The Venture Report » Charlotte

First Time HOME BUYER TAX CREDIT 2009 – North Carolina

Larry Thompson — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:33:30 +0000

FIRST-TIME HOME BUYER TAX CREDIT
As Modified in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Major Modifications Italicized

February 2009

find out more….

FEATURE	CREDIT AS CREATED JULY 2008 APPLIES TO ALL QUALIFIED PURCHASES ON OR AFTER APRIL 9, 2008	REVISED CREDIT â€“ EFFECTIVE FOR PURCHASES ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 2009 AND BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2009
Amount of Credit	Lesser of 10 percent of cost of home or $7500	Maximum credit amount increased to $8000
Eligible Property	Any single family residence (including condos, co-ops, townhouses) that will be used as a principal residence.	No change All principal residences eligible.
Refundable	Yes. Reduces (or can eliminate) income tax liability for the year of purchase. Any unused amount of tax credit refunded to purchaser.	No change Purchasers will continue to receive refund for unused amount when tax return is filed.
Income Limit	Yes. Full amount of credit available for individuals with adjusted gross income of no more than $75,000 ($150,000 on a joint return). Phases out above those caps ($95,000 and $170,000).	No change Same income limits continue to apply.
First-time Homebuyer Only	Yes. Purchaser (and purchaserâ€™s spouse) may not have owned a principal residence in 3 years previous to purchase.	No change Still available for first-time purchasers only. Three-year rule continues to apply.
Revenue Bond Financing	No credit allowed if home financed with state/local bond funding.	Purchasers who utilize revenue bond financing can use credit.
Repayment	Yes. Portion (6.67% of credit or $500) to be repaid each year for 15 years, starting with 2010 tax filing.	No repayment for purchases on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009
Recapture	If home sold before 15-year repayment period ends, then outstanding balance of repayment amount recaptured on sale.	If home is sold within three years of purchase, entire amount of credit is recaptured on sale. Applies only to homes purchased in 2009.
Termination	July 1, 2009 (But note program changes for 2009)	December 1, 2009
Effective Date	Purchases on or after April 9, 2008 and before January 1, 2009. Repayment to begin for 2010 tax year.	All revisions are effective as of January 1, 2009

For this and other Real Estate Information visit Venture Companies Website

Contact Larry Thompson – Charlotte’s Only Billion Dollar Real Estate Expert

The Venture Report – Your Credit

Larry Thompson — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 09:00:34 +0000

Credit scores are a big factor in determining if you’ll qualify for a loan. Here’s some tips to help.

8 Ways to Improve Your Credit

Credit scores, along with your overall income and debt, are a big factor in determining if you’ll qualify for a loan and what loan terms you’ll be able to qualify for.

1. Check for and correct errors in your credit report. Mistakes happen and you could be paying for someone else’s poor financial management.

2. Pay down credit card bills. If possible, pay off the entire balance every month. However, transferring credit card debt from one card to another could lower your score.

3. Don’t charge your credit cards to the maximum limit

4. Wait 12 months after credit difficulties to apply for a mortgage. You’re penalized less for problems after a year

5. Don’t purchase big-ticket items for your new home on credit cards until after the loan is approved. The amounts will add to your debt.

6. Don’t open new credit card accounts before applying for a mortgage. Having too much available credit can lower your score.

7. Shop for mortgage rates all at once. Too many credit applications can lower your score, but multiple inquiries from the same type of lender are counted as one inquiry if submitted over a short period of time.

8. Avoid finance companies. Even if you pay the loan on time, the interest is high and it will probably be considered a sign of poor credit management.

To obtain a complete copy of the publication, “knowing and understanding your credit” visit http://www.homebuyingguide.org

5 Factors That Decide Your Credit Score

Credit scores range between 200 and 800. Scores above 620 are considered desirable for obtaining a mortgage. These factors will affect your score.

1. Your payment history. Whether you paid credit card obligations on time.

2. How much you owe. Owing a great deal of money on numerous accounts can indicate that you are overextended.

3. The length of your credit history. In general, the longer the better.

4. How much new credit you have. New credit, either installment payments or new credit cards, are considered more risky, even if you pay promptly.

5. The types of credit you use. Generally, it’s desirable to have more than one type of credit – installment loans, credit cards and a mortgage, for example.

For more on evaluating and understanding your credit score, go to http://www.myfico.com

Click Here to Visit Venture Companies Today for ALL Your Real Estate needs – Servicing North Carolina

How to Pay For College with One Investment Propertyâ€¦.

Larry Thompson — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:55:11 +0000

How to Pay For College with One Investment Propertyâ€¦

Investment properties seem to be hot topics these days. Every night you can tune into the latest infomercial showing you how to make millions with â€œNo Money Downâ€. I have purchased these programs and studied the industry and I am here to tell you that it DOES work, but NOT the way they tell you to do it. As the Owner and Founder of Venture Investments, I believe that there is a right way and a wrong way to Invest. I show people the RIGHT way.

Here is my story on how I got started…

I invested in my first Investment Property in 1999 in Charlotte, NC. My goal was to pay for my childâ€™s college education with one house. I was a finance major in college while working on my MBA. I became interested in Investments after speaking with a lady who had moved a home that was scheduled to be demolished because of a new road being built. She paid movers to move the home onto land that she bought nearby. After all was said and done, the home appraised for over $200k and she has less than $150k invested. I WAS HOOKED. I researched the process and bought my first Investment Property the next month. I had No Money, and had to use a bridge loan for a down payment. I bought the house for $65k and it immediately appraised for 98K. I then refinanced the home for $78k and took out $13k and pain my student loans off. I got a 15 year loan on the property at 7.5%. This is how the numbers worked:

Purchase price $65,000

Loan Amount $78,000

Appraised Value $98,000

Interest Rate $7.5%

Term 15 years

Payment $723/month

Taxes and Insurance $150/month (Total Payment $873/month)

Rental Rate 1998 rental rate $1000/month 2006 Rental Rate $1200/month

I sold this property last year for $111,000. If I would have kept it, it would have been paid for in 7 more years. That is how you pay for College with one property. I had no personal money invested and over a 15 year period, it is paid for. The house when sold should be worth enough to pay for college for one or maybe two children.

We are constantly asked how to Invest in the Real Estate. Here at Venture Investments, we give YOU the same opportunity to be able to buy like I do and help you through the process. Venture Investments is the only company that I know of in the Charlotte Area that offers a way to teach people how to buy Investment Properties with Safe and Proven methods.

To learn how you too can participate in what I know to be a Great Way to Pay for College, give us a call and ask to speak to one of our Investment Specialist. We will teach you everything you need to know and how to avoid the mistakes that I made along the way.