The Times has a piece today entitled “Housing Bill Has Something for Nearly Everyone” that talks about how the multi-billion (how much exactly? no one knows) housing bailout bill isn’t just pitched at people with mortgage woes and troubled lenders. Aspects of the bill will probably have modest benefits for New York-area borrowers who don’t have mortgage trouble. The bill, for example, is supposed to help first-time buyers, who’ll be eligible for a federal tax credit of $7,500 or 10 percent of the home purchase price (whichever’s smaller). The catches: single people earning $95,000 or more, or married couples earning $170,000 or more aren’t eligible for the credit. Another break comes for people who take standard deductions on their taxes: They’ll be eligible for an additional tax deduction of $500, or $1,000 for married couples. The aspect of the bill that might have the most impact on pricey New York is the one that allows Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac to buy bigger loans (none over $625,500, however) in areas with higher housing costs, a measure that’s aimed at lowering interest rates for people who take big loans.
Housing Bill Has Something for Nearly Everyone [NY Times]
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