may be willing to offer you a loan with the lowest closing costs and especially the lowest interest rate.

A short sale is a sale of Real Estate in which the net proceeds from selling your Hudson home for sale will fall short of the debts you owe to your lender for your mortgage. In this case, if all lien holders agree to accept less than the amount owed on the debt, a sale of your South Hudson NH home for sale can be made.

When you sell your South Hudson home as a short sale, it’s similar to other sales you just have to involve the bank’s decision as well. You should contact a REALTOR®, specifically one who specializes in short sales. You will need to list your Hudson home for sale being sure to mention that it's a “short sale,” then wait for an offer to come in. Once you accept an offer, things can get tricky. You will need to gather all of your financial documents to send to your mortgage company and see if they will consider the short sale. Since lenders lose money with short sales, they're usually not very eager to agree with it but that’s where your REALTOR and a short sale negotiator come into play working in your best interest. Some banks may prefer to foreclose on your Hudson home but many times they will consider the short sale if there is good reason.

There are many Pro’s and Con’s to a short sale, but again a real estate agent can help you decide whether you should short sale, or what your other options are. If you do short sale your home, make sure your loan will be considered paid in full. A short sale will have a much smaller effect on your credit than a foreclosure. This will help you in the long run if you ever try to take out another loan or mortgage. Avoiding foreclosure, means you may be able to buy another home sooner than you would be able to if your home was foreclosed on.

However, there are also some disadvantages to a short sale. You will have to take full responsibility for the sale of you home, which can be very stressful and time consuming. Also, if someone purchases your home faster than you expected, you may have to move sooner than you had originally planned. This means that you will now need to find yourself somewhere else to move to as quickly as possible. This may be very difficult for you considering there will be no proceeds from the short sale of your South Hudson home.

If you are having a hard time making the decision of whether or not a short sale is your best option, talk to a Real Estate Attorney, or a REALTOR® to figure out the best plan of action. They can help guide you in the right direction. Be sure you don’t forget to talk to you lender as well. Your lender likely has specialized loan officers who are capable of reviewing and guiding customers who are at risk of foreclosure.

Call Harmony Real Estate at (603) 883-8840 and speak to the top REALTORS® in Southern New Hampshire if you need advice on whether or not to short sale your South Hudson home! We will work in your best interest and help you on this stressful journey in your life.

What is Radon?

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that you cannot see, smell, or taste. It is a carcinogen that has been proven to cause cancer. The Surgeon General warned that Radon is the second leading cause for lung cancer in the United States today. If you smoke, and there is Radon in your home, then you are at an even higher risk for lung cancer. If you are looking for more information on radon you can check out the EPA website at www.epa.gov/iap/radon/pubs/index.html or call the New Hampshire Bureau of Environmental & Occupational Health at (603) 271-4610.

In 1899, English physicist Ernest Rutherford first discovered Radon. The discovery is also credited to German physicist Friedrich Ernst Dorn in 1900. Rutherford discovered Radons’ alpha radiation, and Dorn discovered that radium was releasing a gas.

Radon is a colorless chemically-unreactive inert gas. It is the heaviest known gas. Radon is 9 times denser than air. Because it is a single atom gas it easily penetrates many common materials like paper, leather, low-density plastic, paints, building materials, and most insulations.

How is Radon made?

Radon is not produced as a commercial product. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas and comes from the natural breakdown of uranium. It is usually found in igneous rock and soil. In some cases, well water may also be a source of radon. New Hampshire is the granite state and radon can come through the rock in the ground and other soils and clays and come into our homes.

What happens when you’re exposed to Radon?

Human exposure to radon are inhalation and ingestion. Radon in the ground, groundwater, or building materials enters working and living spaces and disintegrates into its decay products. Although high concentrations of radon in groundwater may contribute to radon exposure through ingestion, the inhalation of radon released from water is usually the concern.

Testing is the only way to know if you have Radon in your home. The EPA indicates that any readings above 4.0 pCi/L in the air are not acceptable levels and should be mitigated.  It is recommended that the testing device be put in the lowest level  suitable for occupancy and typically is left for readings in a 48-72 hour time frame.

How do you get rid of Radon?

If you do find Radon in the air of your Southern NH home, you can reduce the exposure to an acceptable amount on your own for around $500, but this is not recommended because it is a dangerous gas. We suggest you find a Certified Radon Mitigator in your area. For radon air, the professional will usually install a sub-slab depressurization method by inserting a PVC pipe through the basement floor and venting it out the roof with a fan and typically runs from $1200-$1500 in Southern New Hampshire.

For radon in the water, the State of NH recommends a level lower than 2000 pCi/L but there is no standard EPA regulatory limit. The cost to mitigate radon in the water runs from $2500-$5000. Aeration is the method suggested by the State of New Hampshire to get rid of radon in water and sometimes require an additional water softener system, if there are high levels of iron or manganese. Every state has their own guideline as to what they feel is safe and you need to go with what makes you feel safe in your Southern New Hampshire home.

If you are looking to test for radon in your Southern New Hampshire home and would like some suggestions on a Certified Radon Mitigator feel free to give us a call at Harmony Real Estate at (603) 883-8840. We would love to help you better the quality of life for you and your family in your Southern NH home.  

The decision to short sell your home is not an easy one. You will have to come to terms with the not being able to make your mortgage payments and there are valid reasons why. Many reasons include: divorce, fraud, loss of a job, health reasons, condo rules and other possible reasons. Whatever the reason that you are facing may be, short selling your home in Southern New Hampshire will not affect your credit as harshly as a foreclosure and may open up the possibility to getting into another home faster after the short sale. If your short sale is successful you could avoid a foreclosure on your credit record.

Before you short sale your house, you want to make sure you have looked at all your options. Don't make any hasty or rash decisions without some consideration. Filing for bankruptcy might be an option to stave of foreclosure (not indefinitely though) if you can’t pay your bills but have the money to pay your mortgage. You may also want to look into the possibility of adjusting your payments by talking to your bank to discuss different terms. If you owe more for your house than it’s worth and these other options do not work for you, a short sale might be the best option for selling your Southern NH home.

Make sure you work with an experienced REALTOR® who has worked with short sales in the past. Ask about their experience so you feel comfortable with their knowledge about the process. An experienced real estate agent will be able to negotiate the deal in your best interest.  

Be aware that the short sale process for a Southern NH Home for sale will take time and patience. Short sales typically take between 3-6 months to close and can take even longer in some circumstances. It all depends on what bank(s) you are working with and the condition of the home. Also make sure to also looking into your tax implications. This is one step that is critical. You should talk to a tax advisor to see what your tax implications are as they change from year to year.

Buying and selling a home is a very important decision, make sure to trust the REALTOR® you are working with. You will need to give them a pile of paperwork regarding your current standing financial assets in order to get the short sale approved. The process can be very emotional and stressful and you will need someone who is caring and will answer your questions along the way and help you through the process. If you can get support from friends and family it will help the process too. Remember the short sale of your Southern NH home is just a temporary situation and you will be able to purchase another home in the future.    

Talk to one of our experienced real estate agents about to see if you should short sale your Southern New Hampshire house. Make sure it is the right fit for your circumstances. We can discuss your options and let you know what is the best fit for you. Call Harmony Real Estate at (603) 883-8840 for more information on short selling your Southern NH home today!

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The first floor has an open concept layout from the kitchen, to the dining area, to the living room.  There are cathedral ceilings and a beautiful wood laminate floor. The eat-in kitchen has new cabinets with ample storage, stainless appliances and granite countertops.