Posts tagged with "Down Payment"

Using Wedding Gifts for Downpayment

      

In times past, newly wed home buyers would be dismayed to learn that they could not use wedding gift money for their cash down payment.  I mean, after all, it was their money!  But mortgage loan underwriters didn’t quite see it that way.  But, alas, it appears that common sense may be creeping into the mortgage process.

 

Caliber Home Loan’s Mike Wickham tells me that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will now buy mortgages where wedding gift money was used for the down payment, provided that some basic documentation is included in the loan file.  The docs would take the form of a copy of the wedding certificate or license, and a letter from the borrowers certifying the funds were wedding gifts and that no repayment was Kexpected from the giver.

I’m guessing this might give creative wedding planning a whole new meaning!  If you’d like to learn more about how to best prepare to buy a new home, give me a call!

 

 

Are You Serious about Buying a New Home?

If so, then you’d best be serious about putting together enough cash for a down payment.  The minimum amount required depends upon the type of financing you’ll be using- VA, FHA, Contract, RD, Cash or Conventional.  (If you’re unsure then give me a call and we’ll come up with the best strategy for your situation!)

Ok, here’s 10 Ways to Get Your Downpayment—

  • Save it. Takes a budget and some discipline.  Set a goal and go to work!
  • Borrow from your 401k. (No taxes due going this route.)
  • Withdraw from your 401k.
  • Sell that extra car or truck.
  • Sell some other asset you own. I’ve seen people sell all kinds of things to raise money for a down payment- baseball card collection, horse tack, boat, stocks, bonds, and more.  Be creative!
  • Borrow against your car, truck, boat, life insurance policy, credit card, etc.
  • Gift from family.
  • Sell a house.
  • Take out a second mortgage or home equity line of credit on a house you own.
  • Combine two or more strategies- divide and conquer!

K

P.S.  If you want to talk through any of these ideas just give me a call.  I’ll be happy to help.

“I work harder to make good things happen!!”
  -Bob

How Much is the Payment?

It’s a question I get asked a lot (like all the time, and understandably so).  However, it’s actually a more complicated question than most people think, because it involves loan calculations, property taxes, home owners insurance, maybe even flood insurance or HOA dues.  Payments are also affected by the type of financing (ie. FHA, VA, RD, Conventional, Contract or RTO) and the amount of the cash down payment.

But, there are some averages you can use to arrive at a “quick n’ dirty answer”.  Today I’ll give you what the AVERAGE payment looks like for a home bought on contract with a $5,000 cash down payment.  Here goes—

PRICE               PAYMENT

50,000             360

70,000             520

90,000             680

110,000           840

130,000           1000

150,000           1160

170,000           1320

190,000           1480

210,000           1640

230,000           1800

250,000           1960

Keep in mind that contract terms are always negotiable between the buyer and seller, and that can sometimes result in payments that are more or less than the averages I’ve listed here.  But, these average numbers should work for you when looking at houses and evaluating whether they’re in your pricing wheelhouse or not. K

Now, if you’d like to put together a strategy to get the best terms— then give me a call.

 “I work harder to make good things happen!!”
  -Bob