Archive for the 'Grants and Incentives' Category
The time line on the $8000 tax credit ! It ends on Friday April 30th, 2010.
January 9th, 2010 categories: Condo Knowledge, Grants and Incentives
You have to close by April 30, 2010 if you want the $8000 federal tax credit. This means in essence you have to have an accepted contract on your New Orleans Home or Condo by April 1, 2010. Lets put this int0 a time line so you can get started this month. $8000 is real money!
Jan 2010- get an idea of what you are looking for in terms of price, stlye, location, bedrooms and the rest of your criteria. You cannot do this in a week so you need to start now. See a lender now so you can get the numbers out of the way. Nail down the lender as this can delay the process. Chosing someone local is the best way for success. With the various new rules in effect give yourself an extra week. Time to do your homework is now!
Feburary 2010 Search begins- Start looking so you can narrow your choices down to the best 2-3 places. Be realistic in pricing and the condition. This part of the search can take 30-40 days. You can find the best things much sooner if you do your homework. Mardi Gras and Super Bowl will knock some days out. Feburary is short being only 28 days and then minus the stuff that happens. Know how you will finance by the end of the month.
March 2010-The Chosing stage- Narrowing it down and getting ready to write the offer. You have to get an offer written and accepted in March. Its the time to get the all the details worked out. Easter will knock some days out. You have to get Inspections set up and started. The condo documents need to be read and reviewed. The lenders will have to review the condo associations books and insurances. Give an extra week if its an FHA Loan. Remember the lenders just take longer these days.
April 2010 final stages- The appraisal, loan processing, Inspections all should be wrapping up in April. Give yourself time for someone to screwup as it happens often. The title work still has to be done. The finish line is in site. If you miss the deadline for any reason then you miss the money.
The Repeat Buyers
The repeat buyers can qualify for a $6,500 tax credit if they’ve lived in their home for five consecutive years of the last eight. Repeat Buys need to understand that as long as they’re buying a new primary residence, they’re not required to sell their current home right away—or at all. In the meantime, they’re able to take advantage of today’s lower home prices and historically low interest rates.
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Buyers are on Vacation but looking and thinking of next Year ! It pays to be ready!
December 22nd, 2009 categories: Grants and Incentives, Market Trends
The buyers are still in the condo market, some segments are of course better than others. What we are now seeing is less new units coming on the market. The sellers are waiting for next year until the Saints win the Super Bowl or until their unit is ready to sell. Real Estate is seasonal. Buyers are busy looking on line to see what there choices are. Many are looking but are still in the decision process.
The interest rates are still extremely low. They will not be this low in a year or two. Borrowing 100k today will cost you only $538 for principal and interest. This is great incentive to purchase. Rates are at 5%.
Prices are a little lower but not in a fall like some cities. Prices have been fairly steady but there are some wonderful deals to be had. As a buyer you have less competition now and that means saving about $5000 on an offer. You will not get this discount in April or May.
$8000 and $6500 tax credit is waiting for you as well. I think the economy and overall sales will improve and this will surely go away. Its a gift for you now.
Second Home Buyers are beginning to return to the New Orleans Market. New Orleans has been receiving some great publicity over the past year. With Mayor Nagin leaving on May 5, 2009, we may have a mini boom or at least we will feel in more reliable hands.
It does pay for buyers and sellers to be ready. The buyers who study and know the market trends have a better chance to buy and sell high. It always has a lot to do with market timing. Make this your advantage !!
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$8000 Tax Credit is yours! Add that to a couple of things that people forget! Building Equity and the Interest Deduction!
December 7th, 2009 categories: Buyers Agent, Grants and Incentives
Besides the federal tax credit there are two very important aspects of buying that you may forget about.
1. Interest deduction is big. You get to deduct your interest on your taxes for every year till its paid off. The deduction is based on your tax rate. If you are in the 25% bracket and you pay $10,000 then your savings would be $2500 per year. Taxes are also deductible as well.
2. Building Equity. Your note is is interest and principle. Each Month you are paying down your note. The amount of equity increases with every payment. If you borrow 200k you are paying down your mortgage by more than $200 per month. Its paying down the mortgage by at least $2500 in year one. This is building equity.
Federal Tax Credit $8000/$6500
The $8000 First Time Home Buyer Tax credit was approved and is now on the President’s desk for signatures. For first timers, the $8000 tax credit is extended until April 30th, 2010. The major addition is a $6500 Tax credit for existing home owners. Effective the day of the signing, this gives current homeowners, that have owned their current home for more than 5 years, a credit and incentive to move up or sell their home.
This is nice for homeowners to help with their closing costs. Income limits have also been increased to $125,000 single or $225,000 married and you can claim this credit on any home up to $800,000 in price.
Now you add up thses savings and if you qualify you could have all three of the savings of owning in year one. $8000 plus $2500 plus $2500 equals $13000 for this example. Its hard to beat that return !
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Housing tax Credit Extended? There are no free lunches! Someone will have to pay!
November 3rd, 2009 categories: Condo Knowledge, Grants and Incentives
As a real estate agent I am glad to get the credit extended. On the other hand I am worried that our Congress can only react to the crowds who want new favors. Does this make common sense when the real problem is creating an environment that will produce jobs. We will be getting ready for the next GM bailout shortly.
Its a carnival of incentives. Much like Mardi Gras- Throw me something so long as it cost me nothing. So if you can get it you have to take it. The interest rates remain low since the Feds are buying the mortgages. Its wild !
Senators agree to extend homebuyer tax credit By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER Associated Press Writer © 2009 The Associated Press
Oct. 28, 2009, 7:00PM
WASHINGTON— Senators agreed Wednesday to extend a popular tax credit for first-time home buyers and to offer a reduced credit to some repeat buyers.
The tax credit provides up to $8,000 to first-time homebuyers but is set to expire at the end of November. The Commerce Department said Wednesday that new home sales fell 3.6 percent in September, and some industry representatives blamed uncertainty about the tax credit.
Senators agreed to extend the existing tax credit for first-time home buyers while offering a reduced credit of up to $6,500 to repeat buyers who have owned their current homes for at least five years, said Regan Lachapelle, a spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
The tax credits would be available to home buyers who sign sales agreements by the end of April. They would have until the end of June to close on their new homes, according to a summary of the legislation being circulated among lawmakers.
Senators were still negotiating the expansion of a separate tax credit that lets money-losing businesses get refunds for taxes paid in previous years, providing them with an immediate source of cash
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$8000 tax credit from Uncle Sam, Time is running out in New Orleans!
August 23rd, 2009 categories: Grants and Incentives
If you are considering purchasing that home or condo you should have a contract by the end of October to take advantage of the $8000 gift from Uncle Sam. He will be too poor in future years to give away more. There are some good deals out there as well. If less people are looking then the ones that look will get the better deals.
1. If you are in contract on a New Orleans Home or condo but have NOT closed by November 30th, sorry but you DO NOT collect $8,000 from the U.S. Government. The tax credit is ONLY for homes purchased and closed by November 30th, 2009.
2. If you are in contract to have a Home or condo in New Orleans metro area built for you but the house is not going to be ready until December 30th, 2009, sorry but you DO NOT collect $8,000 from the U.S. Government. Although you were under contract by November 30th, you did not close on the house by November 30th and the tax credit is ONLY for homes purchased and closed by November 30th, 2009.
3. If you are in contract on a New Orleans Condo and your closing date is scheduled for November 30th, but the lender is unable to close on November 30th because he has not finished processing your loan, sorry but you DO NOT collect $8,000 from the U.S. Government.
Incentives do work so you need to start looking no to take advantage of getting $8000. There also may be some Louisiana State Bond money coming out which should have great rates and another gift for you. Details should be out shortly. It too is too good to pass up of you qualify. Its well worth checking out and getting $15,000 in a double deal. Can that be you?
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New Orleans Real Estate, Odds and Ends! Some things worth thinking about!
August 10th, 2009 categories: Condo Knowledge, Grants and Incentives
As we near the end of Summer there are a number of things to think about if you are in the market for a home or condo.
- The $8000 federal tax credit expires November 30, 2009. A big incentive not to put off a purchase until next year.
- There is State Bond Money on the way. No rates or details yet but the rates should be good. There are always income limits and the help on Bond issues is generally around 4%. Borrow 200k and that’s an $8000 credit plus the tax rebate. Stay tuned!
- FHA is still the best way to go for a low down payment of 3.5%. You have to have a great lender when doing spot approavals. Checking things out in advance is the best way to go. FHA spot approvals.
- Interest Rates are still in the 5.5% range which is very low by historical standards. Rates change daily and generally cannot be locked in till you have a purchase agreement.
- Sellers are more eager to sell if they have overpriced the property in the beginning of Summer. There is less people looking this time of year which makes it a seasonal buyers market. Its a Seasonal Discount and happens every year. Seasonal Discouts do Live!
- I am often asked how much people come of the price of what they are asking? The answer can vary and the average is 3-4% of the last asking price. As a buyer you want to approach this from what the property is worth and go from there. How to Value Your Condo!
- Do condo fees ever go down? They rarely go down as cost to do things tend to rise over time. The biggest cost in condo fees are the insurance premiums. These may hold steady or drop every now and then but something else is going up in cost or the condo reserves will build up in the mean time. Condo reserves are like a savings account.
- Always start out by know what you can afford. This is most easily down with a face to face meeting with a local lender who knows the market and has the back office and experience to get the loan down in a timely and painless fashion. Avoid out of town lenders.
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Jefferson Parish Grant Money for first time home buyers! Great way to start!
February 17th, 2009 categories: Grants and Incentives, Julie's Mortgage Tips
Jefferson Parish has several programs that can help you as a first time buyer for a home or condo. You have to be able to qualify for a loan and meet the income requirements. The purchase price has to be below $200,160. You start by getting qualfied for a loan through an approved lender. This will let you know what you can afford and if your credit score is sufficient for a loan. The loan itself can be FHA, VA, or Conventional. Call Julie Baudier at Standard Mortgage to get you started with the loan process 504-583-1793. This is your first step.
The home or condo has to be in good shape and should not need major repairs. Then you call the Jefferson Parish Community Developement Office. They will give you information on the classes and a certificate to get started.
A Real Estate Agent like Eric can then help you in selecting a property. Its well worth the time and effort as its a big, big help in getting started towards home ownership.
As per the Jefferson Parish Website ”The HOME Program funds assist first-time homebuyers in purchasing their homes by subsidizing closing costs and/or down-payment requirements in conjunction with loans obtained through the Jefferson Parish Finance Authority or other qualified lenders.
Qualified applicants may receive a level of assistance up to $50,000 determined by Community Development to be applied for the down-payment and normal closing costs. Participants will be required to grant a mortgage to the Parish in the amount of the assistance provided. This mortgage will be for a term determined by the amount of money received, non-interest bearing, and will be non-repayable if certain conditions are met. Eligible participants purchasing homes in the City of Kenner will receive a $10,000 grant secured by a deferred mortgage of 10 years.
Eligibility
Eligible participants include households that have not owned a home during the past three years. The annual maximum allowable household income limits, based on family size, are as follows. The annual income of a family of four cannot exceed $47,850.
1 - $33,500 2 - $38,300 3 - $43,050 4 - $47,850
5 - $51,700 6 - $55,500 7 - $59,350 8 - $63,150
Applicant Requirements
Applicants are required to complete a Preliminary Application with supporting documentation before being funding will be considered.
Applicants are required to attend two classes and must present an acceptable certificate of training completion before loan closing.
The monthly payment required to service the contemplated mortgage(s) may not exceed 30% of the monthly household income.”
You should also be able to get a federal tax credit as well if you buy by the end of the 2009 of $8,000.
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New Orleans Condo Buyers can get tax a credit of $8,000, something for Free !
February 16th, 2009 categories: Grants and Incentives, Julie's Mortgage Tips
Congress had a great opportunity to really jump start the housing market with a $15,000 tax credit open to everyone and anyone. Its hard to believe they thought it would cost too much. This move could have saved people tons of money and would have helped us with the bank bailout. Any incentive to increase demand is welcome.
I would have made it very simple and open to everyone buying a home or condo. Why put all these strings attached when we need to increase demand. It would lighten the load on sellers and banks costing American less in the long run. Incentives do work and when we need immediate spending this is the fastest way to make it happen. Much less than the bailout of Citi Bank alone by 10’s of billions. Where are the Nation’s thinkers?
However if you fall into this niche its something to take advantage of. Its like free money along with the tax advantages of owning.
“The good news is that there is an $8000 tax credit available for first time home-buyers! On Friday, both the House and the Senate passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and President Obama is expected to sign it into law early next week.
$8000 tax credit highlights include:
- The $8000 tax credit is available only to first-time home buyers, no purchase in last 3 years.
- The $8000 tax credit is available only when the first-time home buyers buy a primary residence
- The $8000 tax credit is available only to first-time home buyers buying a primary residence between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009
- The $8000 tax credit does not require repayment after 3 years.
- The $8000 tax credit is claimed on a tax return and reduces the tax liability. If the credit is more than the tax liability, the unused credit will be issued as a check to the person claiming the credit
- If you sell the home within 3 years, the entire $8000 tax credit is recaptured
- Income limits of $75,000 for one and $150,000 for a couple.
For those of you who have been asking questions about the possible tax credit - the good news is that we now know what has been passed into law.
What this legislation should do is encourage first time home-buyers to buy a condo or home. What it will probably not do is encourage everyone who isn’t a first time home-buyer to buy a home.
And it remains to be seen exactly how much it will help the overall real estate market turn around.”
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