Showing posts with label Hutchinson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hutchinson. Show all posts

Thursday, November 5, 2009

New Tax Credit Info!

The Senate voted last night (11/4) to extend and expand the tax credit for homebuyers that was scheduled to expire Nov. 30. The House is expected to schedule a quick vote on the bill as early as today 11/5 as part of a package that also extends unemployment benefits for people out of work more than a year. The White House indicated that the President will sign the legislation.

How the homebuyer tax credit would work:

· Tax credit: Ten percent of the purchase price of a primary residence, up to a maximum of $8,000 for first-time homebuyers and $6,500 for repeat buyers who purchase between December 1, 2009 and May 1, 2010. First-time homebuyers are defined as people who have not owned a home in the previous three years. Repeat buyers must have owned their current home at least five years. The credit cannot be used for houses costing more than $800,000.

· Deadline for qualifying: Purchase agreements must be signed by April 30, 2010, and closings must be final by June 30.

· Military deadline: The deadline is extended by a year for members of the military who have served outside the U.S. for at least 90 days from Jan. 1, 2009, to May 1, 2010.

· Income limits: Individuals with annual incomes up to $125,000 and joint filers with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full credit. Individuals with incomes up to $145,000 and joint filers with incomes up to $245,000 qualify for reduced credits.

· How to apply: Taxpayers can claim the credit on their federal income tax returns. If the credit exceeds their tax bill, the government will issue a payment. Taxpayers who want immediate refunds can amend their tax returns for 2008 to claim the credit.

· New anti-fraud limitations imposed.

· Cost: $10.8 billion.

Source: Bloomberg Press and Associated Press and confirmed information with the content of the Senate bill

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Weekly Market Activity Report

Weekly Market Activity Report

There is further evidence that home sellers (both traditional and lender-mediated) in the Twin Cities housing market are becoming more successful in attracting buyer interest by pricing their properties attractively from the get-go. This is having the bonus effect of limiting further extension of market time and reducing the number of price concessions. For instance, the Average Days on Market Until Sale in October was 141, down from last year by 0.8 percent. This is the first year-over-year decline in market time since we began tracking the figures in 2006.

Similarly, the Percent of Original List Price Received at Sale in October sat at 91.3 percent. While still down from last year, it is only down 1.9 percent, compared to the more robust drops of 4 percent or higher seen during most of 2008. In other words, the market is still tilted in the buyer's favor, but sellers and banks are responding with more realistic prices at the time of first listing.

For the week ending November 1, there were 21 percent fewer new listings than there were at this time last year, and 1.4 percent fewer pending sales. This is the first downward year-over-year movement in pending sales since June.

The Housing Affordability Index has increased slightly in November to 161, while November's Months Supply of Inventory shows a drop to 9 months.

Click her for Market Report Details - PDF

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Real Estate Acronyms

Q: What do all of those real estate acronyms in the ads mean?

A: If you find yourself stumbling over weird acronyms in a real estate listing, don't be alarmed. There is method to the madness of this shorthand (which is mostly adopted by sellers to save money in advertising charges). Here are some abbreviations and the meaning of each, taken from a recent newspaper classified section:

* assum. fin. -- assumable financing

* dk -- deck* gar -- garage (garden is usually abbreviated "gard")

* expansion pot'l -- may be extra space on the lot, or possibly vertical potential for a top floor or room addition. Verify actual potential by checking local zoning restrictions prior to purchase.

* fab pentrm -- fabulous pentroom, a room on top, underneath the roof, that sometimes has views

* FDR -- formal dining room (not the former president)

* frplc, fplc, FP -- fireplace

* grmet kit -- gourmet kitchen

* HDW, HWF, Hdwd -- hardwood floors

* hi ceils -- high ceilings

* In-law potential -- potential for a separate apartment. Sometimes, local zoning codes restrict rentals of such units so be sure the conversion is legal first.

* large E-2 plan -- this is one of several floor plans available in a specific building

* lsd pkg. -- leased parking area, may come with an additional cost

* lo dues -- find out just how low these homeowner's dues are, and in comparison to what?

* nr bst schls -- near the best schools

* pvt -- private

* pwdr rm -- powder room, or half-bath

* upr- upper floor

* vw, vu, vws, vus -- view(s)

* Wow! -- better check this one out.