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The Federal Reserve announced today that it would purchase an additional $750 billion in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage-backed securities and up to $300 billion in longer term Treasury securities. This is great news for American home buyers and homeowners because mortgage interest rates will continue to remain at historic lows (and potentially drop even more). This should help improve many home buyer’s ability to purchase a home. Potentially homeowners facing challenges will be able to refinance into better terms. We are already experiencing a great improvement in housing affordability due to historically low interest rates, and the Fed’s move will push affordability conditions to the best levels in 40 years. In addition, continued low rates will lessen foreclosure pressure and help stabilize home prices sooner, as more American buy homes and draw down inventory.

(Note: See Part 1 in previous post) Some Practical Questions 15. How do I apply for the credit? There is no pre-purchase authorization, application or similar approval process. All eligible purchasers simply claim the credit on their IRS Form 1040 tax return. The credit will be reflected on a new Form 5405 that will be attached to the 1040. Form 5405 can be found at http://www.irs.gov/ . 16. So I can’t use the credit amount as part of my downpayment? No. Congress tried hard to devise a mechanism that would make the funds available for closing costs, but found that pre-funding would require cumbersome processes that would, in effect, bring the IRS into the purchase and settlement phase of the transaction. 17. So there’s no way to get any cash flow benefits before I file my tax return? Yes, there is. Any first-time homebuyers who believe they are eligible for all or part of the credit can modify their income tax withholding (through their employers) or adjust their quarterly estimated ta

In 2008, Congress enacted a $7500 tax credit designed to be an incentive for first-time homebuyers to purchase a home. The credit was designed as a mechanism to decrease the over-supply of homes for sale. For 2009, Congress has increased the credit to $8000 and made several additional improvements. This revised $8000 tax credit applies to purchases on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009. Tax Credits -- The Basics 1. What’s this new homebuyer tax incentive for 2009? The 2008 $7500, repayable credit is increased to $8000 and the repayment feature is eliminated for 2009 purchasers. Any home that is purchased for $80,000 or more qualifies for the full $8000 amount. If the house costs less than $80,000, the credit will be 10% of the cost. Thus, if an individual purchased a home for $75,000, the credit would be $7500. It is available for the purchase of a principal residence on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009. 2. Who is eligible? Only first-time homebuye

As a real estate broker, I have a lot of people approach me with questions regarding how the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan impacts their specific situation. Below you will find Q&A from President Obama's blog. You may find this helpful when trying to determine what options are available for you. Borrowers Who Are Current on Their Mortgage Are Asking: What help is available for borrowers who stay current on their mortgage payments but have seen their homes decrease in value? Under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan, eligible borrowers who stay current on their mortgages but have been unable to refinance to lower their interest rates because their homes have decreased in value, may now have the opportunity to refinance into a 30 or 15 year, fixed rate loan. Through the program, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will allow the refinancing of mortgage loans that they hold in their portfolios or that they placed in mortgage backed securities. I owe more than my

The $790 billion stimulus package hammered out by House and Senate conferees late yesterday afternoon drops the repayment feature on the home buyer tax credit. This is great news since the repayment requirement was a discouraging some buyers from taking advantage of the tax credit. The legislation also extends the effective date of the tax credit, which is for up to $7,500, to September 1 (from June 30). Buyers that purchase a home in 2009 using financing assistance from state and local mortgage bonds will be permitted to use the credit as well. Hopefully the combination of changes will encourage more buyers to "get moving". Other provisions reportedly in the bill that could help housing markets and communities include: FHA and conforming loan limits - Specifics have not been released but reports indicate that the 2008 limits have been reinstated for 2009 except in those communities where the 2009 limits are higher. Additional increases in individual communities may also be a

If you have been watching the news this week, you may have noticed that the debate in Washington has finally turned toward real stimulus for the housing industry. As a result, many believe that we could be on the brink of a substantial turn around in the real estate market. Now we need to make sure that our legislators support this stimulus. It is critical that we all join together and deliver a powerful message. Last night, the Lieberman/Isakson Amendment was included in the senate version of the Economic Stimulus Bill by a unanimous voice vote. This amendment would provide a Tax Credit to all home buyers at the rate of 10% of the sales price up to a limit of $15,000. The credit would be available for a one year period to all purchasers of primary residences. Today, the senate expects to debate Amendment 353, a proposal by Senator John Ensign (R-NV) that would provide 30 year fixed financing at a rate of about 4%, for anyone purchasing a primary residence. If these two provisions sur

Before buying a foreclosure you need to know what to look for. Do not just assume that because a house is a foreclosure that you are getting the home at a bargain. You will need to do just as much due diligence with your research as you would when you are buying any other property. There are also some unique issues and risks that need to be considered when purchasing foreclosures. Below are some tips on what to look for to ensure you are making a sound investment in a foreclosure: Some foreclosures accept bids and some are on the condition of sight unseen. Others you can go to the property but can not see the interior. In such cases you are gambling on the condition of the house. This can be a very risky move. If you are able to inspect the house before making an offer, do so thoroughly. Some homeowners, when faced with foreclosure, sell off appliances or cabinets to get some extra money. Some are bitter and purposely destroy parts of the home. Others still have not had the money for p

For you first-time home buyers out there… Don't forget about the $7500 tax credit when you file your taxes this year. Designed to help stimulate interest in the housing market, this temporary provision provides a first-time home buyer (someone who hasn't owned a home in the last three years) a tax credit of up to $7500 for homes purchased between April 8, 2008 and July 1, 2009 . Basically the tax credit, which must be repaid over 15 years, is an interest-free loan from the government to help you offset the costs of home ownership. But here's the best part. The law allows qualified taxpayers to take the credit against either their 2008 or 2009 taxes. This means, if you qualify, you can buy a house this year before July 1st and receive the credit on the 2008 tax returns you're filling out right now! Imagine having an extra $7500 in cash to pay bills or credit cards or even pay for renovations on your new home. If you choose to utilize the credit on your 2009 returns, your

As foreclosure rates continue to grow, more and more sellers are turning to short sales as a way to avoid foreclosure. Some of you may be thinking, "What is a short sale?" and "How does a short sale work?" In a short sale, the seller negotiates with their mortgage lender to accept a price that's less than the amount they owe on the property. As part of this arrangement, the lender typically agrees to forgive the rest of the loan. As a result, the seller doesn't have to go though a foreclosure, the buyer picks up a property at a discount, and the lender avoids taking on the burden of unloading the property. Sounds good right? Well, there are a few things that you should be aware of... Sellers need to be aware of the fact that a short sale may still damage their credit, though probably not as much as a foreclosure. Also, lenders typically will only agree to a short sale if the seller is behind in their payments and has received a default notice. There is a

There are many factors to take into consideration when answering this question. One of course is interest rates, which have already reached historic lows (at least in the last 20-25 years) and continue to drop even lower. This won’t continue to happen forever! The foreclosure inventory continues to grow, keeping the majority of the prices low. Prices on homes right now are the lowest they have been in years. The programs that are available to first-time home buyers make it easier than ever to get a mortgage. Many of the programs offer low to no down payments, assistance with closing costs and options for the seller to contribute toward costs. Combine these three factors with the new home owner tax credit that the government has bestowed on first time home buyers ($7500 in your pocket) and it creates a an ideal situation. Put simply, there are a lot of good reason to buy right now! Many people believe that this is the golden age for buying real estate because everything is in the buyer’