Posts Tagged ‘tax credit’

« Older Entries

The Home Buyer Tax Credit Extension Has Not Been Passed Into Law (Yet)

Friday, June 18th, 2010

Tax credit was not extended -- yetAs its June 30, 2010 closing deadline approaches, the federal home buyer tax credit is back in the news.

Unfortunately, the headlines are misleading.

Contrary to what you may have read (or heard), the federal home buyer tax credit has not been extended past June 30, 2010. At least not yet. And here’s why there’s confusion.

Look at these headlines from earlier this week:

  • Senate Extends Date On Home-Buying Tax Credit (Philadelphia Inquirer)
  • U.S. Senate Approves Extension Of Home Buyer Tax Credit (NASDAQ)
  • Senate Approves Home Tax Credit Extension (Reuters)

Now, nothing above is factually incorrect, but each neglects a key piece of the country’s law-making process — it takes more than the Senate to pass a law. For a bill to become a law, it must pass the Senate and the House of Representatives and then it must be ratified by the President.

To date, we’ve only cleared just one of those 3 steps.

This means that the federal home buyer tax credit has not been formally extended. As of now, it’s still in discussion.  Ultimately, though, if the extension does pass, it’s expected to extend the closing date deadline for San Antonio home buyers beyond the original June 30, 2010 date into September 2010.

Homeowners must still have been in contract as of April 30, 2010 to claim up to $8,000 in federal tax credits.

Tags: ,
Posted in Tax Tips | No Comments »

March Pending Home Sales Point To Stronger Spring Market

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Pending Home Sales September 2008 March 2010The Pending Home Sales Index moved higher in March as home sales were spurred by low mortgage rates and an expiring tax credit.

A “pending home” is a property that is under contract to sell, but not yet closed. (in case you didn’t know)

The month of  March marks the second straight month in which the Pending Home Sales Index improved after a series of weak showings this past winter.

There was a 5 percent increase over the month, but the Pending Home Sales Index is still off its October 2009′s peak.  October 2009 is a comparable period to March 2010 in that it marked the 1-month deadline before the home buyer tax credit’s initial expiration date. The credit was later extended to April 2010, of course.

That said, March’s surge in sales is being felt on the street.

Home buyers in Houston no doubt noticed the change in activity. Around the country, multiple offer situations were more common last month and “right-priced” homes tended to go under contract quickly.

The increase in March’s Pending Home Sales is diminishing the nation’s home supply which, in turn, should cause prices to rise in most markets.

If you’re thinking of buying a home, you should really consider making an offer sooner rather than later because home prices are stabilizing.

Going off of the data alone, the best time to have found a “deal” on a home may have been in February.

Tags: ,
Posted in Pending Home Sales | No Comments »

New Homes Sales Strong in March, But News Can't Get it Straight

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

New Home Sales Mar 2009-Mar 2010The sales of newly-built homes soared in March. Even more than what was expected. But the news may not be as glowing as what the media is telling us.

Take a look at the headlines from last Friday:

  • Sales of new homes rocketed up 27 percent in March (WaPo)
  • New-home sales rise fastest in 47 years (CNNMoney)
  • Sales of New Homes Climb by Most Since 1963 (Business Week)

None of these statements is false, per se, but each is somewhat misleading.  The biggest reason why March’s New Home Sales was even able to rise 27 percent is because data from the month before it — February — was the worst in New Home Sales history.

In February, new homes sold posted its lowest level in recorded history.

A better comparison would be against March a year earlier; or October 2009, the month before the home buyer tax credit’s initial expiration date.

Against both of those time periods, March 2010 fared well.

Home buyers – first-timers and repeats alike — went under contract last month, taking advantage of the soon-to-expire federal home buyer tax credit program.  The credit gives up to $8,000 for first-time buyers and up to $6,500 for repeat ones.

Buyers must be in mutual contract on or before April 30, 2010 to be eligible for the credit, and must closed on or before June 30, 2010.

The New Home Sales data included other strong housing data, too. The current supply of new homes nationwide is at a multi-year low.  Along with stronger home demand, this should push Houston home prices higher throughout the coming months.

It’s no wonder builders are bullish on the economy.

Tags: , ,
Posted in New Home Sales | No Comments »

Housing Starts Data Hints That Housing Will Expand Even After The Tax Credit Expires

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

Housing Starts Apr 2008-Mar 2010After a strong March showing and a surprise upward-revision for February, Housing Starts are, once again, trending better.

It’s yet another signal that the housing market in Texas and nationwide is stabilized.

A Housing Start is a new home on which construction has started and, over the last 6 months, home builders are averaging one half-million starts per month.

This marks the highest 6-month average since 2008 and a reading one-fifth percent better from 12 months ago.  Revisions to prior data have all been higher, too.

Even more interesting, though, is that the number of newly-issued building permits is exploding. Permits were up more than 5 percent last month and have climbed back to the levels of late-2008.

Housing permits are an important data point in housing because permits are precursors to actual housing starts.  According to the Census Bureau, 82% of homes start construction within 60 days of permit-issuance.

Therefore, because March’s housing permits increased, we should expect Housing Starts to continue to rise into the early months of summer.

This, too, reflects well on housing because the federal home buyer tax credit won’t be in existence this summer. The simple fact the homes are being built now shows that housing is likely to expand even after the tax credit expires.

Non-military members must be under contract by April 30, 2010 and closed by June 30, 2010 in order to claim up to $8,000 in federal tax credits.

Tags: ,
Posted in Housing Starts | No Comments »

Why You Shouldn't Schedule Your Closing For May 28, 2010

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

3-day weekends can make closings toughThe federal home buyer tax credit expires April 30 and the deadline is sparking a home sale surge. It figures to burden real estate, mortgage and title offices nationwide over the next 60 days so plan your closing date accordingly.

Especially because the last Friday in May is the Friday before Memorial Day.

Now, if the connection between the tax credit and Memorial Day is not immediately clear, think of your own office on a 3-day weekend’s Friday. Some of your colleagues take a half-day at work, others take the entire day off.

Office-wide, productivity drops.

The same is true in the real estate space. Offices are short-handed ahead of a holiday so, if you’re under contract for a home and plan to close in May, consider a closing date other than Friday May 28, 2010.

And meanwhile, with 6 weeks until Memorial Day, here’s some steps you can take today prepare for other people’s time off later.

  1. Notify your lender of your planned vacation time between now and your scheduled closing
  2. Purchase a homeowners insurance policy and prepay the first year. Send proof of payment to your lender.
  3. Have Power of Attorney forms lender-approved and signed by all parties in advance, if applicable
  4. Deposit gift monies and/or retirement fund withdrawals into an acceptable bank account, if applicable
  5. Schedule your final walk-through as far in advance as is realistic so there’s time to make “fixes”, if needed
  6. Have your closing funds ready at least 1 day in advance

The tax credit’s expiration is around the corner and as it gets closer, real estate-related businesses are taking on more work. Basic title and mortgage tasks are taking longer to complete and that should persist for a while.

Get ahead of the curve and beat your contract dates handily. Use the checklist above and be responsive to your lender’s requests.

And, if at all possible, avoid closing on the Friday before Memorial Day and even the Tuesday after — it’s when office staffs are at their smallest.

Tags: ,
Posted in Homebuyer Tax Credit | No Comments »

It's Time To Re-Approve Your Pre-Approval

Friday, April 9th, 2010

Get re-approved for your mortgageAs the federal home buyer tax credit nears its April 30 end-date, there’s a lot of would-be home buyers in Texas still working to get under contract.

A piece of advice for all of you: If your pre-qualification and/or pre-approval letter is more than 8 weeks old, it would probably be a good idea to have your lender “re-pre-approve” you.  Mortgage guidelines have been in flux and your original lender letter may now be invalid.

For example, over the past half-dozen months, the majority of mortgage lenders have reduced their risk tolerance with respect to:

  • Maximum debt-to-income ratios
  • Minimum allowable credit scores
  • Calculation of “assets in reserve”

For buyers of condominiums and co-ops, even the subject property itself is coming under tougher scrutiny.

Today’s mortgage applicants need to be a complete package. It takes more than just good income and credit to get approved anymore and today’s buyers should revisit their qualifications. What passed underwriting in January may not pass in May, so get on the ball!

Being pro-active brings other advantages, too. If a mortgage re-pre-approval does unearth an issue, it’ll be easier for every party to the transaction to address and correct it up-front versus trying to clean up a mess once a home’s already under contract.

Talk to your real estate agent and your loan officer (me!) about your pre-qualification/pre-approval letter before you bid on a home. This will make life SO much easier!

Tags: ,
Posted in Mortgage Guidelines | No Comments »

The Federal Home Buyer Tax Credit Enters Its Home Stretch — 30 Days Left

Thursday, April 1st, 2010

Federal home buyer tax creditThere’s just 30 days remaining to use the federal home buyer tax credit.

The credit ranges up to $8,000 for first-time homebuyers, and up to $6,500 for existing homeworkers who have lived in their main home for 5 of the last 8 years.

Claiming the federal tax credit is a two-step process. First, you must be under contract for a new home on or before April 30, 2010.  Then, you must close on said home on or before June 30, 2010. 

There are no exceptions on the dates (except for certain members of the military).

Timeline aside, homebuyers and the subject property must also meet minimum requirements in order to be tax credit-eligible:

  • You can’t purchase the home from a parent, spouse, or child
  • You can’t purchase the home from an entity in which the seller is a majority owner
  • You can’t acquire the home by gift or inheritance
  • Each buyer in the purchase must meet eligibility requirements
  • The home sale price may not exceed $800,000
  • Buyers may not earn more than $125,000 as single-filers; $225,000 as joint-filers

The complete eligibility checklist is published on the IRS website.  Or, if you find IRS-speak too difficult, make a phone call to your accountant.  Asking a tax professional’s advice on a tax-related matter is never a time-waster.

And lastly, don’t forget that if you’re claiming to federal tax credit for home buyers, it’s a tax credit and not a deduction.  This means that a tax filer who qualifies for the full $8,000 and for whom the “normal” federal tax liability is $8,000, will owe no federal taxes in 2010 to the IRS.

If you’re an active buyer in San Antonio, or anywhere else in the country , mark your calendar for April 30, 2010. It’s 30 days from now and, as the date gets closer, buyer traffic will increase. The likely result is higher home prices and more difficult negotiations.  The best time to act may be today.

Tags: ,
Posted in Homebuyer Tax Credit | No Comments »

The Average Household Will Get $2,800 In Tax Refunds. Will You?

Thursday, March 25th, 2010

April 15 is Tax Day and the IRS estimates that the average U.S. household will receive a $2,800 tax refund this year.  If you’re among the Americans expecting a refund, this 4-minute piece from NBC’s The Today Show may be helpful. It’s a talk about how to receive a refund and what to do with it.

Some of the key points discussed include:

  1. Why state-issued tax refunds may be delayed this year
  2. How wage-earning people can claim their “Making Work Pay” tax credit of up to $800
  3. How to direct a tax refund to a 529 college savings plan for an even bigger tax refund

There’s also some sensible pointers on using tax refunds to pay down credit card debt, and to fund retirement plans, among other purposes.

If you haven’t started your tax planning yet, try to avoid leaving it for the last weekend.  Not only will your tax preparer have more time for you now, but you’ll leave yourself more time to track down important statements and receipts that can boost your federal and state tax deductions.

Taxes are due in 21 days, so get going!

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Household Finances | No Comments »

Existing Home Sales Flatten And Point To A Much Better Spring

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

Existing Home Sales Feb 2008-Feb 2010As expected, Existing Home Sales fell in February, slipping 30,000 units versus January’s numbers. It’s the 4th straight month in which Existing Home Sales were lower, month-over-month.

In case you didn’t know, an “existing” home is one that is previously owned and lived-in (i.e. not new construction).

In November 2009, Existing Home Sales peaked just as the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit was set to expire. Right after, according to the National Association of Realtors®, monthly sales plunged 17 percent in December, then another 7 percent in January.

Comparatively, February’s dip is a modest 0.6 percent and is more in line with the pre-tax-credit Existing Home Sales trend.  The real estate market is rediscovering its normal.

But “normal” may not last for long – and that’s a good thing.

When the federal home buyer’s tax program was extended last year, the new rules stated that home buyers must be under contract for their new, respective homes on, or before, April 30, 2010 in order to claim up to $8,000 in federal money.  That deadline is approaching and many markets — Houston included — are experiencing a surge in buyer traffic as April 30 nears.

The Existing Home Sales data doesn’t reflect this new demand, nor the number of new contracts written. It only accounts for home closings and, in February, closings were down.

For today’s buyers, the market looks favorable. The federal tax credit is in place, mortgage rates stubbornly stick near all-time lows, and home prices are staying in check which are giving people great opportunities to buy.

In my opinion, Existing Home Sales should go up through March and April, pressuring home prices higher, so you should consider acting sooner than later.

By the time the press reports the gains, the best deals in the city may already be gone.

Tags: ,
Posted in Existing Home Sales | No Comments »

Single-Family Housing Starts Hold Steady For Last 8 Months

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

Housing Starts Mar 2008-Feb 2010Single-family Housing Starts idled last month, dropping just 3,000 units from the month prior, or 0.2%.

According to the Commerce Department’s report, February marked the 8th straight month in which Housing Starts straddled the half-million marker, dating back to June 2009.

This is a different slant on the Housing Starts story as told by the press.

Most publications are reporting that Housing Starts fell 5.9 percent in February. Technically, this is true.  Housing Starts did fall 5.9 percent last month, however, the Housing Starts data is made up of three parts:

  1. Single-Family Housing Starts
  2. 2-4 Unit Housing Starts
  3. “Apartment Building” Housing Starts (i.e. 5 or more units)

The press tends to lump all 3 together but that’s not relevant for everyday homeowners and buyers.

2-4 unit homes, and apartments and condos are a different housing class as compared to single-family homes and are notoriously volatile, too.  Single-family starts are more steady and better reflect the country’s housing stock.

Single-family housing starts are up 32 percent over the last 12 months.

Meanwhile, the pace of new buyers has not kept up with the pace of new housing stock. Therefore, because home prices are based on supply-and-demand, the price for a newly-built home was down, on average, 7 percent nationwide in January.

You’d think this is impossible with all the incentives out there (rates, tax credit, prices). Every client that I come across can’t get into a house FAST ENOUGH and every home has multiple offers on it.

With the federal home buyer tax credit expiring soon, home buyers in San Antonio will likely create new demand for homes. And with Housing Starts holding steady near 500,000, that should push prices higher through the spring months which is GREAT for folks selling their home.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Housing Starts | No Comments »

« Older Entries