Mortgage rates are offering good and bad news these days. The good news is that rates have hit 60 year lows, much better than the 50 year lows met a week or two ago. The bad news is that many cannot take advantage of these rates thanks to a lagging economy and a sagging job market. Ideally these low rates are great for the economy, saving people money on their monthly mortgage payments and leaving them more money to spend elsewhere.

What is the current low rate? 4.12% for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage. Who can get this rate? Someone with impeccable credit, steady employment, and money for a down payment on a home. A low mortgage rate can save a home buyer a significant amount of money over the lifetime of a loan, so refinancing real estate could be worth looking into as well.

The low rates are a product of the poor state of the nation’s economy. The people who benefit the most are, unfortunately, those who have been hurt the least, people who still have great credit. Low rates are great for buying real estate, so if you can qualify for a loan you may just want to get out and take a look at today’s great deals!

Click here to read “Mortgage Rates Attain New All-Time Record Lows Again”, from Realty Times.

It is a good time to be a landlord. The rental market is a strong one, a by-product of the nation’s housing bust that has made home ownership harder for many. A great deal of would-be home buyers are still standing on the sidelines waiting for better economic news, better employment rates, and the ability to acquire a loan. These are the renters that have created a demand for housing that has filled up rental units and increased the number renters significantly over recent years. This increase in renters is great for landlords.

The age old theory of supply and demand is making it possible for many landlords to raise rents. There is more competition, and while a slow economic recovery does mean that landlords can’t raise rents too high, they can fill their units and charge more than they have when their units are located in competitive markets.

It’s a good time to be a landlord. Affordability levels are at generational highs, mortgage rates are low, and inventories are high. For those who can afford to buy with cash or acquire loans to do so, buying rental property could be a great investment. While being a landlord is not without its headaches, it certainly is an investment that has the opportunity to pay for itself over time. This could be a great time to consider becoming a landlord.

Click here to read “Growing Rental Market Benefits Landlords” by Phoebe Chongchua at Realty Times.

With just under two seeks left to use the tax credit there are a few points about the credit to remember. The home buyer tax credit originated as a first time home buyer tax credit but it is no longer just for first time home buyers. If you have lived in your home for 5 of the past 7 years and are looking to buy a new home the tax credit can help make your purchase more affordable.

Another important point is that if you are a current home owner who qualifies for the tax credit you don’t have to be moving up. Your new home does not need to be a bigger, more expensive home, you can make a lateral move or a move down to a smaller home. The new home must also be your primary residence.

If you want to use the home buyer tax credit toward purchasing a new home in 2010 you need to have the home under contract by April 30. The home does not need to close before June 30, but the contract date is nearing. The tax credit offers home buyers a great opportunity to save some money, so contact an experienced Realtor today and get out there and start looking at real estate.

Click here to read all about the home buyer tax credit.

With just under two seeks left to use the tax credit there are a few points about the credit to remember. The home buyer tax credit originated as a first time home buyer tax credit but it is no longer just for first time home buyers. If you have lived in your home for 5 of the past 7 years and are looking to buy a new home the tax credit can help make your purchase more affordable.

Another important point is that if you are a current home owner who qualifies for the tax credit you don’t have to be moving up. Your new home does not need to be a bigger, more expensive home, you can make a lateral move or a move down to a smaller home. The new home must also be your primary residence.

If you want to use the home buyer tax credit toward purchasing a new home in 2010 you need to have the home under contract by April 30. The home does not need to close before June 30, but the contract date is nearing. The tax credit offers home buyers a great opportunity to save some money, so contact an experienced Realtor today and get out there and start looking at real estate.

Click here to read all about the home buyer tax credit.

The internal debate of whether or not to own a home as opposed to continue to rent a home brings many questions about owning a home to the surface. Along with the cost and responsibility of owning a home comes the tax benefits and write-offs that can come with home ownership.

Mortgage interest is one positive of buying a home. The mortgage interest paid each year can be written off at tax time. Property taxes are also deductible from federal and state income taxes.

If you decide to sell your home you can deduct any home improvement or renovation costs, which in a round-about way makes improving your home a tax deduction, albeit a time-delayed tax deduction.

There are other benefits that come with hard times as well. If you rent a home chances are you are out of luck should a natural disaster strike. If you own a home the damage and losses incurred from a tornado, for example, can be written off come tax time.

Home ownership has many benefits. Today’s real estate market offers low mortgage rates and home values, as well as a variety of different tax incentives to take advantage of.

Click here to read an article from Smart Money about tax breaks that come with home ownership.

It is a buyer's market

When it comes to real estate the general sentiment appears to be that of putting 2009 in the past and looking forward to a brighter 2010.  Looking at where we are and where we are headed as far as real estate goes will take us from the present into the future.  Currently home values are affordable, because prices are low and interest rates are low.  Both of these low levels add up to the fact that it is a great time to be a buyer when it comes to real estate.

Interest rates have been hovering at 5% or lower for the better part of the past year, a trend that cannot be expected to continue.  As the market stabilizes more and the economy gets better, interest rates will rise.  While home prices still may drop in many areas of the country, they will not drop much more.  Areas that are less affected by foreclosures, short sales and REO properties are likely to level out faster than other areas due to the lack of distressed sales in their inventories.  A rise in interest rates may bring real estate prices down to sell but the days of 20% and 30% decreases appear to be unlikely.

In a nutshell now is a great time to buy if you have been waiting for the right time to plunge into the market.  Take advantage of low interest rates while they are here.  It is a buyer’s market now, it won’t be forever.

For an interesting analysis of the real estate conditions and a forecast of 2010, by CNN Money, click here.

The Senate has approved an extended and expanded tax credit for home buyers

On Wednesday the senate passed an expanded tax credit.  The First Time Home Buyer Tax credit has been seen as a huge success and its expiration on November 30 has had many feeling nervous about what its end will mean.  Those fears can now be put aside.  While the bill still has to pass through the House, which it is expected to do next week, is was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate in a 98-0 vote.

What is new and improved with the extended and expanded tax credit?  The new and improved tax credit is still for first time home buyers but will also include home buyers who have owned their current home for 5 years or more.  The credit is up to for $6,500 for these current homeowners and remains at up to $8,000 for First time home buyers or home buyers who have not owned a home for the past three years.  The tax credit  is income restricted, an individual cannot make more that $125,000 annually and a couple cannot make more than $225,000 jointly.  A home must be  a primary residence and valued at $800,000 or less.  Buyers must have a property under contract to purchase by April 30, 2010, and the property must close by June 30, 2010.

The passing of this extended, expanded tax credit is good news on the real estate front and is expected to be the last tax credit offered for a long time to come.

There has been a push in the House to get the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit extended, as well as expanded.  Last week the House passed a bill extending the $8,000 tax credit into next year for military, diplomatic and intelligence workers who have been working overseas.  This bill’s passage leaves many hopeful that an extension for regular first time home buyers will pass as well.  Much of the increase of real estate sales has been attributed to the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit.

There is a strong sentiment to extend the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit because the real estate market is not seen as completely stable yet.  The hope is that if the tax credit is extended then real estate sales will continue to improve.  If the credit gets opened up to include all home buyers, as some would hope, then real estate sales volume is expected to pick up quite a bit.

For the latest from Realty Times regarding the tax credit click here.

Take your time and know what you are doing before buying your first home

It is a great time to by a first home.  Not only are home values down and mortgage rates at historic lows but the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit will give you 10% of your home’s value (up to $8,000) at closing.  These three items can add up to significant savings for the first time home buyer, making it an ideal time to start looking at real estate.  However, there are important things to keep in mind before buying your first home to make sure this important decision is the right one for you and your wallet.

• Get Information.  Most communities offer free seminars for first time home buyers.  There are also non-profits that offer helpful advice and information.  Visit www.HUD.gov for helpful tips and a list of agencies near you that have free information available.
• Know What You Can Afford.  Analyze your monthly budget.  A good rule of thumb is that your mortgage should be 28% of your expenses or less to be successful financially.  Remember to factor in home owners insurance and property taxes into this scenario.
• Talk to a Lender. Start talking with a bank or mortgage lender and get the ball rolling.  The process of being approved by a lender is a longer process these days and you want to make sure that you get approved before the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit expires on November 30.
• Find a Real Estate Professional.  Finding the right real estate agent to work with can make your deal run that much more smoothly.  A good real estate agent will help find you a home that works for you, not against you.  A good real estate professional can also help you find a good lender if you have had a hard time during that step.
• Know What You Are Committing to. During a real estate deal you are signing a lot of papers.  Know what you are signing.  If your real estate agent is having a hard time explaining things to you you might want to take the extra step and get a real estate lawyer to review your documents.

When it comes to buying your first home you want to make sure your are buying something you can afford, something located in a neighborhood you want to live in and, most of all, a place that you want to call home.  Take all of the information and advice you can get, filter and decipher it and make the best decision for you.

Your uncle’s trying to encourage people to buy a home and if they’ll take his advice, he’ll give them $8,000 in the form of a tax credit on next year’s tax return.

You know about the tax credit and maybe some of your buyers know but they may not understand just how big of a deal it really is. 

• $8,000 is more than the down payment on a $225,000 home
• $8,000 could buy a lot of furniture and redecorating for a home
• $8,000 could be used to pay the buyer’s closing costs and buy down the interest rate to even lower than current rates

The First-time Home Buyer’s Tax Credit is scheduled to expire on December 1, 2009 which means that the buyer must be closed by November 30, 2009.  Since it takes four to six weeks lead time to get a mortgage approved and closed, the buyers need to be under contract by about October 15, 2009.  TIME IS RUNNING OUT.