Showing posts with label $8000 tax credit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label $8000 tax credit. Show all posts

Thursday, October 15, 2009

On your mark, get set...go!!!!

Time Running Out For First-Time Homebuyers
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
By Chris Levister –
The clock is ticking for first-time home buyers scrambling to take advantage of an $8,000 tax credit set to expire November 30 – unless Congress decides to extend it.

This week, the White House said its economic team is evaluating the credit’s impact on home sales and will make a recommendation to President Barack Obama.

The National Association of Realtors and the National Association of Home Builders have launched marketing campaigns touting the credit and have pushed Congress to keep it going. But some lawmakers are balking at the cost, which may hit $15 billion – more than double the amount projected in February’s economic stimulus bill.

Unlike the home buyer tax credit Congress enacted in July of 2008, this allowance does not have to be repaid.

The federal tax credit covers up to 10 percent of the home price, or up to $8,000, for first-time buyers. Combined with low mortgage rates and falling prices the incentive is drawing first-time buyers like Alisha Baeza 30, and George Gonzalez 29 of San Bernardino.

In June Baeza used the tax credit to buy a 3-bedroom 2-and-a half bath home with a pool for $248,000. She enlisted veteran Spellacy Associates realtor Alice Wilson, and a San Bernardino program aimed at first-time home buyers. City staffers helped Baeza save money, lower her debt and arrange for a down payment.

“I started thinking about buying a home almost 2 years ago and at the time I couldn’t afford it,” recalls Baeza, a dietary manager at Saint Bernardine Hospital. Alice kept encouraging me - ‘you need to be a home owner’. Then she told me about the city program. It worked out great because they advanced the 20% down payment.

Baeza admits qualifying for a loan in the midst of a recession-caused credit crunch and wading through the mounds of required paperwork was no fun. “It was grueling – but worth it. I say to young people - go do it.” Her boyfriend George Gonzales an anesthesia equipment technician also saw his fortunes change after recently qualifying for a home loan. This weekend the couple went house hunting.

“Five years ago I couldn’t afforded a home. My credit wasn’t that good and home prices were outrageous. I figured I’d never own property,” said Gonzalez.

“When I got approved I jumped for joy, called Alisha and said come on let’s go celebrate. Now I tell people go fix your credit, save some money and see what you qualify for.”

Housing experts say first-time homebuyers snapped up three out of 10 homes sold in July. That’s about 10 percent below the average for the previous six years, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Alice Wilson says it’s a new era in home buying and home sales will struggle to rebound without a tax credit extension.

“Prices and home values are falling, banks are holding on to their wallets and there’s not a lot of housing inventory out there. That’s kept many would-be buyers on the sidelines,” she said.

She said with or without a tax break, consumers in this economy are looking for a bargain much like they are with retail sales and auto sales.

“Banks are being extra cautious, worried about the still-dire unemployment situation. The turn of the year isn’t likely to yield much good news on the job front so I don’t see a full-blown recovery on the horizon.”

Realtor Jeanine, Alice’s daughter, says while the tax credit has succeeded in energizing buyers and helping clear a glut of lower-priced homes, including foreclosed properties that are dragging down home values, buyers expecting to find a plentiful home inventory will be disappointed.

“For every decent home on the market – there are at least four or five people sometimes more bidding on it. A home can fall out of escrow and a week later its back in – with another buyer.” The problem is made worst said Jeanine because many banks are reluctant to put foreclosed properties back on the market. “Simply put, it’s very hard out there.”

The best approach is honesty said Alice.

“We tell prospective buyers with bad credit and or unstable employment. It’s just not going to happen.”

“The good ole days are behind us. Get your house in order before you dip your toes into the market,” added Jeanine, “Its bitter medicine. We’re just praying people don’t get discouraged.”

Couldn't have said it better....

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

This is good News!!

Nearly 40 percent of first-time home buyers report federal tax credit played critical role in decision to purchase a home

LOS ANGELES (Sept. 18) – Nearly 40 percent of first-time home buyers said they would not have purchased a home if the federal tax credit for first-time home buyers was not offered, according to the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®’ (C.A.R.) “2009 First-time Home Buyers Tax Credit Survey.” Understanding the significance of the federal tax credit to the housing market’s recovery, C.A.R. surveyed 200 California first-time home buyers to gauge the impact it had on their purchase decisions.

“It is clear that the federal tax credit for first-time home buyers is working, as evidenced by the spike in home sales in recent months,” said C.A.R. President James Liptak. “This tax credit is arguably the most successful strategy employed by the government’s efforts to stimulate the housing market.

“Because the tax credit has helped so many first-time buyers become homeowners, it is critical that Congress extends the credit beyond the Dec. 1 deadline, and includes all buyers, not just first-timers,” he said.

Nearly 70 percent of those surveyed said that the federal tax credit was either “very important” or “most important” in their decision to purchase a home. When ranking the importance of the tax credit, those who planned to use the tax credit gave it a 4.5 on a scale of one to five, with five being “most important.” That rank was tied with low home prices.

In California home prices have declined 59 percent from the peak to the current low in this cycle—contrasting with the national picture where the prices have declined by 28 percent.

“While affordability has improved in California over the past two years, it is still lower than affordability nationally. As a result, the tax credit is an even bigger factor in California compared with elsewhere in the country,” added Liptak. “Going forward, the credit will be even more important to the housing recovery.”

Income levels played a role in the decision of first-time buyers to apply for the federal tax credit. Ninety-four percent of respondents who earn an annual income of less than $100,000 planned to apply for the credit, while only 51 percent of first-timers earning $100,000 or more planned to apply for it.

Other key findings from C.A.R.’s “2009 First-time Home Buyers Tax Credit Survey” include:
· Ninety-four percent were aware of the federal first-time buyer tax credit.
· Eighty-two percent listed the ability to obtain financing as “very important” or “most important.”
· Ninety-one percent reported low home prices as “very important” or “most important.”

..............ok already....

So having the right price point is very, very important..having a tax credit does help but affordablity trumps all other factors in the case of home buying...so here's the call..

Sunday, September 13, 2009

You Have Less Than Four Weeks To Find A Home

September 8, 2009
First-Time Buyer Hoping To Get The $8,000 Tax Credit? You Have Less Than Four Weeks To Find A Home
The federal government is offering first-time home-buyers a tax credit of 10% of a home’s sales price up to $8,000. To qualify, you must close on a home by November 30th; if you close on December 1st, you’re out of luck.

If you’re a first-time buyer in Southern California, you have a little less than four weeks left to find a home, make an offer and negotiate terms if you hope to close in time to get the $8,000 tax credit.

Close By November 13th
In a normal month, about 20% of closings slip from the last week of a month to the next. This number will almost certainly be higher in November due to the expected rush of buyers trying to get the tax credit and because November 30th falls on the Monday after Thanksgiving.

If you’re hoping to get the tax credit, you want to make sure you’ve closed before the week of Thanksgiving because it’s not a full work week:

•Thursday, November 26th: Turkey day. A day to give thanks and watch the Detroit Lions go for six Thanksgiving Day losses in a row.
•Friday , November 27th: Los Angeles & Orange County offices are closed.
•Saturday & Sunday, November 28th & 29th: The banks aren’t open so you can’t close.
•Monday, November 30th: The last day to close and qualify for the first-time buyer tax credit. It’s going to be a goat rodeo.
To give yourself the best chance of getting the tax credit, plan on closing by November 13th. If you run into any problems during closing, you’ll have more than a week to work things out and still qualify for the tax credit.

Get An Offer Accepted By October 4th
Right now, it’s taking our clients in Southern California an average of 40 days to close once they reach initial agreement on terms. This means if you want to close by November 13th, you need to get an offer accepted by October 4th. That’s 26 days away.

For more information, check out the Home Buyer Tax Credit FAQ from the IRS and get all the details about the tax credit from the agency giving the credit. Also, check out the report that this program may be extended.

Find A Home You Like
Don’t rush into a purchase. Make sure you’re buying because you’ve found a home you want to live in, not because you want the $8,000. You don’t want to end up in the wrong house in the wrong neighborhood with the wrong commute just for a few thousand dollars

Thursday, September 10, 2009

“Not now” doesn’t mean “never”

Home ownership is just not a realistic option for everyone right now, despite what may look like once-in-lifetime mortgage rates. If you fall into this category, don’t despair. Your financial circumstances could change, the economy is still very much in flux, and remember that the current mortgage crisis involved a lot of home buyers getting in over their heads. When it comes to a major purchase like a home, timing is critical.

"I like this idea of waiting to time a home purchase to when you are ready...Of course sales agents will tell you practically anything to get you to buy but ultimately you make the decision...So dont feel like this opportunity to purchase a home will not be there when you are ready..that's simply not true."

I would say planning and preparing yourself are the first steps...and then maybe soon you call me..I'm here to help.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Low rates keeping homes affordable

Low rates keeping homes affordable

INLAND REGION: The market is still shaky, but mortgage applications and refinancings are on the rise.

Falling interest rates are fueling a rise in home mortgage applications and refinancings in the Inland region, though experts aren't yet ready to declare the beleaguered local housing market on the road to full recovery.

Virginia-based Freddie Mac, a government-backed corporation that provides mortgage capital to lenders, released a study Thursday showing 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaging 5.08 percent, down from 5.14 percent a week ago and 6.35 percent a year ago.

For full story, go to http://www.pe.com/business/local/stories/PE_Biz_S_mortgages04.38b40b4.html

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Tips for First Time Home Buyers

So you’re thinking about buying your first piece of real estate? Before you even begin looking at a potential property, you need to make sure you can qualify for a mortgage. The following are some useful “tips for first time home buyers
.”

The first thing any potential homeowner should do is obtain a free credit report, either from Annualcreditreport.com or via a free trial website.

Once you’ve got your credit report at your fingertips, analyze it and determine what your monthly expenditures are. You will see a monthly payment next to each liability on the credit report. Add up all those payments and jot it down somewhere. These are your total monthly liabilities and will be important when determining how much you can afford.

Also scan the credit report for derogatory accounts and clean them up as best you can. If you’ve got delinquent accounts, resolve them. If you see collections, call the companies the disputes are with and do your best to make a deal. If everything looks good, you can move on. If not, you may want to repair your credit to a mid-score above 680 or higher before beginning your property search.

*One important note: Do NOT open any new credit accounts or make any large purchases using your credit cards within a few months before applying for a mortgage. This includes buying that plasma screen on a Best Buy card for your new crib. It can drive your credit score down needlessly which will result in a much higher interest-rate.


Now that you’ve got your credit in order, it’s time to figure out how much you can afford. Most banks and lenders allow borrowers to have a debt-to-income ratio up to 45%. Read more about debt-to-income ratios.

By taking your total liabilities and adding it to a monthly housing payment, and dividing that number by your monthly gross income you’ll come up with your DTI.

Let’s look at an example:

$10,000 monthly gross income
$1,500 total monthly liabilities

We know from the above example that your total monthly payments can’t exceed $4,500, or 45% DTI based on your $10,000 gross monthly income.

So if you already have $1,500 in total monthly liabilities, you can add a housing payment of $3,000 a month. This doesn’t leave much room in this market.

Let’s look at the same example with a housing payment, including taxes and insurance based on California rates:

$550,000 purchase price
$440,000 loan amount
6.25% interest rate
$2291.66 monthly interest-only payment
$572.92 monthly taxes
$128.33 monthly insurance
$2,992.91 total monthly housing cost

In the above scenario, a potential homeowner making $10,000 gross income a month can barely afford a $440,000 loan paying the interest-only payment. What does this tell us?

It tells us that there are a ton of homeowners out there living paycheck to paycheck and overstating income to qualify for homes they simply can’t afford. At least not in the eyes of banks and lenders that require borrowers to keep their DTI below 45%.

So now you’ve got an idea of what you’ll be able to afford. There are a number of mortgage calculators out there that will give you a better idea of what you can qualify for.

Now that you’ve got your credit profile in check and you know what you can afford, you’ll need to make sure you’ve got a verifiable housing history and seasoned assets.

Most lenders ask that you verify your last 12 months housing history. You can do this with cancelled checks or a VOR (Verification of Rent) from your landlord. This is important to determine the payment shock effect on the borrower.

Liquid assets are always helpful when applying for a loan, and are almost always a necessity for a first-time homebuyer. Make sure you have an account with at least two months PITI (Principal, interest, taxes and insurance) available. Also make the money in said account has been there for at least two consecutive months to ensure that it is seasoned. Banks and mortgage lenders don’t give much weight to unseasoned assets, as any friend, relative, or even a broker or loan officer can easily dump assets into your account before you apply for a mortgage to boost your net worth.

Now that you’re prepared, it’s time to be vigilant and proactive. Avoid predatory lenders and do your interest rate homework. Check out a rate sheet from the bank or lender that you’re being quoted from. Ask what the rate adjustments are. Ask if the loan carries a prepayment penalty and for how long? Get all the facts before you sign anything. And once you like it, lock it!

With all this preparation behind you, the loan flow will be a comfortable process with few surprises. It might not be perfect, but if you follow these rules you will definitely save money and reduce stress!

Let’s review the tips for first time home buyers in a condensed format:

- Order a free credit report
- Review your credit and clear up any derogatory accounts
- Do NOT open any new credit accounts or make any large purchases
- Calculate your total monthly liabilities
- Figure out your DTI and what you can afford
- Make sure you have a 12-month verifiable housing history
- Make sure you have a seasoned asset account with at least 2 months PITI
- Do your interest rate homework
- Lock your interest rate


Need some loan advice..call Angelica

310 665 8688

want an agent to help

call me..818 422 2040

Thursday, June 11, 2009

tax incentives are hard to get?????

I heard that the tax incentives..the $8000 tax credit is real...whether you can use it as part of your down payment....drum roll.........no. no. no. deny by most lenders because it is way too much hassle and paperwork and for what the goverment wil pay lenders to do it, I think it's 200 bucks.. its just not worth it for them to process it as part of your downpayment...and maybe even the closing cost...lenders c'mon your in the buisness of lending money to make money..a little forthworthness and faith in the goverment for which you have taken the tarp money from should atleast help the people help them get homes. It's our community and it does take a village including the butcher, the baker, the banker!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Today is the Seminar....at Satsuma Gallery

I have been promoting my mission for almost 2 years and if you didn't know it is to help people my friends and clients undrstand real estate as a home, an investment an as security..The seminar is a way for me and my fellow professionals Angelica Lassiter and Juan Argeutua to avail our expertise to you....
please come with questions about your neighborhood's real estate. And come to hear where the values are going, what the current tax advantages are.

hey atleast came for my salsa... and if you didn't know it's at a real cool art gallery...

thanks

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Short sell bidding..Multiple offers???? OMG!!!

Hey I respect the fact that the owner decided to opt out...ok now the bank is left with the crap....so whacha do with lemons????....Make lemonade!!!!

So now they have these homes and they are selling the good candy to the highest bidder...."sounds like good buisness to me..." I give props to the banks..but people you should realized a house is a home..this not a good investment for the short run..it should have never been that way in the first place...Buy a home, and please live in it...

Oh one more thing..it will go down in value...for the first years..but historically..by 2014 (5 years) I can see and feel the population factor will push the prices back up. Yaaay!!!

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