Don’t miss out on one of the best times to purchase a home in years

June 25, 2009 by Tony Ashworth

First Time Buyers:

By now almost everyone has heard of the possibility of the onetime $8000.00 tax credit available to first time buyers, however, many people are unaware of the other benefits which may be available to first time buyers.

For instance, there is also a “Mortgage Credit Certificate” (MCC)program. The MCC program allows the buyers to not only take advantage of the $8000.00 credit, but also take an additional 20% annual tax credit for the life of the loan. (A dollar for dollar reduction in the taxes paid)

What this means is that you would take a normal deduction of 80% of the interest paid on your mortgage, while the other 20% becomes a tax credit.

Here’s an example: Annual Mortgage Interest Paid $9500.00
80% IRS 1040, deduction $7600.00
20% MCC Credit $1900.00

If your yearend tax liability was $2000.00, you would subtract the $1900.00 credit reducing your tax liability to $100.00

Here’s another example: Mortgage amount $175,000
Interest Rate 5.5%
Monthly P&I $994
Total 1st Year Interest $9566
MCC Credit X.20
MCC First Year Savings $1913

As a new home owner, you could reduce your withholdings thru your employer, thereby taking more money home with each paycheck to subsidize your payments.

Wait there’s more:

Down payment assistance programs are also available, potentially reducing you’re out of pocket expenses to as little as $750.00 to buy a home.

We also participate in the Mpls/St Paul heroes program where $15000 grants are available for buyers who are employed in the Military, Firefighters, Police Officers, Teachers, Public Employees and more.

To not miss out on these great opportunities, or for additional information, please contact Tony Ashworth at 952-997-8899 or Blaine Peterson at 651-905-6207.

Please view www.homesbytonyandlori.com for all of your real estate needs!

SOLD another listing! We need more!

June 23, 2009 by Tony Ashworth

The real estate market continues to move forward…and homes are selling.

Short sales & bank owned properties still continue to flood the twin cities real estate market, but traditional sales are happening and we are starting to see appreciation in certain price ranges.

Although most people will not see the 10% appreciation per year again, the days of 30% depreciation may be gone! Hopefully for good!

The first 1/2 of the year has been strong for the Ashworth Team! But, we need more listings!

If you are needing to sell your home please give us a call. We specialize in homes likes yours in the Mpls area, with an emphasis being on homes in Dakota and Scott counties.

For additional information, please view our website at www.homesbytonyandlori.com or give me a call at 952-997-8899.

Tony Ashworth

PS….We love buyers too!

Why buy now??? Don’t miss the boat!

March 25, 2009 by Tony Ashworth

The Federal Reserve is going to extraordinary lengths to push down long-term interest rates, including home-mortgage rates. But those hoping mortgage rates will fall sharply from current levels, already historically low, may be disappointed.

Mortgage firms Thursday were quoting rates averaging 4.75% on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, according to Zillow.com, a real-estate information service. That is down from more than 5% two days ago and about 6% in mid-November. But further big declines will be hard to achieve, partly because the mortgage-lending market has grown less competitive in the past year as hundreds of small banks and independent mortgage lenders have collapsed. The big banks that dominate the market are eager to boost their profits margins, not give deeper bargains to consumers.

Rates for borrowers with the strongest credit are likely to be in a range of roughly 4.5% to 4.75% for the rest of this year, says Mahesh Swaminathan, a mortgage strategist at Credit Suisse in New York.

Others say that is too optimistic. Assuming no big change in government policy, Walter Schmidt, an analyst at FTN Financial Capital Markets, sees a range of 4.75% to 5.5% for most of this year.

The Fed began driving mortgage rates down in late November when it announced plans to buy as much as $500 billion of mortgage securities this year. On Wednesday, the Fed expanded that program, saying it will spend as much as $1.25 trillion on such securities in 2009. That is enough to provide funding for more than half of all home-mortgage loans likely to be made in the U.S. this year.

The Fed also is buying long-term Treasury bonds to drive down rates on those securities, whose pricing affects mortgage rates.

By historical standards, rates look incredibly low. Until recently, 30-year fixed-rate mortgages hadn’t been below 5% since the 1950s. For the past couple of months, rates have been bobbing between about 5% and 5.25%. The 30-year rate averaged 4.98% in the week ended March 19, down from 5.03% the prior week, according to Freddie Mac’s survey. Fifteen-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 4.61%, down from 4.64%.

One reason mortgage rates often tick back up after a decline is that a rush of people seeking to refinance quickly causes backlogs at lenders, which frequently don’t have enough employees to process all of the applications.

“If lenders are working people overtime to close loans, they don’t have an incentive to compete too hard on price,” says Arthur Frank, who heads research on mortgage securities at Deutsche Bank in New York.

The situation highlights a conundrum for the government. It wants low rates to spur the housing market, but also wants the banks to make profits on loans so they can return to financial health.

Many of the small mortgage banks that remain are struggling. Mortgage banks, often small, family-owned companies, aren’t licensed to take deposits and so lack that source of money for their loans. Instead, they typically borrow money for short periods from so-called warehouse lenders. They use this short-term credit to make loans to their customers and then pay back the warehouse lenders after selling the loans to bigger banks or to government-backed mortgage investors Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

But this warehouse credit is much harder to obtain than it was a year or two ago because many of the big banks and Wall Street firms that used to provide it have exited that business.

Despite these constraints, the Fed’s action is “going to be a plus” for the housing market, says Thomas Lawler, an economist in Leesburg, Va. Lower rates make it more likely that home prices will hit bottom in many parts of the country later this year, Mr. Lawler says. The recovery, though, is likely to be gradual, partly because rising unemployment reduces housing demand.

Christopher J. Mayer, a real-estate professor at Columbia Business School in New York, says the Fed’s moves to cut rates are “helping to put a floor under the housing market.” But he worries that the Fed could face huge losses on the mortgage securities if inflation fears eventually push interest rates much higher.

Still, the consumers who need these low rates the most aren’t likely to get much help. Many people can’t qualify for these low rates because their credit scores aren’t high enough or they can’t afford a down payment of 20% or more on a home purchase. Such people will be socked with fees that can drive up their housing costs considerably. Banks also have become far pickier about appraisals and are nixing many purchases as a result.

Others can’t qualify for a refinancing because they owe far more on their homes than the estimated current market values. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have new refinancing programs that will let some borrowers refinance into lower rates even if they owe as much as 105% of the home value, but only for current loans owned or guaranteed by Fannie or Freddie

Wall Street Journal

Let’s start shopping….for a home!

March 4, 2009 by Tony Ashworth

Thinking of buying a home? Want to shop the MLS before you leave your living room? Here is a great way to get started!

http://www.listingbook.com/?pre=tonyashworth

It’s easy!

Set your search up today, and we can start shopping tomorrow!

We look forward to earning your business!

Tony & Lori Ashworth

You can view  all of our listings at either:

http://www.listingbook.com/?pre=tonyashworth

www.homesbytonyandlori.com

A Bigger & Better Home Buyer Tax CREDIT…

February 17, 2009 by Tony Ashworth

Still sitting on the fence in regards to possibly buying a home….it is time to get off & buy a home!

A tax credit of up to $8,000 is now available for qualified first-time home buyers purchasing a principal residence on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009. Unlike the tax credit enacted in 2008, the new credit does not have to be repaid.

In its efforts to stimulate the economy and revive the housing market, Congress has enacted legislation providing a tax credit of up to $8,000 for first-time home buyers….again the credit does not have to be repaid!

Time is of the essence for buyers who want to take advantage of this opportunity….only homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009 are eligible.

$8,000 Home Buyer Tax Credit at a Glance

  • The tax credit is for first-time home buyers only.
  • The tax credit does not have to be repaid.
  • The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000.
  • The credit is available for homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.
  • Single taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 qualify for the full tax credit

If you have been waiting…now is the time to buy!

 

Call us today to get started on your home buying adventure!

 

Tony & Lori Ashworth

www.homesbytonyandlori.com

tashworth@cbburnet.com

952-997-8899

To buy….or not to buy….

January 30, 2009 by Tony Ashworth

That is the question!

The answer is YES!

With current market conditions, there has never been a better time to buy a home in the Minneapolis / Saint Paul area! Every city is being affected by foreclosures, and short sales.

Are the best deals in Apple Valley, Burnsville, Lakeville, or Prior Lake? What about Savage, maybe even Credit River???

If you would like a list of bank mediated properties in a certain area, give us a call. We would love to help you with your home buying needs!

We look forward to earning your business!

Tony and Lori Ashworth

www.homesbytonyandlori.com  /  tashworth@cbburnet.com

952-997-8899

Move to Credit River MN!!!

January 22, 2009 by Tony Ashworth

If you are thinking of making a move to the Twin Cities / Minneapolis St. Paul area – think of Credit River!

Credit River is located on the south side of the Twin Cities and offers all the amenities that you are looking for! Lakes, woods, golf courses, snow mobile trails, etc…

I have several homes and acreage lots for sale in Credit River, all are in the Lakeville ISD 194 School District.

For mor information look at our website www.homesbytonyandlori.com or give me a call!

Tony Ashworth

952-997-8899

New upper bracket home for sale…Prior Lake MN

January 9, 2009 by Tony Ashworth

If you are looking for a luxury home in the Mpls / St Paul MN area, I have what you are looking for!!!

20920 Pin Oak Lane Prior Lake

Please view my website at www.homesbytonyandlori.com

952-997-8899

Want to buy a foreclosure, short sale, or any home? Find out how!

January 6, 2009 by Tony Ashworth

Thinking of buying a home?

NOW is the time to buy!!

1.       Outstanding home selection

2.       Rates are exceptionally low

3.       Find out how to buy a bank owned property

4.       Benefits of home ownership

5.       Plus much more!

Attend our Home Buyer’s Seminar and learn the steps to buying a home.

Saturday January 10, 2009

10:00 AM

Coldwell Banker Burnet

7741 147th Street West

Apple Valley

RSVP to tashworth@cbburnet.com

IT’S FREE

Contact Tony or Lori Ashworth

952-997-8899

www.homesbytonyandlori.com

We can help with your real estate needs anywhere in the USA…

January 5, 2009 by Tony Ashworth

Thinking of buying a rental in Florida near Disney….we can help!

Maybe something on a golf course in Scottsdale…we can do that as well!

Maybe a vacation home in Napa Valley…no problem.

Call the Ashworth Team for all of your relocation needs.

Be it relocating across town or across country…we can help.

Call today 952-997-8899

www.homesbytonyandlori.com