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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Joyce Barnwell
Intracoastal Realty
1206 N. Lake Park Blvd.
Carolina Beach, NC 28428
Tel: 910-617-7654
Fax: 910-458-7759
Email: joycebarnwell@NUMBER1EXPERT.com

Residing in the peaceful coastal community of Carolina Beach, I’m a licensed North Carolina Realtor with over 30 years real estate experience and 20 years owning my own real estate company, faithfully serving the unique real estate needs of buyers, sellers and investors. I specialize in the listing and selling of residential pre-existing homes, newly constructed homes, waterfront property, golf course property, investment property, condos and duplexes as well as lots for sale in and around North Carolina’s New Hanover County coastal communities of Wilmington, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Wrightsville Beach and Figure Eight. Thanks again for visiting my site and don’t hesitate to call me direct at 877-617-7654.