first time home buyer – owner loan

January 7, 2011

First Time Home Buyer Stimulus

Sonia Less asked:




The first time homebuyer stimulus is a recently approved Tax Credit bill. The proposed $15,000 homebuyer tax credit between the House and the Senate did not prosper, but recently President Barack Obama signed into law a smaller measure to help revive the real estate market.

The tax credit for first time homebuyers is equivalent to getting a tax return of $8,000.00. This works great if you do not owe any money from the government and you usually get a tax return. When you purchase a home for the first time, the government is going to send you a tax refund of $8,000.00.

This is only good for the year 2009, so if you are planning to buy a home, do it now to avail of this tax credit refund.

Who can qualify for this? Below is some further information of the First Time Home Buyer Stimulus Tax Credit.

1. All US Citizens who file for taxes can qualify. First time homebuyers mean that he or she has not owned a residence for at least three years before purchasing a house. The date of transfer is considered the actual date of purchase.

2. Only homebuyers who purchase a home between January 1 and December 1, 2009 can qualify for the credit. Those who purchase a home before the specified date will not be able to avail of it.

3. The home purchased must be used as the main or principal residence. This includes all kinds of houses such as townhouses, single-family detached homes, manufactured homes or mobile homes, condominiums and houseboats. The home buyers must live in the home for the next three years to fully take advantage of the tax credit.

4. The cost of the home should be at least $80,000.00 or more. According to the plan, a homebuyer receives ten percent of the home purchase. To receive the full $8,000.00 credit, the home should be bought for $80,000 or above. Married couples who file separately will receive a maximum of $4,000.00.

5. The tax credit has income limits attached to it. To qualify for the full credit, single buyers must have a gross income of $75,000.00 or less and $150,000.00 or less for married ones. Those earning more may qualify only for reduced credits.

6. The tax credit is refundable, so buyers can take full advantage of it even if they have lesser tax liability.

7. In order to capitalize on the credit, buyers have to maintain ownership of the home for at least three years. This means that you do not sell your home within those years. If you do sell before the three-year term is up, then you have to return the credit back to the government. There are exceptions however, such as divorce or death.

If you qualify, you can claim for the tax credit when you file your income tax return. For the tax credit, you can claim when you file your income tax return. Take into consideration that when you purchase a home this year, you will only see it reflected after you file your income tax in April 2010.

Jeanette

April 27, 2009

Facts for First-Time Home Buyers: Calculating the Risks

Marikor Hidalgo asked:


If there’s something you should never gamble your chances on, it’s the prospect of buying a house.  It’s so easy to go rushing off in search of  dream houses you would like to buy, set your heart on a select few, and then end up crossing them out of your list, simply because you can’t afford them.  In contrast, it’s even easier not to take a chance at all in your lifetime and to keep putting off your plans until you have the cash.  Because being a first-time home buyer cannot be left to chance, you have to take calculated risks with properties and people that will work in your best interest.  Here are some facts for first-time home buyers on calculating the risks.

Calculating the costs

It’s as simple as getting hold of pen, paper, and calculator to make some computations.  For your dream to start becoming a reality, you first have to express them in numbers, and real ones at that.  Write down and itemize your regular expenses, particularly on a monthly basis.  Include those utilities and bills which keep your household running, along with forthcoming expenses which you are anticipating.  Compute how much income you make every month, as a single earner or combined with your spouse.  Add any other sources of steady funds which come into the household with regularity.

What to expect

Expect an estimated two-thirds of your total gross income to be allotted for all expenses and taxes. The remaining one-third is more or less what you can set aside as a monthly payment for the mortgage you will eventually take on.  While you’re at it, estimate a target amount which you are prepared to borrow for the next 15 to 30 years ahead.

In line with this, it would help if you made some adjustments in your monthly budget. For instance, this could mean cutting down on fuel and minimizing credit card expenses, just so you can start saving some extra. The idea of owning your own home should be quite a motivation.    Taking on a mortgage means simplifying your life in certain aspects without sacrificing your quality of life and the basic needs of the family.

The chances only get better

Chances are you’ll be applying next for a mortgage loan.  The risks you take become more calculated when you take time to shop around for loan offers, avail of free consultations on pre-approvals, and do other related research online.

As a first-time home buyer, you’ll have offers for several loan options with banks and private lenders with whom you have a good credit standing.  Once you pre-qualify for a loan, at least you’ll know how much you can borrow.  But once you do get pre-approved for a mortgage, you’re sure that money will be lent.  This increases your bargaining power and your confidence in negotiating with sellers and real estate agents.

Speaking of real estate agents, you increase your chances of finding a great home when you consult a reputable one.  You also decrease your chances of wasting too much time and effort sourcing out useless and risky prospects on your own.  Minus the unnecessary risks, you’re bound to succeed with a real estate expert on your side.  Buying and selling homes and coordinating mortgages are, after all, a real estate agent’s specialty.



Amanda

Powered by WordPress
reverse phone directory lookup | consumer credit