Caruso's 12 Days of Christmas ~ Day 8

On the 8th Day of Christmas Caruso Gave to me – 8 Questions to Ask Yourself before Buying a House!

Is it time to buy a home? The right of home ownership is an integral part of the American dream but thankfully, does not have to remain merely a dream. Like most dreams, desire is important and is the first ingredient. If you have the desire to own a home, you have already satisfied the most important step to home ownership.

Because your home is a financial asset, the desire for equity appreciation over time is certainly part of the dream. Besides gaining equity during some real estate cycles, pride of home ownership and financial security result from buying a house. Home ownership dates back to early American heritage. Our constitution providing freedom for home ownership strengthens our country and makes us proud.

Try to set aside the discomfort of applying for a mortgage since your home purchase is most likely based on obtaining financing. Let’s figure out if buying a house is right for you by reviewing some basic items.

#1 How much money you make is first on the list. Income should be consistent and dependable. A steady income refers to your income’s consistency. The more consistent your income the better! The reliability of your income mostly refers to its predictability. What is the likelihood of your income continuing into the future?

#2 We all understand that your job supplies the money. So the second question to determining if you are prepared to buy a home is related to job history. You’ll move quickly past the employment issue if you have been in the same line of work for over two years.

#3 How you handle debt is extremely important to your financial health and is the third question to address if you are preparing to buy a home. Paying your bills before they are late will get you further toward your goal of home loan approval than anything else. Make a conscious decision today to begin paying your obligations timely. Going past the due dates of your bills damages your credit rating but you can alter this behavior today.

#4 The amount of money owed is the fourth consideration for home buyers. Bluntly expressed, are you over your head in credit card debt? Some people have large car payments plus high balances on credit cards. Other debts may include boat and recreation vehicles, installment payments for jewelry, furniture, and other items. Credit is easy to get but when qualifying to buy a house the volume of debt can obstruct your ability to get the house you dream about.

#5 In addition to examining your total debt; are you saving for a down payment? For those who have saved for the cost of buying a home including a down payment, they are a step ahead. It is never too late to begin a gradual savings plan toward a buying a house.

#6 Does the cost of owning a home compared with renting make sense to you? You should be able to determine the differences between owning your own home to renting a home. If you don’t understand the difference, we need to start from the beginning again.



#7 Does owning your first home excite you or lead you to stress? Of course finding the perfect home for you is going to be stressful. However if the price of buying a new home is taking over and causing you anxiety & you’re losing sleep, maybe it is not time to buy a house. You want to be make sure you are in the right frame of mind when looking to buy a home because you don’t want to do something you will regret in the end.



#8. Can you afford to make monthly payments plus the additional cost related to owning a home? Owning a home also includes expenses such as liability and fire insurance, real estate taxes, roofs, furnaces and water heaters.



Don’t allow doubt to extinguish your hopes of home ownership by taking the next step. Now is the best time to contact a home loan lender and begin the application process. Understanding your options will increase your opportunity of home ownership. A reputable and experienced mortgage lender can help you zero in on the most important issues that you may need to address.



And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900