The federal government is giving homeowners a chance to save some serious money by refinancing their mortgage loans to take advantage of historically low interest rates. The so called housing crisis has dragged down home sales and an influx of distressed properties has added to the problems in the real estate market. The economic stimulus packages coming out of Washington are starting to pull investors back into the real estate market.
The biggest boost in the housing sector is being brought on by first time home buyers. The federal government is currently helping first time home buyers with a tax credit up to $8000.00 when buying real estate. The stipulations to first time home buyers wanting to be able to take advantage of this tax credit are simple.
First time home buyers need to maintain ownership of their first home purchase for a minimum of three years to avoid ever having to pay the credit back. Considering that the average homeowner maintains ownership of their first home for at least six years, there are not too many first time buyers that will have to pay the credit back.
First time buyers are cleaning up financially in the real estate market and existing homeowners are refinancing their mortgage loans, this trend is in line with the Federal Reserve’s predictions that the recession that started in 2007 will be over by mid 2009.
To help bring confidence back to mortgage loans the FDIC has mandated changes to the way financial institutions process mortgage loans. The biggest change is to disclosure statements. The FDIC is now requiring banks to provide closing statements to consumers at least two weeks before the buyer can sign all of the paperwork. This change alone will go a long way to preventing predatory lending practices. Too many consumers had fallen victim to predatory lenders that told them one thing, but after closing, consumers realized that the terms of their mortgage loans were different after they signed the papers.
Prospective home buyers think that qualifying for mortgage loans might be difficult in the current economic climate. However, the FDIC has also been tracking data that indicates banks have been loaning more to consumers and potential buyers are filling out more applications for mortgage loans. With low interest rates on mortgage loans, housing prices in a slump, and a tax credit available, savvy consumers in Virginia are getting some real deals in the real estate market.
If you’re a considering home ownership, you could not ask for a better time to invest in your financial future. I recommend that you spend some time doing some research into all of the options you have in the real estate market. There are several different types of mortgage loans available in Virginia to buyers, and they should make sure to get the right one for their future financial prosperity.