David Price with Coldwell Banker is pleased to announce 2525 Harn Blvd #5, Clearwater, FL 33764. A 2 bedroom 1.5 bath town home listed with Coldwell Banker and The Price Group.

First time home buyer and investors! This like new townhouse built in 2004 is light bright, open and has a very functional floor plan with high ceilings. Huge living and dining room, large kitchen w/island for the gourmet cook, wood cabinets and great storage. Inside laundry room on the 2nd floor. Covered front porch for morning coffee and an open back patio for the BBQ. You are walking distance to the Morningside pool & recreation center & the Trail, the perfect place to bike, roller blade & walk.

This property qualifies for FHA financing with a low 3.5% down payment. First time buyers may be eligible for the $8,000 tax credit. You would need to be under contract before 4/30/10 and close by June 30th 2010. Close to Clearwater beach just 8 miles away, malls, medical facilities, Starbucks and local restaurants. 20 minutes to downtown St. Pete. Not a short sale! So no waiting for 3-6 months to close, you could be living in this home in just 3 weeks.

To view photos “click here”

For a private showing call David Price 727-851-6189 anytime.

The IRS released the form Tax credit form 5405 “first time home buyers”
What this means is there have been a whole lot of very frustrated people waiting for the first time homebuyers $8,000 tax credit. I don’t think most people buying a home anticipated the IRS would wait a little over 2 months to get the new form out, leaving people who purchased homes between Nov 6th and today unable to ammend their 2008 tax returns for the credit or file early in 2010.

Things got a little sticker today as well. Now anyone claiming the first time homebuyers $8,000 tax credit, or the step-up credit of $6,500, will not able to E-File! causing longer delays in seeing any money from the credit.
The problem is not necessarily the fault of the IRS but rather the sheer amount of scammers scamming the program. Because of the amount of false claims filed, claiming the credit now requires a few steps previously not in place Print out form 5405
-Provide proof of residency
-Provide signed HUD settlement statement
-Provided signed mortgage statement
-Provide drivers license copy
The IRS has no way to process the extra documentation, except the old fashioned way – by hand. Therefore, no e-file, and expect at least a 3 month wait for your paperwork to make it through the process and receive the credit.
Even with the delay in receiving the credit, and the extra paperwork, the credit is still and excellent way to help homebuyers.
Feel free to contact David Price with Coldwell Banker for more information on how the $8,000 first time homebuyers take credit can help you purchase your Tampa Bay FL property.

Lot’s of great info here! Take a look at the number of active homes on the market today compared to the past couple of years. The median home price is also on the rise. If we see the unemployment rate go down we could see a much faster recovery in Pinellas County. The number of bank owned homes is also on the way down! Does this mean the end of the great deals? I don’t think so. I’ve seen some great deals in the past few weeks! Like mutiple 3 & 4 bed, pool homes in Clearwater for under $130,000!

Click on the links below and view the pdf. files.

Pinellas December 2009 All Reports: “Condo’s & Single Family”

November 09 monthly foreclosure &short sales report

You still have time to negotiate and buy a “Short Sale” property before the $8,000 first time home buyer tax credit and the $6,500 move up credit runs out! But don’t delay because what I experienced last year was at about 60 days before the end of the tax credit sellers of non “short sale” homes got a higher sold price to list price percentage because they negotiated harder with buyers because they knew that they had the only homes buyers could close on and still get the credit! The morale of the story here is if you want negotiating power, start early.

Have questions? Call or Email me

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Jan. 11, 2010 – For a number of reasons, both financial and personal, a growing number of men are shunning the revered institution of homeownership. The figures behind this phenomenon only hint at possible reasons.

A comprehensive nationwide study by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Center for Community Capital found that men and women under age 40 report fairly comparable levels of contentment with homeownership. Yet the attitudes of bachelors and bachelorettes hint at underlying gender attitudes toward homeownership. Married couples comprise the majority of new homebuyers.

According to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), the next-largest buying group is single women, who in the past year accounted for more than one in five home sales; single men represented just 10 percent.

The gap has widened since the turn of the century, confirms Paul Bishop, NAR’s vice president for research. Bishop’s survey leaves unanswered questions about the roots of the gender divide. Whatever the reasons, a number of men seem to grasp all too well what economists see as an enigma of homeownership: it has an asset, or investment, value, as well as a consumption value.

“Once upon a time, people bought houses to live in,” says UCLA geography professor William Clark, who writes frequently on homeownership. Today, “with the sudden run-up in foreclosures, you’re starting to see people ask: ‘Is housing a good investment?’” he explains.

TAMPA, Fla. – Jan. 5, 2009 – Florida homeowners facing foreclosure may soon get one last chance to negotiate with lenders trying to take back their homes.

The Florida Supreme Court issued an administrative order last week that requires a third-party mediation program with all new foreclosure lawsuits involving primary residences.

The goal of the order, written by Chief Justice Peggy Quince, is to help handle the state’s glut of foreclosures. An estimated 456,000 foreclosure cases statewide are clogging the court system, she said.

Florida has the third-highest mortgage delinquency rate in the nation, according to the order. “The crisis continues unabated,” Quince wrote.

The order backs a recommendation made in August by the Supreme Court’s residential task force. The court asked the task force to study the problem and offer guidance.

“I’m pleased the court recognized the need of what the task force asked for,” said Alan Bookman, a task force member and former Florida Bar president. “This is going to force lenders and borrowers to talk to each other. They may not be able to work something out, but it’s a start.”

Lenders have spoken out against mandatory mediation and said it would cause even more delays. Alex Sanchez, president and CEO of the Florida Bankers Association, told the Tribune in August that lenders already are in constant touch with borrowers and file foreclosure cases as a last resort.

Sanchez could not be reached for comment Monday.

The mediation order will be executed through the chief judges of Florida’s 20 judicial circuits. Bookman said he expects the program to be in place by mid-February.

The program requires sending all cases involving primary residences to mediation unless the plaintiff and borrower have already done so or both parties agree to opt out.

The cost of mediation is not to exceed $750, according to the order. Lenders would pay the fee initially, though they could recoup some costs if mediation fails and a foreclosure lawsuit is filed in court.

It’s unclear on what date the mediation requirement kicks in, but it does not apply to cases already in the pipeline, Bookman said.

The order likely will apply to cases filed after the chief judges sign orders for each circuit, Bookman said. However, the chief judges could assign a different date.

“They could make it affective for cases filed this week, when the order was signed,” Bookman said.

Most areas of Florida continue to see a rise in foreclosure filings.

However, the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro area recently saw overall foreclosure filings slow. The November number dropped 9 percent year-over-year and 1 percent from the previous month, according to RealtyTrac, a California company that tracks mortgage activity.

Even so, the area has been rocked by foreclosures. The category of filings known as new foreclosure lawsuits increased in November, from 31,380 the month before to 32,276.

BARTOW, Fla. – Jan. 5, 2010 – It’s not too early to file for a property tax exemption for next year, according to Polk County Property Appraiser Marsha Faux, Faux said filing now will allow property owners to beat the rush that normally occurs early in the year as people try to beat the March 1 deadline.

Faux said her staff is accepting applications for homestead, portability, widow, widower, disability, veterans, senior, religious and charitable exemptions as well as applications for agricultural classification, also known as greenbelting.

Applicants filing for homestead exemption for the first time must apply in person and bring their recorded deed and proof of residency, which includes Florida driver license, Florida vehicle registration, Florida voter registration or resident alien card.

Persons filing for any exemption are required to present their Social Security cards.

A husband and wife must both have Florida driver licenses, if both drive.

Homestead exemptions are allowed on mobile homes if the landowner also is the owner of the mobile home. The mobile home registration must be provided at the time of filing.

A widow or widower must provide a copy of their late spouse’s death certificate.

Applicants for the disability exemption must provide a letter from a certified Florida physician verifying a total and permanent disability.

Veterans exemption applicants must provide documentation of percentage of service-connected disability from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

By Benny Kass, Tuesday, January 5, 2010.

Inman News

DEAR BENNY: My wife and I are considering a move to Arizona. As we have lived in our current townhome for six years, I am sure we would be eligible for the homebuyer credit of $6,500. What I cannot find is any reference about if and when we must sell our current home. Can we buy a replacement home by the cutoff date of April 30, 2010, then sell our current residence later in the year? Or if we make the new house our principal residence, are we required to sell our current residence at all? –John

DEAR JOHN: According to the Internal Revenue Service, you do not have to sell your current house — which must have been owned and used as a principal or primary residence for at least five consecutive years of the eight-year period ending on the date of purchase of a new home as a primary residence — in order to take advantage of the new $6,500 tax credit for repeat homebuyers so long as the new house becomes your primary house.

There are, however, some additional limitations. While you do not have to purchase a home that is more expensive than your current home to qualify for the credit, if your new home costs more than $800,000, you are not eligible for that credit.

There are also income limitations. For single taxpayers, you cannot make more than $125,000 annually; for married folks, you cannot earn more than $225,000 if you file a joint tax return. There is a phase-out until your income reaches $145,000 for a single taxpayer or $245,000 for joint tax filers. This means that the credit is reduced proportionately until you reach the ceiling cap.

You cannot purchase the new home from family members, which includes parents, grandparents or children.

And finally, the purchase must take place by April 30, 2010. However, if you have entered into a binding contract before that date, you must settle (go to escrow) by June 30, 2010, or you will lose this credit.

This is my opinion; I suggest you consult your own tax advisors for specific advice.

Mortgage rates rose for the fourth straight week, ending the year above 5 percent.

The average fixed rate on a 30-year mortgage was 5.14 percent last week, up from 5.05 percent one week earlier, Freddie Mac said Thursday.

Mortgage rates are closely tied to yields on long-term government debt. The average fixed rate on 30-year mortgages has steadily risen since hitting a record low of 4.71 percent the week of Dec. 3.

The Federal Reserve is pouring $1.25 trillion into mortgage-backed securities to keep rates low this year. The program, aimed at making home buying more affordable, is set to end next spring.

Still, qualifying for a loan is hard because lenders have severely tightened requirements. The best rates are available to those with good credit and a 20 percent down payment.

Freddie Mac collects mortgage rates on Monday through Wednesday of each week from lenders across the country. Rates often fluctuate significantly, even within a given day.

The average rate on a 15-year fixed mortgage rose to 4.54 percent from 4.45 percent last week.

Rates on five-year, adjustable-rate mortgages averaged 4.44 percent, up from 4.40 percent last week. However, rates on one-year, adjustable-rate mortgages fell to 4.33 percent from 4.38 percent.

The rates do not include add-on fees known as points. The nationwide fee for loans in Freddie Mac’s survey averaged 0.7 point for 30-year loans. The fee averaged 0.7 point for 15-year and 0.6 point for five-year loans and for one-year mortgages.

So you want to sell a home in 2010? Think January, not June.

Not only are prices expected to keep falling, cutting into sellers’ profits the longer they wait, but demand will be strong early in the year from first-time and move-up buyers looking to qualify for tax credits that expire April 30.

“If I had a home that I wanted to get as much money for as I could, I’d sell it as soon as possible,” said Chris Lafakis, an economist for Moody’s Economy.com in West Chester, Pa.

Richard Griest, 58, is selling his three-bedroom home in Margate. It’s listed for $275,000, down from $299,000. “I’m a motivated seller, but I’m not going to give the thing away,” he said.

Griest’s real estate agent, Michael Citron, isn’t advocating any fire sale, but he has stressed to his client that time is of the essence.

Griest’s neighborhood is full of foreclosures and short sales, which will hurt prices of all neighboring properties. Even if Griest accepts an offer in the $250,000 range, that would be better than holding out and watching the distressed sales set a much lower standard for prices in the area, Citron said.

“More distressed sales are happening and will continue to happen in 2010,” said Citron of RE/MAX ParkCreek in Coconut Creek. “The market will continue to decline in value.”

While some real estate observers insist South Florida’s housing prices can’t fall much more than they have, others say the lingering recession and rising unemployment will hurt the market next year.

Potentially playing a large role will be a so-called shadow inventory of homes – repossessed properties that haven’t been put on the market for resale and mortgages that are in default and soon will be in foreclosure.

“Option ARM” adjustable-rate mortgages are due to reset higher in the next two years, leading to more foreclosures. And Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties are among the leaders nationwide in first-mortgage defaults, according to Economy.com.

The firm expects South Florida home prices to bottom at the end of 2010, but not before they drop another 24 percent in Palm Beach County and another 30 percent in Broward. That would put Palm Beach County’s median price at less than $175,000 and Broward’s median in the $130,000 range.

Already, prices have plummeted by more than 40 percent in both counties since the housing markets peaked in November 2005.

Sales of existing homes have increased steadily for the past year, but half to two-thirds of the transactions involve foreclosures and short sales, agents say.

Scott Agran, head of Lang Realty in Broward and Palm Beach counties, said the housing recovery will happen once the economy improves.

“Not a lot of people are buying because it’s the right home on the right lot,” Agran said. “Most people are in the market to find a really good buy. There’s not a lot of normal purchasing.”

Still, some market followers take issue with the dire price forecasts for 2010.

Mike Pappas, president of the Miami-based Keyes Co., expects foreclosures will “seep out slowly” as lenders are careful not to deluge the market with more vacant homes.

“I think we’ll be able to handle it,” Pappas said.

Douglas Rill, broker/owner of Century 21 America’s Choice in West Palm Beach, also is optimistic. Lenders and borrowers are better prepared now than in previous years, which will lead to more people staying their homes, he said.

Rill said the large price declines have flattened over the past 12 months, and inventory of homes for sale has steadily decreased.

“I do not jump on the bandwagon of super declines in value,” Rill said. “I think that’s significantly overstated.”

A Great Deal in Real Estate is Now Better

ote: This is intended to provide an overview only – for specific information or individual concerns, please contact your lawyer, accountant and/or financial advisor.

The federal income tax credit for homebuyers has been extended and expanded to now include homeowners who wish to “move on” after 5 years of living in their current property, as well as first-time homebuyers.

First-time homebuyers, or those who have not owned in the last three years, can receive up to an $8,000 tax credit
Homeowners who have lived in a current home consecutively for 5 of the past 8 years can receive up to a $6,500 tax credit
There may be no future extensions, so all qualified homebuyers are urged to act and have a written, binding contract by April 30, 2010 (close by June 30, 2010)
Income limits are now $125,000 for singles, $225,000 for married couples with a $20,000 phase-out of the credit for both.

According to The National Association of Realtors News Release, dated 11/5/09, an estimated $22 billion has already been added to the general economy resulting from the bill and approximately 2 million people will utilize the tax credit in 2009.

For me infomation call The Price Group today!