Not sure if this should go in the Headlines sticky or here.
<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20670001&sid=aI3l8W6tflrg">Story</a>
Senators Want Homebuyer Tax Credit to Rise to $15,000 (Update2)
By Dawn Kopecki
June 10 (Bloomberg) -- Lawmakers are pushing to revive legislation in the Senate that would almost double an $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers and expand the program to all borrowers.
Senator Johnny Isakson, a Georgia Republican, introduced a bill today that would increase the tax credit to $15,000 and remove income and other restrictions on who can qualify, according to his spokeswoman, Sheridan Watson. The Treasury Department declined to comment on the proposal.
The legislation, co-sponsored by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat, would extend the homebuyer credit to multifamily properties used as the borrower?s primary residence. It would also eliminate income caps of $75,000 and $150,000 on individuals and couples seeking to claim the credit.
?The housing market continues to be a drag on the economy, John Castellani, president of the Washington-based Business Roundtable, said in a telephone interview today. ?We believe that if we don?t stabilize this vital sector, we can?t turn the tide on the recession.?
The Business Roundtable represents more than 100 chief executive officers including General Electric Co.?s Jeffrey Immelt and Exxon Mobil Corp.?s Rex Tillerson. The group and the National Association of Realtors are pushing to expand the tax credit and to lower mortgage rates to revive the housing market.
For All Borrowers
?One of the biggest problems facing the American people today is an illiquid housing market, a decline in their equity, a decline in their net worth and a depression in the housing market that we are obligated to correct if we possibly can,? Isakson said in a statement. Isakson said his legislation would spur demand in the housing market by giving homeowners the incentive to trade up to a more expensive home.
The bill would extend the tax credit, which now applies to homes purchased from Jan. 1 to Dec. 1, 2009, to one year after the new measure is signed into law, according to Watson. Isakson?s bill would make the credit available to all borrowers, not only borrowers who haven?t owned a home in the previous three years as is the case under current law. It would also let borrowers divide the credit over two years. The legislation wouldn?t be applied retroactively to purchases completed before the date of enactment, Watson said.
The bill is co-sponsored by Republican Senators Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, David Vitter of Louisiana, James Risch of Idaho, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, John Ensign of Nevada and Jim Bunning of Kentucky, according to a statement from Isakson.
Senator Joseph Lieberman, a Connecticut independent, has also signed on to the bill, according to the statement.
Mortgage Rates
The Business Roundtable and Realtors group also recommended the Federal Reserve continue to purchase mortgage securities guaranteed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and government mortgage bond insurer Ginnie Mae to drive down mortgage rates to less than 5 percent.
The Fed is about a third of the way through its $1.25 trillion commitment, holding $427.6 billion of mortgage debt backed by the government-sponsored enterprises as of June 3, according to the New York Federal Reserve.
The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate U.S. mortgage jumped last week to the highest level since November, rising to 5.57 percent from 5.25 percent the prior week, according to data released today by the Mortgage Bankers Association. [/code]
<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20670001&sid=aI3l8W6tflrg">Story</a>
Senators Want Homebuyer Tax Credit to Rise to $15,000 (Update2)
By Dawn Kopecki
June 10 (Bloomberg) -- Lawmakers are pushing to revive legislation in the Senate that would almost double an $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers and expand the program to all borrowers.
Senator Johnny Isakson, a Georgia Republican, introduced a bill today that would increase the tax credit to $15,000 and remove income and other restrictions on who can qualify, according to his spokeswoman, Sheridan Watson. The Treasury Department declined to comment on the proposal.
The legislation, co-sponsored by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat, would extend the homebuyer credit to multifamily properties used as the borrower?s primary residence. It would also eliminate income caps of $75,000 and $150,000 on individuals and couples seeking to claim the credit.
?The housing market continues to be a drag on the economy, John Castellani, president of the Washington-based Business Roundtable, said in a telephone interview today. ?We believe that if we don?t stabilize this vital sector, we can?t turn the tide on the recession.?
The Business Roundtable represents more than 100 chief executive officers including General Electric Co.?s Jeffrey Immelt and Exxon Mobil Corp.?s Rex Tillerson. The group and the National Association of Realtors are pushing to expand the tax credit and to lower mortgage rates to revive the housing market.
For All Borrowers
?One of the biggest problems facing the American people today is an illiquid housing market, a decline in their equity, a decline in their net worth and a depression in the housing market that we are obligated to correct if we possibly can,? Isakson said in a statement. Isakson said his legislation would spur demand in the housing market by giving homeowners the incentive to trade up to a more expensive home.
The bill would extend the tax credit, which now applies to homes purchased from Jan. 1 to Dec. 1, 2009, to one year after the new measure is signed into law, according to Watson. Isakson?s bill would make the credit available to all borrowers, not only borrowers who haven?t owned a home in the previous three years as is the case under current law. It would also let borrowers divide the credit over two years. The legislation wouldn?t be applied retroactively to purchases completed before the date of enactment, Watson said.
The bill is co-sponsored by Republican Senators Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, David Vitter of Louisiana, James Risch of Idaho, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, John Ensign of Nevada and Jim Bunning of Kentucky, according to a statement from Isakson.
Senator Joseph Lieberman, a Connecticut independent, has also signed on to the bill, according to the statement.
Mortgage Rates
The Business Roundtable and Realtors group also recommended the Federal Reserve continue to purchase mortgage securities guaranteed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and government mortgage bond insurer Ginnie Mae to drive down mortgage rates to less than 5 percent.
The Fed is about a third of the way through its $1.25 trillion commitment, holding $427.6 billion of mortgage debt backed by the government-sponsored enterprises as of June 3, according to the New York Federal Reserve.
The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate U.S. mortgage jumped last week to the highest level since November, rising to 5.57 percent from 5.25 percent the prior week, according to data released today by the Mortgage Bankers Association. [/code]
