Repeat or Move-Up Home Buyer — Get Paid $6,500 to Buy a Home!!

• Buyers must have owned and lived in their previous home for five consecutive years out of the last eight years and purchase a replacement primary home.
• The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $6,500.  Applies to homes priced at $800,000 or less.
• The tax credit is available for homes purchased after November 6, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010.  In cases where a binding sales contract is signed by April 30, 2010, the home purchase qualifies for the tax credit provided the sale is completed (closed) by June 30, 2010.
• Single taxpayers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

1. You are buying a home today that doesn’t have inflated equity
2. You don’t have to sell your current home to qualify for the Tax Credit (although you would need to qualify for both house payments, if applicable)
3. You have sellers willing to pay your closing costs and possibly buy-down already great interest rates
4. You are in the first true “Buyers” Market in nearly 8 years and have the largest selection of homes in 15 years
5. The current downturn in house pricing as well as low interest rates could allow you to buy homes in neighborhoods that were out of reach two years ago

Thanks to Michelle Coolidge of Cobalt Mortgage for this information!

While definitely not unique to these geographic areas, price points and demographics of buyers and homeowners for these areas seem to especially target short sales and bank owned properties. Or maybe it’s just the clients with whom I’ve worked over the last few months. Sellers need to sell–usually as quickly as possible–and Buyers just want to move in.

In any event, short sales have been a problem. It seems as though it’s nearly impossible to get bank approval in anything less than 120 days … and then IF we get approval, the banks want us to close the transaction in no more than 30 days, another feat that’s becoming more and more difficult.

Back in May, 2009, President Obama indicated that he was pushing forward legislation that would drastically change the method and bank requirements by which short sales would be approved. This was aimed at shortening the time the banks would have to approve such transactions, along with helping a distressed seller by eliminating the “pay back the difference to the lender” clause that has been a real sticking point.

FINALLY, on Monday Reuters reported that the Treasury Department has now set guidelines to simplify short sales. I can’t tell you how excited “I” will be when this finally happens. And when the Banks step up and get their own internal procedures in place to accommodate these new guidelines.

I’m maintaining an “I’ll believe it when I see it” attitude. It’ll be cause for rejoicing!!

And it gets even better! Not only do first time homebuyers benefit from the tax credit … to the tune of $8,000! … any homebuyer could potentially benefit, up to $6,500!

Here are some of the highlights. Of course you’ll want to verify this information with your own accountant; as with most bills of this sort it’s many pages long and there are requirements that must be precisely met.

1. A first time homebuyer is one that has not owned a home for at least three years.
2. To qualify, a repeat homebuyer, must have owned their current home for at least five consecutive years out of the last eight years. So … imagine that you owned a home for at least five years, but sold it and have now been renting for the last two years. You qualify.
3. If you’re a single person, you cannot earn more than $125,000; if you’re married, you can earn up to $250,000.
4. You must be in a contract to purchase your new home on or before April 30th … but you have until June 30th to close the transaction.
5. There’s no lag between the old deadline (November 30th) and the beginning of the new period … it’s as if the November 30th deadline never existed. The new deadline is April 30th (see #4).
6. The maximum purchase price for your new home is $800,000.
7. Your new house does not have to cost more than your last house. It’s okay to downsize!
8. Oh yes! And as a measure to prevent fraud, you’ll have to attach proof of purchase to your tax return in order to qualify. I haven’t read the entire Bill, but I would anticipate that a copy of your final HUD (closing) statement will probably suffice. But do ask your tax accountant. They’ll know.

SO, Congratulations. Now, don’t twiddle your thumbs and let this run out AGAIN! Call me and let’s get shopping!!

As I write this, plans are in place to extend and modify the tax credit into next Spring (thank heavens), which will continue to help economic recovery for more folks than just those stepping up to purchase a home.

I’ve been amazed while hearing our various elected officials and economists speak shortsightedly, in my opinion, about why the tax credit should not be extended, nor should have been in place to begin with. I absolutely agree that the tax credit has a huge price tag. However, let’s think very briefly about what that tax credit is actually buying.

Just help buying a house? Hardly!

Think back to your last move, whether it was a house, an apartment, back to mom’s, wherever. What was the first thing you did? I can tell you what I did … picked up my wallet and headed straight to the store. I needed STUFF — boxes, moving supplies, shelf liner, paint, curtains, towels, furniture — STUFF!

That’s where the money goes. Not just in a pocket or frankly, not just back in a savings account. Is $8,000 too much? Did I buy $8,000 worth of stuff? Oh yes. And much more. Had I been given the $8,000 as a gift from my last move, my house credit card might not have been maxed out!

While that’s GREAT news, it’s not quite right yet, from what I can see.

Looks like the Senate has agreed to pass a resolution that would extend the $8,000 tax credit to First Time Homebuyers, a $6,500 tax credit for repeat homebuyers, both with qualifying issues.

However, a vote hasn’t actually taken place that passes the resolution as a stand-alone bill. At the moment, it’s hung up on the premise that it’ll be tagged onto legislation to extend unemployment benefits, although it appears that it’ll pass the Senate even as a stand-alone bill.

Read more at my favorite site: Reuters.

I’m holding off the celebration until it’s signed around! And I’ll be the first to let you know — that way we can ALL celebrate!

And, of course, absolutely full of the question “Will it be extended?”

I’ve been diligently trying to follow along with activities in the legislature while listening to other opinions about why it will and why it won’t and who thinks it’s a great idea and who thinks it’ll continue to bankrupt us all.

Reuters is one of my favorite places to find quality news feeds–in this case current activity on extending the $8,000 tax credit for homebuyers.

Yesterday, Reuters reported that Bill Nelson (Dem.) of the Senate Finance Committee indicated that the Senate would act this week on the tax credit and that it would likely be extended for a “limited” period.

Then the stock market reacted negatively later in the day to a report that it would not be.

This morning, Reuters posted another story complete with Q&A about another proposal being floated through the Senate by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat. In their scenario, the credit would be extended to the end of 2010, but would be phased out in $2,000 decreases beginning in April, then again in July and in October.

Now, at the moment, I kinda like this proposal. And I like the idea that it carries into the Spring, where house purchases and sales tend to begin rallying all by themselves.

My only issue with their proposal is that it’s being attached to the passage of another bill for unemployment insurance benefits. Sigh. Seems like it’d be so much easier to keep track of things if each expenditure had to stand on its own.

I’m sure tomorrow there’ll be yet more ups and downs about whether the $8,000 tax credit will be extended, or buried. Passage will be cause for celebration, in my opinion. Of course, then the bill will need to go on to the House, where, no doubt, it’ll be changed yet again. Back and forth.

Just my 2¢ worth!