The tax benefits of homeownership

Inman News™, February 04, 2011
By STEPHEN FISHMAN

The tax benefits of buying a home include:

Home mortgage interest deduction: The interest paid on a mortgage or mortgages of up to $1 million for a principal residence and/or second home is deductible as an itemized deduction. In the early years of a home loan most of the payments consist of interest, so this deduction is particularly substantial during the first years of homeownership.

Depending on the state a buyer lives in and his or her tax bracket, this deduction can reduce the cost of borrowing by one-third or more.

Home equity loan deduction: Homeowners can borrow up to $100,000 against the equity in their home and deduct the interest as an itemized deduction. The money can be used for any purpose, such as paying off high-interest credit card debt. In contract, the interest on credit card debt is not deductible.

Property tax deduction: Homeowners also get to deduct from their federal income taxes the state and local property taxes they pay on their home. This is another itemized deduction that renters don't get.

Deductible homebuying expenses: Various closing costs ordinarily involved in a home purchase are also deductible as itemized deductions, including loan origination fees (points), prorated interest on a new loan, and prorated property taxes paid at settlement.

$250,000/$500,000 home-sale exclusion: Perhaps the greatest tax benefit of owning a home comes when a person sells it at a profit. Homeowners who lived in their home for two of the prior five years prior to its sale need pay no income tax on a substantial amount of their profit -- $250,000 for single homeowners and $500,000 for married homeowners who file jointly. This exclusion can be used once every 24 months.

14 days of free rental income: Another little known tax benefit of owning a home is that the owner can rent it out for up to 14 days during the year and pay no tax at all on the rental income. In contrast, a renter who sublets his or her rental must pay income tax on all the rental income he or she earns.

Tax benefits of renting:

The only tax benefit that a renter can qualify for by virtue of being a renter is the home office deduction. This is a business deduction available to renters who own a business and have a home office they use regularly and exclusively for business purposes.

Some employees can qualify for this deduction as well. The deduction is limited to the amount of profit earned from the business each year. If a renter pays a lot of rent, this deduction can be substantial. Homeowners who are in business and have a home office can also qualify for the deduction.

Of course, the value of the tax benefits of buying a home depends on the state the buyer lives in and his or her tax bracket. Buyers who live in high tax states like New York or California get the most benefit.

This is why the blanket statement "it's always better to buy than rent" is not always true. It all depends on the buyer's individual circumstances.

You should encourage prospective buyers to run the numbers. There are some excellent websites you can refer clients to that have online calculators they can use to compare the costs of renting vs. buying a home.

Stephen Fishman is a tax expert, attorney and author who has published 18 books, including "Working for Yourself: Law & Taxes for Contractors, Freelancers and Consultants," "Deduct It," "Working as an Independent Contractor," and "Working with Independent Contractors." He welcomes your questions for this weekly column.

7 Steps To A Stress-Free Home Closing

By: G. M. Filisko

Published 2010-02-10 09:27:33

By doing homework in advance, you’ll understand what you’re asked to sign when you close the sale of your home.

You’ve already cleared several hurdles by finding the right home, negotiating the best price, and securing favorable financing. The last obstacle on your homebuying track is the closing, which can be both tedious and tense. By knowing what to expect and doing some legwork, you can put your closing behind you. These seven steps will guide you through a smooth closing.

1. Set a closing date

Your real estate agent will work with the seller’s agent and title company to schedule your closing date. Be sure it meshes with the end of your lease or the sale of your existing home and a time when you’ll able to play hooky from work. If you’re tight on cash, schedule your closing for the end of the month because that’s when you’ll have to pay the least amount of interest at the closing table.

2. Gather your funds

You may be required to bring funds to the closing. If they’re not easily accessible, arrange early to transfer them to a liquid account to avoid last-minute problems. If the title company requires the funds in the form of a cashier’s check, also leave time to stop by the bank and pick one up.

3. Purchase title insurance

Title insurance protects the policyholder against trouble with a home’s title. Your lender will insist that you purchase a policy to protect it. You should also consider purchasing what’s called an owner’s title policy from the same insurer, which protects you from fraudulent claims against your ownership and errors in earlier sales. In some areas, sellers traditionally pay for the buyer’s title policy. Shop online at Closing.com, EasyTitleQuote.com, and FreeTitleQuote.com. If your home has been sold within the past few years, ask the prior owner’s insurance company for a reissue discount.

4. Line up homeowners insurance

Get quotes and compare policies to be sure coverage will be in effect by your closing date. An annual policy should run $500-$1,000, depending on your home’s size, age, and amenities. If you live in an area where natural disasters occur, like earthquakes, floods, or hurricanes, you’ll need separate insurance to protect your home.

5. Review your good-faith estimate and HUD-1 settlement sheet

Your lender must provide a good-faith estimate of your closing fees. Some of those fees can’t change, and others can rise by 10%. Before you go to the closing, read your good-faith estimate, compare it with your HUD-1 settlement statement, and question any fees that increased.

6. Do a walk-through

Schedule an appointment to walk through the home one last time just before your closing. Make sure repairs you requested have been made, no major changes have occurred since you last viewed the property, and that the sellers left anything they agreed to leave and took all their belongings.

Also test electronics and appliances, such as the doorbell, dishwasher, washer and dryer, and oven, to ensure they’re functioning properly. Do the same with the hot water heater and heating and air conditioning systems. Walk the yard to be sure no plants or shrubs have been removed.

7. Resolve issues identified in your walk-through

If your walk-through uncovers problems, in some states you can delay the closing until the seller corrects them. But that’s often not feasible because your lease is probably over and you’ve already scheduled movers. Another option is to negotiate a discount to your sales price to cover the cost of the work needed. If the air conditioning is on the fritz and a contractor says the repair will cost $500, ask that the sales price be reduced by that amount. If you make that request at closing, however, be ready for a delay while the title company redoes the paperwork.

A third option: Have the title company hold a portion of the seller’s proceeds in escrow until the dispute is resolved. Once that happens, the funds will be released to you or the seller, depending on the outcome.

More from HouseLogic

Do you have the right amount of homeowners insurance?

Shop for an umbrella policy when you shop for homeowners insurance

G.M. Filisko is an attorney and award-winning writer who has endured several property closings, but the easiest was done through the mail. A frequent contributor to many national publications including Bankrate.com, REALTOR® Magazine, and the American Bar Association Journal, she specializes in real estate, business, personal finance, and legal topics.

Read more: http://buyandsell.houselogic.com/articles/7-steps-stress-free-home-closing/#ixzz1HkZIjs6z

4 Tips to Determine How Much Mortgage You Can Afford

By: G. M. Filisko

Published: March 11, 2010

By knowing how much mortgage you can handle, you can ensure that home ownership will fit in your budget.

1. The general rule of mortgage affordability

As a rule of thumb, you can typically afford a home priced two to three times your gross income. If you earn $100,000, you can typically afford a home between $200,000 and $300,000.

To understand how that rule applies to your particular financial situation, prepare a family budget and list all the costs of homeownership, like property taxes, insurance, maintenance, utilities, and community association fees, if applicable, as well as costs specific to your family, such as day care costs.

2. Factor in your downpayment

How much money do you have for a downpayment? The higher your downpayment, the lower your monthly payments will be. If you put down at least 20% of the home's cost, you may not have to get private mortgage insurance, which costs hundreds each month. That leaves more money for your mortgage payment.

The lower your downpayment, the higher the loan amount you’ll need to qualify for and the higher your monthly mortgage payment.

3. Consider your overall debt

Lenders generally follow the 28/41 rule. Your monthly mortgage payments covering your home loan principal, interest, taxes, and insurance shouldn’t total more than 28% of your gross annual income. Your overall monthly payments for your mortgage plus all your other bills, like car loans, utilities, and credit cards, shouldn’t exceed 41% of your gross annual income.

Here’s how that works. If your gross annual income is $100,000, multiply by 28% and then divide by 12 months to arrive at a monthly mortgage payment of $2,333 or less. Next, check the total of all your monthly bills including your potential mortgage and make sure they don’t top 41%, or $3,416 in our example.

4. Use your rent as a mortgage guide

The tax benefits of homeownership generally allow you to afford a mortgage payment—including taxes and insurance—of about one-third more than your current rent payment without changing your lifestyle. So you can multiply your current rent by 1.33 to arrive at a rough estimate of a mortgage payment.

Here’s an example. If you currently pay $1,500 per month in rent, you should be able to comfortably afford a $2,000 monthly mortgage payment after factoring in the tax benefits of homeownership.

However, if you’re struggling to keep up with your rent, consider what amount would be comfortable and use that for the calcuation instead.

Also consider whether or not you’ll itemize your deductions. If you take the standard deduction, you can’t also deduct mortgage interest payments. Talking to a tax adviser, or using a tax software program to do a “what if” tax return, can help you see your tax situation more clearly.

More from HouseLogic

More on the mortgage interest deduction

More on the tax advantages of homeownership

Other web resources

A worksheet on home affordability

Freddie Mac information on home affordability

G.M. Filisko is an attorney and award-winning writer who’s owned her own home for more than 20 years. A frequent contributor to many national publications including Bankrate.com, REALTOR® Magazine, and the American Bar Association Journal, she specializes in real estate, business, personal finance, and legal topics.

Stop Paying Rent!

Tired of paying rent for an apartment or house that doesn’t feel like home?  Dreaming of your own place but short money for the down payment?

You’re not alone.  For many renters, buying that first home seems like an impossible task.  They feel trapped in the renting cycle.

Fortunately, you can break free.  Armed with professional information, you can make owning your own home a reality.

Buying your first home is a huge hurdle, especially coming up with the down payment.  This report features professional tips and facts to help you in the process.  Learn about new financing options.  Look at your assets in a new way.  This information may solve your financing dilemma.

Explore low down payment options
You know you can make the monthly payments (you already do that), but where will you get the down payment for your home?  How can you possibly save enough money when you’re pouring your money into rent each month?

Fortunately, you may not need as much as you think.  There are many low-down payment, even zero-down, programs available.  Ask your real estate agent for information and get referrals to lending institutions.  Call all the banks and mortgage companies listed in your phone book’s yellow pages and ask about options.

Research home loans on the Internet.  You may be surprised at what you find.

There are also local and federal government programs designed to help renters become homeowners.  Again, ask your real estate about these programs.  A little homework may make the difference in financing your first home.

Work with the sellers
Ask the sellers if they’re willing to act as your lender and carry the loan.  Sometimes, if you commit to pay more than the asking price – or pay a higher interest rate – sellers carrying the loan won’t require a down payment.  Use the assets you already have.

If you don’t have debt and own an asset (like a car or boat) free and clear, you may be in better shape than you thought.  Ask your lending institution if they’ll lend you the down payment using your asset as collateral.  While this option may come with a high interest rate, it might work for you.

Ask Friends or Family Members for Help
Most lending institutions allow borrowers to use gifts for their down payment.  Perhaps a friends or family member is in the financial position to help you purchase your first home.  It’s worth considering.

Keep Saving
While you explore your options, continue to save on a regular basis, even if it’s only $25 a month.  Not only will this will take you closer to your goal, it will show lending institutions you have a record of responsible saving.

Survey: Consumers Comparison Shop for Everything Except Their Mortgage

RISMEDIA, December 15, 2010—Consumers today are expert comparison shoppers, always on the hunt for the best deal, but when it comes to their mortgage, borrowers often lock in their first home loan offer.

According to a new LendingTree survey of 1,317 homeowners conducted online by Harris Interactive in September, 96 percent of American consumers compare prices when shopping for anything, but nearly 40 percent obtain just one home loan quote. By comparison, when shopping for a home computer, consumers research an average of 3.1 models before making a purchase. This explains why fewer than 3 in 10 (28 percent) borrowers are very confident they received the best possible deal on their current mortgage.

Based on a nationally representative sample of current homeowners who were involved in shopping for their home loan, the study revealed 85 percent of consumers use the web to comparison shop, yet just more than 1 in 5 (21 percent) shopped online first for mortgage rates. Additionally, although nearly 40 percent obtain just one home loan quote, more than 9 in 10 borrowers (91 percent) understand interest rates vary between lenders.

Frustration also appears to be at the root of this shopping dilemma. According to the survey, 70 percent of borrowers find shopping for a mortgage frustrating, citing the complexity of the terms (21 percent) and time-intensiveness nature of the process (20 percent).

The survey also reveals:
• Though it is a decision that will affect them for the next 15-30 years, nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of homeowners spent the equivalent of a full working day or less shopping for their home loan. Even more shocking? One in 10 spent the amount of time it takes to brush their teeth.
• Twenty-three percent of homeowners recognize they could save more than $100 a month by reducing their mortgage rate by one percent.
• Women are more than twice as likely as men to say they were not at all involved with shopping for their mortgage or when refinancing (16 percent versus seven percent, respectively).

6 Reasons it Pays to Shop Around Before Choosing a Mortgage

By Paige Tepping

RISMEDIA, October 16, 2010--You wouldn’t buy a house without shopping around first, right? Then why would you commit to the loan you use to buy that house without making sure you’re getting the best deal possible? From the experts at LendingTree, here are six reasons why it’s essential to take a few minutes to browse before you borrow:

1. To get the best interest rate possible
Over the life of a $200,000, 30-year fixed rate loan, a one-tenth of a point difference in interest rate could save or cost you thousands of dollars.

2. To pay lower loan fees
Once your loan application is accepted, the lender will get back to you with a good-faith estimate (GFE), including an itemized list of all the costs associated with the loan. If there are any parts of the GFE that you don’t understand, don’t be afraid to ask the lender to explain each fee that is listed.

3. To avoid a prepayment penalty
In these transient times, it seems no one stays in their home long enough to pay down their mortgage the old fashioned way: in monthly increments over a period of decades. So you’ll want to be clear on whether the terms of your loan include a penalty if you pay off your mortgage early—either because you move or refinance.

4. To find a lender you feel comfortable with
You don’t want any surprises popping up at closing time. Get a lender who is responsive to your questions and is willing to give you the details in writing.

5. To find a lender that specializes in your situation
Recent volatility in the mortgage markets means that people with bad credit or little money for a down payment might have to look a little harder to find a lender.

6. To get the rate lock period you want
Once you’ve found the lender offering the best mortgage rate and terms, you’ll want to get a written commitment, known as a “lock” that puts in writing that the lender will make the loan to you at that the specified interest rate. The length of the lock can vary from 30-90 days, but many lenders will charge a fee for a rate commitment of longer than a month. Negotiate the lock period that is right for you, depending on when you plan to close on your new home and if interest rates are expected to creep higher during that time.