8000 tax credit: The Rental Vacancy Rate Soars – How will This Affect Home Sales? - 10/12/09 11:48 AM
The vacancy rate for apartments and other rentals has now hit its highest point since 1986.  The slow job market has left a dent in the demand for housing, particularly during the recent summer rental months.  
This is not good news for home sellers since the air that is leaving the rental market will drive down the cost of rents, making renting a more desirable option for some potential home buyers. 
Reis Inc., a New York real-estate research firm that tracks vacancies and rents, reported that the U. S. vacancy rates reached 7.8%, a 23-year high in the top 79 rental markets.  During the winter months, … (44 comments)

8000 tax credit: Extending the $8,000 Tax Credit - Massachusetts Blog - 08/19/09 12:31 PM
As first-time home buyers in Massachusetts race against the clock to take advantage of the current $8,000 tax incentive, some of our Senators are racing to get the bill renewed.  
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has been working on the bill and he says he expects Congress to extend it into the new year. 
The tax credit, which was approved as part of the federal stimulus package, is currently set to expire on December 1. 
So far, the program has encouraged around 2.5 million first-time home buyers to make their move toward the purchase a home.  And, according to the National Association of Realtors, … (10 comments)

8000 tax credit: Pending Home Sales Rise - Massachusetts Blog - 05/05/09 04:40 AM
Is the housing meltdown coming to an end? 
According to the National Association of Realtors, pending home sales rose in March.  The pending home sale index rose 3.2 percent to 84.6 from 83.7 in March 2008.  It was also up from February's reading of 82. 
It has been a good year for first-time home buyers in Massachusetts who have seized the opportunity with low interest rates, low prices and the government's $8,000 tax credit program which will be in place until the end of this year. 
According to chief economist, Lawrence Yun, 
"We need several months of sustained growth to demonstrate … (0 comments)