Planning To Buy Your First Home
Buying a house can take as little as a few days if you're buying in cash, or can take years if you're counting the amount of time it takes you to save money for a down payment and decide where to live. In a competitive housing market, you may put in multiple offers on homes before one is accepted. Conversely, mounting worry over a housing recession could lead more sellers to pull their homes from the market, making it more difficult to find a suitable property. If you already have your money saved and have a good idea of the neighborhoods and type of home you want, the process will probably take you two to six months. Ask a local real estate agent for a more accurate timeline based on your local market conditions.
planning to buy your first home
Once you have a clear picture of the features you both want, share them with your real estate agent and use them as the foundation of your home search. Your agent will help you set realistic expectations and target your search to areas and homes you can afford.
Sometimes agreeing on terms is quick and painless, but it can also be one of the hardest parts of the home-buying process. If your negotiations get intense, remind yourself that both parties want the same thing. The sellers want to sell their house, and you want to buy it!
Contingencies are simply conditions that must be met for the home purchase to take place. They provide a safety net for you to back out of a sale without losing your earnest money if something goes wrong.
You should examine your income, savings (for a down payment and closing costs), and recurring debt to figure out how much house you can afford to buy. The 43% debt-to-income (DTI) ratio standard is a good guideline for being approved and being able to afford a mortgage loan."}},"@type": "Question","name": "How Does Buying a House Work?","acceptedAnswer": "@type": "Answer","text": "Buying a house is often among the most significant purchases in your lifetime. When you find a house you want to buy, you should first figure out if you can afford it, then ask your lender for a pre-approval letter, which means the lender believes you are likely qualified for a mortgage loan, and then, you can make an offer. If the seller accepts your offer, you will need to take several next steps, including paying a downpayment and having your mortgage loan approved by an underwriter and lender.","@type": "Question","name": "What Is the 28/36 Rule?","acceptedAnswer": "@type": "Answer","text": "The term 28/36 rule is a guideline used by underwriters and lenders use to see if you can afford the home you want to buy. In general, this rule is considered one of the best ways to calculate the amount of mortgage payment debt, you can afford based on your income.Many lenders require that potential homebuyers' maximum household expense-to-income ratio is 28%, with a maximum total debt-to-income ratio of 36% in order to be approved for a mortgage."]}]}] Investing Stocks Bonds Fixed Income Mutual Funds ETFs Options 401(k) Roth IRA Fundamental Analysis Technical Analysis Markets View All Simulator Login / Portfolio Trade Research My Games Leaderboard Economy Government Policy Monetary Policy Fiscal Policy View All Personal Finance Financial Literacy Retirement Budgeting Saving Taxes Home Ownership View All News Markets Companies Earnings Economy Crypto Personal Finance Government View All Reviews Best Online Brokers Best Life Insurance Companies Best CD Rates Best Savings Accounts Best Personal Loans Best Credit Repair Companies Best Mortgage Rates Best Auto Loan Rates Best Credit Cards View All Academy Investing for Beginners Trading for Beginners Become a Day Trader Technical Analysis All Investing Courses All Trading Courses View All TradeSearchSearchPlease fill out this field.SearchSearchPlease fill out this field.InvestingInvesting Stocks Bonds Fixed Income Mutual Funds ETFs Options 401(k) Roth IRA Fundamental Analysis Technical Analysis Markets View All SimulatorSimulator Login / Portfolio Trade Research My Games Leaderboard EconomyEconomy Government Policy Monetary Policy Fiscal Policy View All Personal FinancePersonal Finance Financial Literacy Retirement Budgeting Saving Taxes Home Ownership View All NewsNews Markets Companies Earnings Economy Crypto Personal Finance Government View All ReviewsReviews Best Online Brokers Best Life Insurance Companies Best CD Rates Best Savings Accounts Best Personal Loans Best Credit Repair Companies Best Mortgage Rates Best Auto Loan Rates Best Credit Cards View All AcademyAcademy Investing for Beginners Trading for Beginners Become a Day Trader Technical Analysis All Investing Courses All Trading Courses View All Financial Terms Newsletter About Us Follow Us Facebook Instagram LinkedIn TikTok Twitter YouTube Table of ContentsExpandTable of ContentsUnderstand Your DTI FirstWhat Mortgage Lenders WantCan You Afford the Down Payment?The Housing MarketThe Economic OutlookConsider Your Lifestyle NeedsSelling One Home, Buying AnotherDo You Plan to Stay?Homebuying FAQsThe Bottom LineMortgageBuying a HomeAre You Ready to Buy a House?You'll need to consider more than just finances
While there are many benefits to a larger down payment, don't sacrifice your emergency savings account completely to put more down on your home. You could end up in a pinch when unexpected repairs or other needs arise.
Buying a house is often among the most significant purchases in your lifetime. When you find a house you want to buy, you should first figure out if you can afford it, then ask your lender for a pre-approval letter, which means the lender believes you are likely qualified for a mortgage loan, and then, you can make an offer. If the seller accepts your offer, you will need to take several next steps, including paying a downpayment and having your mortgage loan approved by an underwriter and lender.
The term 28/36 rule is a guideline used by underwriters and lenders use to see if you can afford the home you want to buy. In general, this rule is considered one of the best ways to calculate the amount of mortgage payment debt, you can afford based on your income.
Keep in mind that if you plan to tap your Roth for a house, you should still be saving for retirement in a 401(k) or other retirement account. And if you ultimately decide not to buy a home or end up getting your down payment from another source (say, from an inheritance, a gift or other savings), your Roth can continue growing tax free for retirement.
Ready to buy a home? Buying a home is one of the most significant financial decisions you'll make in your lifetime. From figuring out pricing to why you should consider a realtor, here are 10 Things You Absolutely Need To Know About Buying A Home:
1. Use a trusted realtor. We all know that realtors get a cut of the sales price of a home which makes some buyers hesitant to use a realtor: they believe it drives up the overall cost. Keep in mind that the seller, not the buyer, pays the commission. Brooke Willmes, real estate agent at SPACE & COMPANY in Philadelphia, says that potential buyers should keep in mind that a listing agent (the agent representing the seller) doesn't protect your interests and "that agent would simply pocket both sides of the commission." That means that you're not saving money. A savvy realtor who works for you can protect your interests and guide you through the buying process - from negotiating a price to navigating home inspections.
2. Remember that a house purchase involves a contract. When you're buying a house, there are papers to sign. And more papers to sign. Many of those papers - which are actually contracts - look like "standard" home buying contracts with no room for negotiation. That isn't true. Contracts are meant to be negotiated. You don't have to sign a standard agreement. If you want more time to review your inspection, wish to waive a radon test or want to make a purchase subject to a mortgage approval, you can make that part of the deal. That's where a savvy realtor can help. See again #1.
3. Don't necessarily buy for the life you have today. Chances are that buying a house will be one of the bigger financial commitments you'll make in your lifetime. Before you agree to buy what you think might be your dream house, consider your long-term plans. Are you planning on staying at your current job? Getting married? Having kids? Depending on the market and the terms of your mortgage, you may not actually pay down any real equity for between five and seven years: if you aren't sure that your house will be the house for you in a few years, you may want to keep looking.
6. Buy the house you know that you can afford. This can be different from the price that your mortgage company believes that you can afford. When my husband and I bought our first house, we were approved for a mortgage of about three times more than we ultimately ended up spending. Fresh out of law school and working for established firms, our finances looked good on paper. But we dialed back our expectations because we weren't convinced that our income and expenses would remain at those levels. We were right: two years later, we started our own business just as the economy turned south. The less expensive house meant that we could still make our payments even with less income in pocket. So what's the best ratio to use? Some lenders suggest that you can afford mortgage payments totaling about 1/3 of your gross income but others suggest closer to 28% for housing related costs including mortgage, insurance and taxes. There are a number of factors including your projected income, interest rates, type of mortgage and the market. Ask your mortgage broker to help you understand what's in play. 041b061a72