Tim Houk

Ok, EVERYONE is aware of the homebuyer tax credit ending NOV 30th.  But, I want to stress the point that we essentially have 2-3 weeks to get a home under contract!  If you aren’t searching for homes, I highly suggest you start TODAY.  Everyone will be cramming in to get their loans complete before the deadline.  FHA loans are taking a little longer than usual so don’ t put yourself at risk. Go to my site, www.timhouk.com, start searching for homes. Contact me and then we will get out and preview some homes.  Unless you have a home picked out today, it will be about 6 weeks before we close.  1-2 weeks to find and negotiate a contract and then a typical 4 week closing period.  Hurry before its TOO LATE! Here are a few steps that could speed up the process:

1. Go ahead and contact your lender to get pre-approved.  If you don’t know a good lender, I have many.

2. Locate your past 2 years tax returns and last 2 months pay stubs as the lender will need them to get started.

3. Once your lender determines your price range, then think about the areas you want to live in.

4. Start searching for homes on my site

5. Lastly, CALL me!  225.301.7467

I look forward to hearing from you!

HUD: Tax Credit Can Be Used on Closing Costs
FHA-approved lenders received the go-ahead to develop bridge-loan products that enable first-time buyers to use the benefits of the federal tax credit upfront, according to eagerly awaited guidance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on so-called home buyer tax credit loans that was released today.

Under the guidance, FHA-approved lenders can develop bridge loans that home buyers can use to help cover their closing costs, buy down their interest rate, or put down more than the minimum 3.5 percent.

The loans can’t be used to cover the minimum 3.5 percent, senior HUD officials told reporters on a conference call Friday morning.

Thus, buyers applying for FHA-backed financing with an FHA-approved lender that offers a bridge-loan program can get a bridge loan to bring down the upfront costs of buying a home significantly but would still have to come up with the minimum 3.5 percent downpayment.

There remain many sources of assistance for buyers needing help with the 3.5 percent downpayment, including many state and local government instrumentalities and nonprofit lenders.

In addition, some state housing finance agencies have developed their own tax credit bridge loan programs, so buyers in states whose HFAs offer such programs can monetize the tax credit upfront to cover all or part of their downpayment. These programs are separate from what HUD announced today.

The first-time homebuyer tax credit was enacted last year–and improved upon earlier this year–to help encourage households to enter the housing market while interest rates are low and affordability is high. The credit is worth up to $8,000 and is available to households that haven’t owned a home in at least three years. The credit does not have to be repaid, and is fully reimbursable, so households can get their credit returned to them in the form of a payment.

Learn more about the credit, including how to apply for it this year even if you’ve already filed your taxes, at REALTOR.org.

100% financing is no longer available , inside the city limits, but this is close enough! While it is not immediately available, it is coming very soon.  The eight thousand dollar tax credit can be applied to down payment.  Keep in mind that when using this money, you have to stay in the home for at least three years.

From www.REALTOR.org

WASHINGTON, May 12, 2009
Shaun Donovan, secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, said that the
Federal Housing Administration is going to permit its lenders to allow homeowners to use the $8,000 tax credit as a downpayment.
Donovan’s remarks came in an address to several thousand Realtors® gathered this morning at The Real Estate Summit: Advancing the U.S. Economy, a special daylong session at the Realtors® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo here.
Secretary Donovan said that important changes, which the National Association of Realtors® has been calling for, will help consumers purchase a home. “We all want to enable FHA consumers to access the home buyer tax credit funds when they close on their home loans so that the cash can be used as a downpayment,” Donovan said. According to Donovan, the FHA’s approved lenders will be permitted to “monetize” the tax credit through short-term bridge loans. This will allow eligible home buyers to access the funds immediately at the closing table.

Here is a summary of the Tax credit