To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

CARY, N.C. – There are two months left before the first-time homebuyer's tax credit is set to expire.

IRS figures showed 44,847 North Carolina families took advantage of the tax credit in 2008 and through Aug. 22. The program is set to expire by Dec. 1, which means buyers need to close on their homes by Nov. 30 to qualify. But experts say people should start acting now, before the deadline.

"Buyers should definitely be active right now, looking around, searching on the Internet, getting out, looking at homes a little bit closer, so they have plenty of time and not feel the pressure," said real estate broker Linda Trevor.

Trevor said business has picked up considerably thanks to first-time homebuyers who now represent about half the market. She just returned from a statewide convention from real estate professionals who all agreed the credit has helped their industry. Experts said finding the right home can take some time, so it's best to start talking to lenders about financing options.

"A traditional loan can definitely be closed in under 30 days," Trevor added. "So, there's plenty of time."

John Stille, 24, is a first-time homeowner. He never thought it would be a possibility two years ago when he graduated from N.C. State, but he said he got tired of renting and wanted a place to call his own.

"It's been great," he said. "It's been a lot of work, but it's work that you enjoy and you know what you're putting in, you're going to get out in the end."

Stille qualified for the first-time homebuyer's tax credit. And now, he's using the $8,000 to help pay for some of the upgrades to his home.

His house hunt took about two months to complete after he initially spent several months researching homes online. He then filled out two pieces of paperwork with a few questions and got the check in four to six weeks. Now, he can't imagine going back to renting.

"I know it's a lot more work, but it's definitely worth it," he added.

Federal lawmakers are considering the possibility of extending the tax credit past Dec. 1.