President Barack Obama has made if official by signing the stimulus bill which includes a bit of relief for first time homebuyers. I recently visited the Federal Housing Tax Credit website and found some great information that I thought I’d share. Here are the basics:

• The tax credit is for first-time home buyers only.
• The tax credit does not have to be repaid.
• The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the... Full Story
  Categories : Real Estate

One great benefit of being a member of the National Association of Realtors as a designated Realtor is getting their newsletters filled with all types of useful information. The latest included an article of home fads that are slowly on their way out the door in new construction. The list below are some of the ones discussed in the article and may surprise you…

• Fireplaces – There are some parts of the... Full Story
  Categories : Real Estate, Real Estate Tips

A recent report in the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate has ranked Austin 11th in top cities for U.S. and global investment in 2009, up from 16th place in 2008. Washington D.C. took the top spot on the ranking, followed by New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Houston for the top five. Foreign investors were most interested in purchasing multifamily sectors, followed by office space, industrial buildings, retail space and hotels. What’s interesting to note is that the... Full Story

I read an interesting article the other day describing how builders who once marketed themselves as eco-friendly and “green” are making it a point to leave those terms out of their advertising. The reason, they claim, is that even though it will same them more money in the long run, potential buyers are often hesitant in putting down extra money upfront to cover the costs of a more eco-friendly home. One local builder, Green Builders, was directly affected posting... Full Story

I’m sure many of you have heard by now that 30-year fixed mortgage rates have fallen to their lowest in 37 years. The national average rate hovers around 5.19% and locally sits a little lower at 5.15%.

What does this mean, you ask? Well, two things, it’s a great time to buy and it may be a great time to refinance depending on what rate you locked in at the time of the purchase of your current... Full Story

Just read this and thought I’d share…

 Housing Predictor, which provides housing forecasts in 250 markets, has identified 10 markets where the regional economies are healthy and have strong potential for increasing prosperity.

These housing markets have bucked the national trend in 2008 and avoided the subprime crisis, the consultancy says.

Whatever the future holds for the housing market as a whole, Housing Predictor forecasts that these cities will continue to see steady, dependable growth.

I just received the following information and thought it would be good to post in my blog:

 "30-Year Mortgage Rates Fall Under 6%

Freddie Mac reports a drop in the 30-year fixed mortgage rate to 5.94 percent during the week ended Oct. 9, marking the first decrease in three weeks. The 15-year fixed rate slipped to 5.63 percent from 5.78 percent the previous week. Meanwhile, the five-year adjustable mortgage rate dropped a notch to 5.9... Full Story

2008 has seen a record number of foreclosures nationwide and Austin is not immune to this epidemic. Below are some tips to help those of you who may not be in the most secure position when it comes to your mortgage.

 1. Start by facing the problem head-on. Acknowledge the letters your mortgage company is sending you. If you address the problem early enough, you could help avoid the “f” word all together. Contact a... Full Story

Austin area home sales courtesy of Jane Anne Hawthorne of Fidelity National Title

After months of preparation and financing finally in place, construction is set to begin on the upscale mixed-use 37 story project consisting of 165 condo units, a 252-room W Hotel and a 2,480-seat theater that will serve as the new home for Austin City Limits along with a spa and retail space.

The lower level will consist of 47,751... Full Story