First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Extended and Expanded to Include Move Up Buyers

I have been a bad blogger and haven't posted for quite a while (I think since July!). But, I'm back with some great news for not only first time buyers, but for move up buyers as well. Both the Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives have voted to extend the first-time home buyer tax credit, and have expanded the credit to include existing homeowners as well. Now the final step will be for President Obama to sign the legislation, which he is expected to do shortly. (**Update - 11/6/09 - President Obama signed the bill today.**)

With this move, the federal tax credit will be extended through April 30, 2010, with a 60-day extension if a binding contract to purchase a home is in place prior to the deadline. First-time home buyers will continue to be eligible for a tax credit of up to $8,000, while existing homeowners will be eligible for a reduced credit of up to $6,500. To qualify for the $6,500 credit, existing homeowners must have lived in their current residences for at least five years. The bill also increases the qualifying income limits from $75,000 for single tax filers and $150,000 for joint filers to $125,000 and $225,000, respectively. The purchase price of the home is capped at $800,000 in both instances. With the extension and expansion of this credit, taxpayers can claim the credit on purchases completed in 2010 on their 2009 income tax returns.

The National Association of Realtors estimates that nationwide, more than 1.4 million first-time home buyers were given the opportunity to become homeowners as a result of the original first-time home buyer tax credit. With the extension and expansion of the credit these numbers are expected to dramatically increase.

For more info on how the credit works, check out my previous post on the Economic Stimulus and the First-time Home Buyer Tax Credit.

San Diego Foreclosure Friday (Monday) - Volume 7

Okay, I admit it...I've been a bad blogger the last couple of weeks. But I do have a good excuse! The San Diego foreclosure market is on fire, and I have been EXTREMELY busy working with a TON of buyers. With rates at historical lows and prices back down to 2002-2003 levels this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that is bringing out everyone from the first-time home buyer to the cash investor.

And a little inside scoop...There is a very large second wave of foreclosures about to hit the market! Many of the big lenders had a moratorium on foreclosures while the Obama administration was working on their big loan modification and refinance plan. Well, now that that plan is in place, and the banks have been able to figure out who they can help and who they can't, the moratorium has been lifted and a lot more San Diego foreclosures will be coming on the market.

So, to make up for my absence the last couple of weeks it's going to be San Diego Foreclosure Friday every day this week!!! And I'm starting today with a property that even I have been waiting in anticipation to see what it would close for!

SOLD $677,500 Cash (4/14/2009)

PREVIOUSLY SOLD $1,350,000 (3/29/2007)

One of the largest drops in price that I have seen at almost 50% off the previous sale price! This extremely rare 2 bedroom, 2 bath, 1615 square foot penthouse in the Discovery building sits high on top of Cortez Hill with views all the way from Balboa Park to the Coronado bridge. This luxury unit comes with floor to ceiling windows, hardwood floors, gas fireplace, granite counters and cherry wood cabinets in the kitchen, and a huge outdoor patio. It is an absolute steal at $677,500!

CURRENTLY LISTED $194,900

PREVIOUSLY SOLD $401,000 (12/7/2006)

This adorable cottage in Golden Hill sits just outside of downtown. With 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, and 710 square feet it is the perfect alternative to condo living! This home sits on a great little lot with a good size front yard and a large covered deck in that overlooks the backyard.

Remember, I'm doing penance for missing the past couple of weeks, so be sure to check back again every day this week for another San Diego Foreclosure Friday!

If you would like more info on either one of these listings, other foreclosure properties throughout the San Diego area, or general information about buying foreclosure properties, please check out my website page on buying San Diego foreclosures. You can easily contact me from the form on the bottom of that page, or via email at Michael@NeelyBarrow.com.

You can also check out my website to search all the homes for sale in San Diego.

San Diego Foreclosure Friday - Volume 6

TGIF! It's time for another San Diego Foreclosure Friday! And this time I'm actually making it in time for Friday.

For the first time on SDFF I have an update on a sale of a property that I posted here a couple of weeks ago, so you'll get to see what this downtown condo sold for. Don't worry, I'll also be posting another property that sold this week that you haven't seen before. It's a great ocean view foreclosure property in Ocean Beach. And, of course, I'll have a new foreclosure listing that just hit the market yesterday to share as well. It's a cute house in Talmadge for under $400,000, just waiting for someone to come in and spruce it up!

Do you remember this downtown San Diego foreclosure listing from a couple of weeks ago? Well, it's sold (these foreclosures go quick!), and you'll be one of the first to get the info!

SOLD $475,000 Cash (4/9/2009)

LISTED AT $444,900

PREVIOUSLY SOLD $810,000 (3/3/2006)

This 1295 square-foot 2 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath condo in the Renaissance building sold for cash above the asking price**. You will enjoy bay and city views from this 10Th floor corner unit, that comes complete with granite counters and stainless steel appliances in the kitchen, marble trim in the bathrooms, and 2 underground parking spaces.

**Tip For Buying San Diego Foreclosures: You'll notice that this condo sold above the asking price. This is common with foreclosure properties. Many times banks will price them low to try to stimulate multiple offers and sell them quickly. It's a good idea to work with a San Diego Realtor who has experience buying foreclosure properties. If a foreclosure is new to the market it's a good idea to have your Realtor speak to the listing agent to see if there are multiple offers, which there usually are. If that's the case, you want to take a close look at the most recent sales in the area (especially the foreclosure sales) and write accordingly. You won't be putting out any "low-ball" offers on foreclosures. They are already priced to go, and believe me, most of them go very quickly!

SOLD $1,031,000 (4/8/2009)

PREVIOUSLY SOLD $1,695,500(3/9/2005)

Spectacular ocean views from this private Ocean Beach retreat! This 3 bedroom, 3 bath, 2,025 square-foot home sits on a large 1/3 acre lot and has an abundance of windows to provide views from almost every room.

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE $396,000

PREVIOUSLY SOLD $750,000(7/16/2007)

This classic Talmadge home on a quite street is perfect for the first-time home buyer! 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1389 square-feet, with hardwood floors, a fireplace, and a detached 2 car garage...and the best part, it's under $400,000!

If you would like more info on either one of these listings, other foreclosure properties throughout the San Diego area, or general information about buying foreclosure properties, please check out my website page on buying San Diego foreclosures. You can easily contact me from the form on the bottom of that page, or via email at Michael@NeelyBarrow.com.

You can also check out my website to search all the homes for sale in San Diego.

Be sure to check back again next week for another San Diego Foreclosure Friday!

San Diego Foreclosure Friday - Volume 4

To round out the month of March for another San Diego Foreclosure Friday, I thought I would show you that there is something available in every price range when it comes to the San Diego foreclosure market. This week we will be taking a look at homes on opposite ends of the price spectrum. Whether you are looking for a foreclosure in La Jolla with a multi-million dollar ocean view, or you are a first-time home buyer or investor looking for a great condo for under $200,000 that's just minutes to the beach, the San Diego foreclosure market has something for everyone!

SOLD $1,750,000 (3/24/2009)

PREVIOUSLY SOLD $3,050,000

(8/24/2005)

Enjoy spectacular ocean views from this mid-century modern La Jolla foreclosure property. This 3200 square-foot, 4 bedroom, 4 bath home in the County Club neighborhood of La Jolla sits high in the hills on a large quarter acre lot with a large flat backyard. Walls of glass give you sit-down North Shore ocean views from almost every room. Think what adding a second story to this single level house could do!

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE $179,900

PREVIOUSLY SOLD $300,000

(3/3/2005)

This large 850 square-foot, 1 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath condo on the west side of Fashion Valley is just five minutes from the bay and beaches of San Diego. Perfect for the first-time home buyer looking to take advantage of the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit, or an investor looking to build their rental portfolio. This gorgeous complex features 2 pools, 2 spas, and 4 tennis courts. All this for under $180,000!

If you would like more info on either one of these listings, other foreclosure properties throughout the San Diego area, or general information about buying foreclosure properties, please check out my website page on buying San Diego foreclosures. You can easily contact me from the form on the bottom of that page, or via email at Michael@NeelyBarrow.com.

Be sure to check back again next week for another San Diego Foreclosure Friday!

Economic Stimulus and the First-time Home Buyer Tax Credit

I haven't written in a few weeks, so I'm a bit behind in my reporting, but there have been a few big pieces of news that I want to make sure I get everybody caught up on in the next few days.

I'll start with a biggie...Drum roll please...Wait for it...First-time home buyers are you listening? It's an $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers!!! And this time around it is a true tax credit, meaning you don't have to pay it back. This is huge!

So here's how it works. If you are a first-time buyer, meaning you haven't owned a home in the last 3 years, and you buy a primary residence (which means you will live in the property) between January 1st, 2009 and December 1st, 2009 you will be eligible for an $8,000 credit on your taxes.

The big thing with this tax credit is that it is fully refundable. This means that first-time home buyers who owe less than $8,000 in taxes for the year are still eligible for the full $8,000 credit when they file their tax returns, and the IRS will write them a check for the difference between $8,000 and their actual tax bill. Not only that, but if you're getting killed on your 2008 tax returns because you didn't own a home you can apply this credit to your 2008 taxes, as long as you purchase the home before you file on April 15Th.

There are a couple of restrictions on the credit. First, you must live in the home for at least 3 years, so no house flippers. And there are income limitations to claim the full credit ($75,000 for single tax-filers and $150,000 for married couples).

So, if you are a first-time home buyer who has been sitting on the fence, now is the time to get off and start shopping. Check out my website to search the San Diego MLS.

One more quick update to my last post "Another bail-out is taking shape...but, what's in it for me?" The conforming loan limits from last year were re-instated. This is more big news for San Diego as the limits moved from their reduced limit of $625,000, back up to $729,750! Unfortunatly these limits are not permanent, and will expire on December 31st, 2009.

In my next post I will be attempting to dissect the Obama administration's Foreclosure Prevention Plan (that one's a bit more complicated and all the details have still yet to come out), so check back soon.

Another bail-out is taking shape...but what's in it for me?

Yesterday the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 by a 244 to 188 vote. Zero Republicans voted yes and 11 Democrats voted no. It still needs to get through the Senate, and, if passed, will likely be tweaked along the way. But as it stands right now there are a couple of positive pieces that stand out to me as a San Diego Realtor.

The first is the bill's measure extending all 2008 Metropolitan Statistical Areas’ (MSAs’) Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and FHA loan limits through the end of this year.

Huh? English please.

Loan limits have traditionally been insured by the government up to $417,000 (referred to as "conforming"). Because they are government insured they are seen as less risky to banks and, therefore, carry lower rates than higher balanced loans. In higher cost areas, like San Diego, loan balances tend to be higher than in areas like, say, Ohio where most home loans are under $417,000. So last year the government created a new temporary limit in higher cost areas based on the median priced home in that particular area with a maximum limit of $729,750.

On December 31, 2008 that limit expired and was reduced to $625,500. The new stimulus bill seeks to reinstate those 2008 limits through the end of 2009. This helps home owners in San Diego, and other high cost areas, with refinancing. It also allows more homes to be sold in higher cost markets, which benefits both buyers and sellers alike. If this sounds like a pretty logical idea to you (higher cost areas = higher insured loan limits) then I'm sure your next question is "Shouldn't this be a permanent increase?" Well, logical people like you and me say "Yes it should!"

The second measure in the bill that stood out to me was eliminating the repayment requirement on the first-time home buyer tax credit for qualified buyers who purchase a home between Dec. 31, 2008, and July 1 2009. If you're asking, "Huh? What $7500 first-time home buyer tax credit?" you are not alone. I think a lot of people are unaware of this recent (and again, temporary) tax credit. So if you are one of these people you can read more about it here.

The big deterrent to getting more first-time buyers into the market with this tax credit is the fact that it has to be re-paid. So eliminating the repayment feature would be one really good step. Another would be to extend it all the way through the end of 2009 (hint, hint if anyone from the government is reading this blog).

Although I think both of these provisions are a step in the right direction, the major thing that I think needs all of our government's immediate attention is the second half of the original $700 billion stimulus bill...That, so far, has been about as stimulating as a weak cup of decaf. I thought the point of injecting $350 billion into the banks was to get them to lend, no? Seeing as how no one (not the banks or the treasury department) can really account for what was actually done with the first $350 billion, I would hope there would be a few more restrictions and requirements put on the second $350 billion.

As National Association of REALTORS® President Charles McMillan sums this all up, "We think this bill is a great first step in helping our economy on the road to recovery. It is also important that Congress and the new administration refocus the use of Troubled Asset Relief Program dollars to add liquidity to the mortgage market and make mortgage loans and other loans more available to America’s working families.”

To which I say, "Amen!" He must be reading my blog!

Latest home price numbers...This bad news could be your good news.

Okay, so which news do you want first...The good or the bad?

Let's start with the bad.

The dreaded S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index, which tracks prices in 20 cities throughout the U.S., released it's November report, and once again the numbers didn't look good. I'll spare you the boredom of reading all the numbers, but will tell you that San Diego experienced another 2.3% drop in prices from October, and a 25.8% drop year-over-year (meaning November 2007 to November 2008). This isn't really "breaking news," however, as this is now the 28Th consecutive month that this report has registered declines.

"Um, hello? I thought you said there was good news?"

Well, there is good news for buyers. The major reason that these numbers look so bad is because an increasing number of these sales over the last year have been foreclosures and short-sales. These properties tend to sell at "bargain basement" prices as banks look to quickly unload their inventory. Add in historically low mortgage rates to the mix and you have a perfect storm for buyers.

"There's a pretty active housing market, it's simply at a lower-priced inventory," says Michael Feder, chief executive of the New York based derivatives firm, Radar Logic.

According to their data, and a recent story in Forbes, real estate transactions in San Diego are up 90% in the last few months as buyers compete for the available bargains. (See video below for more)

We are definitely seeing a lot of first-time buyers and investors jumping back in to the San Diego real estate market. In fact, the majority of our transactions in 2008 were with buyers, and almost 90% of those buyers bought a property that was in foreclosure! These dramatic price drops are bringing affordability back down to earth and savvy buyers back into the market.