The National Association of REALTORS® reports in its 2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers that 12% of all buyers paid cash for their home.
Before paying cash for a home, a buyer should decide if they might put a loan on the home in the near future. It may affect the ability to deduct the interest on a mortgage placed on the home at a later date.
Homeowners can currently deduct the interest on up to $1 million of acquisition debt which are the borrowed funds used to buy, build or improve a home. Paying cash for a home establishes acquisition debt at zero. The only deductible interest to the owner would be home equity debt which is limited to $100,000 over acquisition debt.
Paying cash certainly seems like a simple decision but it may limit a homeowner’s ability to deduct interest on a future mortgage. You can get more information about this from IRS Publication 936 or from your tax professional.
Yogi Berra said he’d give his right arm to be ambidextrous. While most first-time home buyers are not going to that extreme, it is interesting to see what sacrifices are being made according to the National Association of REALTORS® 2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.
43% - cut spending on luxury or non-essential items
34% - cut spending on entertainment
27% - cut spending on clothes
14% - canceled vacation plans 9% - earned extra income through a second job
7% - sold or decided not to purchase a vehicle
44% - did not need to make any sacrifices
Forty-percent of first-time buyers experienced some difficulty during the mortgage application and approval process. Single, male buyers expressed a higher incidence of difficulty than single females and married or unmarried couples.
Pre-approval from a qualified mortgage lender before the home search process begins is still considered the best advice for all buyers who will purchase with a mortgage. Your real estate professional can make recommendations for a loan officer that could help you avoid unnecessary aggravations.
It’s not “if” the rate goes up but “when” the rate goes up; it could make a big difference for some buyers. Freddie Mac predicts that mortgage rates will be at 4.5% a year from now.
If buyers can afford a home with higher interest rates, it means higher payments. Higher payments might mean they won’t have the money to spend on other things like furniture or improvements to the home or an unrelated purchase like a new car.
When the rate moves 0.50% on a $250,000, the payment goes up by $70.66 a month. If it moves 1.00%, the payment goes up by $143.74 per month, each and every month for the entire term of the mortgage which means paying over $50,000 more for the house.
The question facing every borrower in this situation is “How will you feel about having to pay more to live in the same house because you were not ready to commit?”
Then, there’s the borrower who is absolutely maxed out as to what they can qualify for or sometimes, it is a borrower who just refuses to pay a higher payment. When that’s the case, the buyer has to make a larger down payment. In the same example, a 0.50% increase in rate would require $14,873 more in down payment. That could make the purchase impossible or require the buyer to buy a lesser price home that will not have the same amenities.
Mortgage rates have been low for so long that some people think that is what they should be. There are some economists who believe that the economy will not be strong again until mortgage rates are in the 7% range.
To see how this type of scenario might affect you, go to the If the Rate Goes Up calculator.
For the person who has good credit and income but not enough money for the down payment on a home, their qualified retirement program could offer them some help. The rules are different depending on whether it is a 401(k), a Roth IRA or a traditional IRA.
Up to half of the balance of a 401(k) or $50,000, whichever is less, can be borrowed by the owner at any age for any reason without tax or penalty assuming the employer permits it. There can be specific rules for loans from 401ks that would determine the repayment; interest is usually charged but goes back into the owner’s account. You can consult with your HR department to find out the specifics.
A risk in borrowing against a 401(k) comes if your employment ends before the loan has been repaid. The loan may have to be repaid wit
h as soon as 60 days to keep the loan from being considered a withdrawal and subject to tax and penalty. Even if you continue with the same employer, failure to repay the loan could be considered a withdrawal also.
Roth IRA owners can withdraw their contributions tax-free and penalty-free at any age for any reason because the contributions were made with post-tax income. After age 59 ½, earnings may be withdrawn as long as the Roth IRA have been in existence for at least five years.
Traditional IRAs have a provision for first-time buyers which include anyone who hasn’t owned a home in the previous two years. A person and their spouse, if married, can each withdrawn up to $10,000 from their traditional IRA for a first-time home purchase without incurring the 10% early-withdrawal pen
Another interesting fact about this provision is that the taxpayer making the withdrawal can help a relative includes children, grandchildren, parents and grandparents.alty. However, they will have to recognize the withdrawal as income in that tax year. For more information, go to IRS.gov.
If you want more information to clearly understand the issues involved relative to your specific situation, talk to your tax professional or consult www.IRS.gov.
94% of purchasers last year opted for a fixed-rate mortgage at some of the lowest rates in home buying history. Yet, some of them will pay more in interest than necessary based on the time they’ll own the home.
If a person only plans to be in the home a few years, the adjustable-rate can offer significant savings.
Not only is the interest rate on the adjustable-rate lower than the fixed in the initial period, amortization on a lower interest rate amortizes faster than a higher interest rate.
In the example shown below, a $200,000 mortgage for 30 years is compared using a 4.25% fixed-rate to a 3.25% 5/1 FHA adjustable rate. The first five years of the ARM generates a $113.47 a month savings which accumulates to $6,808.20. In addition, due to faster amortization on lower interest rate loans, the unpaid balance at the end of five years will be $3,001 lower on the ARM for a total savings of $9,801.
Assuming the adjustable-rate mortgage was to escalate the maximum allowed at each period, the breakeven would occur in 8 years and 6 months. If a person were to sell the home prior to this point, the ARM would provide a lower cost of housing for the homeowner.
For some people, the uncertainty of how the interest rate may change is not acceptable. On the other hand, for the risk tolerant individual who may be more confident in financial matters or who may know when they’ll be moving next, the ARM can be a smart choice.
With interest rates lower than they’ve been in over 40 years, it may be difficult to think of a “window of opportunity” closing. However, it isn’t difficult to understand that it may very probably cost more to live in a home in the near future due to rising interest rates and prices.
Zillow recently reported results from a nationwide study that home values are expected to appreciate by 4.5% through the end of the year. Coupled with Freddie Mac’s projection that rates are going up, the cost of housing for buyers by the end of the year will be higher than it is now.
While uncertainty of the future can stagnate some people, the fear of loss can be much more devastating when a person realizes that the amount they pay to live and enjoy a home could have been considerably lower had they acted when prices and mortgage rates were lower.
The following example considers a $250,000 purchase today with a FHA mortgage compared to what it might be at the end of the year with a higher price and interest rate as discussed earlier. The net effect is that it will cost $191.87 to live in the very same home based on the cost of waiting to buy.
To see what the cost might be for your price range, use this Cost of Waiting to Buy spreadsheet.
How much evidence is needed to make a decision to get out of the rent race and become a homeowner?
Compare your rent with a mortgage payment on a similar size property. If you want a larger home than your current one, use the rent that property would require instead of what you're currently paying. If it's considerably cheaper, you may not need any further encouragement.
By the time you consider the principal reduction, appreciation and tax savings, your monthly cost of housing could be much less than the rent you're paying.
The principal reduction included in each payment is like a forced savings account that increases as your mortgage balance decreases. Your equity in the property will also grow due to appreciation. The equity is part of your net worth and an investment in your family's future.
The income tax savings can be an additional financial consideration if the combined interest and property taxes exceed the allowable standard deduction.
Trends are showing that both tenants and homeowners are staying in their homes longer. It's been said that whether you rent or own, you're paying for the home. Do you really want to buy the home for your landlord? Check out your numbers on a Rent vs. Own.
As the market shifts from a buyer's market, it's good to know how to improve your chances to have the seller accept your offer.
Once you decide on a home, don't waste time; write an offer and submit it as soon as possible. Competing with another buyer happens more frequently than you'd expect. Multiple offers are a seller's advantage but here are some tips to level the playing field:
Realistic offer - don't give the impression you're trying to "steal" the property. Submit comparable sales that justify your offer.
Pre-approval letter - this satisfies seller's biggest concern that an unqualified buyer will unnecessarily take the home off the market and the seller will lose other opportunities.
More earnest money - it shows you're serious and makes the seller feel like the contract will actually close.
Minimize contingencies - from a seller's standpoint, each contingency is one more reason why the sale won't go through. They feel the home is "off the market" and they're in limbo.
Shorten inspection period - your agent can help you set a reasonable date but let the seller know you're willing to close prior to that if possible.
Write a personal letter to the seller telling them why you want their home - this can be the emotional connection to the seller that makes the difference in you getting the home.
A seller wants to feel confident that the offer they accept will actually close so they can plan for their next move. Following tips like these can definitely affect negotiations and help put together an offer that is more likely to be accepted.
Home prices have come down 20, 30, 40% or more in the last three years and mortgage rates are lower than they've been in 50 years and you still haven't bought a home. Really?
Housing affordability is over 180, an all-time high when 100 is considered good and you're still renting. Really? Are you waiting for it to get to 200? Do you think prices and rates are going to get lower? Really?
You know it's costing you more every month to rent than to own. Tax savings, appreciation and principal reduction lower the monthly cost of housing and yet you'd rather let your landlord benefit...Really? Have you heard that the average homeowner has 41 times greater net worth than a renter? Do you think it's a coincidence? Really?
And have you heard that most people want a place of their own; a place to raise their family; to share with their friends; to feel safe and secure. So, you'd rather go home after working hard all day to your landlord's home. You'd prefer to invite some friends over to your landlord's home for dinner next weekend. Really?
You haven't checked out whether you can actually take advantage of the best buyer's market ever. You haven't invested thirty minutes to find out the facts as they apply to you and your situation. Really? You're basing a decision on national news, chat rooms and Facebook. Really?
Every market is different. Every buyer is unique. If you want a home; if you have a down payment; if you have good credit, you owe it to yourself and your family to explore the possibilities...but with a real estate professional; someone who can really show you the reasons and really give you options.
Once you step inside this beautiful home, you'll immediatly want to call it home. What's not to love about it. It is gorgeous inside and out, and an amazing location as well. Take a look for yourself....
Welcome home to 589 Mustang Dr. located in beautiful Walton, Kentucky. This immaculate home features four spacious bedrooms, three full bathrooms, one half bath, a formal dining room, a gourmet chef's kitchen, a partially finished lower level, a large first floor laundry, and much, much more.
Walk-in to stunning hardwood floors with a marble inlay. The rich hardwood floors continue on into the formal dining room where stunning tray ceilings, a lovely chandelier, columns, chair rail and crown molding are sure to impress those over for those wonderful home cooked dinner parties. Located just off the dining area sits the kitchen which is definitely sure to please the chef in your family. The kitchen boasts granite counter-tops, 42 inch Maple cabinets, a walk-in pantry, an extra deep sink, and center island with additional storage and electric. Appliances included with the kitchen are the gas oven, dishwasher, garbage disposal and the refrigerator. Entertain in style in the amazing living room complete with gas, stone fireplace - perfect for those chilly months out of the year. You'll also enjoy the all season sun-room with it's double walkout to the fantastic deck and backyard. The sun-room also features soaring cathedral ceilings and ceramic tile.
After a long day, you'll enjoy relaxing in the unbelievable master suite that is fit for royalty. This bedroom is located on the second floor and includes an adjoining full bathroom, spacious walk-in closet and plush wall to wall carpeting. You'll enjoy soaking the days worries away in the awesome jetted bathtub. A large walk-in separate shower, private restroom and double vanity sinks round out the master bath. Three additional guest bedrooms are also located on the second floor and share a full bathroom with shower/tub combination.
This home is located on a cul-de-sac street and sits on an amazing wooded lot loaded with professional landscaping and mature shade trees. You'll also enjoy the incredible Trex Deck that is stain resistant and has limited up-keep. For those extra sunny days, use your remote and bring out the Sunsetter Awning to keep cool. The deck is the prefect spot to relax as you enjoy your favorite drink and listen to the birds sing. Entertain family and friends underneath in the outdoor living area. This expansive area is super private and features a ceiling fan and superb views of the backyard.
Loaded with upgrades this home sits in the Boone County Public School system and is super convenient to shopping, places of worship, the expressway, the Boone County Public Library, area attractions, restaurants and much more. It includes a fenced backyard, ceiling fans, recessed lighting, a security system window treatments and much more. For your private tour of this simply stunning home, contact The Mike Parker Team/HUFF Realty today. 859-647-0700
Housing affordability is over 180, an all-time high when 100 is considered good and you're still renting. Really? Are you waiting for it to get to 200? Do you think prices and rates are going to get lower? Really?
