Kentucky Congressman John Yarmuth has been joined by Louisville Realtors, local homeowners and members of the Home Builders Association of Louisville to announce that more Louisville residents are eligible for a homebuyers tax credit than ever before. "The first-time homebuyer credit included in the Recovery Act has already helped hundreds of Louisville families fulfill the dream of homeownership...

Sales of existing homes received the biggest boost in a decade due to the first-time homebuyers tax credit, fueling hopes of a rebound in struggling real estate markets driving some Wall Street stocks higher. Foreclosures, plunging real estate values and job losses still plague many markets, particularly in California and Florida, while economic indicators in some markets are causing bidding wars for...

The Greater Louisville Association of Realtors reported that its members sold 1210 Louisville homes last October, which represented the fourth consecutive month of gains over 2008 year-over-year. President of the local realty group, Linda Gibson Cecil, called the sales figures "very encouraging." Until this past July, monthly home sales in the Louisville real estate market has posted steady declines for...

Congress passed a compromise measure extending unemployment benefits and the $8,000 tax credit for qualified first-time homebuyers, in spite of recent revelations on widespread mistakes and suspected fraud in the popular program. The tax credit program was scheduled to end on Nov. 30, 2009, but the homebuyer extension will cover homes under contract by April 30, 2010. In another welcome development for...

As the federal tax credit program for first-time homebuyers is ending, some Louisville homebuyers are taking advantage of Kentucky's lesser-known $5000 tax credit for buying a new house. Kentucky's tax credit went into effect last July 26 and although it cannot be combined with the federal tax credit, Louisville real estate professionals say it is having a positive impact on home sales. The state's tax...

Folks who want to take advantage of the tax credit for first-time homebuyers are running out of time. Unless Congress votes to extend the program—and some legislators are for it—the tax credit of up to $8000 will expire in December. Given the length of time that it takes to arrange financing, home inspections and all the other requisite tasks to take care of when buying a home, homebuyers are...

The government's first-time home buyer program is one of the very few bright spots in a generally lousy real estate climate. We've put together a short list of requirements to help people gain a better understanding of the requirements of the program and take advantage of the many benefits the program offers. $8,000 Qualified first-time home buyers are eligible to receive up to $8,000 in...

A recent article in the Louisville Courier-Journal claims that the selling price of Louisville homes dropped again in April according to figures provided by the Greater Louisville Association of Realtors. They report that the median selling price of Louisville homes fell by 2.3 percent in April 2009 and is down by 6 percent for the first four months of the year. Members of the group report that they...

An article in the Christian Science Monitor claims that pending home sales across the country climbed in April for the third month in a row and are now at their highest level since last September. Pending home sales are real estate transactions where a buyer signs a contract, but the deal has not yet closed. Pending home sales are regarded as a bellwether of the real estate market and real estate...

The December 1, 2009, deadline to get the first-time home buyer income tax credit for Louisville real estate purchases is fast approaching. Under the provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, first time home buyers who purchase a home between January 1, 2009, and December 1, 2009, will qualify for up to $8,000 in income tax credit. According to a recent ruling by the United...