Winter is notoriously slow for real estate transactions. Buyers, sellers and real estate agents anticipate a pickup in the pace each spring. Now that the Washington-area residential market has shifted to a buyer’s market, real estate agents are scrambling to find creative ways to sell the increasing number of homes on the market.

I recently returned from the Inman News real estate technology conference in New York City invigorated with a thirst to champion positive change in our slumping industry. It must have been something in the pizza, together with spending three tech-filled days at the Marriott Times Square!

The Inman conferences are famous for bringing leading-edge technology providers and real estate practitioners together for a blitzkrieg of fresh ideas, color and characters. One such panel discussion left an indelible impression on me concerning an issue I have been studying as an academic, Realtor and technology marketer for some time now: What is the cost of real estate leads, and how much do we pay for them?

MINNEAPOLIS - Edina Realty President Bob Peltier recently announced ambitious plans to tap into the growing pool of twenty- and thirtysomething home buyers by beefing up the company’s Web site, hiring younger sales agents and redirecting its ad dollars to non-traditional venues.

“To move forward over the next five to 10 years, we have to be positioned differently than we have been in the past,” Peltier said.

At the heart of these shifts in corporate strategy is research that says 80 percent of all home buyers start their search on the Web.

Q I know California is a community-property state; however, can you affirm if there is a full step-up cost basis on a property that remains with the surviving spouse, or if there is a 50 percent step-up? Thanks for your help.

A The nine community-property states are Wisconsin, California, Texas, Arizona, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico and Washington. Community-property states differ from the common law states in how they treat the real property ownership interests between spouses.

Your question refers to the determination of taxable gain due on the sale of a home if one spouse is deceased. The IRS allows greater ownership interest in a personal residence to pass to the surviving spouse living in a community-property state.

Q I know California is a community-property state; however, can you affirm if there is a full step-up cost basis on a property that remains with the surviving spouse, or if there is a 50 percent step-up? Thanks for your help.

A The nine community-property states are Wisconsin, California, Texas, Arizona, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico and Washington. Community-property states differ from the common law states in how they treat the real property ownership interests between spouses.

Your question refers to the determination of taxable gain due on the sale of a home if one spouse is deceased. The IRS allows greater ownership interest in a personal residence to pass to the surviving spouse living in a community-property state.