Maryland Realtors Thank Homebuyer Tax Credit For Increasing Sales

23 November, 2009

Maryland Realtors Thank Homebuyer Tax Credit For Increasing Sales

Posted: 5:36 pm EST November 23, 2009Updated: 5:54 pm EST November 23, 2009

Rebounding home sales across the nation mean good things for local real estate agents.October home sales hit 10.1 percent, which is the highest it’s been in two-and-a-half years.Realtors said the homebuyer tax credit is what’s helping.The ringing phone is a sweet sound to Realtor Diane Daugherty.“It’s a customer coming out looking,” she said.She is on her way to selling six homes this month in the Willow Creek subdivision.That’s big, because last month she sold three, and the month before she sold two.She sees what real estate agents nationwide are seeing: a rebounding market.“This one will come back big and we know it and everybody knows it,” Daugherty said. “We can see it.”Last month, sales nationwide rose to the highest level since February 2007, before the market crunch last year and the economy began to collapse.Daugherty thanks the new home buyers tax credit advertised at the entrance of Willow Creek.“They don’t know about it and then they say, ‘Oh man. I can get $8,000,’” she said.Daugherty is one of the real estate agents who wrote to Washington, begging lawmakers to extend the incentive that was supposed to end on Nov. 31.A board in the model home reads: “Good news. The tax credit has been extended.”Buyers now have until April 30.“This is huge,” Daugherty said.

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Sector Snap: Homebuilders gain on home sales data

23 November, 2009

NEW YORK — Shares of most homebuilders moved higher Monday after a big jump in house resales last month.

The National Association of Realtors said sales of existing homes climbed 10.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.1 million in October, the highest level since February 2007.

The industry group said the surge in sales reflected homebuyers’ rush to buy before the expected expiration of a federal tax credit of up to $8,000 for first-time buyers on Nov. 30. Earlier this month, the government extended the credit until April 30 and created a credit of up to $6,500 for would-be buyers who have owned their current homes for five years.

Housing stocks on Monday snapped back from some deep declines Friday after D.R. Horton Inc. posted a wider-than-expected fourth-quarter loss despite a 26 percent jump in new home orders.

Broader markets also rose, with the Dow Jones industrials up 1.5 percent and the Standard & Poor’s 500 gaining 1.7 percent.

On Monday, a Citi Investment Research analyst upgraded D.R. Horton to “Hold” from “Sell” after the more than 15 percent drop in its stock price Friday. However, in his note to investors, Josh Levin recommended Pulte Homes Inc. and Toll Brothers Inc. as the most attractive homebuilder stocks, although both are rated “High Risk.”

Shares of D.R. Horton gained 21 cents, or 2 percent, to $10.58; Beazer Homes USA Inc. rose 9 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $4.81; Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. added 6 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $4.12; Lennar Corp. edged up 10 cents to $13.77; Pulte gained 9 cents to $9.55; Standard Pacific Corp. rose 6 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $3.24; Meritage Homes Corp. added 45 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $18.65; M/I Homes Inc. gained 32 cents, or 2.8 percent, to $11.76; and NVR Inc. moved $6.75, or 1 percent, higher to $676.94.

Meanwhile, Toll Brothers fell 19 cents to $19.83; KB Home shares were down 16 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $13.96; and Ryland Group Inc. dipped 4 cents to $18.98.

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