| Published
August 18, 2009 |
Volume
17, Number 8
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NCS Exchange
Professionals See Investors Moving Back into Real
Estate

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Gabrielle
Ballew, Ruth Vanderostyne, and Mary Ray of NCS
Exchange Professionals.
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By Nicole Zaro Stahl
NETWORK Editor
The 1031 Exchange is a special code in the realm of real estate. It
refers to a provision of federal tax law, Internal Revenue Code Section
1031, that allows investors to defer taxes when they buy and sell
property held for a “productive purpose in business or trade.” While it
is always wise to obtain professional advice when making a real estate
transaction, in the intensely regulated environment of 1031 Exchanges,
it is essential to work with knowledgeable specialists.
NCS
Exchange Professionals, a Hacienda tenant since 2004, plays a critical
role in 1031 transactions. The company is recognized by the IRS as a
Qualified Intermediary, meaning that it is authorized to act as the
mandatory neutral third party between the buyer and seller during a
property exchange.
“Capital gains taxes can be a major
deterrent in selling property,” observes Ruth Vanderostyne, President
of NCS Exchange Professionals. “Often, investors want to purchase a new
property, but first they have to sell what they already own. Many shy
away from the transaction, not wanting to pay capital gains taxes on
the sale. In the meantime, they are missing the opportunity to purchase
a more lucrative investment asset.”
The 1031 exchange
overcomes that hurdle, enabling investors to sell a qualifying property
and use the proceeds to purchase a like-kind property, without paying
federal income taxes on the transaction at the time. Stringent
government regulations—for example, the exclusion of owner-occupied
residences—specify that the Qualified Intermediary handle all monetary
proceeds and fund transfers according to a very rigid timeline, so it
is very important to deal with a reputable firm. “We prepare
the
exchange agreements and send them to the escrow company, where the
client signs all the documents at one time. Once the transaction
closes, the escrow sends us the money and the clock starts ticking for
the taxpayer, who has 45 days to identify an exchange property and 180
days to take title to it.”
Van Derostyne points out that NCS
has notable strength in the market as a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Mother Lode Holding Co. “We work with our sister organization Placer
Title Co., which gives us the full backing of the title insurance
industry to provide complete security for client funds,” she says.
The
downturn in the real estate market has left its imprint on the
transaction volume at NCS, but clients who recognize the values
available are starting to take advantage of current conditions, she
reports. REO, or real-estate owned (foreclosed), properties are going
for very attractive prices in the Sacramento area, for example, where a
four-bedroom, two-bath home can be had for $132,000. “These are really
nice properties,” she comments, pointing out a convergence of favorable
factors for investors: lower purchase prices allow owners to rent out
private homes at rates that more than cover all their obligations, and
the rental demand is high because of those who have had to move out of
their own homes.
With the IRS 1031 Exchange Code encompassing
all 50 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands, NCS Exchange Professionals
serves clients throughout the country. For more information, visit www.ncs1031.com.
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