(Part 2) Eight Steps To Follow When Buying A Home!

6. Open an escrow account.

Once you and the seller have agreed on a price through your consultant, you’ll open an escrow account. What this does is put a “good faith deposit” in a third party’s hands, to demonstrate that you’re serious about buying this home. Many buyers offer five to 10% of the selling price of the home.

7. Have an inspection.

The home inspection is to protect you from buying a home that may have serious hidden structural problems or defects.

8. Sign the final documents, get the key and move into your new home.

Finally! The home has been inspected, you’ve cleared the title to the property, and you’ve “closed” on the deal. All you have to do now is move in. Don’t forget to put out the welcome mat!

Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Buy A Car Right Before You Buy A House...

When an individual’s income starts growing and they manage to set aside some savings, they commonly experience what may be considered an innate instinct of modern civilized mankind.

The desire to spend money.

Since North Americans have a special love affair with the automobile, this becomes a high-priority item on the shopping list. Later, other things will be added and one of those will probably be a house. However, by the time home ownership has become more than a distant and hopeful dream, you may have already bought the car.

It happens all the time, sometimes just before you contact a Lender to get pre-qualified for a mortgage.

As part of the interview, you may tell the loan officer your price target. He will ask about your income, your savings and your debts, then give you his opinion. “If only you didn’t have this car payment,” he might begin, “you would certainly qualify for a home loan to buy that house.”
You see, when determining your ability to qualify for a mortgage, a Lender looks at what’s called your “debt-to-income” ratio.

What are debt-to-income ratios?

A debt-to-income ratio is the percentage of your gross monthly income (before taxes) that you spend on debt. This will include your monthly housing costs – including principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and homeowner’s association fees, if any. It will also include your monthly consumer debt, including credit cards, student loans, installment debt, and….
CAR PAYMENTS!

How a New Car Payment Reduces Your Purchase Price

Suppose you earn $5,000 a month and you have a car payment of $400. At current interest rates (approximately 8% on a 30-year fixed-rate loan), you would qualify for approximately $55,000 less than if you did not have the car payment. Even if you feel you can afford the car payment, mortgage companies approve your mortgage based on their guidelines, not yours.

If you haven’t already bought a car, remember one thing: Think ahead. Think about buying a home first. Buying a home is a much more important purchase when considering your future financial well-being.