California $10,000 Home Buyer Tax Credit Extended

Governor Schwarzenegger will be signing into law an extension of the home buyer tax credit (up to $10,000) for residents of California. This tax credit is eligible to first time home buyers of the Inland Empire, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, San Diego, and Los Angeles counties who purchase new or existing homes between May 1st and December 31, 2010. It is also available to ANYONE else who purchasing a home that is new and unoccupied.

This tax credit is not eligible for investors, people buying second homes, or investment properties. Qualifying home buyer must be at least 18 years of age and unrelated to the seller.

The state of California has allocated up to $200 million total dollars for this home buyer tax credit program. $100 million in credits to first timers buying existing homes and $100 million to anyone buying a new unoccupied home. With the avage price home for a first time home buyer being between $200,000 to $225,000, this will help about 20,000 buyers receive tax credits. Don’t miss out on this sweetheart deal, start your home search now.

What is a First Time Buyer? A person who has not owned a home in the last three years
Buyers will receive a tax credit up to 5% of the purchase price, up to a maximum of $10,000. The $10,000 will be dispersed in equal increments to the home buyer over three years. If qualifying for the full $10,000, you will receive $3,333 each year if your state liability is that much. Buyers should consult with a CPA to determine if you will receive the full amount due to this being based on your ‘net tax’ as defined in Section 17039.
Source: www.kpsplocal2.com

Los Angeles Wine and Chocolate Event Today!

Where: Terroir of Wine and Chocolate, 5617 Melrose, Los Angeles
When: April 23, 7:00 - 9:00pm
Cost: $20, Reservations are requested, and seating is limited.

If you are a fan of Wine and Chocolate then head down to the Terroir of Wine and Chocolate on Melrose. This will be their last region specific chocolate tasting until October, so don't miss out! You will be able to taste their newest addition: Black Truffles, which are dark chocolate truffles, each made with chocolate from a specific region of the world.

According to Terroir, “This is an interactive exploration of how both wine and chocolate are affected by where the fruit is grown. You'll be amazed when you smell and taste the difference in both the wine and the chocolate. For the wine they will focus on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Source: www.fancifullgiftbaskets.com
For More Information Visit: http://www.fancifullgiftbaskets.com/winetaste.php

I'M BAAACK!! Journey to reinvention.

As we get older and grow into the confines of society time becomes scarce and we find ourselves putting off the dreams, goals, and projects of our youth. One can be distracted by the numerous tasks and to-do's that constantly accumulate and seem never-ending. Goals set are achieved and than modified to reflect the change in values that occur.

Over the past year I have felt the highs and lows of achievement and failure. Professionally I have reached sales production goals, received national awards and recognition for the innovation and story behind my success. These were huge goals of mine that I felt would make me happy. While I'm proud of the recognition and opportunities that have come my way as a result of my success, I find that it came with a price. I worked long and hard hours, missed family events, outings with friends, and had less time for myself. I neglected my health and body too. I found myself spending too much money on meaningless materials and let materials and money define me.

As I continue to be introspective I realize my values have changed. My life needs to revolve around family, friends, and helping others become happier people. I need to spend time enjoying things I like to do and things that make me happy. If I need to take time off to spend with family, then I should. I create my own destiny and success. Success is subjective to each individual. Don't let the status quo's definition of success define whether you are successful or not.

I explained to a friend of mine some of my thoughts and new perspectives on life and he suggested that I join 43Things.com
. It's a cool site that has you write down 43 things you want to do with your life. A Harvard study proved that if you wrote down your goals they are more likely to come true than if you didn't. Check my list out at 43ThingsMarkSellsLA and make one yourself. It won't hurt and it'll actually make you feel good. It's made me feel good already and brought a little more focus in a world that you can easily get lost in. We all feel down sometimes. We are humans.

Mark's 'Good Buy/Bad Buy' Premiere

Mark's episode of 'Good Buy/ is scheduled to air August 16th. Please check your cable/satellite provider for the time (on Dish it is 9:30 am and Direct is 12:30pm).

Mark Gonzales Press Inquiries

For press inquiries about Mark's '30 Under 30' win over at REALTOR Magazine, please contact Mark's press rep: murray dot undefined at gmail dot com

Mark Gonzales Wins REALTOR Magazine's '30 Under 30'

Congratulations Mark Gonzales on his exciting win over at REALTOR Magazine's '30 Under 30' competition!

From their website:
Our Class of 2009 is focused, energetic, and upbeat. Its members are driven by youthful optimism, no doubt. But they’re also embracing innovation and seeking out knowledge when they don’t know the answer. If there’s one thing this year’s honorees share, it’s an ability to adapt quickly to the fast-changing real estate environment without losing an ounce of passion for what they do. In any generation, that’s a true gift.

Go to the '30 Under 30' Class Roster
Check out a behind the scenes video

Mark Gonzales: How To Find A Quality Realtor

Let Mark Gonzales give you tips on how to find a good realtor. It's not just about Google!