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HOMEBUYERS - First Time Homebuyer Program
The First Time Homebuyer Program makes purchasing a home more affordable for low-to-moderate income families and individuals by offering fixed, low-interest rate mortgage loans. In addition, Florida Housing also offers down payment and closing costs assistance to eligible borrowers, which can greatly reduce the out of pocket expense to the buyer.
To learn more about these programs contact Sheila Decamp 850-251-0148 or E-mail me at Sheila@ringtherivers.com
This is a great article that I found while reading through The National Association of Realtors Real Estate news. Source: McClatchy Tribune, Kate Forgach (02/07/2010) Check it out! below.....
4 Reasons to Sell Now
Selling a property in this tough market can seem like a challenge. Here are four factors that actually make this a good time to post a For-Sale sign.
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Sell low and buy low. Because all property values are down, the loss on the property a home owner sells is really only a paper loss because the next property he buys also will be a bargain. If he buys smartly, when prices come back up in a few years, he'll be in better shape.
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Down-payment help is widely available. While nothing-down loans have disappeared, it is easy to find down-payment assistance for lower-income and first-time home buyers. Programs vary all over the country, but one good way to find them is to search online for "down-payment assistance programs" and the name of your region.
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Your uncle has money to share. Besides the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit and the $6,500 move-up credit, there are an array of energy tax credits that can make home improvements pay off in cash.
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Good help is available. Really talented real estate practitioners, contractors, and designers are available and eager for business.
Source: McClatchy Tribune, Kate Forgach (02/07/2010)
To read more of this article and more great information on our Real Estate Market you can visit the link below.
http://www.realtor.org/RMODaily.nsf/pages/News2010020801?OpenDocument
For more information or questions about our Tallahassee Market you can contact me! You can reach me at 850-591-2599 or email me at julie@ringtherivers.com
Julie Cox-Money
Buyer Specialist
The Rivers Team
850-591-2599
Keller Williams Realty
Tallahassee, Florida
Check out this great article below that I came across while checking out the latest on Realtor.org GREAT news for those builders out there and an awesome sign that things are looking up in the Tallahassee Market! Check it out below.....
Builders Moving Toward Better Times
Lots of signs point to a recovery in the construction industry.
With help from a federal tax break, both Lennar Corp. and KB Home posted fourth-quarter profits - the first time since 2007 that either has been in the black.
KB Home CEO Jeffrey Mezger said in a statement: "There are indications that housing market conditions may be stabilizing in some regions, reflecting, among other things, relatively high levels of affordability."
Other signs that things are getting better:
- Residential investment increased 18.9 percent in the third quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis compared with the second quarter, according to the U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis. It was the first increase in residential investment since the fourth quarter of 2005, the government said.
- Both KB Home and Lennar are buying land.
- As sales increase, both have reduced incentives they have been offering buyers.
- Mezger says KB is increasing prices.
Source: The Los Angeles Times, Alejandro Lazo (01/13/2010)
To read more of this article and to find more great articles on Real Estate and what's going on in the market, you can click on the link below.
http://www.realtor.org/RMODaily.nsf/pages/News2010011401?OpenDocument
To find out more about the Tallahassee market you can contact me at 850-591-2599 or you can email me at julie@ringtherivers.com
Julie Cox-Money
850-591-2599
Buyer Specialist
julie@ringtherivers.com
The Rivers Team
Keller Williams Realty
Check out this great article from Realtor.org which states that Existing-home sales rose again in November as first-time buyers rushed to close sales before the original November 30 deadline for the recently extended and expanded tax credit, according to the National Association of Realtors®. If you ask me this is great news!
This article also states that Existing home sales- including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops - rose 7.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate1 of 6.54 million units in November from 6.09 million in October, and are 44.1 percent higher than the 4.54 million-unit pace in November 2008. Current sales remain at the highest level since February 2007 when they hit 6.55 million. Awesome News and now is definitely the time to buy!!
To read this full article and read all about the increase in home sales for last year you can visit the link below
http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2009/12/another_respond
Julie Cox-Money
1-850-591-2599
julie@ringtherivers.com
Buyer Specialist
The Rivers Team
Check out this great article Nine Consecutive Gains for Pending Home Salesposted by the National Association of Realtors. This article states that "Pending home sales have risen for nine months in a row, a first for the series of the index since its inception in 2001"
This article also states that "The Pending Home Sales Index,* a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in October, increased 3.7 percent to 114.1 from 110.0 in September, and is 31.8 percent above October 2008 when it was 86.6. The rise from a year ago is the biggest annual increase ever recorded for the index, which is at the highest level since March 2006 when it was 115.2"
This is Great news.....check it out!
To read this article you can click on the link below from NAR
http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2009/12/nine_sale
For more information on the Tallahassee market give me a call! You can reach me at 850-591-2599 or email me at julie@ringtherivers.com
Julie Cox-Money
850-591-2599
Buyer Specialist
The Rivers Team
julie@ringtherivers.com
If you ask me about my view on the Tallahassee Market then I would have to say the time to buy is NOW! In a recent article posted by RISMEDIA Inc. , November 25, 2009, It is stated that home prices are finally on the rise. This article states that U.S. house prices rose modestly in the third quarter of 2009 according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency's (FHFA) seasonally adjusted purchase-only house price index (HPI).
The article also states that ]the HPI, calculated using home sales price information from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac-acquired mortgages, was 0.2% higher on a seasonally adjusted basis in the third quarter than in the second quarter of 2009. The article says that over the past year, seasonally adjusted prices fell 3.8% from the third quarter of 2008 to the third quarter of 2009.
This is GREAT news and I think it is clear with home prices finally on the rise, the wonderful tax credit extension and interest rates the best they have been in years why would you not want to buy a home NOW!
To read this great article by RIS Media Inc. you can visit the link below
http://rismedia.com/2009-11-24/house-prices-increase-slightly-in-third-quarter-2009-first-quarterly-increase-since-second-quarter-2007/
For more information on the Tallahassee Market you can contact me! You can reach me at 850-591-2599 or email me at julie@ringtherivers.com
Julie Cox-Money
Buyer Specialist
The Rivers Team
850-591-2599
julie@ringtherivers.com
Big Rebound in Existing-Home Sales
Daily Real Estate News, October 23, 2009 NAR, Realtor Magazine
Existing-home sales bounced back strongly in September with first-time buyers driving much of the activity, marking five gains in the past six months, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.
Existing-home sales-including single-family, townhomes, condominiums, and co-ops-jumped 9.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.57 million units in September from a level of 5.10 million in August, and are 9.2 percent higher than the 5.10 million-unit pace in September 2008. Sales activity is at the highest level in more than two years, since it hit 5.73 million in July 2007.
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said favorable conditions matched with a tax credit are boosting home sales. "Much of the momentum is from people responding to the first-time buyer tax credit, which is freeing many sellers to make a trade and buy another home," he said. "We are hopeful the tax credit will be extended and possibly expanded to more buyers, at least through the middle of next year, because the rising sales momentum needs to continue for a few additional quarters until we reach a point of a self-sustaining recovery."
Inventory Falls
Total housing inventory at the end of September fell 7.5 percent to 3.63 million existing homes available for sale, which represents an 7.8-month supply at the current sales pace, down from an 9.3-month supply in August. Unsold inventory totals are 15.0 percent below a year ago.
"The current housing supply is the lowest we've seen in two and a half years," Yun said. "If we could continue to absorb inventory at this pace, home prices would return to normal, modest appreciation patterns next year."
Source: National Association of Realtors, Daily Real Estate News, Realtor Magazine
To read more about the current housing market, read the rest of this great article by clicking on the link below.
http://www.realtor.org/RMODaily.nsf/pages/News2009102301?OpenDocument
For more information on the Tallahassee Market give me a call!
Julie Cox-Money
Buyer Specialist
850-591-2599
julie@ringtherivers.com
The Rivers Team
You may have not decided to buy yet but a lot of fears are unfounded. Here are a few examples of past clients concerns:
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Fear: I can't afford to buy a home right now.
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Fact: Actually, you can't afford not to buy a home right now ...
Do you have any concerns that we can clear up for you? We are ready to help you and look forward to meeting soon. Please call me today at 850-591-2599 or e-mail me at julie@ringtherivers.com to set up an appointment!
Thank you,
Julie Cox-Money
850-591-2599
julie@ringtherivers.com
Buyer Specialist
The Rivers Team
Last week, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said that as the economy heals, the Fed will be very vigilant to protect against inflation. While inflation is not a problem at present, it will most certainly become a problem down the road. So why does this matter if you are considering purchasing or refinancing?
Because inflation is the arch-enemy of Bonds and home loan rates, and just the knowledge of it coming has been causing both Bonds and home loan rates to worsen in recent days. Along with the fear of inflation, the Fed's purchasing program of Mortgage Backed Securities is already slowing down, with the end of their buying in sight - and the reduced demand for these Bonds is also driving home loan rates higher.
Bottom line: home loan rates are already on the rise, and we won't likely see these low historic levels again. Interest rates are still very near historic lows - George Washington couldn't have gotten a better interest rate - and the opportunity these low rates present is huge for homebuyers or people looking to refinance. If we haven't talked recently about your own home loan situation - or if you have a friend, family member, neighbor or coworker who needs advice - please Ring the Rivers at 297-2255 or email us at MoreInfo@RingTheRivers.com.
There's no time to waste.
Thank you,
The Rivers Team
Keller Williams Town & Country Realty
850-297-2255
MoreInfo@RingTheRivers.com
View all of our listings at www.RingTheRivers.com 1520 Killearn Center Boulevard Tallahassee, FL 32309
Julie Cox-Money
Buyer Specialist
The Rivers Team
850-591-2599
julie@ringtherivers.com
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The Rivers Team, Gene and Rebekah Rivers Broker/Owner
Tallahassee,
FL
More about me…
Keller Williams Town & Country Realty
Office Phone: (850) 297-2255
Email Me
The Rivers Team blog is designed to inform you about Tallahassee Real Estate and Tallahassee and the surrounding communities. We service Tallahassee, Crawfordville, Havana, and Leon, Franklin, Gadsden, & Jefferson Counties. This blog is maintained by our agents during their on call shift. We invite you to post your comments and replies to our Tallahassee real estate and community messages. Thank you for stopping by!
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