The notion of buying your first home, building equity, and eventually moving up the property ladder is still something many young Americans aspire to, but between more stringent underwriting procedures, lingering student loan debt, competition from real estate speculators and higher interest rates, first-time buyers are being squeezed out of the market. [More]
First-Time Homebuyer Credit
Scrizzle: New Homeowners Can Get Up To $8000
First-time home buyers can get a tax credit of up to $8,000 thanks to the stimulus bill Obama signed back in February. You qualify if you bought between April 9, 2008, and November 30, 2009. To get the credit, use IRS Form 5405, “First-Time Homebuyer Credit.” Since house prices are going down, the credit isn’t anything to go and sign for a new crib this afternoon. But if you already got a home or were planning to, it’s extra jingle in your coin-purse.