Receivers and Receivership

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Here’s a good resource if your real estate development or investment runs into some trouble and you or your lender think you may need a court appointed receiver.

A court appoints a receiver only after both sides of the litigation are given an apportunity to give input upon the specific receiver and the goals of the receivership. In real estate, those goals could be as diverse as selling the property to completing construction to financial analysis and auditing.

The Court and Receiver

The litigants counsel define the skill set needed in a receiver for their particular property and identify an agreed upon receiver. But once the court accepts their choice, the receiver is an extension of the neutral court.

“Parties with an interest in the receivership should treat the receiver as an arm of the court and should not seek ex-parte communications with or special treatment by the receiver.”

What to look for in a receiver

“A receiver should be chosen on the basis of background, expertise, neutrality, availability, compensation rate and temperament, and not because of perceived alliances and relationships.”

What you need to know
If you think your situation may require a receiver, go read the clear yet short article and learn more about the process and what you may need to look for. Your familiarity will aid you and your counsel in choosing the right path and goals of the receivership in your specific situation. PDF on Court Appointed Receiver here.


The VA Purchase Loan Has Many Advantages

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Buying a house but not sure what you’re going to use to finance the purchase given today’s climate in the mortgage market?

If you’re a veteran or active duty military, then you must consider a VA Loan, a benefit thanks to your service to the United States. A VA Loan is a great option for buying a home, whether it’s your first or your third time buying a house; the VA Loan gives you flexibility as well as offers an affordable solution to financing your next purchase.

Perhaps the biggest highlight of the VA Loan is the no down payment requirement. Sure, there were plenty of no down payment options 24 months ago, but like the housing bubble, those programs burst and now the VA Loan is the last zero-down mortgage product available. In addition to zero down, the VA Loan also has no private mortgage insurance, which is standard on conventional loans unless you put 20 percent down. Another aspect of the VA Loan is the relaxed credit requirements that still allow you to get a low interest rate. While most conventional products require a 720 or above to get the lowest rates, VA lenders generally only require a 620 minimum credit score, and the rates for those scores are still the lowest available.

The VA Loan also allows you to refinance into a lower interest rate (down the line) without appraisal or income documentation; said Jake Vehige, VA Loan Specialist with VAMortgageCenter.Com.

There is a VA funding fee associated with a VA Purchase Loan, however that fee is 2.15% of the loan amount for first-time VA users and 3.3% for subsequent VA Loan use. That fee can be rolled into the cost of the loan, or the seller is allowed to pay for it as well. Borrowers who can document at least a 10% service-connected disability are exempt from the funding fee.

Provided you’ve got good credit, doesn’t have to be great, you were honorably discharged and you’ve had steady income for the past two years, a VA Loan is definitely worth your consideration when purchasing your next home.


Prices to bottom, rates to raise but still a Buyer’s Market

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Real Estate is seeing historically low prices, especially in the luxury and near luxury market.  Prices are at or extremely near the lowest they will ever be but mortgage rates are beginning to rise and aren’t expected to return to the low rates we’ve seen over the last few years. Here is a very good article about what’s going on nationally in the real estate market that also addresses some regional variations. There are a number of good points for potential buyers and many that directly effect Florida buyers.
Read the whole thing but this is a very important point on the overall trend of the buyer’s market:

“You don’t need to have a sense of urgency, but understand that as time progresses the balance of power as we get into 2010 is going to slowly but surely shift away from [buyers],” Larson says. “It is not going to be a strong seller’s market, but it will be more evenly distributed as the year goes on.” Data from the real estate firm Zillow show that home buyers are already losing the leverage they once enjoyed.

Combine this information with the first-time and homeowner tax benefits that will be expiring in June, 2010 and you can see it’s still a buyers market but the window is closing.


$8,000 First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Explained

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The first-time homebuyer credit is a new tax credit included in the recently enacted Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.

For homes purchased in 2008, the credit operates like an interest-free loan because it must be repaid over a 15-year period.

The credit was expanded in 2009 for homes purchased in 2009, increasing the amount of the credit and eliminating the requirement to repay the credit, unless the home ceases to be your principal residence within the 36-month period beginning on the purchase date.

Q. How much is the credit?

A. The credit is 10 percent of the purchase price of the home, with a maximum available credit of $7,500 ($8,000 if you purchased your home in 2009) for either a single taxpayer or a married couple filing a joint return, but only half of that amount for married persons filing separate returns. The full credit is available for homes costing $75,000 or more.

Q. Which home purchases qualify for the first-time homebuyer credit?

A. Any home purchased as the taxpayer’s principal residence and located in the United States qualifies. You must buy the home after April 8, 2008, and before Dec. 1, 2009, to qualify for the credit. For a home that you construct, the purchase date is considered to be the first date you occupy the home. Taxpayers (including spouse, if married) who owned a principal residence at any time during the three years prior to the date of purchase are not eligible for the credit. This means that you can qualify for the credit if you (and your spouse, if married) have not owned a home in the three years prior to a purchase. If you make an eligible purchase in 2008, you claim the first-time homebuyer credit on your 2008 tax return. For an eligible purchase in 2009, you can choose to claim the credit on either your 2008 or 2009 income tax return.

Q. Can I apply for the credit if I bought a vacation home or rental property?

A. No. Vacation homes and rental property do not qualify for this credit.

Q. Who is considered to be a first-time homebuyer?

A. Taxpayers who have not owned another principal residence at any time during the three years prior to the date of purchase.

Q. How do I apply for the credit? Read more →


The Tax Loss Carry Back and what it means to Real Estate Investors and Buyers

in Cincinnati Real Estate Development, Florida Real Estate Development, Jacksonville Real Estate, Real Estate Debt Workout, Real Estate Market News, Real Estate Taxes

The Tax Loss Carry Back attached to the Unemployment Benefits Bill recently passed by congress and signed by the president has gotten little press but it may have great impact. First off, it will have the intended influence on stabilizing the Commercial Real Estate (CRE) market by helping potentially tens of thousands of mid level businesses – hit hard with the large drop in consumer spending over the last two years – by giving them much needed funds to stay in business and in their current leased or owned locations. Secondly, it will effect developers and builders, who fall into the previous categories, by giving them the funds necessary to survive and begin building again.

“According to National Association of Home Builders President Jerry Howard, “This injection of capital will enable a lot of our members, a significant number of small and medium sized builders that have been hanging on by their fingernails, to keep their doors open, and hopefully with this increased stimulus and demand from the tax credit, to be able to get back on their feet and get the country moving forward again.”” Source.

What does that mean for Real Estate buyers and investors? Morning Star gives a hint:

“Many builders are flush with cash and have already cleaned out their inventory of “C” and “D” locations. Most builders aren’t going to let loose of their precious “A” and “B” locations at a time when several in the industry have moved back into land acquisition mode and quality land is actually scarce in several markets. With survival not in question for the vast majority of public builders, many will opt to keep their land rather than sell it at fire-sale prices for tax purposes.”

The extremely low prices currently being seen in Real Estate won’t last long when new units are being designed to deal with with the growing pent up demand and the new demand created by the extension of the first-time home buyers credit and the added home-owners credit also recently passed by congress and signed by President Obama.


Investing in Real Estate through 1031 Exchange

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Keeping Your Real Estate Equity In Tact During a Sale With 1031 Exchanges presents a wide variety of opportunities from taking advantage of the 1031 exchange technique provided by the real estate code.

In a 1031 tax free exchange a real estate investor can sell an appreciated property and invest the sale proceeds in a like kind property. By investing the real estate profits in a new property purchase, the taxes on the gain are deferred. A financial institution that is knowledgeable in 131 tax free exchanges should handle the transaction to make certain that all regulations are complied with. This is a valuable tool for the preservation of cash and equity in the appreciated real estate.

Real estate investors will find oceanfront condos, downtown lofts, apartment projects, apartment conversion candidates and office buildings, all worthy of considering for the reinvestment of 1031 proceeds.

Condos provide supply and demand upsides and a wide variety of potential future buyers including homeowners, vacation homeowners and investors.

Downtown lofts offer unique loft designs, proximity to  downtown business districts and lively downtown neighborhoods.

Apartment buildings and offices, particularly in high demand areas like historic districts, present the opportunity for positive cash flow and future equity appreciation.

When zoned CRO, which allows a building to be used for residential, commercial or office purposes, apartment building have the additional value of being able to be converted to offices. Small apartment buildings zoned CRO in historic neighborhoods are prime candidates and highly sought after by real estate investors looking for 1031 exchanges.

A 1031 exchange can save a real estate investor a great deal of cash.