Lodi / Stockton CA Homes For Sale & Real Estate Information

Sales activity for the Lodi and Stockton CA area have been down the last couple of months.  Was it due to the bad weather?  No, it wasn’t that bad.  Was it due to no incentives to purchase?  No, we still have the extended $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers.

So, what’s the real reason for the lack of sales going on right now in the San Joaquin Valley?  Are people still afraid of falling home prices?  Could it be the inventory of homes that the banks are holding on to after foreclosure?

I’d like to hear from you out there…the public.  What are YOUR thoughts on this and what do you think it will look like in th upcoming months?

Here are the stats for the San Joaquin County, CA…

Image via Wikipedia

The pressure is increasing on Congress to renew the homebuyer tax credits for a third time.

The first $7,500 tax credit was passed in 2008 and required first-time buyers to repay the credit over 15 years. A few months later in 2009, Congress expanded the credit to a maximum of $8,000 that didn’t have to be paid back.

At the end of last year, Congress extended the benefit again until April 30 with an extra two months on top of that to close. A new credit of $6,500 was added for move-up buyers, too.

Now representatives of the housing industry are lobbying for another extension. Some experts, including Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Economy.com, who supported the earlier credits, think the time has come to let it go.

“It’s worn out its benefit,” he says. “If you extend it again, it isn’t going to do much, and what you’re doing is providing a tax break to folks who bought anyway.”

Source: The Wall Street Journal, Nick Timiraos

I’ve written a few times lately and have also discussed a lot about whether NOW is a good time to buy real estate.

It seems less time is put into whether or not now is a good time to buy a new car or big screen tv.  Do those items ever go up in value?  Unless it’s made of gold, I don’t think so.

If you’re thinking of buying a home either as an investor, a first-time homebuyer, or moving up into a larger home, you can look into it now or wait for when home prices or interest rates increase, or both.

According to CNNMoney, Les Christie, there are 242 of the 299 largest U.S. housing markets that are selling for prices even bankers think are less than fair market value.

Of this Top 10 list of undervalued housing markets, two of them are right here in our beautiful central valley.  What does that mean to you?  What does that mean FOR you?

To me, it means that now IS a good time to buy.

Here is that Top 10 list:

1. Las Vegas, -41.4 percent
2. Vero Beach, Fla., -39.8 percent
3. Merced, Calif., -37.7 percent
4. Cape Coral, Fla., -36.8 percent
5. Houma, La., -34.6 percent
6. Port St. Lucie, Fla., -33.3 percent
7. Warren, Mich., -32.3 percent
8. Vallejo, Calif., -31.9 percent
9. Modesto, Calif. -31.8 percent
10. Stockton, Calif., -31.8 percent

Ultimately you have to be the judge when it’s a good time buy your 1st or your next home, but with the current tax credit of $8,000 for 1st-time buyer as well as the incentive now for existing homeowners to purchase real estate, I’m thinking now instead of later is good, if not better, timing.

At Realty World-Davis Homes & Properties, we are able to everyone with their real estate needs, but because of the low home prices we seem to be specializing in first-time buyers and investors.

You’ve heard the slogan…If you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.

Make it a great day!

Sometimes it can be a bit confusing when it comes to real estate, taxes, and pretty much anything else financial.  That’s why it’s always good to consult with the professionals in each of these categories as well as among others.

Well, I’ve come across a really good source of information regarding the First-time Home Buyer Tax Credit that I think you’ll find to be easier to understand if you still have any questions about the How and Why’s.

Remember, you repeat buyers are now eligible as well, so you check this page out also.

CLICK HERE to be directed to a great Q&A page.

Make it a great day!

Here is a little more information about the first-time homebuyer tax credit extension and revision to include existing homeowners.

The extension and expansion of the homebuyers tax credit that passed Congress November 5 allows more first-time buyers to qualify and creates an entirely new credit for existing homeowners who buy a new home.

The effective date is Tuesday, December 1 for the enhanced first-time buyer credit and for the new credit. It is not retroactive. However, first-time buyers who have been rushing the meet the November 30 deadline for the existing program need not worry. They can qualify under the new one. Existing homeowners who are also in the process of buying a home should consider delaying closing until December 1 or later to qualify for the credit.

Both credits expire next spring. Buyers must have a contract on a home before May 1, 2010 and they have until June 30, 2010 to close in order to qualify.

Key Provisions

Amounts:

• The first-buyer credit remains 10 percent of the cost of the home or $8ooo, whichever is less.

• The credit for existing homeowners is 10 percent of the value of the new home or $6500, whichever is less.

Definitions:

• A first-time homebuyer cannot have owned a home during the past three years.

• Existing homeowners must have owned and lived in their current home five out of the preceding eight years.

• Only principal residences qualify. No second homes or investment properties.

Income limits:

• The measure raises the income limits for those claiming the credit to $125,000 a year for individuals and $225,000 for couples, up from $75,000 and $150,000 in the previous first-time buyer credit. After that, the value of the credit phases out.

• The cost of the new home cannot exceed $800,000.

Cost:

• Expanding the home buyers’ credit will cost about $11 billion. The total cost of extending the first-time buyer credit and adding the existing owners’ credit is $16.7 billion.

How to Apply::

• Use IRS form 5405, which you file with an amended tax return.

• For more information on applying, go to http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=204671,00.html

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The wait is over!  Yesterday, President Obama signed into law to extend the home buyer $8,000 tax credit until April 30,2010.  This is expected to contribute nearly $22 billion to our economy.

Originally, the tax credit was designed for first-time home buyers, but this new plan will now make it possible for more people to participate.  Current home owners who have lived in their home for five of the last eight years will be eligible for a tax credit of $6,500.

The income limits have been increased to $125,000 for single buyers and $225,000 for couples.  There is a cap on the price of the home at $800,000.

I am hopeful that this extension in the tax credit will help keep the real estate market growing in the right direction.  Especially in the Stockton, CA area where we have an abundance of great deals on homes just waiting for a buyer.

If you’ve already purchased a home this year (Congrats!) and would like a copy of the IRS Form 5405 for the tax credit, you can obtain one at www.IRS.gov

Make it a great day!

Randy

Well, we should be finding out anytime now about whether or not Congress has officially agreed to extend the tax credit.  It was passed by the Senate unanimously, so that may be a good sign.

With the flood of foreclosures an short sales still in the system, I feel it would be a good thing for the tax credit to have one more go-around to see if we can keep the flow of homebuyers coming in.

Working mostly in the Lodi, CA and Stockton, CA real estate markets, I still see a lot of great opportunities for both the first-time homebuyers, the move-ups, and the real estate investors alike.

Here is a link to a good description of what’s on the table for the tax credit extension…CLICK HERE.

Make it a great day!

Has the real estate market hit bottom and now on the rise again?  Not likely.  I believe the rising home prices right now in some areas is a temporary occurrence due in part to homebuyers scrambling to get the nice homes in nice neighborhoods at significantly lower prices than they were back in 2006 and those home prices are being driven up by multiple offers.

Along with still lower interest rates, the first-time homebuyer tax credit, and good weather coming to an end, it makes sense for all homebuyers and investors to get off the fence and purchase real estate now.  It’ll make even more sense to buy real estate in the months to come when there will be even more foreclosures and great deals galore.  Great places to buy real estate right now are in Lodi, CA and in Stockton, CA.  There are even great deals on homes for sale in surrounding areas such as Galt, Elk Grove, Manteca, and Salida.

Here is a link to recent article about the current national real estate prices… Click Here

Make it a great day!

Randy

I actually would think that since we’re nearing the deadline of the First-time Homebuyers Tax Credit of $8,000 that we’d be seeing a sharp rise in mortgage applications.  Perhaps that’ll happen over the next few weeks as we get closer.

But instead, with the mortgage rates rising I’m thinking this might be causing people to think a little longer about whether they should buy a home now, or not buy one at all.

There’s also lots of news of the number of foreclosures rising and that’ll create not only more choices, but lower prices on homes.

Here is an article I read recently that talks a little more about the topic of rates and mortgage apps… http://bit.ly/6QLI6

What are your thoughts about the tax credit?  Do you think it should be extended?

Make it a great day!

It’s been said that “money is the root of all evil”.  Actually, I believe that it’s either the lack of money or perhaps the extreme desire for money that’s more evil.

Either way, what do you suppose procrastination is the root of?  Maybe failure?  Or loss of opportunity?

When it comes to real estate purchasing and/or refinancing right now, procrastination can possibly cost you thousands of dollars.  Here is a good article on the subject of what “Waiting Really Could Cost You”… http://bit.ly/Z7BFp