Real Estate Information Archive

SQUONK Opera's GO ROADSHOW

Date: 7/18/2013 
Time: 7:00 PM 

31750 Lake View Drive 
Selbyville, DE 19975
 

Phone: 
302-436-3015

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Event Description: GO Roadshow is “a musical street spectacle on wheels”. This show-making machine is a 34-foot long monster truck retrofitted with truck-horn calliope, a wall made of rotors and a spinning grand piano that is played while it wheels around! GO is a music and art-mobile! This performance of Squonk Opera is partially supported by a grant from Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour, a program developed and funded by The Heinz Endowments; the William Penn Foundation; the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency; and The Pew Charitable Trusts; and administered by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation. Free for all. Please bring your own chairs. 
Directions:
The Freeman Stage at Bayside is located just 4 miles west of Fenwick Island, DE at the intersection of Route 54 and Route 20. Turn into the Bayside community and proceed straight on Americana Parkway. The Freeman Stage is located on Town Lake at the intersection of Americana Parkway and Lakeview Drive. 

Fenwick Flicks: Madagascar 3

Simple Gifts: A Musical Journey

Date: 7/11/2013 
Time: 7:00 PM 

31750 Lake View Drive 
Selbyville, DE 19975
 

Phone: 
302-436-3015

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Event Description: Three women plus twelve instruments equals one good time when Simple Gifts takes the stage. Drawing on an impressive variety of ethnic folk styles, this award-winning trio plays everything from lively Irish jigs and down-home American reels to hard-driving Klezmer frailachs and haunting Gypsy melodies! This performance of Simple Gifts is partially supported by a grant from Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour, a program developed and funded by The Heinz Endowments; the William Penn Foundation; the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency; and The Pew Charitable Trusts; and administered by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation. Free for all. Seating will be provided. 
Directions:
The Freeman Stage at Bayside is located just 4 miles west of Fenwick Island, DE at the intersection of Route 54 and Route 20. Turn into the Bayside community and proceed straight on Americana Parkway. The Freeman Stage is located on Town Lake at the intersection of Americana Parkway and Lakeview Drive.

 

 

Audrey & Frank Serio, CRS

REMAX By The Sea

Bethany Beach DE 19930

For information on finding your Bethany Beach or Fenwick Island home Click here.

Franc D'Ambrosio's Broadway: Songs of the Great White Way

Taxpayers are allowed to decide each year whether to take the standard deduction or to itemize their deduction when filing their personal income tax returns.  Roughly, 75% of households with more than $75,000 income and most homeowners itemize their deductions.

The 2012 standard deduction, available to all taxpayers, regardless of whether they own a home, is $11,900 for married filing jointly and $5,950 for single taxpayers.

Let's look at an example of a homeowner couple with a $150,000 mortgage at 3.5%.  The standard deduction would give them $2,650 more than the total of their interest paid and property taxes of approximately $9,250.  If they were in the 28% tax bracket, the actual tax savings would be $742.00.

When mortgage rates were considerably higher, many people expected the interest and property taxes to easily exceed the standard deduction but with today's low rates, a comparison is certainly justified.

There are other things that could come into consideration like charitable contributions, medical expenses and casualty losses.  Tax professionals will compare available alternatives to find the one that will benefit the taxpayer most.

For more information, see www.IRS.gov and consult a competent tax advisor.

Audrey & Frank Serio, CRS

REMAX By The Sea

Frank@TheSerios.com

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We're constantly bombarded by lenders to refinance our mortgage under a variety of programs. The volume of offers can almost make you numb to the rational consideration.

There are common rules of thumbs that homeowners and agents use such as not refinancing more often than every two years or there must be at least 2% savings from your previous mortgage rate may not always be accurate.

The reality is that if you can refinance for a lower rate and you'll be in the home long enough to recapture the cost of refinancing, it should be considered. The costs of previous refinancing that haven't been recaptured by monthly savings may need to be added to the costs of the new refinance.

Take a look at the chart that shows the average rates according to Freddie Mac for 2012. They are lower today than they were in January of 2012 and for the ten years before that.

Refinancing may save you a substantial amount of money, especially if you're going to be in your home for a long time. It is definitely worth investigating. To get a quick idea of what your savings could be, use this refinancing calculator.

If you have any additional questions about financing and rates here in the Bethany Beach or Fenwick Island area please feel free to contact us, we will be happy to assist you in your search for the perfect beach home.

Audrey & Frank Serio, CRS

REMAX By The Sea

Frank@TheSerios.com

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Are you thinking of selling your beach home?  Well, if it shows better, it will probably sell faster and maybe for more money. Once your home is on the market, it's time to look at it like a commodity and through the eyes of potential buyers. In all likelihood, you'll need to take care of these items eventually, so do them now to help it sell sooner.

1. Make repairs - it doesn't matter if it's been that way since you bought it. You need to fix it so that the buyer doesn't think that the rest of the house is about to fall apart.
2. Not too personal - you may have bought your home to express yourself but if the buyer can't see themselves in the home for all of your things, it's going to take longer to sell than you want.
3. Drive-up appeal - the old saying "you never get a second chance at a first impression" applies to your home too. They may never even get out of the car to come inside.
4. The nose knows - it may not smell like home but it shouldn't smell like a place they would never consider living.
5. Neutral colors, decor, etc. - these are not decorating tips you'll see in magazines but the truth is that bold colors and designs are difficult for most people to see beyond. They'll imagine their things better in neutral surroundings.
6. Less looks like more - removing some of the non-essential things from your home will eliminate clutter and make the home feel larger. The same suggestion applies to cabinets and closets.

A confused mind will not make a decision. Identify and eliminate items that could derail a potential sale. The preparation you make in the beginning will help the presentation to your buyers.

Audrey & Frank Serio will be happy to visit with you and give you an idea of how to make your home show better and sell faster.  They have been serving the Bethany Beach/Fenwick Island beaches for over 29 years.

Audrey & Frank Serio, CRS

REMAX by the Sea

Frank@TheSerios.com

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Have you ever picked a color from the myriad of paint samples available, put it on the wall and decided that it was all wrong? It shouldn't have to be that difficult but trying to pick the perfect color from those little swatches is just not that easy.

Painters and decorators suggest you buy a small amount of the colors you're considering. Your paint store should be able to mix them in any brand and any color. Once it's on the wall, it will be easy to determine if it needs to be lighter or darker or if it's completely wrong.

Take them home and paint a 2' x 2' area on the wall. If you're concerned about testing the colors on your wall, you can paint some sample boards that can be easily moved around to see how they'll look with the furniture, floors and other items in the room.

Instead of guessing what it's going to look like, you'll actually see how it looks during different times of the day, in natural and artificial light.

While $30 to $40 a gallon for paint may seem like a lot of money, the cost in time and labor to put it on the wall is even more. It's worth taking the time to test the color on the wall before you buy all the paint needed.

If you are thinking of upgrading or renovating your Bethany Beach home feel free to give us a call or email us.  We will be happy to assist you in finding the right people for the job.

Audrey & Frank Serio, CRS

REMAX By The Sea

Direct: 302.537.3171

eMail:  Frank@TheSerios.com

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After most families essential expenses are met there is usually very little discretionary cash remaining for those special items people want to save for.

A relatively small investment in a rental home can control a good home that will easily rent, generate positive cash flows and pay for itself. The borrowed funds create leverage that earn a return on the total value of the home and not just the amount of cash you have invested.

The strategy is simple. Find a slightly below average priced home that will rent well. It will appeal to a larger group of people while it's rented and when it's ready to be sold.

Rent the home and maintain its condition over the years. As the loan amortizes and the value increases, the equity will grow. When your student is ready to start college, you'll actually have several options.

You can sell the property; pay the tax on the gain at the reduced capital gains rate and fund the education. Another option would be to refinance and take the proceeds to pay for the tuition. This would allow you to continue to own the asset but would free your equity and under current tax laws is a non-taxable event.

Regardless of whether you're trying to plan for your children's education or your own retirement, rental property offers many solid investment opportunities. Contact me if you want more information on homes in the Bethany Beach or Fenwick Island resort area or sign up to receive free, no obligation updates as new listings hit the market at www.ListingUpdate365.com.

Audrey & Frank Serio, CRS

REMAX By the Sea

Bethany Beach DE

www.TheSerios.com

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