Monthly Archives: August 2014

First time home buyer programs

First TIme Home BuyersIt is overwhelming to buy a house for the first time but it is not the buying itself that makes it interesting but the benefits that come with first time home buyer programs make it all worthwhile. One will be able to own a home that suits his/her needs and lifestyle thus stopping their spending on rent. Florida first time home buyer programs helps people through the process of buying their first time home and securing their first time mortgage.

Lowest for first time home buyers

As a person buying a house for the first time, you can be very concerned about keeping your mortgage payments very low for the first few years. Mortgage specialists help in choosing the best house financing options so that you can be able to make your dreams come true and enjoy them by owning a bought home without straining to pay your mortgage on a monthly basis. There are therefore, a wide range of varieties of competitive priced loan programs for the first time home buyers and they include:

Fixed rate mortgages

This is the type of mortgage whose interest rates remain constant throughout the term for the original borrower. The prominent thirty year fixed rate mortgage is the best for this category of home buyers.

Adjustable rate mortgages

In this category of mortgage, the interest rate is adjustable based on a pre-selected index whose advantages are that one may be able to afford a more expensive house because the initial interest rates will be lower in the first few years. This is also one of the best loans the first time home buyers should take as they will be given a chance to own a big house at relatively cheap price as they are given enough time to pay for the huge amount borrowed.

Federal Housing Administration loans

These are the type of loans that are insured by the housing administration and are available for all qualified home buyers and are normally sufficient to cover moderately priced homes in Florida. This is very important for the first time home buyers as they are insured hence in case of any problem, insurance cover of the mortgage will take effect thus reducing the possibility of guarantors being liable to the problem that might have affected the loaned. Their rates are also fixed and relatively low hence they favor first time borrowers.

Veterans Affairs loans

These are long term, no down payment loans which are guaranteed by the veteran’s affairs department. These loans are restricted to the military service officers and other personnel recognized by the government as of equal capacity as the military men and women

In my own opinion, there are more than a thousand advantages of taking a mortgage and buy a house than using your savings to buy one. This is because savings will take a long time that you would have taken the loan and service it while enjoying the house already bought. On the other hand first time home buyer programs are very helpful as they give one all the information they need in order to get the loan according to their financial capacity.

First Time Home Buyer Programs: Myths and Truths

homebuyerLoan officers who work with first time home buyer programs often speak to potential home buyers on a daily basis. These prospective home buyers are in search of programs that can assist them with the necessary finances for making home purchases. This article seeks to differentiate between the truths and the myths of the programs while offering guidance regarding suitable candidates for the programs.

To clear things up, it is important to remember that these programs are not meant for people with bad payment histories. Moreover, the programs are not suited for buyers with the resources for buying a home. Lastly, it is unlikely for a prospective buyer to acquire a home using this program without actually spending money for the transaction.

Majority of the programs are funded using block grants provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Consequently, they are built for both the low and moderate income earners wishing to buy homes. However, income restrictions vary from one state to another. Usually, the income limitations are higher especially if a buyer makes a purchase in a revitalization zone.

While some home buyer programs may indicate that buyers can purchase a home with $500 or less but in reality, the purchase typically costs between $1,200 and $1,600 or more just to be able to qualify for assistance. Buyers are expected to have adequate resources for the deposit, home inspection as well as the cost for doing an appraisal.

It is quite misleading to assume that borrowers with bad credit histories can buy a home. Although this was possible only a couple of years ago, almost all programs available today make it a mandatory requirement for participants to have a good credit score. The bulk of the loans are made available by lenders in the private sector and not the program providers. As a result, the lenders expose themselves to risk by making their loans uninsurable by private or government mortgage insurers if credit underwriting procedures are not adhered to.

The right candidate should have some funds for investing in the purchase and participants are also expected to have good credit scores. It is highly unlikely for such buyers to default. To fund the program without any financial strains, a buyer should ideally be left with 55% or more of his or her gross salary even after making the debt payments.

First time home buyer programs are an excellent option that can easily act as a supplement for a creditworthy buyer with the dream of owning a home. Despite this, no government agency or lender wants to distribute limited taxpayer resources to borrowers who are yet to demonstrate financial responsibility. The program is designed specifically for people buying new homes. This is an important aspect as it creates jobs for the locals, encourages new development and creates an enabling environment for the micro economy to become better. Without the programs, only a small market would exist for the new homes. If you qualify for the program, you can go ahead and make the best of it.

Why use online methods to get information about first time home buyer assistance programs?

first-time-home-buyersBuying a home for the first time can be a little bit confusing as there are many things you do not understand about real estate business. Information is one of the ingredients of your success to buying your home without problems. There are therefore, many ways you can use to get the information about first time home buyer assistance programs and one of the best is the online methods. The advantages of using online methods to outsource information are as follows;

1. Online is one of the most convenient methods

This method is convenient in the sense that while using it, you will work according to your schedule and whenever you get time as there is no need to disrupt the already fixed schedule for the case of those who are employed. You can work well from everywhere as long as you have an internet connection within your disposal. It is also good for those who have time only during night times as you can start looking for the information you need without leaving the comfort of your bedroom.

2. It is among the cheapest methods to use

Online method is one of the cheapest options of looking for information. This is because here, there is not traveling involved thus the cost that would be incurred in transportation and lodging is eliminated. On the other hand, there are more of such service providers in the internet thus they experience a huge competition. To curb this situation they reduce the cost of offering services hence it works to your advantage since you will get the best information at the least cost possible.

3. Using online method will give you a chance to compare information from more than one firm

Information about first time home buyers program are not given by only one such service providers but many of them take part in informing the public .they also do so in their own different ways that if one uses internet which is the cheapest method, will get a diverse information and get fully equipped with all it takes to make a good decision to choosing the best amongst the information available.

4. This method is time saving

Surfing the internet does not take a long time thus if you want to save time, online method is the way to go. It works best for those people who need information very fast as they are working on deadlines. This is because the information is already in the domain and all it is need is the ability of your computer to browse the internet and how fast the internet connection at that location is. It is normally estimated that the average time it takes to outsource information from the internet, for example is only twenty minutes and the rest of the time can be used to build the nation in other forms of business. It also eliminates the time it would be taken if other methods where used as it involves no walking from one premise to the other looking for the relevant information.

Steps to Buying a Home in Florida

Florida-First-Time-HomebuyerAre you a first time home buyer in Florida and need help buying a house but you don’t have a clue about how to start or end? This is a trouble that first time or subsequent home buyers may be faced with prior to purchasing a home. Your next home is a big time asset and therefore you need to be cautious when engaging in this type of endeavor. Worry no more because the following steps will make the entire process hassle free.

1. Do Your Own Research

You should start by reading real estate journals, websites and newspapers. This should give you an insight of how the housing sector is at the moment. Identify those that you are interested and note their prices.

2. Identify Houses that You Can Afford

It is a MUST that you only pick those houses that does not surpass your monthly income by a huge margin. As a first time home buyer Florida resident, your current financial situation should also dictate the house that you anticipate to buy. In most cases, you should plan buy a house that does not cost more than five times your annual income.

3. Know About the Mortgage

One cannot just start to ask for a specific house yet he/she does not know about how much mortgage can be available depending on the provided document. The information that you provide to the mortgage provider will influence the amount of cash that you will be given. The prequalified mortgage amount should be used to determine the house that you can afford.

4. Make use Of Real Estate Agents

The entire process of buying a house is always a daunting task and to cushion yourself, real estate agents can come to your rescue. They usually have a thorough understanding of the current real estate trends and they can help in identifying suitable homes for you. They are also good in negotiating for the price. They are always ready to offer substantial help to first time home buyer Florida citizens.

5. Window Shopping

You also have the effort of shopping for your preferred home. Within the neighborhood that you want to buy a house, there will always be those that are on sale. Go ahead and find out about them. You should not forget to test specific systems in that house such as electrical and plumbing units. You can take a video and pictures of those that you admire as this will be helpful when making your final decision.

6. Home Examination

If there is one thing that should never miss in the process of buying a house is home inspection as this is the main determinant factor of whether the house is worth the price or not. This is done to determine any damage in the house. This will safeguard you against paying more than the value of the house. It can also help in negotiating for the final offer.

7. Get the Loan

It is now that time a banker should help you get a loan that will not be a burden to you. Always pick that which will go hand in hand with your financial situation. You can decide to have a small or big amount of your monthly payout to be slashed. That depends on you. The next step is to get an independent appraiser to determine if what you are buying is actually fair. A banker should help you with most of the paper work used when buying a house.

8. Own a Home

By now, everything should have been completed including signing every related document and the seller getting his/her dues via a check.

You are now ready to move to your dream home as a first time home buyer Florida who has successfully acquired a house.