Buying smart in Austin just got a little easier recently following the signing of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 by President Bush.

There are significant benefits in this act aimed at helping Austin home buyers, such as a repayable first-time home-buyer tax credit. Majority opinion is that first-time buyers are very important to the health of the housing economy because their home purchases help to stimulate sales up the price points. Through the home-buyer tax credit, buyers who are purchasing for the first time or who haven’t owned a property in the last three years can now qualify for a tax credit equal to 10% of their home purchase price, up to $7,500.

Further qualification requires that the home purchase be made between April 9, 2008 and July 1, 2009. The credit phases out if the buyer’s income exceeds $75,000 for an individual or $150,000 for a couple filing jointly and it must be paid back over a 15 year period in equal installments. The credit can be claimed on the buyer’s 2008 tax return even if the purchase is made in 2009 (it’s important to note that this is a tax credit and not a tax deduction). Please seek the advice of your professional financial advisors.

Another component of the housing bill includes much needed FHA modernization which aims to adjust loan limits so that they are more in sync with current home values. The bill allows Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to serve more home-buyers by raising loan limits in high cost areas above the standard conforming limit to 115 percent of the median house prices and up to 150 percent of the conforming loan limit.

The Housing and Economic Recovery Act is expected to play a critical role in strengthening the housing market and overall economy. The last time Congress passed legislation like this in the 1970s, the housing market saw a significant increase in activity. Using history as a guide, Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the National Association of Realtors believes the Housing Act could represent a boost of 10% in the number of homes sold.

We predict that the passing of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act will mark the beginning phase of the next ten-year housing cycle in which prices in the more affordable markets such as Austin will only continue to appreciate (affordable refers to homes priced at or below a market’s median housing price). Contributing to rising prices is population growth, the impact of Generation Y, inflation, and growth management. Austin homes in the more affordable price ranges have already started to adjust and the new housing legislation will continue to boost this positive momentum. Increased sales in the more affordable markets will set a new foundation for housing, helping to stabilize the overall real estate economy.