fha: Tax Credit Would Get Buyers Off Fence
- 06/09/08 02:35 AM
Tax Credit Would Get Buyers Off Fence A temporary tax credit would be the best incentive to move hesitant home buyers into the market, the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® told Congress on Thursday. NAR said the tactic has been successful before; A 1975 temporary tax credit helped to "clear an over-supply of newly constructed homes during an economic downturn.""We urge Congress to move quickly to conference and final passage of this tax incentive," said Jim Helsel, NAR treasurer and a partner in RSR, REALTORS®, in Lemoyne, Penn. "Failure to act quickly could further stall the housing market, hurting many of our (5 comments)
fha: Fannie to Aid Underwater Loans
- 05/12/08 02:22 AM
Fannie Mae is preparing to introduce by midyear a program of refinancing mortgages for people who owe more than the current value of their homes, a situation known as being "underwater." The plan is the latest twist in efforts to contain the surge in foreclosures on homes in much of the U.S. It differs from a bill approved by the House on Thursday that would authorize the Federal Housing Administration to insure loans for distressed borrowers only after the lender has written down the principal -- something many lenders are reluctant to do. Fannie's refinance plan would result in new (6 comments)
fha: What can you buy for $400,000?
- 04/14/08 06:06 PM
What exactly will $400,000 buy in today's housing market? The real estate experts were right all along: it comes down to location, location, location. In a metro suburb or smaller city, you can buy the family dream house with all the latest upgrades. But in high-dollar areas on the West Coast or trendy urban neighborhoods in major metro centers, you might be talking about a fixer-upper or a lot less square footage. The most expensive in the country? The San Jose/Sunnyvale/Santa Clara, Calif. area, where median home prices hit $845,300 in the last quarter of 2007, according to the National Association of Realtors. The least (4 comments)