Wednesday 20 March 2013

How to Buy a Home and Keep it!

I've been a real estate agent for a number of years now and have helped my fair share of people buy real estate and learn how to own homes. It can be both a rewarding profession and sometimes a heart breaking profession. Sometimes I have to tell people there's very little I can do to help them afford a home. Other times I get to celebrate with them in the joy of owning their first home as a family.

As anyone involved in the housing market will tell you, the times are changing. In many ways this is a great time to be a home buyer. All across America homes are being sold under their typical market value. As a stock broker might say, buy low, sell high. However with this advantage comes the pitfalls of a still unstable market. Important Things To Know When Buying Your First HomeIf you buy now, do you risk losing even more value? Let's take a moment to look at how most people will be able to afford a home and keep one in the first place.
  • Can you afford a home? Is it even financially feasible at this time? Look at the market where you are looking to relocate? Will there be a job there waiting for you that can possibly support paying a mortgage?
  • Most people need a mortgage loan in order to afford owning a home. What type of mortgage is best for you?
  • Once you do purchase a house, you should be prepared for the changing landscape of the financial world. There may come a day where you will need to refinance to meet the status of your economic condition. Will you be able to possibly negotiate bad credit mortgage refinancing?
  • Where will you find the help necessary to learn more about the real estate world and the many avenues people take to own a home?

Is now a good time to buy?

First, take a look at your financial situation? Are you still living paycheck to paycheck? If so it might be a good idea to rethink the thought of owning a home. However, if you are determined to own a home soon, there are ways to make it happen, even with a lower income scale. Look at the available real estate in the neighborhood where you'd like to live. Is it trending upward? Or are housing prices steadily decreasing. It might be a poor decision to move to a neighborhood that people are slowly evacuating over time.

Adjustable verse Fixed

What type of mortgage is best for you? Typically the two most common involve adjustable mortgage rates, and fixed rate mortgages. If you are a first time home owner you probably want to explore the market for the lowest fixed rate mortgages you can find first. These typically are more stable and make more sense for the home owner who fully intends to pay off the mortgage in full one day. People who don't intend to own a home for a very long time tend to lean towards adjustable mortgage rates because they don't require as much of a down payment and are easier to initially pay. However the interest rates eventually will increase substantially after a few years.

Once you do own a home it might be a good idea to explore the options available to you through home equity. Speak with a lender or real estate agency about finding the best rates for a home equity line of credit. With this extra money you one day will be able to invest in other areas of your life such as your children, business, or even back into your home. Contact Real-Estate-Yogi.Com today for more information by calling 1-800-987-1397.