Joyce Lehr, Realtor

Joyce Lehr, Realtor Real Estate news, available homes, things to do and happenings in area.

02/15/2016

Villa Sorriso, the Napa Valley estate of the beloved late comedian Robin Williams, has sold for $18.1 million. Represented by  Joyce Rey  of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Beverly Hills and  Cyd Greer  of Coldwell Banker Brokers of the Valley, the roughly 650-acre estate set in the Mayacam…

02/15/2016

Nutrition Myths that Sabotage Your Diet
By Barbara Pronin
If dropping a few pounds is on your agenda, don’t go looking for the trendiest new diet. Nutritionists assure us the best way to lose weight is to follow tried and true nutrition guidelines. But some of the guidelines we’ve taken as gospel may be doing us more harm than good.

Dietary and fitness experts cite five nutrition myths that may be doing us more harm than good:

It’s healthier to egg whites than whole eggs – The yolk contains 40 percent of the egg’s protein and the lion’s share of iron and B vitamins. It also contains all of the egg's fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) – and that extra fat helps keep you full and satisfied for longer than you would be with just the whites. Bonus: the most recent research shows the cholesterol in eggs has a much smaller effect on total cholesterol and harmful LDL than we thought.

Fat-free or low-fat foods are best – When a product is artificially made low fat or fat free, it won't be as satisfying due to the absence of fat, which keeps you full longer. This can lead to overeating because you never feel satisfied. Also, artificially fat-free/low-fat items often have sugar and other fillers added. Go for the natural full-fat version of yogurt or peanut butter, for example, to satisfy your hunger and skip the additives and sugar.

Multigrain or wheat bread is a healthier choice – It is, but only if 100 percent wheat or 100 percent whole grain on the label. Unless 100 percent is noted, it may be just white bread with a tiny grain of something added — or with caramel color added to make the bread look darker.

White potatoes are a poor choice – White potatoes get a bad rap compared to their orange cousins. But white potatoes are packed with fiber, which helps keep you regular and aids in feeling full. They also have more potassium than sweet potatoes! Also, a USDA study recently found that the levels of phytochemicals in them rival the amounts found in broccoli, spinach, and brussels sprouts.

Diet soda aids in weight loss – Several studies have linked artificial sweeteners to weight gain. Why? The research suggests artificial sweeteners actually increase appetite and contribute to sweet cravings.

02/15/2016

FIRPTA Law is changing starting February 16, 2015. This article will explain what FIRPTA is and the changes.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT FIRPTA AND FOREIGN INVESTORS.
By Chalese Leven
The United States continues to be a desirable location to own real estate for people from all corners of the globe. In a recent survey of Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate (AFIRE) members, 60% responded that the U.S. was the country providing the most stable and secure real estate investments. By comparison, Germany, which came in second, had only 19% of the vote. With the increase in foreign buyers and sellers, it is important to understand what might be the impact on your clients of the recent changes in Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980, otherwise known as FIRPTA.

For background, FIRPTA is the federal law that requires the withholding of settlement funds from a real estate settlement where the seller (individual or entity) is a “foreign person.” According to the Internal Revenue Code, a “foreign person” is defined as a person who is:
Not a U.S. citizen
Not a U.S. national
Does not hold a “green card” or meet the “substantial presence” test to be treated as a resident alien
Recently, President Obama signed the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 (“Path Act”) into law. The Path Act includes important changes to the FIRPTA. These changes increase the FIRPTA general withholding rate from 10% to 15% (of gross sales price) effective for closings that occur on or after February 16, 2016.

The following are changes to FIRPTA effective February 16, 2016:
For properties being acquired by the transferee not for use as a residence, 15% of the gross sales price must be withheld.
For properties being acquired by the transferee for use as a residence, the following withholding rates apply:
a. If the gross sales price is $300,000 or less, withholding is not required.
b. If the gross sales price is greater than $300,000, but not more than $1 million, 10% of the gross sales price must be withheld.
c. If the gross sales price is greater than $1 million, 15% of the gross sales price must be withheld.
For a property to be considered a residence, the buyer or a member of the buyer’s family “must have definite plans” to reside at the property for at least 50% of the number of days the property is used during the first two years following the date of transfer. Days when the property is vacant are not taken into account in determining the number of days such property is used by any person.

Projections reveal that the amount of foreign investor transactions will continue to increase in 2016. According to the recent AFIRE survey, 64% of respondents say they expect to have modest or major increases in their investment in US real estate in 2016. Another 31% say they expect to maintain or reinvest their investments. No one plans to see a major decrease.

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Punta Gorda, FL
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