Homes for Heroes
Selling or Buying a Home?
Do you want to save hundreds or even thousands of dollars?
Saving Money with Homestead Exemption
Homesteading your primary residence property does two important things for homeowners in Texas.
First, it offers you protection from creditors in tough times especially in cases of bankruptcy. Second, it can save you money on your annual property tax bill.
Tax savings will vary based on your taxing entities, but for example a homeowner in McKinney with a home assessed at $250,000 would typically pay the following taxes:
City of McKinney $250,000 * 0.573% = $1,432.50
Collin County $250,000 * 0.208395% = $520.99
Collin College $250,000 * 0.01222% = $30.55
McKinney ISD $250,000 * 1.62% = $4,050
For a Total tax bill of $6,034.04 based on 2016 tax rates.
When you homestead your home you are able to reduce the assessed amount of your home by the homestead exemption amount.
Both Collin County and McKinney ISD offer homestead tax breaks. Collin County has a 5% assessment reduction with a $5,000 minimum and McKinney ISD offers a $25,000 assessment reduction. So the same $250,000 assessed home with a homestead exemption would pay:
City of McKinney $250,000 * 0.573% = $1,432.50
Collin County $237,500 * 0.208395 = $494.94
Collin College $250,000 * 0.01222% = $30.55
McKinney ISD $225,000 * 1.62 = $3,645.00
For a Total tax bill of $5602.99 and a savings of 7% or $431.05 per year based on 2016 tax rates and exemptions.
Those are great savings for taking 5 minutes and filling out a form then mailing it in. You only have to do it once to continue to save money annually.
If you aren’t sure if you have completed your homestead exemption you can check online by searching your address at www.collincad.org. Once under your address information look for Exemptions under the Owner Information section.
Also at Collin County Appraisal District website you can use the link on the right side “Exemptions and Rates” to see current and historical tax rates for many local entities. Homestead is not the only exemption there are also exemptions for Over 65 and Disabled Persons.
If you have any questions about home ownership, homestead filing or other real estate questions we would love to be your local experts. If you bought a home last year and need assistance getting it filed just let us know. You only have until April 30th to file so don’t delay!
SOLD | 3677 Stockton Drive, Carrollton, TX 75010 – The Marr Team
SOLD | WELL MAINTAINED HOME on 121 and 35 CORRIDOR in quiet neighborhood. Great 3 bedroom, 2 bath with spacious living area. Engineered wood flooring throughout living, dining, kitchen and fresh carpet in bedrooms. Island kitchen with beautiful honey-colored cabinets has great flow. Master suite with sitting area is split from other bedrooms. Master bath has dual sinks, separate shower and garden tub. Private low maintenance backyard with grassy side yard.
2012 Texas State Fair Discounts
TEXAS STATE FAIR DISCOUNTS 2012
September 28 through October 21
TICKET PRICES:
– General Admission: $16
– Kids under 48″ Tall: $12
– Seniors 60 and Over: $12
– Children 2 and Under: Free
– Parking on Fair Lots: $15 per Space
Purchase Advance Tickets at Kroger: Avoid standing in line by purchasing your advance tickets when you’re out grocery shopping at Kroger. Advance purchase General Admission tickets are $14.50. A Season Pass is $34.95. They may be purchased at the check-out counter or at the service desk. The season pass includes a one-day companion ticket (good Monday-Friday) and one Cinemark ticket. DART Combo ticket is $17 and only available at Kroger. It includes a one-time round trip on DART and Fair admission.
Kroger Can Food Drive: Any Wednesday. Admission is $2 for each visitor bringing 3 cans of food for area food banks.
Senior Day: FREE Thursdays–Senior Citizens 60 years and older get in to the State Fair FREE each Thursday. Sponsored by Renewal by Andersen.
Any Day: McDonald’s offers $3 off General Admission with one of their State Fair coupons (available on tray liner or bag stuffer) any day of the Fair. A half price child (with purchase of general admission) coupon is also distributed by McDonald’s. Offer may not be combined with any other offer.
Dr Pepper $5 Tuesdays: Any Tuesday, bring an empty Dr Pepper can and enter for $5. Most rides (excluding the Thrillway and the Texas Star) are 5 coupons.
Dr Pepper $8 after 5: Any day after 5 p.m. Bring an empty Dr Pepper can and enter for $8 after 5 p.m.
Coke $6 Thursday: Bring an empty 20 oz. bottle of a Coca-Cola product and enter the Fair for $6 admission.
Dickies Day is Thursday, Oct. 11 only: Anyone wearing a Dickies logo clothing item will receive a free voucher for admission to the Fair on October 11, 2012.
Cinemark Thursdays: Present Cinemark Movie Theatre ticket stub and receive free admission on any Thursday.
KISS Fridays: Download and print a coupon from the KISS-FM website. Admission is $11 with the coupon. Discount is off of general admission only – when purchased at a State Fair of Texas admission gate with coupon.
Reduced Admission on Midway Rides on Tuesdays: The kids will want to go to the State Fair any day — but there’s a special offer on Tuesdays. Most rides in the Midway are reduced to only 5 coupons as part of the Dr Pepper promotion on Tuesdays. Thrill rides and the Texas Star are not included. But you can ride Winky the Whale for only 5 coupons on Tuesdays. Enjoy!
Handy and Money-Saving Phone Apps
I am always so amazed at how quickly I have come to depend on my iphone and not just for phone calls – for helping me organize my business and home life too.
Here are a few of the handiest apps I use:
COUPON SHERPA: Coupon Sherpa offers both in-store coupons (just show the entry at checkout) as well as exclusive deals just for users. You can search by category or store name, locate merchants closest to you, and even e-mail coupons to your friends. For me it means always having a 40% off coupon at Michaels. Cost: FREE
KEY RING: Key Ring is the app that “brings ’em all together”. Use it to scan and store your existing loyalty cards, enroll in new loyalty programs, and access exclusive coupons and discounts. For me it means not having to dig through my wallet to find the right loyalty card at the grocery store and my husband has access to them too. Another bonus is joining new loyalty programs like the On the Border Club Cantina for more coupons and offers. Cost: FREE
CELLFIRE: Cellfire provides valuable savings on groceries, shopping, restaurants, and entertainment. Get access and use offers from your PC and/or mobile phone. For me it means printing, clipping, or forgetting less coupons. Cost: FREE
GROCERY GADGET: A useful shopping list app does more than just remind you what to buy. It can hold multiple lists for multiple stores, allows you to compare prices, organizes your list by categories for faster shopping trips, syncs with multiple gadgets and your computer. For me it means always being able to add to the list even when you aren’t at home and organize shopping at several different stores where I can get the best prices for the items we need. For me it means saving valuable time in the grocery store. Cost: $3.99
Do you have apps that have helped make your life easier too? Share them with us. Or if you need The Marr Team to help make your home selling, buying, leasing or building process easier we can do that too!
2011 Texas State Fair Discounts
TEXAS STATE FAIR
September 30 through October 23
TICKET PRICES:
– General Admission: $16
– Kids under 48″ Tall: $12
– Seniors 60 and Over: $12
– Children 2 and Under: Free
– Parking on Fair Lots: $15 per Space
OPENING DAY (September 30): Bring a 20 oz bottle of Dasani water (or any Coca-Cola product) for donation to the North Texas Food Bank containers at fair admission gates and get in for $5 (per donation) per person.
DART COMBO TICKET: (Available at Kroger Food Stores) $16 buys one general admission to 2011 State Fair of Texas and round-trip transportation on DART the day of your visit. The green line drops off at front gate and a second station is located within easy walking distance to the MLK entrance. Advance ticket is $14.50 at Kroger without the DART pass.
DART FAIR PASS: (Transportation Only) You can also prepurchase just a DART pass for $4 to use on either Saturday, October 1 or Saturday, October 8.
KROGER/CINEMARK SEASON PASS: Get a season pass at Kroger for $39.95 and it includes unlimited visits for the pass holder, on buddy pass for one visit Monday through Friday only, and a Cinemark Movie pass good Sunday through Thursday that must be used by October 31.
DR. PEPPER $4 TUESDAYS: Every Tuesday, bring an empty Dr. Pepper can and enter for $4. Most rides on those Tuesdays (excluding the Thrillway, Texas Star and selected other attractions) are 5 coupons.
DR. PEPPER $5 AFTER 5PM: Bring an empty Dr. Pepper can to any State Fair admission gate after 5 PM and enter for $5.
KROGER “THREE for $2” WEDNESDAYS: Admission is $2 for each visitor bringing three cans of food on Wednesday only for area food banks.
COKE $5 THURSDAYS: Bring an empty 20 oz. bottle of Coca-Cola product and enter the Fair for $5 admission on Thursdays.
SENIOR DAY: (Sponsored by DRIVE4COPD) Free Thursdays for Senior Citizens 60 years and older.
DICKIES DAY – Thursday, October 6: Wear and show your Dickies logo clothing item at the staffed tent outside the gate and receive a voucher. The voucher is for free admission on Thursday October 6 only.
ANY DAY MCDONALD’S DEAL: McDonalds offers $4 off general admission with one of their State Fair coupons (available on tray liner or bag stuffers) any day of the fair. A free child ticket (with purchase of general admission) coupon is also distributed by McDonald’s. Offer may not be combined with any other offer.
MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE MEMBERS: Free admission for you! Members receive a voucher good for free admission for two adults and up to four children. Voucher is good on any week day of the fair.
WEST SIDE STORY at Music Hall: If you buy a ticket to the West Side Story performance at the Music Hall at Fair Park, it will include a same-day fair admission.
Special Thanks to Cindy Peters of Republic Title in McKinney for compiling the discounts list