Free Essay

Home Buying

In: Business and Management

Submitted By bumpy810
Words 1848
Pages 8
HOME BUYING
It is not hard to do

By

Owning a home is one of the most rewarding purchases in life to go through. People are often intimidated of purchasing a home, and instead often-waste money by renting property, that have no equity to give in return. Home buying can be a clear-cut experience, by using precise financial planning, helpful real estate agents, and knowledge of what to look for in a home. Creating a realistic budget is a great first step towards buying a home. Many homebuyers and even homeowners make the oversight of not living on a budget. There are many financial obligations that come with home ownership such as mortgage payment, taxes, homeowner’s insurance, electric, gas, sewage and water. These are all bills on top of personal finances that are necessary and must be created into the budget. When setting out to buy a home there will come into question about what is affordable and where should the price range be. There is an old school rule of thumb to give an idea of what is in the buyer’s price range, and that is to multiply the yearly gross salary of the buyer by two and a half times. That will provide a general guideline in terms of what can be afforded.
The method used today by real estate agents is complied from credit scores and debt-to- income ratios. A debt-to-income ratio is a comparison between the amounts of money earned each month, and the amount spent on various debts. These ratios use gross monthly income, which is the amount earned before taxes are taken out. As Cornett (2011) explains, “personal debts can only consume a certain amount of gross monthly income. There are actually two types of debt-to-income ratios used by lenders; for example, a lender might allow debt ratios of "28/36." The front ratio is 28, which means that the monthly mortgage payment cannot account

for more than 28 percent of the gross monthly income. The back ratio is 36, which means that the combined debts (mortgage, credit cards, car loan, etc.) cannot exceed 36 percent of a monthly income.” These figures are only a reference and give an idea at what lenders look for, so it is a good idea to have any outstanding debt paid off before purchasing a home. There are different calculators that can provide ballpark assessments for financials, web sites provide mortgage rate calculators. The easiest thing is to be pre-approved from a lender; this will be the best source to determine the possible loan amount for a mortgage. Pre-approval uses three pieces of criteria to determine the amount and that is based on debt, credit and income history. Once the amount afforded has been established it is an enormous advantage to start loading up the savings account or create another one for the “housing funds” to reflect at least two, preferably three months worth of mortgage payments and an additional 15% per month to cover other expenses. On top of the payments money should be put away to provide a down payment. Some ideas to consider are storing all of the tax return payment, state and federal into the savings account, this can be the best source of income because it shows the biggest return in one lump sum. Some other ways to save include switching to transfer high interest rate credit cards to lower rate or cards with zero percent for extended periods. Reducing cell phone features, switching to lower cable and home phone programs, as well as selecting cheaper car insurance are all great ways to save extra money. If time and life permit, getting a part-time job is another noteworthy way to add income fast to the housing fund.

The more money saved in the housing fund the more that can be applied to the down payment. The higher the down payment provided the less of a monthly mortgage payment and possible reduction in interest rate. The amount desired for a down payment when purchasing a home is 20%. This amount is most of the time an unrealistic desire, a $400,000 home would require a down payment of $80,000. If the funds are there life is great, there are certain loans that if qualified only require 3.5%. The same home would now only require $14,000 for a down payment a much more manageable number. One thing to point out about down payments is that any down payment less than 20% will be subject to PMI; this is called private mortgage insurance. “A conventional mortgage is one that is not insured or guaranteed by the government. Conventional loans with a down payment of less than 20% typically require private mortgage insurance (PMI), which protects the lender if the homeowner defaults on the loan” Mortgage basics (2008).
Once the down payment is at a substantial amount, shopping for a type of loan becomes the next task. There are quite a few of home loan types out there today, and this paper will cover some of the more popular ones. Interest rate selection is also a consideration when shopping for a loan. There are two common used terms: fixed rate and ARM (Adjustable Rate Mortgage), one of these will be applied to the specific loan as the form of interest for the loan payment. Both of theses have advantages and disadvantages and the more they are understood, the better for any potential buyer.
Fixed rate are exactly just that, it is a rate that never changes for the applied life of the loan. If the buyer has a fixed rate of 5% on a 30-year loan, every payment for 360 months will have the 5% interest rate applied to the payment. This type of rate creates a more stable, affordable loan and if the rates go lower, an application for a refinance loan can be filled out and submitted for the lower fixed rate.
Adjustable rates are rates that come with short-term contracts. They can vary anywhere between 3, 5, 7, and even 10 years. Cornett (2011) points out that, “Overall, the interest rate on this type of home loan is lower than a traditional fixed-rate mortgage. The downside is that the interest rate can never be predicted it will adjust to after the introductory period. So in this regard, the initial period can be thought of as a reward for the uncertainty of the adjustable period. Adjustable rates start with a lower interest rate than a regular fixed-rate loan, but have the uncertainty of the adjustment phase.
During the adjustable phase of the mortgage, the monthly payments will rise and fall with average interest rates. It would be great if they fell, but bad if they rose. The important thing to remember is that there is no way to predict the average interest rates in advance, so the adjustable nature of the loan is something of a gamble.” A bad example of this happened during the economic housing crisis in 2008-2010. Homeowners were coming to the end of the introductory period and could not refinance the loans, which resulted in payments with interest rates as high as 15%, which could bump mortgage payments anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000 more a month. If not planning on staying in the home for a long period of time and fixed rates are above 6-7% then it could be a good idea to try the ARM. It is a risk, and as long as the house can be sold or refinanced before the end of the period, it will be a risk worth taken in the end.
Mortgage loans are loans that are taking out and repaid for the purchase of a home. It is the difference between the cost of the home and the supplied down payment. Some of the more popular, basic loan types are conventional loans, FHA loans, and VA loans. Each individual type of loan offers some type of advantage. The trade off for these is there are certain requirements such as down payment, income, financial and military service.
Conventional loans are the most common type of loan available these are not insured by any type of government agency. The requirement for this type of loan is a down payment of 20% of the price the home is purchased. For example, if a home is purchased for $250,000 the down payment required is $50,000. If more than the required down payment is put down, the monthly mortgage payment becomes cheaper, there are no limits to how much can be put down.
FHA loans are loans that are funded through the Federal Housing Authority or FHA. Mortgage Basics (2008) points out “the FHA operates several low down payment mortgage insurance programs that can be used to purchase a home. FHA-insured loans generally require a three percent cash contribution to the down payment and closing costs.” These loans allow homes to be purchased with a much lower down payment than conventional loans. Since these loans require little down, they are subject to PMI insurance payments. The insurance protects the lending institution in the event there is a default on the loan at any time within the terms of agreement in the contract.
Veteran Affair loans or VA loans are loans issued to veterans of military service and active duty members also. Veterans interested in this type of loan only have one requirement, a honorable discharge from the enlisted branch of service. The biggest benefit of this loan is a home can be purchased with zero down. Another big enough advantage is no PMI insurance needs to be purchased for this type of loan either. Rivera (n.d) points out “While there are some conventional no down-payment home loan programs on the market, it will cost a higher interest rate for the privilege, not so with a VA loan, the same market rate applies whether there is a 10% down-payment or zero down-payment. In addition, most will find that in some cases the VA interest rate is comparable with or even lower than conventional loan rates.
Another great benefit of the VA home loan program involves the loan closing cost. While VA loans do not require a down payment, there is still loan closing cost as with any home loan program that the borrower incurs. Closing cost usually average 3-5% of the loan amount. These costs are paid by the seller up to 6%.”

AGENTS

References
Cornett, B. (2011). “How to qualify for a mortgage loan in 2011” HomeBuyingInstitute.com
Retrieved February 9, 2011, from http://www.homebuyinginstitute.com/debt_ratio
Cornett, B. (2011). “Types of home loans - a buyer's guide to mortgage loans” HomeBuyingInstitute.com. Retrieved February 14, 2011 from http://www.homebuyinginstitute.com/mortgagetypes_rates
Mortgage basics. (2008). Toledo Business Journal, 24(7), 45. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Rivera, L. (n.d). “VA home loan program for military veterans” HomeBuyingInstitiute.com Retrieved February 14, 2011, from http://www.homebuyinginstitute.com/VA_mortages

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Buying a Home

...forget to take into consideration, all other expenses that come with buying a home. Before we begin, remember this is not to be rushed. There are many houses available, and many prices that can be negotiated. Let us start by deciding on location, than what type and size home. If you make this commitment, you should first decide, what the best locations are for you. Just remember to stay with-in your budget. Remember, depending on the location, also determines other associated cost. The value of your home determines your insurance premium, also remember to consider the price of a pool or other recreational items in your yard, these too increase your insurance. Your insurance is estimated on the value of your home and is increased with anything that could be considered hazardous on your property. Now that we have covered things we should keep in consideration. Let us decide whether we want a new home, used home , foreclosed home, mobile home, we can look around and see what is available and in your price range. There are many distressed homes, I think we should start there. A lot of times the owner will pay all the closing costs and finance the home for you. There are also homes available, for a small price, we can look into homes for sale due to the owners’ inability to pay their taxes. If we buy three of their tax certificates, we can than demand payment on all three or we become the owners of their home. There is also house swapping and owners wanting people to take over...

Words: 496 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Home Buying

...Buying a home in order to build credit and stability is one of the main financial reasons prospective buyers jump into the market. At least that was a major factor prior to the financial crisis of 2008, when the U.S. housing market suffered widespread losses. I being a homeowner along with prospective homeowners may now look more closely at the costs and benefits of such a large transaction. The effects of the housing crisis may have prompted a more cautious approach by buyers who are more realistic about the level of credit and stability they can build in their homes, the drive to be a homeowner remains strong. It's mostly about freedom: The ability to paint the walls whatever color you want, or know that a landlord is not going to raise your rent or ask you to leave. Here are a few points to consider when deciding whether homeownership or renting makes better sense for you. Home Ownership: * Ownership, Stability and the future of owning a home, along with financial gains; * Family, Children and belonging to a community; * Control over decisions you make with the property; * Job concerns; stability, commute Renting: * Cheaper than owning; * The freedom of movement if opportunities arise; * Utilities are included at times; * Bad credit; While a home is a good investment, let's face it, you have to live somewhere. Many financial experts caution against purchasing a home simply as an investment. Historically, real estate market increases have...

Words: 274 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Home Buying Final

...The decision to purchase a home is one of the most important decisions a person can make. A person should think about the decision and analyze every aspect that comes along with it, prior to the medium of exchange. The economy should be a major thought in the decision making process. The economy is not in the best shape, so to know if the decision to purchase a home is the right one a person must analyze his or her situation and a weigh his or her options. In addition, a home comes with some serious consequences if the owner cannot meet the terms of the agreement. Every person looking to purchase a home will be different; however, they face the same challenges in this economy and the same reasoning. I believe a person should be educated on purchasing a home and know his or her options. Knowing all options that are available is important because it can possible reduce, the output a person has to pay. For example, there are first time buyer programs. HUD options, and loan types (fixed or an adjustable rate mortgage). Being educated about purchasing a home can make a difference between a good loan and a bad one, receiving the best rate and being happy with the purchase. Once the person analyzes his or her situation a decision to purchase a home can be made. The reward to owning a home is accomplishment; however there are consequences that a person must face if he or she does not make their mortgage payment. When a person makes a decision to purchase and have done the...

Words: 1959 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Home Buying Risk Paper

...Involved During The Purchase Of Our Home 1/25/2015 Class: Proj-595 Professor: Dr Madireddy [Type the author name]   • INTRODUCTION In the spring of 2013 my family embarked on a new adventure. We moved 2800 miles from San Diego CA. to Franklinton NC. because of a promotion I accepted with my company. This was a very exciting and frightening time of transition for my family. There were many changes we had to make as well as some very important decisions to make. The biggest decision and question we had to make and answerer was are we going to buy a home or are we going to rent? Once the decision was made we were going to buy a home many questions and decisions had to be made and many risks had to be addressed. The risks we had to address when looking at purchasing a home include financial risks and environmental risks. • RISKS INVOVLED DURRING THE PURCHASE OF OUR HOME Home buying is a very exciting experience. Whether you are a first-time buyer or an experienced owner, buying a house requires a "preflight check," in the words of Barry Zigas, director of housing policy for the Consumer Federation of America. (Dratch) Before doing any risks assessments we first had to put down the home purchase into a pros and cons diagram to see if this was something we were willing to take on. With that decided we then proceeded to look at the risks involved. As my family experienced and statistics have shown that owning a home is not without risks and there...

Words: 683 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Personal Narrative: Buying A Home

...I’ve gotten used to the idea of renting, having lived in three other homes for the last five years. I wanted to buy a house for several years, but only if it is an ideal situation that will benefit me and my future family. I wanted to be more than ready when I decide to explore the idea of home buying as I don’t want to buy a nightmare at the expense of home ownership. This is how I imagine myself when that time comes. I’M DEBT-FREE and have SAVINGS This is a big decision so I imagine that when the times comes that I decide to buy a home for myself, I am financially stable and debt-free. Being debt-free means I tasted how good it felt to not owe money to anybody. So, if I will apply for a mortgage, it would have to be one that will not kill...

Words: 492 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Risk Management - Buying a Home

...Proj 595 - Risk Paper 1 Pm595 Risk Paper: Buying a new house Project Risk Management Professor: James Reckon Authored: Michael Arcoli December 18, 2015 TITLE: Purchasing A HOUSE TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION RISKS IDENTIFICATION RISKS RANKING MATRIX RISKS MONITORING CONCLUSION REFERENCES * INTRODUCTION Whenever considering a major purchase in life one must carefully consider the risks associated with making these purchase decisions. These decisions should be treated as projects in such a way that proper planning, analysis, risk assessment and contingency should all be aspects of the purchase process whether formal or informal. In this paper, I will discuss about a project that many people are familiar to: buying a new house. Few years ago, I moved to a new area and was trying to decide whether or not to purchase a new house, and if so, where should I buy it. I also considered if I should buy a preexisting new house or hire a builder for a new house. Every option had its own set of potential risks. If I continued to rent, was this really just throwing away money. If I purchased a house, could I afford it and was I buying the best house for me and my family? I approached it like any other project, with interviewing people, note collecting, collating, and interpreting the data. After reviewing my expenses and income and examining the tax advantages, I decided to buy a house but knowing that several risks may accompany my decisions, these...

Words: 333 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Xeco212 Final Project Buying a Home

...A New House- Decision XECO212 June 8, 2013 Don MacLean A New House- Decision “Home ownership matters.” Does it? I mean, there is nothing written in stone that says we ALL have to own a home. Growing up I always felt a sense of security knowing that I would always have the same bedroom, the same backyard, and the same house. Many of us probably think of that when we consider buying a home. Some of us want that sense of security. We want to lay down roots, so to speak. Others are perfectly content with renting. I had a friend say to me that he would much rather rent and not have to worry about repairs and everything else that goes with owning a home. He did not want the added responsibility of owning a home. Whatever your reasoning might be, I am sure most of us have at least thought about home ownership once or twice. I am at a point in my life where I have been seriously considering buying a home. I have been saving over the past few years and I have also been clearing any past debts that I had so that I do not have extra bills to pay. I want to be financially secure before considering taking that next big step. Most people think like I do. They consider the financial aspect of buying that new home and like to prepare themselves financially before entering into that commitment. While preparing myself financially, I have taken into consideration some of the principles of economics that will help me prepare financially for this next...

Words: 1580 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Home Buying and the Mortgage Loan Process

...There are many specialists behind the scenes that make it possible for you to purchase your home including – realtors, inspectors, title insurer, insurance agent, appraiser, and the attorney. On your mortgage team, you will meet your processing specialist, while the underwriter, closer, and any other investors or government agencies that might be involved in your loan process are working on your file. The normal mortgage loan process takes between 30 and 45 days from application to closing. When you begin planning for a home purchase, you will need to meet with a banker and get pre-qualified, then find just the right home, obtain your mortgage financing and complete all of the home inspections, and close on your new home. You will start the complete purchasing process with a trip to the bank to speak with a loan officer to get pre-qualified, which consists of going through an interview and documentation process. The banker will ask questions such as whether this will be your first home, primary residence, or whether you have a house to sell before you plan to close on a new one. The bank will require you to fill out a mortgage loan application. You will need to supply the bank with pay stubs and other income documentation, bank statements and retirement statements, picture identification, and your social security number among other things. Then the lender will review all the information that you have provided and help you to determine how much money you can borrow and what your...

Words: 1144 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Renting an Apartment vs Buying a Home

...Apartment versus Buying a Home Composition II / 156 March.20, 2011 Outline for my Essay Why should we buy a home vs. rent an apartment? There are a lot of factors to consider for both. There are a lot of steps to finding out what you would want if you buy a home and if you rent an apartment. The factors can be overwhelming and yet very important. So the first thing you need to do is get all of the information that you are looking for and put it down on paper. Then you need to weigh the pros and cons of them. Just to make sure you understand what it is you have gain and give up for each type of dwelling and how you want to own it. You also want to look at the financial part of it as well. Make sure you can afford what you are looking for or look for what you can afford. In the end you will be able to logically decide on what to do with your dilemma. So there are many factors however there are also the benefits and what you want to be responsible for and not be responsible for. So the choice is up to you and only you can make it happen. I am just giving you the information to make an educated decision. I rented for years before my husband and I decided to buy a home. It came years after and when our daughters were elementary age. I enjoy being a homeowner however I also enjoyed renting cause of not having to worry about doing all the stuff the apartment complex had to do because I paid rent. This is just a scratch on the surface of the renting vs. buying dilemma...

Words: 2057 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Risks and Benefits of Buying a New Home

...Reserve is one government body that has an effect on the housing market. The Federal Reserve is in charge of monitoring the economy and has the ability to rise and lower interest rates on loans and mortgages to keep the economy balanced. When interest rates are high, the total purchase of a home is higher because more interest is being paid on the mortgage. Interest rates have to be considered because they are included in the mortgage payments which makes payments higher and raises the total investment in a home. Federal banks can affect mortgage rates and housing prices because they have the opportunity to also determine interest rates that will affect mortgage rates. Congress also has the authority to make policies such as the $8,000 tax break for buyers purchasing a home to help assist in the financial burden of a new home purchase. There are also other discounts for first time home buyers and assistance when you buy a home through HUD (Housing and Urban Development) or FHA (Federal Housing Administration.) With the economy the way it stands today, there is a good supply of homes at low prices to be purchased and interest rates are lower and it would be a good time to consider purchasing a home if your employment is stable enough to withstand the time frame for the economy to pull back into shape. A mortgage is a long term commitment and one has to take careful consideration of housing cost and interest rates and making sure the purchase is affordable, not in just the next year...

Words: 289 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Annotated Bibliography: Renting Versus Buying A Home

...Annotated Bibliography Tesa S. Malone EN 116: Speech Herzing University The article in Renting Versus Buying a Home, states that when considering buying a home, determining the annual rent to the purchase price ratio is very important. As far as taxes go when becoming a homeowner mortgage interest and property tax can be deducted from your taxes. Although the author is anonymous, this source is credible because it is recent and scholarly. (Renting versus buying a home. (2015)....

Words: 627 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Impulsive Buying Behavior in City Shop Dissertation

...Exchange School Donghua University Undergraduate Research Project: Motivations for impulsive buying behavior and the effective marketing strategies selling grocery products Case: CITY SHOP By: Ilja Khanan Nationality: Germany Major Business Administration Student ID: 113110246 Supervisor: Nikola Zivlak Date: June 2014 Abstract For over sixty years, marketers and consumer researchers have studied Impulsive-buying behavior. Today, 30 to 60% of all purchases are impulsive in the USA (Crawford & Melewar 2003) for different product categories and it is considered to have a $4.2 billion annual volume. That’s why it is becoming more important for marketers to understand how people can be influenced when shopping in order to increase revenues and profits. Millions of dollars are spent on in-store marketing efforts. Over the years, different models have been created for marketers to better understand the key drivers that lead to impulsive buying. This dissertation is written for the retailer or marketer who will adjust their marketing strategies to capture the opportunities of the consumer impulse purchases. This dissertation focuses on City shop and the strategies they use to encourage impulsive buying behavior. The thesis will cover the following topics in regard to impulsive buying: - Factors and influences that lead to impulsive buying behavior? - The different promotional approaches used by marketers? - What personal traits...

Words: 14303 - Pages: 58

Premium Essay

Home Repair Scenarios

...Before buying a home, you want to make sure that everything stays up to par. It is sometimes surprising how many people place trust in the home inspector to tell them the truth. What a lot of people do not realize is that most home inspectors will not scrutinize anything that is not blatantly obvious. The typical response when something seems out of place is to refer it to the specialist. The problem has become so widespread that the state of Arizona has now created a system where you have to attend college to be given a license. Is There a Problem? Refer It to the Specialist Your standard home inspector might spot an issue, but a lot of them aren't going to tell you if there is a gas problem or the home had previously been used as a meth...

Words: 999 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Housing Market

...availability of the product. Consequently, if there is a high demand for a product that is in low supply, the price of this product will escalate due to market conditions that will support a higher price. However, if there is low demand for a product that is in high supply, the price of this product will decrease due to market conditions that are influenced by the high availability of this product. By applying this principal of supply and demand to buying a home, it is easy to see how buying a home during a time of high home availability as well as low demand will mean that you will be able to buy a home for a lower price. This is particularly true when comparing asking prices of homes to a time where local real estate market conditions have low supply of homes for sale but high demand of people who want to live in this area. The different points of supply and demand in an area will have a great influence on the asking price of homes for sale. They will also affect a variety of other important financial aspects to buying and owning a home. There are a number of ways that supply and demand changes in a given area. Although the real estate market is considered to be one of the most stable industries in the United States of America with a strong growth tendency, there are certain events that will influence the supply and demand in local real estate markets. The recession creates a huge impact on many companies from all sectors of the business world. Each week brings news of banks capsizing...

Words: 621 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Zillow

...and Lloyd Frink, former Microsoft executives and founders of Microsoft spin-off Expedia.”1 This website houses data for more than 90 million homes to buy, rental homes, rental apartments and rental properties, across the United States. Information on these properties includes size, bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, living room, location, cost, and even color. Zillow will let you know if properties are pet-friendly, what style the home is, what the cabinets are made of and what color the tile is in the bathroom. The site provides not only the information about the homes look, but it also about the cost and the valuation of the home. It also automatically recalculates the valuation of the properties every day to provide users with historical grafts of the properties over time, so with 10 years’ worth of history.2 Just like buying a car and getting all the maintenance history, renters or buyers can get the information on the homes and be better educated on what they are buying or renting. As one would imagine, having a website like this where a buyer could look at properties across the country if they are moving would save a great deal of time for them when they actually visit the area. Busy people everywhere now have a new tool that will allow them to virtually visit homes even at 2am. This site now represents homes 95% of homes available across our nation. With all of the data needed to run this site, it has to be massive. And with all of the hits happening on the...

Words: 1280 - Pages: 6