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March 31st, 2009

How the Stimulus Bill Can Help You Get a Home in Chicago

There are several indications that the new stimulus bill passed by Congress will have a positive influence on the struggling housing market. If you are considering buying a home in Chicago for the first time, the stimulus plan may help make that happen.

How the Stimulus Bill Stimulates the Bottom Line

The biggest effect the stimulus plan will have on new home buyers is a tax incentive. We all want to get more money back on our tax returns and the stimulus bill has an $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers purchasing a home in Chicago.

How You Qualify

In order to qualify for the stimulus tax incentive you must:

  • Not have owned a home in the past three years.
  • Use the new home as your primary residence.
  • Have gross income of less than $75,000 per person or $150,000 per couple.
  • Report the purchase on your income tax filings.  Should you sell your home within the first 3 years of owning, you will need to re-pay all or a portion of the stimulus money. After 3 years, all of the stimulus money is yours! It’s my understanding that if you owe money to the IRS, that amount is deducted from the $8,000 incentive and you would be refunded the difference! Not a bad incentive!!

Stimulating Interest on Lincoln Park Home Purchases

The stimulus bill also gives first-time home buyers a chance to get into those big ticket houses. Houses with market values over $417,000 will be eligible for lower interest rates to make them more affordable. The luxury home industry has stagnated in the failing real estate market and this should give it a vital boost.

President Obama’s stimulus plan is serious about improving the housing market and has a lot to offer the first time buyer. The bill gives people looking to buy a home in Lincoln Park reason to hope. What are you waiting for…all of the ingredients are here, waiting for you to take advantage of them!

March 27th, 2009

1st time home buyer tax credit

Finally, someone has deciphered the 1st time home buyer tax credit! I’ve been wanting to share this information for some time, but it seemed to be a moving target. We’ve heard that the $8,000 was a credit, or a deduction on your taxes to a loan to be paid off over 15 years. According to the article, “it looks like it’s a credit, which is typically more valuable than a deduction, since it eliminates your taxes on a dollar-for-dollar basis — and in this case, you may get it even if you don’t owe any taxes.”

So, if you’re looking to jump into the Chicago real estate market, now is an excellent time to do so…rates are still low, prices are great and if you meet the income criteria you can take advantage of the $8,000 credit.

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Real Estate - Residential stories from Crain's Chicago Business News and Features regarding Real Estate - Residential from Crain's Chicago Business

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