Tag: home ownership

How To Buy A House In 2019 – 5 Tips

If you want to buy a home this year, here are five tips on how to buy a house in 2019. At Benchmark, we make the effort to make it easy to claim your piece of the American Dream.

Watch this video, then read last week’s article linked below.

This New Year, Reach Your Dream of Homeownership

1) Know Your Target Home Value and Down Payment

To be able to know if you can realistically afford to be a homeowner, you should first explore your local housing market to find out how much you should expect your new home to cost.

You can use the “How Much House Can I Afford?” tool to get a realistic estimate. We also have a variety of Calculators right here at Benchmark.us to help calculate a number of factors, comparisons, and scenarios.

To get an idea whether the house you have your eye on is priced fairly, you should also ask your real estate agent for a Comparative Market Analysis. (see also: Find A Great Real Estate Agent The Easy Way)

When you have an idea of the cost of your future house, you can roughly calculate how much you will need for your down payment. Think you need 20% down?

Think again. See last week’s post, “This New Year, Reach Your Dream of Homeownership” if you haven’t already.

2) Know Your Cash Flow

Saving can be challenging, especially if you are not used to tracking your expenses. To improve your chances of saving success, you should know where every dollar that you earn is going every month. Check with your bank or credit union, as many banks and credit unions include tools for this. You can also use third party tools like Mint, YNAB, everydollar or even a simple spreadsheet. The more organized your plan towards achieving the goal, the more successfully you will be able to save.

If you read our previous post This New Year, Reach Your Dream of Homeownership, you will recognize the link between consistent savings and your down payment. A budget can help you do that.

If it will take you several months or years to save for your down payment, you could even consider opening a high yield savings account to get your savings earning as well.

3) Know How Much House You Need

For many, the first home you buy is not the first home you want. If the home you want is beyond your financial reach, it could still make sense to settle on a less expensive buy, if your budget and standards allow.

It could cost you far more money in the long run to wait until you can afford the house you want, when a house you could be happy with is within reach now. You can always “trade up” when the time is right. You will have to make this decision for yourself, but it is something to think about.

In an earlier article entitled Millionaire Tells Millennials To Buy A Home, we mention that David Bach, author of “The Automatic Millionaire” is quoted as saying,

“The fact is, you aren’t really in the game of building wealth until you own some real estate.”

Mr. Bach also said,

“Oftentimes, buying your first home means you’re not buying your dream home. You’re just getting into the market.”

If that isn’t enough, you can read “Homeowner Average Net Worth 3,600% Higher Than Renter” for more reasons to consider getting started sooner rather than later.

4) Know The Steps For Buying A Home

I have a convenient interactive tool right here on my website to help walk you through the steps to take when buying a home.

Discover Your Way Home

We built a tool for our Loan Officer websites that asks a series of questions to give you an personalized step-by-step plan for buying your next home. Need a plan for refinancing? It does that too.

To use this tool for yourself, you will need to find a loan officer in your area Find Your Loan Officer, then click on “The Way Home” in the navigation menu.

To use this tool, you will need to find your Loan Officer and go to their website by clicking the link that looks like this:

Once on your loan officer’s website, look for the “The Way Home” navigation link (below), and click.

5) Keep Your Cool

Do you feel overwhelmed by what appears to be a monumental achievement? We understand. Do you wish it could seem easy? This is what we do every day.

At Benchmark, we have such a great team, that we have been able to make mortgages happen for borrowers who had already been turned down by another lender.

Not sure where to start? No problem. We are honored to help guide to towards your dream of owning your own home with a mortgage that aligns with your personal financial outlook.

Even if you are concerned with debt, your credit history, or even your down payment, let’s chat! If you want to make your dreams a reality, we are here to help make that possible.

Find your branch, and contact them today. If you are ready, you can click to Apply Now. We look forward to helping you reach your goals!Call or email us, or Contact Us today. If you are ready, you can Apply Now. We look forward to helping you reach your goals!Call me, Email Me, or Contact Me today. If you are ready, you can Apply Now. I look forward to helping you reach your goals!

What Pet Owners Should Know Right Now About Buying A Home

by I Am Benchmark

What Role Do Pets Play?

61% of U.S. households have a pet or have future plans to get one.
99% of owners feel that their pet is part of the family.

81% of Americans say that their pets play a role in their housing decision.
19% of Americans say they would consider moving for their pet.*
12% percent have moved for their pet.*
*would consider moving, or have moved total: 32%

Housing Demand

With 99% of owners feeling that their pet is part of the family, all pet owners would likely take notice of pet friendly features of a home. Considering that more than half of American households have pets or plan to get one, pet friendly features are a good way to add extra appeal to the majority of families if you are not looking for your “forever home”.

House Or Home

When buying a home, not only is there no pet fee, but it’s also a great idea to highlight what you think makes a home “pet friendly” in order to help with your decision! To get you started, here are some suggestions:

What kind of flooring does it have?
How much room will your pet(s) have to roam?
How easy will it be to keep it clean?
How walkable is the neighborhood?
Is there a dog park nearby?

These are just a few examples.

Top 3 things pet owners look for in a home

Fenced-in backyard
Dog-friendly areas nearby
Close to pet stores and veterinarian offices

Keep outdoor spaces and location in mind when shopping for your next home. If you need help getting started, find your branch call todaycontact us today!

All data sourced from National Association of REALTORS Research Department’s February 13, 2017 report: “Animal House: Remodeling Impact” (https://www.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/reports/2017/2017-remodeling-impact-animals-in-homes-02-13-2017.pdf)

Millionaire Tells Millennials To Buy A Home

by I Am Benchmark

CNN recently ran an article explaining why self-made millionaire David Bach has said,

“The fact is, you aren’t really in the game of building wealth until you own some real estate.”

In his book, “The Automatic Millionaire” Bach writes,

“As a renter, you can easily spend half a million dollars or more on rent over the years ($1,500 a month for 30 years comes to $540,000), and in the end wind up just where you started — owning nothing. Or you can buy a house and spend the same amount paying down a mortgage, and in the end wind up owning your own home free and clear!“

We have touched on this in the past. (see Buying Still Cheaper Than Renting, Renting vs Buying a Home and Accumulating Wealth, and Homeowner Average Net Worth 3,600% Higher Than Renter)

Bach has told CNBC that buying a home is “an escalator to wealth“.

“If millennials don’t buy a home, their chances of actually having any wealth in this country are little to none. The average homeowner to this day is 38 times wealthier than a renter.”

In regards to the idea of a starter home, Bach says,

“Oftentimes, buying your first home means you’re not buying your dream home. You’re just getting into the market.”

The Logic

Following David Bach’s logic is simple. We all have to live somewhere. We have to pay either rent or a mortgage. Over time, a mortgage can increase your net wealth over renting.

While buying your dream home would be nice, Bach says that the key is to just get into the market, and admits that your first home may not be your last.

The Takeaway

On average, family wealth of homeowners is dramatically higher than that of renters, and this divide has seen growth over time. David Bach, best-selling author and self-made millionaire, advises homeownership as the surest path to building wealth.

Call or contact me today! Contact your Benchmark mortgage lender today. Find Your Branch here: Get Started Now!

Buying Still Cheaper Than Renting

by I Am Benchmark

Even in light of rising home prices, Trulia‘s October 2016 “Rent vs. Buy Report” successfully argues that owning your home with a conventional 30-year fixed rate mortgage costs less than renting in major US metros, even in high priced areas like Honolulu, HI (which sees 17.4% cost reduction over renting). The highest difference was 53.2% in Miami, FL and West Palm Beach, FL.

Nationally, the average was an impressive 37.7% cost reduction.

It’s a Game of Pace

Even while home prices are appreciating nation-wide, interest rates have remained so low that the pricing increase has not approached matching rental inflation. In fact,

Prices would have to appreciate 23% in Honolulu, HI, to over 45% in Ventura County, CA before renting, at current rates, becomes less expensive than buying. On the other side, rates would have to approach 9.1%, which would be a 145% increase over the current average of 3.7%, for renting to be financially more attractive than buying. (We have not seen rates like those since January 1995, according to Freddie Mac)

Consider also the Family Wealth aspect of home ownership, coupled with ownership being closely tied to the American Dream, and the reduced out-of-pocket cost of owning over renting, and it might make one wonder if the benefits of renting are really worth it.

The Takeaway

The numbers are clear. It makes good financial sense to be a homeowner. Let’s not forget the slice of the American Dream that comes with it! If you are interested in taking advantage of the benefits of home ownership, but aren’t sure where to start, call or contact me today! contact your Benchmark mortgage consultant today. Find Your Branch here: Get Started Now!

Seeking the American Dream of Home Ownership

by I Am Benchmark

Are you living the American Dream?

Most of us have a pretty good idea about what the American Dream is. In case you don’t, we looked it up:

[quote]“The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States, a set of ideals in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, and an upward social mobility for the family and children, achieved through hard work in a society with few barriers.” – source: Wikipedia.com[/quote]

If we carry this definition further, we find that many Americans see homeownership as an important part of that dream. Let’s look at some recent statistics.

Existing home sales in May of this year were 9.2% higher than the same time last year. Home sales in the Midwest and Northeast saw gains of at least 10%.

If the growth of home sales alone isn’t enough to convince you that owning a home is “living the American Dream,” there’s more. Studies have shown that purchasing a home is making an investment that will appreciate over time. What does that mean? Let’s look at an example. If you already own your home, you are enjoying an average of 7.9% gain in the value of your home just in the last year!

In addition to the financial benefit, owning your home is a slice of freedom. No paying rent to a landlord. No sharing an apartment complex floor with 30 other people. It’s yours.

As the housing market continues to show signs of strength, now could be the best time to invest in your piece of the American Dream. Whether you are looking for a home that is worth $100K or $1M, at Benchmark, we are here to welcome you into the rising trend of homeownership. You will receive more than just another set of keys…you will be given the keys to your HOME.

Fact Sources: NAR’s Existing Home Sales Report 6/22/15

House Prices Through 2015

by bmadmin

Everyone seems to have an opinion on where home prices are headed. Housing bulls are saying prices may start rebounding as early as later this year. Some housing bears are saying that prices may still drop another 10-15%. What actually is going to happen? No one knows for sure.

However, Macro Markets, a financial technology company, actually surveyed 108 economists, real estate experts, and investment and market strategists for their June 2011 Home Price Expectations Survey. They then averaged all 108 opinions. Here is what the report says about house prices over the next five years:

2011: prices will depreciate 3.52%
2012: prices will appreciate .46%
2013: prices will appreciate 2.18%
2014: prices will appreciate 2.92%
2015: prices will appreciate 3.47%

Accumulative appreciation (including this year’s projected depreciation) will stand at 5.71% in 2015.

Bottom Line

The experts say home prices will begin to see appreciation next year and return to historic levels of annual appreciation by 2015.

Post courtesy of KCMBlog.com