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Need local real estate information? We've summarized much of what is important about the Jacksonville, Orange Park and Clay County real estate market in this site. 

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Contact us with confidence! We guarantee your privacy will be respected. And we offer the services on this site for free and without obligation. Why? We want to be YOUR REALTORS®. As your trusted, professional real estate partners, we will help you find the best home in your area within your price range. And together we will sell your home, for as much as the market will bear, and as quickly as possible. 

Buying and selling a home is one of the biggest events in your life. As top Jacksonville, Orange Park and Clay County REALTORS®, we have the experience and track record you are looking for. Please let us help. 

- Celena Blunk and Pat Alters 

$8000 First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit 

Much has been said about the $8,000 first time homebuyer tax credit, Last year there was a $7500 homebuyer credit available, but that
was a loan and required repayment. 

The $8000 being offered at this time is for purchases made from 1/1/09 through 11/30/09 and is equal to 10% of the cost of the home up to a maximum credit of $8000. This program is for
first-time homebuyers, defined as someone who has not owned a home in the past 3 years; and, the property is to be used as the principal place of residence. It includes condos and townhouses as well as single-family homes. There are income guidelines,which are quite liberal (up to $75,000 or $150,000 if filing jointly). 

The good news is that this money does not have to be repaid if the buyer stays in the home at least 3 years, and will be paid to the applicant upon filing of the 2009 income tax return. 

To enhance the use of this tax credit, The Florida Homebuyer Opportunity Program (created during the 2009 regular legislative session) will provide 30 Million in financial assistance to qualified homebuyers eligible to receive the Federal first-time homebuyer tax credit by making the money available at closing; rather than have to wait until you have filed your tax return. This program will be administered through the State Housing Initiatives
Partnership (SHIP) Program and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) entitlement cities; who will fund up to the $8000 with repayment to be made at the time applicant
receives their federal tax refund. 

To learn more about this program, please check out the links below. 

http://www.floridahousing.org/Home/HousingPartners/LocalGovernments/FL_HOP.h
tm 

FL HOP--Program Overview
http://www.floridahousing.org/Home/HousingPartners/LocalGovernments/FL_HOP.h
tm 

FL HOP--Frequently Asked Questions
http://www.floridahousing.org/FH-ImageWebDocs/Housing%20Partners/Local%20Gov
ernments/FLHOP/FLHOP_FAQ.pdf 

FL HOP—Technical Bulletin
http://www.floridahousing.org/FH-ImageWebDocs/hop/TB%202009-01.pdf 

FL HOP—Contact Your Local County or City SHIP Office to Learn More &
Apply
http://apps.floridahousing.org/StandAlone/FHFC_ECM/AppPage_SHIPLGContacts.as
px 

Separately, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
announced a program that allows borrowers to use the federal first-time
home buyer tax credit for a down payment or closing costs on a
FHA-insured mortgage. Click here to learn more:
http://www.realtor.org/home_buyers_and_sellers/2009_first_time_home_buyer_ta
x_credit?lid=ronav0019