Energy Efficiency Tax Credits for Your Home

Whether it’s buying a new hybrid car or switching out your old light bulbs with the new curly Q ones, there has been a lot of emphasis recently on “going green”. However, a new government initiative may have just upped the ante a bit. If you make energy saving changes to your primary residence, you’re no longer just “going green” but you also could be adding a little “green” to your wallet as well! As a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed into law by President Obama in 2009, there are currently some tax credits that property owners can take advantage of by making their homes more energy efficient. These credits could potentially means thousands of dollars back in your pocket, not to mention the lower energy bills.

There are three different tax credits available to current homeowners. The first tax credit applies to purchases of Biomass Stoves, Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning (HVAC), Insulation, Roofs (Metal & Asphalt), Water Heaters (non-solar), Windows, and Doors. These upgrades must be made to an existing principal residence (i.e. landlords cannot get tax credits for rental properties they make more energy efficient.) The amount of the credit is 30% of the upgrade cost up to a maximum of $1,500 and it expires on December 31, 2010.

The second tax credit, which expires at the end of 2016, applies to purchases of geothermal heat pumps, small wind turbines (residential) and solar energy systems. Both existing principal residences and second homes qualify for this credit, as well as new construction (rental properties do not qualify). This credit is also 30% of the product cost, however there is NO upper limit like the previous credit.

The third and final tax credit applies to purchases of fuel cells (residential fuel cell and micro-turbine systems) and is once again 30% of the cost, up to $500 per .5 kW of power capacity. Existing homes & new construction qualify; however, they MUST be your principal residence. Rentals and second homes do not apply. This credit also expires on December 31, 2016.

To apply for the tax credit, you will need to file the appropriate form when you complete your tax returns. For products “placed in service” in 2009, you need to file the 2009 IRS Form 5695 and submit it with your 2009 taxes (by April 15, 2010). The residential energy tax credit is claimed on line 52 of the 1040 form. For all products “placed in service” in 2010, you will file the tax credit on your 2010 income taxes. Make sure you save all your receipts and the Manufacturer’s Certification Statement for your records & submit form 5695 along with your taxes. As always, make sure you consult your accountant ahead of time regarding any income tax related matters.

This is just a brief overview of the tax credits available. Each and every tax credit has its own specific set of rules and guidelines, and it’s highly recommended that you do your own research before making any permanent changes to your home. For the full list of products, and more tax credit information, please visit the government website @: http://www.energystar.gov

Washington Town Sells for $360k on eBay

With the home prices dropping around the country it’s no surprise to find a great deal on a home, but now it looks as if the bargains have extended even further than we ever thought possible.

There are always a number of unusual items for sale on eBay, but it’s not every day that you see an entire town go up on the auction block. The fetching price for tiny Wauconda, Washington was a mere $360,000, which sounds like a veritable bargain, especially if one of your dreams in life is to own your own zip code.

Wauconda consists of only a restaurant, a small store, a gas pump, a four-bedroom house and that very exclusive zip code. Nevertheless, seller Daphne Fletcher claims to take in about $300,000 per year mostly thanks to the summer travel season with tourists passing through.

The new owners of this quaint little town, Maddie and Neal Love, came in and sealed the deal after a protracted month-long bidding war. Who was the other competing bidder? It happened to be a nice young boy who tried to “surprise his parents” by buying a town. Not a bad anniversary gift, I guess.

Amazingly, this is not the first time an entire town has sold on the well-known auction site. Bridgeville, California sold for $1.78 million in 2003 and tiny Albert, Texas went up for a $2.5 million reserve price in 2007, among others. What kind of weird things have you seen up for sale on E-bay? I’d love to hear your thoughts…

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Matt Robinson, REALTORERA Beach Ball RealtyCell or Text: 850-292-4000www.mattrobinson.bizhttp://mattrobinsonrealtor.blogspot.com/
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