Capital Gains and Home Selling: How it Works

Many first-time homeowners wonder how capital gains work when it comes to selling their home. Mainly, can you exclude these gains come tax time? The answer is yes, but only if you meet certain criteria.

If you sell your primary residence, you may be able to exclude up to $250,000 of gain – $500,000 for married couples – from your federal tax return. However, in order to qualify for this exclusion, the IRS says your home must have been owned by you and used as your main home for a period of at least two out of the five years prior to its sale.

You also must not have excluded gain on another home sold during the two years before the current sale. Special rules apply for members of the armed, uniformed and…

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We Don't know about you, but we thought this winter seemed really short, didn't it?

As much as we love Spring and all the fun that it has in store, we want at least a couple more good pow days...and with snow expected this weekend, we think you should, too!

Plan ahead...here are the dates that Colorado Ski Resorts are planning to close, which is, of course, always subject to change depending on Mother Nature's mood swings. Have fun and be safe on the slopes!

2016/17 Resort Dates* 

RESORT

OPEN

CLOSE

ARAPAHOE BASIN

October 21

Early June

ASPEN MOUNTAIN

November 26

April 16

ASPEN HIGHLANDS

December 10

April 9

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The recent warm weather has tricked many of our plants into thinking it's spring, so what happens to them when it snows, like it is predicted to do this weekend?

We did a little bit of googling for you:

Denver 7news checked with the gardening pros at O'Toole's Garden Center, located at 5201 S Federal Blvd in Littleton, and they said the good news is our plants and lawns need this moisture, and the snow (if it's not too heavy) could actually insulate them against the cold weather.

Before the snow, customers were rushing in to buy fertilizer and weed preventer so it would be watered in by the storm.

For people seeing bulbs starting to sprout, O'Toole's store manager Chris Ibsen said they are strong and should be fine. For more delicate…

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Denver licensing officials for the first time are going after short-term rental hosts on Airbnb, HomeAway and other online services — more than 1,000 of them.

Showing up in mailboxes this week are the first violation notices issued under Denver’s new short-term rental ordinance, said Dan Rowland, a spokesman for the Department of Excise and Licenses. There are 1,057, to be exact, including 352 mailed last Friday and hundreds more that will be mailed this week.

Rowland said the “vast majority” cite what might be considered the lowest-hanging fruit under Denver’s new law: failing to include a license number in the online listing.

He said the notices give recipients 14 days to get licensed or fix other violations. If they don’t, they face fines…

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Update:

Jessica, Chris and their team made it safely to Nepal! We wish them the best of luck and a safe journey! Find out more about what they are doing here.

Big thanks to our clients + agents at West + Main Homes, as well as the generous employees at 1bg for their thoughtful contributions to the Bombardier's school supply drive!

 

Thanks again to all who contributed...we'll be anxiously awaiting updates from Mt. Everest!!

We are collecting school supplies to donate in Nepal...Can you help?

 

West + Main friends Chris and Jessica Bombardier are some of our favorite people...and not just because they have bought and sold several homes using our services!

 

They are kind, generous, talented and super-smart. Not only that,…

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WE COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED TO WELCOME NICOLE RUFENER TO THE WEST + MAIN HOMES TEAM!

If you don't already know Nicole, we can't wait for you to meet her. Nicole is not only a true Denver real estate expert, she is also one of the Mile High City's biggest fangirls. Check out her lifestyle blog at DenverVibe.com and let her know if you want a tour of any of Denver's unique + popular neighborhoods...she knows them all inside and out!

Nicole has been selling Real Estate in the Denver Metro area for over thirteen years, and she's also a contract and negotiation specialist. Nicole has trained and managed some of the most successful professionals in Colorado, and we are beyond lucky to have her as part of the West + Main Homes Team!

When Nicole…

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Your home is almost perfect...but it doesn't have that model home, designer feel that will sell for top dollar. Don’t despair—there are dozens of high-impact, super-easy updates that can be pulled off in a single afternoon. From styling tricks to micro cleaning, here are 20 little home updates with major payoff.

 

Stow 

STOW THE KITCHEN TRASH CAN

Fact: Even the fancy ones are still an eyesore. Tuck a small can under the sink or in another cabinet - it's worth the lost storage space to hide the garbage!

 

 

MOVE COATS TO A CLOSET

It's really easy to let a wall of hooks or pegs turn into permanent coat and bag storage...so just get rid of it or carefully style it with just a light scarf and sun hat - because no one needs to know how many…

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As we all know, inventory of existing and new homes in the Denver Metro area has been at historic lows, which has benefitted homeowners as price appreciation has risen steadily over the past six years, especially in the city and nearby suburbs.

However, a rise in interest rates, thanks to the Federal Reserve, combined with a shaky political atmosphere, has homeowners thinking now may be the time to cash out and is almost certain to increase housing inventory for 2017. For prospective sellers that means that if you were planning to sell your home this Spring, it’s time to get a move on!

Here are six reasons why now may be the time to sell in Central Colorado:

1. Low inventory

Inventory of homes in both Denver and its surrounding suburbs…

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The filing deadline to submit 2016 tax returns is Tuesday, April 18, 2017, rather than the traditional April 15 date.

In 2017, April 15 falls on a Saturday, and this would usually move the filing deadline to the following Monday — April 17. However, Emancipation Day — a legal holiday in the District of Columbia — will be observed on that Monday, which pushes the nation’s filing deadline to Tuesday, April 18, 2017. Under the tax law, legal holidays in the District of Columbia affect the filing deadline across the nation.

Refunds in 2017

Choosing e-file and direct deposit for refunds remains the fastest and safest way to file an accurate income tax return and receive a refund.

After refunds leave the IRS, it takes additional time for them to be…

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Determining the value of a home is often a complicated process, as you weigh comparable homes, renovations, square footage and more. However, when a home is distressed or a “fixer-upper,” the process can be even more convoluted.

To determine whether or not a property that interests you is a wise investment will require a lot of work. You will need to figure out what the average home in the area sells for, as well as the cost of the most desirable ones. 

One of the best ways is to get your hands on a comparable market analysis. The team at West + Main will happily help you with this! You'll see what price similar properties have sold for in the past and find out the listing price of others currently on the market.

It is important to examine the…

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