According to very preliminary figures from the IRS, some 567,685 taxpayers claimed more than $3.9 billion worth of first-time homebuyer credits on their 2008 tax returns, according to Steve Cook of realestateeconomywatch.com. Even though 38,158 may be disqualified because the IRS has found they had ownership in a personal residence within the past three years, the total will certainly exceed the $4.6 billion estimated by Congress last year.  The preliminary figures were from returns received by March 6-five weeks before 2008 returns were due.
 
These preliminary returns means the credit helped to make possible at least ten percent of the roughly 5 million new and existing home sales last year.  No doubt it was a deal maker in many of those transactions.
 
Source: Steve Cook, Real Estate Economy Watch