Do we need a first-time homebuyer tax credit?
Today’s HousingWire Daily features a crossover episode of What’s Hot in Housing, featuring Mortgage Marketing Radio’s Geoff Zimpfer and HW Media Founder and CEO Clayton Collins. In this episode, the pair discuss the latest developments on Joe Biden’s proposed first-time homebuyer tax credit, and whether or not the housing market is likely to crash in 2021.
For some background on the interview, here’s a brief summary of HousingWire’s latest article on the bill to help first-time homebuyers:
Consumers have been closely following President Joe Biden’s proposed first-time homebuyer tax credit, but the latest legislative effort to assist homebuyers differs in several significant ways. The newest draft of a down-payment assistance bill would provide $25,000 to first-time homebuyers, but only those who are also first-generation homebuyers and economically disadvantaged. Plus, Biden’s proposal is not actually a homebuyer tax credit, but it is money that would be available at closing.
On Wednesday, lawmakers published a draft version of the legislation, the “Downpayment Toward Equity Act of 2021,” ahead of a hearing held by the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services, which Rep. Maxine Waters chairs. During the hearing, lawmakers discussed a number of housing measures on the table in President Biden’s infrastructure package, including funding to shore up public housing.
The proposed down payment assistance would be means-tested based on income and limited to those who have not owned a house for at least three years. To qualify, neither of the borrower’s parents may have owned a home. That qualification doesn’t apply if the borrowers’ parents lost their home in a foreclosure or short sale, or if the borrower has ever been in foster care, however.
HousingWire Daily examines the most compelling articles reported across HW Media. Each afternoon, we provide our listeners with a deeper look into the stories coming across our newsroom that are helping Move Markets Forward. Hosted by the HW team and produced by Alcynna Lloyd and Victoria Wickham.
HousingWire articles covered in this episode: