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- Jerrod on WOW - FABULOUS - SPECTACULAR !!
- Liz Bolton Cambridge MA on WOW - FABULOUS - SPECTACULAR !!
- Richard on WOW - FABULOUS - SPECTACULAR !!
- Richard Stabile Bergen County Real Estate on HUD Secretary says Columbus area Home Buyers don’t have to wait for the Eight Grand tax credit
- Walker Evans on Will the newly opened and refurbished Lincoln Theater revive Columbus Near East Side?
feedback opens doors to sales
June 30th, 2009 categories: Columbus News, For Home Buyers, For Home Sellers, Real Estate News
Authored by Joe Peffer | Discussion: No Comments »
Kiddie Condos - Can Parents Still Fund Purchases for Children? Even if the kid has no income?
June 26th, 2009 categories: Condos & Lofts, For Home Buyers, Mortgage/Finance, Short North

Why not start with this bank owned 1488 s.f. condo in Victorian Village w/ 2 car garage, 3 beds, 2 baths for only $210,000? Yes, it needs some updating.
I had someone ask me this question yesterday…..“Hey Joe, Can I qualify for an FHA loan if my parents co-sign since I have no income? Do I personally NEED to have income?”
The short answer is yes they can, even if the child has no income or assets to speak of. And, the adult child should be able to receive the $8,000 tax credit for first time home owners.*
I turned to Brian Connor with Huntington Bank for the definitive answer and other issues to consider. Here is what he had to say….
“The answer is “Yes”… a child can purchase a home without any income or assets, as long as an immediate family member can qualify for the new payment… along with the son or daughter’s debts, and their own respective mortgages and debts. The transaction is referred to as a “Non-Occupant Co-Borrower” - the Non-Occupant(s) being the parent or parents, and is treated as “Owner Occupied” - with the son or daughter being the Occupant; this is a better option than a parent having to purchase the home as investment property and put 20% down and be subject to higher rates.
This situation was often referred to as a “Kiddie Condo”, where a parent bought a condo or a less expensive home for a child in college who had no current income or assets to qualify on their own. They, the parent or child, could benefit from tax write-offs and appreciation of the home rather than pay $ for campus housing or rent.“
Thanks Brian, this is great information for anyone looking to help out their kids as they look for their first place or an Ohio State University area home for sale, or Ohio Wesleyan, or Ohio Dominican, or Capitol University, or…..
*Of course, seek the advice of a certified tax professional for verification.
Authored by Joe Peffer | Discussion: No Comments »
FHA loans and Columbus Foreclosures - Can you buy one with the other?
June 24th, 2009 categories: For Home Buyers, For Home Sellers, Mortgage/Finance
It’s supposed to be a new day at FHA. Loans are supposed to be obtainable without jumping through too many hoops.
Foreclosures, in Columbus or wherever, present a problem. They need work, the bank says the work must be done before they lend on the property, they don’t belong to the buyer and yet the bank is selling them as-is.
What can be done? read more HERE….
Authored by Joe Peffer | Discussion: No Comments »
WOW - FABULOUS - SPECTACULAR !!
June 2nd, 2009 categories: About Me?, Clintonville
Three out of four of the Clintonville area homes I showed last night had sign riders with fun exclamations.
Authored by Joe Peffer | Discussion: 3 Comments »
Will the newly opened and refurbished Lincoln Theater revive Columbus Near East Side?
May 25th, 2009 categories: About Me?, Downtown, Olde Towne East
Only time will tell. The theater is in my backyard and we’ve been watching and hearing the progress for over two years now. All the hoopla regarding the opening has been a bit over the top and I’ve not been happy with the lack of objectivity regarding what the surrounding community and the lack of interest in those who live here. Today, though, I’m leaving all that aside because the finished product is spectacular and I can’t wait for my kids to grow up half a block away from this great Columbus treasure.
Authored by Joe Peffer | Discussion: 1 Comment »
HUD Secretary says Columbus area Home Buyers don’t have to wait for the Eight Grand tax credit
May 12th, 2009 categories: Bexley, Clintonville, Columbus News, Condos & Lofts, Downtown, For Home Buyers, For Home Sellers, German Village, Grandview, Mortgage/Finance, Olde Towne East, Real Estate News, Short North
Although nobody called me for the panel of distinguished guests at the mid-year meeting of the National Association of Realtors today in Washington D.C., I have found out that Shaun Donovan, secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, decreed today that the Federal Housing Administration is going to permit its lenders to allow homeowners to use the $8,000 tax credit as a downpayment.
Secretary Donovan went on to say, “We all want to enable FHA consumers to access the home buyer tax credit funds when they close on their home loans so that the cash can be used as a downpayment,” According to Donovan, the FHA’s approved lenders will be permitted to “monetize” the tax credit through short-term bridge loans. This will allow eligible home buyers to access the funds immediately at the closing table.
Is this great for Columbus area first time home buyers? You bet! You can read more about it here.
On the flip side, It seems to me that this is typical of the American ‘gotta-have-it-now’ mindset and all too reminiscent of the sort of ‘lend to anyone with a home buying twinkle in their eye’ mentality that got us into this mess. Don’t have enough money for a down payment? No problem, here’s $8,000.
And, since you’re wondering anyway, that means that you could purchase about a $228,000 Columbus area home with no out of pocket down payment if you’re going with an FHA loan product and their 3.5% minimum down.
Authored by Joe Peffer | Discussion: 1 Comment »
condos and home inspections
April 30th, 2009 categories: Columbus News, For Home Buyers, For Home Sellers, Real Estate News
Authored by Joe Peffer | Discussion: No Comments »
New iPhone ap for real estate is very sweet
April 29th, 2009 categories: About Me?, For Home Buyers, For Home Sellers, Real Estate News
Today Zillow released their new iphone application. It is pretty doggone cool if nothing else. I still don’t much believe in the zestimates for most Columbus properties, but the ability to walk around a neighborhood and get a feel for which home sold for what–while you’re standing in front of them looking at them–it’s the sort of thing I used to talk about developing five years ago because it’s so unbelievably handy.
The world of real estate is becoming more and more transparent. This is a boon to sellers because now their listings will pop up on this application and you don’t have to wonder how much the house is, you can know instantly without some kind of secret access to the area MLS and you don’t have to call the listing agent’s office only to have the secretary tell you that she isn’t allowed to tell you the price by law but she can put you in the agent’s voice mail.
I don’t have an iphone because iphones don’t open lockboxes, which use infrared. I may get one anyway.
Authored by Joe Peffer | Discussion: 1 Comment »
Pushy Realtors? Fact or Fiction?
April 28th, 2009 categories: About Me?, For Home Buyers, For Home Sellers
I think it goes without saying that you’ll not find such a thing at Delicious Real Estate. I’ve heard of such a thing as a pushy Real Estate Agent. I hear a lot of stories from people I meet. Sometimes they begin like, “I read your blog all the time. I love it. When I was looking for a house, it was a great resource. You wouldn’t believe my Realtor, they….”
For every Good Agent, I find some to be lazy, uninformed, disingenuous, maybe even a tad smarmy but I really haven’t run across any Pushy Agents. This guy, This guy is a pushy agent….
What’s your Experience?
Authored by Joe Peffer | Discussion: No Comments »












