DOWN PAYMENT DILEMMA

HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH TO PUT DOWN ON A HOME?

You'd be a homeowner right now if it weren't for one thing: the down payment. Right? Even for those who have decent credit and make good money, the down payment is often the great homeownership killer.

For many others, who do have enough money set aside to make a substantial down payment, the question is: how much? Conventional wisdom—not to mention most of the banks and a good portion of homebuying and financial experts—will tell you that 20 percent is the standard bearer when it comes to down payments. But is it really necessary to put 20 percent down?

The short answer is: no.

Now for the long answer.

"Raising a 20 percent down payment isn't an easy thing to do. Fortunately, you don't have to. "It's a myth that all homebuyers must have a 20 percent down payment to buy a home," says Nancy Herrera-Siples, a Riverside, Calif., branch manager at Primary Residential Mortgage on U.S. News. "So why do you constantly hear that you need to put 20 percent down? Because if you don't, it usually means you'll have to shell out money for either private mortgage insurance or government insurance, which is usually financed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA)."

And there's another rub for those who are already struggling to come up with the minimum down payment: that extra couple of hundred dollars per month feels like a penalty. It's not, of course—"Mortgage insurance protects the lender in case you can't make your payments and the house is foreclosed on," said U.S. News—but that money can make a significant difference for those who are stretching to buy a home.

Still, when your only option to buy is a low down payment, which can mean an FHA loan or one of the new low down payment loans from Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae—"At the end of 2014, the two government-backed companies announced plans to slash down payments from 5% to 3%," said CNN—PMI might literally be a small price to pay. Especially if swelling rents are making homeownership look more and more promising. Remember that PMI does go away eventually when your loan balance is 80 percent or less of the home's value. If you're in an area where homes are rising in value, this could happen sooner than you think.

Still confused about the ins and outs of down payments? Here are a few reasons to go high…or low.

When to make a substantial down payment

• When you're looking to keep your monthly payment as low as possible and have cash to spare
• When you just can't fathom paying PMI
• When your goal is to buy a forever home and own it free and clear
• When you are approaching retirement age and can envision a reverse mortgage sometime down the line
• When you want to buy your house and pay it off as quickly as possible
• When the rate is lower with a higher down payment. "The more you put down, the better position you are in for negotiating a lower interest rate with your lender," said Credit.com. Plus, a "low down payment might affect other loan features, such as…the points, which are upfront interest charges," said Banking My Way.
• If you're worried about being under water. If the market should drop in your area, you run the risk of owing more than your home is worth.

When to go low

• When you don't have the funds for a higher down payment and can't earn or borrow them quickly enough
• When the rate on your FHA or Fannie or Freddie loan is comparable to that you'd get with a higher down payment
• When you need to escape a high-rent situation and the monthly payment on a house is lower than what you're currently paying, even with the PMI factored in
• When you're confident your home will appreciate quickly, allowing you to refinance and get rid of PMI quickly
• When your investments can't be touched without a penalty or are returning better than the interest rate you'll get on your home
• If you have something better to do with the money. "If you bought a $400,000 home, 5% down would be $20,000, while 20% down would be $80,000—a whopping difference. An immediate need such as a college tuition payment would make the smaller down payment more appealing," said Banking My Way.
• When you feel more secure setting money aside for emergencies instead of tying it all up in your house.

Shared from:  http://realtytimes.com/consumeradvice/buyersadvice1/item/38415-20150917-down-payment-dilemma-how-do-you-know-how-much-to-put-down-on-a-home

How to Achieve Financial Freedom

1.  Develop a long-term plan. You need clear goals to keep you on track in order to be successful.

On a piece of paper or computer document, make a list of each goal that you want to reach in order to be successful. Some examples are to pay off your credit cards, save money for a down payment for a house, or retire at a certain age.
List a desired target date for reaching each goal

2.  Make a budget. A budget is your playbook for how to spend your money. You need it to keep your spending within reason and help you to ensure that you have enough money to cover your current needs as well as to save for your long-term goals.

3.  Resolve to live debt-free. If you are currently in debt, plan your budget so that you can get out of debt more quickly by making extra payments. If you are not in debt, continue to live that way by putting off your purchases until you have saved enough to cover them.

4.  Reduce your expenses. Cutting spending by even a small amount on a regular basis will make a big difference in the long run. Live frugally by learning to recognize the difference between want and need.

5.  Increase your income. It is wise to have more than one source of income, both to increase your savings more quickly and as insurance in the event that you lose your job. There are a number of ways to supplement your income, from working a part-time job to developing streams of passive income.

6.  Invest your money. Your money will grow much faster if you invest it rather than leaving it in a savings account. The increase in value will enable you to reach your goal of financial independence much more quickly.

Tips:

Always include an extra cushion in your budget for emergency and unplanned expenses.

Achieving financial freedom is much easier if you start at a young age. That is because your savings have more time to grow.

If you are married, make sure that your spouse is in agreement with you on financial matters.

Warning:

The two areas where most people fail to meet their financial goals are: not making a plan and not controlling impulsive spending.

Reposted:  http://www.wikihow.com/Achieve-Financial-Freedom

7 Things to Always Do Before Buying a Home

There's no better time to clean up your credit score or kick your credit card habits.

Maybe you’ve decided to take the plunge and buy your first home, or you’re already a homeowner and are ready to move into a new place. Whatever reason prompted the move, here are seven things you need to do before buying a home.

1. Clean up your credit score. Your credit score will be reviewed by lenders, and it plays an important role in determining how much house you can buy. If you know you won’t be moving into a new house for at least six to eight months, you have plenty of time to do some legwork to clean up your credit. Order your free credit report from Equifax, TransUnion or Experian, and make sure it is free of any mistakes. If you do find an error, contact creditors to make sure everything is up-to-date, and have them send corrections to the credit bureaus as soon as possible.

2. Kick the credit card habit. Another step to cleaning up your credit history? Make sure you aren’t buried under credit card debt. Take steps to stop credit card spending, and consider using a balance-transfer credit card to reduce your debt load faster. Improving your credit will give your credit score a boost, and that will make you more attractive to lenders. A bonus? Kicking the credit card habit can help you get a handle on your finances so making mortgage payments isn’t overwhelming.

3. Hash out monthly payments. If credit card and loan payments make up a big percentage of your monthly payments, you may reduce your chances of getting an attractive mortgage loan offer. Taking steps to lower monthly payments can put you in a better financial position for a mortgage and also reduce some of the stress of making that mortgage payment each month.

4. Define exactly what you want. Your home is one of the biggest purchases you will ever make, and you need to have a clear idea of exactly what you are looking for before you begin the search. While you should get preapproved early in the process, don’t wait for the preapproval offer to narrow down the search. You need to determine what the non-negotiables are for your future home and what you are willing to compromise on. Take the time to list what features, floor plans and style of home you are most interested in; what type of neighborhood you want to live in; and other key details. A comprehensive list of wants and must-haves can make it easier to shop for a home and compare different properties during the search.

5. Get preapproved. It’s exciting to start the homebuying process by visiting open houses, but it’s a good idea to have a preapproval letter in your pocket before you set foot in your dream home. Your preapproval letter will tell you how much you can really afford and make it easier to narrow down your search. Having that preapproval letter will also give you some negotiating power when you start working with sellers – you’ll have a greater chance of having an offer accepted when you have a letter stating that you are in a financial position to buy the home.

6. Commit to a savings plan. When you start thinking about moving, take the time to reorganize your budget and put together a savings plan for the down payment, closing costs and moving costs. Putting yourself in a position to make a larger down payment can save you money on mortgage payments in the long run and make you more attractive to the lender. Also, if you’re a first-time homebuyer, don’t overlook down payment assistance programs, if they exist in your area.

7. Set your own budget parameters. Even though you may be preapproved for a certain amount, there’s no rule that says you can’t set your own budget that’s less than your preapproval amount. Doing so can give you more confidence with your finances and may free up more money for discretionary expenses. Whether you want to have more money to travel or prefer to live with a higher disposable income, adjust your budget limits to suit your lifestyle.

Reposted from:  http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2014/06/25/7-things-to-always-do-before-buying-a-home