Buying a Phoenix Home with a Mortgage
Top 10 Mortgage Tips for Buyers: When you purchase a home, you’re also investing in the surrounding community. Your home becomes central to your life.
Additionally, when you buy a home, you’re also investing in the surrounding community. More importantly, your home becomes central to every other aspect of your life. Although a 20% down payment on a mortgage is ideal, it’s not mandatory. Many lenders expect buyers to put down at least 3% and there are also some grant options.
1. Improve your creditworthiness
Your credit profile is important to a lender. While you’re preparing to buy a home, be sure you’re responsibly managing your current debt.
Always pay your bills on time and chip away at your outstanding balances by paying more than the minimum. In most cases, lenders like to see a borrower with a debt-to-income ratio of 36% or less.
2. Save for a down payment
Although a 20% down payment on a mortgage is ideal, it’s not mandatory. Many lenders expect buyers to put down at least 3%, aside from the Federal Housing Administration, which requires a 3.5% down payment.
However, if you’re interested in building sizable equity right away, stash a hefty amount of cash to take to the closing table. Additionally, do your due diligence to find out about any local down payment assistance programs.
3. Seek mortgage loan pre-approval – one of THE most important tips out of the top 10 mortgage tips
Before you rush into house-hunting mode, get a mortgage pre-approval. This process is used to help determine how much money you’re qualified to borrow for a home purchase.
Once you’re pre-approved, you’ll have a more realistic expectation of which for-sale houses fall within your budget. You may qualify for a loan that is roughly 3 times your gross annual income.
4. Shop for a lender
The homebuying process involves more than just chasing a favorable interest rate. You have to find the best mortgage lender for your financial situation to see how much you can afford.
No two sets of lender fees are alike, so it’s important to get loan estimates from multiple lenders before making a decision.
5. Research loan types
A fixed-rate mortgage isn’t right for every homebuyer. Neither is an adjustable-rate mortgage. If you plan to stay put in a home to raise a family, you might consider a 30-year loan.
Conversely, if you’re moving in 10 years or less, an adjustable-rate mortgage, or ARM, could better suit you. Interest rates on ARMs are fixed for the first several years of the loan and often start out lower than rates on 30-year fixed loans. There are also jumbo loans, which are typically used to purchase luxury homes.
6. Consider your lifestyle
When you purchase a home, you’re also investing in the community it surrounds. More importantly, your home becomes central to every other aspect of your life. As you shop for homes, consider your work commute, nearby schools and any extracurricular activities in which you and your family might participate.
7. Remember to budget
Your monthly mortgage payment won’t be the only expense you have as a homeowner. There’s also homeowners insurance, property taxes, maintenance costs and, more than likely, homeowners association fees, which is why it’s necessary to stick to a budget. Read, “How much mortgage can I afford?“
8. Consult a licensed, professional Real Estate Agent In Phoenix
Out of the top 10 mortgage tips in this article, probably the most important one is to consult with an experienced licensed Phoenix real estate agent. You may be wondering, what does consulting in a real estate agent have to do with a mortgage? An experienced agent has resources and knowledge in this arena, and, can be you’re biggest asset from beginning to end.
The homebuying process can be a challenging one, especially if you’re a first-time homebuyer, which is why it helps to have the assistance of qualified licensed professional. Ask questions of your lender and real estate agent.
9. Don’t forget the closing costs
Not only do you need a solid down payment for a home purchase, you’ll have to pay closing costs. The loan estimate you receive after applying for a mortgage gives you an idea of the “cash to close,” or the money you need to complete the transaction. There are some closing costs for which you can shop and save money and others that are fixed.
10. Beef up your savings account
It’s unwise to drain your savings to fund your down payment or closing costs and leave nothing in the account to cover emergencies. A useful rule of thumb is to stockpile 3 to 6 months worth of living expenses. This deters you from tapping credit cards or loans and amassing more debt.
If you’d like more tips, in addition to these top 10 mortgage tips, please call me, Laura Boyajian today on my cell at 602-400-0008, or, email me.