On March 31, 2011, Wall Street Journal reported that a Russian billion dollar investor had bought a French chateau inspired mansion in Silicon Valley, CA for a hundred million.  It is 25,500 sq ft.  It is the highest known price ever paid for a single family home in the US.  The new owner is 49 yrs old.  The house has indoor and outdoor pools, a ballroom, a wine cellar, a tennis court.  Wow!

If you owe a debt to someone else, and they cancel or forgive that debt, the canceled amount may be taxable .  This is common in a short sale or foreclosure.  The Mortgage Debt Relief Act of 2007 generally allows taxpayers to exclude income from the discharge of debt on their principal residence.  Debt reduced through mortgage restructuring, as well as mortgage debt forgiven in connection with a foreclosure, qualifies for the relief.  This provision applies to debt forgiven from 2007 thru 2012.  Selling your home through a short sale or losing your home to foreclosure is complicated.  You can read more about this act on the government website, www.irs.gov  .  You should also consult a tax professional. 

Congratulations to both the Buyer and Seller of this home in Plymouth which was a great deal!  SOLD FEBRUARY 2010!!

Remodeling Magazine puts out a report each year that shows you the cost of various remodeling projects and then the value you recoup when you sell.  It breaks down by region.  It also describes the project so you know what they are talking about when they say, for example, a bathroom minor remodel.  Then you can compare to a project you might have planned.  www.costvsvalue.com

"We first met Colleen at an open house in Gray Gables. We were impressed with her knowledge of the house and the Bourne area. When a house we liked came on the market, she called us right away. Colleen made the anxiety of buying in a falling market as painless as possible. She was always upbeat, professional and pleasant. We needed to rent this house while we were waiting for our house to sell. Colleen was very helpful finding us tenants. She was a phone call or e-mail away if problems came up. We would recommend using Colleen as a realtor for purchasing, selling or renting your home. " Dan and Lucille Nardini, Bourne, 2011

"Home Ownership Matters" is the theme of the National Realtors Association for 2011.  Owning your own home is part of the American dream.  You work hard to shelter yourself and your family, you take pride in the place you call home.  One day, probably after many years or paying a bank or mortgage company, you finally 'own' it and no one can take it away from you.  You raise your kids there, welcome friends and families into it, build a life around the home.  There are studies that show that homeowners have a median net worth of more than $200,000 compared to a median net worth of about $5,000 for families who rent. And is there anything like that feeling of 'coming home'?

Yesterday I was lucky to be the Buyer Agent for a wonderful couple moving to the Cape from out of state.  The Sellers were nice people who were selling in order to build a new Cape home.  The Sellers Agent was efficient and helpful and organized.  The Buyers looked at many homes and this one was just right for them.  It was a wonderful process for everyone involved and I am thankful for all parties involved.  And I am thrilled to welcome these people to the Cape!

I have just finished running the numbers for 2010 for the Cape Cod Multiple Listing Service and where I fell in terms of the business I am doing.  The best part was all the folks I was able to help buy or sell a house.  I work with some of the best and nicest people and I really am grateful they allow me to participate in such a momentous part of their lives.  There are just over 2,000 realtors who are members of the Cape Cod MLS.  I was #33 in terms of the number of SOLD single family homes and condos.  I sold 6.4 million dollars of property.  In the town of Bourne, I was the #1 realtor for the number of homes sold.  As proud as I am of these numbers, I am even more proud of the kind comments from these clients...friends even...that I worked with.  Click on the testimonials page to read some of the comments.  I'll continue to work hard for you...it's easy when I love what I do so much!