Have you heard about the tax credit recently created to help first time home buyers or buyers that have not owned a home in over 3 years. This is only on FHA (Federal Housing Administration) loans and according to the secretary of H.U.D., home buyers will be allowed to use the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit towards their DOWN PAYMENT on purchases financed by FHA loans. FHA will allow approved lenders, nonprofits, and government agencies to advance the funds in the form of interest free bridge loans that buyers would use for down payments. Buyers would repay the loans after they receive their tax refunds. More information is to come from FHA soon.

If you are interested in this new tax credit or have questions regarding real estate send me a email/comment and I will work to answer your question.

The government has submitted a new program which offers $7,500 tax credit for first-time home buyers. While this is one of the most talked about measures in the upcoming new bill, it is also the most confusing. Simply, the government has created a monetary incentive, a tax credit for first-time home buyers, as a tool to stimulate the housing market. The tax credit will be 10% of the purchase price of a home, up to a maximum of $7,500. That means if the home costs more than $75,000 first-time home buyers (anyone who hasn’t owned a home in the last three (3) years) will receive the full $7,500 tax credit, this is not a new idea. Back in the 1970’s the government offered a similar program with one major difference: this new tax credit will have to be paid back over a period of 15 years, beginning two years after the credit is taken. Basically, the government is providing first time home buyers an interest-free loan  up to $7,500 to help them buy a home! If the home owner happens to sell the home before the 15 years is up, the remaining credit is due upon sale from the profit of the home sale. However, and here’s the best part, if there is insufficient profit, after the sale of the home, then the remaining credit due is forgiven. You really have nothing to lose. There are, of course, income limits to qualify for this incentive. With this new tax credit and down payment assistance, you are finally in the driver’s seat in a buyer’s market with some of the best interest rates to date. Let me help you find your dream home.

How knowledgable are you when it comes to your home and the environment?  Should you decide to build a home you may find that your builder is among many that are now using eco-friendly products in the home building process. Building green can be costly, but home buyers are willing to spend this knowing that they are helping to save the environment along with the anticipation to recover some of these expenses through savings on energy and water bills.

If asked, most people want to go green, but how far are they willing to go?. There has to be a compromise somewhere between what’s ‘over the edge’ green and what can get be placed in the housing market so that people can have a home that’s environmentally safe and attractive.

There are several green home building programs across the USA, and organizations ranging from the EPA to the Green Building Council are working to establish ratings and guidelines for eco-friendly homes, making construction more available.
In my next blog I will write about the value of going green and the types of products being used.