Eight Signs You’re Ready To Stop Renting And Buy A Home

Eight Signs You're Ready To Stop Renting And Buy A HomeFor many people, owning a home is seen as a rite of passage. At the same time, purchasing a home is expensive. As a result, many people end up renting for an extended period of time.

Here are a few signs that someone is ready to stop renting and purchase a home.

1. Rental Prices Keep Going Up

Year after year, rental prices are going to keep going up. While the rental company is going to claim that these increases are consistent with the industry, they tend to be exorbitant. As a result, those who are tired of their rent being increased should think about buying property instead.

2. The Credit Score Has Gone Up

Someone’s credit score is going to play a major role in the mortgage approval process. Anyone whose credit score has gone up recently should think about buying property.

3. Debt Management Is Second Nature

Before taking out a mortgage, someone is going to have to be good at managing debt. A mortgage is simply another form of debt. It needs to be managed properly.

4. There Is A Liquidity Fund In Place

The cost of owning a home extends far beyond the mortgage. Anyone who is thinking about owning property is going to have to have money set aside to cover additional costs. These include repairs, maintenance, and homeowners’ insurance.

5. There Is Money For A Down Payment

There is going to be a large check due upfront. A down payment is essential when it comes to buying a home. In addition, be sure to set aside money for closing costs as well.

6. You’re Going To Settle Down

When someone is thinking about buying a home, they need to stay in the same place for an extended period of time. When someone buys and sells homes quickly, they are likely to lose money to closing costs.

7. A Major Life Change Is Happening

Many people elect to buy a home after a major life change. This might come in the form of marriage. This might also come on the back of having kids. These major life changes can trigger someone to settle down and buy a home.

8. Your Vision Of The Future Is Clear

Those who know where their life is headed in the near future are in a great position to buy a home. If the future is clear, you are ready for the responsibilities of homeownership.

If you are in the market for a new home or interested in refinancing your current property, be sure to contact your trusted home mortgage professional to discuss financing options.

How Long Should I Spend Looking For a New Home?

How Long Should I Spend Looking For a New HomeWhether you’ve been looking for a home for a long time now, or you’re just about to get started on the hunt, you’re probably wondering how long should you spend looking for a new home. Does it take weeks to find your forever home, or months or even a year? What’s typical?

There Is No Typical

The reality is, there is no typical amount of time it takes to find your home. There are too many variables, including how actively you’re looking. Maybe you’ve heard horror stories of people who’ve been hunting for a house for a year. But come to find out, they’ve only really devoted one weekend a month to looking at houses.

Or you’ve heard of a couple who found their dream home in just two days. Well, odds are they spent many nights online, sifting through hundreds of house images and only went to see a handful of homes in person which really met their search criteria.

The Market Plays A Part

It takes longer to find a home when the market is slanted toward sellers. In times like that, there’s less inventory and the houses that are available may be out of reach financially. Keep looking, though, because your real estate agent may find the ideal house on the market from a motivated seller who’s wiling to come down on the price. Hang in there and you’ll find your dream home in any market.

Does Your Dream Home Exist?

If you feel like your home search has been dragging on despite a favorable market, it could be you’re looking for something too elusive to find. Maybe it’s not the houses you’re dissatisfied with, but something else. You may be unconsciously trying to recapture something you’ve lost, like your old childhood neighborhood or a feeling of community.

These are all valid desires that you can acquire with the right home in the right place. Try to identify what you’re really looking for so your real estate agent can help you find it. 

When it comes to finding your home, it takes as long as it takes. Be sure to secure your pre-approved financing with your trusted home mortgage professional and enjoy the process. Communicate with your real estate agent and try to keep an open mind. One day, when you least expect it, you’ll walk through the doors of your next home for the first time. 

11 Simple Ways To Save Money Toward The Purchase Of Your New Home

11 Simple Ways To Save Money Toward The Purchase Of Your New HomeIf you find it difficult to make ends meet, these tips will help you save money in ways that are easy to do and create substantial savings over time.

Declutter

Get rid of stuff you do use or need by having a garage or yard sale or by putting things for sale on eBay or Craigslist.

Make Your Own Coffee

Do you really want to make that billionaire richer by buying coffee for $5+ a cup? Make your own gourmet coffee that costs around 50 cents per cup for the same thing.

Bring Your Own Lunch

Making your lunch the night before to take to work the next day will give you more time to enjoy lunch. You will save the money that is wasted when driving to fast-food restaurants or going to pricey lunch places.

Grow Some Food

Everyone should have a garden, even if it is only a window garden for herbs. If you have some room for pots, you can grow tomatoes and other vegetables. If you have a back yard or a front yard you can grow tons of stuff.

Buy In Bulk And Use Coupons

For the things that you use on a regular basis, stock up when the items are on sale. Buy things at discount stores. Buy bulk things like rice and pasta at wholesale prices in co-ops. Coupon clipping is a hobby that pays for itself in savings. Just be careful not to buy things you do not really need or use.

Change Home Lighting

If you have not yet changed out all your incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs, what have you been doing? Change those bubs right away because you are burning up money on wasteful lights.

Install Smart Home Technology

Making a home run with more energy-efficiency is reduces your bills and helps the planet too. Smart home technology monitors comfort zones and turns things off when they are not needed.

Cut The Cable

An expensive monthly bill for cable TV is something many can do without. There are plenty of less expensive alternatives and tons of free content to view online.

Make A Change Jar

Every time you come home, put all the change you have in a change jar. You will be surprised how much money builds up over time and you will hardly even notice it is missing.

Walk Instead Of Drive

Do you have to drive your car everywhere? Try walking short distances instead. Not only will you save money on gas; walking may improve your health.

DIY Projects

Instead of paying others to do simple jobs around the house, do them yourself. There are plenty of do-it-yourself (DIY) guides on YouTube that show how to do just about anything. You will save the expensive labor cost for simple home repairs that can be up to $75 per hour.

Are you inspired? OK. Put some of these ideas into action. Ready, set, save!

When you’re ready, set up an appointment with your trusted home mortgage professional to find out about the best financing options for your new home purchase.