Careful…Don’t Get Caught in the Rental Trap. There are many benefits to homeownership. One of the top benefits is being able to protect yourself from rising rents by locking in your housing cost for the life of your mortgage.
Don’t Become Trapped
Jonathan Smoke, Chief Economist at realtor.com, reported on what he calls a “Rental Affordability Crisis.” He warns that,
“Low rental vacancies and a lack of new rental construction are pushing up rents, and we expect that they’ll outpace home price appreciation in the year ahead.”
In the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University’s 2016 State of the Nation’s Housing Report, they revealed that “The number of cost-burdened households rose to 21.3 million. Even more troubling, the number with severe burdens (paying more than 50% of income for housing) jumped to a record 11.4 million.” These households struggle to save for a rainy day and pay other bills, such as food and healthcare.
It’s Cheaper to Buy Than Rent
In Smoke’s article, he went on to say,
“Housing is central to the health and well-being of our country and our local communities. In addition, this (rental affordability) crisis threatens the future value of owned housing, as the burdensome level of rents will trap more aspiring owners into a vicious financial cycle in which they cannot save and build a solid credit record to eventually buy a home.” “While more than 85% of markets have burdensome rents today, it’s perplexing that in more than 75% of the counties across the country, it is actually cheaper to buy than rent a home. So why aren’t those unhappy renters choosing to buy?”
Know Your Options
Perhaps you have already saved enough to buy your first home. HousingWire reported that analysts at Nomura believe:
“It’s not that Millennials and other potential homebuyers aren’t qualified in terms of their credit scores or in how much they have saved for their down payment. It’s that they think they’re not qualified or they think that they don’t have a big enough down payment.” (emphasis added)
Many first-time homebuyers who believe that they need a large down payment may be holding themselves back from their dream home. As we have reported before, in many areas of the country, a first-time home buyer can save for a 3% down payment in less than two years. You may have already saved enough!
Bottom Line
Don’t get caught in the trap so many renters are currently in. If you are ready and willing to buy a home, find out if you are able. Let’s get together to determine if you can qualify for a mortgage now!
How Natural Disasters and Low Inventory Impact Selling Your Home Today
That headline might be a little aggressive; however, as August 2017’s housing market data begins to roll in, we can definitely say one thing: If you are considering selling, IT IS TIME TO LIST YOUR HOME TODAY!
Net Worth of US Homeowners is 44 Times Greater than Renters
As we’ve said before, simply put, homeownership is a form of ‘forced savings.’ Every time you pay your mortgage, you are contributing to your net worth by increasing the equity in your home.
5 Steps to the Home Mortgage Process
Take advantage of the knowledge of your local REALTORS® professional network to determine how much you can afford.
Two Tips to Get the Most Money From the Sale of Your Home
Every homeowner wants to make sure they maximize their financial reward when selling their home. But how do you guarantee that you receive maximum value for your house? Here are two keys to ensure that you get the highest price possible.
These Homes Have Gained The Most Value
It is important to pay attention to how prices are changing in your local market. The location of your home is not the only factor in determining how much it has appreciated over the course of the last year.
Freedom and Control Are Top Reasons Millennials Choose To Buy
Many millennials who rent a home or apartment prior to buying their own homes. They dream of the day that they will be able to paint the walls whatever color they’d like. And, of course, renovate an outdated part of their living space.
Millennials Say Homeownership is A Reflection of Hard Work
Despite some claims that homeownership’s importance to the American Dream is in decline, the report found that the dream of homeownership remains strong.
14,904 Homes Sold Yesterday… Did Yours?
There are some homeowners who are patiently waiting to get the price they hoped for when they originally listed their houses for sale.
Top 5 A+ Reasons to Hire a REALTOR
Hiring a real estate professional to buy your dream home, or sell your current house, is one of the most ‘educated’ decisions you can make!
Empty Nesters: Is It Better to Remodel or Time to Sell?
Your children have finally moved out and you and your spouse now live alone in a four-bedroom colonial (or a similar type of house). You have two choices to make:
Number of Buyers Putting Down Less Than 10% Hits 7-Year High
According to Black Knight Financial Service’s Mortgage Monitor Report, 1.5 million Americans have purchased a home with down payments under than 10% over the last 12 months.
Did You Know… 52% of Approved Loans Have A Credit Score Under 750?
The results of countless studies have shown that potential home buyers. Even current homeowners, have an inflated view of what is really required to qualify for a mortgage in today’s market.
Study: For Sale By Owners Don’t Save Real Estate Commission
One of the main reasons why For Sale By Owners (FSBOs) don’t use a real estate agent is because they believe they will save the commission an agent charges for getting their house on the market and selling it.
Why Is It Important To Use A REALTOR To sell Your Home?
When a homeowner decides to sell their house, they obviously want the best possible price for it with the least amount of hassles along the way. However, for the vast majority of sellers, the most important result is actually getting their homes sold.
California Homes Are Selling Quicker vs Nationwide Sales
Buyer demand is increasing as the inventory of homes available for sale remains low. If you are thinking about listing your home for sale this year, let’s meet up so I can help you take advantage of current market conditions!
Homeowner’s Net Worth Is Still Greater Than a Renter’s
Every three years, the Federal Reserve conducts their Survey of Consumer Finances in which they collect data across all economic and social groups
What State Gives You the Most ‘Bang for Your Buck’? [INFOGRAPHIC]
The majority of states in the Midwest and South offer a lower cost of living compared to Northeast and Western states.
Hey, Millennial Homeowners!! It May Be Time to Sell
Millennials are not the ‘renter’ generation. Millennials purchased a larger percentage (34%) of homes in the U.S.