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What Is A Piggyback Mortgage and Is It Right For You?

by Galand Haas

Good Morning!

A loan program that was popular several years ago is making a comeback and many lenders are now offering options for a mortgage loan program called "the Piggyback mortgage".

The following will give you some insight into just what a Piggyback mortgage is and also it will give you some information to help you decide if a "Piggyback" loan is a good option for you, if you are searching for a home loan.

Definition of a Piggyback Mortgage

Also called a “purchase money second mortgage,” a piggyback loan is used by homebuyers with less than 20 percent down to avoid paying for private mortgage insurance (PMI).

Types of Packages

Typical packages might be called 80-10-10 (80 percent first mortgage, 10 percent second mortgage, and 10 percent down payment from the buyer), 80-15-5 (a 15 percent second mortgage, and a five percent down payment) or even an 80-20 (80 percent first mortgage, 20 percent second mortgage, and no down payment from the buyer).

Buyers considering this financing should compare the costs of a second mortgage (they do have higher interest rates than first mortgages) with the cost of a bigger first mortgage plus mortgage insurance. They should compare the after tax costs, because borrowers with higher incomes may not be able to deduct mortgage insurance, but they may still be able to write off mortgage interest.

Piggyback Loan Explained

Essentially, a piggyback loan helps homebuyers who don't have the traditional 20 percent down payment when applying for a mortgage.

A piggyback loan occurs when a borrower takes out two loans simultaneously: one for 80 percent of a home's value, and the other to make up for whatever cash is lacking to make up a 20 percent down payment. This is used as an alternative to private mortgage insurance. A piggyback loan is also known as a second trust loan.

The most common type of piggyback loan is an 80/10/10 where a first mortgage is taken out for 80 percent of the home’s value, a down payment of 10 percent is made and another 10 percent is financed in a second trust loan at a higher interest rate. In some cases, you may even qualify for a piggyback loan with as little as a 5 percent down payment (known as an 80/15/5).

Many lenders will finance loans with down payments of less than 20 percent, but you'll pay a price. Usually, the lender insists you buy private mortgage insurance (PMI) which guarantees that the outstanding balance of your loan will be paid off if you default. You will either pay a lump sum each year for PMI or add the cost to your monthly mortgage payments.

Piggyback loans eliminate the need for PMI. You combine this loan with your down payment to reach the 20 percent down needed for a conventional mortgage. This can significantly lower the interest rate of your mortgage.

If you get a piggyback loan, you will close on it the same time as you close on the mortgage. You will most likely have to pay closing costs, which will require additional upfront cash.

You will probably also have to make two loan payments each month — one for your mortgage and one for the piggyback loan. The interest rate on the piggyback loan will probably be higher. But, the monthly payments of both loans are often still less than they would be if you were paying PMI.

Another benefit of a piggyback loan is that the interest may be tax-deductible, potentially saving you even more money. Check with a tax adviser on how a piggyback loan would affect your tax situation.

Have an awesome week!

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176 V Street

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Good Morning!

As a homebuyer, having a competitive edge during our current housing market is an important part of the homebuying process.  I am often asked as to whether it is better to be a pre-approved buyer or a pre-qualified buyer for mortgage financing. The followng article from U.S. News will give you details on both and help you get that competitive edge.

Before you can buy a house, you have to know how you’ll pay for it. For 88 percent of homebuyers, that means financing the purchase with a loan, according to the National Association of Realtors' 2018 Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report.

A major part of finding the right lender and knowing what you can afford is providing information to the bank, credit union or other lender to prove you can continue to pay back the loan, with interest, over time.

There are two options to find out what a bank is willing to lend you, as long as everything checks out once you’ve picked a house: prequalification and preapproval.

Prequalification. Having a prequalification letter from a lender means you’re conditionally approved to purchase a home up to a certain price, based on basic information about your income, debt and how much you have saved for a down payment.

While prequalification doesn’t require the documentation and proof of funds needed for a preapproval, it’s particularly helpful for homebuyers who have no idea about their budget for a home. “Prequalification gets them in a position to shop,” says John Pataky, executive vice president at TIAA Bank.

Preapproval. With preapproval, you’re providing the details about your employment and financial information and letting the lender pull your credit history to learn more about you as a borrower. A preapproval means the lender is stating confidence in lending you a certain amount of money to purchase a home, pending any issues with the house itself or unforeseen circumstances with your finances.

While the differences between preapproval and prequalification are merely a matter of reporting financial information versus providing documentation for it, a preapproval letter can be far more powerful when it comes time to place an offer on a home. That's because with preapproval, the seller has proof of your lender's confidence in you as a borrower. While prequalification makes it easier to shop for a home you can more realistically afford, preapproval gives you the strength to negotiate a purchase price, Pataky says.

Brian Simmons, founder and CEO of Ask a Lender, an online platform to help consumers shop lenders and loans and get financial advice, echoes the preference for preapproval: “One of the first things a buyer should do when they begin looking at homes is getting preapproved for a mortgage.”

If your local housing market is seeing frequent bidding wars and multiple offers on houses, a preapproval could help keep you from being overlooked by sellers who have many options to choose from when it comes to sale terms and price. Still, there are times when prequalification may be your best option to begin house hunting

Here are five things to keep in mind as you decide whether prequalification or preapproval is the best move for you.

To shop lenders, prequalify. You may not have decided on the lender you’d like to work with yet, and shopping around by inquiring with three lenders or so is always recommended. Rather than just talking to a loan officer about available programs, you can use the prequalification process to gauge how much a lender would be able to lend to you. Of course, don’t base your choice of lender solely on the maximum price you prequalify for. Also consider what terms, rates and other details will best suit you in the long run.

Don’t get preapproved by too many lenders. Preapproval includes a full review of your financial background, including your credit history. As a result, that inquiry is noted in your credit report and can negatively impact your credit score if you have too many recent checks into your credit history.

“It doesn’t necessarily reflect well on you,” Pataky says. If you’re unsure which lender you want to work with, ask more questions and consider trying out prequalification first, then apply for preapproval once you’ve made your decision.

Neither guarantees a rate lock. The interest rate on your mortgage may be a deciding factor in whether you can afford a certain house. But your ability to secure a desirable interest rate through a rate lock, which guarantees your rate will not increase over a set time period – typically between 30 and 90 days – often only happens when you’ve found the house you want to buy.

Rate locks vary based on lender practices, but prequalification rarely offers a rate lock, and preapproval often doesn’t include a rate lock until you’ve identified the house you wish to purchase – or even until the seller has accepted your offer. 

Ask your lender what’s required to ensure a rate lock and how long that rate lock lasts. In many cases, the lock is limited to 30 days, which is just enough time to get through the contract period on a house.

Preapproval still isn’t a done deal. Even if your lender is impressed by your salary and pristine history of paying off debt, no preapproval is a guarantee that a mortgage will be approved once you’ve found the house you want. There are still other factors at play, the first of which focuses on whether your financial situation has changed.

“The factors by which you were preapproved have to be maintained,” Pataky says. That means not quitting your job, not buying a Maserati to keep up with the Joneses in your new neighborhood and not opening up five credit cards in the last two weeks, he explains.

Another factor standing between you and mortgage approval is the house’s condition and appraised value. Even if you’re preapproved to buy a house for $400,000 and agree to that same price with the seller, if the house appraised for only $375,000, your lender will likely only approve you for a mortgage on the house at $375,000. You’re then tasked with trying to renegotiate on price with the seller, coming up with the extra cash on your own or starting your search for a home all over again.

Keep asking your lender questions. Even if you’ve bought a home with a mortgage before, it’s likely been at least a few years, and the process will feel different. At every step of the way, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask your lender about expectations, timing and documents you should have ready to help streamline the process as much as possible.

“During the preapproval process, the buyer will need to provide some of the documentation their loan officer will use when it’s time to underwrite the loan,” Simmons says. “This is a good opportunity to ask the lender questions about the process and get a checklist of documents the lender will need, such as pay stubs, bank statements and tax documents.”

Have an awesome week!

 

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Price: $359,900    Beds: 4    Baths: 2.5    Sq Ft: 2406

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How To Avoid Accidents In Your Home With These 6 Easy Tips

by Galand Haas

Good Monday Morning!


There has been a large number of home accidents over the past several months in the Eugene and Springfield area. With that in mind, I am sending this article from "Realty Times" on home accidents.


It's safe to say that none of us are purposely making our homes a hazard. And, no matter how hard we try, accidents still happen. But there is nothing more important than protecting ourselves, our families, and our investment.


"The home is supposed to be where you and your family are safe and protected but every year accident and emergency units deal with serious injuries and sometimes fatal accidents that occur in the home," said StaySafe. "It is not just children and the elderly that can come to harm in the home with things like chemicals and choke hazards. Accidents in the home claim 18,000 lives each year in America alone, "accounting for 21 million medical visits annually. Many of these accidents are preventable."


These tips will uncover key areas where dangers typically lie and the simple maintenance involved in avoiding them.


Dryer vents

Thousands of fires are started in the home every year because of deferred maintenance related to the clothes dryer. You may clean out the lint screen, but it's the lint you can't see that accumulates in the vent that can be dangerous. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) "recommends cleaning or having a professional inspect the vent for lint build-up a minimum of every two to three years," said Hunker. "Keep a fire extinguisher nearby in case a fire does break out in or around your dryer."


Falls

A third of all fatalities in the home are due to falls. A great number of them are related to old age, however people of all ages can also be at risk. Installing safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs is an obvious safety precaution with little ones, as are grab bars in bathrooms that are serving older individuals. Closely monitoring wet areas - just outside the shower and bath and in front of the kitchen sink - can help with slips. Installing nonslip rug pads under area rugs is key to keeping them in place and eliminating falls.


Blinds

The thought of a young child being strangled due to hanging cords from window blinds is horrifying. But it happens. According to USA Today, "Injuries and death from window blind cords send two kids to emergency department each day." Eliminate the worry without having to give up the blinds by choosing a cordless version. They give you the look and room-darkening features you want with some added safety measures.


Fire alarms

When's the last time you changed your fire alarm batteries? If you can't remember, you're obviously overdue. "Install fire alarms on all levels of your home, and check and change the batteries at least annually," said safewise. "Consider investing in a smart smoke detector like Nest Protect. This alarm uses Wi-Fi to provide real-time updates and remote monitoring right on your smartphone or other mobile device." 


A dirty oven

Most ovens today have a self-cleaning feature. While it's not entirely pleasant to endure the smell while it's doing its thing, it far outweighs the alternative, especially considering 40 percent of fires in the home start in the kitchen.


"A dirty oven can cause fires while cooking, allowing charred food or grease to ignite," said Home Security. "Clean your oven regularly and always attend food while cooking in the oven.'


Carbon monoxide posioning

Carbon monoxide is called the silent killer because "its presence is not known until symptoms of the exposure are experienced," said Poison Control. "It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and potentially dangerous gas. You can't see it or smell it." 


It's typical for smoke detectors to be in homes, but despite the fact that a carbon monoxide detector can save lives, they are often left to the homeowner to purchase and install. "Each year in the United States, more than 200 accidental deaths are caused by carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. It is considered the leading cause of death from poisoning in the United States.


Have an awesome week!

 

THIS WEEK'S HOT HOME LISTING!

3187 Kentwood Drive

 Price: $269,900   Beds: 3   Baths: 2   Sq.Ft: 1,172

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Here's Why Affordability In Housing Market Is At Record Lows

by Galand Haas

Good Monday Morning!

The housing market both locally, in the Eugene and Springfield area, and across the nation seems to be slowing down. There certainly are fewer buyers out there serious about a home purchase. Home affordability could be most of the reason for this recent slowdown. This video from CNBC gives details on why affordability could be having an impact on the housing market at this time.

View video HERE

Have an awesome week!

 

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84305 DERBYSHIRE LN

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Slow Rise In Home Inventory Still Not Meeting Demand

by Galand Haas

Good Morning!

It seems that much of the nation is beginning to feel the pressure from housing markets that are quickly becoming over-priced. California, which has had extreme housing inflation for years is feeling the pain of an over-priced market and home sales are beginning to slow down quickly in many areas. California many times leads national housing trends. Here is an article from MSNBC that talks about the housing market changes.

A slight increase in the supply of homes for sale brought buyers back to the table in June.

Pending home sales, a measure of signed contracts to buy existing homes, rose 0.9 percent in June compared to May, according to the National Association of Realtors. Sales, however, were 2.5 percent lower than they were in June 2017. Pending home sales have been down annually for six straight months.

Sales increased in all regions of the country, rising 1.4 percent month-to-month in the Northeast, 0.5 percent in the Midwest, 1.1 percent in the South and 0.7 percent in the West. Compared to a year ago, however, sales were lower in all regions – weakest in the West.

"After two straight months of pending sales declines, home shoppers in a majority of markets had a little more success finding a home to buy last month," said Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the Realtors. "The positive forces of faster economic growth and steady hiring are being met by the negative forces of higher home prices and mortgage rates."

The severe shortage of homes for sale has been plaguing the housing market for more than a year. As demand rises, prices continue to heat up, with multiple offers more the norm than the exception. Total housing inventory at the end of June rose 0.5 percent compared to June of 2017, the first annual increase in three years.

"Even with slightly more homeowners putting their home on the market, inventory is still subpar and not meeting demand. As a result, affordability constraints are pricing out some would-be buyers and keeping overall sales activity below last year's pace," added Yun.

Affordability has hit the West especially hard. Home sales in southern California plummeted in June, according to CoreLogic, as buyers came up against red-hot prices. Some sellers are starting to lower prices, and real estate agents there are reporting fewer bidding wars. This could mark a turn in the market.

The rise in pending home sales, albeit very small for the month, does show that as more inventory comes on the market, there are buyers waiting to meet it. One headwind going forward is mortgage rates. They barely moved at all in June but started to edge higher again in July. Should rates move even more decisively higher, especially amid still-high home prices, sales could weaken further.

Have an awesome week!

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 BOLTON HILL RD

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Good Morning!

Mortgage interest rates declined slightly and are now holding steady. This has brought some relief to a national housing market that is continuing to see prices on the rise. Demand for housing remains very strong, even though home prices are rising faster than wages. Please watch the video for further details. If the attached video does not play, view it HERE.

Have An Awesome Week!

THIS WEEK'S HOT HOME LISTING!

36946 PARSONS CREEK RD

Price: $380,000     Beds: 3     Baths: 1     Partial Baths: 1     Sq Ft: 1890

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Home Prices Rise While Availability Does Not Improve

by Galand Haas

Good Morning!

 

Nationally, the news for first time homebuyers is not improving.  At this time, the prices of homes under $300,000 are still increasing and the availabity of these homes is not improving.  Here is an article from "Realtor.com" that talks about this trend.

 

Home buyers looking for a bargain should brace themselves for some serious disappointment.

 

The share of existing (aka previously lived-in) homes priced under $100,000 dropped 20.7% in March from the same month a year ago, according to the most recent National Association of Realtors® report. The percentage of homes under $250,000 fell 7.8%.

 

Nationally, the median home price was $250,400 in March. That's up 3.9% from February and represents a 5.8% rise from the same month a year earlier.

 

"In general, we’re seeing that there aren’t enough homes available for sale across all price ranges," says Danielle Hale, chief economist at realtor.com®. "But the biggest shortage is under $250,000.”

 

The number of overall existing home sales hit 5.6 million in March. That's up 1.1% from February, but a 1.2% decrease from the same month a year ago. (Realtor.com looked only at the seasonally adjusted numbers in the report. These have been smoothed out over 12 months to account for seasonal fluctuations.)

 

Single-family home sales were up 0.6% from February, but down 1% from the same month a year ago. The median home price was $252,100.

 

Condo and co-op sales were up 5.2% from the previous month, but were down 3.2% annually. The median price of these homes were $236,100.

 

Existing home sale prices were significantly lower than newly constructed abodes, by about 30.5%, as it isn't cheap to put up a new home with high land, construction, and materials costs. The median price of a newly constructed home was $326,800 in February, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

 

“The unwelcoming news is that while the healthy economy is generating sustained interest in buying a home this spring, sales are lagging year-ago levels," NAR's chief economist, Lawrence Yun, said in a statement. "Supply is woefully low, and home prices keep climbing above what some would-be buyers can afford.”

 

If you are looking for a home in the Eugene an Springfiels area under $300,000, it is a tough situation right now. The good news is that we can help you.  We are extremely successful in finding homes in this price range for our buyers.  Many of the homes we are finding are homes that we have knowledge about before they hit the market.  If you would like for us to help you with your home search, call us at 541-349-2620 and we will go to work for you.

 

Have An Awesome Week!

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3025 Guadalupe Way

Price: $389,900    Beds: 3   Baths: 2    Sq. Ft.:2,560

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AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Good Monday Morning!

 

In the Eugene and Springfield area, the housing market has become very tight for first-time home buyers.  Lack of inventory, rising home prices, and now, increased mortgage interest rates have made the home search for first-time buyers even more difficult than it has over the past several years.  This trend is not something that is just specific to Eugene and Springfield.  The following article from "Realtor.com" addresses this national problem.

 

Soaring home prices and the shortage of properties on the market are taking a toll on buyers, particularly first-time buyers.

 

The share of first-time homeowners fell to just 29% of all existing home buyers in January, according to the most recent National Association of Realtors® report. That's down from 32% in December and 33% in January 2017.

 

"First-time buyers are typically people with a tighter budget," says realtor.com® Senior Economist Joseph Kirchner, who worries this could further depress homeownership rates down the line. "They're looking for homes on the more affordable end of the market, but that is where the lack of homes is most severe."

 

Nationally, the dearth of inventory also drove down the number of existing homes sold, 5.38 million overall, in January. (Existing homes have previously been lived in.) Monthly sales dropped 3.2%, while annual sales decreased 4.8%.

 

(Realtor.com looked only at the seasonally adjusted numbers in the report. These have been smoothed out over 12 months to account for seasonal fluctuations.)

 

“There’s plenty of demand, but people just cannot find a home on the market that meets their needs and they can afford," Kirchner says. "It’s not a good start for the spring market. The shortage will continue.”

 

Across the country, there were 15.5% fewer existing homes in January selling for $250,000 or less compared with a year ago. Meanwhile, there were 25% more selling for $500,000 or more.

 

In January, sales of single-family homes, which are often the most sought-after properties, hit 4.76 million. That's a 3.8% fall from December and 4.8% from the same month a year earlier.

 

Condos and co-ops fared a bit better, as they're generally priced a little lower than single-family homes, with the number of monthly sales rising 1.6% in January to hit about 620,000. But that's down 4.6% from January 2017.

 

The median existing home price was $240,500 in January. That was a 2.4% drop from December but represented a 5.8% jump from January of the previous year. However, the cost was still substantially less than the median price of a newly constructed abode.

 

New homes cost a median $335,400 in December, according to the most recent joint report by the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. That's nearly 39.5% more than an existing home.

 

Around the country, higher prices and the lack of inventory took its toll. In January, the South had the most existing home sales, at about 2.26 million. However, that was still down 1.3% from December and was a 1.7% drop from January 2017.

 

The Midwest had the second most home sales, at 1.25 million, in January. That was down 6% from December and 3.8% lower than the same month last year.

 

There were 1.14 million existing homes sold in the West. That was a 5% drop from the previous month and a 9.5% fall from the previous year.

 

The Northeast had the fewest existing home sales, at just 730,000. That was also down, both by 1.4% month-over-month and 7.6% year-over-year.

Meanwhile, prices of existing homes were up in every region. They were the most expensive in the West, at a median $362,600 in January. That was a 8.8% jump over January 2017.

 

In the Northeast, median prices hit $269,100, up 6.8% annually. In the South, they were $208,200, up 4.3%, and in the Midwest, they were $188,000, up 8.7%.

 

In January, sales of single-family homes, which are often the most sought-after properties, hit 4.76 million. That's a 3.8% fall from December and 4.8% from the same month a year earlier.

 

Condos and co-ops fared a bit better, as they're generally priced a little lower than single-family homes, with the number of monthly sales rising 1.6% in January to hit about 620,000. But that's down 4.6% from January 2017.

 

The median existing home price was $240,500 in January. That was a 2.4% drop from December but represented a 5.8% jump from January of the previous year. However, the cost was still substantially less than the median price of a newly constructed abode.

 

New homes cost a median $335,400 in December, according to the most recent joint report by the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. That's nearly 39.5% more than an existing home.

 

"It’s very clear that too many markets right now are becoming less affordable and desperately need more new listings to calm the speedy price growth," NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said in a statement.

 

Have an awesome week!

THIS WEEK'S HOT HOME LISTING!

Vineyard Hill Dr

Price: $230,000    Type: Bare Land    Acres: 5

In The Vineyards! Gated entry, paved access, gorgeous views with meadow and trees. Great solar exposure potential for vineyard ground. Additional 6 acres to be deeded upon completion of approval for adjacent property.... View this property >> 

 

 

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2018 A Turning Point For First-Time Home Buyers?

by Galand Haas

Good Monday Morning!

What will the 2018 Real Estate market be like for the many thousands of buyers out there trying to find the perfect house?  The following article from "Realtor.com" will give you some insight into what lies ahead for 2018 homebuyers!

Aspiring home buyers have long known about the maddening lack of homes on the market. And despite the strong economy that's propelling more and more people into the home-buying market, the lack of inventory is crimping existing home sales.

Sales of homes that have previously been lived in hit 5.57 million in December, according to the most recent National Association of Realtors® report. That's down 3.6% from November to December, but up 1.1% from December 2017.

(Realtor.com® looked only at the seasonally adjusted numbers in the report. These have been smoothed out over 12 months to account for seasonal fluctuations.)

However, 2017 as a whole was a record year, boasting the most existing homes sold since the boom year of 2006, more than a decade ago. Sales were up 1.1% over 2016—and would have been more if there had been more properties for sale.

“The inventory of homes on the market is at its lowest level in [at least] two decades," says realtor.com® Senior Economist Joseph Kirchner. “It’s a problem because it means people are not finding homes on the market that meet their needs. So they’re just not buying.”

The lack of supply has also been steadily pushing up prices. The median price tag on an existing home was $246,800. The cost went up an almost unnoticeable 0.16% from November, but was up 5.8% from December 2017.

"The pool of interested buyers at the end of the year significantly outweighed what was available for sale," NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said in a statement.

The median cost of an oh-so-in-demand single-family home was $248,100 in December—down just $100 from November. Year over year, prices were up 5.8%. Sales of the standalone homes, often found in suburbs, were down 2.6% from November, but increased 1% over December 2017.

Condos and co-ops were a little cheaper at $236,500 in December. Prices were down 1.2% from November, but up 6.4% year over year. Meanwhile, sales were down 11.6% from the previous month, but up 1.7% over the previous year.

However, prices were still significantly less (about 35.9% to be exact) than the median cost of a newly built abode at $334,900 in November, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Despite the overwhelming demand for affordably priced abodes, only about 10.9% of the sales in December were $100,000 or under. About 42% were in the $100,000 to $250,000 range, while another 34% cost between $250,00 and $500,000. An additional 13.1% of sales were more than $500,000.

The cheapest existing homes were in the Midwest, where the median price was $191,400 in December. That's up 7.8% from a year ago.

The region was followed by the South, at $221,200, where prices rose 5.8% over the previous year, and the Northeast, at $261,400, where prices jumped 3%. The most expensive region by far was the West, where the median home price was $367,400—and prices were up 7.3% from last year.

“Rising wages and the expanding economy should lay the foundation for 2018 being the turning point towards an uptick in sales to first-time buyers,”

NAR's Yun said in a statement. “However, if inventory conditions fail to improve, higher mortgage rates and prices will further eat into affordability and prevent many renters from becoming homeowners.”

 

Have An Awesome Week!

THIS WEEK'S HOT HOME LISTING!

Image Unavailable
Price: $595,000 Beds: 3 Baths: 2 Sq Ft: 2000
Horse property only 5 mins from town! Nearly 6 level acres, backs up to canal & great for trail riding along Amazon. Wonderfully updated home with 2-car garage. 1 bedroom guest house w/ carport has income producing potential. 2 barns w/ 11 stalls, i...



AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!! 

How The New Tax Law Compares To The Old Tax Law

by Galand Haas

Good Monday Morning!

Over the past couple of weeks I have had numerous questions about the new tax laws. There are some changes and the following information will give you some ideas on what those changes look like.

Under the new tax law, homeowners will have decisions to make in 2018, due to reductions or elimination of certain deductions under the new tax law.

Real Estate: How The New Tax Law Compares to the Old Tax Law  
Measure Old Tax Law New Tax Law
Mortgage Interest Deduction Could deduct interest on up to 
$1 million in mortgages on primary & secondary residences
Can deduct interest on up to 
$750,000 in mortgages on 
primary & secondary residences
State and Local income, sales & Property Taxes  Can be deducted from federal income taxes Caps Federal income tax deduction at no more than $10,000 for total of all local state income, property and sales taxes
Interest on home equity debt (HELOCs) Home equity debt interest 
is deductible up to $100,000 if not disallowed by the AMT
Cannot deduct interest on home equity debt-new or existing on personal residence unless improving the residence* 

Equity debt on the personal residence is deductible if it is used to finance 
or improve a rental property
Capital Gains on Home Sales Can exclude up to $500,000 of gain for joint filers or $250,000 of gain for 
single filers from capital gains when selling a primary home, as long as the homeowner has lived in the 
residence for 2 of the past 5 years
No change
Source: Factcheck.org

$937,500 in purchase mortgages is the Max deduction for Mortgage Interest with 20% down.
The mortgage interest deduction is now limited to mortgages totaling up to $750,000 for primary and secondary homes. This means that homebuyers with a 20% down payment can only deduct 100% of the interest from their mortgages if their purchase price total is less than $937,500. 

 

Property Tax Impacts in High Tax States
State income tax, sales tax and property tax deductions (SALT) are now capped at $10,000 total. This is a significant hit for many high tax state residents in high cost areas. 

 

Tax Plan Calculator: Estimate Your Tax Liability
What does this mean for your bottom line? The Wall Street Journal’s tax plan calculator analyzes the impact of the biggest factors in the bill, so you can estimate your tax liability for 2018 through 2027. Click here for The Wall Street Journal Tax Plan Calculator.
 
Common Scenarios: How the Tax Bill Will Affect 8 Families
Bloomberg shows how taxes owed on wage and pass-through income (from a business you own) will change in 2018. These scenarios may remind you of someone you know: 
  • The multimillionaires in New York
  • The second home scenario in California
  • The small business owners in Pittsburgh
  • The suburban family in Westchester
  • Single in Manhattan
  • Married in Austin – a young couple who rents
  • Median income in Oregon
  • Renting in Milwaukee
 
Tax Workaround for Vacation Homes
Owners and buyers of second homes can potentially turn their vacation homes into an investment property by setting up a limited liability company. That allows them to write off interest and upkeep, while using the property part of the year for themselves, according to The Denver Post. Consult a tax professional for help navigating the new tax rules and how to best structure this business.

 Have An Awesome Week!

THIS WEEK'S HOT HOME LISTING!

Image Unavailable
Price: $595,000 Beds: 3 Baths: 2 Sq Ft: 2000
Horse property only 5 mins from town! Nearly 6 level acres, backs up to canal & great for trail riding along Amazon. Wonderfully updated home with 2-car garage. 1 bedroom guest house w/ carport has income producing potential. 2 barns w/ 11 stalls, i...



AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!! 

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Haas Real Estate Team
Keller Williams Realty Eugene and Springfield
2645 Suzanne Way Suite 2A
Eugene OR 97408
Direct: (541) 349-2620
Fax: 541-687-6411

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