Register Real Estate Advisors

Did you know that Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities are eligible to have some of their property taxes waived?  Yes, Veterans with disabilities can get property tax exemptions!  To qualify you need to be a Veteran with the following service-connected disability rating:

• 10%-30% – First $5,000 of appraised value
• 30%-50% – First $7,500 of appraised value
• 50%-70% – First $10,000 of appraised value
• 70% & over – First $12,000 of appraised value
• 100% Rating or Individual Unemployability – 100% of appraised value

These are some other qualifications:

• Surviving spouses & kids who are not married that are under the age of 21 (parent had to die on active duty) – exemption of the first $5,000 on the appraised value of their property.
• Veterans who have a disability  rating of 10% or higher & who are 65 years or older are entitled to the maximum property tax exemption.
• Veteran whose disability consists of the loss of use of one or more limbs or total blindness in one or both eyes is entitled to the maximum exemption of $12,000.
• The surviving spouse of a deceased veteran, who at the time of death had a compensable disability & was entitled to an exemption, is also entitled to that exemption if the surviving spouse is unmarried but cannot receive 100% exemption.
• The exemption applies to the property until it changes ownership or the person’s qualification for the exemption changes.

To qualify for any exemption as a disabled Veteran you will need to complete a Form 50-135 & mail it to the County Appraisal District.  Proof of eligibility must accompany the application.  Applications for the exemption must be completed between January 1 and April 30.

Bond 77 and the Texas Housing Trust Fund (THTF) might help you get an even lower interest rate if you are a first time home buyer in today’s market. However, you do not have to be a first time home owner if you are a Veteran. First time home buyer’s may qualify for a special interest rate when they combine these two Texas Homebuyer’s Assistance Programs. The THTF is a zero percent interest loan (as a second lien) paid over 5-10 years. The first payment can be deferred up to 5 years from closing if needed. It is available on a first come, first served basis. There are restrictions on income and purchase price. With these programs, you may be able to get up to $10K for down payment and/or closing cost assistance when purchasing a residential home. For more information about the Texas Housing Trust Fund Homebuyer’s Assistance Program, please call RREA today at 281.288.3500 to talk with our in house lender, Terry Traylor.

Veterans,

The most important document when you are getting out of the service is your DD-214 member 4 copy. Your DD-214 can be used for many things when returning to civilian life, (employment, home loans, land loans and discounts). I normally carry a copy of mine in my wallet to get the 10 percent off at Lowes and Home Depot but recently my DD-214 had become unreadable and I could not find my original member 4 copy. After searching on the web I came across this website that will get you another copy free of charge. http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/ It took my copy about 3 weeks to get to me and I am back in the discount arena. When you receive your new copy take it down to the county you live in and register that as an official document with the Clerks office so they will always have a copy of your DD-214 on file. Coming home is a good thing and we Thank You for your service

Jack Haymes
Register Real Estate Advisors
936.777.2265 Cell
281.676.5595 Fax

Richard Peach, senior vice president at the Federal Reserve Board of New York is promoting moving foreclosures by giving incentives to military service members. His idea is to allocate certificates to 2.5 million service members who served in Afghanistan and Iraq that could be used as a down payment on a foreclosed home in the Fannie or Freddie portfolio. He said this could help to absorb the inventory and stabilize the housing market? What do you think?

Kevin Price discusses the book “Warriors Remembered” with Shannon Register, owner of Register Real Estate Advisors, and her guest, COL (Ret) Al Nahas, author of the book. Aired 10-10-10

AUSTIN (North Texas e-News) – A new law allows certain Texas veterans to apply for exemption from 100 percent of their local property taxes. The exemption applies only to the person’s residential homestead property.

Under HB 3613, which became law during the recent legislative session, the homeowner must receive 100 percent disability compensation from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to qualify for the exemption.

To apply, veterans must complete the State Comptroller’s Form 50-764 and submit it to the appraisal district office along with a copy of their driver’s license or ID card and a copy of the VA Disability Award Letter from the Department of Veteran Affairs showing the 100 percent service-connected disability.

This Memorial Day Weekend I would like to say “Thank You” to all of those that serve in our Military.  Many have sacrificed so that we can live in an Amazing Nation Under God with Great Liberties.  God Bless America and God Bless those Army Wives – HOOOAH!