Another Home Buyer Tax Credit

That’s right rumor on the street is there may be another tax credit for Home Buyer’s- Could consist of money for First Time Home Buyer’s, Move Up Home Buyer’s and the new twist could be incentive to purchase REO (Bank Owned) and Short Sale properties. If this happens we will be combining low, low, low I mean lowest interest rates on record with homes being sold crazy low prices. Idaho has long been ranked high for best places to live and work and I expect that the Boise Valley will rank high again when this economy turns around. Let’s see what happens but maybe the 3rd time is the charm! Josh Groesbeck 208-353-7131 or josh@homeswithjosh.com and www.homeswithjosh.com

Idaho Top Ten In Foreclosure Filings

Idaho has slipped out of the top five for the most foreclosures, but expectations remain that the state will see a continue in its numbers.

RealtyTrac Inc., an online marketplace for foreclosure properties, Thursday said foreclosure filings increased 15% in January, compared to the previous year, but declined 10% from the previous month. Nevada, Arizona, California, and Florida posted top state foreclosure rates during the month. Further, RealtyTrac cautioned that the numbers may increase over the next few months.

While Financial News services writes The post-boom states of California, Nevada, Arizona and Florida still contribute more than half of filings, but Utah, Idaho and Illinois are starting to see foreclosures surge.

Only last week, it was reported Canyon County’s home defaults had dropped off in the last few months of 2009, but they came back with a vengeance in the first month of 2010.

The county’s foreclosures hit a high in January, rising from 214 filed in December to 365 filed in January for a total increase of 70.5 percent, according to IdahoDataProviders.com.

“What this all means is that you should brace yourself for a double dip in the housing market in 2010,” Charlie Nate, president of the foreclosure-tracking company, said in a release. “Look for local prices to still fall another 7% to 10% starting in the next few months. A bottom to the housing market and the beginning of a real recovery is unfortunately still at least one year away.”

Ada County’s number of foreclosures filed dropped 8 percent to 408 in January this year, a 19 percent increase from January 2009.

Short sales dropped 1.3 percent in the two counties in January, a lull which Nate calls the “calm before the storm.” He expects a new flood of short sales this year caused primarily by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives program, which must be implemented by April 5, 2010. The program requires each distressed property to first be considered for a loan modification, and then evaluated for a short sale or deed in lieu before a foreclosure can be initiated.

In its January 2010 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, RealtyTrac stated foreclosure filings, which include default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions, were reported on 315,716 U.S. properties during the month. The report also showed that one in every 409 U.S. housing units received a foreclosure filing in January.

Real Estate Owned, or REO, activity nationwide increased 31percent from January 2009, but was down 5 percent from the previous month. Default notices rose 4percent from last year, but dropped 12percent from the previous month. Scheduled foreclosure auctions were up 15percent from last year and down 11 percent from last month.

Despite an year-over-year decrease of about 18 percent in foreclosure activity, Nevada’s foreclosure rate remained highest among the states for the 37th straight month. One in every 95 Nevada housing units received a foreclosure filing during the month, which is more than four times the national average.

Arizona’s foreclosure rate was the second highest among the states in January, owing to a 4 percent month-over-month increase in foreclosure activity. One in every 129 Arizona housing units received a foreclosure filing during the month, the seller of default data said.

In California and Florida, foreclosure activity decreased by double-digit percentages from the previous month, and the two states registered nearly identical foreclosure rates with one in every 187 housing units having received a foreclosure filing.

With one in every 231 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing, Utah registered the nation’s fifth highest state foreclosure rate, although foreclosure activity declined nearly 12% month-over-month.

Other states with foreclosure rates among the nation’s 10 highest were Idaho, Michigan, Illinois, Oregon and Georgia.

Further, RealtyTrac said California, Florida and Arizona posted the three highest state totals in terms of properties receiving foreclosure filings in January. These three states together accounted for more than 44 percent of the national total.

In California, total foreclosure filings were 71,817 and Florida reported 47,069 filings. In Arozona, 21,048 properties received foreclosure filings in January.

Source:IBR

Defaults Rise By 70% Canyon County

Canyon County’s home defaults had dropped off in the last few months of 2009, but they came back with a vengeance in the first month of 2010.

The county’s foreclosures hit a high in January, rising from 214 filed in December to 365 filed in January for a total increase of 70.5 percent, according to IdahoDataProviders.com.

“What this all means is that you should brace yourself for a double dip in the housing market in 2010,” Charlie Nate, president of the foreclosure-tracking company, said in a release. “Look for local prices to still fall another 7% to 10% starting in the next few months. A bottom to the housing market and the beginning of a real recovery is unfortunately still at least one year away.”

Ada County’s number of foreclosures filed dropped 8 percent to 408 in January this year, a 19 percent increase from January 2009.

Short sales dropped 1.3 percent in the two counties in January, a lull which Nate calls the “calm before the storm.” He expects a new flood of short sales this year caused primarily by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives program, which must be implemented by April 5, 2010. The program requires each distressed property to first be considered for a loan modification, and then evaluated for a short sale or deed in lieu before a foreclosure can be initiated. http://www.homeswithjosh.com

Source:IBR

For more information call Joshua Groesbeck 208-353-7131 or josh@homeswithjosh.com

Options When Facing Foreclosure

1. Do Nothing – If a homeowner does nothing, they most likely will lose their home at foreclosure auction.  Loan applications generally ask if the applicant has ever been foreclosed upon.  Credit reports also disclose this damaging information. Not the best option.

2. Payoff/Refinance – Completely paying off the entire loan amount plus any default amount and fees.  Usually this is accomplished through a refinance of the debt.  New debt is at a normally higher interest rate and there may be a prepayment penalty because of the recent default.  With this option, there should be equity in the home.

3. Reinstatement – Paying the entire default amount plus interest, attorney fees, late fees, taxes, missed payments and fees.

4. Loan Modification – Utilizing the existing mortgage company to refinance the debt or extend the terms of the loan.  This may allow the homeowner to catch up at a more affordable level.  To qualify, you must prove to the lender you have fixed the problem that caused the late payment.

5. Forbearance – Lender may be able to arrange a repayment plan based on the homeowner’s financial situation.  The lender may even be able to provide a temporary payment reduction or suspension of payments.  Information will be required from the lender to show that you are able to meet the new payment plan requirements.

6. Partial Claim – A loan from the lender for a 2^nd loan to include back payments, costs and fees.

7. Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure – Give the property back to the bank instead of the bank foreclosing.  Banks generally require the home be well maintained, all mortgage payment and taxes must be current.  Most loan applications ask if this has ever happened.

8. Bankruptcy – This option can liquidate debt and/or allow more time.  I can refer you to a qualified bankruptcy attorney.

–Chapter 7 (Liquidation) To completely settle personal debt.

–Chapter 13 (Wage Earner Plan) Payments are made toward a plan to pay off debts in 3-5 years.

–Chapter 11 (Business Reorganization) A business debt solution.

9. Sale – If the property has equity (money left over after all loans and monetary encumbrances are paid). The homeowner may sell the home without lender approval through a conventional home sale.  In this case, the homeowner will get cash from the sale.  On the other hand, a Short Sale, also known as a pre-foreclosure sale, can be negotiated with your lender by your Real Estate Professional if what is owed is MORE than the property’s value.

Hope this information is helpful and if you have any questions please feel free to call Josh Groesbeck 208-353-7131 or josh@homeswithjosh.com and don’t let your home go to foreclosure.

Idaho Foreclosures

But, you have to act quickly. The tax credit applies to a principal residence bought by April 30, 2010, and you must close by June 30, 2010.

However, there are many misconceptions about who qualifies and for how much. Here are six essential facts about the tax credit.
The year-end totals are in, and Idaho ranks No. 6 for most per-property foreclosures in the nation.

A grand total of 17,161 properties were foreclosed on in 2009, or one in every 37 houses. That number is double what it was in 2008 and almost four times what it was in 2007, according to RealtyTrac.com.

Nevada fared the worst in the country, with one in every 10 properties entering foreclosure. Only 0.05 properties in Vermont, on the other end of the spectrum, went through foreclosure in 2009.

The national average was one in every 45 properties.

“As bad as the 2009 numbers are, they probably would have been worse if not for legislative and industry-related delays in processing delinquent loans,” RealtyTrac CEO James Saccacio said in a press release. “After peaking in July with over 361,000 homes receiving a foreclosure notice, we saw four straight monthly decreases driven primarily by short-term factors: trial loan modifications, state legislation extending the foreclosure process and an overwhelming volume of inventory clogging the foreclosure pipeline.

“Despite all the delays, foreclosure activity still hit a record high for our report in 2009, capped off by a substantial increase in December. In the long term a massive supply of delinquent loans continues to loom over the housing market, and many of those delinquencies will end up in the foreclosure process in 2010 and beyond as lenders gradually work their way through the backlog.”