First Time Home Buyer

Can the financial news get any more depressing? We are being reminded constantly by the media of who bad the economy is and you may be feeling that now would be a bad time to consider buying that first home. Gas prices are near record highs and inflation continues to increase faster than our incomes and the jobs are going by the wayside every day not to mention that real estate is being pounded by adjustable rate mortgages that are beginning to reset and result in higher payments and an increase in foreclosures. With all of these things is it really a good time to buy a house? The answer is absolutely!

It is true, many will tell you that the outlook to buy a new home is grim at best and reports say that existing home sales will decrease nearly 7% this year. Additionally new home sales are decreasing about 3 times that and it is getting so desperate that some developers are offering unique and extravagant deals on homes including two for one deals. Still, if you have available funds to secure the financing this is a great time to take advantage of all the incentives and buy that first home. The housing crisis is more of a problem for the individual who needs to sell an existing home before being able to buy a new home; for the first time home buyer they avoid that and can just buy.

No funds right this minute? That is probably OK because the housing problems is expected to continue for the next 2 - 3 years and therefore you have time to prepare. There is currently and is expected to continue to be a significantly higher number of available homes than qualifying buyers. This means that the first time home buyer who has good credit and a down payment can benefit with a large choice of homes that are selling for great prices; a market view that is called the buyers market.

Buyer’s Market

A large number of homes for sale, fewer people buying homes, home prices dropping continuously and interest rates not out of control yet; these are just a few incentives to buy now. Throw into the mix the deals and incentives the developers, builders and real estate agents are adding to the mix to try to move the homes and move new owners in and the tax credit from the government and how can you not buy now? Still not sure if you are ready? Ask yourself a few questions: Is your credit score in good shape or can you easily raise your score? Do you have assets that you can liquidate to get a down payment? Do you qualify for the incentives? If you answered yes to these questions you could be moving into your dream house this year. Additionally, with the buyer’s market you are almost guaranteed to be able to buy more house than in years past. So stop holding out…buy now!

Chances are, if you are a potential first time home buyer you are looking at the market and the incentives and are ready to take advantage of them and become a first time home owner. There are many areas that are facing depreciation and these locations offer some great incentives to buy. Take note, this is not happening everywhere. Some places, such as Seattle, Atlanta and Dallas are not depreciating like the areas of some parts of California, Florida and Arizona. In the areas facing depreciation it is not uncommon to find homes that once were selling for nearly $450,000 last year to be on the market today for a hundred grand less, and still not selling. It is also not uncommon to find the homes that are selling are doing so at around 70% or less of the homes appraised value because it has taken so long to sell. Many of the homes selling today are actually selling for less than what was originally paid. This is a pretty good argument as to now being the ideal time to buy that first house. It is actually easier to buy a first home today than simply buying a different home. This is because the first time home buyer does not have to sell a home first. Additionally there are a lot of incentives available for the first time home buyer.

Finding affordable and quality homes as well as finding the right incentives and programs can be difficult. Many realtors and companies are coming to the rescue of the first time homebuyer to make the process easier. The more these companies can inform the first time home buyer of the options that are available and what they are able to do the more the market will begin to recover and thing will maybe not get any worse. If you have been thinking of buying your first home sometime in the next 5 years this would be the ideal time to take advantage of the programs, incentives and the buyer’s market and buy your first home now.

Stop Waiting? Buy Now!

There are a lot of websites that can help point you in the right direction and answer questions you may have. If you are ready to buy it will probably benefit you to go ahead and buy now rather than wait. There are a lot of buyers that are concerned about the timing and want to time their purchase to the time when prices drop to their lowest point. By then the opportunity to buy a new home may be too late or the competition too high. It is better to look around for the right home, look at the neighborhood and get a feel for the housing market in the area. While doing this continue to build up your funds and your down payment and talk to lenders and real estate agents to help you decide the time to put a bid on a house. Trust the lenders and agents to give you the advice you need when you are ready to buy a home at a price you are comfortable with.

You might be taking a closer look at becoming a first time home buyer after Congress passed the housing bill recently. The bill includes a few incentives that really make now the perfect time to jump into the market and become a first time homeowner. Of course, the depressed real estate market is enough incentive for quite a few people wanting to take advantage of the lower prices of homes; however, the government is now offering a tax credit that makes it hard to not jump in. The full tax credit of $7,500 is exceptional as it is obtainable to couples who make no more than $150,000 in joint income, which makes a huge number of people able to qualify.

Quite a few people are feeling that the time is right for them to get active in the housing market, buy their first home and utilize the incentives including the tax credit. The people with the most to offer the market are the first time homebuyer who does not bring additional housing into the market; all they bring is their ability to buy.

The tax credit is appealing to many because it is not something in which you have to apply; it is something you claim when you do your taxes. However, the tax credit does not come without certain requirements and regulations.

The tax credit is based on 10 percent of the sale price of the house with a roof of $7,500. This means that a house that sells for $75,000 or more will qualify for the full $7,500 credit. A house that sells for $65,000 will only qualify for $6,500 credit.

It is also important to note that the tax credit is really more of an interest free loan that has to be paid back over a 15 year period. When you claim the tax credit you will receive the total amount on your taxes and will then have to pay it back over then next 15 years with the total remaining balance due if you sell your home before the loan is paid off. Since there is no interest on the credit it will cost you $502.50 a year if paying back the full $7,500 credit.

There are other incentives available through state programs and private programs such as a lower interest rate for public servants such as teachers, military, police and firefighters. These incentives are available for all, not just first time homebuyers.

Down payment assistance is also available from many lenders; however, the requirements and restrictions are a bit stricter now than they have been in the past. The credit score is very important when applying for a 0% down payment program.

A realtor can and often will point you to more incentive programs than even the ones discussed above. The housing market is defiantly a buyer’s market and for anyone who is considering entering the market now is the best time. To take advantage of the tax credit you will want to close on your new home before July 1, 2009 so you might want to start getting ready now before you lose out or the market changes.