- How much can I afford? The 43% Rule
- Submitting an Offer
- After The Offer is Accepted.
How much can I afford?
Writing and submitting an Offer
Purchasing and moving into a new home is an exciting process, but especially so with your team of mortgage professionals from Kris J. Cain Real Estate assisting and supporting you every step of the way! Here we have provided you with an overview of the process, and some tips that will make the dream of home ownership easier for you.
The health of your financial situation will determine whether or not a lender will grant you a mortgage. One of the most important steps you can take towards the ultimate dream of home ownership is to review your personal finances and make any necessary changes and improvements. This will significantly help the home buying process run more smoothly.
Reduce your debt. A lender typically wants your total debt to be no more than about 38% of your income. This is your debt-to-income ratio, or DTI. For example, if your monthly income is $5,000, then a lender will calculate that your total monthly debt can be $1,900. But if you already have monthly debts equaling $1,500, then you will only have $400 left for a new mortgage payment. Remedy this by paying down your debt as much as possible, which will increase your borrowing power. Always begin with paying down your highest interest debt first, such as high interest rate credit cards. Then pay down your lower interest debt
Now that you’ve determined what you can afford and your finances are in order, the next step is to arrange financing. Getting prequalified lets you know how much house you can afford. It also can give you a big advantage at different stages of your house hunt, from helping you prepare your budget and set your expectations, to strengthening your negotiating position with the seller when you’re making an offer on a home. Here are the Pre-Qualification steps:
Finding the right real estate agent to help you through the search and purchase process is important. A good agent will provide you a professional market analysis to show how much a given house is really worth and help you avoid paying too much for a house. They will help you negotiate the price, and also guide you through the contract and purchase process.
When looking, don’t forget to consider location – think about the kind of neighborhood you want, the quality of the schools in the area, the length of your commute, and the availability of local conveniences and amenities, and the home values in the area.
Be sure to make a list of the things you will want to have in your new home. Determine how many bedrooms and bathrooms you need, and how much overall space you desire. How big does the kitchen need to be? How many closets or how big a garage? Will you need a big yard for your kids and/or pets?
With one of our agents, you are ready to find the best home for you!