For some people, selling their home can affect how much they must pay in taxes at the end of the year; however, not everyone is affected by this tax rule. If you will be selling your home sometime in the near future, there are things you may want to understand about capital gains and how they work. The more you know about this important tax rule and how it affects you, the easier it will be for you to file your taxes at the end of the year.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with an attorney, tax, or financial advisor before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

What Is Capital Gains Tax?

Capital gains tax is a tax applied to the money you make on the sale of an asset. To find out how much you could be taxed on the sale of

There's no questioning whether homeowners want to save money on their energy bills. Any extra funds wasted on inefficient walls and poor appliances can be put to good use elsewhere. The real problem is deciding which upgrades to make and when. Energy efficiency will look different for every home, depending on its construction date, environmental factors, and specific property traits. The best way to calculate the ones that are right for any given property is to rely on the average returns on investment. Here are a few suggestions with good rates of return for a better idea of how to get started.

Assess the Problem

Too many homeowners will invest money in a feature of their home that doesn't need quite so much attention. Like a home inspection, a

Getting started in real estate investing starts with learning the basics of the types of properties available and how an investor can use them to make money. Like any potential venture, an investor will take on some degree of risk—no matter how fool-proof an opportunity seems. Learn more about the common terms of investment, how land can be used, and what tips to keep in mind before plunging in.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

The Language

The lingo of real estate can get pretty complicated, but it's good to start with a few definitions:

• Residential: A broad category that refers to condos, town homes, single-family homes,

When buying a property, home buyers are not always required to get a home inspection. And if that is the case, many people elect to skip them altogether since they are an extra expense and can extend the closing date. That is almost always a bad idea, however, as it makes the purchase quite a gamble. Here's a look at why getting a home inspection is always a smart move.

Learn About Maintenance Needs

During a property inspection, inspectors look from the roof to foundation for potential problems. They mark down all the imperfections they come across, including:

• Water leaks
• Foundation cracks
• Holes in the siding
• Missing caulk around windows and doors
• Hanging gutters
• Rotting deck boards
• Loose railings
• Signs of pests

Wondering what steps you need to find the perfect accessible home? Well, you don’t need to wonder about the process any longer. Because as long as you follow these essential tips, finding and purchasing your new accessible home shouldn’t be a hassle. 

Check-In With Your Finances First

Looking at new homes can be so thrilling! Before you get too excited about your actual home search, however, you need to make sure you have thoroughly researched your financial options for buying your dream home. Some financial steps to focus on first include reviewing your credit report and score, organizing your financial paperwork for lenders, and figuring out how much home you can afford. 

As you work through these financial steps, you may also want to see

Hello to Family, Friends, Clients and Past Clients.  Everyone.

We're one week into the Shelter in Place order given by our Governor.  I trust you and your family are staying safe and inside as much as possible.  It's been a trying time for everyone and I've received many many calls and questions about my thoughts on COVID-19 from past clients, family members, agents, brokers and more.

On a personal note, I'm afraid mostly for my parents — especially my mother.  For those that know me, you probably know my mother has Multiple Sclerosis. There's no known cure and treatments have varying degrees of success only at abating the symptoms.  I won't get into the details. I will say that along with it comes a compromised immune system. Mild colds for people

Here’s an exclusive offer to save time and money when you spruce up your yard come springtime.

 It’s February, which means that we’ll soon be seeing sunlight, and sometime within the next 18 to 24 months, we’ll be able to leave this cold weather behind and finally go outside again. 

More importantly, the arrival of spring weather means you’ll be able to attend to your yard and spruce up your landscaping. However, before you get to that point, you need to do a little spring clean-up first.

Remove any debris like branches, leaves, and rocks from your plant beds. This is one of my least favorite parts of planting flowers, so if you’re the same way, here’s some great news:

The Perna Team has partnered with not one, not two, but three

Can you smell it?! Fall is upon us, whether we want it to be or not.

And, as people living in the state of Michigan already know, few things compare to the fun-filled experience offered by the region's famous Cider Mills. After all, who wants to miss out on the pre-Thanksgiving tradition of having that hot cup of cider along with a caramel apple?

Many of Michigan's best cider mills have also been upgraded to fuse age-old traditions with contemporary expectations, ensuring that visitors have an all-inclusive recreational experience.

As a proud native, I can say with confidence that the metro Detroit area has some of the absolute best cider mills in the world. Period. (I have a lot of pride about where I live).

In fact, I'd say that

Michigan's Best Haunted Houses:

As promised! Here are the top 10 or so, (I found a few more great ones than 10) best Haunted Houses in Michigan 2019!

1. AZRA CHAMBER OF HORRORS
2. EREBUS
3. HUSH
4. HAUNTED HOUSE AT BLAKE FARMS
5. EXIT 13
6. SCREAMS IN THE DARK
7. WIARDS ORCHARD NIGHT TERRORS
8. THE HAUNT
9. DERANGED HAUNT
10. CEDAR POINT

Click Here for honorable mentions.

And here for a map of all the locations named in this list!

First a quick thank you for all the people who took part in our survey, and watch for the next one coming up!  Your input and feedback are extremely important to us.  

So THE BEST Haunted houses in Michigan 2019...  have I been to any?!  Before writing this post . . . . no.  I mean

Today I’ll walk you through five myths and five truths about selling your home in this real estate market. Stay tuned.

I’ve gotten a lot of very specific questions lately from people who are thinking about putting their home on the market. What should they do? What shouldn’t they do? Today I’ll discuss five myths and five truths about selling in our market that will help potential sellers better understand the process.

Myth No. 1: You should redo your kitchens and bathrooms before listing.

There’s an old saying in real estate that says you can’t flip your own home, and that’s definitely true. The National Association of Realtors, the National Association of Home Stagers, and our own 18 years of experience selling 5,000 houses all say