Looking for new Fannie Mae REO in your area?
HomePath.com just launched an updated property alert system that notifies you of new listings in your choice of zip codes. Just click here or go to www.homepath.com and click "HomePath Property Alert" under Related Links at the bottom of the page.

First Time Buyer Down Payment Assistance Program

The program is designed to assist Low to Moderate Income Eligible Households who, based on institutional underwriting criteria, are unable to qualify for and/or afford to purchase a home and make the necessary mortgage payments without financial assistance.

Qualifying properties must be single family homes, condominiums, or townhomes located within the city of Huntington Beach and purchased for owner occupancy at an Affordable Housing Cost. The Program is funded by the Huntington Beach Redevelopment Agency through its low and moderate income housing fund and the Federal Government’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funds.

Criteria Includes:
Participating homebuyers must qualify for a “First Trust Deed Loan”; a fixed rate level payment , 30 year first mortgage loan with an institutional lender approved by the Affordable Clearinghouse.

The maximum loan amount will not exceed $100,000. Limits are:
$50,000 for 1 bedroom
$75,000 for 2 bedrooms
$100,000 for 3 bedrooms

Minimum underwriting criteria include:
No minimum credit score
No credit accounts past due at time loan is recorded
No outstanding unpaid judgments or involuntary liens
No bankruptcies

-Applicant must be a low to moderate income household, in which the households total combined gross household income cannot exceed one hundred twenty percent (120%) of area median income for Orange County.

-Priority for current Huntington Beach residents or persons employed with a business located in the City.

Year Percentage of Equity Share Should Homeowner Sell . . .
Years 1-7 100%
Years 8-12 75%
Years 13-17 50%
Years 18-22 25%
Years 23-30 10%
30 + Equity Share and Interest Eliminated

-Zero percent interest rate for Down Payment Loan per Fannie Mae Guidelines for Community seconds . No deed restriction on property due to equity share payment.

-Refinancing with approval of Program Director. No cash out unless participant agrees to pay off Agency loan.

How to Participate:
• Affordable Housing Clearinghouse has been selected to be the Down Payment Assistance Program administrators. For more information contact them at:
Affordable Housing Clearinghouse
23861 El Toro Road, Suite 401
Lake Forest, CA 92630
Phone (949) 859-9255

For further information on this new program you may contact –
Sidney Stone
Housing Manager/City of Huntington Beach
(714) 536-5901
Sidney.stone@surfcity-hb.org

Wow, it is so hard to keep up to date on the internet today. I have joined facebook, Linkedin, twitter and I have a three blog’s and a Web Page. How confused am I?

The First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit

Do you or anyone you know qualify for the first-time homebuyer tax credit? If so, here’s how to take advantage of this lucrative incentive.

Qualifying first-time homebuyers can claim 10% of the purchase price up to $8,000, or $4,000 for married individuals filing separately. The credit is available for purchases completed on or after January 1, 2009, and before December 1, 2009. The credit is refundable, meaning recipients receive a check for any claim amount beyond what’s owed in taxes.
Eligibility for the first-time homebuyer credit is determined by the date of the completed purchase, not the date of occupancy. One exception is if the home is being constructed, then the date of occupancy is considered the date of purchase. The home must be used as a primary residence (generally defined as where an individual spends more than 50% of their time). To be eligible, the buyer, or either spouse, cannot have owned and used a home as a primary residence within the last three years. A taxpayer who owned a rental property but not a primary residence within the past three years is eligible for the credit.
The credit does not have to be repaid unless the home is sold or ceases to be the primary residence within three years. There are some exceptions: homes sold as part of a divorce settlement, homes destroyed in a natural disaster, homes subject to condemnation, etc.
To be eligible for the credit, the home cannot be inherited, received as a gift, or purchased from a spouse or related person. The credit applies to any type of new or existing dwelling. Even some houseboats and manufactured homes used as primary residences are eligible. The $8,000 tax credit phases out for individuals with modified annual gross income (MAGI) of $75,000 to $95,000 and married couples with MAGI of $150,000 to $170,000.
With interest rates hovering at historic lows and housing affordability at its best level in more than a decade, this is a timely tax incentive. To claim the credit, fill out the IRS Form 5405 and claim this amount on line 67 of the 1040 income tax form for 2009. For more information, visit the IRS Newsroom.
The above content is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a tax advisor.

Give me a call if you or anyone you know is looking to buy for the first time.

The "Regular Guys" will be playing at the Concert tonight, August 26th. It is so warm out I am sure there will be a lot of people there. I won on the 50/50 raffle last year. It’s a lot of fun.

If you live in Seal Beach you have noticed all of the extra people in town. CSI Miami is filming this week in Old Town Seal Beach. I noticed them today on my walk on Ocean. Yesterday they were on the Beach. It’s kind of fund to see them making a Miami movie in Seal Beach. I have noticed when I watch their show familiar places in Seal Beach and also Long Beach. See if you do.

This weekend at Marine Stadium they are having the annual boat race.  It is such a great weekend to be outside and watch them fly by.  There are a lot of different categories, sizes and speeds.  Take the kids and have a great time.

In the case of a C-17 fuselage, it is huge!  The fuselage was transported Tuesday night (actually the early hours of Wednesday) through Seal Beach along PCH.  One employee of CVS reported that it was so large that the metal was creaking.

The fuselage ended at the Naval Weapon Station where is loaded onto a ship for transport to the east coast.

This is a lot of fun to watch and it is for a good cause.  All the profit goes to the Seal Beach Animal Care Center.  This is the 14th annual Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals and it is at The Los Alamitos Race track.  First race is at 6:15 P.M.  Parking is free and it is only $3.00 admission for adults and children under 12 are free.  Kids love it.