Posts Tagged ‘first time homebuyer’

Recently Sold in South Pacific County

Everything!, Long Beach Peninsula, Real Estate | Posted by Cheri Diehl

Wondering what’s been happening around South Pacific County?  Here’s some info for you!  If you have specific questions, please feel free to contact me or any of the great broker/agents at Discovery Coast Real Estate.

August 2011

And around the whole state,

KIRKLAND, Wash. (Sept. 6, 2011) – August now ranks as this year’s best month for both pending and closed sales around Washington state , according to the latest report from Northwest Multiple Listing Service. Last month’s volume of pending sales was the highest number of mutually accepted offers since April 2010 when the homebuyer tax incentive expired….  Selling prices are still below year-ago levels. Area-wide, the median price for last month’s completed sales was $236,000, about 12.4 percent less than twelve months ago. Year-to-date through August, prices for sales of single family homes and condominiums (combined) are down about 9.4 percent.

It’s still a great time to buy and if you’re a veteran, retired or active duty first time homebuyer, you’ll want to read this:  FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER GRANTS AVAILABLE.

Credit Consequences

Everything!, Long Beach Peninsula, Real Estate | Posted by Cheri Diehl

Here’s an interesting article regarding what happens to your credit should you lose your home to foreclosure, be forced to do a short sale, file bankruptcy, etc.  CREDIT CONSEQUENCES

Remember, your credit score is priceless, so protect it!

Did you know there’s still time to qualify for the home buyer’s tax credit for 2010?  If you’ve been dragging your feet about buying a home because you didn’t think you’d make the cut-off, call me now and let’s get going!

Big Clamming Weekend coming up, along with the 6th Annual Bluegrass Festival.  Ongoing during Spring Breaks is the Spring Fling at the Kite Museum.

If you’re in the area, stop by the Shelburne Inn, Seaview, and chat with the Clatsop Weavers & Spinners Guild who demonstrate spinning Thursday evenings at 5:00 p.m.  Just to make it more special, this Thursday, March 25, from 5-7 pm, it’s the Twitter WAMerlot Wine Tasting!

And there’s one good reason to visit the beach (other than looking for real estate!) so check it out at FUNBEACH!

That’s all for now.  Enjoy the sunshine if you have it (we do!) and call me soon to take advantage of the tax credit, great prices, low interest rates and plenty to chose from.

Is it time to buy?

Everything!, Long Beach Peninsula, Real Estate | Posted by Cheri Diehl

sold2010 is here and it’s time to stop fretting over what happened to home values in the past and get on with living!  Ask yourself a few questions:

Do you plan on living in a house for the next 5 years or so?  While interest rates are very low, closing costs aren’t.  It may only make sense to buy if you plan on staying in the home for 5-7 years.  If you want to sell after 2 or 3 years, you could take a loss.

Are you credit-worthy?  When’s the last  time you checked your credit? Buyers sometimes underestimate the value of paying their bills on time, all the time!  Don’t let that happen to you.  If you’re have trouble, contact a reliable credit counseling agency and get back on track.

Looking for a permanent residence?  Tired of renting?  Ask your lender how much house you can afford.  Divide that by the yearly rent you would pay for a comparable house.  If the number is below 15, you might want to start thinking seriously about that purchase!

There are a number of loans available right now.  If you’re a veteran, you can still buy a home with zero down.  FHA and Rural Development loans are still available.

Don’t forget that the Homebuyer Credit is available, but only until April 30.  We may not see this sort of stimulus again so don’t miss out.  Remember, you don’t have to be a first time home buyer to qualify.  Call me!

And, if you’re thinking of a vacation place, there are some great deals out there.  Compare some of these affordable places to what you’d pay in motel rooms, eating out, etc and see if having your own place at the beach, with the added benefit of investing in real estate, and you might want to jump in now.  Summer is coming!

Condo in Seaview, just $79,000!

Private yet close to town!

Turn-key cabin in Ocean Park!

Surfside 3 bedroom!

Seaview Classic on large lot!

And there are lots more out there.  Be sure to check our interactive map on the bottom half of our website!




First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Expanded

Everything!, Long Beach Peninsula, Real Estate | Posted by Cheri Diehl
Great News For Washington Homebuyers!
Update as of 11/06/09

President Obama signed the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 into law today. The legislation greatly expands the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit by making more first time homebuyers eligible for the credit and now includes homebuyers that are not first time homebuyers.

First Time Homebuyers

The current law is extended until April 30, 2010. Buyers have until that date to have a signed purchase agreement. There is an additional 60 day grace period to complete the financing. More first time homebuyers are eligible because the new law raises the annual income limits from $75,000 to $125,000 for singles and from $150,000 to $225,000 for married couples.

Current Home Owners

Over 60 percent of current home owners will be eligible for a tax credit of up to $6,500 if they purchase a home by April 30, 2010. These homebuyers must have lived in their home for five consecutive years over the previous eight years to qualify. Qualified homebuyers can get the credit if they purchase a home for $800,000 or less as their primary residence between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010. The income limits are the same as the First Time Homebuyer listed above.

For more information or to take advantage of this great opportunity, contact Discovery Coast Real Estate!

Info from Washington Realtors®

1st Time Homebuyer Tax Credit!

Everything! | Posted by Cheri Diehl

tax-credit

tax-credit

GREAT NEWS!! Clients who qualify for the First -Time Homebuyer Tax Credit can get their tax credit right away. The initial funds for closing can come from a gift from a blood relative but NOW as soon as the purchase is complete they can file an amended 2008 return to claim their credit rather than wait until next January.

Thanks to Kilkenny Valenta Lending Group for this important update!

If you’ve been waiting to buy Long Beach realty, now’s the time!  Get in touch with us soon…. there are a multitude of great buys on the Long Beach Peninsula.

Making Home Affordable

Everything!, Real Estate | Posted by Cheri Diehl

March is already here!  Don’t forget to turn your clocks ahead one hour on the 8th.  That means Spring is on the way!

This post is going to be a little rambling, so please stick with me.  There’s just so much going on with the economy, real estate, and life in general, that I don’t know what to write when.  Watch this site for new innovations!  Coming soon is an interactive map that I’m sure you’ll enjoy.  What else would you like to see here?  Please let me know!

If you’re having trouble making your mortgage payments, you’ll want to check this website to see if you might qualify for some assistance: http://www.financialstability.gov/makinghomeaffordable/refinance_eligibility.html

Reverse Mortgage lending limits was just increased to $625,000.  Remember when I wrote about the fact that you can buy a home using a reverse mortgage?  Now you can buy a really nice home!  They’re not just for the house you’re in now – you can sell your home and use a reverse mortgage to buy a new home.  Interested?  Contact me!

Are you a first time homebuyer?  Maybe you don’t have much to put down?  Your credit is less than perfect?  An FHA loan might be just what you need to get you into a home.  Check out FHA Loans and then contact me to help you find a home.  And I’ll pay your half of the escrow fees if you purchase a home through me between now and June 1, 2009.

Now for a cat break:

jake-and-elwood

Jake & Elwood in a rare, brotherly moment……

Don’t forget about the huge price reduction for Coastal Ridge.  $425,000 for a luxury 2 bedroom, ocean view townhome high on the hill of Discovery Heights in Ilwaco. Subject to bank approval, this is over $100K less than the asking price just a few days ago!

NEWS FLASH:

Beach Clean up sets records for Volunteers and Garbage Collected. Be a part of the solution!   Grass Roots Garbage Gang

CLAM DATES ANNOUNCED!

Fishery managers have tentatively scheduled three razor clam digs on morning tides in late March, with additional digging opportunities planned for April.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will open four beaches for clam digging if the Washington Department of Health certifies that razor clam samples tested for marine toxins are safe to eat.

If approved, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks will open March 27-29, while Long Beach and Copalis will open March 28-29 only. All digging on those beaches must be completed by noon.

Even though thousands of diggers came out for the February opener, enough clams remain for several more digs, said Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager for WDFW.

And finally, news from the Long Beach Visitors Bureau about yet another scam.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration issued a scam alert today to small businesses, warning them not to respond to letters falsely claiming to have been sent by the SBA asking for bank account information in order to qualify them for federal tax rebates.
The fraudulent letters were sent out with what appears to be an SBA letterhead to small businesses across the country, advising recipients that they may be eligible for a tax rebate under the Economic Stimulus Act, and that SBA is assessing their eligibility for such a rebate.  The letter asks the small business to provide the name of its bank and account number.
These letters have not been sent by or authorized by the SBA, and all small businesses are strongly advised not to respond to them.
The scheme is similar in many ways to e-mail scams often referred to as “phishing” that seek personal data and financial account information that enables another party to access and individual’s bank accounts or to engage in identity theft.
The SBA is working with the SBA Office of Inspector General to investigate this matter. The Office of Inspector General asks that anyone who receives such a letter report it to the OIG Fraud Line at 1 (800) 767-0385, or e-mail at OIGHotline@sba.gov.
That’s all for this time.  I’d love to have you follow me on Facebook and Twitter!