As deadline looms, 10 million visit tax credit website

WASHINGTON – April 19, 2010 – Interest in the federal homebuyer tax credit surged in the first three months of 2010, with the FederalHousingTaxCredit.com Web site reaching a milestone 10 million visits. Spurred by a sense of urgency as the credit’s April 30 expiration date approached, the site logged about a million visits each month in January, February and March.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) created the site in July 2008 as both an educational and marketing tool.

“NAHB went live with the site the same day the credit was signed into law in 2008, and it quickly became the Internet’s premier source of information about the credit,” says NAHB Chairman Bob Jones

The $8,000 first-time homebuyer credit and the $6,500 repeat buyer credit expire on April 30. However, if buyers sign a sales contract by April 30, the IRS gives them an additional two months – until June 30, 2010 – to close the sale of the home.

Special rules apply to the military, the foreign service and members of the intelligence community. For qualified service members ordered on a period of official extended duty, the dates are extended for one year – through April 30, 2011.

“Homebuyers need to remember, that even though the tax credit is about to expire, conditions remain ideal to buy a home,” said Jones. “There are plenty of existing homes on the market, interest rates are at near-record lows, and prices are very competitive.”