Mark Johnson Custom Homes Blog

Brunswick County NC, new home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share exciting news for South Brunswick High School. The Southport, NC high school was among one of the five winning schools in the Carolinas to receive solar photovoltaic panels from Progress Energy’s SunSense Schools Program. Below is an excerpt from the Cape Fear Business News, and to read the complete article, click here!

“SunSense schools is a hands-on educational program for middle school and high school students that encourages them to develop innovative energy solutions. The solar demonstration array will be connected to the school’s electrical system and to Internet monitoring equipment, so students can view the panels’ real-time electricity production. Educational materials will also be provided to teachers to help South Brunswick High School integrate renewable energy learning opportunities into the classroom.

‘We are proud to partner with the Carolina Hurricanes to provide South Brunswick High School with this unique, powerful tool for learning about the practical applications of solar energy,’ said Ben Waldrep, vice president of Progress Energy’s Brunswick Nuclear Plant in Southport. ‘The enthusiasm for energy education from teachers and students across the region is encouraging for the future of alternative energy. I want to congratulate South Brunswick High and thank all of the schools who participated in the program.’

Funding for the program was provided through grants from the Progress Energy Foundation and the Carolina Hurricanes Kids ’N Community Foundation, which is affiliated with the National Hockey League team. The systems will be installed by Argand Solar, a North Carolina-based renewable energy company.”

Brunswick County, NC New Home Builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes Encourages You to Be a “Tourist in Your Hometown”!

Brunswick Town State Historic Site will host a Colonial Christmas in Winnabow, NC on December 5^th, 2009 at 10:00 AM. Visitors can view Colonial Williamsburg inspired holiday decor and taste colonial holiday goodies. Staff and volunteers will be dressed in interpretive colonial clothing at the Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site. Other activities include guided tours and musical entertainment. Admission is free. For more information, visit their website!

Brunswick County, NC new home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like all of our readers to be well-informed before making a real estate purchase. So we would like to share a recent RealtyTimes.com’s article by PJ Wade that outlined the “Seven Things All Buyers Ought to Know”. Below is a short excerpt for each item and to read the complete article, click here!

1. “Knowledge is bliss”

2. Generalizations are self-defeating when evaluating properties since it is how each is unique that addresses specific value to a specific buyer.

3. Assumptions cost money and waste time.

4. Fear has driven too many buyers to act in haste and repent in “if only I’d…” whining that can go on for years.

5. The impossible may just take a little longer in real estate, but the impossible can happen.

6. The unexpected must be expected when buying a home, cottage or investment property.

7. Cashflow is king.

Brunswick County, NC new home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes encourages everyone this Veterans Day to send a personalized e-card to a veteran. You can chose to send one to a particular veteran or service member, or an anonymous hospitalized veteran. Honor our troops today by showing a small token of support at the Paralyzed Veterans of America website!

The Paralyzed Veterans of America Mission Statement

The Paralyzed Veterans of America, a congressionally chartered veterans service organization founded in 1946, has developed a unique expertise on a wide variety of issues involving the special needs of our members—veterans of the armed forces who have experienced spinal cord injury or dysfunction.

Paralyzed Veterans will use that expertise to be the leading advocate for:

To enable PVA to continue to honor this commitment, we must recruit and retain members who have the experience, energy, dedication, and passion necessary to manage the organization and ensure adequate resources to sustain the programs essential for PVA to achieve its mission.

Brunswick County, NC new home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share informative information on having a “Green” kitchen. The U.S. Green Building Council’s Green Home Guide answered the questions below regarding why you should consider a “Green” kitchen for your home. To read the complete article, click here! 

• What’s the most important environmental problem with a conventional kitchen remodel?
• What environmental problems are associated with using a conventional kitchen?
• What are the health benefits of the green remodeling process and of using a green kitchen?
• Is there scientific evidence for these health benefits?
• How does the green approach affect maintenance and operating costs?
• What are some of your favorite innovations or design ideas for a green kitchen?

The House passed the unemployment extension bill that contains the homebuyer tax credit extension/expansion and NOL carryback this afternoon. The final tally was 403 to 12. There was a very strong bipartisan showing.

Once signed into law the bill will:

• Extend the $8,000 credit for first-time home buyers for sales contracts entered into by April 30, 2010 and closed by June 30.
• Expand to include a new $6,500 credit for owners of existing homes who are purchasing a new principal residence.
• Increase income eligibility limits to claim the full credit amount to $125,000 for single taxpayers and $225,000 for married taxpayers filing a joint return.

The bill now goes to the White House.  It is not known yet when the bill will be sent over to the President or when it will be signed, other than it is expected to occur quickly. Stay tuned for the latest update from the WCFHBA. In the meantime, more information is available here. 

Net Operating Losses and Small Home Building Companies

There is some confusion about who can use the NOL carryback. Some smaller volume members view this as a provision that only benefits “the big guys.” It is not just corporations who can use the carryback provision, but also our smaller builders who are pass-through entities. Below is information that describes how smaller builders can use NOLs just like corporations can. Ultimately, they may need to discuss their unique situations with a qualified tax professional.  

• Pass-thru entities (e.g. partnerships, LLCs, S corps, etc — basically everything but sole props and C Corps) do not claim NOLs, and thus do not have a need for a carryback.
• In fact, according to the IRS SOI data, 50 percent more loss deductions are claimed on individual tax forms (due to sole props and pass-through entities) than are claimed on corporate tax forms.
• Corporations are more likely to have losses because of their nature. But smaller builders who are C Corps or are pass-through entities will benefit.
• However, NOLs are like other deductions (and revenue for that matter) in that they are passed-through to the owners/partners. The carryback rules are applicable at the individual level.
• Small home builders will benefit from an expanded NOL carryback period.
• IRS Publication 536 explains the rule for using the present law carryback on individual tax forms, including loss deductions that are due to pass-through variables from partnerships and S Corps.
• There are certain other rules that complicate things at the individual level (most notably the passive loss rules), but there can still be a benefit.
• It is true that most small builders do not have “losses” like the big national builders. They will simply slow down and have profits go to zero.

Information Courtesy of the Wilmington-Cape Fear Home Builders Association

Paws Place Animal Rescue, a no-kill, non-profit organization in Boiling Springs Lake, NC is having a yard sale to raise funds for their animal rescue efforts. Ocean Isle Beach, NC custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes encourages you to attend on Saturday, November 21st, 2009 from 8:00 am-noon.

You can also donate items for the sale at the shelter, which is open from 9:00 am-noon daily. Tax receipts will be given for donations.

Paws Place is located in Boiling Spring Lakes, 1 mile north of Camp Pretty Pond, at 3701 Boiling Spring Road SE. For more information or directions, contact Paws Place Animal Rescue at 845-7297 or visit their web site at www.pawsplace.org.

Brunswick County custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes relies on Wilmington, NC’s Electronics 2 You for all of their clients’ electronic needs. They integrate state-of-the-art audio, video, communications, automation and lighting equipment into both new and existing homes. Below is an article from their November e-newsletter with valuable tips on energy-efficient LED fixtures. For more information on Electronics 2 You, visit their site, sign up for their newsletter, or call them at 910-397-0953.

Thinking of buying energy-efficient LED (light emitting diode) fixtures for your home? There are a lot of LED lights on the market today, but buyer beware. Good, long-lasting LED lights are also available—and will generally cost more. Here are some things you should check out as you shop:

Where’s the power supply? Most LEDs require low-voltage, so they must have an AC-to-DC adapter, transformer, or power supply to operate them. These can be internal or external to the fixture.

Color Temperature, or Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) refers to the appearance of the light. “Warmer” yellowish light like that from an incandescent bulb is in the 2700 to 3000 Kelvin (K) range, while bluish or cool light like that of some fluorescents is in the 5000K-plus range.

The Color Rendering Index (CRI) is a measure of the ability of a light source to render colors, on a scale of 100—the higher the better. The CRI for many white-light LEDs is between 75 and 85.

How does the manufacturer define lifetime? Lifetime typically refers to the useful time of light output, also referred to as lumen maintenance. For white LEDs, lifetime refers to the time after which 70 percent or more of the useful light remains. 

Does the quoted lifetime include the electronics and other components necessary to drive the LED source?

Does the fixture have any special features for heat sinking or thermal management? Though the light from LEDs itself is not hot, the backs of the fixtures can get very hot.

What warranty is offered? Beware of vague guarantees.

Does installation of LED fixtures include all the necessary components to operate the lights? Many LED fixtures require external components and controls in order to be operated.

North Carolina will be having a Sales Tax Holiday on Energy Star Qualified Products from Friday, November 6th through Sunday, November 8th!

Brunswick County, NC new home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes encourages you to take advantage of North Carolina’s Sales Tax Holiday on Energy Star products!

According to the NC Department of Revenue, an Energy Star qualified product is “a product that meets the energy efficient guidelines set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Department of Energy and is authorized to carry the Energy Star label. Clothes washers, freezers, refrigerators, central air conditioners, room air conditioners, air-source heat pumps, geothermal heat pumps, ceiling fans, dehumidifiers, and programmable thermostats will all be exempt from state and local sales and use tax when purchased during the sale tax holiday period.” Note: This will not include televisions.

For more information, visit the NC Department of Revenue’s website!

As a proud supporter of the United Way of the Cape Fear Area, Brunswick County home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes encourages our readers to dine at Chili’s next week to help raise funds for their efforts!