Tag: zero down mortgage

Four Ways to Buy a House with No Money Down

~ Carolyn Warren ~ 5 Comments

Can you afford a mortgage payment but are low on cash? Would you like to buy a house now before prices and rates go up even more?

Here are four ways to get into your own home with little or no money down.

1) USDA zero down loan. The property cannot be in a highly populated city, but it doesn’t have to be way out in the country either. To check out property eligibility, see here.

2) Use a state bond for the down payment. All states have various programs that either provide the down payment or lend you the down payment with zero interest and no payment, to be paid back at the end of the loan. To check out options for your state, contact your local mortgage broker or full service mortgage lender (not big bank).

3) Use gift money for the down payment. A conventional loan has 3% down, FHA loan 3.5% down. Both allow gift money from family for the down payment.

4) VA loan is zero down for U.S. Veterans. This is a nice thank you for serving our country. Most lenders offer the VA loan.

Getting Closing Costs Paid For, Too

All loans have closing costs, which include the lender fees, cost of appraisal, title insurance, and attorney/settlement/escrow fee. In addition, there are property taxes and home owner’s insurance that must be paid for upfront. If you close in the middle of the month, there is a partial mortgage payment called prepaid interest.

The closing costs can be paid for by the seller if you have that written into your Purchase Agreement. (Ask your Realtor to negotiate this for you.) You can also receive a Lender credit toward closing costs. To receive a Lender credit, you take a higher interest rate. (There is no free money in mortgage.)

If you’re tired of paying rent, I encourage you to apply for a mortgage now, because interest rates are and will continue to rise, which means your monthly payment goes up. Don’t assume you cannot qualify for a home loan. Many people who feared that might be the case are now happily opening the door to their own home!

Please help pass on this encouraging news to others via social media. Thank you!

 

How to Buy a House with Little to No Down Payment

~ Carolyn Warren ~ 3 Comments
Light-filled home in Seattle. 2650 sq ft. Master suite upstairs + two bedrooms on main. For more info contact Teri Barry, Keller Williams, 206-632-2636
Light-filled home in Seattle. 2650 sq ft. Master suite upstairs + two bedrooms on main. For more info contact Teri Barry, Keller Williams,
206-632-2636

Do you know someone who would love to stop renting and buy their own home? A new study says 79% of Millenials want to buy a house. This study, by Bloomberg, goes on to tell them they can’t save fast enough for a down payment. I am here to tell you that I disagree! Why?

Bloomberg’s chart shows how many years it takes to save 20 percent down.
But who says you have to make a large down payment? It is not required.

Renters, take kitchenheart!

Here are tips for buying a house when you can’t save fast enough for Bloomberg.

  • If your credit score is 720+, take a 3% down conventional loan.
  • If your credit score is 580 – 719, take a 3.5% down FHA loan.
  • If your family is able to give you gift money for a down payment, you’re ready to go.
  • If you are a U.S. Veteran, you may qualify for zero down.
  • Use one of the many down payment assistant programs offered by your state. For example, I have a program in WA that will cover your down payment plus kick in a little for closing costs. You can earn up to $97,000/year to qualify. When you sell the house (or refinance), you pay back the down payment out of the proceeds. This is an interest-free loan to help more people enjoy home ownership.

If home values continue to increase next year as fast (or nearly as fast) as they did in 2015, you are better off buying now than waiting until you can save for a larger down payment.

Also consider that home owners receive the best and biggest tax deduction available. Typically, a home owner can deduct the interest portion of their payment plus property taxes. This lowers their tax bracket, potentially saving significant taxes. (Speak with your CPA for tax advice.)

If credit score is your barrier, then pick up a copy of Repair Your Credit Like the Pros here and get to work. Earlier today, I heard from a lovely young woman in Ohio who followed the book’s directions and is now applying for a home loan. Yes, credit repair works! But you must do it properly, like the credit attorneys and certified credit professionals.

What barrier is keeping you from the American Dream? Post a comment (see top of this article) or send me an email here. I promise to reply.