Well first of all, it means that if you are a first time homebuyer* in the market for a new home, it means you did not miss out on the chance to receive the $8,000 tax credit! You now have until May 2010 to take advantage of this incredible opportunity.*

Second of all, even if you are NOT a first-time homebuyer, you can now have your cake and eat it too! Repeat home buyers can receive a tax credit of up to $6500!

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s start shopping for your new home.

*Here are the details you need to know.

• The Federal Homebuyer Tax Credit is available to buyers who have not owned a principal residence in the last three years (“New Buyers”) and to buyers who have owned and lived in their principal residence for 5 consecutive years out of the last 8 years (“Repeat Buyers”).
• The maximum credit amount is $8,000 for New Buyers and $6,500 for Repeat Buyers.
• The tax credit is available for homes closed after November 6, 2009, and before May 1, 2010. However, home purchases subject to a binding sales contract signed by April 30, 2010, will qualify for the credit provided the closing occurs prior to July 1, 2010.
• Homes with a purchase price of up to $800,000 qualify. The home must be used as a principal residence.
• Single taxpayers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full tax credit.
• The tax credit does not have to be repaid, unless the owner sells or stops using the home as their principal residence within three years after the purchase.

For complete details on the Federal Tax Credit, please go to www.FederalHousingTaxCredit.com or the IRS Website.

My primary objectives were location and value. After being a part of the construction team with Southern Homes for a few years, I was confident that quality was not going to be an issue. They give you the best product for your money; the best in features, aesthetics and quality craftsmanship. As far as location, I always wanted to live by a pond and, with 3 young children, a secluded street was very important. Southern Homes located a perfect home site in their Del Sol community to fit both these needs.

I got to see first hand how all our staff works seamlessly together to handle the nitty-gritty details of building a home; even down to securing a mortgage lender! From the sales person to the project manager to the preferred mortgage lender, everyone knew what to do and even sent me reminders to help me stay on track with the process. They were all easy to contact with questions, eager to assist during the transition to my new home and even willing to help me prepare for future needs and plans.

I have always enjoyed the great family atmosphere as an employee of Southern Homes. But through this experience I was able to see how impacting it is as a customer to have a builder you can talk to on a first name basis and who really wants to get to know you and your family’s desires for your new home. It was a great hand-holding experience, which really makes a difference when building a home.

When I first saw my new home all I could think was “WOW!”. I mean its one thing to envision your house as your building, picking colors and design features, but to see it all finished is something else. Because I got to choose everything about the way it all looked it really had my stamp of personal ownership on it.

From my experience, a lot of other builders are hard of get in contact with after you sign the contract. Many times you may not get to speak to them again until closing.

But with Southern Homes, open communication is encouraged with anyone at anytime. You can interact with your project manager, ask your questions and get answers. Also, what is unique to Southern Homes is that they encourage customers to frequently visit their home site during the process, regardless if a representative is there or not. This is discouraged by a lot of other builders I’ve worked with.

The bottom line is that with many builders it’s strictly business, but with Southern Homes, it’s strictly family! All of my neighbors are satisfied Southern Homes customers and the family atmosphere the company promotes resonates throughout the communities it builds. I would recommend Southern Homes to anyone, not as an employee, but as a Dad who wants the best home for his family.

At Southern Homes, when we say Green Building, we mean Certified Green, according to the standards set by the National Association of Homebuilders.

Check out the specifics on this model home below, CERTIFIED BRONZE under the National Green Building Standard (NAHB and ANSI Guidelines.)

• Healthy House -Low VOC Paint, no formaldehyde products
• Advanced framing techniques employed such as trusses and panelized walls
• All HAVC equipment located in conditioned space to provide 30% more energy efficiency than code

Through the course of this project, we also earned the designation of GULF REGION HIGH PERFORMANCE BUILDER (GHRP) from LSU.

This home is not yet completed but presents many of the latest trends in green buildings. Stay tuned for some featured articles on the specific green features of this home.

At Southern Homes, when we say Green Building, we mean Certified Green, according to the standards set by the National Association of Homebuilders.

Check out the specifics on this model home below, CERTIFIED BRONZE under the National Green Building Standard (NAHB Guidelines.)

• One of first homes in the country built under the NAHB Green Building Guidelines – Certified Bronze
• Advanced framing techniques employed such as trusses and panelized walls
• Low flow Water Sense faucets and toilets
• Healthy House -Low VOC Paint, no formaldehyde products
• Solar power and solar hot water