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Posts Tagged ‘first time home buyer’

You have to admit one thing, confusion always seems to abound when the federal government is involved! That’s why it is important to keep connected to professionals that cut through the confusion to help sort things out for you. That is why I am bringing you this update to the new FHA approved first time home buyer tax credit of $8000.

According to the newest Mortgagee Letter from HUD, the $8000 tax credit provided for First Time Home Buyers can be applied towards the purchase of a home using an FHA mortgage. However, this must be clarified a bit. FHA mortgage loans require a 3.5% investment on the buyer’s behalf, and this can not be provided by any third party entity, including the Federal Government! This means that as a buyer, you still need to have your own funds for this 3.5% investment in your purchase!

You can still use gift funds and any other acceptable option provided by HUD and the FHA. However, you can not use the tax credit for the minimum downpayment.

There is another item one should be worried about when using this credit… fraud. There are specific ways to use the credit and get the funds, and in some cases not knowing the difference can result in fraud. I will share more information on that in a future article very soon.

So to summarize, the newest Mortgagee Letter from HUD clarifies that a borrower can NOT use the $8,000 tax credit to satisfy the 3.5% minimal investment for an FHA mortgage loan. It CAN be used as further downpayment on a home, just not for the minimal.

UPDATED!

Please read the article posted at http://carolinamortgageconnection.foundbydesign.net/2009/06/01/update-tax-credit-as-downpayment-for-fha/ for updated important information about this tax credit!

Original Article:

The $8,000 First Time Home Buyer federal tax credit passed by the Obama Administration may be useful after all! The FHA is going to permit that tax credit to be “monetized” and used as a downpayment on an FHA mortgage loan. So if you do the numbers, you could possibly purchase a $228,500 home with no money down! After all, FHA requires 3.5% of the purchase price to be committed to the deal by the buyer, and 3.5% of $228,500 is just shy of $8,000! Of course, you’d still have closing costs and points to worry about, but with the right negotiations, they could be covered by the seller.

You may not want to buy a home quite that size, but the good news is that with this new option to use the First Time Home Buyer tax credit as a downpayment for Charlotte FHA mortgages, many new home buyers in Charlotte will have access to a tremendous home buying program!

Shaun Donovan, secretary of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) was quoted as saying:

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.

Regarding the housing market, Donovan said:

I do think we have some early signs hat the market overall is stabilizing. Since January we’ve seen both home sales moving up and down around a relatively stable number and we are seeing the first signs that the rapid decline in home prices is starting to abate.

The National Association of REALTORS has been lobbying for the use of the tax credit for first time home buyers as a downpayment for some time now and it looks as though it will pay off. Some question if using the tax credit for first time home buyers as a downpayment will rekindle a “zero down” / “no money down” marketplace and risk further issues in the future, but in the mean time this should definitely help many Charlotte first time home buyers find another reason to get off the fence!

UPDATED: TAX CREDIT CAN NOT BE USED FOR THE MINIMUM 3.5% DOWNPAYMENT AS REQUIRED BY FHA. READ MORE AT http://carolinamortgageconnection.foundbydesign.net/2009/06/01/update-tax-credit-as-downpayment-for-fha/

Mortgage Rates for Charlotte mortgages get better

Today we actually saw an improvement in mortgage rates for the Charlotte mortgage market. For the past few weeks we have consistently seen mortgage rates in Charlotte erode. However, today there was some improvement which was a welcome change.

If you are in the market to buy a home in Charlotte, or need to refinance your Charlotte home loan, now is the time to make your move. Mortgage rates are expected to continue to worsen as the summer continues, so waiting can cost you a lot of money.

I urge all Charlotte Realtors and agents to act now and get your home buyers qualified now. With the great number of homes for sale in Charlotte, this is the best opportunity to buy a home we have seen in a long time. This is especially true for First Time Home Buyers in the Charlotte NC market! With no home to sell, and only rent to walk away from, first time buyers should be jumping at the opportunities in front of them!

Act now and take advantage of the low mortgage rates available for the Charlotte area.
Apply for a Charlotte mortgage loan now and get started!

Why Charlotte NC is The Place to Buy Your First Home

Are you tired of renting? Every month you write that check for $600, $750 or over $1,000 for your rent and you have to wonder… how much home could you buy in Charlotte?

If you are thinking about buying your first home, Charlotte NC is the best bet around!

Charlotte’s real estate market is great! There is a great selection of homes available to purchase and despite the national news of falling home values, Charlotte boasts one of the few growing real estate markets in the country. So the investment you make today won’t disappear tomorrow!

Mortgage rates in Charlotte are cheap! While the entire country is still seeing great mortgage rates, Charlotte is really reaping the benefits! In addition to people buying their first home today, many Charlotte home owners are also refinancing their current mortgage. When you see mortgage refinances up, you know mortgage rates are low! And right now, you can enjoy super low mortgage rates in Charlotte.

Despite the news that it’s harder to get a mortgage today, there are still many Charlotte mortgage financing options. First time home buyers are finding it a little more tricky today, but with the right guideance and advice (from the right Charlotte loan officer of course), Charlotte home buyers can find the right mortgage product to help them get approved! FHA and VA mortgages for Charlotte are just a few of the many options available today.

So if you are still renting, you need to consider buying your first home in the Charlotte area. With a solid real estate market, great selection of homes for sale in Charlotte, super low Charlotte mortgage rates and mortgage programs designed to help first time home buyers, now is your time to buy!