Saturday, April 10, 2010

Hixson & Chattanooga, TN Real Estate For Sale - Tax Credit Reminder - April 30th is coming --- SOON!

If you are remotely considering buying a home in the next year, or even two years, can you use an extra $6,500 to $8,000 to sweeten the deal? If so, you need to revise your time table --- Say like RIGHT NOW!

At present our Federal government is making you a limited time offer. How's this? Agree to a binding home purchase by April 30, 2010 and then close the sale by June 30, 2010 and you might just get the money for asking.

Here is the deal, you can get up to 10% of the purchase price as a tax refund check from the IRS. For a first-time homebuyer the max is $8000 and for a move-up buyer the max is still a nice $6,500. What can you do with that?

We are now in the countdown to April 30th and it looks like this may not be extended again... so lets get busy. Take a few minutes now and read the limits and guidelines, I'll even link you to a good site with a click right here. Just promise to come back.

Are you now ready? We can help make it happen at UpwardRealty.com, give us a call now at 423-847-8001. Or pick an agent from our experienced sales team and contact them today.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Pat Branham Earns NAR Short Sales and Foreclosure Certification

Buyers and Sellers Benefit from REALTOR® Expertise in Distressed Sales

Chattanooga/Hixson, TN - Pat Branham with UpwardRealty.com has earned the nationally recognized Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource certification. The National Association of REALTORS® offers the SFR certification to REALTORS® who want to help both buyers and sellers navigate these complicated transactions, as demand for professional expertise with distressed sales grows.

According to a recent NAR survey, nearly one-third of all existing homes sold recently were either short sales or foreclosures. For many real estate professionals, short sales and foreclosures are the new “traditional” transaction. REALTORS® who have earned the SFR certification know how to help sellers maneuver the complexities of short sales as well as help buyers pursue short sale and foreclosure opportunities.

“As leading advocates for homeownership, REALTORS® believe that any family that loses its home to foreclosure is one family too many, but unfortunately, there are situations in which people just cannot afford to keep their homes, and a foreclosure or a short sale results,” said 2009 NAR President Charles McMillan, a broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Dallas-Fort Worth. “Foreclosures and short sales can offer opportunities for home buyers and benefit the larger community, as well, but it’s extremely important to have the help of a real estate professional like a REALTOR® who has earned the SFR certification for these kinds of purchases.”

The certification program includes training on how to qualify sellers for short sales, negotiate with lenders, protect buyers, and limit risk, and provides resources to help REALTORS® stay current on national and state-specific information as the market for these distressed properties evolves.

For more information about Upward Realty.com, 6726 Hixson Pike, Hixson, TN 37343, please call 423-847-8001. You can also contact Pat Branham by calling 423-304-5597.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Michael Bishop Earns SFR Designation

Short Sale and Foreclosure Specialist

Chattanooga/Hixson, Tennessee (Grassroots Newswire) April 4, 2010 -- Michael Bishop, an affiliate broker with Upward Realty.com, has earned the Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource Certification (SFR) from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). NAR’s SFR certification is the only one of its kind that focuses on both the buyer and seller sides of distressed property transactions.


Michael has completed both in-class and on-line training in serving the Short Sale and Foreclosure markets. His training included directing sellers to finance, tax, and legal professions, qualifying sellers for Short Sales, developing Short Sale packages. He received training in listing Short Sale and Foreclosure properties and negotiating with lenders. He also has received training in working with distressed property buyers.

For more information about UpwardRealty.com, 6726 Hixson Pike, Hixson, TN 37343, please call 423-847-8001. You can also contact Michael Bishop by calling 423-991-9085.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Homebuyer Tax Credit Extended & Expanded

The long awaited extension of the $8,000 Tax Credit for First Time Homebuyers has finally happened.

And, Washington added something for many of you who already own a home or did not qualify as a "1st timer" because you had owned a home recently. There is a $6,500 tax credit for you, the "Move-Up" buyer. If you have lived in your own home for 5 consecutive years out of the past 8 years, you probably qualify.

The new and improved program does have some income requirements, but they are more generous than the past income limits. Effective November 7, the income limit is $125,000 for a single buyer and $225,000 for a couple. Above these incomes, the credit begins to shrink until you are no longer eligible at $145,000 (single) to $245,000 (couples).

You will need to buy between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010 and the purchase needs to close before July 1, 2010. But that is a lot of time to work out the details, if you don't wait until the last minute (again).

Senators have been heard to say "There will be no more extensions of this tax credit." So don't miss out this time.

For all your real estate needs in the Greater Chattanooga, Tennessee Real Estate market, you can always find me at Upward Realty.com

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Last Chance - 45 Days to Close...

We are now about 45 days away from the November 30th deadline for the $8000 First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit. Time is slipping away.

My sales team and I are working with a number of anxious buyers this week, but we can still help you find the right house. We will need the help of a top notch lender who can get a loan processed without unnecessary delays, but we still have a very good shot at closing by the deadline.

If you are even close to ready, you need to get with your agent NOW. If you don't have an agent, you can contact anyone on my team for help.

Just a reminder, it is taking over 30 days in most cases to get through the loan process at present. Also, we have the Thanksgiving Holidays coming up at the end of November and you know mortgage companies will be closed for at least 2 days that week. Time is not something you can now waste and still get the money!

Your Realtors® for life are the professional sales staff at Upward Realty.com

© 2009 UpwardRealty.com

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

60 Days to Close - Last Chance for $8000 Tax Credit

The $8000 tax credit for first time home buyers is set to end November 30th. This is like getting an $8000 discount on your dream home.

With new mortgage and appraisal procedures in place, it is now taking 45 to 60 days to close a new loan. Sooooo...you need to find your new home and make your purchase in the next few days. Time is running out. If you wait another two or three weeks, you run the risk of not closing by November 30th.

Remember, we have holidays in November and mortgage lenders close their offices during holidays... Now could be your last chance to qualify for this tax credit.

There are a number of good home buys available in the Chattanooga area, so lets get started before we lose more time. At UpwardRealty.com, we know what it takes to help home lookers become home owners.


© 2009 UpwardRealty.com

Saturday, September 5, 2009

$8000 Tax Credit - A Limited Time Offer

The $8000 tax credit for first time home buyers will end on November 30th. If you want to take advantage of this program, you MUST close the purchase of your home by that date. If December 1st comes and you have not closed, you will not get the money.

Of course, Congress could extend the program, but are you willing to gamble on that? That could be an $8000 bluff to call if you are wrong.

There are a lot of rumors floating around about a $15,000 tax credit coming next year, but that is still just an unfounded rumor. If the market is truly now in recovery and sales will slowly start to climb as the "experts" are starting to predict, then why would the government need to give back $15,000 - enough people are already mad about the $8000 program and the "Cash for Clunkers" programs.

If you are a first time home buyer (which means you have not owned a home in the last three years), then the money is waiting right now ... until November 30th.

In the last 2 years there have been many changes to loan processing in the mortgage market and closings are no longer 2 weeks to 30 days. Many mortgage loans are taking up to 45+ days and often 60 days to close.

Right now, we are telling buyers that the safest way to make sure you get in on the tax credit is to be in escrow by October 1st (the 15th at the absolute latest). That means you need to find the home, negotiate the contract, and get your loan application started by the end of this month - yes, it is now September.

We have helped a number of buyers take advantage of this program already. If you need a professional Realtor® who understands the urgency of this process, then check me out on the web. My company is UpwardRealty.com and we can deliver for you in the Greater Chattanooga, Tennessee area. We have some calculators on our site that can help you look at payments for different mortgage amounts.

Disclaimer: I am a Realtor®, I am not a tax advisor, so please check out the $8000 Tax Credit with your accountant or the tax advisor you use. They can fill in all the little details for you, so you understand how it will work for you personally.

© 2009 UpwardRealty.com