Tax Credit Deadline Approaching - No fooling!

No fooling around, the tax credit for home purchases is approaching fast!!

Home buyers will qualify for the tax credit until April 30, 2010* (as long as they have entered a binding contract), and have an additional 2 months (until June 30, 2010*) to close the transaction. Borrower income limits have been increased to $125,000 for individuals and $225,000 for couples (up from $75,000 and $150,000 respectively under the current program). The legislation includes a tax credit not exceeding $6,500 for move up buyers who have owned their current homes for at least 5 years.

If you are considering a move and buying a new home, NOW is the time to act. Not only for first time buyers but for buyers wanting to downsize, or up size who have owned their homes for 5 years or more, you qualify for some credit as well!

Interest rates have been staying stable and are still at record lows!!! There are still no downpayment loans available thru VA loans. Contact us to see how you may qualify!

You probably know someone who has been hurt greatly by the economic times. The InSight Team's heart is to help point you towards the right product for your home financing. One that even with economic uncertainity, you can have peace.

For an Honest Approach to Home Financing, please give us a call at 816-510-1399 or visit us at www.wantinsight.com

Michele "MAC". A Cole
Business Development
Jewel Callahan
Mortgage Consultant
www.wantinsight.com

Great News!! Tax Credit Extended and Expanded!!

President Obama signed into law legislation extending and expanding the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit. This a victory for consumers and the housing industry.

Under the legislation, home buyers will qualify for the tax credit until April 30, 2010* (as long as they have entered a binding contract), and have an additional 2 months (until June 30, 2010*) to close the transaction. Borrower income limits have also been increased to $125,000 for individuals and $225,000 for couples (up from $75,000 and $150,000 respectively under the current program). The legislation also includes a tax credit not exceeding $6,500 for move up buyers who have owned their current homes for at least 5 years.

If you are considering a move and buying a new home, NOW is the time to act. Not only for first time buyers but for buyers wanting to downsize, or up size who have owned their homes for 5 years or more, you qualify for some credit as well!

Interest rates have been staying stable and are still at record lows!!! There are still no downpayment loans available thru VA or USDA loans. Contact us to see how you may qualify!

You probably know someone who has been hurt greatly by the economic times. The InSight Team's heart is to help point you towards the right product for your home financing. One that even with economic uncertainity, you can have peace.

Pleaes feel free to give us a call at 816-510-1399 or visit us at www.wantinsight.com

Michele "MAC". A Cole
Business Development
Jewel Callahan
Mortgage Consultant
www.wantinsight.com

Tax Credit Extended??

The current first time homebuyer tax credit is set to expire on December 1, 2009. However, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says that the governement may extend it and expand it.

There is consideration that they may increase the tax credit from $8000 to $15,000 and possibly include all purchases or purchases involving new home construction!

This would be a huge benefit to the housing market as well as to the economy as a whole. The National Association of Realtors has asked Congress to extend the credit due the estimated 350,000 buyers who would not of bought homes without the credit. They also indicate that it brough 1.2 million new buyers into the market! Wow!!!!

At least, lawmakers are requesting a 6 month extension on the original first time tax buyer credit. Even if you are not a first time buyer, the tax credit may still benefit you. Please give us a call or email us and we will be happy to answer any further questions you might have!

The InSight Team is here to help you make choices you can live with today....and in the future.

Blessings

Michele "MAC" A. Cole
Business Development Rep
www.wantinsight.com

Tax Credit Deadline Coming Quickly

The First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit deadline is near! If you are out looking for a home and haven't owned a home at all or haven't owned one in the last three years, this tax credit could be advantageous for you. For all the details and how it could benefit you please visit http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/2009/index.html.

The InSight Team will work with you efficiently to help you get your financing in place and your home loan closed prior to the December 1st deadline. Please visit our website at www.wantinsight.com for information on how to contact us. We offer first time buyer financing loans as well as many other options, and have some of the better interest rates available in the area.

Let The InSight Team lend insight into your home financing needs.

Blessings
Michele Cole
www.wantinsight.com
michele@wantinsight.com

IT'S TIME TO GET OFF THE FENCE

Our local Kansas City housing market is beginning to heat up this summer and the national economy is still showing signs of improvement. But, as a first-time buyer are you still on the fence? You could feel the pain if you don’t take action soon!!

Time is running out on the $8,000 federal government’s tax credit. Don’t be deceived by the December 1 end date. Remember, the purchase loan must be closed by December 1 in order to qualify for the tax credit. Having a signed contract or having loan approval isn’t enough for obtaining the credit.

Look at the timeline from the closing date backwards to see why you need to start NOW. The average time, from final signatures on the contract to sitting at the closing table and getting the keys to your new home, is generally 45-60 days. So, to meet the Dec. 1 deadline, you’ll need to have a home under contract by late September or very early October.

Are you thinking that it’s doable in only 2 months? Well, lots can happen during the home search and loan approval process, and two months can fly by fast. And then there are possible issues after the contract is in place which may affect the closing date. Please contact us, InSight Mortgage Group, to start your preapproval process now.

For first-time buyers the purchase process can take a bit longer than for experienced purchasers. Home buying is a complicated process, and you’ll need the guidance of a good realtor and lender.

CONSIDER:

Competition: Some neighborhoods with homes for sale (inventory) are selling fast in the greater Kansas City metro area. Certain areas are especially appealing for first-time buyers, and with the tax credit available only to first-time buyers, these areas are seeing a competitive market. Mix into that foreclosures with really low asking prices. Investors are very active in scooping up these low priced homes.

Contingencies & Disclosures: The seller must disclose any material facts about the property, including lawsuits or claims of ownership on the property, and any known property defects. If questions arise during the buyers review of the disclosure, final signatures on the contract can be delayed. Contingencies can also impact the negotiating process, causing additional delays.

Loan Approval: Right now, interest rates are at all time lows for credit-worthy buyers. But, new laws are impacting the approval process and lenders are requiring more and more detailed paperwork from buyers. Obtaining a preapproval prior to making an offer is a high priority in the purchase process.
Appraisal: The lender orders an appraisal on the property, which determines the value of the property being purchased. An appraiser looks at the interior and exterior condition of the property, and compares it to very recent sales of similar properties close by. Most appraisals are now ordered through a third party appraisal management company, adding another layer of time to the process. And, laws implemented recently also added more paperwork to the appraisal process, which impacts turnaround time for completion.

Inspections: It is generally recommended that buyers hire a professional company to conduct an inspection of the property. Depending upon the findings, if repairs are needed, negotiations are reopened and more time is required to come to some sort of resolution.

Holidays: When looking at a closing date it important to remember the upcoming holiday season. Many people are involved in the closing process for a real estate contract: the buyers and sellers real estate agents, lenders, attorneys, inspection companies, appraisers, appraisal management companies, and escrow/title company offices. A lot of people wait to the end of the year to take their vacation time, and especially near the Thanksgiving weekend. It’s not unheard of, unfortunately, to have crucial paperwork sitting in a pile on the desk of a vacationing worker.

Short Sales & Foreclosures : Offers on these properties almost always take much longer for an answer than traditional MLS marketed homes. Some agents have reported that the companies handling these homes are overwhelmed with paperwork, are understaffed, and that it can take up to 3 months before an answer to an offer is received!

With the encouraging signs in the housing market being reported recently i.e:
* Nationally there’s a 6 month supply of homes priced under $250k (CNBC)
* Existing home sales in June were up, 3rd straight month for increased sales
* Only 31% of all sales were distressed properties – indicating reduced inventory
* Median price of an existing home increased in June, to $181,800.
* Higher prices than six months ago, each month making small gains
those knowledgeable in the housing industry are predicting that average home prices may NOW be very close to fair value, and the bottom of the market is behind us.

If you, or someone you know, may still be sitting on the fence waiting for the “right time” to jump into homeownership, don’t wait any longer. Call us at 913-642-3334 or email us at michele@wantinsight.com or dickw@wantinsight.com to start your preapproval process. Be smart and invest in your future today! Blessings.

More Encouraging Signs

I’m seeing less stridently negative headlines these days; how about you? Not so much doom and gloom; a bit more moderate. That in itself is what I consider good news!

We’ve all made lifestyle adjustments -- cutting back or eliminating non-essential spending, hiding the credit cards and paying cash, maybe even refinanced a mortgage loan into a lower rate to save a few hundred dollars a month.

Within the past few days additional positive news has surfaced – though not screaming headlines; maybe “page 2” style.

Monday, July 20 saw a economic survey released which indicated an easing in the economy, but not an end to the recession. Sara Johnson, IHS Global Insight’s managing director of global macroeconomics, said “ the survey provides new evidence that the U.S. recession is abating, but few signs of an immediate recovery”. She assisted the National Association for Business Economics with the analyzation of the survey.

The recession, which started in December of 2007, is the deepest in 30+ years, and also is the longest since the Great Depression. Most economists are looking to the second half of 2009 for the return of economic growth, but a sluggish recovery is what is expected. Also, the survey indicated a wide disagreement about if the economy had bottomed out or not. 55% of those surveyed said the bottom has not been reached, while 45% replied that the worst was over.

Also on Monday, new construction starts for single family homes were up for the second straight month. The numbers were higher than expected according to economists.

National real estate brokerage ZipRealty released inventory data indicating our housing market is beginning to stabilize. They look at 28 markets across the country. The drop in MLS-listed homes was 2.1% from May through June 2009. And, they saw a slight increase in the median list price, June over May. Many of the hardest hit markets, such as California, have seen dramatic decreases of inventory; 14 straight months of sales growth! And equally hard hit Florida has seen 9 straight months of sales growth too. The word this summer appears to be “affordability”.

With the first time buyers tax credit, historic low interest rates, declining inventory of homes, and increased buyer activity, we should see sales prices and homes values increase as we go into autumn.

Let InSight Mortgage Group analyze your specific financial situation and offer solutions customized to your needs. Don’t sit on the fence any longer; the time is NOW to take action. Please give us a call,913-642-3334 or email us at michele@wantinsight.com or dickw@wantinsight.com. Blessings

STRENGTH IN FIRST-TIME BUYER SALES

Although March saw a slowing in existing home sales, low mortgage rates and tax credits are drawing first time buyers into the market according the National Association of Realtors.

NAR chief economist, Lawrence Yun, indicated that with the modest ups and downs recently seen in the market, it appears to be stabilizing. “The share of lower priced home sales has trended up, indicating a return of many first-time home buyers, which we also see in a parallel member survey”, he said. “Sales in the upper price ranges have stalled because of higher interest rates on jumbo loans.”

March ’09 saw a rise in home prices, with the national median existing-home price for all types of properties at $175,000, although it is down 12.4% from March 2008. But, the increase in March was 4.2%, which is more than double the 1.8% seasonal increase usually seen at this time. Over half the March transactions were distressed properties which typically sell for 20% less than traditional homes.

The March survey conducted by NAR of its practioners indicated 53% of transactions were first-time buyers. Yun said “buyer traffic has been rising, and real estate offices are getting phone inquires about the tax credit.” “By early summer we should be seeing a positive impact on home sales from record low mortgage rates in addition to the stimulus provisions.”
The Midwest region has fared better than the other regions in the country. March’s median price was $141,300, a drop of 6.1% from a year ago, compared to an 18.4% drop in the Northeast, 12.2% in the South, and 11.1% in the West.

At InSight Mortgage Group we can provide you with clear, concise information on the $8,000 first-time buyer tax credit, in addition to finding you the right loan program to fit your specific needs. Call us at 913-642-3334 or email me at michele@wantinsight.com. We look forward to working with you. Blessings.

A GLIMMER of SUNSHINE

Demand for purchase loans rose the first week in April even though interest rates rose slightly from record lows, even outreaching the demand for refinancing. This gives hope to the hard-hit housing market as Spring approaches, generally the high season for purchases.

The Mortgage Bankers Association and various lenders have reported an increase in applications these past few weeks. We,at InSight Mortgage Group, have been blessed with many new applications. Many economists believe that our economy will begin to emerge from its slump when the housing market stabilizes. And the growing demand of refi’s due to the low rates available, can provide some relief to burdened consumers by providing them with lower monthly payments.

A ray of hope is actually found in Calilfornia, the hardest hit state in the housing bust. The median single family home price recently was down 41% from a year earlier and new home construction starts had almost disappeared. But, is the worst now over? Inventory is shrinking, investors are coming back, and sales volume is increasing.

More than 600,000 homes were purchased in February this year. The numbers show that the majority of the sales were bank owned foreclosures. And some areas, according to the California Association of Realtors spokesperson, are seeing slight increases in price per square foot, which is a hopeful indicator. The market is seeing an increase of investor purchased properties too.

The best indicator of positive change is in the inventory supply. A year ago it was 15 months, now it’s at 6.5 months! Generally a six-seven month supply of homes is considered a “normal” market. Nationally, the market has an overall 9.7 month supply.

And, according to the NAHB (National Association of Home Builders), model homes are seeing a lot more foot traffic due to combination of the first-time homebuyer credit, low interest rates, and affordable prices. Joe Robson, NAHB chairman, reports "consumer interest is increasing”. He also reported that approximately 1.5 M visitors have logged on to their website to learn more about the $8,000 tax credit for first time homebuyers.

And for us, locally the numbers are good too. According to the National Association of Realtors home sales in the Midwest jumped 14.5%. We should have the local Kansas City regional numbers for March soon.

If the hardest hit area begins to show signs of slight improvement, what does that mean for the rest us?

Call us at InSight Mortgage Group, 913-642-3334, for the good news on purchase and refinance rates. Please email me at michele@wantinsight.com with your good news stories to share. Have a blessed day.

FIRST TIME BUYERS TAX CREDIT, Part 2

The housing industry is generally happy with the $8,000 tax credit for first-time buyers. It improves upon the first credit of $7,500 passed in July, which is similar to a low interest loan as it needs repayment over a period of time and is for first time buyers only. The new tax credit is just that, a refundable credit.

But, the industry is disappointed that Congress did not adopt the Senate proposal of a $15,000 non-refundable credit for all homebuyers. An economist and director of forecasting for the National Association of Homebuilders, Bernard Markstein, stated “The Senate version would have done a lot more to turn around the housing market; we have reports of people who would be coming off the fence because of it”.

An additional 300,000 new homebuyers could come into the market due to the $8,000 credit according to NAR’s (National Association of Realtors) chief economist, Lawrence Yun. Then, a domino effect could be created, because most first-time buyer transactions will generate one or two trade-up purchases. Yun said “ I think there are many homeowners who would be trading up but they have had no buyers for their own homes.”

The first-time buyers who won’t benefit from this portion of the stimulus package are those purchasers without funds for the down payment. Buyers still have to close on the home purchase before claiming the credit.

Missouri is taking action on overcoming the down payment hurdle by creating a short-term loan out of the tax credit of up to $6,750. Missouri would loan purchasers the money to be used as part or all of the needed down payment. Then, after buyers receive their IRS refund, they pay back the state. This unique solution may be adopted by other states.

Another take on the tax credit could be a perception of a “discount” on a home price. An example would be a $120,000 home purchase effectively becoming a $112,000 one, thus reassuring buyers who are nervous about buying and then seeing home values continue to fall.

A second take is that the tax credit refund could provide a cushion for the first few difficult years when unexpected expenses and repairs crop up. Purchases needed for the new home -- a refrigerator, yard equipment, washer/dryer – would help stimulate the economy too.

We are here to help with your home loan questions and concerns. Please call me at 913-642-3334 or email me at michele@wantinsight.com
We look forward to working with you.

FIRST-TIME BUYERS TAX CREDIT, Part 1

On Tuesday, February 18, 2009, President Obama signed the economic stimulus bill and one of the provisions included a tax credit for first-time buyers. The credit claimed is worth up to $8,000 or 10% of a home’s value, whichever is less, and can be claimed on 2008 or 2009 taxes.

This is a refundable tax credit – which means that most new buyers will pocket extra cash after filing their taxes; the amount depends on various filing and withholding factors.

Examples of how this works:

A) You owe $5,000 (your tax liability). Each paycheck has withholding for taxes and by year end you’ve paid $5,000 to the US Treasury. Since you’re “paid up”, you’d receive the full tax credit as a refund check.

B) You owe $5,000 (tax liability). Through your payroll withholding you’ve overpaid by $500, which results in a $500 refund check. You’d now qualify for the $500 overpayment PLUS the $8,000 tax credit.

C) You owe $5,000 (tax liability). Unfortunately payroll withholding was underfunded by $500, and you’d usually write a check to the US Treasury for $500. But this time, the tax credit pays that $500 owed and you get a refund of $7,500.

Certain qualifications must be met to receive this tax credit, such as purchasing a home between Jan. 1, 2009 and Nov. 30, 2009. “First-time” buyers are purchasers who have not had ownership in a property for the past three years. To avoid repayment of the credit, buyers must remain in the home for at lest three years.

Income restrictions include: Singles must make less than $75,000 and couples no more than $150,000. (partial credit may be given to higher income buyers)

The credit application will be relatively easy – or as easy as doing your taxes. No additional forms needed, just claim it on the return! And, a taxpayer who has already submitted a completed return can claim the credit by filing an amended return.

I'll share some industry thoughts about the tax credit and stimulus plan in my next blog. As always, please call me at 913-642-3334 or email me at michele@wantinsight.com with any questions or comments.