Daily News from New York, New York • 79

i LTS Homes: 'Pride of the Poconos5 Homeownership eases Uncle Sam's tax bite ly equipped kitchens with furniture-quality cabinetry to the comfort and convenience of pampering master suites. When it comes to customizing your favorite LTS design, you'll have the free services of award-winning LTS architects and your personal LTS decorator plus on-site Design Center Showrooms to guide you through all the cus "A perfect stranger knocked on our door and asked who our builder was. When she saw our house, she immediately knew that this was what she wanted." Time and again, LTS homeowners speak of their pride in owning a truly extraordinary home a home built to exceptional standards of style and quality that are recognized not only by industry pros in the Chamber of Commerce Builder Awards but by friends, neighbors, and "perfect strangers" too. LTS Builders starts you out with Northeast Pennsylvania's largest selection of custom home designs styles that start with all of today's "must haves," plus a wealth of easy-living conveniences and designer touches, built right in! LTS homes provide lots of "curb appeal," with intriguing features like multi-gabled roof-lines, oversized windows with designer glass, and rich accents of custom stonework or stately brick. And once inside, you can count on flawless function delivered with plenty of flair, from ful The US custom Williamsburg II.

Owning a home of your own lets you pay yourself, instead of the landlord. And your equity the difference between what you owe and what your home is worth can be a nice retirement "nest egg" one day. But you don't have to sell your home to enjoy the significant financial benefits of being a homeowner, points out Robert Weseloh of We-seloh and Company, CPAs, a prominent 7 East Stroudsburg, accounting firm. "As a homeowner, you'll enjoy tax benefits for the life of your mortgage, since each dollar of mortgage interest you pay is deductible on your federal taxes," Weseloh explained. On a $150,000 mortgage at 6V interest, that's roughly a $10,300 deduction for the first 12 months.

If you're in the 28 tax bracket, for example, that's more than $240 more in your pocket every month! Parkchester proves renewal's value Country life: Streamside Knolls "Your real estate taxes including property, school, and township taxes in Pennsylvania are also 100 deductible on your itemized return every year," noted Weseloh. Your first year of homeowner-ship can bring extra benefits, Weseloh explained, since you may also be able to deduct certain up-front financing costs. "Points you pay as a borrower, if they are paid separately, are deductible similar to mortgage interest," he said. And there's even good news at the "back end" of owning a home. "Say you buy your primary residence for $200,000 and sell one day for $300,000.

The $100,000 profit is not taxed," Weseloh explained, adding that homeowners need to check with their own accoun-Continued on page 80 grounds will complete the list of recreation area amenities at Streamside Knolls. Conveniently located just 90 minutes north of New York City, Streamside Knolls is the latest showcase of AVR Homebuild-ers, one of the New York area's leading developers. "As with all AVR communities," explains Kate Devany, Sales Manager, "Streamside Knolls offers outstanding quality and value in a range of residence styles. There are a wonderful choice of the most popular AVR single-family detached home styles, including Victorian Colonial, Post Modern, and Farmhouse, all built with pure country charm." Despite its great location and outstanding features and amenities, pre-construction prices at Streamside Knolls start at just $264,990. For more information about the country life at Streamside Knolls, call today at (845) 831-7000.

ii ii win Jli iim tom finishing choices that result in a wonderfully rewarding home. Every bit as impressive as your LTS home is its feature-for-feature unbeatable price, made possible by volume purchasing, in-house warehousing, and the overall LTS Maximum Value advantages that no other area builder can provide. And today's buyers can take advantage of a special LTS spring opportunity, i i i tr 6 i 5 i 1. Restored one-bedroom residences with all-new appliances, all-new windows, new wall-to-wall carpeting, and windowed kitchens and baths. These rent for only $750 a month and can Residents who rent at the Island Shores will be able to use exercise, movie and game rooms.

They will also have access to a library, a doctor's office, an ATM machine and a computer room where they can go online. Rooms come furnished, but residents can opt to bring their own furniture. Island Shores will featuring more than 100 LTS custom designs, all packaged move-in complete in a wonderful variety of easy-living Pocono neighborhoods, from as little as $139,800 to $219,800 complete. Start now to lock in your best buy, plus 30-year fixed rates in the 6 percents that provide extra savings each month! See www.LTSbuilders.com and call 1-800-942-7450 for your appointment. The LTS sales office is open every day.

CJi be occupied immediately. 2. A limited number of to- 1 1. i I A room residences are avail able with all-new windows, plumbing and heavy wiring to support air conditioning and other appliances, with modern windowed kitchens with new appliances. These rent from $850 per month.

A few totally modernized 2 -bedroom apartments are available for as low as $1,000 per month. Models are on view at Parkchester, with an Open House set every Saturday, Tues- day, Wednesday and Thursday. For an appointment and directions, please call (718) 319-8043. Staten Island also offer residents a range of activities, including trips to malls, museums and Atlantic City. The beachfront location allows seniors to take advantage of the nearby boardwalk, beach and ocean view.

To find out more information about Island Shores, call (718) 667-0666 or visit our website at http:www.islandshores.org. The story of New York is the story of its wonderful, historically important housing. Unfortunately, much of the city's older, yet economically viable, housing stock has fallen victim to the developer's bulldozer, only to be replaced by high rent "luxury" housing that prices most New Yorkers out of the market. Happily, there is one large-scale exception. It's called Parkchester, and it is one of the city's finest examples of successful middle-income housing an oasis of aff ord-ability in the midst of New York's skyrocketing rentals.

Parkchester now offers two types of affordable one-bedroom apartments. Step out your front door and take a deep breath. Smell the clean, crisp air. Feel the crackle of leaves and twigs under your feet. Sit back and relax on your gracious covered porch.

This is quintessential country living at its finest. This is Streamside Knolls in Fish- kill, where families can live the good life amid the unique warmth and beauty of the Hudson River Valley. Streamside Knolls will be an exclusive enclave of 103 single-family detached homes with select parcels that border on conservation land and streams. The private cul-de-sac homesites will be nestled among the gentle rolling topography of the area and surrounded by mature trees. The community's exclusive recreation area will include a clubhouse with a reception area, card room, restrooms and a grand meeting room with a cozy fireplace and large-screen television.

To cool off during the hot summer months, Streamside Knolls residents will be able to jump into a refreshing 25-by-45-foot in-ground swimming pool or an 18-foot-diame-ter children's pool. Outdoor shower facilities, a designated tot play area, an all-weather regulation-size tennis court, and landscaped and manicured Upscale senior housing in Island Shores, located at 1111 Father Capodanno Staten Island, New York, is a private-pay, all-inclusive residence, the very first example of independent, private retirement-style living in Staten Island. Rents include three restaurant-style meals a day, housekeeping services and access to all facilities..