As part of its plan to stimulate the U.S. housing market and address the economic challenges facing our nation, Congress has passed legislation that grants a tax credit of up to $8,000 to first-time home buyers.
Here is more information about how the 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit can help prospective home buyers become part of the American dream.
Who Qualifies?
First-time home buyers who purchase homes between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009.
To qualify as a “first-time home buyer” the purchaser or his/her spouse may not have owned a residence during the three years prior to the purchase.
Which Properties Are Eligible?
The 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit may be applied to primary residences, including: single-family homes, condos, townhomes, and co-ops.
How Much Will the Credit Be?
The maximum allowable credit for home buyers is $8,000. Each home buyer’s tax credit is determined by two factors:
The price of the home—the credit is equal to 10% of the purchase price of the home, up to $8,000.
The buyer's income—single buyers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000—may receive the maximum tax credit.
If the Buyer(s)’ Income Exceeds These Limits, Can He/She Still Get a Credit?
Yes, some buyers may still be eligible for the credit.
The credit decreases for buyers who earn between $75,000 and $95,000 for single buyers and between $150,000 and $170,000 for home buyers filing jointly. The amount of the tax credit decreases as his/her income approaches the maximum limit. Home buyers earning more than the maximum qualifying income—over $95,000 for singles and over $170,000 for couples are not eligible for the credit.
Will the Tax Credit Need to Be Repaid?
No. The buyer does not need to repay the tax credit, if he/she occupies the home for three years or more. However, if the property is sold during the three-year period, the credit will be recouped on the sale.
Is very common these days, I have some customers asking me the same question, Leo, should we buy now or should we wait? My answer, it depends, here's my thought.
If you are planning to stay in your house for at least 5 years and make it a home, go ahead, you will be in good shape, there's a lot of inventory sometimes even below assessed value, the sellers most of the time are willing to pay for your closing costs and/or discount the property to make it easy for you to make the purchase.
If you are an investor and wants to flip, be very careful, the market is not turning back tomorrow, there's some very good buys out there, if you are planning to rent it out for at least 2-3 years and then sell it is fine but most important is getting a good price at the time of purchasing, buy very low, rent and have a cash flow, prepare to sell in the future.
There's 3 different scenarios, let's review them one by one.
Owner Occupied Property
This is a house where the owners are still occupying the property and want/need to sell it now. Most likely if they bought from 2000-2007 and they don't put a large amount of cash at the time they purchased the home, they are upside down. Prices today at at the same level they were back in 2000. Could or could not be a Foreclosure Property. They are harder to deal that when you have a Bank Owned Property. Tampa Bay Homes for Sale Listings
Short Sale Property
A Short Sale Property is when the Bank that is financing the property has accepted to sale at a lower value, it usually takes a long time to get that approval from the bank, it's better to deal with the ones that are already approved, the ones that are not could take a lot of weeks, sometimes months in get only an answer from the bank let alone an approval. It's usually a Foreclosure that is in the middle of the process, beware of those, the lender has not acquired title to the property and can be very dangerous at the point that the owner can file for Bankruptcy and it will stop the whole process. Hard to deal, very risky and time consuming. Tampa Bay Foreclosures Listings
Bank Owned Property
A Bank Owned Property also known as REO (Real Estate Owned) is a property that the Bank has acquired through Foreclosure, the fees are paid, the owners/tenants are out and all the legal papers are signed, the bank really owns the property which makes the decision process for them a lot faster, they REALLY want to sell that house, they have to many in their books. Great Deals, not a lot of waiting and the prices are negotiable with big discounts, to my opinion, the best option. Tampa Bay Bank Owned Listings
Find out what's your situation, whether your are a First Time Buyer or an experienced Investor you should know what's the best option for you and don't be surprised if you find a home that's priced "LOW" and is not a Foreclosure, the current market conditions has been forcing the sellers to adapt and adopt to the prices in their communities. For more information about the Real Estate Market in Tampa Bay, please call me or send me an email, I DO RESPOND!!!!
One of the first things I will do before putting your house on the market is prepare your house for sale. I want to show your house off in its best light to maximize your earning potential. I will tour your house with the eye of a buyer - what works, what doesn't work.
Curb Appeal Does your house have curb appeal? Can we give it a little more pizzazz to draw the buyer in? Would a bit of touch-up paint add dollars to the sale? What about the garden? Is the lawn in order and neatly edged? Are trees and bushes neatly pruned? Are flowers in bloom? If not, it may be time for a garden upgrade. Adding colorful annuals to the front garden will make a big difference. Remember, creating curb appeal will add dollars to your house's final selling price.
Welcome Home As I walk in the door of your house, I will ask myself, "Will this house say, 'Welcome home' to a buyer?" Looking through the eyes of a buyer, I will recommend changes that will enhance sales appeal.
I'll help you eliminate anything that gives the appearance of clutter. Countertops should be free and clear. Knickknacks, souvenirs, family photos, refrigerator artwork - it's gone. We need to "de-personalize" the house so buyers can imagine it as their home.
Closets and cupboards should appear large and roomy. It's time to make a donation to a local charity or store belongings at a friend's or family member's home.
Reviewing your home room-by-room, I will make recommendations that impact the sale. I'll point out the pieces of furniture that should be removed, rooms that need new paint, carpet that needs to be changed, fixtures that need polishing, windows that need cleaning, and any other improvement that can easily be made to promote the sale.
Setting the Stage Before the first buyer walks in your door, I'll show you how to set the stage. We want to engage the buyer's senses. Lighting is critical. We'll draw back curtains, open blinds, change light bulbs and add lighting where needed to welcome the buyer. We'll enhance the ambiance with music playing lightly in the background and insure a pleasing aroma emanates from every room.
In most transaction negotiations the real estate broker represents the landlord or owner. If the broker has a written agency agreement with the owner, he has a legal obligation to represent the best interest of the owner and negotiate the best deal possible for him. If I'm providing you tenant representation, I have an obligation to negotiate the best possible deal for you. And typically, my fee will come from the landlord or owner, so my services cost you nothing.
Market knowledge and how to best accommodate the unique needs of your business are the cornerstones of my tenant representation services. By consulting with you to learn about your plans, issues, budget and more I can apply my knowledge of the market and current trends to create an optimal transaction for you.
By having me represent your interests you'll be assured of knowing about all of the properties available. You'll also know what existing tenants at those properties are paying. I will also give you critical insights into many important issues, such as how much you can expect the new owner to pay for construction of new improvements and how to recognize opportunities for negotiating more favorable terms into your new lease. I'll find the best site for your needs, negotiate the best terms and prices possible and make sure your move goes smoothly. I can help you with many facets of the process, from help with relocating equipment to logistics and recommending architectural or design firms. I'm an expert in tenant representation with a proven track record of representing both office and industrial clients.
Once I've consulted with you to learn your objectives and needs, I'll do a preliminary search of available properties. Then I'll do a thorough analysis of each site, looking at all aspects of the properties, rates, terms and conditions. Then I'll present you the best available options. As we proceed I'll give you critical advice on issues pertaining to the lease negotiations and tenant improvements.
I'd be happy to talk to you about the details of the process I'll use to help you find your new facility and negotiate the best deal possible. Start your search at http://www.leogonzalezrealtor.com/TampaBayRentals
If you have had your home on the market for several months and haven't seen much activity or any offers, chances are that one or more of the reasons below are to blame.
Your price is too high
No doubt about it, the most common reason for a home not selling is that the asking price has been set too high. The reasons for setting your price too high to begin with are many. Ranging from over enthusiastic listing agents to unrealistic seller expectations. Regardless of the reason though, if you've priced your home too high, you've set yourself up for a number of obstacles to selling your home. Even if you do get an offer for the overly high asking price, the deal may fall apart before closing because the buyer may have problems financing at too high a price. Look at other homes for sale, ones as similar and as close to yours as possible. If they are going for less than you are asking, you may be priced too high. The fact is, your home is competing against those other homes, and what buyers are willing to pay is what will determine final sales prices.
The condition of your home
There is a lot of competition out there to sell homes. Your home has to compete against other similar homes for sale, as well as competing against shiny brand new homes. The more you can do to make your home look appealing to a buyer, the better your chances for a quick sale. Look at your home with a critical eye - put yourself in the buyers position. A buyer doesn't want to have to do anything except move in. Your best "bang for the buck" in improving the condition of your home are paint and flooring. Make sure that all of the paint is in great condition, both inside and out. Repainting doesn't cost too much, and will usually make the biggest impact on buyers. Make sure all of the flooring looks good too. You may want to consider putting in new carpet. Again, it's not that expensive but it sure does make an impact on buyers coming to look at your home.
Location, location, location
It's the oldest cliché in the world, but it's true. When it comes to real estate, it's all about location! When it comes to homes, things like how good the schools are, crime rates, visual appeal of the neighborhood and noise or the smell of pollution can all effect how desirable the location is. If you're in a bad location, a good real estate agent may help to minimize some of the impact by suggesting improvements to the house. But the only really reliable way to overcome a bad location is with a lower price. Simply put, an identical home in a bad location won't sell for as much as the same home in a better location.
Your marketing campaign is out of steam
The best listing agents all use an aggressive marketing plan to market their listings. If your listing agent isn't making sure your home can be found easily on the internet, isn't actively touting his or her listings to other agents in the area, isn't running ads in the local newspapers and real estate publications, then it might be time to change agents. The best agents might even run radio or television ads for their listings. If all your agent has done is put a sign in your front yard and add your home to the local MLS, then that agent isn't coming close to doing all that can be done to effectively market your home.
The market is slow
You'll hear it described as a slow market, or a buyers market, or maybe a cold market. But it all means the same thing. That home sales in the local area, or market, are slow. That there are too many homes for sale and not enough active buyers. There are several things you can do to combat a slow market. The most effective strategy is to sell at a lower price. Buyers are expecting to find bargains during a slow market. You can also help yourself by offering to pay some concessions to help a buyer that might not have a lot of cash. The ultimate way to beat a slow market is to simply wait it out. But that's not always an option for many sellers.
Your home isn't easily accessible
To get your home sold quickly, it's important that other agents in the area show it to as many potential buyers as possible. When a busy agent is compiling a list of homes to show a buyer, the agent will naturally tend to show those houses that are easiest to gain access to first. Many homes on the market have "lock boxes" on them. The lock box is a device which holds a key to the home, that only qualified local agents can access. Homes that are listed as being "lock box, no appointment needed" will get shown more often than homes listed as "agent has key, call for appointment". If at all possible, you should let your agent put a lock box on your home for easier showing. If not, you should do anything else you can to make it as convenient as possible for agents to show your home.
You have an agent nobody likes
Sounds almost silly, but it's very true. If your listing agent isn't liked or respected by other agents in your area, it could slow down the sale of your home. When an agent prepares to show properties to prospective buyers, the agent begins by talking to the buyer to find out what kind of home they are looking for. Then the agent searches the local MLS and other sources for homes that fit the buyer. If there are a number of good matches to choose from, and one of them has been listed by an agent that is hard to get along with, or arrogant, or has otherwise made himself unpopular, well... It's just human nature to tend to skip over someone you don't like.
Effective marketing is the key to selling your home quickly and getting the highest price. Aggressive, effective marketing of my Client's homes by every available medium is how I've become a top Realtor in the Tampa Bay area. It's my job to assure that you get as many qualified offers as possible, allowing you to extract the highest price the market will bear.
One of the most important elements of marketing your home effectively is setting the price right. Set the price too high, and you won't get any offers and your home will take too long to sell. Set it too low and you cheat yourself by not getting your homes full, fair value. As an expert in Tampa Bay area real estate, I analyze the market and set area home prices every single day. I'll work closely with you to assure that everything possible is done to get the highest price, in the time frame you need.
The condition and appearance of your home are also critical factors in getting the best price for your home. I'll personally walk through your home with you and advise you of what you can do to properly stage your home most effectively. Some areas are much more important and more likely to pay off than others! Often, the buyer is motivated by emotional responses as much or more than financial issues. There are usually things I can point out to you that are easy and inexpensive, yet go a long way towards triggering those "buy" emotions.
As your agent in Tampa Bay, I'll negotiate furiously on your behalf throughout the entire process to ensure that your best interests are protected. Real estate negotiations and contracts can be intimidating in their complexity. Most people have almost no experience in these negotiations after all, how often do you buy or sell a new house? As a top real estate professional, getting you the best terms and prices in all negotiations is simply part of my job.
Before you consider selling your house yourself, ask yourself if you are going to have the time needed to sell your house - even if you just cover the basics.
The Basics
Complete an extensive research of local market conditions, including:
the listing and selling price of all houses in your area for the last six months,
the listing price of houses currently on the market, and
the listing prices of houses that were on the market but did not sell. Tips: Begin your research on the Internet. Follow-up by visiting the county tax records office to determine the selling prices of houses.
Put together a marketing plan.
How will you market your house to Realtors? Most buyers use a Realtor, so marketing to Realtors is essential. At a minimum, you'll want to send a letter and sales flyer to all Realtors within a 30 mile radius.
How much money can you afford to devote to advertising? Call the local newspapers to determine how much it will cost for advertisements. You'll want to run daily and Sunday ads in the newspapers.
Who will create your sales flyers? Buyers expect fact sheets to take with them when they drive-by or tour a house for sale.
Where will you place signage? In addition to your front yard, is there areas leading in to your neighborhood where signage would be appropriate?
How will potential buyers find information about your house on the Internet? You'll want potential buyers who begin their house shopping on the Internet to find your house. Be sure to build a website to help sell your house.
Who will take inquiry calls and schedule appointments? You'll want someone to be available to answer inquiry calls and schedule appointments. Be sure to schedule showings as quickly as possible - even the same day. Tips: Ask newspapers for a discounted advertising rate for multiple placements. Be sure to check with local officials to determine if there are any restrictions on where you place signs. " Pre-qualify buyers before showing your house.
Confirm that the potential buyer has pre-qualified for a mortgage loan.
If the buyer is buying with cash, confirm that they have the necessary resources.
If the purchase is contingent on the buyer selling their own house, confirm that the buyer's house is on the market. (You may also want to determine how long the buyer's house has been on the market.)
Negotiations, Contracts and Closings
Are you prepared to negotiate the contract?
Do you know what the legal responsibilities of the seller are in your area?
Who will write the contract? Will you need to hire an attorney? If so, what will be the attorney's fees? Tips: In addition to the sales contract, you'll need to complete a Seller's Disclosure and a Lead Based Paint Disclosure.
Experienced home buyers know that one of the first-steps in beginning a successful search for a new house is taking a hard, objective look at finances. Determining how much money you can dedicate to the purchase of your new house affects almost every aspect of buying a new home - including how we write the offer, which mortgage programs you will qualify for, shopping for the best mortgage loan and which homes are truly in your price range.
Here are the questions that each home buyer should ask:
How much cash is available for a down payment? The amount you have available for a down payment will affect what types of loans for which you can qualify. Learn more.
Am I ready to write a check for the earnest money? Earnest money is a cash deposit made to a home seller to secure an offer to buy the property. This amount is often forfeited if the buyer decides to withdraw his offer.
How much additional cash will be available to pay for closing costs? There are certain standard costs associated with closing the sale of a house. These fees are split between the buyer and the seller, as spelled out in the sales contract. Learn more.
What is the maximum monthly mortgage payment that I can afford? Most lenders will use the 28/36 rule to determine the maximum mortgage payment you can afford.
The 28/36 Rule No more than 28% of your gross income can be applied to your mortgage, real estate taxes and insurance. And no more than 36% of your gross income can be applied to your mortgage expenses plus your regular debt expenses (car payments, credit cards, other loans, etc.).
Real vs. Personal Property At closing time, the last thing you want is a dispute over what goes with the house and what doesn't. But it isn't all that unusual for a buyer to think a particular item is included in the sales price, while the seller never had any intention of including the same item! Classic examples include window coverings, lighting fixtures and chandeliers. But just about anything which might be construed by a buyer as being "part of the house" has the potential for misunderstanding and disagreement.
Generally, the law says that anything which is part of the land or attached to the house and is immovable, or can't be removed without damage, or anything which is incidental or appurtenant to the land is real property. Personal property is basically everything else - the possessions you take with you when you move.
The law recognizes the intent and manner with which an item is attached in determining whether an article or fixture is real or personal property. Built-in appliances are usually considered real property, while free standing ones are usually personal property. If removing the item requires pulling nails, it's probably real property. If it can be unscrewed and removed without leaving any damage, it might be an item ready to cause some disagreement!
To avoid problems, both buyers and sellers should make detailed lists of any items to be included in the sale before closing. As a seller, give your list of items to be included to the closing agent. If there is something you want to take with you, and it requires removing a screw or nail, put it in the contract.
Remember, as with everything else in real estate, it's all negotiable. If there is a unique item you want included in your purchase, you may be able to get it included at a reasonable price. Especially if the item won't fit in with the new home the seller is moving to.
The oft heard phrase "Buyer Beware" is never more appropriate than when considering the purchase of a fixer-upper.You really need to know exactly what you're getting into before buying.
It's commonly believed that fixer-upper properties represent easy money that is ripe for the taking - that you can buy it, do a little work on it in your spare time, and then resell quickly for a large profit. Usually, this simply isn't the case. Although, with proper planning and foresight, good profits can be made by buying "distressed" properties at less than market value, making appropriate improvements and repairs, and then reselling. And for many first time buyers who intend to live in the house while working on it, buying a fixer-upper can be the very best option. It's less risky buying a fixer-upper when you can live in the house while fixing it. And of course, by living in the house for at least 24 months you should be able to avoid paying regular income taxes on the profits.
The most important thing to know before making a decision on such a purchase is what needs to be fixed. Any time you are spending money on improving a home with the notion of selling it later, strive to spend your money on things that buyers can easily see. Things like new paint and removing trash from the property cost little but have instant impact on curb appeal. Houses that have only cosmetic problems like peeling paint, a trashy yard, bad carpet or wallpaper are the best bet. This is especially true for the first time buyer looking to live in the house for a while before reselling. Fixing and cleaning cosmetic issues is fairly easy and inexpensive. It virtually always gives gives a good return on investment, particularly when you can do the work yourself. Kitchen and bathroom remodeling usually pays a nice return. Don't be afraid of buying a fixer-upper in need of this kind of repair. Properties with structural damage, or a floor plan that requires major work to remedy, usually can't be "fixed up" at a profit.
Always have an inspection for hidden damage performed by a home inspector or construction professional before buying a fixer-upper. Make sure that satisfactory completion of such inspections are a condition of purchase in any contract you sign. Then be sure to negotiate to try and get the seller to pay for all or part of the cost of needed repairs uncovered by the inspection. Often, sellers will be willing to lower the sales price to sell the home "as is" instead of paying for the repairs.
Be careful that you don't over pay. Especially if you plan to resell quickly, paying too much up front can doom your plans for quick profit. Research the market for reselling and have an exit plan for selling the house in place before making an offer.
Contact us TODAY for yor FREE list of Fixer Uppers in the Tampa Bay Area
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
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The market is slow
Fixer-uppers Tampa Bay Real Estate
Always have an inspection for hidden damage performed by a home inspector or construction professional before buying a fixer-upper. Make sure that satisfactory completion of such inspections are a condition of purchase in any contract you sign. Then be sure to negotiate to try and get the seller to pay for all or part of the cost of needed repairs uncovered by the inspection. Often, sellers will be willing to lower the sales price to sell the home "as is" instead of paying for the repairs.
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