Cost Basis Content Index - Page 1

Cost basis refers to the cost of the property adjusted for improvement and can be adjusted up or down for other reason. The IRS has various methods of calculating and tracking cost basis. Read here for more information to determine your cost basis.

**The Fannie Mae Rental Program will allow homeowners to avoid foreclosure for a year.** This rental program or "Deed to Lease" program will allow homeowners who haven't qualified for a home loan modification or for the Making Home Affordable Act to avoid foreclosure for a year. The Fannie Mae Rental Program has specific criteria that the homeowners must qualify for, including they must live in the home as their primary residence and they can't be more than 12 months past due. Read the full article below fore more information on the Fannie Mae Rental Program.

**Divorce Decree vs. Quit Claim Deed** You get divorced. You refinance your home. Your ex-spouse gives you a quit claim deed. End of story? Not so, says this reader whose ex-spouse wants half of the proceeds from the sale of the home 13 years after the quit claim deed and and 14 years after the divorce. Does the divorce decree trump the quit claim deed? Does the quit claim deed trump the divorce decree? What should the ex-spouse get in this real estate problem.

**$8,000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit: Buying A Partially Inherited Home** The first time home buyer has restrictions on income. The first time home buyer tax credit requires you to live in the home for 3 years. Also, you can't have owned a home for the last 36 months. In addition, the first time home buyer tax credit has restrictions on who can sell you the home. If you are buying a home from a close relative, you won't qualify for the tax credit. But what if you inherit the home?

**$8,000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit and Nonresident Aliens** The $8,000 first time home buyer tax credit is quite popular these days and everybody that might qualify for it wants to qualify for it. But there are strict rules relating to who can qualify for the $8,000 first time home buyer tax credit. If you are a nonresident alien you do not qualify for the tax credit. But if you buy a home with someone who does qualify for the $8,000 first time home buyer tax credit, the nonresident alien won't get the benefit but the other person should get the benefit of the tax credit.

New Media Atlanta conference featuring Chris Brogan. Social Media and Social Marketing Conference notes and tips. I'll be blogging live with some of the best social media and social marketing tips I'm learning. Photo credit: [Jennifer Carter](http://maxsell.net/author/jcarter/)

Use seller financing to save your capital gains tax exemption if your buyer is having trouble getting conventional financing. To qualify for a capital gains tax exemption you must fit under certain guidelines, like how long you have lived in the home as your primary residence. Seller financing can help you save your capital gains tax exemption before it expires. However, seller financing does carry many risks. If you can't or don't want to go down the route of seller financing, you can also consider a 1031 exchange (tax deferred exchange or Starker Trust) or an installment purchase. A qualified tax professional can help you determine if seller financing is the right choice for you, if you're trying to save your capital gains tax exemption.

What happens if you can't pay your mortgage? A homeowner worries about getting a deficiency judgment if her rental property falls into foreclosure because she can't pay the mortgage. Some states allow deficiency judgments on primary residences, but many do not. If your house is in foreclosure because you can't pay your mortgage, you'll want to make sure that the lender in your foreclosure can't come after you for a deficiency judgment. In some circles, when a lender can't go after the borrower for the debt, the debt is called a non-recourse loan.

Home improvements on a budget are on a rise. With the housing crisis and the downward pressure on home prices, more people may opt to stay put and renovate their homes. But these home renovations and repairs will be smaller and give home owners more bang for the buck. Closet organizers are one way to improve a home and make a home more livable. The home improvement doesn't have to cost too much. The home repair needs to suit your needs and a closet organizer can unclutter a space you use daily and make your life easier. It doesn't have to cost too much. It can be on a budget and you might be able to do it yourself. Best of all, if you are planning to sell your home in the near future, a small home improvement project and a well organized closet with a well installed closet organizer can help your home look better and sell faster in this real estate market.

Quit claim deeds are a popular tool used by many, but in some cases a warranty deed is a better option. When a relative owns a home, should you quit claim that home to a child? Usually, you shouldn't use a quit claim deed to avoid estate planning issues. The better option is to work with an estate planner to determine whether you should keep the property, set up a trust or another mechanism to transfer property from a parent to a child. But usually it's not going to be a quit claim deed.

What are the true costs of owning and maintaining a home. If you're preparing a budget, you need to factor in these cost of ownership. Not only will you have to replace fixtures, appliances, and carpet, but you'll need to change filters, batteries and smoke detectors regularly as well. Landscaping, snow removal and other costs of owning and maintaining your home and rental property can expand if you're not careful. Before you buy, be sure to calculate the home ownership costs for a home or rental property.