Are you tired of rentals, roommates, and landlords? It’s time for you to take advantage of low

mortgage rates and became a first-time homebuyer!! Below are 5 easy steps to consider before

buying a home:

 

1. Study your local Real Estate market.

Do a quick search of properties in your city & analyze many factors of the homes that impact the

listing price; such as neighborhood, size of the house, upgrades, and recent comparable homes sold

in the last 90 days. Apps such as Realtor, Zillow, & Trulia may be useful to buyers starting the search

process.

 

2. How much will my mortgage be?

As do many first-time homebuyers, you may already know how much you can afford to spend before

the mortgage lender tells you how much you qualify for. By using a mortgage calculator, such as

Zillow’s or Bankrate’s, you can get a more precise idea of what your monthly mortgage payments

would be if you bought today. These calculators often include other costs that come with owning a

home; such as property taxes, home insurance, mortgage insurance, and in some cases - home

owner’s association.

 

3. How much does it cost to buy a house? (Down Payment & Closing

Costs)

The days of zero down are over. If you are a veteran, you can get a VA loan with no money down,

but everyone else will need some money to put down. An FHA loan requires 3.5 percent down, and

a conventional mortgage is going to need at least a 5 percent down payment. While many buyers

are aware of the down payment requirement, others overlook the closings costs. These closing costs

include origination fees charged by the lender, title and settlement fees through Escrow, taxes and

prepaid items like homeowner’s insurance or mortgage insurance. According to the Federal

Reserve's Consumer Guide, closings costs are between 1.75 – 2 percent of the loan balance. For

examples, a $350,000 home with would require a $12,250 (FHA) down payment & an estimated

$6,000 in closing costs.

 

4. I have the money but not great credit – can I still buy?

Lending institutions have implemented tighter guidelines and therefore, credit is very important for

the first-time home buyer. An FHA loan allows a lower credit score, sometimes as low as 580 while

other conventional loans will require a mid 600’s score. You will get a better rate with a higher score

also. Blemished credit or the inability to make a substantial down payment can put your

homeownership plans on hold. It’s important to look at your creditworthiness early in the homebuying

process & know where you stand.

 

5. Where do I get started?

If the numbers make sense for you the next step would be to find a reputable Realtor & lender in

your area. Lenders will ask for pay stubs, bank account statements, W-2s, tax returns for the past

two years; it may seem like a lot, but in this age of tight credit, don't be surprised if your lender wants

a lot of documentation

Often times a buyer qualifies for more than expected – but why put yourself in a tough

position to make the monthly payment. Aside from a lender giving you a qualification Fannie

Mae recommends that buyers spend no more than 28 percent of their income on housing.

Push past 30 percent and you risk becoming house-poor.

"DTI" refers to "debt-to-income" ratio. This is the amount of debt, including your proposed

new mortgage payment, in relation to your income. This is usually going to need to be under

40 percent, with some exceptions. If you have a lot of debt, you will probably need to pay some

things down before you apply for a mortgage.

Debt ratios - The FHA sets debt ratio limits for all borrowers to ensure they do not overstretch

their financial commitments. Your debt ratio shows what percentage of your income you

spend on fixed expenses, such as car loans, credit cards and mortgages. The FHA's guidelines

set the maximum debt ratio to qualify for a loan at 41 percent. That is, if you make $1,000,

your fixed expenses cannot exceed $410 (including your FHA mortgage) to qualify.