Archive for the ‘Real Estate’ Category
Homebuyer Tax Credit Makes a Great Time To Buy
This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Coldwell Banker. All opinions are 100% mine.
Right now is a great time to buy a home, not only are prices down, but with the homebuyer tax credit you can get money back for that home. I love that they have changed some of the rules for 2010 Homebuyer Tax Credits to include people who have already owned a home. This credit really did help boost the real estate business and get many homes sold, but everything was for a first time buyer, now move up buyers have their incentive.
* For first-time homebuyers, or those who have not owned in the last three years, can receive up to an $8,000 tax credit.
* Homeowners who have lived in a current home consecutively for 5 of the past 8 years can receive up to a $6,500 tax credit when purchasing a home.
* There may be no future extensions, so all qualified homebuyers are urged to act and have a written, binding contract by April 30, 2010 (close by June 30, 2010.)
* Income limits are now $125,000 for singles, $225,000 for married couples with a $20,000 phase-out of the credit for both.
Now if you fall into the eligible category you will want to do some research before you try to buy that home. If your a first time buyer look around at homes you like and find out how much they are really worth. Yes many homes have come down in price, but that doesn’t mean that you can really afford your dream home. Take a look at this video for some very good and helpful information regarding the homebuyer tax credit.
Remember now is the time to buy a home, fix it up and love it for years to come. Have fun hunting!
2010 Home Design Trends and You
I have to say I am really looking forward to 2010 when it comes to home design. I just finished reading a great article about the new 2010 trends over at Cyberhomes.com and I agree completely that the 5 design trends they list are going to be must haves for most home buyers and something that everyone is going to think they need to have done to their home to make it perfect.
What they are saying is that green and small will be in. Gone are the days of extravagant homes and way too much space. Open floor plans will still be a must and more people will want home offices as more people will be working from home. Now one thing I do agree, but at the same time do not agree with is the outdoor space idea, yes I’m sure in sunny warm climates outdoor space will continue to be a big deal and everyone is going to want outdoor kitchens and a pool. In the colder areas of the world outdoor space means nothing as you can really only use it for about 4 months, then you have to pack it up and clean up the mess. This is why I want to move to a warmer climate, I want to be outside, but it just won’t work where I live.
What about you, do you think these are the hot 2010 home design trends or is there something else your going to look for in your must have home?
Find Your Perfect Home
If you have been house hunting and still have not found the right home you may want to think about having your own home built for you. It’s not hard and it can sometimes be cheaper then buying and fixing a home. You can find home plans online and hopefully find one that is right for you.
My mother had a home built a few years ago. Her’s is a manufactured home, but she looked online to see what was available and found one she liked. She has a 2 story home and she loves it. When she was looking 2 story manufactured homes were not very common, but now they are everywhere. If she had not found one online she may never have had her dream home built.
Remember good design and well built homes are not always the most expensive thing. Sometimes you can find great deals if you just look.
What To Look For When Doing a Home Loan Modification
The economy is starting to get better, but homeowners are still feeling the pinch. I know my family is and unfortunately our bank is just takeing it’s sweet time getting anything done. Now if your a homeowner who has been looking into Loan Modification, you may want to keep reading because I have a few tips for you.
The first is to shop around, talk to people who have dealt with the companies you are looking at, find out how long it took for their loan to go though and how friendly the people were, sometimes just knowing that the person doing this loan is looking out for you and cares about what happens to you makes the process much easier.
The next step is to find an attorney that is a member of the bar and finding one that is highly rated by the BBB. An attorney like the ones at American Residential Law Group.
The biggest thing to remember when looking for any type of loan is to make sure you know what you can afford going in, research the company and find out your rights. Many people have lost more then the oppertunity for the loan just because they didn’t do research.
Save Money On Your New Home with The Housing Stimulus
Right now is a great time to buy a new home with the Housing Stimulus you now can get a lot of money just because you have decided to become a homeowner. It’s a great program and not only do you get a good deal on a new home, but you can help the economy just buy getting that new home you have always wanted.
Another great reason to check out this new program is because you can then use the money you get back to help improve the home to help up the value of the house. Yes, you may not want to sell the home any time soon, but you never know what life will give you. You may have to add on a room, update the kitchen, pull out money for unexpected health problems or maybe to send your child to college. Adding things to the home now when you have that money you will be able to pull out on the equity, though you do need to remember to only do it when you really need it.
Now I want you to think about something, what would you do with a new home and money to fix it up? I know I would go crazy and just update everything I could to match what I want in the home and what will work in the area I’m in. If I bought a home here, where I live now I would update the kitchen, but in a country look. Stainless steal here is not a big thing and that is why when you update, you need to look at what is popular close to you. If you want to know more about this great tax credit check out this video.
Technorati Tags: buying a home, economy, stimulus, tax credit