Buying a house is one of the most massive financial decisions a person will ever make. So it’s important that you’re completely confident that you’ll be able to manage your mortgage before you commit to it. Don’t just find the perfect home and rush into something you aren’t ready for. Take time to consider these questions, and make sure your finances are in order before you move ahead with your house search. Check out this guide on ‘7 Questions You Need To Ask Before Buying A House and learn more about whether or not you are ready to buy a house.
Here are some deciding factors to determine whether you may buy a house or not.
1. Do You Have Enough Capital For A Down Payment for Buying a House?
Having a 20% down payment is one of the most common perceptions while buying a house for the first time. Although, it’s not completely the truth. A homeowner needs a minimum of 3.5% – 10% for an FHA home loan and around 3% – 5% for a conventional loan.
For example: If you want to purchase a house worth $900,000 your lender will require a total of 3% as a down payment depending on the type of loan you qualify for. Hence, 3% of $900,000 will be $27,000 as the down payment.
The only thing to remember is the larger the down payment the lesser will be your EMIs and interest. Although, in a lower down payment you are entitled to pay Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) that protects your lender in case you don’t pay your mortgage. This is only applied when you put less than 20% downpayment, the PMI will be added to the monthly payments.
2. Do You Have A Good Amount Of Savings And Emergency Funds?
You may have saved enough money while thinking about making a big down payment, but did you think about closing costs? Closing costs include multiple fees like legal fees, lender fees, taxes, etc. The total is usually 2%-5% of the home’s purchase price. Additionally, there are many things that show up while a home inspection related to home improvement which you might want to care of. If the septic tank is leaking or there are cracks in the ceiling, this is where you’ll need emergency funds.
3. How is your credit score?
The first thing homebuyers think of is having a perfect credit score with no red dots. Although, the truth is you don’t need to have a perfect credit score to buy a house. There are multiple home loan and homebuyer programs available for first-time homebuyers that do not require a perfect score. Furthermore, a minimum credit score of 600 or higher is favorable. Keep in mind a high score (that is above 700) will aid in qualifying for a lower mortgage rate.
4. Worried About Having A Handle On Your Debt?
Buying a home doesn’t mean you have to be debt-free. You might have an outstanding student loan, car loan, bills, etc. which makes purchasing a home difficult. Fortunately, many companies these days understand it is impossible to expect potential homebuyers to be debt-free. The main objective of most companies is to know if you will be able to fulfill the mortgage payments. Keep in mind the savings you have versus how much you’ll pay in the future.
Your lender will have a look at your debt-to-income ratio, which simply means what chunk of your monthly income goes into debt payments. You need to have a 43% debt-to-income ratio to qualify for any mortgage on the house.
5. Can You Afford Your Monthly Expenses for Buying a House?
The first while figuring out expenses is to know if you can afford additional payments to your existing monthly expenses. To calculate this you can use an online mortgage calculator. Additionally, you must also check with the other financial aspects like –
- Property insurance and taxes
- Other Home expenses (sewage, garbage, internet, etc.)
- Utilities (water, electricity, etc.)
- Home Owner Association (HOA) fees (if applicable)
It is vital to do your calculations before you move on with the transition from renting to buying your house. As you might be paying multiple bills already and there’s going to be an additional amount as a mortgage payment.
6. Do You Have A Stable Income Source for Buying a House?
Having a stable job is extremely important for home buyers as losing a job after moving into a new house can be a nightmare. A stable job is a good indicator for lenders as then qualifying for a mortgage and fulfilling the amount is possible. Furthermore, even if you can show financial stability on paper, you must only buy a house knowing your income will remain steady in the future.
7. How Much Space Do You Need?
Before buying a house always ask yourself the question ‘how much space do you need?’ While planning on money and other aspects you may forget this important aspect. Whether you need an extra room for office space or a gym thinking through it is always advisable. If you have kids or expecting a child, then buying a house with extra space is ideal.
Takeaways
Buying a house comes with a long list of questions and contingencies. Make sure you think through the options and make a wise decision. If you’re someone who wants to sell your house fast before moving to a new one you may contact us at Elite Properties. We’re ‘we buy houses all cash’ company which offers people home selling and buying services with no obligations. You can get in touch with us by calling 718-977-5462.
A home is an extremely big asset for couples. When a couple chooses to separate, the relationship as well as the house also goes through a lot. A divorce comes with a lot of deliberations and mutual agreements which is important for the long run. Here, your part is to decide whether you want to sell your house or buy out to your spouse. Given below is a guide to Sell Your Home fast after the divorce which will help you with your existing chaotic situations.
If you have chosen to sell your house, there are many things down the lane waiting for you. Selling your home is a long and lengthy process, it isn’t a smooth run. In such a case, the best way out of it is to talk it out with your partner. Mutual decisions go a long way and where real estate is involved it can be extremely expensive and hard on pockets. It is the tight sure way to Sell Your Home fast.
Sell and Split
The best option which will reduce the disagreements is selling your house and splitting the proceeds of the sale equally. Why selling your house is a feasible option? First, neither of the spouses can afford the maintenance of the property. If the couple has kids it can double the expenses, with the ongoing expenses of divorce it can be a tough situation to tackle. Selling your house for cash is a feasible option because the proceeds of the sale can be split equally. Therefore, selling your house is an optimal solution for multiple reasons.
Buy Out the House
The second option is to buy out the house which means; the spouse who wants to maintain the ownership would recompense the other with half of the share. They can share a part or whole value of the house which can be transferred to the other half as a settlement of the divorce. Here, the spouse on the receiving end gets to keep a part of the house and receive the calculated share once it is sold.
Hold On To the House
If a couple with children is getting divorced, they would choose to hold on to the house. In this case, the couple can hold on without altering the ownership. You can choose to stay until your children move out for work. This can only happen when the couple can bear each other’s differences and think financially.
Sorting Out the Mortgage
Before taking a step to sell your home, you will be accountable to ask questions yourself. Questions like what are your income requirements if you chose to keep the house and retain ownership? What aspects would come into play if you sell your house? Will my children be affected by the decision, what are their needs? Etc. Once you know the answers, you can move ahead.
If a couple has a joint mortgage, they usually prefer to sort the mortgage on a single name (either of the spouse’s names). It is beneficial from both sides because the person residing in the house won’t rely on another half for the mortgage. Lastly, the person who discards the name from the mortgage can lend more money for a new home as they are exempt from the joint mortgage.
Understanding Your Property Rights
A house is an immensely big asset for one to keep. If you are going through a divorce, it becomes necessary to protect and understand your property rights. Securing property rights saves you from any felonies that your partner does without any knowledge. Home rights ensure neither partner can’t be forced to vacate the home even if it is under their ownership or not.
It is important to be aware of the laws and regulations while going through a divorce. The “Family Law Act” gives access to:
- Staying in your home unless a court order states to vacate the residence
- You will be notified of any repossession action taken by your mortgage lender
- If you have moved out, you can urge the court to grant permission for returning back
Sell your house fast for cash
As stated earlier in the blog, selling your house is the fastest solution after a divorce. Selling your home to cash buying companies eludes the chaos of legal processes and additional costs. Elite Properties is a reliable company when you choose to sell your house fast for cash. We buy houses all cash so you can sell your house within 3 days and move on with a new life. Rest assured we will buy a house in any condition, any location.
A divorce is a tiresome process that can drain you mentally. To Sell Your Home fast for cash will save you time, money, and energy, you can split the yields and move ahead with the rest of your plans. If you have any queries regarding the same you can call us at 718-977-5462 or visit us at Elite Properties we will provide you the best possible solution in your rough time.