First-time homebuyer Erin Hoover has been looking for a home since this summer. She plans to use the tax credit and says this extension takes some of the pressure off of finding a new home.  

"It was getting kind of stressful before they talked about extending it because I wanted to find something before the deadline. Now I have more time," Hoover said.

The program was originally scheduled to expire on Nov. 30. Now both groups of homeowners have until April 30, 2010 to sign an agreement and until June 30 to close. First-time homebuyers still qualify for an $8,000 tax credit. Current homeowners who have lived in their home for at least five years can get a $6,500 credit if they buy another house.

Even though Obama just signed the extension on Friday, Columbia realtors already had interested homebuyers.

"We've had a lot of calls already today of people interested who are not first time homebuyers," CEO RE/MAX Boone Realty Elizabeth Mendenhall said. "Now they have learned about the new provisions, and they've got some interest in looking at and purchasing a home."

The Columbia Board of Realtors says 387 people in Columbia have used the new homebuyer credit since it started tracking buys in March. With the new extension, Mendenhall says she thinks those numbers will go up.

"I think with the new credit extending it to people who aren't first time homebuyers. We'll probably see an increase in people wanting to move to a different property, some moving up, some downsizing, but definitely valuing homeownership," Mendenhall said.

The new law also increases income limits for the tax credit. To be eligible, single people can make up to $125,000 and couples can now make as much as $225,000.