29
Dec
By First Rate Financial Group
Mortgage

A Few Creative and Effective Ways to Save Money for a Down Payment

A Few Creative and Effective Ways to Save Money for a Down PaymentFor those who are looking to buy a home, they know that this is one of the most exciting experiences in the world. There is something special that comes with looking at a bunch of homes and envisioning a life there. On the other hand, the prospect of saving 20 percent of the home’s value to put down might seem overwhelming. Fortunately, there are a few creative ways that people can save up enough money to purchase their starter dream home.

Talk To The Seller

One of the first tips that people need to keep in mind involves talking to the seller. There are a bunch of items that need to be negotiated between the buyer and the seller. One of the most important is the closing costs. Ask the real estate agent to speak with the seller. Even if the seller is able to take half of the closing costs, this could amount to a few thousand extra dollars that could be put toward the down payment.

Crowdsource The Down Payment

Another creative option involves asking the crowd to help with the down payment. It is not unusual to see people try to go the crowdfunding route for everything from medical bills to student loans. Why not give it a shot with a down payment as well? First, anyone who has a wedding coming up should add “money for a down payment” to their wish list, as this is becoming more common. Second, think about exploring platforms like Feather the Nest to try to raise money for a down payment.

Check With The Employer

Finally, it is also critical to look at your Employer Assisted Housing Program(EAH). While not everyone is going to qualify, those who work for an employer who falls under this category might qualify for a substantial loan for the down payment and closing costs. The best part is that this loan comes without interest. 

Save For A Down Payment

These are a few of the top ways to save money for a down payment. Using these tips, everyone can get over that last hurdle and buy their home.

28
Dec
By First Rate Financial Group
Financial Reports

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – December 28, 2020

Last week’s economic news included readings on sales of new and previously-owned homes and consumer sentiment. Weekly average mortgage rates were also released, but readings for jobless claims were not released due to the Christmas holiday. Single-Family Home Sales Fall in November Sales of new and previously owned homes were lower in November. Fear of rising covid-19 cases and the usual slump in home sales during the winter holidays contributed to fewer home sales. Rapidly rising home prices cooled buyer interest; short supplies of pre-owned homes for sale drove prices of new homes higher as demand increased. Inventory of new homes increased by 14 percent as the median price of a new single-family home rose to $335,000, which was five percent higher year-over-year. George Ratiu, a senior economist with Realtor.com, said that would-be homebuyers were dealing with an increased divide between their home-buying preferences and affordability. Rising materials costs continued to drive new home prices up; builders faced challenges in constructing affordable homes due to higher materials costs and lower profit margins. November sales of previously-owned homes were lower with 6.69 million sales reported on a seasonally-adjusted annual basis as compared to October’s reading of 6.86 million sales. Short inventories of available pre-owned homes caused a dip in sales as buyers competed for fewer available homes. Shortages of available homes are expected to persist into 2021 and to drive home prices higher. Affordability will challenge many buyers even as mortgage rates remain at or near record lows. Mortgage Rates Lower Rates for fixed-rate mortgages dipped last week according to Freddie Mac. The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was one basis point lower at 2.66 percent; rates for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 2.19 percent and were two basis points lower. The average rate for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages was unchanged at 2.79 percent. Discount points averaged 0.70 percent for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, 0.50 percent for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, and 0.20 percent for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages. The University of Michigan reported a lower index reading of 80.7 for December as compared to an expected reading of 81.0 and November’s reading of 76.9. A post-Thanksgiving surge in Covid-19 cases caused consumer sentiment to fall. What’s Next This week’s scheduled economic readings include Case-Shiller’s Housing Market Indices, pending home sales, and weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims. Last week’s economic news included readings on sales of new and previously-owned homes and consumer sentiment. Weekly average mortgage rates were also released, but readings for jobless claims were not released due to the Christmas holiday.

Single-Family Home Sales Fall in November

Sales of new and previously owned homes were lower in November. Fear of rising covid-19 cases and the usual slump in home sales during the winter holidays contributed to fewer home sales. Rapidly rising home prices cooled buyer interest; short supplies of pre-owned homes for sale drove prices of new homes higher as demand increased.

Inventory of new homes increased by 14 percent as the median price of a new single-family home rose to $335,000, which was five percent higher year-over-year. George Ratiu, a senior economist with Realtor.com, said that would-be homebuyers were dealing with an increased divide between their home-buying preferences and affordability.

Rising materials costs continued to drive new home prices up; builders faced challenges in constructing affordable homes due to higher materials costs and lower profit margins.

November sales of previously-owned homes were lower with 6.69 million sales reported on a seasonally-adjusted annual basis as compared to October’s reading of 6.86 million sales. Short inventories of available pre-owned homes caused a dip in sales as buyers competed for fewer available homes. Shortages of available homes are expected to persist into 2021 and to drive home prices higher. Affordability will challenge many buyers even as mortgage rates remain at or near record lows.

Mortgage Rates Lower

Rates for fixed-rate mortgages dipped last week according to Freddie Mac. The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was one basis point lower at 2.66 percent; rates for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 2.19 percent and were two basis points lower. The average rate for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages was unchanged at 2.79 percent. Discount points averaged 0.70 percent for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, 0.50 percent for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages,  and 0.20 percent for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages.

The University of Michigan reported a lower index reading of 80.7 for December as compared to an expected reading of 81.0 and November’s reading of 76.9. A post-Thanksgiving surge in Covid-19 cases caused consumer sentiment to fall.

What’s Next

This week’s scheduled economic readings include Case-Shiller’s Housing Market Indices, pending home sales, and weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims.

23
Dec
By First Rate Financial Group
Mortgage

Working From Home Could Mean A New Home

Working From Home Could Mean A New HomeThere are a lot of people who are working from home for the first time. There are a lot of advantages that come with working from home, such as the opportunity to develop stronger relationships with family members, the chance to save money on gas, and more autonomy over the work schedule. In addition, this could also mean a new home.

With many people spending more time at home than they did in the past, they might be thinking about investing in new floorplans, renovating cabinets, and adding a dedicated home office. This could also provide the opportunity to move.

Why People Are Thinking About Upgrading Their Homes

For those who continue to commute to work, they might not spend that much time in their homes. As a result, they may not be that invested in the overall layout of the home. As long as the home meets their needs when they are present, this is enough.

On the other hand, when people work from home, their needs change. For example, many people have their kids home from school right now. Their kids might distract them when they are trying to work. By renovating the home and creating a dedicated space for a home office, this could allow someone to be more productive. Renovating the home is about meeting people’s needs as they change.

The Prospect Of Moving Entirely

On the other hand, some people might be thinking about moving to a new home entirely. The vast majority of people end up purchasing a new home because they have recently obtained a new job and need to live close to work. When someone works from home, they can live just about anywhere they choose. While many people still choose to live relatively close to their current location, working from home provides people with more flexibility than they had in the past. Therefore, many families are taking advantage of it.

Working From Home Will Become More Common

In the future, working from home is going to become more common. As technology continues to improve, people are going to have the opportunity to work from home for the foreseeable future. This represents a lifestyle shift that many people are going to embrace.