Historically, summer is the time when most people are looking to buy and sell real estate. As you may have heard, there was an unexpected and significant drop in rates this summer, which was a real gift to home buyers looking to purchase the homes of their dreams.
Did you buy a home this summer? If you didn’t, that doesn’t mean that you missed your best chance at purchasing a great home through an affordable mortgage. Not by a long shot!
Time and again, our Homebridge Mortgage Loan Originators meet with borrowers who think they want to purchase a home during the summer, only to realize that they’re not quite ready for a variety of reasons. This causes the buyers to miss out on some great opportunities.
While many home buyers hibernate during the fall and winter months, now is actually a great time to start looking at homes, IF you are financially and mentally prepared.
Don’t let your dreams of buying a home hibernate this winter. Instead, take these tips into consideration so when the time is right for you to buy, you can move quickly in securing the home of your dreams.
- Start Saving Now: While some FHA and VA loans require very little or even no money down, the purchase of a home comes with added responsibilities in terms of maintenance that renting simply does not. Even the most comprehensive inspection won’t catch everything, so start saving as soon as possible for the times when a pipe may burst unexpectedly or your refrigerator goes on the fritz.
- Check Your Credit Report: We can’t state this enough. Better credit scores typically lead to better interest rates on your mortgage, so it’s important to make sure your score is accurate and as good as it can be. Any reputable lender will check your credit history and all too often we see that potential buyers have unknowingly become the victim of identity theft or credit errors. ID theft and credit report errors can cause delays in the mortgage process and potentially allow the home of your dreams to fall into someone else’s hands.
- Make A Wish List:
- It’s very hard to have it all when it comes to buying a home. This is most likely the most expensive purchase you’ll ever make and you may have to choose certain features over others. Ask yourself what is important to you in terms of features and location, versus what would be nice to have, and then write them down on paper to review during your search.
- Explore Your Options: Not all mortgages are created equal. As noted above, some loans require very little in terms of a down payment. There is also a specific group of home mortgages, known as renovation mortgages or “fixer-upper loans”, that can be used for a wide variety of upgrades and improvements, including room additions, creating an open floor plan, building a pool or creating a “man cave” to watch the games on Sunday.
- Get Pre-Approved: There’s a good chance that the home of your dreams is also in the dreams of another buyer. Sellers typically want to sell sooner than later and the buyers that are pre-approved by a mortgage lender can move quicker than those who are not.
If you’re interested in speaking with a Homebridge mortgage professional, you can find a list of our offices nationwide by clicking here.