High inflation is no fun. Though everyone pays the same higher prices, periods of rising inflation don’t have the same impact on all Americans. A person’s investment strategy—including real estate, investments in the stock market and S&P 500, and their retirement plan—can be a good inflation hedge.
Higher interest rate environments can make it difficult to buy a home, but there are silver linings and workarounds. The good news is that higher interest rates often mean less competition, lower prices, and eager sellers. These sellers can be more willing to consider concessions than they would have been in a hotter market. Today you may be able to negotiate who pays for many closing costs, including mortgage discount points.
Now that the holidays are behind us, it’s time to put those new year’s resolutions in full effect. If yours included creating a financial plan, making new investments, or buying a home, then this article is for you!
Seller concessions almost never sound like a very good idea…to the home seller. For the prospective buyer, on the other hand, a little give here and there may be just what they need to close the deal and pay full asking price for your home. One of the most popular seller concessions in any real estate market is an interest rate buydown.
Many would-be homebuyers are feeling the pinch from rising interest rates, but you don’t have to! APM has gotten creative to ensure that you can achieve the lowest interest rate and, therefore, lowest monthly payments possible.
We are proud to offer you not just one interest rate hack, but two! They’re called buydowns, and they’re your key to lower interest rates, a smaller monthly payment amount, and saving money on your new home.
Move-Up Buyers Moonlight as Landlords
In addition to low inventory, the housing market has encountered a newer challenge: rising mortgage rates, which hit 7% recently. This has caused problems for would-be and move-up homebuyers alike.
Unlike conventional jumbo loans, VA jumbo loans don’t have predetermined loan limits. They are limited only by your qualifications and your entitlement, allowing you to borrow more when purchasing a home.
Down payments can be one of the most daunting parts of the home buying process. We all know: It costs a lot to buy a home! Thankfully, you don’t necessarily have to drain your savings to come up with the sum. There are other ways to secure a down payment, including gift funds, grants, and down payment assistance programs.
The dreaded down payment. Whether you’re looking to fund the minimum down payment or put down more than the traditional 20%, this chunk of change can certainly be a challenge when you’re already looking at the purchase price, closing costs, and monthly payments on a new home.
Housing budgets are serious discussions because homes are serious investments. Home buyers expect to pay a down payment when buying a home. That amount can range based on qualification and the amount of assets available. Down payments start as low as 3% and can go as high as needed to get the payment at that comfort level.
There’s always a lot of back and forth when you buy a home. It’s called the negotiation process, and it’s one of the reasons you need a great realtor. Potential buyers want to secure the best sale price possible, while a seller wants to achieve their list price—if not more. Some sellers also want to sell as quickly as possible.
Two things can be really exciting and terrifying—buying a home and changing jobs.
Combine the two, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for stress…or do you? Many people assume that they can’t or shouldn’t buy a home if they’re in the middle of a career change.
Buying a house isn’t just about the sticker cost or the monthly payment. A large part of your housing budget will also be your down payment. If you’ve seen lender ads before, you know that this number can be all over the board.
It’s tough out there, we know. Today’s competitive housing market can keep you trapped in a vicious cycle: Find a terrific house, make an aggressive offer, get your hopes up, get outbid, start over. Rinse and repeat. Some of the biggest competitors for homes on the market today pay cash, which can make it tough when YOU don’t have cash to buy the home outright yourself.
Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, the housing market changes. Well, here’s the truth: No one has it all figured out. Being mortgage professionals, however, we do understand the ins and outs of the market and how today’s climate affects your homebuying ability and the mortgage process.
If you’re planning to finance your home, you need the support of an experienced and local mortgage loan officer. You’re probably aware that they’re the ones who collect all that tedious paperwork, but the value of a loan officer goes far beyond that during your home purchase.
We all know the drill: House-hunting is fun, but a mortgage application … not so much. Collecting tax returns, proof of income, bank statements, credit reports, pay stubs, and other documents just isn’t as exciting as attending an open house and visualizing your family inside those walls.
That’s okay, though: We’ll make applying for a mortgage simple so you can get back to the good stuff—securing your American dream!
Many people think of an existing single-family home when they think about homeownership or buying residential real estate. Purchases of this type of property are common, after all. But there are other residential real estate purchases that might be perfect for your lifestyle and/or financial situation.
