The
simplest way to find your dream home is to call us, Bill
and Nancy Oakes, experienced brokers with the city's finest
real estate company, Coldwell Banker Barnes, and ask us
to help you locate the perfect home for you!
Please
be specific about your wants and needs. Based on your search
criteria, we will then send you all homes that meet your
requirements. BEAT THE COMPETITION to the best new listings,
even before most Realtors know about them. Thereafter, each
day all newly listed properties matching your search will
be automatically e-mailed to you. You will have immediate,
no obligation, free access to up-to-date listings as soon
as they hit the market. All we ask in return is that you
allow us to show you any of these homes that are of interest
to you.
At
the bottom of this page you will find a "Market Snapshot"
input form which will allow you to search our MLS for area
homes for sale or sold together with statistical information
on area sales. We hope this tool will be both fun and helpful
in your search.
***
NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY!!!
TOP 10 REASONS WHY IT'S A BUYER'S MARKET
1. Selection - plenty of homes to choose from.
2. Favorable interest rates.
3. First time home buyers receive up to $8,000 Tax Credit!
See details below.
4. Mortgage interest and property tax deductions from gross
income - IRS helps homeowners.
5. Home prices are more affordable - able to get more home
for your money.
6. Increased government loan amounts.
7. Sellers willing to pay allowable closing costs.
8. Home ownership builds future equity.
9. An overall increase in "quality of life".
10. You'll stop making your landlord rich!
******
First-Time
Homebuyer Tax Credit Update
Maximum tax credit has been increased to
$8,000.00!
Tax credit does not have to be repaid, claimed
on tax return to reduce purchaser's tax liability
Any amount unused will be refunded to the
purchaser as a check
Homes purchased after January 1, 2009 and
before December 1, 2009
Must not have owned a home in the last 3
years
Must live in the property for 3 years, or
total amount is recaptured on sale. No Flipping!
Single Family, Condo, Townhomes, and Coop's
qualify
Income qualification is under $75,000 for
singles and $150,000 for married couples
Non-Alien residents do not qualify
******
Spring is traditionally the home-buying
season. True to course, existing home sales rose in April
with strong buyer activity. From March to April, sales jumped
up 2.9%.
Who are the buyers? According to a National Association
of Realtors’ survey, 60% are repeat buyers, entering
the market to take advantage of the low interest rates,
good inventory and more affordable prices. 40% are first-time
buyers. First-time buyers as well as buyers who have rented
for 3+ years also have the added incentive of an $8,000
tax credit offered by the federal government.
Where are the sales? Regionally, home sales last month rose
3.5% in the West, 11.6% in the Northeast, 1.8% in the South,
and slipped 2.0% in the Midwest. According to Lawrence Yun,
Chief Economist for the NAR, buyers today are attracted
to lower priced homes found in California, Nevada, and Florida.
Yun forecasts that home sales in the second half of 2009
will be 10 – 20% higher than in 2008.
******
National
Association of Realtors predicts that hundreds of thousands
of buyers will take advantage and purchase in 2009
Call
Bill and Nancy Oakes to get started at 615-822-2779 or 800-711-8498
24/7!!
