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First-Time Home Buyer? Choose When to Claim Your Tax Credit
With the deadline for filing federal tax returns fast approaching, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has made information available for qualified home buyers about how and when to claim the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit.
The basic eligibility requirements for the credit are: the home must have been purchased on or after Jan. 1 and before Dec. 1, 2009; the buyer may not have owned a home in the three years prior to the purchase; and the buyer must have a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) less than $95,000 for single tax payers or $170,000 for married filers.
Two factors affect the amount of credit qualified buyers can claim: it can only be equal to 10% of the… Read Full Post

Want an extra $8,000?  If you’re a first-time homebuyer then we have a nice surprise for you.

Last fall, the Federal Government introduced a financial incentive to prospective first-time homebuyers — an income tax credit of up to $7,500. The rules were simple: you must have been a first-time homebuyer (as defined by not owning a home in the previous three years) and you met certain income restrictions. The new $8,000 tax credit is available to those who buy between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009. It’s not a deduction, it’s an actual credit.  Unlike the $7,500 first-time homebuyer tax credit introduced last summer; this does not need to be repaid. First timers who qualify can make no more than $75,000 in adjusted gross income if they’re single or… Read Full Post

Hi,

My name is Kim McLaughlin with Axia Financial. Do you know that A tax credit of up to $8,000 is now avaiable if you are a qualified first-time home buyer and purchase a home before December 01 2009?

Here are some highlights of this program;

1)The tax credit is for first-time home buyers only.
2)The tax credit does not have to be repaid.
3)The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000.
4)The credit is available for homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.
5)Single taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

How do I claim the tax credit? Do I need to complete a form or…

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With so many urban centers being classified as "declining markets," it is now more important than ever to be as familiar with every possible option for obtaining affordable financing for our borrowers and buyers. Because of the new requirements issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the private mortgage insurers, every loan officer and realtor needs to know what it takes to get FHA financing for a borrower buying a condominium unit.
Loan officers: it's your business.
Selling agents: knowing will help you market your condo listing to a larger universe of qualified buyers and, if the condo is not eligible, save you the time of having to show a unit to unqualified buyers.
Buyers' agents: the same is true -- no sense in showing someone a condo in a…

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Want to go look at open houses this sunday?

Here is a list of homes in the renton area for sunday the 25th from 1:00 - 4:00

Just click here.

If you would like more info on a home just call or email me.

If you would like my free First Time Home Buyer book please click on the link.

 Lonnie Snyder
REALTOR®
Keller Williams Realty Southeast Sound
Phone: 206-406-2710
E-Mail : snyder@kw.com
Website: http://www.callsnyder.com/
Blogsite: http://renton-real-estate.blogspot.com/
Lonnie Snyder is a full time real estate agent and REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty specializing in Residential Real Estate for buyers and sellers in Washington’s Kent, Renton, Newcastle and South Bellevue. Read Full Post

 

  If you've been priced out of the housing market, now is the time to consider buying a foreclosed property. But don't wait; the best-value foreclosed homes--what we call "real estate owned" (REO)--are selling as soon as they come on the market.
Although buyers can also find bargain prices on pre-foreclosure sales or homes sold at foreclosure auctions, most buyers find it easier and less risky to purchase REOs from the lending institutions and government authorities that repossess these homes. (Note: REOs also can refer to properties purchased by corporations from their transferring employees. This article focuses on REOs resulting from foreclosure proceedings.)
Finding a high-value property and negotiating a low-cost contract are the keys to…

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 Well-located homes in need of tender loving care can be a terrific value. If you're interested in building "sweat equity" fixing up a home, hire a professional inspector to ensure the home won't cost you a fortune to refurbish.

A worthy handyman's special will be structurally sound with all major systems in good working order--heating/cooling, plumbing, electrical, roof. Those are the most costly items to repair or replace. Your time and effort will be better spent painting, making minor repairs, adding or replacing fixtures, sprucing up the landscaping, and accomplishing other low-cost fix-ups.

Lonnie Snyder
REALTOR®
Keller Williams Realty Southeast Sound
Phone: 206-406-2710
E-Mail : snyder@kw.com
Website: http://www.callsnyder.com/ Read Full Post

Prepare For Winter

The fall Equinox is a good time of year to start thinking about preparing your home for winter, because as temperatures begin to dip, your home will require maintenance to keep it in tip-top shape through the winter. Call an HVAC professional to inspect your furnace and clean ducts. Stock up on furnace filters and change them monthly. Consider switching out your thermostat for a programmable thermostat. If your home is heated by a hot-water radiator, bleed the valves by opening them slightly and when water appears, close them. Remove all flammable material from the area surrounding your furnace.   Cap or screen the top of the chimney to keep out rodents and birds. If the chimney hasn't been cleaned for a while, call a chimney sweep… Read Full Post