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Are You Thinking Of Buying A Home? Here’s How To Prepare.

By June 29, 2021April 13th, 2023No Comments

Homeownership is calling you. At first, it was just a small thought in the back of your mind- maybe I should buy a home. But it doesn’t go away, and as you look around at family and friends who own, you start to feel a longing to join their ranks. It doesn’t help that everyone is talking about the low-interest rates and the craziness of the real estate market in 2021.  So, should you buy a home?

First, homeownership is a sizeable long-term purchase. It is probably the BIGGEST purchase that the average person makes in their lifetime. It also is the largest purchase that almost everyone makes with borrowed money. The average mortgage is 30 years long, and though the average American owns three homes in their lifetime, it is essential to be ready for this significant financial commitment. If you aren’t in a place to commit to the time, money, and energy needed to maintain a home financially and physically, it is best to rent.

Here are our top three questions to ask yourself before you even start to shop on Zillow aspirationally:
      • Are you able to stay in one place for more than five years?
      • Are you financially ready and stable?
      • Are you ready to commit the time to a home?

If your answers were YES, YES, YES, then, by all means, start preparing to look, but if they were no’s or mixed responses, it might be a great time to rent and come up with a plan for buying a home in the future. Whether the search is ready to start today or in the future, you will need to sort out your credit score, your home buying budget, your down payment, and your helpers- mortgage lender, real estate agents, etc.

A great way to prepare for your home buying search is to speak with a Financial Advisor. They are trained to help you through each stage of your financial life.

They can help you tackle the home purchasing step so that it isn’t a financial decision that hurts your future by:
  • Taking a thorough look at your financial picture and helping come up with a detailed plan to help you save for a down payment.
  • Assessing how much you can truly afford to spend on your home.
  • Aiding you in creating a budget that includes putting aside money for all the incidentals that come with a home purchase like maintenance and taxes.
  • Helping with the picking of the type of loan and lender.
  • Acting as a mediator for couples struggling with combining finances and all the implications added when a big purchase looms on the horizon.
  • Looking at the big picture and letting you know how a home purchase will affect your other financial goals like retirement and college savings. Then helping you come up with a plan to address your whole financial picture.

Though homeownership is a large purchase with a seemingly daunting process, there are many resources to help you along the way. If you’d like to set up an appointment to get a professional review of your finances before you start your home purchasing process, Scarlet Oak Financial Services can be reached at 800.871.1219 or contact us here.

 

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This material has been prepared for informational purposes.