Seed Catalogs

It's winter. On the ranch that means shopping seed catalogs.

I used to trade seeds at Seed savers exchange but I don't have

much to trade this year. It's so dry here the heirlooms I grew in Coastal Orange County all die. The experiment has been to find vegetables and flowers that can live with low water. Here is a list of seed sellers and some growers who I have ordered from in the past. The list is in my personal order of preference rather than alphabetical. I highly recommend all the links on this list

If you have any that you love, please comment and let me know. I prefer non GMO seeds. What do you like?

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange

Seeds of Change

Wood Prairie Farm

Victory Seeds

http://www.victoryseeds.com/

Tomatoes photograph by Jonathan Otto

https://www.whiteoakvalleyfarm.com/




Center of the Web
http://centerofthewebb.com/
rare and exotic seeds

Baker Creek by far the most beautiful picture packets.
though I usually say don't by picture packs they cost much more than trading seeds and you are paying for printing, catalog and packing BUT this is so gorgeous and the seed packs at you garden center will sing siren mermaid songs that will carry you through digging, bug squishing and harvest with joy
https://www.rareseeds.com/

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Cloudview FARM

http://cloudviewfarm.org/ephrata/

Arc Institute
https://heirloomseedkits.com/

heirloom seeds
http://heirloomseeds.com/

Goodwin Seeds
http://www.goodwincreekgardens.com/group.asp?grp=129

southern exposure

www.southernexposure.com/

Tax Reform Chart regarding mortgage interest

Tax Reform Law Chart:
Not great news for California high cost housing

Prior Law vs. New Law Provisions of Interest
Prior Law New Law Mortgage Interest Deduction Capped at $1,000,000 Capped at $750,000
State and Local Tax Deduction Unlimited The total of income, sales and property tax deductions is capped at $10,000
Capital Gains Exemption on Sale of Primary Residence Exclusion of up to $250,000 ($500,000 if married) of gain realized on sale or exchange of principal residence if lived in for 2 of last 5 years No change
1031 Like-Kind Exchanges Applied to all classes of property (e.g., personal and real) Limits non-recognition of gain to real property
Personal Deduction Allowed Eliminated Standard Deduction $6,350 individual and $12,700 if married $12,000 individual and $24,000 if married
MID for second Homes Capped at $1,000,000 Capped at $750,000
Home Equity Loan Deduction Capped at $100,000 Not deductible unless the proceeds are used to substantially improve the property
Moving Expense Exclusion and Deduction Deduction for moving expenses incurred in connection with change in work place Eliminated except for members of armed forces on active duty that move pursuant to military orders
Child Tax Credit $1,000 for each child $2,000 for each child Deduction for Qualified Business Income of Pass-Through Entities including independent contractors None 20% deduction of taxable income phased out above $157,000 ($315,000 if married) for brokerage services
Depreciation Recovery Period for Real Property (Residential Rental) Recovery period is 27.5 years No change
 Depreciation Recovery Period for Real Property (nonresidential) Recovery period is 39 years No change Depreciation Recovery Period for Real Property (leasehold improvements) Recovery period is 15 years No change

MCC Tax credit gone?

See what CalHFA is saying below…checking on GSFA now as well

MCC unsure maybe is gone...

wait for update
update is i 12/22/2017

MORTGAGE CREDIT CERTIFICATE TAX CREDIT PROGRAM

As a result of possible federal tax reform, please see below for important MCC reminders:

- As of November 17, 2017, a Mortgage Credit Certificate may not be used for credit qualifying purpose for any CalHFA first mortgage loan.

- All loans must be closed AND the complete MCC package must be submitted AND cleared of deficiencies by eHousingPlus on or prior to December 18, 2017 so MCC certificates may be issued prior to year-end. There is no guarantee that MCC certificates can be issued for any MCC package not meeting the deadline.

- Lenders may continue to reserve MCCs for non-credit qualifying purposes, but be mindful of the December 18, 2017 deadline.

- CalHFA first mortgage loans in which an MCC was used for credit qualifying purposes that have not closed by December 18, 2017 AND fail to meet the above deadline may be subject to re-underwriting and requalifying without the MCC

Due to the uncertain outcome of the tax reform legislation, CalHFA will not obtain any additional allocation for MCCs in the future. Please see the eHousingPlus system for remaining availability figures for CalHFA's MCC program.

Tax Bill and Property Values

Tax Bill Passes

Not good for Residential Real Estate in high priced areas.
High Cost Homes are going to see price reductions.
Not sunny days ahead

I believe this will reduce number of sales to w-2 two family income earners from purchasing a home with sale price higher than one million dollars.
It will particularly squeeze values in Coastal Areas where prices from
one million to two and a half million dollars that Borrowers want the
tax credit to make it work financially.

This doesn't matter much to self employed borrowers who already pay little or no tax with allowable deductions


The act repeals the overall limitation on itemized deductions, through 2025.

Mortgage interest: The home mortgage interest deduction was modified to reduce the limit on acquisition indebtedness to $750,000 (from the prior-law limit of $1 million).
A taxpayer who entered into a binding written contract before Dec. 15, 2017, to close on the purchase of a principal residence before Jan. 1, 2018, and who purchases that residence before April 1, 2018, will be considered to have incurred acquisition indebtedness prior to Dec. 15, 2017, under this provision, meaning that he or she will be allowed the prior-law $1 million limit.

Home-equity loans: The home-equity loan interest deduction was repealed through 2025.


State and local taxes: Under the act, individuals are allowed to deduct up to $10,000 ($5,000 for married taxpayers filing separately) in state and local income or property taxes.
The conference report on the bill specifies that taxpayers cannot take a deduction in 2017 for prepaid 2018 state income taxes.  This part is pretty terrible. In California property taxes on a one million dollar home are about thirteen thousand dollars a year.