Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Q. Has the Homebuyer Tax Credit been extended again?

A. Yes, Congress passed an extension of the Homebuyer Tax Credit deadline to Sept. 30, 2010. It only applies to homebuyers who had a written and binding contract in place as of April 30, 2010, but have not yet closed.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) said that up to 180,000 homebuyers were eligible for the tax credit, but were unable to finalize the contracts by the deadline due to the amount of last-minute deals that overwhelmed the system. This was particularly critical for short sales, where a lender allows a home to sell for less than the amount owed.

The Internal Revenue Service says more than 2.6 million taxpayers claimed the tax credit through April.

Congress also extended the National Flood Insurance Program until Sept. 30, 2010, allowing property owners seeking flood insurance policies more time to finalize pending paperwork. The NAR said extending the tax credit closing and flood insurance deadlines will help provide additional stability to real estate markets.

If you have any questions, or need capable and trustworthy representation, please call me at 206-226-0565.

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