Santa Clarita Valley Real Estate

Contrary to some widely circulated e-mail messages, the new federal health care law does NOT include a 3.8 percent transfer tax on home sales, according to Snopes.com, FactCheck.org and the National Association of Realtors. The new law created a 3.8 percent Medicare tax, which applies to net investment income earned by taxpayers who have an adjusted gross income of more than $200,000 for individuals or $250,000 for married couples. That tax becomes effective Jan. 1, 2013. Net investment income includes capital gains from the sale of a home, so a home sale could push a taxpayer's income into the bracket in which the new tax would apply. However, the existing capital gains tax exclusion of $250,000 for individuals and $500,000 for married couples on the sale of a principal residence is still in effect, and that will protect nearly all homeowners from the new tax. "The truth is that only a tiny percentage of home sellers will pay the tax," FactCheck.org reports. More

Smaller and regional lenders are issuing more new jumbo loans and doing more refinancings, which could help bolster home sales in some areas. • Jumbo mortgages are mortgages deemed “too big” to be sold by lenders to government-supported agencies such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. • The loan limit of a jumbo mortgage varies depending on location. In high-cost areas, including many areas in California, jumbo loans are generally considered those that exceed $729,750. In other areas, the jumbo loan limit usually is capped at $417,000. • Some borrowers applying for jumbo mortgages are finding the processing time at larger lenders can be as long as four months, while some smaller institutions can process a jumbo mortgage as quickly as 30 to 60 days. • Additionally, borrowers seeking jumbo mortgages for condos or vacation properties also may be better served using a local lender or contacting a mortgage specialist, as many large lenders have reduced their lending activity. • With