As a first time home buyer you may think that you don’t have enough credit history to get approved for a loan. However, mainly due to government regulations, private lenders can obtain tax benefits when they lend to first time home buyers. There are also government grants and loans for first time home buyers that will provide you with the finance you need.

Approval for first time home buyers has become increasingly simple but there are still obstacles to be overcome when you want to get a home loan for purchasing your new home. In order to understand what you need for getting approved you need to know how credit risk affects approval and how you can avoid this problem.

First Time Home Buyers Difficulties

First time home buyers seldom have a credit history long enough to create a pattern a lender could use to analyze their credit behavior. Having no credit can sometimes be worst than having bad credit. However, as regards to home loans this is not the problem as we will analyze when examining secured loans.

The real problem with first time home buyers is the lack of experience. Purchasing a home is not a simple process and unless you know which steps to take, it may take a lot more time than you expected. Proper preparation can solve this problem, so you need to gather all the information you can and learn about the legal an economic components of a home purchase.

Secured Loans: No Credit Is Overlooked

Secured loans are guaranteed with an asset which means that the risk involved for the lender is considerably reduced. The lender can always recover the money lent by taking legal action of repossession against the property to claim the amount owed. Thus, as opposed to unsecured loans, credit score and history is not so important.

Secured loans overlook the lack of credit of applicants as long as they can show proof of having enough income to cover for the monthly payments and closing costs of the loan. Nevertheless, since no credit implies a higher risk, those who lack a credit history will have to pay more interests than those who can show a good to perfect credit.

Co-Signer Further Reduces Risk

By providing a co-signer, the already lower risk implied in a secured loan transaction is reduced even more. A co-signer is at the same time responsible for the loan payments. When applying for a home loan with the aid of a co-signer, the interest rate charged for the loan is also reduced and the loan term extended to suit the applicants’ needs.

A co-signer makes a home loan approval even easier. The income requirement is easily achieved by an applicant if the co-signer income is also computed to see if the incomes reach the minimum required by law. Also, the credit requirements are more flexible as there are two people obliged by the loan. If either of them qualifies, both do.

Melissa Kellett is an expert loan consultant who has worked for twenty years in the financial industry and helps people to repair their credit and get approved for home loans, unsecured personal loans, student loans, consolidation loans, car loans and many other types of loans and financial products. If you want to learn more about Poor Credit Personal Loans and Guaranteed Approval Mortgage Loans you can visit her site http://www.speedybadcreditloans.com/

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Unlike the previous tax credit Congress passed in July of 2008 which provided up to $8,000 to ONLY first time home buyers, the newly revised version also contains a provision for MOVE-UP or REPEAT home buyers as well.

Now, under the new provisions, home buyers that qualify as “long term residents”, or put simply, someone who has lived in the same house for at least five straight years in the last eight year period, is eligible for a tax credit of up to $6,500 when they purchase a new or different primary residence. For married couples, BOTH must qualify as long term residents in order to take advantage of the tax credit.

This tax credit is limited to 10% of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $6,500. Thus on a qualifying home priced at $50,000 the buyer would receive a tax credit of $5,000. Qualifying homes can be any of the following: a single-family residence, a town home or a condominium. Even mobile homes and houseboats qualify!

The tax credit is reduced for buyers with incomes above a certain amount. Single taxpayers who earn over $125,000 per year, and married taxpayers (filing jointly) who earn over $225,000 a year combined, will see a proportional reduction in the amount of the credit they can receive.

Repeat buyers have until April 30th 2010 to sign purchase agreements, and until June 30th 2010 to close on their new homes. Also, you can choose whether to apply your tax credit to 2009 or 2010 based on which choice would offer you a greater tax benefit.

Even though the tax code refers to qualified buyers as ”move-up” buyers, you don’t have to buy a house that is more expensive than your previous home to qualify. This means that even if you have sold a house for more than the one you are now buying, you can still take advantage of this tax credit! 

Consult with your tax professional to determine exactly how this new tax code may affect you.  You will need IRS form 5405 to determine the credit amount.  Also, make sure to include a copy of your HUD-1 settlement statement with your form 5405 as proof that you have already completed the purchase.

To get your FREE REPORT on selling or buying a home and other tips on all things real estate go to http://www.mi7online.com/free-reports/

-Kyle Pavey is a real estate solution professional. Feel free to visit his website at http://www.mi7online.com

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The other day I was listening to a local agent complaining about how quiet the office was – nobody was coming in. “It’s to be expected”, he said, “Everyone is going through the same thing;.”

It frustrates me that people are content to sit and wait for business to come to them. This complacent attitude only translates into missed opportunities.

One of the prime opportunities in our current market is the first time home buyer. This is a cross-section of the real estate market that is ripe for the picking. While seasoned buyers were cashing in during the boom, first timers could barely make the down payment. Now with low interest rates, cheap house prices, plenty of inventory, and government incentives, first time investors are back in the game again.

The trouble is, they’ve been scared off into sitting on the sidelines by the barrage of economic horror stories in the media. The smart realtor will take this opportunity to educate the public. You’ve got time on your hand, use it to your advantage. Spread the word and hold free lectures about buying a home. Outline the steps involved in a home purchase and explain the legal terminology.

Do some number crunching that demonstrates to renters how much house they could get for the same payment. Post current mortgage rates by all major banks. Open their eyes to the different ways they could subsidize their mortgage by renting out rooms in their own home.

Outline the process for obtaining financing and what new buyers can do to maximize their success with lending institutions. Describe how they can obtain credit checks and what information they should have before applying for a mortgage, so they go in confident and prepared.

Explain the different FHA and government-sponsored programs that are available for first time homebuyers. A prime example is the $7,500 interest free loan they can receive from the federal government.

Eligibility requirements include:

- Home must be the first for both spouses (rental properties and vacation homes don’t count).

- The home purchase must be between April 9, 2008 and July 1, 2009.

- Income should not be greater than $75,000 (single) or $150,000 (married)

Once they qualify, the new buyers get a refundable tax credit that basically wipes out $7,500 of the taxes they pay for that year. The catch is that the money has to be paid back at a rate of $500 per year at tax time – with no interest.

Up until now, you’ve been dealing with a cross-section of the market that has heard nothing but negative information about the housing market; it’s your job to turn that around. You may be pleasantly surprised with the results.

Edkirkland.com is the place to satisfy all your Destin real estate needs. Our free, easy-to-use website features powerful home search technology, information on market trends, and a guide to finding the best deals in the Destin condo market.

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