Money Under 30

Good news for prospective home-buyers: It looks like Congress will extend the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit that was slated to end this month and add a $6,500 tax credit for those that have already owned a home.

The Senate voted 98-0 Wednesday to extend and expand the tax credit and the House could vote on the bill as early as today. If passed, the $8,000 tax credit would remain in effect for first-time home buyers — or anyone who hasn’t owned a home in the last three years. [...]

When it comes time to buy a new home, you need to know whom you can trust. Real estate is a cutthroat business, and as a prospective home buyer, you should recognize that the real estate agents who list properties are working for sellers—they’re salespeople, and they’ll push hard to sell their clients’ homes. Not to say there aren’t agents out there that tell it like is, even while working for a seller. But you’ll want to be prepared for the ones that don’t.

That’s where enlisting a buyer’s agent can be a wise move. [...]

Buying your first home is a huge financial milestone. Whether you’re just starting to consider home ownership or are already entrenched in the search for your first home, there’s an important step I recommend you take before making an offer or even starting to shop around: Get a pre-qualification or pre-approval letter from a mortgage lender.

Having this letter from a mortgage lender in advance can save you from major disappointment if you find your perfect home, make an offer, and then find you the bank has denied your mortgage application.

Pre-qualification and pre-approval is simply when a lender takes a fast look at your credit and decides, preliminarily, that you’re eligible for a mortgage. Although this does not guarantee your ability to get any mortgage, it does give you an upper hand when negotiating with sellers.

So, what’s the difference between pre-qualification and pre-approval? [...]

Ready to take the leap and buy your first home? Searching for your dream house can be an exciting—and trying—experience. Here are a few suggestions to make house hunting easier and help you get into your new home sooner!

1. Make a plan. What do you want and need from your first home? Take a moment to write it down. This is especially important if you’re shopping with a partner or spouse. You’ll save a time and aggravation if you agree on what’s most important in your house before you hit the streets shopping. Is it all about the location? Do you want an impeccably-kept modern home or would you consider a fixer-upper? The more factors you identify as important early-on, the faster you’ll be able to hone in on properties that meet your needs.

2. Set a budget. This goes hand in hand with tip number one. How much house can you afford? If you’re not sure, I’ve written on this subject in How Much House Can You Afford and What Percentage of Your Income can You Afford on Mortgage Payments? Do you want to stretch and buy more home than you need so you can grow into it, or do you hope to pay off your mortgage quickly by buying a home you can afford with a 15-year fixed mortgage?

Ultimately, your income, savings, and local real estate market will determine your viable housing budget. Once you set it, commit to it. Your real estate agent will inevitably show you properties that exceed your budget “just for comparison”. You need to prepare to be firm and stick with a house you can afford. [...]

Today, only four out of ten mortgage applications close. That means 60 percent of prospective home buyers walk away disappointed. For first-time home buyers, that statistic may be even higher. But if your mortgage application is declined, don’t despair. Getting mortgage approval isn’t easy and—like many things worth doing—it may take several tries to get right. After your mortgage application is declined, the first step is to find out why. Once you do, it’s fairly easy to take the steps you need to ready your finances for another go.

There are only so many reasons your mortgage application may be declined. The most common are:

• Your credit score is too low.
• Your monthly debt payments are too high compared to your income.
• You’re applying for “too much house” for your income and assets.

Lenders and brokers want to approve your mortgage (after all, approving mortgages is how they get paid). So if you don’t qualify initially, they should be happy to explain to you why your application was declined. If they don’t offer this information immediately, ask them. Let’s take a closer look at what each reason means and what you can do about it. [...]

The $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit program has been such a success, Washington is asking: Can we live without it? That credit is set to expire on December 1, 2009, but Sen. Johnny Isakson, (R-Ga.), has introduced legislation that would provide a $15,000 home buyer tax credit to any home buyer (not just first timers) who occupy the home they purchase for at least two years. Are you a prospective first-time home buyer? Here’s your gamble: Act quickly to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit before it expires, or wait to see if the $15,000 home buyer tax credit becomes law.

Isakson’s proposed legislation would make available up to a $15,000 tax credit for any home buyer of any home over the next year. It would also remove the income limits that currently apply to the first-time home buyer tax credit. In a press release on the Senator’s Website, he says:

“If we do this, home values will return, unemployment will go down, our economy will turn, and consumer price confidence will go up. I would submit it is a part of the main solution we need to take an economy that is on the bottom and move it back toward equilibrium and prosperity for America.”

Another bill recently introduced would extend the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit for another six months. If this bill passes, first-time home buyers would have more time to claim the existing credit, although the rules would remain the same. (The tax credit would only apply to first-time home buyers and income caps would remain in place).

I predict that the first-time home buyer tax credit will be extended but Congress debates expanding the program to a $15,000 home buyer tax credit for a long time. If the expansion passes, I would bet it will include limitations (or even be for less than $15,000). What do you think? Is expanding the credit a good idea, or has the first-time home buyer tax credit run its course?

PS: If you’re looking for answers on the existing tax credit, visit my FAQ on the first-time home buyer tax credit or brief guide on how to buy your first home.

This question often comes up among first-time home buyers: What percentage of my monthly income can I afford to spend on my mortgage payment? Does that percentage include property taxes? Private mortgage insurance (PMI) or homeowners insurance? [...]

Mortgages are complicated. Looking to swap one mortgage for another by refinancing? They get even trickier. So it pays to understand how the mortgage refinance process works and when refinancing is a good idea (and when it’s not) early in life. That is, even before you buy your first home. [...]

Everybody I know that has bought or will soon be buying a home spends countless hours searching for the perfect home. Few, if any, spend much time searching for the perfect mortgage. Make no mistake; finding the right first home is important. But your dream home could be for naught if you end up in a less-than-ideal mortgage. If you’re in the market to buy your first home, make sure you master the art of how to find the best mortgage for you before you set foot in your first open house. [...]

I think the $8,000 first time home buyer tax credit is one of the greatest financial opportunities young people have going these days. Unfortunately, unless Congress extends it past December 1, 2009, it won’t be around for long. [...]