An important part of buying a house is sitting down with your real estate agent or a mortgage lender to get a clear idea of how much you can afford. They will add up all of your monthly expenses, the mortgage payment, insurance, real estate taxes, homeowners or condo association fees--and the grand total can throw you into shock!

The important thing to remember is that the grand total isn't really the bottom line. When you add your tax savings to the equation, you may be pleasantly surprised. During the early years of your loan, almost all of the mortgage can be deducted from your state and federal income tax. The same is true of your real estate taxes. If you use part of your house as a home office, you may be able to qualify for additional tax savings. In some areas, homes with ground floor apartments are popular for offsetting part of the mortgage and offering even more tax savings.

When you make calculations about the monthly costs that include the tax savings, you may find that owning your own home is less expensive than renting a house or apartment of comparable size.

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June Seebohm
Keller Williams Realty, Hilton Head Island, SC
8 Lafayette Place
Hilton Head Island, SC. 29926
843-290-2929
843-682-8111
Fax: 843-681-3342
Email: June@AlwaysJune.com

June offers you a degree of personalized service rarely found among Realtors. Through a unique combination of devotion, compassion and good, old-fashioned hard work June has established an excellent reputation among, not only her clients but her peers as well. June is originally from Northern Ireland and has moved many times in the UK and US so she understand very well the kind of stress involved in residential sales and purchase. It's often an intense time of transition for all involved. Also her personal knowledge of building new homes and renovating homes is invaluable. Her high-tech office and staff allow immediate response to phone calls, emails and faxes. She is always "on the other end" of her cell phone. Please call her any time.