Housing market turning around

Fargo, ND (WDAY TV) - The housing market is making a push for turn around. Realtors say people are buying more homes and they're crediting the bump of sales to the relief offered to new buyers.

Realtors in Fargo-Moorhead area say home sales are up around 25 percent since last year at this time and 70 percent of that buying market is driven by 1st time home owners.

“The realtor said there might be some buyers’ remorse but we couldn't be happier.”

3 weeks ago Cory Harper and his wife moved into their new home in Moorhead. Harper says the they've been looking for months, and wanted to find their first home before missing out on the governments 8,000 dollar pay pack which ends after November.

“This year you get the 8,000 dollars and don't have to put it in your taxes.”

Harper says applying for the 8,000 dollars was one of the easier steps throughout this process. All he did was go online and fill out a few forms. Now he can kick back on his new furniture and enjoy life as a homeowner.

“Just the other night we were sitting downstairs and we were sitting on the couch and its like wow what a world wind its been but we actually had time to sit down after two weeks and say this is ours it's not somebody else's it's our house.”

Harper says the biggest change when you move into your first home is buying and installing everything yourself, he's put up new blinds and a new garage opener. The yard he says might have to wait until next summer.

At Home Builders in Fargo today, Fargo and West Fargo's Mayors announced a tax relief for new homeowners buying a new home. People who meet those requirements will get 52 hundred dollars back in their pockets over the next two years.