3 Reasons to Buy that House Now!

I don't usually post blogs from others but this one has such important information I want to share it with everyone. 

3 Reasons to Buy that House NOW!

http://www.kcmblog.com/2013/07/30/3-reasons-to-buy-that-house-now/

Boulder County Real Estate 2012

In my last post we looked at the rate of annual sales for Boulder County going back to 2005.
2012 reveals the following:
     Boulder Residential Sales (from the previous year's quarter):

•  first Quarter  +13% 
• 2nd Quarter   +5% 

A strengthening housing market is on the way!

A look at Boulder County Home Prices

Residential Homes Sales in Boulder, Colorado. These statistics include the city of Boulder and the communities that are part of Boulder County, including Longmont, Gunbarrel, Niwot, Louisville, Lafayette, Superior and parts of Erie. It reads like a history of the last 8 years. 2005 was a good year but nothing extraordinary. We had come to expect appreciation 7%+ appreciation. Fortunately in Boulder we had no huge spike before the fall. You can see that things started to slow in 2006 and by 2007, the economy was in retreat in a big way, culminating in 2008 and the greatest recession since the Great Depression. By 2010, Boulder was reversing the trend and slowing coming back.

Year     Median Price Appreciation

2005    +11%

2006    +5%

2007    +4%

2008    -2%

2009    -3%

2010    +2%

2011    +2%

Private Mortgage: Family and Friends

Family & Friends' Mortgages

It all seems perfectly reasonable: one person is not satisfied with what he can earn currently in the market and another wants to find the most attractive mortgage to purchase their home. It can be a good match but the IRS has specific rules that govern the transaction.

The loan must be done in a business-like manner with a written note specifying the loan amount, interest rate, term and collateral. IRS requires that the mortgage be a recorded lien in order to allow the interest deduction.

Sometimes, these friends and family situations have a less than normal interest rate on the mortgage. However, the rate charged in the note is regulated by the minimum applicable federal rate which is published monthly by IRS according to current Treasury securities. For October 2011, the rate is 2.95% for terms over nine years.

The seller must report the interest paid to them along with the name, address and Social Security number on schedule B when the buyer uses the property as their principal residence.

A mortgage between family and friends can be good for both parties. It may allow the borrower a slightly lower rate without the expenses of a traditional lender while giving the note holder a higher rate than they can earn in available investments. Your tax professional can guide the transaction whether you're a buyer or seller and your real estate professional can help arrange to have the documents drawn and filed.