Of course money is a driving factor in becoming a Real Estate agent. Helping clients share the dream of home ownership can be very rewarding in many ways. Agents spend countless hours and several weeks working to help you find the home of your dreams. Real Estate agents are required to pay dues to their local MLS and quarterly dues to their state office just to be able to show you homes located in your area. In many ways to be a Real Estate agent you must be a self motivating individual, working less will not be an option like you may have thought. Ask most agents and they would tell you the market is down or very slow. It is only slow because they make it slow. To be a Real Estate agent in this market you must know times have changed and agents must work harder not less.

 This spectacular bridge spans the majestic Snake River Canyon on the northern edge of Twin Falls. It is 1,500 feet long and 486 feet above the Snake River. The four-lane bridge has pedestrian walkways with views of the river, sheer cliffs, the Blue Lakes, waterfalls, a park and two golf courses. A road descends to these areas. The Buzz Langdon Visitor Center is next to the bridge. BASE jumpers enjoy the Perrine Bridge as their launching pad for parachuting from the bridge to the canyon floor below. BASE jumping is a sport involving the use of a parachute to jump from fixed objects. "BASE" is an acronym that stands for the four categories of fixed objects from which one can jump: Building, Antenna, Span, Earth. A parking area adjacent to a Visitor Center allows for close inspection of Idaho's most striking bridge. It also provides easy access to the developed canyon rim trail system.

Perrine Memorial Bridge: The first Perrine Memorial Bridge was open in 1927. It towered 475 feet above the Snake River Canyon, and was the highest bridge in existence at the time. The old bridge was replaced in 1974 with this new two lane bridge.

Who Qualifies for the Extended Credit?

• First-time home buyers who purchase homes between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010.
• Current home owners purchasing a home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010, who have used the home being sold or vacated as a principal residence for five consecutive years within the last eight.

To qualify as a “first-time home buyer” the purchaser or his/her spouse may not have owned a residence during the three years prior to the purchase.

If you or your client purchased a home between January 1, 2009 and November 6, 2009, please see: 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit.

Which Properties Are Eligible?

The Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit may be applied to primary residences, including: single-family homes, condos, townhomes, and co-ops.

How Much Is Available?

The maximum allowable credit for first-time home buyers is $8,000.

The maximum allowable credit for current homeowners is $6,500.

How is a Buyer's Credit Amount Determined?

Each home buyer’s tax credit is determined by two additional factors:

1. The price of the home.
2. The buyer's income.

Price

Under the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, credit may only be awarded on homes purchased for $800,000 or less.

Buyer Income

Under the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, which is effective on November 7, 2009,  single buyers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000—may receive the maximum tax credit.

As part of its plan to stimulate the U.S. housing market and address the economic challenges facing our nation, Congress has passed legislation that grants a tax credit of up to $8,000 to first-time home buyers.

Here is more information about how the 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit can help prospective home buyers become part of the American dream.

Who Qualifies?

First-time home buyers who purchase homes between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009.

To qualify as a “first-time home buyer” the purchaser or his/her spouse may not have owned a residence during the three years prior to the purchase.

Which Properties Are Eligible?

The 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit may be applied to primary residences, including: single-family homes, condos, townhomes, and co-ops.

How Much Will the Credit Be?

The maximum allowable credit for home buyers is $8,000. Each home buyer’s tax credit is determined by two factors:

The price of the home—the credit is equal to 10% of the purchase price of the home, up to $8,000.

The buyer's income—single buyers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000—may receive the maximum tax credit.

If the Buyer(s)’ Income Exceeds These Limits, Can He/She Still Get a Credit?

Yes, some buyers may still be eligible for the credit.

The credit decreases for buyers who earn between $75,000 and $95,000 for single buyers and between $150,000 and $170,000 for home buyers filing jointly. The amount of the tax credit decreases as his/her income approaches the maximum limit. Home buyers earning more than the maximum qualifying income—over $95,000 for singles and over $170,000 for couples are not eligible for the credit.

Will the Tax Credit Need to Be Repaid?

No. The buyer does not need to repay the tax credit, if he/she occupies the home for three years or more. However, if the property is sold during the three-year period, the credit will be recouped on the sale.

 Time will run out on this great offer, please do not wait!-Lezamiz Real Estate Co.

1.       Tax breaks:  The U.S. Tax Code allows you to deduct the interest you pay on your mortgage, your property taxes, as well as some of the costs that go with purchasing your home.

2.      Appreciation:  Real estate has stable, long-term growth in value.  Year-to-year fluctuations are a normal occurrence, but median existing-home sale prices have increased an average of 6.5 percent each year through 2005.

3.      Equity:  Mortgage payments let you build equity ownership interest in your home.

4.      Savings:  Building this equity in your home is a ready-made savings plan.  When you sell, you can generally take up to $250,000 ($500,000 for a married couple) as gain without owing any federal income tax.

5.      Predictability:  Unlike rent, your fixed-mortgage payments don’t rise over the years, so it is possible your housing costs may actually decline as the years progress. 

6.      Freedom:  The home is yours.  You can decorate how you want, and gain the benefits from your investment.

7.      Stability: Remaining in one neighborhood for several years gives you a chance to become active in your community, and gain lifelong friendships for your family.

If you would like to experience the freedom and benefits of owning a home, call Lezamiz Real Estate Co. today at 208-734-7007.  We look forward to exploring your needs, and finding you a beautiful home!

1.       Find a real estate agent that you connect with.  It is very important that you and your realtor get along and are able to connect with each other.  At Lezamiz Real Estate Co., we strive to combine both knowledge and understanding to make buying a home fun. 

2.      If you are ready to buy- buy!  Don’t try second-guessing the market or interest rates.  If you feel that now is the right time for you, then it probably is.

3.      Don’t ask too many opinions.  It is natural to want reassurance for such a big decision, but too many ideas can make it an even harder decision and you might start second guessing yourself.  Focus on the wants and needs of your family- the people who will be living in the home.

4.      Accept that no house is ever perfect.  Shoot for finding a house that meets your top priorities, and then be able to let the little things go.

5.      Don’t try to be a killer negotiator.  Negotiation is a give and take process.

6.      Look at everything around your house- not just the home.  Be sure to check out important issues like noise level, location to amenities, and other aspects that have a big impact on your quality of life.

7.      Plan ahead.  Even before you find the home you want to buy, get approved for a mortgage, price out home insurance policies, and start working on a schedule for moving.  Being prepared will make your offer much more attractive to the sellers.

8.      Be sure to factor in maintenance and repair costs in your post-home buying budget. 

9.      Recognize the benefits of buying a home!  Don’t lose sight of why you bought your home, and how much you love it.

10. Choose a home for the number one reason that you love it!  Then think about appreciation.  The value of your home will increase, but it’s most important role is to function as a comfortable and safe place to live.

We want to help make these top ten things happen for you as a home buyer.  Give Lezamiz Real Estate Co. a call at 208-734-7007 and find out how we can be of service to you!

This tax credit was modified as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  The tax credit amount was previously $7500, but several changes were made, and became effective as of January 1, 2009.  The amount of credit now awarded to a homebuyer will be 10% of the cost of the home or $8000, whichever is less.  This means if you buy a $50,000 home, you could potentially receive a $5000 tax credit!  Conversely, if you bought a $150,000 home, your tax credit would be limited to $8,000, instead of you receiving $15,000 (10%).  There is a separate tax form that you must fill out for this tax credit, called Form 5405.  The tax credit is a line item deduction on your 1040 that gives you another reduction in your taxes, and the Form 5405 is an attachment to the 1040.  The tax credit can reduce or eliminate your tax liability, or will actually increase your tax rebate.  Additionally, when you take your new home purchase tax credit, you are NOT required to pay the tax credit back.  There is one important caveat though.  Lezamiz Real Estate Co. recommends that you stay in your newly purchased home for at least three years after taking the tax credit, because if you sell the home within three years from the date of your purchase, the entire amount of the tax credit is recaptured from you upon the sale of your home.  This only applies to homes that are bought in 2009. 

In order to receive this tax credit, there are some eligibility requirements.  First, you cannot have owned a principal residence in the last three years, or else you are ineligible for the tax credit.  Second, there are income limitations.  If you file your taxes individually, your adjusted gross income cannot be more than $75,000; if you file joint tax returns, your adjusted income cannot exceed $150,000.  Because this tax credit is very subjective to your own individual situation, we advise speaking with your accountant, because they will be able to give you much more specific information on how to take advantage of the tax credit.

So let’s put all these components together to see the total amount of your monthly payment for your beautiful new home!

As promised, Rent vs. Buy is the topic at Lezamiz Real Estate Co. this week.  We are going to look at renting, and some of the costs you can expect when living in a rental.  Also, we will examine the pros and cons of renting.  Then, using home prices based on a current median price for homes in Twin Falls, ID, we will look at the approximate monthly cost faced when buying a home. 

Rent                           

Currently in Twin Falls, a three bedroom, two bathroom home with a two-car garage is renting for around $900/month.  Many landlords will ask for first and last month’s rent, which gives you, as the tenant, an $1800 cash expense up front.  If you have pets, there may be an extra deposit asked for- say, $100 per pet, and an additional $25 per pet for rent each month.  This increases your monthly expense to $925.00, most likely not including utilities expenses you owe.

There are no tax deductions for any interest a tenant pays while renting.  As the tenant, you are making the owner’s mortgage payment for them each month. 

Usually, tenants aren’t able to make many, if any, changes to the home to personalize it to their taste.  In addition, if any repairs are required for the home, the tenant is at the mercy of the landlord, who may or may not pay the expense to fix the problem.

In some cases, the landlord may decide to sell the rental property, which takes away your security.  You may need to go through the hassle and expense of finding a place to live as soon as the property is sold. 

However, in some cases renting is a good idea for the short term if you fit into any of these situations:

·        New to the area.  While a family gets settled, and become familiar with the area, renting is a great idea.

·        Need a short term place to live while building a new home

·        Allows a person to “downsize” temporarily, in order to get finances back into shape and accumulate money for a sizable down payment when the time comes to purchases a home.

·        Living in the area short term, or less than two years, because of work, school, or other conditions.

Buy

Now, let’s look at the benefits of buying a home.  At this time in Twin Falls, ID, the median price for a three bedroom, two bathroom, two-car garage home between 1400-1600 square feet is $162,400.  You might be thinking it is out of your price range, but keep reading!

Let’s take a look at what it would take to leverage your monthly rent and put it to work for you in buying a home.  Currently the interest rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage is approximately 5.4%.  You would need a good chunk of money saved up, so you can put at least 5% down on the house, or about $9,920.  You should expect a loan about of approximately $152,480.  In today’s market, the seller has been willing, in most cases, to pay your closing costs and prepaid expenses.  This amounts to a savings to you of about $4800.  Property taxes on this home would be approximately $1400 per year, and you also have Homeowner’s Insurance that would be about $450 yearly.  Based on these figures, your total monthly payment would be $1010.22.  What this means is that for $85.22 more each month, you could be buying a home instead of renting. 

Another great benefit of home ownership is the enormous tax savings you receive when you file your tax returns.  Given the assumption that you would be in the 28% tax bracket, in this scenario, you would expect a tax savings of about $2665 per year, or $220 each month.  This would more than make up for your monthly increase of $85.22 each month to buy a home.  In fact, you would have a net decrease in your monthly expenditures if you owned your house!  You would be building YOUR equity, instead of having nothing to show for it at the end of the month. 

Why not explore buying a home today?  You might be surprised at what you find out, as you visit with our buyer specialists.  Give Lezamiz Real Estate Co. a call today at 208-734-7007. 

PLEASE NOTE: No figures presented are exact.  These are meant to be an estimate for example purposes only, and are not an exact quote for a rental or a loan.

            Last week at Lezamiz Real Estate Co., we defined absorption rate in depth.  Today we will explore absorption rate further, and what exactly that rate means to you when you are ready to buy or sell real estate in Twin Falls or Jerome.

            As we talked about last week, the absorption rate equals the number of months it will take for all the listed homes, listed in a certain price range, to sell, provided that no more homes enter the market.  Depending on the absorption rates, this would categorize a group of homes price into either a seller’s, buyer’s or a neutral market.

            Below we elaborate on homes in Twin Falls and Jerome Counties, and what price ranges are falling into what market. 

Seller’s Market: 0-6 months

            A seller’s market favors the seller.  This is when there is more demand for a limited amount of inventory.  Another way to think about it is there are more buyers wanting to buy than there is seller’s wanting to sell.  In terms of absorption rates when there is less than six months worth of inventory, then we are in a seller’s market.

            There are seller’s markets in Twin Falls County in the $69,999 and under price range, as well as $70-89,000 and $100-119,999.

            In Jerome County, seller’s markets exist in the $69,999 and under price range, from $90-99,999 and $120-159,999.- Lezamiz Real Estate Company

Number of homes listed in specific price range (Number of homes sold       Number of Months)

 We realize this can be very confusing, so here is an example of how we figure absorption rates with our data at Lezamiz Real Estate.

            The typical homeowner’s policy includes coverage for perils and losses due to fire, lightning, tornadoes, windstorms, hail, explosions, smoke, vandalism, and theft. Just as you would scrutinize the terms of your medical insurance, the nuances and details of your homeowner’s policy should be examined seriously. Too often, homeowners sign up for a policy and go on autopilot regarding its terms and coverage without taking new acquisitions, risks, and increasing value of their homes into consideration. Most insurance agents recommend a regular “check-up” for consumers, so that homeowners are not left “high and dry” when disasters and losses strike.-Lezamiz Real Estate Co.

We cannot predict when the housing market will change.  However, when it does it will have seemed to have happened overnight and we will all be wondering how we missed the opportunity. Kym Lott

In selecting a Title Company, you will also be assigned a closing officer for your transaction.  The roll of the Escrow closing officer is an independent third party that acts solely on signed instructions from both the buyer and seller.  In addition, those instructions must be compatible with the instructions from the lender in the event of a new loan.  Only when the instructions of all parties in the transaction have been met does the escrow officer exchange monies and instruct the title department to record the transfer of title to the new owner. Whether buying or listing in Twin Falls or the Magic Valley, it is a good idea to use a Real Estate professional.  Your agent has contacts and the wherewithal to effectively market and move the transaction forward to a timely conclusion.- Lezamiz Real Estate Company

Now that we are seeing fuel prices start to decrease will we continue to conserve in anticipation of what will rise next?  What can we do to prepare for rising costs in the future?   And how do we know what to think of this Real Estate Market?  How do you know when to buy or not a buy a home?  Lezamiz Real Estate Company will help you with theses tough questions. We need to stay focused on the future rather than the past. -Kym Lott

If you are relocating, or moving to a new home in Twin Falls, it is imperative as one would not know the history of the home you are purchasing. At Lezamiz Real Estate Company, we know how important this is for the buyer.  One wants to be certain that they are fully protected against errors in public records, hidden defects not disclosed by public records, or mistakes in examination of the title, fraud or forgery.- Scott/Alliance Title Company

Technology is defined as tools, both material and immaterial, created by society to implement into our daily lives for better control in society’s environment. Used in our field of Real Estate, we are quickly able to search and locate the perfect place for our clients to call home in Twin Falls or the Magic Valley.

Cell phones such as Blackberry Curves and Palm Pilots keep us at Lezamiz Real Estate Company maintaining our list of contacts and enable us to access the internet at any time. A person may connect the cell phone, via Bluetooth or USB cable to a   laptop for instant internet connection. Emailing through cell phones and computers is an inexpensive yet effective way to reach out to clients showing homes in the Twin Falls or Magic Valley area.

This is a portion of tools used to succeed in our Real Estate world. These systems are being updated daily as we remain cutting edge on the leading edge of technology. When we say we live by technology, breath technology, and even dream of technology… we really do.-Suda Thirakul