How much home can I afford? This is the question every person thinking of buying a home should ask. Or better yet, how much home can I easily pay for?
Before you even start looking at homes on the Internet, or thinking about going to see a real estate agent, you should take a hard look at your finances. If you’re barely able to make your rent payment each month, buying a home may not be your best option.
Yes, sometimes a mortgage can be cheaper than rent, but don’t forget, as a homeowner, you’re also responsible for taxes, homeowners insurance, repairs, and sometimes association fees. So figure out how much you can pay, then how much you can “easily” pay.
Debt To Income Ratios
Lenders use ratios to determine what you can afford to pay for a home. To follow their example, figure out your debt to income ratio yourself. It’s a handy number to have whether you obtain a mortgage or not.
Front End Ratio
This will be shown as a percentage of your gross monthly income. This number reflects what the lender believes you can afford as a loan payment based on your gross monthly income.
Back End Ratio
This number is your new mortgage payment plus all recurring debt. For example, if you pay $300 per month on your car and you pay $150 per month on a credit card, the total of $450 plus your new mortgage payment makes up the back end ratio.
Most lenders want you to keep your debt to income ratio between 34 and 38 percent. Meaning, your total monthly debt should not exceed 34 to 38 percent of your monthly income.
Expect to pay anywhere from 2 to 3 percent of the sales price for closing costs. So for example a $150,000 home will run you closing costs of about $4500 in addition to your down payment.
Loan programs can vary greatly between lenders, so it’s helpful to enlist the aid of a mortgage broker when shopping for a mortgage because they know the requirements and guidelines of many different lenders. They can shorten your shopping time and potentially save you from getting a loan with less than desirable terms.
Different lenders will have different underwriting criteria to determine the risk they are willing to undertake by providing you with a mortgage. Part of that criteria is the down payment. Programs range from no money down, a/k/a “100% financing”, to 20% down or more, and a number of factors will determine which ones (if any) you will qualify for.
Determine Your Price Range
Now that you know how much of a mortgage you can likely be approved for, you can work backwards to determine what sales price range you need to focus your search efforts on.
Experts recommend that once you’ve determined how much you believe you can afford to pay, set aside the difference between what you’re paying now and what you would be paying as a homeowner, factoring in a set amount for any unforseen home repairs. Think of it as a “dry run” to see how well you do.
Interest rates will change how much your mortgage payment will be, and those rates change often – daily, and sometimes even hourly.
If things are too tight, consider eliminating debts and/or opting for a smaller home. Many individuals have started small and worked their way “up the ladder” of home ownership, buying successively larger homes until settling upon the one they want to live out their remaining years in.
Nothing stays the same forever – things happen, jobs are lost, people get sick, houses catch fire, whatever, so it’s a wise home buyer who plans for such contingencies, allowing plenty of breathing space between what they can afford and what they can easily pay for.
If you need help determining what that amount is, feel free to contact us for a no-obligation consultation, or find a reputable mortgage broker to help.
When buying a home, there are a lot of things to look at to ensure you make the right decision. It is a significant investment on your part as a buyer, so one of the things you need to be aware of is the cost involved in buying the home.
You’ll need to consider the down payment. While just a fraction of the selling price, it will still be a significant amount. Your lender will set the down payment they require, depending on the type of loan you’re seeking.
If you’re financing more than 80 percent of the value of the property, you may need to pay for private mortgage insurance. This is required by lenders as a form of protecting the property. If you do not want this extra cost, you can opt to put down a higher down payment which is usually 20 percent of the selling price to avoid PMI. Aside from saving money on private mortgage insurance, you can also request a better interest rate if you put down more cash up front.
You’ll also need to consider loan fees. This is labeled by different names by different lenders but it will usually be a form of payment for the processing of your loan. Be prepared for this as it will always be a part of what you will be paying once you take out a loan with a lender like a bank or any financial institution.
The lender may also require you to have the property inspected before you buy it. Of course, you would need to pay the person or firm that would do the inspection. You should also add other things like the money you would use when going around looking for a property or visiting your real estate agent.
Setting your budget is one of the first things you need to do when buying a house, so use these tips as a guideline for getting started.
If you are anywhere near the thought of buying a house, you should do it right now. Today.
Rates are crazy low, home prices are crazy low, and supply far exceeds demand. There is no better time. And we’re not the only one saying this.
Remember John R. Talbott? He wrote “The Coming Crash in the Housing Market” (2003) and “Sell Now! The End of the Housing Bubble” (2006). Well, guess what he’s saying now? Buy, buy, buy! Or refinance, refinance, refinance!
Talbott makes some great points about how current home prices compare to construction and replacement costs and how incomes are currently comparing to rent prices. If you’re on the fence about buying or refinancing, reading the complete article may help you make up your mind.
Then call one of our Broker Experts, who can tell you how all this applies to your specific situation.
The purchase of a home is, in the majority of cases, the single most expensive and complicated transaction a person will ever experience. On top of that, people typically only have the experience one, two, or three times during a lifetime, so they never get accustomed to the process. Also, requirements for a real estate transaction changes over the years. Because of this, there are many benefits of working with a buyer’s agent who can successfully guide, advise, and navigate the path to home ownership.
A buyer’s agent utilizes their knowledge of the real estate market to help their client acquire their home. By using years of first-hand experience in the home buying trenches, the buyer’s agent offers advice on fair market value, how to best negotiate all the terms, and how to complete all of the necessary documentation. This experience is extremely valuable given all the possible variables in real estate. And, as a typical home buyer, this is experience that is impossible to gain in just a couple personal transactions.
There are literally hundreds if not thousands of possible pitfalls in a real estate transaction which must be navigated. An experienced buyer’s agent will be able to walk you through episodes that just might include the following:
- The seller did not make the agreed upon repairs.
- The seller is out of town and cannot be reached and there is a fire hydrant in the middle of the driveway that must be moved.
- There is a heavy rain and there is water in the basement the day before closing.
- The buyer makes a large purchase prior to closing and no longer qualifies for the mortgage.
- There are multiple out-of-town owners on the deed and they must all sign closing paperwork.
- The home is offered as a short sale and it takes six months to be approved.
- The home is a foreclosure and the bank is difficult to reach.
- Termites are found.
- The seller’s agent is not communicating well, causing information to lapse or not be conveyed to the seller.
- The buyer moves in and discovers damage that was not disclosed.
- They buyer’s funding is delayed so the closing and possession dates must be adjusted.
And this is just a short list; it could go on and on. The role of the buyer’s agent is to manage the transaction, providing solutions to each of the problems and minimizing stress for the buyer by keeping their client informed. The benefit of working with a buyer’s agent is to have a professional facilitate the purchase of one’s largest asset.
During a real estate transaction, there are many different service providers a buyer must contend with. You will at least have to deal with the mortgage company, the seller’s agent, one or more title companies, the buyer agent’s broker, the appraiser, the inspection companies, and various repairmen. If any one of these providers drops the ball, the closing may be delayed or even canceled.
A good buyer’s agent will have systems in place to manage and track the progress of each of step of the purchase, all the while keeping their client, you, informed.
Interview several buyer’s agents and choose the one who gives you a concise, well-laid out plan from start to finish. A good buyer’s agent will have your best interests at heart to make your home buying experience a success.
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Step by Step Closing for Buyers and Sellers
When you have found the home of your dreams, or sold your home, you as the buyer or seller will have to appear at a meeting in which all of the final legal details will be handled, this is known as the closing.
Others in attendance are the real estate agent(s), lender and a closing agent. The meeting usually occurs either at an agent’s office, escrow agent’s office, attorney’s office, or at a lending institution such as a bank or mortgage company.
The main emphasis is to review all of the paper work, and to sign the different forms for financing, and to transfer title to the new owner. For the buyer and seller, knowing what to expect can ease concerns on the process of closing.
Typically the buyer will have more of a role to play in the process of closing on a house. However, the seller will have an important role as well. Usually a review of the settlement statement is presented first for both to agree upon and sign. You will need to be sure about the terms and agreements before you sign.
Next the buyer will be required to show proofs of required mortgage related or homeowner insurance, and that all necessary inspections have been completed according to the guidelines of the contract. All parties must be in complete agreement over terms and sign the documents.
Once this phase is completed both parties will present a certified check for the entire amount of the closing costs. The lender will present the funds paid to the closing or escrow agent, also if there are any funds due they will be submitted at that time to the lending agent.
Depending on the requirements you agreed to as a buyer, your bank or mortgage company may have stipulated that you will need to set up an escrow account to pay your property taxes, or may be your designated home insurance provider out of this account, this will be handled at the closing for your new home.
Other issues such as the recording of the deed will be discussed. Don’t be surprised if you are informed that you don’t have legal claim to the property until it is officially recorded at your local courthouse. It is to be understood that you may not move in until you have legal ownership of a clear title, and this process can take from a few days to over a week. This is why disbursement of funds to anyone involved in the transaction will not be paid until the deed recording is completed.
If you’re the buyer you will need to know what forms you will be required to sign. Take a few moments and write down a check list, and bring along copies of any paper work you have been required to sign or review. An important document known as the Truth in Lending statement will contain vast amounts of financial information for the buyer. This statement will contain information such as your interest rate for the mortgage, amount of cash financed, and your monthly payment schedules along with the total amount paid based on the length of your loan.
Detailed information will be found in other paper work for the buyer too. The mortgage note and other assigned specifications will spell out in specifics terms such as how and where the note is to be paid, and the institutions right to reclaim their rights to the property. This legal documentation will also explain that you’re to meet other specific requirements, such as paying any necessary insurances and taxes yearly, that is of course if you are allowed to pay this independently, and is not part of an escrow account.
The value and importance of a good real estate agent or broker is quickly appreciated at the closing. Many of the processes involved are explained by a caring and competent professional before the closing ever takes place. Make sure though that you do your part by taking the time to ask any questions you have with your real estate broker, and studying, if necessary, your part of the process, whether you’re the buyer or seller.
Home buying and selling can be a pleasant experience for all involved without a lot of hassle and grief. Just make sure you approach it with the right attitude and guidance.
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Time For a Year-End Tax Review
Many of us experience events throughout the year that might require us to go back and review our current financial plans. Life changing events such as marriage, divorce, new additions to the family, job loss, retirement and death are all perfect examples of situations that will likely require revision, or even radical revamping, of your current plan. When it comes to financial, insurance, estate and tax issues, many of us are procrastinators. However, if you make it a goal to complete a simple year-end checklist now, you could save yourself money and time, and gain the piece of mind that comes from knowing your family is well taken care of.
If you’ve just been tossing your receipts into a shoe box all year long, now would be a good time to sort through them and organize them according to categories such as job-related expenses, education or job-hunting expenses and charitable contributions, just to name a few. If you’re self-employed or own a small business, now might be the time to invest more money into your work by purchasing a new computer system, office furniture or a work vehicle. All of these items can be granted quite an attractive deduction come tax time.
If you’re one of the lucky ones and the stock market was good to you this year and you have some capital gains from your investments that are going to be exposed to taxes, a prudent year-end plan should include taking the time to sort through your accounts, and using a strategy known as tax-loss harvesting. This technique involves selling the losers in your portfolio to offset any realized gains. If you wait 30 days and obey the requirements of the wash-sale rule, you can then buy back the securities, if you wish.
Don’t be afraid to generate large capital losses, because there is no limit to the amount that can be offset against capital gains. You can claim an additional $3,000 loss on your federal taxes, and then carry forward the remaining loss into future tax years.
Giving to Others
If you have children or grandchildren, you may (depending on the state in which you live) also receive a state tax deduction for your contributions to a 529 college savings plan. And, let’s not forget that your charitable contributions are usually, partially, tax deductible. When you give to a charity, make sure you get a receipt you can use come tax time.
If you’re computer savvy, consider buying a tax software program such as TurboTax or TaxCut to play around with just so you can see the various deductions allowed and the potential savings available.
Getting Your Estate In Order
A key part of estate planning that many of us overlook is the matter of beneficiary designations. From time to time it is a good idea to verify that these designations are still as you would like them to be. At a minimum, your estate-planning checklist should include reviewing the beneficiary designations for your IRA accounts and life insurance policies and checking the validity of your will.
You may also want to look into adding a “transfer-on-death” (TOD) feature to taxable accounts in order to have them avoid probate in the event of your death. While you have these documents out it would be a good idea to check that your current life insurance coverage is adequate for your present circumstances. Are you underinsured? Are you over-insured? If you are attempting to reduce the value of your estate for estate-tax planning purposes, consider using your annual $13,000 tax-free gift per person in 2011.
Other Overlooked Areas
As the year goes by it’s not uncommon to forget to make your retirement plan contributions, or fail to set aside enough money to maximize the contribution. Since the maximum contribution limits have changed over the past couple of years, and will continue to change in the upcoming years, you’ll want to check with your financial planner to make sure you are contributing the correct amounts. If you recently turned 50, you should be eligible for a larger contribution amount, known as a “catch-up” contribution. Also, if you are age 70.5 or older, you need to make sure you’ve taken your required minimum distributions (RMD) from your tax-deferred retirement plans, such as IRAs and 401(k)s.
Finally, depending on your credit history, you might want to check your credit rating and credit report by going to a reputable online site such as myFICO, which offers you your FICO score plus credit reports from all three credit bureaus for a fee.
In Summary
Along with making a year-end financial ‘to-do list,’ to help you stay on top of the matters we’ve covered here, you should also take some time to prepare your new household budget for the year ahead. Once you have a system in place, the process will become easier every year. You may find it hard to get motivated to tackle some of these tasks, especially during the holiday season, but the potential tax savings and other benefits covered here could be history once December 31st has come and gone. So roll up your sleeves and get to work – you’ll be glad you did come April next year.
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Don’t Wait For Interest Rates to Bottom Out
Whether you’re considering buying your first home, or thinking about refinancing a home you already own, the only pressure you should find yourself under now is to find the right interest rate and to close on that rate as soon as you possibly can to take advantage of the record low rates we are seeing right now.
If you’re thinking of refinancing, with rates as they are now, you might be able to lower your interest rate by one full percentage point or more. If that’s the case, and the costs to refinance are low, you can immediately take advantage of that lower rate. Then, if rates go down further, you can always consider refinancing again.
If you’re shopping for a home and will need a new mortgage, there has never been a better time to buy than now. Inventory is plentiful, and mortgage rates have never been so low. As a general rule, you should never try to time the market — that’s how you miss getting a great rate.
To find a great mortgage, you should talk to at least one national mortgage lender, one local lender, a credit union and a mortgage broker. Ask your friends which bankers and brokers they have used; if they had a good experience with that person or company, give them a call as well.
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