Mid-2022 is probably the worst time to buy a home. Median home prices hit an all-time high of $440,000 in July, and mortgage rates are at 5.5%, almost double what they were last year.
While buying a home now may seem a terrible idea, there are ways to bag yourself a good deal. So, these are some tactics you can employ to ensure your purchase doesn’t become a financial nightmare.
1. Do Your Research
Before looking for a home, you must understand the market to know what’s within your budget. Sure, most home prices have skyrocketed over the past few months, but there are some places where it’s coming down.
For instance, according to Redfin, Salt Lake City, Boise, and Denver all witnessed at least 50% cuts in asking prices. Seven more cities, including Tampa and Sacramento, saw asking prices slashed by more than 44%.
So yes, you can still bag yourself a deal in the current environment, as long as you are willing to do the legwork and compromise on the places you wish to live in.
2. Build Your Credit History
It helps to build your credit history if you’re a first-time homebuyer. A poor credit score makes qualifying for a mortgage loan challenging or attracts high premium rates because financial institutions will view you as a risk.
If you have little or no credit history, you may need to take steps to build up your score. Here are some tips for doing so:
Pay all your bills in full and on time: Even if you don’t have any credit cards or loans yet, you should make sure that any bills you pay regularly (such as rent or utilities) are paid on time and in full. It will help establish your payment history and show lenders that you’re reliable with money.
Don’t open too many credit cards at once: If you decide to apply for a credit card, make sure that you only use one at a time so that it doesn’t hurt your credit score too much if the application gets denied (or approved but with a low limit).
Minimize utilization rate: Your balance-to-limit ratio (utilization rate) is just as important as payment history. It refers to the total balances racked up on all your credit cards divided by the total credit limit of all the credit cards. Aim to keep this figure below 30%.
3. Make A Sizeable Down Payment
Making a sizable down payment toward buying your home is vital. The down payment is typically between 3% and 20% of the home’s purchase price.
You want to make a large down payment because it will lower your monthly mortgage payments, saving money in the long run. Additionally, making a large down payment means avoiding paying private mortgage insurance (PMI).
PMI is an additional fee that many lenders require as part of their mortgage loan package. It protects them if you default on your loan—but it can add hundreds or even thousands of dollars to your monthly mortgage payment.
You can avoid PMI by paying more than 20% of the home’s purchase price as a down payment. Alternatively, you can avoid a down payment by getting a piggyback or 80-10-10 loan, which covers 10% of the deposit while you deposit the other 10% from your savings.
4. Get Pre-Approved For A Mortgage
When you’re a first-time homebuyer, getting pre-approved for a mortgage is one of the most important steps to ensure you find the right home.
Getting pre-approved means that a lender has reviewed your finances and determined that you can afford a home at a certain price range. Your agent will know how much house you can afford, so they don’t waste time showing you homes that are beyond your means.
5. Try Out For First-Time Home Buyer Grants And Programs
First-time homebuyers have several financial assistance programs that will soften the sting of the hefty payments needed to purchase a home.
A first-time homebuyer’s grant refers to financial assistance you may receive to purchase your first home. It typically covers a percentage of the down payment and closing costs. Since it’s a grant, you may not have to repay the amount. Examples include:
Downpayment Toward Equity Act
Good Neighbor Next Door program
Bank of America’s Home Grant
Chase Bank Homebuyer Grant
On the other hand, first-time home buyer programs usually come from federal, local, or state governments and take the form of tax credits, forgivable mortgages and closing costs, and down payment assistance.
You may qualify for the Housing Choice Voucher if you face financial challenges due to a low income and receive minimum earnings as stipulated by your local public housing authority. A clever way to use the voucher is to fund a rent-to-own program.
Similarly, you can apply for an FHA loan. These are Federal Housing Administration-insured loans made by private lenders, usually featuring zero-interest loans and deferred payment loans. Moreover, they typically have lower down payments and require lower credit scores than most other mortgage loans.
6. Use A Mortgage Broker And Agent
It pays to consult a mortgage broker in such a tight financial environment. They know the ins and outs of the mortgage industry, so they can find you a mortgage with lower fees, great rates, and financial perks and help you overcome borrowing challenges.
Similarly, procure the services of a real estate agent. Using an agent is one of the best ways to ensure a smooth process and a successful outcome. No wonder 87% of homebuyers used an agent in their home purchase.
Real estate agents or brokers know the market and can help you find your dream home at your price range. Ensure that the agent knows your unique needs so they can find the ideal property that fits your lifestyle.
7. Consider Variable-Rate Mortgage
A variable-rate mortgage can be a good choice at this point. You don’t want to go for a fixed-rate mortgage with fixed interest rate monthly payments throughout its lifespan, as the current mortgage rates are very high.
An adjustable-rate mortgage will have fluctuating mortgage rate payments, so you will pay lower fees when the interest rate is eventually lower. Further, an adjustable rate payment allows you to make higher monthly mortgage payments without penalty. That means there’s a chance you might pay much less than a fixed rate arrangement.
Additionally, variable-rate mortgages typically have lower initial interest rates than fixed-rate mortgages, which means they’re cheaper upfront. That could buy you some time until the interest rates finally dip.
Finally, you could refinance the variable-rate mortgage and exchange it with a fixed-rate mortgage when the interest rates eventually drop to reasonable levels and it makes financial sense to do so.
Final Word
Many potential first-time home buyers are postponing the purchase because of the hostile economic environment that has rendered homebuying virtually impossible.
Home prices have reached historical highs, and mortgage rates are double what they used to be in January 2022, with more hikes in the pipeline as the Fed is threatening more interest rate hikes.
If you must buy a home, try looking for one in states that have lowered their asking prices, utilize a mortgage broker and real estate agent to find deals for houses and mortgage rates, and build your credit history to score favorable loan terms.
Similarly, consider a variable-rate mortgage, make a sizable mortgage down payment to reduce your monthly mortgage payments, and try to secure a first-time home buyer grant or similar program.