Renters May Be in Trouble

The gap between rental costs and household income is widening to unsustainable levels across the country. As more renters face steeper costs, it may put them even further away from home ownership, according to a new study released by the National Association of REALTORS®. NAR evaluated income growth, housing costs, and changes in share of renter and owner-occupied households over the past five years in metropolitan statistical areas across the U.S.

Over the last five years, a typical rent rose 15 percent, while the income of renters grew by only 11 percent, according to their research.

Read more at http://ow.ly/KNXaz

Freddie’s 3% Down Payments Start Next Week

Freddie Mac will begin offering mortgages with down payments of only 3 percent — the first time they’ve been this low on the GSE’s loans in nearly five years — starting March 23. The move is expected to make more credit available to entry-level borrowers.

“By launching our 3 percent down payment mortgage now, at the start of the spring homebuying season, lenders will be ready to serve qualified working families who are ready to buy and keep the recovery going,” Dave Lowman, executive vice president for Freddie Mac’s single-family business, writes on its Executive Perspectives blog.

Fannie Mae began insuring 3 percent down payment mortgages in December.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency, the conservator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, recently said it wanted to make it a priority to “work to increase access to mortgage credit for creditworthy borrowers,” according to FHFA’s 2015 Scorecard for Freddie Mac. Tight credit conditions and high down payment requirements in recent years have been blamed for sidelining potential home buyers and causing a sluggish housing recovery.

Besides 3 percent down payments, Freddie Mac’s Our Home Possible Advantage Program, which is aimed at supporting first-time buyers as well as low- and moderate-income borrowers, is allowing no minimum from borrowers in contributions. That means parents or relatives now can cover 100 percent of the down payment through gifts.

Source: “Advantage: Home Buyers,” Freddie Mac (March 9, 2015)

21 Hot Housing Trends for 2015

Everyone wants to be hip, and the latest trends in design can help distinguish one home from another. And it’s not all flash; many new home fads are geared to pare maintenance and energy use and deliver information faster.

This time of the year, we hear from just about every sector of the economy what’s expected to be popular in the coming year. Foodies with their fingers on the pulse of the restaurant industry and hot TV chefs will tell us to say goodbye to beet-and-goat cheese salad and hello roasted cauliflower, and there’s no end to the gadgets touted as the next big thing.

In real estate, however, trends typically come slowly, often well after they appear in commercial spaces and fashion. And though they may entice buyers and sellers, remind them that trends are just that—a change in direction that may captivate, go mainstream, then disappear (though some will gain momentum and remain as classics). Which way they’ll go is hard to predict, but here are 21 trends that experts expect to draw great appeal this year: http://ow.ly/KdFlu

Pending Home Sales Rise in January to Highest Level in 18 Months

WASHINGTON (February 27, 2015) — Improved buyer demand at the beginning of 2015 pushed pending home sales in January to their highest level since August 2013, according to the National Association of Realtors®. All major regions except for the Midwest saw gains in activity in January.

The Pending Home Sales Index,* a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, climbed 1.7 percent to 104.2 in January from an upwardly revised 102.5 in December and is now 8.4 percent above January 2014 (96.1). This marks the fifth consecutive month of year-over-year gains with each month accelerating the previous month’s gain.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, says for the most part buyers in January were able to overcome tight supply to sign contracts at a pace that highlights the underlying demand that exists in today’s market. “Contract activity is convincingly up compared to a year ago despite comparable inventory levels,” he said. “The difference this year is the positive factors supporting stronger sales, such as slightly improving credit conditions, more jobs and slower price growth.”

Yun also points to more favorable conditions for traditional buyers entering the market. All-cash sales and sales to investors are both down from a year ago¹, creating less competition and some relief for buyers who still face the challenge of limited homes available for sale.

“All indications point to modest sales gains as we head into the spring buying season,” says Yun. “However, the pace will greatly depend on how much upward pressure the impact of low inventory will have on home prices. Appreciation anywhere near double-digits isn’t healthy or sustainable in the current economic environment.”

The PHSI in the Northeast inched 0.1 percent to 84.9 in January, and is now 6.9 percent above a year ago. In the Midwest the index decreased 0.7 percent to 99.3 in January, but is 4.2 percent above January 2014.

Pending home sales experienced the largest increase in the South, up 3.2 percent to an index of 121.9 in January (highest since April 2010) and are 9.7 percent above last January. The index in the West rose 2.2 percent in January to 96.4 and is 11.4 percent above a year ago.

Total existing-homes sales in 2015 are forecast to be around 5.26 million, an increase of 6.4 percent from 2014. The national median existing-home price for all of this year is expected to increase near 5 percent. In 2014, existing-home sales declined 2.9 percent and prices rose 5.7 percent.

The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

More at: http://ow.ly/JVD86

Existing-Home Sales Declined in January

WASHINGTON (February 23, 2015) – Existing-home sales declined in January to their lowest rate in nine months, but the pace was higher than a year ago for the fourth straight month, according to the National Association of Realtors®. All major regions experienced declines in January, with the Northeast and West seeing the largest.

Total existing-home sales¹, which are completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, fell 4.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.82 million in January (lowest since last April at 4.75 million) from an upwardly-revised 5.07 million in December. Despite January’s decline, sales are higher by 3.2 percent than a year ago.

Existing-home sales in the West dropped 7.1 percent to an annual rate of 1.04 million in January, but are still 1.0 percent above a year ago. The median price in the West was $291,800, which is 7.2 percent above January 2014.NOTE:  For local information, please contact the local association of Realtors® for data from local multiple listing services. Local MLS data is the most accurate source of sales and price information in specific areas, although there may be differences in reporting methodology.

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Colorado Friends – Builders and Developers

Colorado friends – Builders and developers have been scared away from developing in Colorado due to the current construction defects laws. Homebuilders and homeowners have a high risk of expensive, time-consuming litigation. It is time to make a change. SENATE BILL 177 was introduced this week to help remedy this situation. Click below to contact your State Legislators and encourage them to vote for SB 177. http://ow.ly/JnKiF

Don’t miss these property tax deductions

Take advantage of these homeownership-related tax deductions and strategies to lower your tax bill:

Mortgage Interest Deduction

One of the neatest deductions itemizing homeowners can take advantage of is the mortgage interest deduction, which you claim on Schedule A. To get the mortgage interest deduction, your mortgage must be secured by your home — and your home can be a house, trailer, or boat, as long as you can sleep in it, cook in it, and it has a toilet.

Interest you pay on a mortgage of up to $1 million — or $500,000 if you’re married filing separately — is deductible when you use the loan to buy, build, or improve your home.

If you take on another mortgage (including a second mortgage, home equity loan, or home equity line of credit) to improve your home or to buy or build a second home, that counts towards the $1 million limit.

If you use loans secured by your home for other things — like sending your kid to college — you can still deduct the interest on loans up $100,000 ($50,000 for married filing separately) because your home secures the loan.

PMI and FHA Mortgage Insurance Premiums

You can deduct the cost of private mortgage insurance (PMI) as mortgage interest on Schedule A if you itemize your return. The change only applies to loans taken out in 2007 or later.

By the way, the 2014 tax season is the last for which you can claim this deduction unless Congress renews it for 2015, which may happen, but is uncertain.

What’s PMI? If you have a mortgage but didn’t put down a fairly good-sized downpayment (usually 20%), the lender requires the mortgage be insured. The premium on that insurance can be deducted, so long as your income is less than $100,000 (or $50,000 for married filing separately).

If your adjusted gross income is more than $100,000, your deduction is reduced by 10% for each $1,000 ($500 in the case of a married individual filing a separate return) that your adjusted gross income exceeds $100,000 ($50,000 in the case of a married individual filing a separate return). So, if you make $110,000 or more, you can’t claim the deduction (10% x 10 = 100%).

Besides private mortgage insurance, there’s government insurance from FHA, VA, and the Rural Housing Service. Some of those premiums are paid at closing, and deducting them is complicated. A tax adviser or tax software program can help you calculate this deduction. Also, the rules vary between the agencies.

Prepaid Interest Deduction

Prepaid interest (or points) you paid when you took out your mortgage is generally 100% deductible in the year you paid it along with other mortgage interest.

If you refinance your mortgage and use that money for home improvements, any points you pay are also deductible in the same year.

But if you refinance to get a better rate or shorten the length of your mortgage, or to use the money for something other than home improvements, such as college tuition, you’ll need to deduct the points over the life of your mortgage. Say you refi into a 10-year mortgage and pay $3,000 in points. You can deduct $300 per year for 10 years.

So what happens if you refi again down the road?

Example: Three years after your first refi, you refinance again. Using the $3,000 in points scenario above, you’ll have deducted $900 ($300 x 3 years) so far. That leaves $2,400, which you can deduct in full the year you complete your second refi. If you paid points for the new loan, the process starts again; you can deduct the points over the life of the loan.

Home mortgage interest and points are reported on Schedule A of IRS Form 1040.

Your lender will send you a Form 1098 that lists the points you paid. If not, you should be able to find the amount listed on the HUD-1 settlement sheet you got when you closed the purchase of your home or your refinance closing.

Property Tax Deduction

You can deduct on Schedule A the real estate property taxes you pay. If you have a mortgage with an escrow account, the amount of real estate property taxes you paid shows up on your annual escrow statement.

If you bought a house this year, check your HUD-1 settlement statement to see if you paid any property taxes when you closed the purchase of your house. Those taxes are deductible on Schedule A, too.

Energy-Efficiency Upgrades

If you made your home more energy efficient in 2014, you might qualify for the residential energy tax credit.

Tax credits are especially valuable because they let you offset what you owe the IRS dollar for dollar for up to 10% of the amount you spent on certain home energy-efficiency upgrades.

The credit carries a lifetime cap of $500 (less for some products), so if you’ve used it in years past, you’ll have to subtract prior tax credits from that $500 limit. Lucky for you, there’s no cap on how much you’ll save on utility bills thanks to your energy-efficiency upgrades.

Among the upgrades that might qualify for the credit:

• Biomass stoves
• Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
• Insulation
• Roofs (metal and asphalt)
• Water heaters (non-solar)
• Windows, doors, and skylights
• To claim the credit, file IRS Form 5695 with your return.

Vacation Home Tax Deductions

The rules on tax deductions for vacation homes are complicated. Do yourself a favor and keep good records about how and when you use your vacation home.

If you’re the only one using your vacation home (you don’t rent it out for more than 14 days a year), you deduct mortgage interest and real estate taxes on Schedule A.

Rent your vacation home out for more than 14 days and use it yourself fewer than 15 days (or 10% of total rental days, whichever is greater), and it’s treated like a rental property. Your expenses are deducted on Schedule E.

Rent your home for part of the year and use it yourself for more than the greater of 14 days or 10% of the days you rent it and you have to keep track of income, expenses, and allocate them based on how often you used and how often you rented the house.

Homebuyer Tax Credit

This isn’t a deduction, but it’s important to keep track of if you claimed it in 2008.

There were federal first-time homebuyer tax credits in 2008, 2009, and 2010.

If you claimed the homebuyer tax credit for a purchase made after April 8, 2008, and before Jan. 1, 2009, you must repay 1/15th of the credit over 15 years, with no interest.

The IRS has a tool you can use to help figure out what you owe each year until it’s paid off. Or if the home stops being your main home, you may need to add the remaining unpaid credit amount to your income tax on your next tax return.

Generally, you don’t have to pay back the credit if you bought your home in 2009, 2010, or early 2011. The exception: You have to repay the full credit amount if you sold your house or stopped using it as primary residence within 36 months of the purchase date. Then you must repay it with your tax return for the year the home stopped being your principal residence.

The repayment rules are less rigorous for uniformed service members, Foreign Service workers, and intelligence community workers who got sent on extended duty at least 50 miles from their principal residence.

Related: A Homeowner’s Guide to Taxes

This article provides general information about tax laws and consequences, but shouldn’t be relied upon as tax or legal advice applicable to particular transactions or circumstances. Consult a tax professional for such advice; tax laws may vary by jurisdiction.

FHA: Lower Premiums Will Not Cost Taxpayers

The Federal Housing Administration’s new lower annual premiums on insurance for home buyers will not come at the cost of another taxpayer bailout, Julian Castro, the secretary of the Housing and Urban Development, told CNBC Monday. HUD regulates FHA, which insures home loans with down payments as low as 3.5 percent.

On Monday, the FHA lowered its annual premiums on the loans it insures from 1.35 percent to 0.85 percent. The move is expected to save a typical first-time home buyer about $900 a year.

During the housing crisis, the FHA had raised its annual premiums 140 percent. The rise in premium prices was blamed for sidelining thousands of potential home shoppers. FHA rose its premiums to replenish its capital reserves, which were depleted during the housing crisis due to a high number of defaults.

Last year, FHA regained its financial footing and was back in the black with its financing. But in 2013, the agency did require a $1.7 billion taxpayer bailout.

Lowering the insurance premiums for buyers “is a very prudent step in the direction of providing middle-class families with opportunities for buying a home,” Castro told CNBC. “We’re not changing who qualifies for an FHA loan. What we’re talking about here is affordability.”

FHA’s insurance fund gained about $21 billion in the past few years, mostly attributed to its new borrowers who had stellar credit. If the FHA had not lowered its insurance premiums, the agency stood to lose considerable market share – and jeopardize funding again to the FHA fund. In a move to open its credit box, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae recently announced that first-time buyers can qualify for loans with down payments as low as 3 percent.

Source: “HUD Boss on FHA Loans: ‘We’re Not Changing Who Qualifies,’” CNBC (Jan. 26, 2015)

RE/MAX Earns Top Spot on Franchise List

Each year, Entrepreneur Magazine ranks industry franchises based on several factors, including financial strength and stability, growth rate, size, number of years in business, length of time offering franchising opportunities, startup costs, and financing options.

RE/MAX emerged as the top-ranked real estate company, coming in at No. 75 in the overall rankings. Other real estate franchises named include HomeVestors of America Inc. (No. 127); Weichert Real Estate Affiliates Inc. (No. 236); HomeSmart Internatioanl (No. 376); and Keller Williams Realty (No. 387). More than 927 companies are considered for the 500 list.

Entrepreneur magazine also ranked RE/MAX as the top real estate franchise in three other categories, including fastest growing, global position, and low-cost franchise.

“We’re pleased and honored to be recognized among such well-respected franchising powerhouses,” says RE/MAX CEO Dave Liniger. “We take pride in the many advantages RE/MAX provides to our franchisees, including global brand recognition and more than 40 years of operational expertise.” This year’s ranking also marks the 12th time in 16 years that RE/MAX has been listed as the top franchisor in the real estate category by Entrepreneur Magazine.

Entrepreneur evaluated a total of 22 real estate franchises in its survey. Franchisers are asked to participate in the survey and submit necessary data for evaluation. Several large real estate companies, however, were not evaluated for the list, such as Century 21, Coldwell Banker, and Berkshire Hathaway.

Overall, earning the top spots of franchises among various industries on Entrepreneur’s 500 list were Hampton Hotels, Anytime Fitness, Subway, Jack in the Box, and Supercuts.

Source: “Entrepreneur Magazine 2015 Franchise 500,” Entrepreneur Magazine (2015) and RE/MAX

Planning to move? A Hike in Interest Rate

Planning to move? A Hike in Interest Rates Likely by Mid-Year – Many economists believe mortgage rates will be on the move upward this year after sitting near historic lows the past few weeks. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose above 4 percent for only two weeks since Oct. 16, according to Freddie Mac. http://ow.ly/HbDiJ