The American Dream is often paired with owning one’s own home.  For decades Legislator’s have protected that dream with allowing home owners to claim the mortgage interest paid on their homes as a tax deduction.  With a possible phase out of this deduction, could the dream fade?

“There are no cows more sacred in the tax code than the deductions for mortgage interest and property taxes. Together, they add up to at least the $ 75 billion annual subsidy for housing and Homeowners. ” The New York Times.

In 2002, 37.2 million taxpayers claimed the deduction, writing off $336.6 billion, or about $9,000 per taxpayer. Representing about 37% or so of itemized deductions, it was slightly more than itemized deductions for deductible state and local taxes, and twice as much in deductions as charitable donations.  Clearly, the mortgage deduction is important and worth a huge amount of money.

In 2005 it was estimated that:

* The mortgage interest deduction will cost the Treasury $72.6 billion, according to congressional estimates.

* The $250,000 and $500,000 tax-free exclusions of home sale profits for single sellers and joint filers, respectively, will cost $23 billion .

* Property tax write-offs cost $20 billion, and tax subsidies for local and state housing bond programs account for $1 billion.

When a congressional committee examined the distribution of homeowner benefits for 2004, it found that people earning $200,000 and more a year – just one-half of 1% of all homeowners filing for deductions – pocketed 22% of the $70.2 billion in write-offs in 2004.

In 2007, Rep. John D. Dingell (D-Mich.) unveiled a draft of his “carbon tax” legislative reform package. Part of this draft legislation was a phase out the mortgage interest deduction on large homes. The phase-out schedule for the mortgage interest write-off, beginning with houses of 3,000 square feet, which would lose 15 percent of their deductions, and ending with houses of 4,200 square feet and larger, which would receive no deductions at all.

Dingel said: “In order to address the issues of climate change, we must address the issue of consumption-we do that by making consumption more expensive.”

Naturally, with the real estate market bust, the Dingell package was shelved. Once the housing market recovers, lets’ say two years from now, it’s a very good bet the administration will be looking hard at ways to increase taxes to pay down the huge bailouts. The unusual financial troubles and the move to green, will be the perfect time to push through such legislation.  Unlike the Dingel proposal ,which was aimed at larger homes, the future legislation will most probably cover all mortgage interest deductions. To increase its’ chance at passage, it is a good bet it will be a phased in plan with deductions decreasing over a number of years.

To get the reversal of the sacred deduction started, President Obama’s impending budget proposes a cap on the mortgage interest rate deduction.  Couples earning $208,850 or more would loose the deduction. Where currently households at the 33% and 35% tax rates are allowed the deduction, Obama would reduce their deduction to only 28% of the value of those payments.  This is likely a first step to what seems to be a total elimination of mortgage tax deduction.  If (when) this passes, Obama will find it easier to lower the earning cap for the mortgage tax deduction, leading up to an even lesser amount in the future.  It seems on the horizon that the mortgage interest rate will be only for low income earners.

BUY OR RENT?

The decision to buy or rent is more complicated for military personnel because you may be assigned to San Diego only for a limited period of time. If you plan to purchase while in San Diego and then sell when you transfer, the condition of the real estate market at the time you sell will make this either an easy or difficult process. In a seller’s market (when demand exceeds supply), properties tend to sell quickly and at or above asking price. In a buyer’s market (when supply exceeds demand), properties usually take much longer to sell and may sell below asking price. Individuals in the military should consider this issue in determining whether to buy or rent real estate in the San Diego area.

For those who choose to buy, the major other consideration is the likely appreciation rate of your property during your tenure in San Diego. If you plan to sell your property before you depart to your next assignment, you should remember that there are expenses (e.g. realtor fees, taxes, etc.) associated with selling your house, and any price appreciation you realize by owing the property for a few years, may or may not be offset by these fees.

Some individuals choose to keep their property even after they transfer to a new assignment outside of San Diego. In these cases, you can rent out the property, leave it empty, or find another acceptable use of the dwelling. If you choose to hire a Property Manager to oversee the renting and maintenance of your property, keep in mind that the fess for this service will cut into any monthly profit you realize on the property.

GETTING A HOME LOAN?

If you decide to purchase a property, obtaining a home loan is one of the tasks you must undertake. Many active-day members, retirees and other service veterans are eligible for special loan programs guaranteed by the Veterans Administration (VA).

To be eligible for a VA guaranteed loan, you must have served on activity duty and have a discharge status of other than dishonorable after a minimum of 90 days of service during wartime, or a minimum of 181 continuous days during peacetime. There is a minimum 2-year service requirement for veterans who enlisted after September 7, 1980. The 2-year requirement also applies to Officers who began service after October 16, 1981. There is a minimum 6-year service requirement for National Guard members and Reservists, and surviving spouses are also eligible under some conditions. There are other special conditions in which a person may be eligible, so contact your local VA office to get more information.

WHAT IS VA GUARANTEED LOAN?

The VA loan is a federal guarantee of a maximum of 25% of a home loan amount but not to exceed $104,250. This formula allows eligible members to obtain a maximum loan amount of $417,000 (as of 2006). However, service members must meet other eligibility requirements. Individuals borrowing using this type of loan must intend to be occupants of the purchased property.

Private lenders are the source of funds for VA guaranteed loans. The guarantee provides these private lenders assurance that the federal government will reimburse the lender up to the maximum allowable amount if the borrower fails to repay the loan. Because of this guarantee, lenders are more favorable to offering loans without a requirement for a down payment.

VA CERTIFICATE OF ELIGIBILITY

Individuals desiring a VA guaranteed loan must first obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the Veterans Administration (VA Form 26-1880). Contact your local VA office to obtain this form by calling 1-888-244-6711. You will need a copy of your military discharge document (DD-214) to submit with your application. Once you have the Eligibility Certificate, you can then select a lender or mortgage broker to work with on getting the loan.

CLOSING COSTS

In addition to the purchase price of your property, there are closing costs that must be paid to process your home loan. These closing costs are fees that are charged by different service providers to help complete the loan process. For example, your lender will require an appraisal of the property to make sure that its value is at or above your purchase price. Other charges commonly included in closing costs are: recording fees, credit report fee, prorated taxes and assessments, hazard insurance, flood insurance (if required), survey, title examination, title insurance, postage and shipping fees, and the VA Funding fee.

WHAT IS THE VA FUNDING FEE?

The VA charges a fee to individuals utilizing the VA guaranteed loan. This fee is a percentage of the loan amount and is linked to the size of your down payment on the home you plan to purchase.

For active-duty personnel or veterans who put no money down, the funding fee is 2.15% of the loan amount. This rate increases to 2.4% for National Guard/Reserve.

For active duty personnel or veterans who put a down payment greater than zero but less than 10% of the loan amount, the fee is 1.5% of the loan. This rate increases to 1.75% for National Guard/Reserve.

For active duty personnel or veterans who put a down payment of 10% or more of the loan amount, the fee is 1.25% of the loan. This rate increases to 1. 5% for National Guard/Reserve.

The rates listed above are for first time users of the VA loan guarantee program. Individuals who have used the VA guaranteed loan program before pay higher rates than first time users. The rates above are subject to change. In some limited cases, individuals are exempt from paying the funding fee. You should contact your local VA center for current information.

CHOOSING A VA LOAN VS. A CONVENTIONAL LOAN

You must carefully evaluate the terms of the VA guaranteed loan vs. the terms of a conventional loan. One advantage of a VA guaranteed loan is that many lenders will not require you to put a down payment on the purchase of the property, assuming you meet their other lending criteria (e.g. credit scores, sufficient income, adequate debt to income ratio, etc.). There are also many zero down payment conventional loan programs. In some cases, the VA guaranteed loan will offer a lower interest rate and better terms, and in other cases, you can obtain a better deal through conventional financing. A good loan officer can help you evaluate the advantages of either loan, given your particular situation.

FINDING THE RIGHT HOME

If you are familiar with the San Diego area, then you probably already know where you want to live. If you are less familiar with the communities in San Diego, your Realtor can serve as an excellent resource to answer your questions. There are many steps to take during the home search process, which include:

1. Work with your loan officer to identify how much you can afford.
2. Determine what type of property you want to buy (single-family home, townhouse, condominium, other). Your Realtor can advise you about the differences between these types of properties.
3. Determine how many bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, etc. you need.
4. Determine what areas of San Diego you would consider living in.
5. Calculate the drive time (with and without traffic) to your job.
6. Identify the quality of schools in the neighborhoods that you are considering.
7. Locate the crime statistics for the neighborhood that you are considering.
8. Identify the location of local community resources such as libraries, shopping centers, athletic centers, etc.
9. Ask your Realtor to advise you about the resale potential of the home you are considering.

Although there are many other factors to consider, the above is a good starting point. Your Realtor should be able help you get answers to the questions above as well as provide you many other resources. Keep in mind that most Realtor’s who assist homebuyers and paid by the home seller, but make sure to ask your Realtor about this.

HOW MUCH SHOUD I PAY FOR A HOUSE?

Your Realtor should be an excellent source of information to help you understand a fair offer price. The Realtor should provide you information about what other similar properties in the same community have sold for recently, current pricing trends for the community, as well provide you a recommendation based on their experience in the local market.

DO I NEED A HOME INSPECTION?

There are many other issues besides the offer price to consider when making an offer. For example, many buyers find it advantageous to get an inspection of the property by a qualified inspector. The inspection typically covers the major systems of a property. Check out the National Association of Home Inspectors web site for more information about what is covered in a typical home inspection. Getting a home inspection is generally a good idea.

HOW LONG WILL THIS TAKE?

If you want to use the VA guarantee, then make sure you have obtained the Certificate of Eligibility far in advance of your relocation to San Diego. Whether or not you are using the VA loan program, be sure to obtain a loan pre-approval (sometimes called loan prequalification) from a lender or mortgage broker. This lets home sellers know that you are a serious buyer and are ready to act quickly if needed.

Prior to moving to San Diego, get a sense of the local real estate market. Your Realtor can set up an automatic email notification system that will send you descriptions and pictures of properties that meet your criteria. Doing this type of research should save you a lot of time when you arrive.

Once you have your loan pre-approval, the next step is to locate a property that meets your needs. Your Realtor should show you a variety of available properties that meet your criteria. Once you find a house you an interested in, your Realtor will prepare the purchase offer documents, and guide you through the loan and closing process.

In summary, it’s simply a process of getting a loan, finding a house that you like, making an offer that is accepted, and going through the closing process, which can occur in less than 30 days.

CONTACT A SAN DIEGO REALTOR

If you are moving to San Diego, contact a Real Estate agent who is familiar with VA guaranteed loans and has experience working with military buyers. Many agents have prior military service themselves, and are very familiar with your situation and needs.

Since the Austin real estate market is known nationwide as the leader of these green building methods, the National Association of Home Builders chose the city as its hub to launch an industry-wide effort to establish green-building guidelines in 2004. These guidelines now provide a practical nationally recognized framework for builders to follow to reduce a home’s environmental impact by making them more energy efficient, improving indoor environmental quality, and so on. Though Austin has already been using similar guidelines for over a decade, now the rest of the country is following suit.

The City of Austin and Austin Energy provide a great resource to owners of Austin homes, and new home builders, who are looking for ways to conserve energy, and build an environmentally friendly home. The city’s website offers a list of companies willing to do an energy analysis of a home that will determine possible options to help the house conserve more energy, with suggestions ranging from air conditioning repair to weather stripping doors. The city then will offer a 20 to 75% of that cost.

For those Austinites building a new house or commercial building, the city created the Austin Energy Green Building organization to promote the construction of high quality, more sustainable buildings, and has even zoned sections of the city’s real estate to require an Austin Energy Green Building rating. Four times a year, the organization also holds a one day “Green By Design” workshop open to the public. The workshop provides an overview of the green building process, and brings in design, building, engineering, landscaping, and Austin real estate professionals with many years of experience in homebuilding and remodeling, to help make sense of it all.

In March of this year, Austin was named as the city leading the country in “cleantech” by SustainLane, an online resource center that offers sustainability tips to state and local government. The term “cleantech” refers to venture capital-based startups based in green technology, with Austin as the front runner with seven such startups, ranging from internet-controlled irrigation to geothermal energy technologies. To keep Austin on the cutting edge of green technology, the Clean Energy Incubator program was set up to help young clean energy businesses succeed by commercializing their ideas. With citizens, government, and forward thinking businesses, Austin will likely be the city to follow in the environmental battle for years to come.

In its website, www.myluxureal.com, home buyers can have a quick search for a property in preference to location, property type and price. Photos have been included for each property for a better view of sample unit. The website posts brief information such as the amenities, location, nearest road that travellers are familiar with, the typical venues you can see near the property and some write ups of featured properties. You can also browse either by developer or by the latest properties. If you want to be updated you can check out their news and events, and do not forget to view their latest promos posted for some properties to get discounts, add-on furnishing and more.

LuxuReal International is also looking for partners for Philippine real estate projects such as Global Sales Managers, Brokers and Agents and Global Referral Partners.

For more details on LuxuReal International, Inc., visit their website at http://www.myluxureal.com and experience luxury living within your reach.

For inquiries visit http://www.myluxureal.com/contact-us/

LuxuReal International has the primary goal of fully satisfying their customers desire to invest and find their dream homes, condos, farm lots, vacation & beach resorts. They are partnering with the best property developers so that they too can provide their customers the best value for customer’s investment.

Like every other real estate agent, you know how tough it is to find quality real estate leads. You need potential clients to take action now! Not wait, sit on the fence for a while and eventually slip away. So how can you catch these clients hook, line and sinker? Learn how to market and advertise YOURSELF! Take advantage of the features your realty website offers that allow you to show off.

Write a catchy and creative blurb on your professional skills, attitude and star sales qualities.

Remind your clients to interact with your website. Ask them to fill out a form, contact you and save their favourite properties. Make them communicate with you in any way possible.

Take advantage of every touch point. Store clients’ e-mails, phone numbers and addresses. Make sure to contact every single person that makes contact with you.

Don’t fall into the background. Stay top of mind with a monthly newsletter, deal of the month or open house invitation.

Always show customers what’s in it for them. Sell yourself through your abilities, actions and services not through boasting, bragging or arrogance.

Make an offer they can’t refuse. Promise a free home staging quote, t-shirt, mortgage broker quote or even a useful real estate report if they fill out a form. Remember, everyone LOVES something for free. Tag team with an industry specialist to make it happen.

Identify what makes you different from every other money-hungry agent. Create a Unique Selling Proposition for your services and run with it. Make it the bread-and-butter of your business.

Ask them for referrals, testimonials, questions and requests. Keep your phone number and e-mail visible and in the right places. Present a call to action that encourages them to follow through.

Make your REALTOR® website a real estate research headquarters. Give your visitors ALL the info they need to know. You can bet buyers & sellers will get online to make an informed decision long before they take any definitive action with an agent. Why not be the one-stop-shop? Appeal to their every real estate need, want and desire. With the right marketing and advertising strategies, they will stay on your site longer and visit more often. That’s how you ring in the qualified sales. Cha-ching!

While there has been a surge in recent luxury home sales, we have noticed some trends that have become apparent in today’s market, effecting both pricing and sales. Rather than provide puffery, let’s look at some concrete data from the current marketplace provided by Altos Research LLC. Surprisingly, the results have been better than expected; however we need to keep a close eye in the coming months for a more grounded and substantive sample.

For Sellers: The coming months are going to be the best opportunity to sell with low interest rates and the seasonally active marketplace.  Unfortunately, there are many more luxury homes for sale than qualified buyers, which will leave much inventory unsold or stagnant. In looking at pending homes sold in Rancho Santa Fe, Del Mar, Coronado, and La Jolla, most have been priced very aggressively or have had a substantial price reduction prior to the pending date due to softness in the luxury market. Selling an estate in this current market takes aggressive pricing, superior marketing, and a value substantive presentation. This is what buyers are looking for and they are definitely out there to be had. First and foremost, inventory is on the climb throughout San Diego. All markets have shown an uptrend in inventory with data going back to 2007.

Median Asking Prices: Rancho Santa Fe has shown the largest downward trend in median asking price, while the other markets have shown to be a bit more stable. Upon analyzing the recent sales in Rancho Santa Fe it has become apparent many low-priced bank owned or distressed sales have created softness in this upper-tier market.

The Good News: The average days on the market is actually trending downward, showing a surge in demand, however the average amount of days on the market remains slightly above 200 days, a trend indicating active buyers are being selective and cautious.

The Indicators: A good snapshot is how many listing prices are being reduced.  This would signify a weakness in the market with Sellers pricing downward in hopes of a quicker sales. There has been a downward trend in listing price reductions however.

The market active index is still very much a “Buyer’s Market”, all registering below a scale of 15.

For Those Looking To Sell: June, July, and August will be the best opportunity for Sellers as the market cools towards the end of the year and interest rates are likely to increase.  It’s going to be a long crawl back to a more normalized market and REO (Bank Owned) sales will continue to be the benchmark for market value.

Anderson+Boatcher, a strategic partnership under Willis Allen Real Estate, specializes in the Coastal San Diego luxury real estate market. To stay up to date on the Coastal San Diego luxury real estate market and to view the most comprehensive source of real estate opportunities, visit www.anderson-boatcher.com

Real Estate companies are also reducing health care benefits, 401k benefits, and stock options. Real estate firms are trimming the fat, even while the real estate market continues to show signs of improvement. Real Estate companies, according to the survey conducted by Grat Thornton LLP are most concerned about the cost of employee benefits.

While the Chicago Real Estate market is improving, these numbers illustrate an extreme contradiction in the real estate industry. While real estate companies remain optimistic about the future of their industry, cost cutting measures reflect a distinct pessimism in their own industry.

Is the real estate industry in a true recovery mode, or is a second micro-bubble emerging. As of right now, it is not clear, but there definitely a discrepancy between internal practices of real estate firms and gauges of the real estate market. Speculation surrounding real estate is always apparent. But is it beneficial when the speculation directly opposes the actions of Real Estate firms and brokerages?

So what can we learn from this contradiction? Is the market over-valued?  Is a secondary bubble forming after we slowly emerge out of the recession? Whatever the case, it is clear that the real estate market may still be over-valued, as firms still continue to cut costs, while the real estate market continues to improve.

Start by understanding that more and more people are relying on the web to learn about the entire real estate process. There has also been a shift in consumer from Generation X to Generation Y. First-time buyers from GenY will have different communication needs, purchasing behaviour and housing requirements than their earlier counterparts. Now more than ever, it’s vital for all real estate professionals to understand why the Internet is so crucial to today’s industry, and why choosing not to get involved would reduce their profits and competitive edge.

As today’s potential client has less time than ever before, they desire their information served on a silver platter. So why not deliver the information they want and make it available to them 24 hours a day? Give them a one-stop-online-real-estate-shop to help them buy their dream home? That’s what they’re looking for. Nowadays, they expect it.

So why are customers so apt to house-hunting online?

1.  Well first, it saves them time, and plenty of it. Who has the energy to flip through a mile-high pile of messy newspapers? Or make 20 preview appointments with a REALTOR®? Certainly not the urban jet-setters, soccer moms or suits of today’s world.

These Internet savvy buyers will take an average of 4.5 weeks to look for information on homes and neighborhoods before ever contacting a real estate professional, as compared to a traditional buyer that takes only 1.5 weeks. However, once the initial information gathering is complete, Internet buyers spend significantly less time with their agent and preview far fewer homes, spending 2 weeks, compared to 7 weeks for the traditional buyer.

2.  Online buyers also enjoy a greater sense of control. Real estate websites of today embrace a more user-friendly attitude than ever before. The Internet helps these buyers better understand the whole home buying process, and puts them in better control of that process. They can refine their needs and wants and comparison shop to paint a more detailed picture of their dream home for you. In the end it also helps save you time, so you can steer clear of what they don’t want, and deliver on what they do.

Just know that if they’re looking for a ‘4-bedroom, 3-bathroom raised bungalow with a salt-water outdoor pool and white picket fence, close to the highway yet nestled in a quiet community and close to a nature trail’…you’ll be the first to know.

3.  Internet buyers tend to be global risk-takers. They are more willing and able to relocate now more than ever. These buyers are looking to move to different parts of the country, and use the Internet to scope out the hottest trends. They want to settle into a new lifestyle and status, not just a new home. With it they’ll earn a trend-setting label among friends and colleagues, and a life experience they’ll never forget.

Internet buyers are expanding their families at a slower pace, having children significantly later than their baby-boomer counterparts. As a REALTOR®, you need to appeal to their sense of freedom, mobile lifestyle and ability to live in an exciting new place, whether on their own or with a partner.

4.  The information they need is available at the touch of a button, anytime, anywhere. Whether they’re searching for a home on their lunch break or at 2am, they have all the resources they need on their timetable. They don’t have to play phone tag to answer their questions. Everything they need is ready and waiting for them online.

Keep in mind that Internet homebuyers want as much detailed information as possible. Therefore, real estate professionals that offer websites with specialized, inside information and detailed listings including plenty of quality photos and virtual tours, will be more likely to capture these customers.

So, who exactly are these Internet savvy homebuyers, anyway? Let’s take a closer look at the Internet homebuyer profile and how they differ from traditional buyers.

They enjoy a controlled environment.The Internet empowers this type of consumer. They have control of the search process, by way of privacy and freedom. They can regulate the level of communication they choose to have with an agent or agency, and therefore feel less pressured and more comfortable in the decision-making process.

They are usually first-time buyers.The Internet buyer tends to be new to the real estate purchasing market, and is younger, wealthier, more likely to be married and better educated than a traditional buyer.

They want to be as informed as possible. These buyers want a complete understanding of what they’ll be jumping into. Not just listings and prices, they want information on the entire real estate transaction, from agent negotiations to legal procedures. They want all the real estate marketing tools wrapped into one complete package.

Internet savvy real estate professionals are at an advantage to fill in the gaps for these types of clients. Armed with this buyer profile and the proper real estate internet marketing tool, you can learn to better recognize and understand the requirements of this market niche. Think of real estate professionals like a GPS Navigation System for the Internet homebuyer. The Internet is their road map, but they still need detailed navigated directions to get to their destination; a guide to help them through the negotiation and transaction processes of home buying.

Remember, these Internet buyers will judge your competency based on your online perception. Establishing an online presence through a user-friendly real estate website and e-mail has become a benchmark of professionalism for all business. So, if you find your business is lacking in this department, keep in mind that valuable sales are being lost each passing moment. A website can therefore only compliment your role in the home buying process. Take action and get your real estate business online. Farming, referrals, sign calls and traditional advertising can only take you so far in the 2008 marketplace.

The Unique Homes Magazine has listed 25 luxury home markets to watch in 2007 in its January issue. According to the Unique Homes report the 25 luxury markets will indicate where the luxury real estate market is heading to. These markets along with features that make them stand out from the rest are worth watching out for.

The following is a brief report on the top 10 luxury home markets to watch for price increases or reductions in 2007.

1. Annapolis, Maryland. The waterfront city located on Chesapeake Bay offers excellent boating and affordable prices compared to Washington’s luxury enclaves. With Washington and Baltimore within reasonable commute, this city is highly desirable.

2. Asheville, North Carolina. An eclectic ambiance and low-key lifestyle attracts people to Asheville which continues to remain one of the hottest places for luxury home buyers.

3. Aspen, Colorado. From a ski enclave this luxury market has grown into a platinum location. With its four-season appeal and restrictive zoning policies, Aspen is still a highly-sought after destination.

4. Atlanta, Georgia. The city offers several new upscale communities, numerous lifestyle amenities, retreats and much sought after waterfront luxury homes.

5. Austin, Texas. A strong real estate market that saw record gains in 2006, the reputable University of Texas, the scenic lakes and the great music attracts buyers to this hill country.

6. Bellevue/Medina, Washington. With prices going up at 28 percent, the market has still not peaked and several upscale neighborhoods are available at a lower price range when compared to other markets.

7. Beverly Hills, California. One of the top ranked luxury markets that is perpetually in demand, Beverly Hills continues to be untarnished and idolized as the Mecca for luxury. Hollywood Hills is currently a hot market for buyers.

8. Idaho. The growing resort markets in the state garner attention for the state that is making its presence felt in the luxury home market.

9. Jupiter, Florida. The boom has arrived here after Tiger Woods’ purchase of a 10-acre estate for $38 m. The market continues to surge on this exclusive island.

10. Manhattan Uptown, downtown, midtown. The luxury market is upbeat with record sales of more than $5 m in 2006 accelerated by Wall Streeters. Co-ops and town houses are favorites among buyers here.

If you are interested in buying or selling a home, condo or any other type of real estate in any of these markets, be sure to seek out the services of a real estate agent to advise you about current local market conditions.