Homeowners Insurance Hints

Here are some homeowners insurance tips from HouseLogic:

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  Improve Your Insurance Score

  Paying all of your bills on time is one good way to improve your insurance score—and, in turn, lower your homeowners insurance premiums. Read
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  Homeowners Insurance: Time for an Annual Check-Up

  An annual check-up on your homeowners insurance can result in a healthier policy and a healthier pocketbook. Read

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Copyright 2012 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Home Ownership and Income Taxes

It's Income Tax Time again! While the deadline for filing is fast approaching, many wait until the deadline to file. This information is important for those who haven't filed their income tax of yet as well as a good review for those who have to make sure they haven't missed any deductions.

Being self-employed as a Realtor and candle business owner, I know too well the importance of the benefits of owning a home-based business come income tax time. This is of particular interest to those who own a home-based business or use their home for business use and functionality.

Happy reading and hope you cash in on all the benefits home ownership affords each of you when filing your income taxes!

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  How to Claim Your 2011 Energy Tax Credits

  
  

  They’re not as much as they used to be, but there are still energy tax credits to be had for upgrades made in 2011. Read

  
  


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  10 Easy Mistakes Home Owners Make on Their Taxes

  
  

  Don’t rouse the IRS or pay more taxes than necessary — know the score on each home tax deduction and credit. Read

  
  


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  6 Home Deduction Traps and How to Avoid Them

  
  

  Get an “A” on your Schedule A Form: Dodge these tax deduction pitfalls to save time, money, and an IRS investigation. Read

  
  


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  What You Can and Can't Deduct When You Work From Home

  
  

  Working from home can offer many advantages including tax deductions. Just take care what you try to write off for your home office on your return. Read

  
  

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Copyright 2012 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

If You Can Apply For Homestead Exemption This Year - Be Sure To Do So In February

Did you buy a new home that you owned and resided in permanently as of January 1st of this year? Heads up because the deadline for applying for the Florida Homestead Exemption is March 1st!

Want to know more about Homestead Exemption, how it works and what you might be eligible for, hop on over to my recent article at The Snowbird Journal

and learn all about it. While this article was written with our seasonal residents going from part to full time residency in mind, the information provided will put you on the right track.

If you are eligible to apply, please be sure to put this on your to-do list for February and you'll enjoy additional property tax savings from the coming years you own your property and use it as a primary residence.

Here's the article:

NOW IS THE TIME TO FILE FOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION

Homeowners Hints For Annual Insurance Checkup, Home Inventories and More

The New Year is upon us and while we all lead very busy lives, homeowners could serve themselves well by giving themselves an annual homeowner's insurance check-up including taking stock of their coverage. These articles shared offer some helpful hints on just how to do so!

It's also a great time to include in your resolutions for this year maintaining a Home Inventory so you know what the contents of your home are at all times. The time to think about that is not after disaster strikes, but before, and by using these helpful hints you can save yourself a lot of grief in the event something happens. Also, cameras can be your best friend so be sure to take lots of pictures and save them on a remote computer or print off and save in a safety deposit box. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and it could be true in this case.

Enjoy the articles and more soon from "The Dawn of Real Estate"

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  The Cost of Umbrella Insurance for Homeowners

  
  

  The surprising thing about the cost of umbrella insurance is that it can be influenced as much by your driving record as it can be by your record as a homeowner. Read

  
  


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  Compile a Home Inventory with the Right Tools

  
  

  A home inventory of your belongings for insurance purposes is a relatively inexpensive way to make any future claims go smoother. Read

  
  


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  The Right Disaster Insurance for Your Region

  
  

  The region in which you live dictates what kind of disaster insurance you might need to protect your home from Mother Nature’s wrath. Read

  
  


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  Homeowners Insurance: Time for an Annual Check-Up

  
  

  An annual check-up on your homeowners insurance can result in a healthier policy and a healthier pocketbook. Read

  
  


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  How to Correct Your CLUE Insurance Report

  
  

  An error in your CLUE insurance report can increase your homeowners insurance premium or even prevent you from getting coverage at all. Read

  
  

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Copyright 2012 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Ho-Ho-Happy Holiday Information From The Dawn of Real Estate

Ho ho ho! At the Mathisen household, we are still busy "decking the halls" in preparation for family, friends and guests in the coming weeks.

Here are some articles you might find of interest during the Holiday season.

We wish you and your's the best and brightest season ever!

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  7 Ways to Have an Eco-Friendly Christmas

  With a few conscious choices, your merry Christmas can also be an eco-friendly Christmas. Read
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  LED Holiday Lights: 6 Need-to-Know Tips

  LED holiday lights vs. old-fashioned bulbs: 6 tips to help you decide which is right for you. Read
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  Real Christmas Trees vs. Fake Christmas Trees: Which are Greener?

  How do real Christmas trees and fake Christmas trees stack up when it comes to the environment and cost? We’ve got the dirt. Read
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  5 Holiday Hosting Disasters and How to Avoid Them

  Take a look at the most common things that can go wrong when you have guests and learn how to prevent them. Read
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  Holiday Fire Safety Tips

  The holiday season is one of the most dangerous times of the year for household fires, so take note of these tips to reduce your risk. Read

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

In The Market For A New Home? Here Is Some Great Information For You.

Are you in the market for a new home? Now is certainly a great time to buy - with housing prices still at historical lows and some pretty incredible mortgage interest rates available.

Here are some great articles I wanted to pass along for those considering a new home purchase. Enjoy and give me a call if I can help you make your home ownership dream come true!

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  Negotiate Your Best House Buy

  
  

  Keep your emotions in check and your eyes on the goal, and you’ll pay less when purchasing a home. Read

  
  


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  Keep Your Home Purchase on Track

  
  

  You’ve found your dream home. Make sure missteps don’t prevent a successful closing. Read

  
  


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  7 Steps to a Stress-free Home Closing

  
  

  By doing homework in advance, you’ll understand what you’re asked to sign when you close the sale of your home. Read

  
  


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  8 Tips for Finding Your New Home

  
  

  A solid game plan can help you narrow your homebuying search to find the best home for you. Read

  
  


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  Find the Home Loan that Fits Your Needs

  
  

  Understand which mortgage loan is best for you so your budget is not stretched too thin. Read

  
  

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Lehigh Acres' Local Misconceptions About Lehigh Resort Club

It's still a hot one in the Southwest Florida sun! Here's an invitation to cool off in the pool and discover or re-discover Lehigh Resort Club.

McWilliams Buckley & Associates will be hosting "September Sundays are September Fundays at Lehigh Resort Club" for the next three Sundays: September 11, 18 and 25. Each Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., the Resort will be open for the public to enjoy, discover and view.

As I have shared this Open House event around the community, I have realized there are some genuine misconceptions about Lehigh Resort Club among the residents here in Lehigh Acres.

Today's post is meant to dispell some of the rumors, misconceptions and incorrect information floating around out there. I certainly understand the confusion some might feel when they drive by the area on Joel Blvd., where the Admiral Lehigh Resort (Hotel) once stood to see a large parcel of vacant land. Or where once stood the Lehigh North Course, an 18 hole golf course and facility, things look different. From the view outside looking in, one might take it that there isn't a lot going on around that area, but this is hardly the case!

The first thing I have heard when inviting people to the upcoming event is "Didn't they knock that place down?". While it is true the hotel is gone, the property directly behind the hotel has been home to the Lehigh Resort Club, a timeshare and interval ownership property, since the 1980's and the days of the old Lehigh Corporation. The hotel and Lehigh Resort Club, the timeshare resort, were distinctly different enterprises and while one is a part of Lehigh Acres history, the other is very much still alive and well!

You can see Lehigh Resort Club from Joel Blvd. if you look beyond the empty space that once was the Admiral Lehigh Hotel. While passers-by can see it in clear view, from what I hear many still wonder what, if anything, is going on back there. I have had people tell me that they are or have been curious but haven't ventured back there to really investigate or see. Still others have told me it's been years since they've ventured back there.

Lehigh Resort Club is still very much open for business and hosts it's timeshare owners and guests each week. Once you move beyond the asthetics of Joel Blvd. and enter the property, one could liken it to entering a different world or a very small community unto itself. The area is really beautiful, a balanced mixed of tropical and wooded surroundings. Lehigh Resort Club is comprised of 10 timeshare unit buildings, a gorgeous Clubhouse, pool and tennis complex and many other amenities and facilities for owners and guests to enjoy.

If you were to venture off Joel Blvd. and enter the grounds, you would find a beautifully maintained mecca behind what was once the local hotel. As a timeshare resort, Lehigh Resort Club has consistently attained the highest ratings from RCI (Resort Condominium International), the largest timeshare exchange company in the world, for it's accommodations, amenities and all the resort offers. The people who own there know that because they enjoy great exchanges besides use of the property here in Lehigh Acres. Those who don't yet know it, or haven't seen it in years, should come discover Lehigh Resort Club during the September Fundays, when it's open to the public to explore, discover and enjoy!

The other common misconception is that "The golf course is gone." From Joel Blvd., some might not see that there is still a golf facility operating on part of the property. Lehigh Resort Club purchased 9 of the 18 original holes at the Lehigh North Course and operates it as a golf course that is open seasonally, from October 1 to May 31 each year. While it's available to the resort guests and owners, it is likewise open to the public for play. In fact, the Lehigh Resort Club actually offers seasonal memberships to locals at some pretty impressive rates! The 9 holes are beautifully maintained but hidden behind some maybe not so well maintainted property that doesn't belong to the resort itself.

Many locals have also said things to me like "Oh, those are expensive" or "Why do I want to own a timeshare in Lehigh Acres when I live here?"

That's all the more reason to come check out the resort during this Open House or get in touch with me! As an owner myself, I know the value of Lehigh Resort Club ownership as I've enjoyed it for decades. I can show you how ownership at Lehigh Resort Club is some of the most affordable timeshare ownership you could ever consider purchasing - from a personal use or exchange standpoint.

The ratings this resort receives and how desireable Florida Timeshares are to others make it probably one of the most savvy purchases you could ever make for exchange purposes! Why buy a $10,000 timeshare in Orlando when you can buy at Lehigh Resort Club and exchange to the same property in Orlando for significantly less? Right now, you can purchase a 1 Bedroom Lehigh Resort Timeshare, out of peak season, for about $1,000. Even with exchange fees, one can certainly see the savings there.

Maintenance Fees (what timeshare owners pay each year for their week) at Lehigh Resort Club are below the average for Florida Timeshares as a whole. The good majority of them are $700 and up while Lehigh Resort's are under or around the $500 mark currently. That's an additional savings while still getting the same great vacation value.

I'm a big believer in saving money! Especially in these economic times and it's why I'm a big believer in the Lehigh Resort Club as being one of the best vacation values in the resale market today! From an exchange point of view, you can buy super affordably and exchange very well. Liken it to buying plane tickets. When you arrive at a resort, each exchanger paid different amounts for their particular timeshare and maintenance fees just like people in an airplane pay different fares for the same seats. While one paid top dollar, the other was a savvy shopper and got a super deal! Now wouldn't you want the one who got the great deal to be YOU?

You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by joining us one of these Sundays during the next few weeks at Lehigh Resort Club!

Come learn about the property, see it for yourself, satisfy your curiosity and see what it really offers. Even if you aren't interested in owning there, perhaps you know someone who might be. Either way, it's sure to be a fun day where you can take an enjoyable dip in the pool and see for yourself what's really going on at 231 Joel Blvd. behind where the local hotel once stood. We hope to see you there!

Visit September Sundays are September Fundays at Lehigh Resort Club for more information or feel free to contact me anytime.