http://www.ascensionrealestateappraisers.com/ – Will Half Of Ascension Parish Homebuyers Who Claimed 2009 Tax Credit Have To Repay The Government?

There’s a new report out by CNNMoney.com and eCreditDaily.com that says 950,000 Taxpayers Must Repay Homebuyer Tax Credit according to the U.S. Treasury. Read the entire articles at the links above. Buzz is providing a few snippets below.

CNNMoney.com states, “Nearly half of all Americans who claimed the first-time homebuyer tax credit on their 2009 tax returns will have to repay the government. According to a report from the Inspector General for Tax Administration, released to the public Thursday, about 950,000 of the nearly 1.8 million Americans who claimed the tax credit on their 2009 tax returns will have to return the money. The confusion comes because homebuyers were eligible for two different credits, depending on when their homes were purchased. Those who bought properties during 2008 were to deduct, dollar for dollar, up to 10% of the home’s purchase price or $7,500, whichever was less. The catch: The money was a no-interest loan that had to be repaid within 15 years. Had they waited to buy until 2009, they could have gotten a much sweeter deal. Congress extended the credit and made it a refund rather than a loan.”

eCreditDaily.com states, “Nearly 1.8 million taxpayers claimed a total of almost $12.5 billion under the popular first-time homebuyer tax credit program, but more than 950,000 taxpayers will be required to repay the credits because their homes were purchased in 2008, according to a U.S. Treasury report released today. And many more may have to repay the credits “if the homes cease to be the primary residences of the taxpayers within 36 months,” according to the report released by the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). TIGTA said the Internal Revenue Service is improving its methodology to more precisely determine how many have to repay the tax credits. Nonetheless, the announcement will come as a shock to taxpayers who purchased homes to take advantage of a program meant to revitalize the depressed housing market.
The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 created a new “First-Time Homebuyer Credit” equal to 10 percent of the purchase price of the home, limited to a maximum amount of $7,500. But that original credit served as an interest-free loan that must be repaid over a 15-year period. The following year, the homebuyer tax credit program was expanded and converted into a full credit that does not have to be repaid.”

To view the Treaury report, go to: http://www.ustreas.gov/tigta/auditreports/2010reports/201041086fr.pdf.

Image Source: http://ecreditdaily.com/

Tags: Homebuyer Tax Credit, Mortgages

http://www.ascensionrealestateappraisers.com/ – Bankrate.com: Summary Of Real Estate Appraisal Rule Changes In Dodd-Frank Act 2010. These are the new rules that apply to Northern Ascension Parish (Prairieville, Gonzales, Geismar, Saint Amant) Home Appraisals!

I have provided a few snippet paragraphs from this two page article below. Read the full article here: Real Estate Appraisal Rules Changing

“According to Lucien Salvant, a spokesman for the National Association of Realtors, or NAR, in Washington, D.C., the law is intended to:

*Strengthen appraiser independence.
*Sunset a problematic industry agreement known as the Home Valuation Code of Conduct, or HVCC.
*Regulate appraisal management companies.”

“Buyers, sellers can inform appraisers

That said, the end of the HVCC should help to clear up widespread confusion over who can present information — including data about recent sales — to an appraiser.

“The intent of the HVCC was to put a firewall between the lender and appraiser, but it put up such a big wall that everybody was afraid to talk to appraisers,” Salvant says. “The (new law) does say that Realtors and sellers and buyers can talk to (appraisers).”"

“Appraisal management companies

The new law also regulates appraisal management companies, or AMCs. AMCs aren’t new, but they have gained more control over real estate appraisers and appraisals in the 15 months since the HVCC was implemented.

The financial reform law requires federal oversight of AMCs controlled by federally regulated financial institutions. It also requires state registration of all other AMCs, according to the Appraisal Institute.”

“Questions to ask (editor’s note: should be rephrased “Questions AMC’s should be asking those appraisers they intend on hiring for the appraisal order”)

If there is an upside to the confusion over appraisals, it’s that homebuyers, sellers and homeowners are now more aware of these issues, says Richard Koestner, a partner at Koestner, McGivern & Associates, an appraisal firm in Davenport, Iowa. He says they are more likely to ask questions about the appraiser’s experience and expertise and calls the development “encouraging.” He also offers a few examples of questions buyers and sellers might want to ask:

How long have you been an appraiser?
How many appraisals have you completed?
How often do you appraise homes in this area?
How familiar are you with the local market?
Where do you get the data that you use in your appraisal reports?”

Read the full article here: Real Estate Appraisal Rules Changing

http://www.ascensionrealestateappraisers.com/ – North Ascension Parish Louisiana Real Estate Appraisers: Info on Granite Countertops. Prairieville, Gonzales, Geismar, Saint Amant Areas.

http://www.batonrougerealestateappraisal.com/ – Baton Rouge Real Estate Tech Gadgets: Google developing tablet to rival iPad.

Mashable Blog has announced that Google is developing a tablet to rival iPad.

And, unlike the iPad, which I would not buy because it doesn’t play 90% of video on the web today via “Flash Video”, the Google tablet will play 90% of video on the web today.

http://www.ascensionrealestateappraisers.com/ – Northern Ascension Parish Louisiana Real Estate Appraisers – Accurate Valuations Group 225-293-1500. Prairieville, Gonzales, Geismar, Sorrento, Dutchtown, Saint Amant Louisiana.

Estate Appraisers Prairieville Louisiana.   When you need an Estate Appraiser In Prairieville Louisiana, be sure to call Bill Cobb, CREA at the contact information below.   Bill has 18 years experience appraising homes and can assist with your local estate appraisal to help settle your estate within the Greater Baton Rouge housing market.   Accurate Valuations Group @ http://www.ascensionrealestateappraisers.com/

Probate Appraisers Prairieville Louisiana.   When you need a Probate Appraiser In Prairieville Louisiana, be sure to call Bill Cobb, CREA at the contact information below.   Bill has 18 years experience appraising homes and can assist with your local probate appraisal within the Greater Baton Rouge housing market. 

http://www.ascensionrealestateappraisers.com/