The Florida Open House Weekend, April 10-11, is the last, best opportunity to secure up to $8,000 in tax credits for first-time homebuyers (up to $6,500 for move-up buyers). According to the National Association of Home Builders, the following are top questions asked by prospective homebuyers. In all cases, buyers should check with the IRS or a qualified financial advisor for specific personal advice. How does a homebuyer claim the tax credit? The credit is claimed when the homebuyer files or amends his or her federal income taxes . For qualifying homes purchased in 2009 or 2010, the taxpayer must complete IRS Form 5405 and attach a copy of the settlement statement. In most cases, the settlement statement is a properly executed Form HUD-1. In circumstances where a HUD-1 is not provided, such as purchasing a mobile home or a newly constructed home, the IRS will accept an executed retail sales contract (mobile homes) or a copy of the certificate of occupancy (new

Some of the nation’s top economists believe the housing market has turned and better days are on the way for the housing industry. Increases in jobs, credit, and affordable homes will overcome impediments such as rising interest rates, and the expiration of the Federal stimulus program to push the housing market toward recovery, says Dean Maki, chief U.S. economist for Barclays Capital. I would bet even odds that we’re at a bottom and that we’re going to see improvement in the coming months,” says Karl Case, co-creator of the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index and a professor of economics at Wellesley College. The underlying trend is turning positive,” says Bruce Kasman, chief economist at JPMorgan Chase & Co. Source: Bloomberg, Kathleen M. Howley and Rich Miller (03/15/2010) For information about the Sarasota Real Estate Market , visit PremiumPropertiesSarasota

Over the last several years, short sales have received a substantial amount of attention. This type of transaction is done when the seller owes more on his or her mortgage than the value of the property. The lender essentially agrees to accept less than the balance owed as an alternative to foreclosure . On the surface, a short sale (SS) seems attractive for all parties involved. The buyer is able to purchase a property for a price that is below market value ; the seller is able to sell their home without losing it to foreclosure; the lender is able to recover a portion of the mortgage that would otherwise be lost. However, these deals are often more complex than they seem. Some require up to six months to close, and often fall through beforehand. In this article, we’ll explain the basics of buying real estate short sales, starting with the importance of working with an experienced real estate agent . We’ll describe the process and explore some of the factors you shou

Property sales up 49 percent in February 2010; pending sales spike Overall property sales reached 528 in the Sarasota market in February 2010, up nearly 49 percent over February 2009, and pending sales were also strong at 967 - the second highest total in the past four years. The statistics continue to reflect a recovering Sarasota market, as median sale prices also rebounded for condos in February and remained stable for single family homes . February sales of 379 single family homes and 149 condominiums was a major improvement over February 2009, which saw only 354 overall sales (260 homes and 94 condos). Pending sales, at 967, were about 19 percent higher than last month's 815, and more than 23 percent higher than the 782 reported in February 2009. The statistic is a strong indicator for the next two or three months of sales, as pending sales are an indicator of current buyer activity, and likely reflects the rush of buyers to qualify for homebuyer tax credits before the April