Chance Gates' Blog

RISMEDIA, April 19, 2010—(MCT)—Latasha Hall never envisioned herself a homeowner. But by the end of the month, she will be. Just in time.

With the soon-to-expire tax credit for first-time buyers as an assist, the single mother plans to close on a $166,650 three-bedroom house in Clifton Heights, Pa. “If it hadn’t been for the credit, I wouldn’t have done it,” Hall said.

To be eligible for the federal tax credits—up to $8,000 for qualified first-timers and up to $6,500 for certain repeat buyers—houses must be under contract by April 30, with settlement by June 30, 2010.

With those deadlines in sight, some real estate agents say they are relishing their first busy days in months.

For some buyers, a tax credit is an added perk in an already-friendly market with good inventory and low mortgage rates.

For those like Hall, who is working toward her bachelor’s degree in behavior and addictions counseling and who works two jobs, it’s the last piece that fits the puzzle. In January, Hall visited Weichert Realtors for help finding a rental home after her landlord’s lender foreclosed.

Steve Madonna, a loan officer with Weichert, looked at her income (about $54,000) and her credit score (which needed some work, but not much) and suggested she buy instead. Madonna connected Hall with a state loan program that would provide $5,000 of the $8,000 credit up front, for use on closing costs or maintenance on the house. Hall set to work paying off two past-due bills and bugging the credit bureaus—sending weekly faxes and calling often—to update her score quickly. “If I hadn’t heard about this credit, I wouldn’t have worked so hard to get it done,” she said. “This is my time to go out and do what I have to do. I kept thinking about my kids.”

The new Clifton Heights neighborhood is safer, she said, and it’s just two blocks from the school her 9-year-old son attends. The credit has been “a blessing,” Hall said.

To Realtors like Daren Sautter, it’s a relief. “It’s nice to be busy,” he said.

Sautter, of Prudential Fox & Roach in Cherry Hill, N.J., watched showings and Internet leads triple in the first three weeks of March.

He expects to be slammed through the April 30 deadline, then figures he’ll see a lull before the spring market picks up some. “If you don’t sell a house in April,” Sautter said, “you’re not selling it.”

Sellers likely will be thinking the same thing, Realtors said, and listing prices could drop this month.

Sautter recently helped Pat Poole price her four-bedroom Cherry Hill house to sell. At $290,000, it went after just one day on the market. Recently divorced, Poole was looking to downsize. She sold the house to a young couple who used the repeat-buyer credit. Her next task: finding a new house for herself and her 17-year-old son in time to secure her own tax credit. “I’m going to get in under the wire,” Poole said.

A flurry of activity is noticeable in areas with a strong inventory of homes affordable to young families, Realtors said.

But some brokers are seeing a “trickle-up” effect. Would-be buyers are able to sell their homes, aided by the rush for the tax credit, and upgrade to communities with better school systems or more historic charm.

In Haddonfield, N.J., the proximity to Philadelphia and access to the PATCO High-Speed Line were big draws for Jeff Minors and Amy Henry. Minors will commute to his job as a financial-news editor in New York City. The couple, longtime renters, were looking to move to southern New Jersey from Norwalk, Conn., with their 2-year-old son. They recently moved into a four-bedroom home in Haddonfield that cost about $575,000. The first-time-buyer credit was an added bonus, Minors said. “We were more concerned about finding the right house at the right price,” he said. “But it’s definitely a nice benefit.”

As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional I encourage all questions and comments on the Reno/Sparks real estate market, or any of the articles posted.  I can be reached by email at  chance at ballard-company.com or http://www.myspace.com/chancegates

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• Homebuilder sentiment index jumps in April  seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Homebuilder sentiment index jumps in April  sfgate.com)

RISMEDIA, March 29, 2010—As the April 15 deadline to file 2009 federal tax returns approaches, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is providing answers to some of the questions home buyers are most frequently asking about the home buyer tax credit.

“NAHB’s website that provides information about the home buyer tax credit, www.FederalHousingTaxCredit.com, has received more than 8 million visits,” said NAHB Chairman Bob Jones, a builder and developer in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. “We are doing everything we can to make sure home buyers are informed about this outstanding opportunity to benefit from buying a home before it expires April 30.”

Some of the more commonly-asked questions, and the answers, include:

1. How does a home buyer claim the tax credit?

The credit is claimed when the home buyer files or amends their federal income taxes. For qualifying homes purchased in 2009 or 2010, the taxpayer must complete IRS Form 5405 and attach a copy of the settlement statement. In most cases, the settlement statement is a properly executed Form HUD-1.

In circumstances where a HUD-1 is not provided, such as purchasing a mobile home or a newly constructed home, the IRS will accept an executed retail sales contract (mobile homes) or a copy of the certificate of occupancy (new homes).

2. Does the home buyer have to sell their current home in order to qualify for the $6,500 repeat home buyer tax credit?

A home buyer does not need to sell their current home in order to be eligible for the repeat buyer credit. They can continue to own both homes, and rent or use their former home for something else, as long as it no longer serves as their principal residence. The taxpayer is required to use the new home as their principal residence, and live in it for at least 36 months, or they will have to repay the credit.

3. Do married couples both have to meet the eligibility requirements in order to claim the credit, even if they file taxes separately?

Both spouses must fully meet all the eligibility requirements for either the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit or the $6,500 repeat buyer tax credit, regardless of if they file joint or separate tax returns. However, if an unmarried couple purchases a home and only one person qualifies, the eligible person may claim the full credit.

4. Do all home purchases need to be completed by April 30, 2010, in order to be eligible for the credit?

There are two exceptions to the April 30 deadline. If the buyer enters into a binding contract by the deadline, they have until June 30, 2010, to complete the purchase. The deadline has been extended a year, to April 30, 2011, for members of the uniformed services, Foreign Service or employees of the intelligence community who have been on qualified extended duty outside the United States for at least 90 days between January 1, 2009, and April 30, 2010.

For more information, visit www.nahb.org.

As a Reno – Sparks real estate consultant I encourage and questions or comments on the Reno – Sparks real estate market or any of the articles I post.

The clock is ticking on the federal homebuyer tax credit.

Homebuyers still have time to buy a home and meet the deadlines, but they will need to act soon and be proactive throughout the transaction.

The homebuyer tax credit is worth 10 percent of the home’s sale price, up to $8,000 for buyers who haven’t owned a home in the previous three years and up to $6,500 for buyers who have owned and occupied a principal residence for at least five consecutive years during the eight-year period that ends on the day the new home is purchased.

Here are some tips for last-minute buyers:

• Buyers should be “upfront with their Realtor about their must-haves and their wish list,” says Allyson Bernard, owner of Real Estate Professionals of Connecticut. Buyers who aren’t realistic could find themselves up against the deadline with fewer houses from which to choose.
• Harsh weather may be “a help or a hindrance,” Bernard says. Buyers who are willing to trudge through snow to find a house may have an advantage over buyers who wait until the weather improves.
• Contract contingencies allow buyers some breathing room to take care of big items such as financing, inspections and the sale of their current home, Bernard says. But contingencies shouldn’t be an excuse to delay once the deal is pending.

“If you run into a problem and you no longer want to buy that house, it’s great that you had those contingencies to protect you, but you may not have time to find another property,” she says.

• Anecdotal reports suggest that some buyers have included a tax-credit contingency in the purchase contract. Whether that’s a necessary protection to make sure the deal closes on time depends on the situation and local practices. Either way, buyers should read the contract to make sure the closing will occur before the deadline.
• Buyers should get preapproved for a mortgage, because glitches such as a mistake on a credit report or a lender’s request for tax returns that must be retrieved from the IRS can cause a delay, says Patti Ketcham, owner of Ketcham Realty Group in Tallahassee, Fla.

“You don’t want to wait until the last minute, because you could end up shooting yourself in the foot over something that’s no one’s fault, but you just run out of time,” she says.

• Buyers also should allow extra time in case the mortgage lender requires a second appraisal, which can delay final loan approval.

“The appraisal process in residential lending is going through some painful changes. It is not uncommon to have a mortgage lender require more than one appraisal,” Ketcham says
 http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?c…

As a Reno – Sparks real estate consultant I encourage any questions or comments on the Reno – Sparks real estate market or any other article I post here.

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• End of Home-Buyer Programs May Stall Housing Recovery  time.com)
• The First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Is Winding Down  rerockstar.com)

RISMEDIA, January 28, 2010—The Home Buyer Tax Credit is a great program providing a tremendous stimulus for the real estate industry, but the impact of the tax credit is going to be undermined by the restrictive way that the IRS is interpreting the credit for married couples, according to Joseph Rand, one of the founders of Homebuyertaxcredit.com.

In the guidelines of the Home Buyer Tax Credit, the IRS has inadvertently created a “marriage penalty” by requiring that both spouses must have the same exact ownership history in order to claim the credit, which treats married couples differently from unmarried couples. Joseph Rand and the co-founders of Homebuyertaxcredit.com, Greg Rand and Matt Rand, have launched a campaign urging members of Congress to amend the legislation and eliminate this penalty.

“The Home Buyer Tax Credit is designed to incentivize home purchases this year, and it should have a significant impact,” said Joseph Rand. “But the impact is going to be undermined because thousands of married couples will not be eligible due to a very restrictive reading of the legislation by the IRS. The IRS will only allow married couples to claim the credit if both spouses qualify for the same type of credit in their own right, even if the couple would get a tax credit if they were unmarried. Married couples are tested together, and must both be eligible. This is not the case for unmarried couples, who are tested individually such that if one does not qualify, the other can still get a credit.”

Essentially, the only types of married couples who would be eligible to claim the credit would be married couples in which both spouses are qualifying first-time home buyers, or married couples in which both spouses have owned and lived in the same home for at least five consecutive years out of the last eight.

Greg Rand said that this issue was likely an oversight, and the IRS probably did not intend to exact a marriage penalty that undermines such an important economic recovery program. “Clearly, Congress did not intend to render millions of American married couples ineligible for any type of tax credit, even in cases where both spouses would qualify on their own and in cases where unmarried couples are eligible to claim tax credits,” said Greg Rand. “Marriage is the cornerstone of our society.”

Matt Rand suggested that Congress needs to take immediate action steps to correct this unintentional penalty. “To fix this, either Congress needs to revise the legislation or the IRS has to revise its treatment of married couples to allow for eligibility for a tax credit where both spouses would qualify for a tax credit in their own right if they were single or unmarried partners buying together,” said Matt Rand. “If the IRS is not able to revise its interpretation of the law, Congress should explicitly amend the law to fix the marriage penalty by allowing for equitable treatment of married and unmarried couples.”

The Rands are hoping to draw enough attention to the cause so that Congress will be prompted to act quickly. In addition to the campaign on Homebuyertaxcredit.com, a Facebook cause has also been created to bring awareness to the public and urge them to take action. The Rands encourage any married couples who are being affected by the Home Buyer Tax Credit’s restrictive marriage guidelines to go to www.homebuyertaxcredit.com and submit their story.

As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional, I encourage all questions or comments on the Reno/Sparks real estate market or any of the articles posted on this blog.  I can be reached by email at:   chance at ballard-company.com or http://www.myspace.com/chancegates

Upgrading to a qualifying energy-efficient metal or asphalt roof can cut your cooling bill as well as knock off up to $1,500 from your tax bill.

The roof of your house protects against more than rain. The sun’s rays beat down relentlessly, especially during summer. The intense heat can raise the temperature inside your home. Proper venting and insulation help keep the cool air in and the warm air out. So, too, do energy-efficient roofing materials, which take the brunt of the solar onslaught. Uncle Sam is encouraging homeowners to improve the roofs of their primary residences with a tax credit worth up to $1,500.

During 2009 and 2010, you can claim a credit for 30% of the cost of qualifying asphalt or metal roofing materials. The credit, which should be taken on IRS Form 5695 for the tax year in which the work is completed, can be split between 2009 and 2010 but can’t exceed $1,500 total for both years. You can’t claim more in credits than you owe in taxes.

Metal vs. asphalt roofs

To qualify for the tax credit, you must use either metal or asphalt roofing materials that are designed to reduce heat gain—the amount of heat transferred into a home—and meet the requirements of Energy Star, a federal program that promotes energy-efficient products and practices. Metal roofs must have appropriate pigmented coatings and asphalt roofs must have appropriate cooling granules. Asphalt materials can be either traditional shingles or modified bitumen (rolled asphalt sheets). Energy Star has a list of all of its approved roofing products, but only the metal and asphalt materials may qualify for the tax credit.

It’s a good idea to hang on to manufacturers’ certification statements that attest to the tax credit-worthiness of the roofing materials you purchase. These can usually be found on product packaging or company websites. You don’t need to file these with your tax return, but the IRS could ask for them later. Consult a tax adviser.

Dean Kucharski, a 22-year veteran of the roofing business in Pontiac, Mich., estimates that for a typical 2,200-square-foot home, a mid-range asphalt roof will run about $7,000 to $12,000, including labor. The good news is that it will likely last 20 years or more. For a metal roof, expect to pay twice as much, though it can last for 50 years, he says. If you hire a contractor, get an itemized bill that breaks out the cost of materials since labor doesn’t count toward the tax credit. Materials should account for about half the bill on standard roofing jobs.

How much roof do I have?

You can get a rough estimate of how much roofing material you’ll need by figuring the square footage of the footprint of your home and adding about one-third more to account for roof pitch, overhangs, dormers, gables, and so on. Roofing contractors often quote in terms of “squares.” One square equals 100 square feet. So if a roofer says your house is 20 squares, it means it’s roughly 2,000 square feet—20 times 100.

Once you’re ready to pick a roof type, Kucharski suggests talking to an area building wholesaler or a company that specializes in roofing materials. It’s important to consult with someone who knows what types of materials are appropriate for a given region’s climate. Big-box retailers may not have as wide a selection or knowledgeable staff.

Finding a good roofer entails the same steps as finding any qualified contractor: ask neighbors for recommendations, collect at least three bids, check references, and get everything in writing. Craig Silvertooth, executive director of the Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing, recommends finding a contractor through the National Roofing Contractors Association, which has about 4,000 members.

Save on cooling bills

You’ll get the most bang for your roof-renovation buck if you live in a hot climate, namely the South and Southwest. Expect to save between 7% and 15% on your cooling costs with energy-efficient roofing materials, says Michelle Van Tijen of the Cool Roofs Rating Council. If you pay $300 a month to cool your home, figure you’ll cut your monthly bill by up to $45.

Ironically, with roofs there is such a thing as being too energy efficient. In winter months, roofing materials with very high heat-deflecting qualities can increase heating bills. However, you’re more than likely to make up the difference on your air-conditioning costs. That’s especially true if you live in an area where you run your air conditioner much of the year.

Think hard before replacing a roof that’s in perfectly good shape. Consider instead a roof coating, a material painted over your existing roof that offers insulation and sun reflection, says Silvertooth. Roof coating costs about 75% less than replacing a roof, though it doesn’t qualify for the tax credit. Another affordable way to save on cooling costs that doesn’t even involve the roof is to add more insulation to your attic. This home-improvement project can even be tackled by weekend warriors, and it qualifies for a federal tax credit.

This article provides general information about tax laws and consequences, but is not intended to be relied upon by readers as tax or legal advice applicable to particular transactions or circumstances. Readers should consult a tax professional for such advice, and are reminded that tax laws may vary by jurisdiction.

Gil Rudawsky has been covering business and consumer issues as a reporter and an editor for 18 years, most recently as a business editor at the Rocky Mountain News. He lives in a house built in the 1930s, and always keeps the homeís character in mind when making upgrade.
 http://www.houselogic.com/articles/tax-c…

Trulia, Inc., a real estate search site, has announced that 22% of homes currently on the market in the United States as of December 1, 2009 have experienced at least one price cut.
Read more: http://rismedia.com/2009-12-10/home-pric…

When we already know for the first time in years nondistressed properties had more sale than the short sales or foreclosed properties.
 http://chancegates.com/2009/12/02/octobe…

As presented in the article http://chancegates.com/2009/11/23/180/
interest rates have hit an all time low. With the tax credit extensions for first time buyer which now includes move up buyers also. http://chancegates.com/2009/12/03/first-…
Should make March and April very active months in the Reno/Sparks real estate market, as everyone tries to beat the April 30 deadline.

If your selling a house here is a helpful real estate blog post so you will not be one of the 22%.  http://chancegates.com/2009/04/27/sellin…

If your buying a house in the Reno/Sparks real estate you can visit these helpful blogs post:
 http://chancegates.com/2009/12/06/home-o…

 http://chancegates.com/2009/11/02/home-l…

 http://chancegates.com/2009/09/16/hud-ho…

 http://chancegates.com/2009/10/19/how-to…

 http://chancegates.com/2009/08/12/city-o…

If looking to purchase real estate in Lyon County here is another helpful real estate blog post:
 http://chancegates.com/2009/08/03/new-ns…

Eligibility:

A home owner who has owned and resided in a home for a least 5 consecutive years of the 8 years prior the purchase date.  If married the law test for both home buyer and spouse.

Income Limits:

Single                                     $125,000

Married filing a joint return   $225,000

Other terms apply

Home Eligibility:

Any home that will be used as a principal residence, that cost less than or equal to $800,000.00, will qualify for the credit.

Important Note a home may not be purchased from a family member.

Down Payment Eligibility:

HUD allows buyers using FHA-insured mortgages to apply their anticipated tax credit towards their home purchase immediately.  These funds may be used for certain downpayment and closing cost expenses.

For some commonly asked questions re-visit
 http://chancegates.com/2009/12/03/first-…

Other terms and conditions apply please talk to your CPA

The complexity of new home buyer tax credits leaves potential buyers with many questions. Here are
answers to some of the most confusing:
How does a current home owner qualify for the $6,500 credit?
Buyers must have lived in their homes for at least five out of the last eight years. The home they buy
must become their primary residence, but buyers don’t have to sell their previous home. They can use
the previous home as a rental or a second home and still claim the credit.
Does the new home have to be more expensive than the one the buyer currently owns?
No. It is fine to use it to downsize. If the property sells for more than $800,000, the buyers don’t qualify.
Can buyers who are building a new home claim the credit?
Yes, although the contract must be in place by April 30 and the buyer must move in by July 1.
Can buyers claim the credit if they purchase a home from a relative?
No. The legislation prohibits taxpayers from claiming the credit if the sale is between “related parties,”
including parent, grandparent, child, or grandchild.
Source: USA Today, Sandra Block (11/24/2009)

IR-2009-27, March 18, 2009

WASHINGTON — As part of the Treasury Department’s consumer outreach effort and with the April 15 individual tax filing deadline approaching, the Internal Revenue Service today began a concerted effort to educate taxpayers about additional options at their disposal to claim the new $8,000 first-time homebuyer credit for 2009 home purchases. For people who recently purchased a home or are considering buying in the next few months, there are several different ways that they can get this tax credit even if they’ve already filed their tax return.

The Treasury Department encourages taxpayers to explore these options to maximize their credit and get their money back as fast as possible.

“The new credit can get money in the pockets of first-time homebuyers quickly,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. “For people who recently purchased a home or are considering buying in the next few months, there are several different ways that they can get this tax credit even if they’ve already filed their tax return.”

First-time homebuyers represent a significant portion of existing single-family home sales. The expansion in the first-time homebuyer credit will make it easier for first-time homebuyers to enter the housing market this year.

Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, qualifying taxpayers who purchase a home before Dec. 1 receive up to $8,000, or $4,000 for married individuals filing separately. People can claim the credit either on their 2008 tax returns due April 15 or on their 2009 tax returns next year.

The filing options to consider are:

File an extension. Taxpayers who haven’t yet filed their 2008 returns but are buying a home soon can request a six-month extension to October 15. This step would be faster than waiting until next year to claim it on the 2009 tax return. Even with an extension, taxpayers could still file electronically, receiving their refund in as few as 10 days with direct deposit.

File now, amend later. Taxpayers due a sizable refund for their 2008 tax return but who also are considering buying a house in the next few months can file their return now and claim the credit later. Taxpayers would file their 2008 tax forms as usual, then follow up with an amended return later this year to claim the homebuyer credit.

Amend the 2008 tax return. Taxpayers buying a home in the near future who have already filed their 2008 tax return can consider filing an amended tax return. The amended tax return will allow them to claim the homebuyer credit on the 2008 return without waiting until next year to claim it on the 2009 return.

Claim the credit in 2009 rather than 2008. For some taxpayers, it may make more financial sense to wait and claim the homebuyer credit next year when they file the 2009 tax return rather than claiming it now on the 2008 tax return. This could benefit taxpayers who might qualify for a higher credit on the 2009 tax return. This could include people who have less income in 2009 than 2008 because of factors such as a job loss or drop in investment income.
The IRS reminds taxpayers the amount of the credit begins to phase out for taxpayers whose modified adjusted gross income is more than $75,000, or $150,000 for joint filers. Taxpayers can claim 10 percent of the purchase price up to $8,000, or $4,000 for married individuals filing separately.

 www.Recovery.gov.
As a Reno – Sparks real estate consultant I encourage any questions or  comments on the Reno – Sparks real estate market or about any of the articles I post.  You can email me at  chance at ballard-company.com