Archive for the 'Interesting Tidbits' Category
Capital Gains formula
September 3rd, 2008 categories: Interesting Tidbits
Here is the formula used to calculate the capital gains tax on a home that is now being occupied as a primary residence, but was previously non-owner occupied:
CAPITAL GAINS EXCLUSION = PROFIT FROM SALE OF HOME * NUMBER OF DAYS THE HOME WAS PRIMARY vs NUMBER OF DAYS THE HOME WAS OWNED.
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Holy Renovations!
July 7th, 2008 categories: Interesting Tidbits
Can I confess my recent revelation to the renovation world? Watching HGTV and all their wonderful makeovers is fun, actually going through a makeover ISN’T!! For the past several weeks we’ve been going through a total kitchen reno. For those of you out there going through this, we belong to a club: “I renovated and survived”! There are only two “fun” parts to a renovation, when you get to order all the new stuff, and the end result when everything is in place. In between is nothing but the blood, sweat & tears! We gutted everything ourselves, kitchen cabinets, tile counters, vinyl flooring and the subfloor beneath it. I’ve been lucky through, I haven’t had to live without the use of a sink for more than a couple days, thanks to my husband Gary. I’ve been living in an inside dustbowl reminiscent of the wild west, complete with tumbleweeds! Just when I get everything relatively clean, with an emphasis on “relatively” because the clean doesn’t last long before the next batch of dust comes . . . It’s time to install the granite!
I really did my research on our granite purchase, and ended up going to Travelers Rest, S.C. for the best selection at Slabco. I’ve never seen such beauty in stone, I commented to the Slabco employee assisting me that each slab looked like a piece of art. I chose a Brazilian Granite named Juparana Vesper, lovely shades of chestnut, blue grey and cream with some movement to it. My choice of installers was Asheville company Alpha Stone, owned by Sergey Shtempel. Sergey was recommended to me by my cabinet man, Barry Gardner of Lowe’s. Sergey was the best price and quickest turnaround time that I found, he got it done in two weeks, all the others I contacted quoted me 5-6 weeks. Timing is critical when your kitchen is torn up and living in complete upheaval. So, with fingers crossed that my granite would be installed when promised, I entrusted the job to Alpha Stone and was never disappointed! Sergey was upbeat, on time, did a beautiful installation and answered his cell phone every time I called him!!! If he doesn’t deserve an “Atta Boy” for his superb customer service, I don’t know who does. GREAT JOB Sergey!! I highly recommend Alpha Stone for your stone needs, give Sergey a call, he’ll answer!! 828-777-1965.
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Are space aliens invading us?
May 27th, 2008 categories: Interesting Tidbits
For the last couple of weeks I get up in the morning, open my windows and hear a very eerie sound, reminiscent of those sci-fi movies when there’s a space ship hovering nearby. It’s pretty loud and lasts all day until dark, then it dies down to complete silence. It took me a few days to figure out what the noise was, but somewhere in my long-term memory I did recall this sound many, many years ago. What is it? The mating call of the Cicada. I apologize for the fuzzy photo of this bug, I couldn’t get my camera to focus very well even after several tries. On second thought, you probably don’t care to see a crisp shot anyway, they’re not very attractive . . . I picked this one up myself on the way home from my daily walk, I’m just a little proud of myself for “touching” it. Apparently there are two kinds of periodical Cicadas, the 13 year variety and the 17 year sort. I’ve heard that these are the 17 year variety.
They spend 17 years feeding on tree roots as a nymph underground, then some magical signal goes out and they all emerge from the ground at the same time!! The whole process only lasts a few weeks and it’s back to hibernation for another 13-17 years. I really mean it when I tell you how loud it is collectively around here, it’s no surprise to know that the male Cicada makes the loudest sound in the insect world, so put a few billion together in one area, and it’s LOUD! Cicadas are harmless to animal life and all trees except young saplings, and they only live 30-40 days.
So, the next time you’re out & about and wonder what that weird sound is, it’s the sound of Cicada love in bloom!
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