On November 6, 2009, President Obama signed a bill to extend the tax credit for first-time homebuyers (FTHBs) through June 30, 2010. The bill also opens up opportunities for others who are not buying a home for the first time.
Tax Credit for Homebuyers
First-Time Homebuyers (FTHBs): First-time homebuyers (that is, people who have not owned a home within the last three years) may be eligible for the tax credit. The credit for FTHBs is 10% of the purchase price of the home, with a maximum available credit of $8,000.
Single taxpayers and married couples filing a joint return may qualify for the full tax credit amount.
Current Owners: The tax credit program now gives those who already own a residence some additional reasons to move to a new home. This incentive comes in the form of a tax credit of up to $6,500 for qualified purchasers who have owned and occupied a primary residence for a period of five consecutive years during the last eight years.
Single taxpayers and married couples filing a joint return may qualify for the full tax credit amount.
What are the New Deadlines?
In order to qualify for the credit, all contracts need to be in effect no later than April 30, 2010 and close no later than June 30, 2010.
Tax Credit Versus Tax Deduction
It's important to remember that the tax credit is just that... a tax credit. The benefit of a tax credit is that it's a dollar-for-dollar tax reduction, rather than a reduction in a tax liability that would only save you $1,000 to $1,500 when all was said and done. So, if a first-time homebuyer were to owe $8,000 in income taxes and would qualify for a tax credit of $8,000, she would owe nothing.
Better still, the tax credit is refundable, which means the homebuyer can receive a check for the credit if he or she has little income tax liability. For example, if a first-time homebuyer is eligible for a tax credit of $8,000 but is liable for $4,000 in income tax, she can still receive a check for the remaining $4,000!
Higher Income Caps
The amount of income someone can earn and qualify for the full amount of the credit has been increased.
Single tax filers who earn up to $125,000 are eligible for the total credit amount. Those who earn more than this cap can receive a partial credit. However, single filers who earn $145,000 and above are ineligible
Joint filers who earn up to $225,000 are eligible for the total credit amount. Those who earn more than this cap can receive a partial credit. However, joint filers who earn $245,000 and above are ineligible.
Maximum Purchase Price
Qualifying buyers may purchase a property with a maximum sale price of $800,000.
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Remember, the new tax credit program includes a number of details and qualifications. For more information or answers to specific questions, please call or email me today.
In addition, you may be able to benefit from additional housing related provisions, including the following:
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Tax Incentives to Spur Energy Savings and Green Jobs
This provision is designed to help promote energy-efficient investments in homes by extending and expanding tax credits through 2010 for purchases such as new furnaces, energy-efficient windows and doors, or insulation.
Landmark Energy Savings
This provision provides $5 Billion for energy efficient improvements for more than one million modest-income homes through weatherization. According to some estimates, this can help modest-income families save an average of $350 a year on heating and air conditioning bills.
Repairing Public Housing and Making Key Energy Efficiency Retrofits To HUD-Assisted Housing
This provision provides a total of $6.3 Billion for increasing energy efficiency in federally supported housing programs. Specifically, it establishes a new program to upgrade HUD-sponsored low-income housing (for elderly, disabled, and Section 8) to increase energy efficiency, including new insulation, windows, and frames.
Expanding Housing Assistance
This provision increases support for several critical housing programs. It includes $2 Billion for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program to help communities purchase and rehabilitate foreclosed, vacant properties.
Do you think this is a good thing for the economy and housing? I would love to hear your opinion.
Questions like these are being asked by homeowners nationwide as we struggle to make sense of the current economic climate. In each case, the property owner is concerned about the value of their assessment. These FAQs were developed to assist residential property owners in understanding how real estate trends affect their assessment and how the assessed value relates to the property tax bill.
Everything I read and hear in the news media tells me housing values have dropped over the past year so why hasn't my assessment dropped?
In Wisconsin, we've been fortunate that our property values are weathering the market relativity well compared to many other areas of the country. While the news media portrays values as dropping, it speaks to an overall trend in some areas and doesn't take into account a specific neighborhood or specific properties. In actuality, some communities, and some neighborhoods, have seen values increase; many neighborhoods are experiencing fewer sales yet values remain relatively stable; and a few neighborhoods have experienced foreclosures and short sales that have driven market values lower. It's the latter neighborhoods that capture news media attention.
If your municipality happens to be conducting a revaluation this year, then your assessment will reflect the most probable market value. A revaluation sets all properties at market value as of January 1 and establishes the relationships of one property to another. Those relationships remain until the next revaluation. If your community is not conducting a revaluation this year, then your assessment will likely not be adjusted if the only change occurring is the same market adjustment that the rest of the community is experiencing. Just as your assessment didn't go up each year when property values where rapidly increasing, your assessment will not be adjusted downward just because values are declining. The reason for this is twofold. If all values are going up or all values are going down, it doesn't change the relationship of one property to another and therefore doesn't change the tax burden relationships.
Secondly, in order to contain costs, most municipalities do not perform a revaluation every year. It is the revaluation process that adjusts everybody's value to reflect those properties which have sold.
Wouldn't my property taxes go down if the assessor lowered home values in our community?
Not necessarily. To illustrate how the levy affects your assessment we'll look at Badgertown; a community of two. Each resident owns a house valued at $100,000. Badgertown's tax levy is $2,000; the amount needed to cover its expenses. Since each resident owns 50% of the total property, they each pay 50% of the levy giving them each a tax bill of $1,000.
If property values in Badgertown go up 10%, then each property is assessed at $110,000. The amount they pay in taxes, however, remains the same. Each resident still owns 50% of the total property in Badgertown and must pay 50% of the $2,000 tax levy or $1,000. And what if values start dropping? Residents' property might drop to $80,000 each but because they each still own 50% of the property, and Badgertown still needs to collect $2,000, they will continue to see a $1,000 property tax bill.
The family across the street was foreclosed on by the bank who sold their home for a lot less than the assessed value. Isn't that proof my assessment should be lowered?
Usually not. Foreclosed properties are being marketed under duress and frequently sell at discount prices. While there have been more foreclosure-related sales during 2008 and 2009 than any time during the past 20 years, foreclosure sales have always been part of the market. In this downturn, Wisconsin has fared better than most states as real estate values adjust to the economic climate. Just as foreclosure-related sales are frequently not an indicator of market value when values are rising, they are not necessarily an indicator of value in a declining market and are not normally considered by the assessor when determining the market value of property in a community. In fact, Wisconsin law, appraisal standards, and Wisconsin courts, require very specific criteria for a sale to be considered as a reliable indicator of market value. Two of the most important of these criteria are whether the sale occurred under duress (such as a forced sale) and whether the property had adequate market exposure. For example, a property that sells two weeks after it's listed may have sold quickly because it was under-priced. This may be an indication of a duress situation, requiring closer review by the assessor, to verify whether is was an arms length transaction. In most cases, looking at non-foreclosure sales is the most reliable way to gauge what is actually happening with neighborhood values.
There are times when the majority of homes that are selling in your neighborhood tend to be around the same price as foreclosure-related sales. In this case, they may represent a reasonable picture of market value
Why am I paying taxes on an assessment that's higher than my property is worth?
Property owners know their assessment is used to calculate their December tax bill. What many taxpayers find confusing is that the assessment is only one part of the equation for computing the property tax. The other variable used to compute property taxes is the tax levy.
The levy represents the budgets established by the municipality, schools, etc. to cover their expenses. Those expenses are apportioned among property owners according to the percentage of ownership they have in the total property of the municipality. Thus, the actual tax bill is dependant on both the amount of all the taxing jurisdiction levies and the proportion of your assessment to the total value of property in the community. If you own 1% of the property value in your community, then you will pay 1% of the tax levy. It is the proportion of your assessment to the total value of the community that affects your tax bill, not the assessment number itself.
Said another way, your municipality must collect a certain amount; no more, no less. It divides that amount among all owners in proportion to the amount of property they own. Whether the property in the municipality is assessed at 90% of market value or 110% of its market value has no effect on your particular tax bill so long as your neighbors are also being assessed at that same 90% or 110%. This is the concept of uniformity and the basis for Wisconsin tax law.
An increase or decrease in the assessment of an individual property does not predict whether the tax bill for that property will go up, down, or remain the same.
Additional information is available at the following websites: Wisconsin Department of Revenue's Guide for Property Owners
WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE Division of State & Local Finance Bureau of Assessment Practices P.O. Box 8971, MS 6-97 Madison, WI 53708-8971 Phone: (608) 266-7750 (608) 266-7750 Fax: (608) 267-0835 E-Mail Additional Questions
Many of you ask us "What is going on in my local housing market?" We will continue to update this on a monthly basis so bookmark this page and visit often...
Below you will find sales data for Waukesha, Jefferson and Dane Counties. These sales are single family homes only. If you would like to see postings on Condos, land or any other county let us know.
Compare 2008 vs 2009 notice the Days On Market as well as the average sale price difference. This is a good time to buy your first home or move up in size. If you are curious on the value of your home visit
Of these 21 sales were in Brookfield, 3 in Delafield, 5 in Hartland, 22 in Menomonee Falls, 9 in Mukwonago,9 in Muskego, 33 in New Berlin, 20 in Oconomowoc, 9 in pewaukee, 9 in Sussex, 52 in Waukesha. Other areas were 31. Click to view listings (may take a mintue to load, report only good 30 days.)
This Search Waukesha county over $400,000 2009
Original Price
List Price
Sale Price
CDOM
Price Chg
% Price Chg
This Search (37 Matches)
Average
$668,504
$632,177
$582,619
219
$-56,004
-8.26%
Median
$549,765
$499,900
$460,000
143
$-30,050
-6.69%
Low
$419,000
$414,000
$386,000
7
$-176,000
-18.49%
High
$1,575,000
$1,575,000
$1,520,000
885
$-10,000
-2.22%
37 w/Orig. Pr.
37
37 sold
37
24 changed price
Of these 2 sales were in Brookfield,3 in Elm Grove, 5 in Delafield, 2 in Hartland, 1 in Menomonee Falls, 4 in Merton, 2 in Mukwonago,3 in Muskego, 1 in New Berlin, 3 in Oconomowoc, 5 in pewaukee, 1 in Waukesha. Click to view listings (report only active for 30 days)
This Search Waukesha county under $400,000 October 2008
Original Price
List Price
Sale Price
CDOM
Price Chg
% Price Chg
This Search (206 Matches)
Average
$265,918
$257,892
$246,628
112
$-19,919
-7.24%
Median
$259,900
$249,900
$240,000
76
$-15,000
-4.98%
Low
$74,900
$40,000
$32,000
1
$-90,000
-46.6%
High
$489,900
$400,000
$399,900
579
$9,000
6%
Number of listings
206 w/Orig. Pr.
206
206 sold
206
83 changed price
Of these 18 sales were in Brookfield, 3 in Elm Grove, 6 in Delafield, 6 in Hartland, 22 in Menomonee Falls, 6 in Mukwonago, 8 in Muskego, 21 in New Berlin, 23 in Oconomowoc, 15 in pewaukee, 3 in Sussex, 50 in Waukesha.
This Search Waukesha county over $400,000 October 2008
Original Price
List Price
Sale Price
CDOM
Price Chg
% Price Chg
This Search (41 Matches)
Average
$649,493
$628,612
$588,298
155
$-40,767
-5.69%
Median
$519,900
$514,900
$500,000
81
$-25,000
-4.35%
Low
$400,000
$400,000
$315,000
6
$-185,000
-16.67%
High
$1,935,000
$1,799,000
$1,620,000
545
$25,000
5.56%
Number of listings
41 w/Orig. Pr.
41
41 sold
41
21 changed price
Of these 5 sales were in Brookfield,1 in Elm Grove, 2 in Delafield, 4 in Hartland, 2 in Menomonee Falls, 2in Merton, 1 in Mukwonago,3 in Muskego, 4 in New Berlin, 4 in Oconomowoc, 6 in pewaukee, 1 in Waukesha.
This Search Jefferson County October 2009
Original Price
List Price
Sale Price
CDOM
Price Chg
% Price Chg
This Search (52 Matches)
Average
$208,223
$199,568
$187,325
133
$-18,002
-8.1%
Median
$176,450
$176,450
$171,450
95
$-10,850
-6.67%
Low
$35,000
$35,000
$42,500
1
$-89,100
-18.93%
High
$995,000
$995,000
$750,000
756
$-3,000
-2.46%
Number of listings
52 w/Orig. Pr.
52
52 sold
52
25 changed price
Of these sales 9 were in Fort Atkinson, 7 in Ixonia, 3 in jefferson, 1 in Johnson Creek, 6 in Lake Mills, 12 were in Watertown Click to view listing(s) (report only good for 30 days)
This Search Jefferson County October 2008
Original Price
List Price
Sale Price
CDOM
Price Chg
% Price Chg
This Search (52 Matches)
Average
$195,490
$186,200
$176,564
175
$-15,097
-7.5%
Median
$176,200
$171,200
$163,500
149
$-10,000
-5.32%
Low
$60,000
$60,000
$55,000
9
$-74,900
-32.41%
High
$649,900
$575,000
$510,000
656
$15,000
5.88%
Number of Sales
52 w/Orig. Pr.
52
52 sold
52
32 changed price
Of these sales 9 were in Fort Atkinson, 4 in Ixonia, 9 in jefferson, 1 in Johnson Creek, 8 in Lake Mills, 15 were in Watertown
I work with several clients that are looking in a large area for homes. They also want very specific items, such as fireplace in the master bedroom.
Searching online by yourself is fun and many of clients still do it. Let me save you some time. I have a more advanced searching site than the general public. Here I searched for homes in a mapped out area. I can change this map at anytime for a client.
I can even log in and view your list of likes and dislikes
Here are some examples of items I can add to your search. Do you only want vinyl siding? I can put that in a search. Do you only want a ranch or cape cod style?
Here are some interior features. Do you only want a forced air system for heating?
Some of my clients want a room to be a certain size. For instance if you want all bedrooms to be at least 12x12 I can enter that data in as well. Do you want a 2 story home with a master on the main floor? I can find it.
However with all these options I caution buyers on becoming too specific. When looking for a home you should create a "must have" list and a "I want list". You must have 2 bathrooms but you can live with a 2 car garage vs. 3 car garage. I have had buyers tell me they want one style of home and end up buying something completely different. I am OK with that, as long as you are happy in your home. When starting your search put in your "the must haves". This will email you a larger list. You can start to narrow the list after you have looked at few homes.
I hope this helps. Good luck with your home searches. If I can be of any assistance don't hesitate to email. Even if you aren't looking to move for 3 years I can still put you in our system.
When you search homes for sale, you will always see homes listed at $149,900 or $249,900. Why is that? Do you think the home is a deal because it is priced below $150,000 or $250,000?
I am guilty of this myself. In the past I would price homes with this strategy or at an odd price like $148,874 to make it stand out.
I started to think like a buyer and I just recently started pricing homes at an even number. For example $150,000. When do buyers search for homes under $149,900? I am going to guess never. They put in an even number. Some websites only allow you to search by a predetermined drop down box. Buyers may also put in a minimum price range when they search. (Homes between $150,000-$200,000)
So if you price your listing at $149,900 and a buyer puts in a max of $150,000 your listing will show up in the search. It will also show up if you price it at $150,000.
However if a buyer searches between $150,000 and $200,000 your listing at $149,900 will not show up in their search. If you price it at $150,000 it will show up in a buyers search.
Are you curious on the value of your home? Go to www.YourLocalHomeValue.com fill out some information about your home. Then you will be sent a computer generated report for your area. (sorry south central/Milwaukee wisconsin area only)
Many of you ask us "What is going on in my local housing market?" We will continue to update this on a monthly basis so bookmark this page and visit often...
Below you will find sales data for Waukesha, Jefferson and Dane Counties. These sales are single family homes only. If you would like to see postings on Condos, land or any other county let us know.
Compare 2008 vs 2009 notice the Days On Market as well as the average sale price difference. This is a good time to buy your first home or move up in size. If you are curious on the value of your home visit
Compared to last year. Average sale price was only down $6,000 and total units was down for under $400,000 Sales were up for homes above $400,000 on average of $20,000 with 4 more total units compared to 2008
Guaranteed Rural Housing (GRH) financing with a 30 year fixed rate mortgage is available for buyers who do not exceed moderate income limits, have good credit history, and have stable income with...
• No Money Down!
• Low 30 Year Fixed Rate!
• All One Loan!
• No Reserves Needed!
• No Monthly Mortgage Insurance!
• Can Finance Closing Costs!
• No Mortgage Limits!
• Low Monthly Payments!
• Eligible For The $8,000 Tax Credit!
Call Steve Baumann Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. 771 Lois Drive, Sun Prairie, WI 53590 608-834-1333 ext 26 608-575-8384 Cell steveb@fairwaymc.com
It's My Life... It's Now or Never! The lyrics from Bon Jovi's hit song say it all. This month's edition is all about understanding and taking advantage of opportunities now... before it's too late.
You've probably heard a lot about the $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers. But did you know the $8,000 tax credit is about to end? The first article below provides details about the tax credit that you need to know. Another opportunity you don't want to miss is a low interest rate. Interest rates have dipped near historic lows, but the second article below explains how you can avoid a costly mistake when it comes to rates.
This information is important for anyone who has even thought about purchasing a home or refinancing. So please forward this newsletter to friends, family members, and coworkers who may benefit from this information. And if you need any assistance at this time, just call or email.
$8,000 Tax Credit Nears End
The government is offering an $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers - that is, folks who haven't owned a home during the past three years. According to the plan, first-time homebuyers who purchase a home may be eligible for the lower of an $8,000 or 10% of the value of the home tax credit.
However, the program is scheduled to end soon. In fact, the Internal Revenue Service recently reminded potential first-time buyers that they must complete their first-time home purchases before December 1, 2009 to qualify for the special credit, which means the last day to close on a home and qualify for the credit is November 30, 2009. In other words, right now is the time to take advantage of this opportunity.
Here's some information to help you understand what the tax credit benefits are and who qualifies.
Benefits of the Tax Credit
It's important to remember that the $8,000 tax credit is just that... a tax credit. It's a dollar-for-dollar tax reduction, rather than a reduction in a tax liability that would only save you $1,000 to $1,500 when all was said and done. So, if you were to owe $8,000 in income taxes and would qualify for the $8,000 tax credit, you would owe nothing.
Better still, the incentive is refundable, which means you can receive a check for the credit even if you have little income tax liability. For example, if you're liable for $4,000 in income tax, you can offset that $4,000 with half of the tax incentive... and still receive a check for the remaining $4,000!
Who Qualifies?
The $8,000 incentive starts phasing out for couples with incomes above $150,000 and single filers with incomes above $75,000 and is phased out completely at incomes of $170,000 for couples and $95,000 for single filers. To break down what this phase-out means, the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) offers the following examples:
Example 1: Assume that a married couple has a modified adjusted gross income of $160,000. The applicable phase-out threshold is $150,000, and the couple is $10,000 over this amount. Dividing $10,000 by $20,000 yields 0.5. When you subtract 0.5 from 1.0, the result is 0.5. To determine the amount of the partial first-time homebuyer incentive to this couple, multiply $8,000 by 0.5. The result is $4,000.
Example 2: Assume that an individual homebuyer has a modified adjusted gross income of $88,000. The buyer's income exceeds $75,000 by $13,000. Dividing $13,000 by $20,000 yields 0.65. When you subtract 0.65 from 1.0, the result is 0.35. Multiplying $8,000 by 0.35 shows that the buyer is eligible to reduce the tax liability by $2,800.
Remember, these are general examples. Borrowers should consult a tax advisor to provide guidance relevant to their specific circumstances.
What Type of Home Qualifies?
The tax credit is applicable to any home that will be used as a principal residence. Based on that guideline, qualifying "homes" include single-family detached homes, as well as attached homes such as townhouses and condominiums. In addition, manufactured homes and houseboats used for principal residence also qualify. Buyers will have to repay the credit if they sell their homes within three years.
Avoid This Costly Mistake
If you've been following the financial news, you've probably heard that the Fed's been buying Mortgage Backed Securities. Unfortunately, people have picked up on the news and mistakenly discussed how these purchases will continue to cause rates to drop lower. But is that really what it means? No.
The following information can help set the record straight and help you make smart decisions that lead to a low interest rate for your home loan.
How is the Fed's Bond Purchase Related to Rates?
The Fed has been buying Mortgage Bonds. BUT... more precisely, they're buying a lot of FNMA 30-yr 5.0% and 5.5% Bonds. Many of the mortgages in these pools are outstanding home loans with rates between 6.0% and 6.5%, as the rate that a borrower pays is different than the coupon rate given to an investor buying into that mortgage pool, with the difference being taken by Wall Street firms and government agencies. The loans in these pools are likely to be refinanced and paid - because current rates make it very attractive to refinance a loan over 6.0%. Thus, giving the Fed a quick recoup on some of its investment.
Bottom line: The Fed's purchase of higher rate coupons will not necessarily help rates to move lower, as their actions do not impact the loans being originated at today's low rates.
The Problem Is...
Many consumers are in situations where they can refinance now and save hundreds of dollars a month on their mortgage payments. But if they hear people throwing around teases of lower rates ahead, they may decide to hold off on making the decision to save, in the hopes of gaining a few more dollars of savings per month if a lower rate came their way. Of course, while they're waiting, rates could turn higher - especially when you consider that the Fed is scaling back its purchases of Mortgage Backed Securities - and this window of opportunity could pass them by entirely. Is the Fed Scaling Back? And What Will It Mean to Rates? Last week, the New York Fed began to scale back their Mortgage Backed Security purchase program. The Fed has been buying about $25 Billion worth of Mortgage Backed Securities per week, but the new plan to drag out these purchases over a longer period of time means that they will be reducing both the frequency and amounts of their purchases. This will cause higher levels of volatility, as the Fed will be purchasing less often and less consistently. As a result, rates will probably rise gradually over time.
Here's the Clincher
Even if consumers are ultimately able to time the market perfectly and save another few bucks per month, they could still end up losing. That's because while they delayed, they lost the savings each month they could have gained by taking action sooner. In other words, they may have lost hundreds of dollars for every month they waited. So even if they got lucky and obtained the rate they were looking for, it could take years to make up what they lost by waiting.
I don't want anyone to miss an opportunity by either waiting or misunderstanding the media headlines. Let's talk further on this. Email me, and let's discuss what this might mean for you. The material contained in this newsletter has been prepared by an independent third-party provider. The material provided is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, financial, real estate and/or mortgage advice. Although the material is deemed to be accurate and reliable, there is no guarantee it is not without errors. As your Trusted Advisor, I always want to make sure you are clear on all details of the home financing process.
If you or someone you know are interested in purchasing or refinancing a home, give me a call today!
Steve Baumann Fairway Independent Mortgag steveb@fairwaymc.com
There are numerous ways to price your home in today's market. The most popular is the appraisal method. With this method you find 3-6 properties similar to your home that have sold in the last 1-3 months. Some appraisers will go back 3-6 months if they need to. This is a good way to solidify a purchase price. However this is past data.
If you are looking to be competitive and sell in today'smarket you have to look at another option. Put your self in the position of the buyer and look at active listings. How can you compete against the homes that are already on the market. Number one is price but you can also other features that make you more appealing. How much is that worth to a buyer? Remember don't go overboard. Buyers are savvy and will always look at price.
Lets take a look a the two examples. Lets say you have a average 3 bedroom 2 bath ranch in a good size subdivision. If you find 3 properties identical to your home and they all sold within the last 3 months with an average sale price of $245,000. You could list the home for $249,900 and expect offer in the $245,000 price range. Would you agree? There is no guarantee your home will sell for this.
With my method we take active listings. We are still looking at the same 3 sold comps but we are competing against 6 other homes that are on the market from $235,000-$245,000. If you list at the $249,900 you are chasing the market and will only help sell your neighbors home. I am sure they will thank you for that.
If we price the home at the $235,000 we are now leading the market and your neighbor will help sell your home in a quicker time frame. Then you can go thank them.
Are you curious on the value of your home? Go to www.YourLocalHomeValue.com fill out some information about your home. Then you will be sent a computer generated report for your area. (sorry south central/Milwaukee wisconsin area only)
Do you have a business page on facebook? If not these is an easy way to separate personal from business posts. Posts appear on your fans walls giving them up the minute information on the market and current conditions. I have an rss feed built in from my activerain blog. As soon as I post a blog it feeds into twitter, linkedin and facebook.
With Facebook Connect, you can incorporate your users' true identities as represented on Facebook whenever they visit your site. By integrating their personal, privacy and account information, you can add Facebook's rich social context to the content they create on your site. Likewise, you can publish information to Facebook based on the actions your users take on your site. You can also dynamically show which of your users' Facebook friends already have accounts on your site.
There's no need to build a complete application on Facebook (you only need to configure a basic application to get an API key and provide the callback and canvas page URLs). You simply use your current site and connect to Facebook using Facebook Platform.
The end result is that you'll get distribution on Facebook for the social actions users take on your site. So when a user takes a social action (such as reviewing a book or album, or posting content on your site), it generates a News Feed story on Facebook. Or you can call users.getInfo from the Facebook API and get a user's name and profile picture (or even something like his or her Facebook status) and have that appear for the user on your site.
In summary, Facebook Connect is:
Simple: With a single sign-on process, users can easily log in to your site and Facebook using the same account.
Social: Integrate your users' Facebook social graphs with their social graphs on your site to provide better content with a social context.
Seamless: Publish the actions users take on your site on Facebook.
Synchronized: Keep your users' personal and friend data in sync with Facebook.
Up to date information on Wisconsin Real Estate. Search for information about Personal Listings of Your Local Home Team and all other homes for sale in Johnson Creek, Jefferson, Fort Atkinson, Cambridge, Lake Mills, Watertown, Oconomowoc, Delafield, Waukesha, Brookfield, Pewaukee and Hartland on our site. Also, we offer information about all southern Wisconsin cities and all Wisconsin schools. We will be adding posts from mortgage and insurance professionals as well as financial advisors on the benefits of home ownership.
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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