Like almost everyone I know that works in the housing industry, I’ve been chasing myself around for the last few weeks trying to get all of the First Time Homebuyers in my client list qualified and under contract so that they were eligible for the $8,000 tax credit … due to expire on November 30th. It’s been a wild ride, full of both elation and disappointment!
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!
