Fort Lewis, WA

Tacoma and Pierce County Rentals and Homes for Rent

(If you need rental quarters this week, this page is probably not for you and I apologize for misleading you. But if you are tired of renting but don't know how to escape the rent rut, I may have something good for you.)

How would you like to kiss your landlord goodbye?* How would you like to acquire the American Dream: a home of your own? Why not start getting ahead financially by becoming a property owner?

Today there are amazing bargains in real estate; owning is actually less expensive than renting. Plus you get tax deductions, price appreciation, and the pride and pleasure of home ownership. (Think how you will feel when you tell your friends and family that you own a home of your own!)

Nevertheless, we find that right now many people who should be at least considering home ownership are ducking the issue; shying away from the market. Why? Misinformation? Apprehension? Herd instinct? ("Most of my friends are renting right now", etc.) This is not a good move for them. Future home mortgages will probably be at higher rates and certainly will be harder to obtain. And it could change our society; the USA has always been a nation of homeowners.

That's why we have organized a simple, short evening for Homeseekers: How to Buy Up in a Down Market. We want to give people like you:

* the keys to successful negotiating;

* tips on home maintenance;

* a program for controlling your personal finance and making your mortgage payments on time every time;

* a look at foreclosure properties; are they for you?

* a mortgage banker who will qualify you on the spot;

* a real estate broker who will show you homes you can buy even if you can't qualify.

All of this and more will be presented to you in one, fact-based class of 2 hours. No charge; no obligation. AND, we will hand out certificates and discount coupons worth $125 toward your closing costs. (
Can you spell cash money?) Even more important, in the past, those who attend this program and follow our principles become homeowners. This should happen to you.

For details and to reserve your seat, respond directly here or call us ASAP,

Mel Schuckenbrock Steve Fortson

TEST MEL

PNC Mortgage Turn Key Real Estate

253 222 1104 1 888 301 4221

Special Rules for Members of the Military, the Foreign Service
and the Intelligence Community

Congress has acknowledged the unique circumstances affecting members of the military, the foreign service and the intelligence community by making the following exceptions that apply to both the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers and the $6,500 tax credit for repeat home buyers.

Exemption From Tax Credit Recapture Rules

• Typically, homes that are sold or that cease to be used as a principal residence within three years of the initial purchase are subject to recapture of the tax credit.
• However, qualified service members who sell or move from a tax credit home within three years of the initial purchase due to official extended duty are exempt from the recapture rule.

Extension of Tax Credit Deadlines

• The home buyer tax credit is available for qualified purchases with a binding sales contract in place on or before April 30, 2010 and closed by September 30, 2010.
• However, for qualified service members who are ordered on a period of official extended duty, these dates are extended. For these home buyers, the tax credit applies to sales with a binding sales contract in place on or before April 30, 2011 and closed by June 30, 2011.
• A person who is forced to return to the U.S. for medical reasons before completing an assignment of at least 90 days of qualified official extended duty outside of the United States may qualify for the one-year extension.

Definitions

• "Qualified service member" means a member of the uniformed services of the U.S military, a member of the Foreign Service of the U.S., or an employee of the intelligence community.
• "Official extended duty" means any period of extended duty outside of the United States for at least 90 days during the period beginning after December 31, 2008 and ending before May 1, 2010

HAP – Homeowners Assistance Program: The HAP Program is Helping the Military Housing Crisis in Ft. Lewis, McChord AFB, JBLM, PSNS, and Bangor.

NOTE: The deadline for receiving orders and being able to qualify for the HAP Program was 9/30/10. There is pending legislation in the works for changing this.

The HAP Program or Homeowners Assistance Program is helping to ease the military housing crisis in not only Washington’s Ft. Lewis, McChord AFB, which have now merged to become JBLM, PSNS and Bangor Navy bases, but all around the country. Although the HAP Program isn’t without faults, it is a tremendous benefit, and sometimes a military member’s only help in dealing with the housing crisis.

Ultimately the goal of any military member who enters the HAP Program is to get either their home purchased then resold to the buyer they’ve procured, Government Acquisition Benefit or get a check to compensate them for their short fall, Mortgage Augmentation Benefit. As an agent I have handled both, as well worked with the Homeowners Assistance Program for military members in housing crisis at all the local militaryFt. Lewis, McChord AFB, JBLM, Bangor, and PSNS. bases

Seen for the first time online anywhere, here is an actual copy of a check issued by the HAP program. The pot of gold at the end of the Homeowners Assistance Program rainbow.

So, without any further introduction, for the very first time on the internet…

Drum roll please…

A HAP Homeowners Assistance Program mortgage augmentation check.

Some interesting information regarding the check cutting process for HAP. The checks as you can see are printed by the US Treasury. So even after everything is approved by HAP, there is still lead time needed to get the check. In fact I recently had one that was delayed because towards the end of the month the US Treasury is printing ALL the checks for Social Security, Government Payroll, and Tax Refunds. We basically had to wait a few days for millions of checks to be printed before ours was.

Some of the cities I can personally help you with are Silverdale, Bremerton, Port Orchard, Gig Harbor, Tacoma, Fircrest, University Place, Lakewood, Puyallup, Spanaway, Steilacoom, Dupont, Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Federal Way, Fife, Puyallup, Marysville.

Even if you’re not selling in the Ft. Lewis, McChord, PSNS or Bangor area, and I can’t meet with you in person I’d be happy to find an agent for you that knows the HAP Program, near you. CALL ME 206-910-0200 or email john@johnmcameron.com

SOME USEFUL LINKS

HAP Homeowners’ Assistance Program Main Website

Summary of the HAP Program

Military HAP Benefits Application

Military DoD HAP Program - Benefits Ft.Lewis, McChord, PSNS, Bangor Relocations

HAP : Homeowners’ Assistance Program - Aid for the Distressed Military Home Seller

Military HAP Benefits – The HAP Program, Homeowners Assistance Program Statistics

Relocating to Joint Base Lewis-McChord?

Welcome to Ft. Lewis located in Pierce County Washington. Ft. Lewis is the largest employer in Pierce County with over 20,000 soldiers on the payroll. In addition, Ft. Lewis is the fourth largest employer in Washington State.

As of February 1, 2010 Ft. Lewis and McChord Airforce Base became Joint Base Lewis-McChord, one of 12 joint bases worldwide.

If you are relocating to Ft. Lewis we welcome you to our community. A community with much to offer from arts and crafts, to child & youth services to outdoor recreations.

Pierce and Thurston county is home to our military families. With both offering affordable homes with a short communte to Joint Base Lewis-McChord. So if you are looking to relocate to Joint Base Lewis-McChord and are looking for an agent to help you find a VA ready home please give me a call.

I look forward to "Serving You" with your home buying needs.

Homes for Sale, Real Estate Listings and Home Buyer Education for Service Members Stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and Madigan AMC

Lewis-McChord Relocation Guide is a website serving the real estate needs of Service Members Stationed at Fort Lewis and Madigan Army Medical Center (AMC) in Washington. When visiting the website you will be able to use real estate resources that rival those used by licensed realtors....FREE.

PCS Movers Assistance Program (MAP): I offer a free home warranty on every home I sell, along with cash back at closing for qualified buyers. Click here to learn more..If you are a servicmember, or are family to one, you qualify!

Home Buyer and Seller Education:

•· Attend one of our Home Buyer or Seller Webinar Presentations; These are hosted by Phil, with guests Jan Ward of Ward Lending Group, and Duane Boggs, President of the Washington Home Inspectors Assn. and Owner of Boggs Inspection Services. Click here to sign up for a homebuyer or seller webinar

· Multiple Listing Service Search with integrated mapping and price charting.

· Email alerts using Realty Watcher, a system that alerts you to listings that fit your criteria & new listings, also with maps and pricing comparisons.

· The Market Snapshot Tool; primarily for sellers, But increasingly used by home buyers, this tool gives you real time MLS information about homes sold by geographic area, down to neighborhood level in the Lewis-McChord area. Market Snapshot reports are emailed to you with graphics, price charting, and take in to account all homes sold in your area, not just those that you performed a search for.

• Instant Comparable Home Values. Find sales prices for homes in your neighborhood and on your street. Find out what the neighbors paid for their home.

MLS Market Snapshot:

The Market Snapshot is generated from real time MLS data, not tax records. This is a tool that was not available to the public as recently as six months ago, and is truly revolutionary. The Market Snapshot is free, is relevant at a neighborhood level, is great for buyers, and even better for home sellers. Our system will email you Maps and charts that track home sales down to neighborhood level. With this tool a prospective home buyer or seller can determine home values and sales prices based on square footage, lot size, and neighborhood; even learn what a neighbor bought or sold for....on the day of sale!! If you do nothing else while you are here, try out the Snapshot, I think you will be amazed at it's usefulness.