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First time Homebuyers and Repeat Buyers now qualify for a tax credit if they purchase a home through April of 2010!  The Tax Credit has been Revised and Extended thus reinforcing that NOW is By Far the Best Time to Purchase a Home!!!

Here are the details:

$8,000 First - time Home Buyer

*The $8,000 tax credit is for first time home buyers only.  For the tax credit program, the IRS defines a first time home buyer as someone who has not owned a principal residence during the three year period prior to the purchase.

*The tax credit does not have to be repaid.

*The tax credit applies only to homes priced at $800,000 or less.

*The tax credit now applies to sales occurring on or after January 1, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010.  However, in cases where a binding sales contract is signed by April 30,2010, a home purchase completed by June 30, 2010 will qualify.

*For homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and on or before November 6, 2009, the income limits are $75,000 for single taxpayers and $150,000 for married couples filing jointly.

*For homes purchased after November 6, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010, single taxpayers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full tax credit. 

The $6,500 Move-Up / Repeat

Home Buyer

*To be eligible to claim the tax credit, buyers must have owned and lived in their previous home for five consecutive years out of the last eight years.

*The tax credit does not have to be repaid.

*The tax credit is equal to 10% of the home's purchase price up to a maximum of $6,500.

*The tax credit applies only to homes priced at $800,000 or less.

*The credit is available for homes purchased after November 6, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010. However, in cases where a binding sales contract is signed by April 30, 2010, the home purchase qualifies provided it is completed by June 30, 2010.

*Single taxpayers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

There are great Q&A and detailed resources at www.IRA.gov 

Please feel free to give me a call either at  my office (512)328-5151 or on my Cell (512)751-2931 or you can visit my website www.HeatherBrown.com

Buying or Selling a Home?

I Want to Help!!!

Heather Brown

RE/MAX Austin Skyline

512-751-2931

www.HeatherBrown.com

Austin Home Sales - Up 5%

Austin home buyers returned in force last month, increasing sales 5% from the same time in 2008, according to the Austin Board of Realtors.

The median price of the 1,373 homes sold in December rose to about $194,000, an increase of 6% year over year.

Dramatic increases in sales volume were seen in October and November of last year, which were probably related to the original deadline for the first time home buyer tax credit.

Increases in sales volume past November along with figures that have improved steadily throughout the year indicate that, while some demand was driven by the initial tax credit deadline, a sustainable recovery is also underway in Austin's real estate market.

Even though the recent numbers were encouraging, home sales were still down 6% overall from 2008.  Homes sold last year drifted near a $188,480 median price which was down 1 percent year over year.  Officials said the overall 6 percent decline in home sales is still a significant improvement when compared to the double digit decreases that we experienced in the first quarter of 2009.

*Low Interest Rates,

*An Extremely Wide Selection of Homes to Choose From

*Low Down Payments

*Really Good Buys in the Market Place

*The Opportunity to Take advantage of the Revised Federal Tax Credit

All of these, make this, with out a Doubt, the BEST TIME to Buy a Home!!!

Please feel free to give me a call either at  my office (512)328-5151 or on my Cell (512)751-2931 or you can visit my website www.HeatherBrown.com

Buying or Selling a Home?

I Want to Help!!!

Heather Brown

RE/MAX Austin Skyline

512-751-2931

www.HeatherBrown.com

The 24th annual South by Southwest trade show has been moved to the Austin Convention Center ground floor to accommodate 25 percent more participants. 

The interactive, film and music festival's trade show is usually housed on the center's upper level, but this year it will be moved to Exhibit Hall 4.

South by officials said significantly more exhibitors have already applied for the trade show, including nine international companies.

The event has also seen greater international interest in the film and musical portions of the festival.  So far films from Eastern Europe, United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Canada, Mexico, The Netherlands, South Korea, Australia and South Africa have been submitted.  In music -  642 acts from 59 countries were invited to perform. 

The event runs from March 12-21st.

Buying or Selling a Home?

I Want to Help!!!

Heather Brown

RE/MAX Austin Skyline

512-751-2931

www.HeatherBrown.com 

There are a lot of Great Deals out there and Hundreds of Homes that Make this the Best time to Buy a Home if you are in the Market for One! 

The Federal Tax Credit that is currently available makes this The Absolute Best Time to Buy and you can use the the Government's Money to Do So!  The Money is there for you - why not use it?

*Low Interest Rates,

*An Extremely Wide Selection of Homes to Choose From

*Low Down Payments

*Really Good Buys in the Market Place

*The Opportunity to Take advantage of the Revised Federal Tax Credit

All of these, make this, with out a Doubt, the BEST TIME to Buy a Home!!!

Please feel free to give me a call either at  my office (512)328-5151 or on my Cell (512)751-2931 or you can visit my website www.HeatherBrown.com

Buying or Selling a Home?

I Want to Help!!!

Heather Brown

RE/MAX Austin Skyline

512-751-2931

www.HeatherBrown.com