Realtors and buyers are in a dead rush to meet the deadline for the homebuyers tax credit at the end of this month. Since there has not yet been a final decision about extending the credit, thousands across the country are trying desperately to close escrow before the looming deadline. However, as PropertyWire.com reports, many of them are finding out that they are simply too late.
The latest figures from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) show that its Pending Home Sales Index rose to 110.1 in September, its eight consecutive monthly rise.
The index now stands at the highest level since December 2006 when it was 112.8 and is 21.2% higher than September last year, marking the largest annual gain on record.
But it could be a short-lived blip as many analysts believe that the recovery in the US housing market is being propped up by the first time buyer tax credit that was introduced by the Government to boost demand for houses.
‘What we’re witnessing is a rush of first-time buyers trying to beat the expiration of the tax credit at the end of this month,’ said Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist.