Buying your first home is and should be an exciting time of your life. The saving up and the research into what kind of property you want is finally about to pay off now that you’re ready to make the purchase. The excitement is uncontainable but it is still a very important financial move in your life. Before you go ahead and finalize the deal, let’s look at a few things that you must make sure you have covered before your pen meets the paper.
For starters, before you commit to any purchase you should have been speaking to an advisor. This includes a realtor, a professional with experience who knows you, what you’re looking for and the market. Ideally, someone who’s had success in this field will be the right choice. You also need the expertise of a professional on the financial side. Specifically, one that will help you when it comes to mortgage rates and financing. The last thing you want is to have built up your excitement only to find that you’re not prepared for the lending aspect of buying your first property. The critical thing to remember when you are looking into mortgages is that there are several lenders out there, so you need to make sure you are getting the right deal for you. I personally prefer working with lender that I have physical contact with, a bank or a financial institution whose representative are reachable in person if necessary. The additional personal connection goes a long way to ensuring that your buying experience is a success.
In addition to the mortgage rates that you will need to be keeping track of, you need to have done your research into the hidden costs of home ownership. It can be easy to get distracted by the top figure for buying a home, the price of the property. But sadly that is not the only aspect of the expenditures and while it is the biggest that does not mean the others are to be ignored. After eighteen months of house ownership, I can guarantee you that my wife and I have spent thousands of dollars upgrading, fixing or remodeling. We expected these expenditures and we were ready for them. We also keep our savings large enough for unexpected expense. When purchasing a home, your savings shouldn’t just be covering the cost of a deposit; when you move into your home, you will need to have a fund for emergency repairs and/or changes that you feel are required. That is before you take into account the cost of furniture and bills.
The reason we have spent time here discussing the hidden costs and home financing is because so often debt creeps up on homeowners and it is recommended to be prepared. Following these steps will make sure you get yourself financially secure before taking the plunge into ownership.
So, now that we have discussed your finances, here are some other options for you to consider. Buying a house should still be something you are looking forward to doing and once you are assured that your money is adequate, get out there and find your castle. Some things to look out for are the neighborhood – is this the kind of place you want to live? Is your commute decent? Are the schools recommendable? Asking these questions will prevent you from committing to something that you regret further down the line. Remember that buying a house should not be out of peer pressure or in trying to keep up with the joneses. Financial stability is crucial before this major purchase and after.
Money-Smart Millennials 