Six easy ways to protect your online privacy.

We all worry about internet hacking and identity theft! 

This article posted from the Pennsylvania REALTOR® Association offers some really great suggestions to help protect your online privacy. Be sure to pass this on to anyone you think may benefit from these tips!

Here's a quick summary of the tips.

1. Clear your browser history

2. Sign out of online accounts

3. Add encryption to your computer

4. Use two-step authentication in gmail

​5. Set up Google Alerts

​6. Change Facebook settings

Contact Linda Foll Johnson today at the Millcreek office at 814-833-8840, cell at 814.397.0615, or e-mail at Linda.Johnson@MarshaMarsh.com.

The 2014 WinterFest committee recently signed a cooperative agreement with Marsha Marsh of Marsha Marsh Real Estate Services and Clint Altman, sports director of the YMCA of Corry. For next year's WinterFest, the Frozen 5-K Run will be exclusively sponsored by the Marsha Marsh Real Estate Firm. Altman will perform the logistics in pulling together the race. For an early entry application, stop in at the Y. Pictured from left are Jim Wojcicehowski, executive director of Corry Community Development Corporation, Marsh and Altman.

In 2012, the average IRS tax refund was about $3,000. Your home is likely one of your biggest assets, so it makes good financial sense to take care of it. Keeping your home up to date will contribute to its longevity, heighten your enjoyment and help you sell your home if you ever decide to. So, instead of a fleeting ski weekend, why not consider investing at least a portion of your refund in your home?

Even modest investments can improve your home’s value and make it more livable. Here are five home improvement projects you may want to consider, all under $3,000:

New entry door 

First impressions mean a lot. A new front door can enhance curb appeal, improve security and lower utility costs. According to Remodeling magazine’s Remodeling 2012-13 Cost vs. Value Report, a $1,137 steel entry door replacement project returns 85.6 percent of your investment. Fiberglass doors are generally more expensive, but they’re still a smart investment. According to the same report, a $2,753 fiberglass entry door project will yield a return of 65.9 percent.

Even better? Certain energy-efficient exterior doors are eligible for federal tax credits of up to $500, excluding installation costs.

Garage door

The appearance and condition of your garage door also plays a big role in your home’s overall appearance. According to the Cost vs. Value Report, an uninsulated, 16-by-7-foot garage door costing $1,496 will increase your home’s resale value by $1,132, a return of 75.7 percent.

Weatherize

For just a couple hundred dollars, a do-it-yourselfer with the most basic of skills can install insulation, caulk and door seals, reducing household energy consumption by almost 35 percent in the typical weatherized home. Willing to invest more? Windows can allow major losses of heat in the winter and cool air in the summer, requiring more energy — and money — to keep your home comfortable. Replacing old windows with Energy Star-qualified windows can reduce household energy bills by 7 to 15 percent and will shrink your home’s carbon footprint.

Paint

This may be the perfect time to kiss your dated mint bathroom or mauve rec room goodbye. A gallon of paint costs less than $30 and will provide one-coat coverage for about 350 square feet.  If you think you might be putting your house on the market sometime soon, opt for neutral colors that have more universal appeal. Even if you’re staying put, a fresh coat of paint can update and personalize your space for a fraction of the cost of a total remodel.

Let there be light

Updated home lighting can enhance your decor, save on energy costs and increase your safety. Even if a new chandelier isn’t in your budget, dimmer switches will allow you to control the intensity of light throughout your home while saving electricity. A basic dimmer costs less than $10 while fancier, remote-control and programmable dimmers can be purchased for $40 and up.

Metal can or recessed lights will brighten dark corners while under-cabinet light strips can add much-needed light to kitchens, craft rooms and laundry rooms. Unless you have knowledge of electrical wiring, you’ll need to hire a pro to handle the installation.

Author Mary Boone from Zillow.com

But before you sit down with your accountant, it’s important for you to know that merely owning a home could mean you qualify for tax breaks. In most cases, you need to itemize your taxes in order to take advantage of these deductions. Yes, it makes the tax-filing process seem impenetrable, but the benefits may outweigh the complications.

Here are a few of the tax breaks you’ll want to investigate:

Mortgage interest paid at settlement

Take a look at your closing statement; one item that’s generally listed there is home mortgage interest. On a mortgage of up to $1 million, you can deduct the interest that you pay at settlement if you itemize your deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040). This amount should be included in the mortgage interest statement provided by your lender.

Points

Did you pay points in order to obtain your home mortgage? These fees are included on the income tax deductions list and can be deducted as long as they are associated with the purchase of a home. If you refinanced your home, these points are still deductible, but it must be done over the life of the mortgage.

Property taxes

As long as they are based on the assessed value of the real property, you can deduct your state and local property taxes. However, if your money is being held in escrow for the purpose of paying property taxes, you cannot claim this deduction until the money is actually taken out of escrow and paid. If you do this, check your Form 1098 for the amount you may deduct. Be aware that if you receive a partial refund of your property tax, the amount of the deduction you can claim will be reduced.

Selling costs

If you sold a home in the past year, you may be able to reduce your income tax by the amount of your selling costs. These costs can include things such as repairs, title insurance, advertising expenses and broker’s fees. The IRS only allows the deduction of repair costs associated with selling if the repairs were made within 90 days of the sale. It’s also crucial that the repairs were made with the intent of improving your home’s marketability. Selling costs are deducted from your gain on the sale.

Home office

If you use a portion of your home exclusively for the purpose of an office for your small business, you may be able to claim a deduction on your taxes for costs related to insurance, repairs and depreciation. You may only claim this deduction if the space within your home is used exclusively and regularly as either your principal place of business or a place where you meet and deal with customers or patients. You may also be able to take advantage of this deduction if a portion of your home routinely is used for storing items (product samples, inventory, etc.) used in your business.

In tax year 2010 (the most recent year for which figures are available) nearly 3.4 million taxpayers claimed the home office deduction.

Mortgage insurance premiums

You may be able to deduct the premiums paid for private mortgage insurance for your principal residence and for a non-rental second home.

The deduction begins to phase out once your adjusted gross income reaches $100,000 ($50,000 for married filing separately). In general, you can deduct the premiums paid for the current tax year only. A qualified tax adviser can provide information about rules for mortgage insurance provided by the Federal Housing Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs and Rural Housing Service.

Home improvement loan interest

If you’ve taken out a loan to make improvements on your home, you may be able to deduct the interest on this loan. Qualifying loans are those taken out to add “capital improvements” to your home, meaning the improvement must increase your home’s value, adapt it to new uses or extend its life. New carpeting or painting are not considered capital improvements, while adding a garage, installing a water heater or building a deck are all examples of capital improvements.

Construction loan interest

If you take out a construction loan to build a home, you may qualify to deduct the interest. The IRS only allows a deduction for mortgage interest if the loan relates to a “qualified” home, which means it must either be your principal residence or a vacation home that you will use for personal purposes. You can only use this deduction for the first 24 months of the loan, even if the actual construction takes longer.

Tax codes can be confusing. You may want to consult the IRS website for information concerning deductions and credits. Additionally, consider meeting with a professional to ensure you’re not missing any deductions for which you’re eligible.

Author Mary Boone from Zillow.com

Erie Open House Tournament starts Saturday, March 2

Attend any of our Erie open house's March 2 through March 24 and not only get to see great listings available for purchase, but get entered to win great prizes! 

Each week we will give away a $25 gift card to Lowes and on April 6 we will announce the winner of the grand prize! This year our grand prize, provided by John V. Schultz, is a 5 piece living room set plus a gift card to Best Buy. (MSRP $1500).

Our open house page will update weekly to showcase our open houses, plus you can find our open houses in the Saturday Erie Times House to Home paper. 

And while you're touring our open houses, send out some tweets with #marshmadness @marshamarsh.

You can search Erie homes by clicking here or download our Free SEARCH ERIE HOMES app by texting MARSH to 87778.

What an incredible night at the Erie Bayfront Convention Center on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013! The SOLD OUT Knockout Homelessness hosted by the Bizzarro family to benefit the Erie City Mission estimated to raise $53,000 for the programs in the Erie City Mission to help those affected by homelessness, addiction, abuse and more. 

Our very own Marsha Marsh, the first woman to enter the Knockout Ring, refereed the first fight between John Boy Bizzarro vs. Attorney John Rogala Evanoff! Watch the video

View the photo gallery 

Knockout Homelessness 2013

You can search Erie homes by clicking here or download our Free SEARCH ERIE HOMES app by texting MARSH to 87778.

The Erie Otter's offer a Big Assist Wednesday's throughout their hockey season, promoting local non-profit organizations around Erie. 

This year, Marsha Marsh Real Estate Services volunteered their time to help collect donations for the ExpERIEnce Children's Museum and the Erie City Mission. Our Erie real estate agents care about the Erie community and are always looking for ways to not only lend a hand, but to promote the great organizations that make living in Erie a great home for your families. 

Both Wednesdays were a huge success! Click below to view the photo gallery.

Erie Otters Big Assist Wednesdays

You can search Erie homes by clicking here or download our Free SEARCH ERIE HOMES app by texting MARSH to 87778.

Melanie J. Bourgerie, REALTOR®
Cell Phone: (814) 573-3230
SUMMIT OFFICE: (814) 866-8840
Office Fax: (814) 835-8631
Melanie.Bourgerie@MarshaMarsh.com

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Kathie Dartnell, REALTOR®
Cell Phone: (814) 566-0709
MILLCREEK OFFICE: (814) 833-8840
Office Fax: (814) 835-58631
Kathie.Dartnell@MarshaMarsh.com

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Nathan Shontz, REALTOR®
Cell Phone: (814) 462-4262
SUMMIT OFFICE: (814) 866-8840
Office Fax: (814) 835-8631
Nathan.Shontz@MarshaMarsh.com

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Shelly M. Sharp, REALTOR®
Cell Phone: (814) 572-7157
MILLCREEK OFFICE: (814) 833-8840
Office Fax: (814) 835-58631
Shelly.Sharp@MarshaMarsh.com

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Another reason to BUY REAL ESTATE NOW.

FHA is raising the monthly mortgage insurance (MI) premiums by 10 bps.

What does this mean to the buyer?  Based on a $100K purchase with 3.5% down the monthly payment would increase by $7.97.  But the major change is FHA will soon require all MI to continue for the life of the loan. 

Prior to 2001, this was an FHA requirement.  Beginning in 2001, FHA canceled monthly MI once the principal balance was 78% of the original principal balance.  So it looks like we are back to the old days. 

However, borrowers are still able to refinance into a conventional loan (down the road) if they have 95% or more equity. The national average says homeowners only keep their original loan for approximately 4 years, so this new ruling may not be quite as frightening as it sounds.

We will keep you informed as we hear more.  And as always, feel free to reach out to us with questions. 

Contact Marsha Marsh today at the Peach office at 814-866-8840, cell at 814.440.8181, or e-mail at Marsha.Marsh@MarshaMarsh.com.

RJ Zonna of the United Way of Erie addressed the group on opportunities to get involved in the Erie Community. In 2013, Marsha Marsh Real Estate Services will donate $10 from each closed transaction – watch MarshaMarsh.com and Facebook for the progress.

MM RES Team Huddle 2013

The brokerage also presented their 2^nd Annual Agents Awards! Congrats to:

Dawn Nesbitt - Top Floor Conversions

Melissa Oberlander - Most Improved

Don Johnson - Top Producer (Units)

Joe Herbert - Top Producer (Volume)

And a special thank you to the agents and staff that have been with the brokerage since it was founded in January 2008.

Chris Davison

Jake Delsandro

Shelly Hansen

Don Johnson

Shannon Kincade

Cheri Marks

Christie Mahany

Dan Omniewski

Jenny Poff

Stacey Santos