Real Estate Information Archive

Fannie Mae has made policy changes designed to encourage borrowers to work with their servicers and pursue alternatives to foreclosure.  Defaulting borrowers who walk-away and had the capacity to pay or did not complete a workout alternative in good faith will be ineligible for a new Fannie Mae-backed mortgage loan for a period of seven years from the date of foreclosure.  Borrowers who have extenuating circumstances may be eligible for a new loan in a shorter timeframe than the “strategic defaulters”.

Fannie Mae is taking steps to educate borrowers by highlighting the importance of working with servicers.  “Walking away from a mortgage is bad for borrowers and bad for communities, and our approach is meant to deter the disturbing trend toward strategic defaulting,” said Terence Edwards, executive vice president for credit portfolio management. “On the flip side, borrowers facing hardship who make a good faith effort to resolve their situation with their servicer will preserve the option to be considered for a future Fannie Mae loan in the shorter period of time,” noted Edwards.

Additionally, Fannie Mae will take legal action to recoup the outstanding mortgage debt from borrowers who strategically default on their loans in jurisdictions that allow for deficiency judgments.  Beginning July, Fannie Mae will be instructing its servicers to monitor delinquent loans facing foreclosure and put forth recommendations for cases that warrant the deficiency judgments.

For more information about current real estate topics or for assistance searching for real estate located in the Pitt County/Greenville, NC area, please contact The Pistol Tingen Team at (252) 321-6161.

Currently to claim a tax credit of up to $8,000 (or up to $6,500 for non-first time home buyers), home buyers must have purchase contracts accepted by April 30, 2010, and must close escrow by June 30, 2010.

Friday, June 11, Senators Harry Reid of Nevada, Johnny Isaakson of Georgia, and Chris Dodd of Connecticut introduced an amendment to the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010 (H.R.4213) that, if passed, would extend that closing deadline to September 30, 2010.

This amendment would not extend the required April 30 deadline necessary to claim the tax credit. If passed, though, the amendment would extend the date required to close the transaction until September 30, 2010.  

The National Association of REALTORS® has reported that as many as one-third of qualified applicants have been notified by lenders that their mortgages will not close before June 30 due to the sheer volume of applications in the pipeline.  The Senate amendment would allow home buyers adequate time to complete their purchases in time to claim the credit.

For more information regarding the status of this amendment or to locate real estate in the Greenville, NC and Pitt County area, please contact The Pistol Tingen Team at (252) 321-6161.

The East Carolina University dental school recently announced two major changes that received final approval by UNC General Administration in May 2010. Located in Greenville, North Carolina, the dental school now will be entitled the East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine.  This name reflects the dental profession’s recognition that dental health and oral health are an essential part of one’s overall health, rather than a separate ancillary discipline. The other change is that graduates of the ECU School of Dental Medicine will be awarded the DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) degree.  This is the degree awarded by the vast majority of dental schools that have opened since the 1960s, and is used for the same reason for having Dental Medicine in a school or college’s title.

The D.M.D. and D.D.S. degrees are considered equivalent--offering the same education and accreditation standards, as well as requiring the same licensure examinations.  Both degrees are recognized by all national and state dental associations and state and specialty boards. The scope of practice allowed by law is also the same for both degrees.  Throughout the United States, the state of North Carolina, and the city of Greenville, there are dentists with both degrees.

For more information regarding East Carolina University or real estate in Greenville, NC and the Pitt County area, please contact The Pistol Tingen Team at (252) 321-6161.

Today Freddie Mac released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.93 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending May 13, 2010, down from last week when it averaged 5.00 percent. At this time last year, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.86 percent. The 30-year FRM has not been lower since the week ending December 10, 2009, when it averaged 4.81 percent.

The 15-year FRM this week averaged 4.30 percent with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 4.36 percent. One year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.52 percent. The 15-year FRM has not been lower since the week ending December 3, 2009 when it averaged 4.27 percent.

The 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 3.95 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.97 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 4.82 percent. The 5-year ARM has not been lower since Freddie Mac started tracking the 5-year ARM in January of 2005.

The 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 4.02 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 4.07 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 4.71 percent. The 1-year ARM has not been lower since the week ending November 4, 2004, when it averaged 4.00 percent.

Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist, announced that interest rates on fixed-rate mortgage have declined for the 5th straight week.
The National Association of Realtors noted that the median house prices are recovering in more local areas in the latest quarter.

For the most current information on mortgage rates and real estate in the Pitt County/Greenville, NC area, please contact The Pistol Tingen Team at (252) 321-6161.

Fannie Mae announced April 27 the extension of its seller assistance incentive on all Fannie Mae-owned HomePath properties. Buyers will receive 3.5 percent of the final sales price to be used toward closing cost assistance or their choice of selected appliances. The offer is available to any owner-occupant who closes on the purchase of a property listed on www.HomePath.com by June 30, 2010.

"We are happy with the results of the program, which has helped us to sell properties quickly, thereby stabilizing neighborhoods and property values," said Terry Edwards, Executive Vice President of Credit Portfolio Management.

Properties listed on www.HomePath.com are owned by Fannie Mae and include a wide selection of homes, including single-family homes, condominiums, and townhouses. HomePath properties may also be eligible for special HomePath Mortgage and HomePath Renovation Mortgage financing, which offers prospective buyers an opportunity to purchase properties with as little as 3 percent down.

For information on Fannie Mae properties within the Greenville, NC and Pitt County area, please contact The Pistol Tingen Team at (252) 321-6161.

An Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) is a mortgage that credits a home’s energy efficiency in the mortgage itself. EEMs give borrowers the opportunity to finance cost-effective, energy-saving measures as part of a single mortgage and stretch debt-to-income qualifying ratios on loans thereby allowing borrowers to qualify for a larger loan amount and a better, more energy-efficient home.

To get an EEM a borrower typically has to have a home energy rater conduct a home energy rating before financing is approved. This rating verifies for the lender that the home is energy-efficient.

EEMs are typically used to purchase a new home that is already energy efficient such as an ENERGY STAR qualified home. The term EEM is commonly used to refer to all types of energy mortgages including Energy Improvement Mortgages (EIMs), which are used to purchase existing homes that will have energy efficiency improvements made to them. EIMs allow borrowers to include the cost of energy-efficiency improvements to an existing home in the mortgage without increasing the down payment. EIMs allow the borrower to use the money saved in utility bills to finance energy improvements. Both EEMs and EIMs typically require a home energy rating to provide the lender with the estimated monthly energy savings and the value of the energy efficiency measures — known as the Energy Savings Value.

EEMs (and EIMs) are sponsored by federally insured mortgage programs (FHA and VA) and the conventional secondary mortgage market (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac). Lenders can offer conventional EEMs, FHA EEMs, or VA EEMs.

For more information regarding EEMs and energy-efficient homes available in the Greenville, NC and Pitt County area, contact The Pistol Tingen Team at (252) 321-6161.

Freddie Mac last week released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 5.07 percent with an average 0.6 point for the week ending April 15, 2010, down from the previous week when it averaged 5.21 percent.  Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.82 percent .

The 15-year FRM last week averaged 4.40 percent with an average 0.7 point, down from the previous week when it averaged 4.52 percent.  A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.48 percent.

Last week Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist, Frank Northaft, made the following remarks. “After rising for four consecutive weeks, mortgage rates eased back to where they were two weeks ago and still remain historically low. The Federal Reserve (Fed) indicated in its April 14th regional business survey that consumer prices generally remained level and producers had difficulty passing along increases in some raw materials.  This will likely keep inflation at bay as evidenced by the 1.1 percent growth in core consumer prices for the 12-months ending in March 2010, which was the lowest annual increase since January 2004.”

Northaft further noted that, “Low mortgage rates continue to help stabilize the housing market.  The Fed noted that residential activity increased while home prices were stable across most of its 12 Districts over the six weeks prior to April 5th.  In addition, credit standards remained generally unchanged across the nation, while credit quality was mixed according to the report.”

For the most current mortgage and real estate information in the Greenville, NC and Pitt County area, contact The Pistol Tingen Team at (252) 321-6161.

You’ve decided to purchase a home and take advantage of the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit.  Below are the steps to follow to get your benefit.

Close on your home purchase between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010, or have a binding written contract in place by April 30, 2010 with a closing date no later than June 30, 2010.

Decide whether to:  apply the credit to your 2009 tax return, filed on or before April 15, 2010; file an amended 2009 return; or, apply the credit on your 2010 return, filed on or before April 15, 2011.

Attach documentation of purchase to your return.

 Documentation of Purchase

Details concerning the precise documents required to confirm your purchase have not yet been released. When this information becomes available, it will be made available online.

When to Apply the Credit

Buyers purchasing homes on or before December 31, 2009 may claim the credit on their 2009 tax returns.

Buyers purchasing in 2010 will have the option to claim the credit on their 2009 return, even if the purchase is completed after April 15, 2010; or, claim the credit on their 2010 tax returns.

 Applying the Credit to Your 2009 Taxes

 You will need to do the following three things to claim the credit on your 2009 tax return-- fill out Form 5405 to determine the amount of your available credit, apply the credit when you file your 2009 tax return or file an amended return and attach documentation of purchase to your return or amended return.

For more information or questions regarding the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit or, please contact a member of the Pistol Tingen Team.  The Pistol Tingen Team specializes in servicing real estate needs within Greenville, NC and the Pitt County area.

As part of its ongoing commitment to continuously improve housing relief efforts, the Obama administration announced  March 25  new adjustments to the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) and to the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) programs.  These program adjustments will better assist responsible homeowners who have been affected by the economic crisis through no fault of their own.

The program modications will expand flexibility for mortgage services and originators to assist more unemployed homeowners and to help more people who owe more on their mortgage than their home is worth because their local markets experienced large declines in home values.

These changes will help the Administration meet its goals of stabilizing housing markets by offering a second chance to up to 3 to 4 million struggling homeowners through the end of 2012.  Costs will be shared between the private sector and the Federal Government; the Federal cost of these changes will be funded through the $50 billion allocation for housing programs under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).

For more information regarding these new homeowner options, please contact The Pistol Tingen Team—the real estate specialists for Greenville, NC and the Pitt County area.

Owning a home is its own reward, but homeownership can also bring rewards at tax time.

This year is especially beneficial for people who are in the market to buy a home, thanks to the $8,000 first-time buyer credit and the $6,500 tax credit for repeat buyers. Current homeowners can benefit, as well. Tax credits are available for owners who undertake certain projects to improve the energy efficiency of their home, including replacing exterior windows, skylights and doors and installing efficient heating and air conditioning systems. Certain home improvements may qualify for as much as 30 percent of the project cost, up to $1,500.   Homeowners may also enjoy a mortgage interest deduction; allowing them to deduct all the interest paid on up to $1 million in mortgage debt.

For more information about current homeowner tax credits or details regarding tax credits still available to those considering a home purchase this year, please contact The Pistol Tingen Team at (252) 321-6161. The Pistol Tingen Team specializes in real estate located in Greenville, NC and the Pitt County area.