UPDATE 2-U.S. House backs homebuyer tax credit extension

Tue Jun 29, 2010 5:41pm EDT

(adds Pelosi comment)

By Corbett B. Daly

WASHINGTON, June 29 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday approved giving extra time to thousands of homebuyers trying to get a popular federal tax credit by the end of the month.

The House backed by a vote of 409-5 a measure to extend the closing deadline to Sept. 30 for buyers who already met the April 30 deadline to have a signed contract. The current deadline requires those buyers to close the transaction by June 30 to receive the $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers.

The Senate must still approve the measure before President Barack Obama can sign it into law.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid sought earlier this month to attach a companion proposal to a separate effort to extend insurance benefits to unemployed workers but the overall measure was rejected by the Senate.

Reid is expected to find another way for the Senate to consider the popular measure, though it remains unclear precisely how he would do that.

Reid, a Democrat, faces a tough re-election fight in Nevada, where the U.S. foreclosure crisis is most pronounced.

Real estate agents say thousands of settlements may not be completed by Wednesday because settlement offices are slammed with buyers trying to close on transactions by the end of this month in order to receive the funds.

"Up to 180,000 homebuyers will now receive the tax credit they deserve, and our housing market will be strengthened as a result," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a prepared statement after the lower chamber approved the measure.

Critics say the three-month extension is an invitation for fraud, providing prospective home buyers time to back date contracts to a date before April 30 and subsequently closing on those contracts by the new September 30 deadline.

Congress extended the $8,000 tax credit for first time homebuyers last fall and added a $6,500 tax credit for all buyers who were purchasing a primary residence.

(Reporting by Corbett B. Daly, Editing by Diane Craft)

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Comments (3)
Ogie wrote:
This is a huge decision and I thank everyone (all you government guys) who is responsible. I feel like I am doing my tiny part by purchasing my first home and this helps to make it less painful. I just gotta say, ” Nancy Pelosi, I love you !!! “.

Jun 29, 2010 8:05pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
household6 wrote:
Regarding the $6500 tax credit, that only applied to homeowners in a home FOR FIVE CONSECUTIVE YEARS in the past 8 years, not ALL BUYERS. Also, the issue of fraud should not be a concern since earnest monies needed to be in an escrow account NLT 30 Apr. FSBO might be another issue.

Jun 29, 2010 10:43pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
homebuyer wrote:
As a buyer/ seller that was in contract by April 30th we would love an extension. Here it is June 30th (the last day to close) and the bank has not told the buyers of our house if we are closing today. It has been a overwhelmed system that was set up. One with a time line that did not allow for mistakes or back log. If the gov’t is smart they would extend this and keep the money moving into the communities. EX. truck rentals, home improvements, landscaping. It will be a ripple effect for everyone.

Jun 30, 2010 8:38am EDT  --  Report as abuse
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