Should home-buyer tax credit go on?
Sales of existing homes jumped 9.4% last month, fueling debate over whether the first-time home-buyer tax credit should be extended beyond its Nov. 30 cutoff. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
A 'sold' sign stands outside a home in Pasadena, Calif. (David McNew/Getty Images)
More on Housing - Real Estate, America's Financial Crisis
TEXT OF STORY
KAI RYSSDAL: So let's see. Home prices are lower than they've been in years. A 30-year-fixed rate mortgage can be had for 5 percent. And if you're new to the wonderful world of real estate, the government will let you take $8,000 off your taxes this year. So perhaps the figure that came in from the National Association of Realtors this morning shouldn't have been the surprise it was. That sales of existing homes jumped 9.4 percent last month.
Not much doubt about the numbers. But there is plenty of disagreement over whether that first-time home buyer tax credit is responsible. It's set to expire on November 30th. And politicians eager for an economic turnaround are asking this question: Should the credit be extended?
Marketplace's Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
Nancy Marshall Genzer: Talk to the National Association of Realtors, and they'll tell you housing sales would have been down this year without the first-time home buyer tax credit.
Walter Molony is the group's spokesman.
Walter Molony: With the credit this year, we are projecting existing home sales will rise 1.5 percent. Not a big gain, but without the tax credit, sales would drop about 6 percent.
Congress is now deciding whether to extend the tax credit for another four to six months. Not surprisingly, the National Association of Realtors is lobbying for a yes vote.
Zach Pandl wants Congress to vote no. He's an economist at Nomura Securities. He says our money is better spent through efforts by the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates low -- that helps all home buyers.
Zach Pandl: For the first-time home buyers tax credit, you have to wonder whether that's the best bang for the buck. There are other things that are supporting home demand, like low prices and low mortgage rates.
And Pandl says first-time home buyers only accounted for about 31 percent of home sales last month. The realtors says it was more like 41 percent.
Guy Cecala is publisher of Inside Mortgage Finance. He says, regardless of how you measure first-time buyers, it's important to get them into the market. And the tax credit does that.
Guy Cecala: If I wanted to buy a house, it was just a question of when, this is pushing me to do it.
Cecala says bargain basement prices for a new basement will eventually be enough to boost sales. He says extend the tax credit once. But if the realtors lobby for more extensions next year, Congress should just say no.
In Washington, I'm Nancy Marshall Genzer for Marketplace.
Comments
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From Albany, OR, 10/26/2009
The Tax Credit for home buyers has provided a significant incentive; as a Realtor, I've seen it first hand. I agree with Mr. Horvath however, that the credit should be smaller - and longer lasting to be most effective. Even a $2000 credit, if extended to all home buyers (not just first time buyers) would provide the "cherry on the sundae" to incentivize people to make their decision to buy NOW.
Making the credit too large has the downside of bringing unqualified buyers into the market thinking they can buy when either they cannot qualify or should NOT be buying in the first place (at least not now).
From Duluth, MN, 10/26/2009
As a licensed Realtor, I disagree with extending this program. The government cannot continue to subsidize our recovery & who is going to pay for this? It takes money to own a home and this may very well spoil buyers & start a frame of mind that they deserve credits from others to buy a home. If the credit is extending why not give everyone a $8000 tax credit?
From St. Paul, MN, 10/26/2009
I think the tax credit should be extended for first time home buyers. As a recent law school graduate, I am still looking to land my first job. But due to the economy, the job search is taking longer than I had hoped. Once I get a job, I plan on buying a house right away. I am guessing that I am not alone, and that thousands of graduates across the country want to buy as soon as they get a stable paycheck.
From muncie, IN, 10/24/2009
extend to all buyers not just first time buyers
10/23/2009
I would suggest govt. provide free housing to everybody instead of this selective socialism.
From Austin, TX, 10/23/2009
The credits started early, before the market really was ready to bottom. The large supply of houses will take plenty of time to gradually clear. A smart credit would be smaller, and longer in duration. From here, though, I'd suggest even a modest 2010 credit of $4,000 would be useful. Not enough to be a bonanza, but still a slight inducement that will help the market move a little faster, by helping to offset closing costs.
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