Here’s a Tip from the IRS. . . Did you buy a house or a condo recently? If you did, it could mean money in your pocket. Thats right, if you bought a home last year you could get a 75-hundred dollar interest-free loan – courtesy of Uncle Sam — and you have 15 years to pay it back. On the other hand, if you buy a home this year before December the first, you can get a tax credit of up to eight-thousand-dollars either on this years return or next years return, and you dont even have to pay it back. To learn more about the first-time homebuyer credit go to IRS.gov.

My fiance and I are looking to purchase our first home in the beginning of 2010. I make roughly 40,000/yr and he makes roughly 60,000. Is a house around 500,000 affordable for us without a large down payment? How much would our monthly mortgage roughly be? Would we get approved with fair credit and without a large down payment (around 20-40K)?

My husband and I were preapproved for a mortgage recently.

If we do not do anything to affect our credit, it it possible to have it un-preapproved from now until we close on our house?

This is both of our first home, so I am unsure of a few things. Thank you.

Learn tips for first-time home buyers about buying a house are in this free online guide to buying a house.Expert: Dan Kelley Contact: kelleywhiteteam.yourkwagent.com Bio: Direct from HGTV, Dan Kelley has been selling real estate in the Miami area for many years. Filmmaker: Paul Muller

On November 6, 2009 President Obama signed into law new legislation that extends the first-time home buyer tax credit beyond its Nov. 30 deadline and expands it to a wider group of home buyers. This video explains the facts and answers many home buyer questions regarding the tax credit. You can also get even more information by visiting  www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com

First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Assistance and Federal Government Home Loan Program with Low Down Payment on FHA Mortgages. Buy Bank Foreclosed Homes at a Discount. Go To RealEstateMarketingThisWeek.com Part 2 (Excerpt) The median income family can afford twice the median priced home; prices drop over 50% And now I mentioned Dan Havey is back in the studio with us, Dan has done a lot of great things in the mortgage industry. He left us about a year and a half ago, is that right Dan? Yes, I left the mortgage industry in October of 2007. Tell us a little bit more about yourself. As you know I came originally from Wisconsin, where I got a degree in Business Finance and I came out here in 1989 and started working with my brother selling real estate owned-REO, bank owned properties for Fannie Mae, Countrywide, and the Resolution Trust Corporation-RTC which was the government entity that was put in charge of disposing of all the real estate owned by the 1800 S&Ls that had failed. I did that until about 1995 when I moved into the mortgage industry and there for 12 years I worked predominately with bankruptcy attorneys helping their clients get out of bankruptcy and foreclosure. I left the mortgage industry in October of 2007. Now I am working predominately in the arena of marketing for real estate and mortgage companies, helping out companies, just like Im here helping out Michael today, to get people to realize that right now actually is a really good time to buy.

Each month, This Month in Real Estate provides expert opinion and analysis on real estate trends across the nation.

Tax Credit First Time Home Buyers Tips presented by Colorado Realtor Michael Harper. Up to 00. michael-harper.com Did you know that anyone can qualify for this tax credit as long as you have not owned in the last 3 years? This opportunity will expire Dec. 1, 2009! Watch this video for other helpful tips and then let’s talk to see how we can best apply the tax credit to your situation. You can even use the tax credit of up to 00 for your closing costs. Watch the entire video for more valuable information regarding this great program to help you buy a home. Call me at 719-687-1715 or email me at Michael@Michael-Harper.com – I’m happy to answer any of your questions about your Real Estate needs. You can also add a comment or ask a question right here on YouTube or watch some of my other videos. I look forward to talking with you, Michael Harper, Realtor michael-harper.com

Being a First Time Home Buyer can increase the difficulty in the process of obtaining financing, not only due to the lack of credit history but because of the inexperience and lack of knowledge on the field. Following, you will find some tips to help you get started.

The Down Payment Issue

A down payment in the range of 10% to 20% is usually required for obtaining a home loan to buy a house. There are also closing costs that you will need to pay in order to secure the loan.

If you add up these two factors, very few can afford putting down this much money. The financial industry, however, has found a solution to this problem and offers a different financial option.

Zero down mortgage loans are meant for those who cannot put away enough money for a down payment. With these loans you can finance 100% of the property value.

Moreover, for those who cannot even raise the money for closing costs, there are lenders offering 103% or 105% finance home loans.

The extra percentage is used for covering the closing costs which will then be included in the overall debt that you will have to repay in monthly installments.

Drawbacks of Lack of Down Payment

Zero down mortgage loans sound tempting but though not having to put money down in order to purchase a house can seem to be a fabulous waiver, it has many drawbacks and unless strictly necessary, it should be avoided by all means possible.

A down payment has not only direct positive financial consequences but it also can be a positive factor when the lender has to decide whether to approve your loan or not and on what terms.

When the lender has to consider your application, a down payment tells him that if you were able to save enough money to make a considerable down payment, you will probably be able to meet your monthly payments without any difficulty.

A down payment will also imply that you have the ability to obtain finance elsewhere and so, the lender will try to offer you a more tempting loan proposal in order to keep you as a client.

Those who can offer a down payment always get a considerably lower interest rate than those who cannot. As you can see, a down payment reduces dramatically the risk implied for the lender in the financial transaction, and thus, you will be able to get a better deal on your loan.

A down payment will not only reduce the interest rate you pay; it will also lessen all the other loan requirements and will turn the loan terms more flexible. You will be able to get stretchy monthly payments and larger loan lengths too.

Home Equity Loans

If you wanted to use that money for making home improvements or for other expenses, you do not need to worry. Once the deal is closed, the amount you had to put down will become home equity and you will be able to request a home equity loan for the difference between your home value and the amount owed on the mortgage.

These loans are secured and carry low interests; they are the perfect solution if you ever need the money you used for the down payment.