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Bowie: This is a municipal city located in
the same district as Mitchellville. It is slightly larger, closer to Annapolis
and is approximately 18 miles from Washington D.C. According to the Bowie
resource guide, the population of Bowie is about 38,000. Bowie has recently
acquired a portion of real estate that was once considered Mitchellville. This
undoubtedly has increased their overall home value. Most of the schools in
Bowie have high-test scores. The average S.A.T. scores for Bowie High School is
1000. Its newest attraction is the Bowie Town Center; a shopping mall with
great stores and restaurants. There is also a restaurant park with some of the
most popular restaurant chains such as FRIDAYS etc. 
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First Time Buyers >Your Principal Residence
The Federal Tax Code allows married taxpayers to exclude from capital gains taxes up to $500,000 in profits from selling a home (singles can exclude $250,000). In order to qualify for this exemption, you must prove that that the home has been your principal residence for at least two out of the last five years. The establishment of the home as a principal residence depends on the facts of each homeowner's circumstance. Here are two cases to consider.
Homeowner A has lived at 25 Pine Drive for 12 years. Although he stays at his vacation cottage in another town for up to three months out of each year (sometimes more), 25 Pine Drive is his principal residence, where he lives most of the time. When he sells the home, Homeowner A (filing as a single individual) can keep up to $250,000 in tax-free profit.
Homeowner B buys 108 Maple Street, intending to live there. He rents it out while waiting to sell his current home, where he has lived for six years. His principal residence sells at the end of two years. Homeowner B moves into his new house, lives there for three months, and then decides to travel. After a six-month trip, he regrets buying 108 Maple Street and sells it. Even though he has owned the house on Maple Street for over two years, it won't qualify as "owner-occupied", because he only lived in it for a few months. Thus Homeowner B is not eligible to claim the tax exemption when he sells the house on Maple Street.
Consult your tax advisor for advice about your particular circumstance.
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| Q |
What is the legal term used to describe the right of the U. S. government to condemn private land for public use?
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| A |
Right of Eminent Domain allows the government to confiscate private land by paying full market value for the property. |
 See More Real Estate Trivia > |
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