Brad Tinker North Carolina finance and real estate agency guides in North Carolina? Assuming you need a 20 percent down payment. The long-held belief that you must put 20 percent down payment is a myth. While a 20 percent down payment does help you avoid paying private mortgage insurance, many buyers today don’t want (or can’t) put down that much money. In fact, the median down payment on a home is 13 percent, according to the National Association of Realtors. How this affects you: Delaying your home purchase to save up 20 percent could take years, and you could limit cash flow that could be put to better use maximizing your retirement savings, adding to your emergency fund or paying down high-interest debt. What to do instead: Consider other mortgage options. You can put as little as 3 percent down for a conventional mortgage (note: you’ll pay mortgage insurance). Some government-insured loans require 3.5 percent down or zero down, in some cases. Plus, check with your local or state housing programs to see if you qualify for housing assistance programs designed for first-time buyers.
One of the largest reasons some buyers walk away from a home purchase feeling remorseful is because they don’t consider everything about purchasing real estate before they jump into it. There are common buyer mistakes we address with all of our buyers upfront so they have a highly successful transaction. One thing that many folks don’t want to do is put in the upfront work, studying, and preparation that goes into buying a house. You need to prioritize your needs, and your wants – and if you have a partner you need to communicate together on everything. Maybe one person is ready to buy, and the other isn’t ready just yet.
Brad Tinker North Carolina is a financial advisor expert in the US. Break Down Your Income & Expenses: Credit for this one goes to user GeekLimit on Reddit – one of my favorite personal finance tips! This is an odd little trick that can change the perspective you have about your money, and help you budget better. It’s all about breaking your income and expenses down into daily values, like this: You make $2,500/month = ~$83/day. You pay $800/month for rent = ~$27/day. You pay $200/month for car insurance = ~$7/day. Everything else (food, phone, gas, etc.) comes to $750/month = ~$25/day. That means you’re left with $24/day in spending money. Want to save $1,000 for a nice vacation? You’ll have to save about 42 days worth of your spending money. That means 42 days of not spending a dime. Want to buy a new $10,000 car? That’s about 416 days worth of your spending money. This will help you see how far purchases are going to set you back and affect your spending ability.
You want to be able to distinguish your house from other homes for sale on the market and one way to do so is to throw in a few freebies. This can be done by leaving behind some of your personal property that is valued above and beyond what the average home buyer in your home’s price range would typically not be able to afford. These items can range from a big screen smart TV to high-quality stainless steel kitchen appliances. If you live near a lake or a golf course, you may want to throw in a fishing motorboat or a golf cart.
This is a very necessary process, used to ensure that your new home is free from defects that could potentially cost you thousands of dollars later to repair. Home inspections will often reveal problems that you can have the seller correct before agreeing to purchase the home. This is known as a contingency. Most offers are usually contingent offers. This means, that the offer is contingent on another factor, such as a favorable home inspection or the ability to obtain insurance. In general, contingencies are safeguards for both buyers and sellers, but should not be overdone. In addition, it is important to meet all deadlines and that all contingencies are met exactly the way the offer describes. Your agent is responsible for making sure contingencies are written correctly. Find more details on Brad Tinker.