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Förpackningsräknare Förutom möbler och apparater måste de flesta av dina tillhörigheter packas för skydd och transport under ett drag. Lådor kan vara en av de större utgifterna om du köper fler lådor än nödvändigt eller måste göra extra körningar till affären eftersom du inte köpte tillräckligt eller rätt storlek. Beräkning av hur många lådor du behöver för en 1-rumslägenhet är väldigt annorlunda än lådor för ett hus med 3 sovrum, men speciellt om du har barn. Låt oss hjälpa dig att hitta de lådor och förnödenheter som du behöver med vår kostnadsfria räknemaskin. Fyll i formuläret ovan för att se vilka förpackningsmaterial du behöver. Moving Box Calculator Vår kostnadsfria paketräknare är lätt att använda och ger dig en bra uppskattning på bara några sekunder. Ge oss bara följande information: Hur många sovrum finns i ditt nuvarande hem Vilken typ av livsstil bor du (minimalistisk, blygsam eller packrott), antalet personer tolv och äldre som bor i ditt hushåll och hur invecklad du föredrar att pack (grundläggande, genomsnittlig eller professionell). Uppskatta väl kvantiteten av lådor och förpackningsmaterial som du behöver för ditt drag exakt, oavsett om det är ett 2-sovrums hus eller 2-rumslägenhet. Medan du är på sidan, ta en titt på våra relaterade artiklar om förpackning, och granska våra tips för att framgångsrikt packa upp ditt hem. Granska även våra andra verktyg och guider, som rörelsekalkylator, flytta planerare, nyhetssökare och skolrapporter. Beställa rörliga lådor Vill du ha mer hjälp så att ditt rörelse kommer att gå av utan hitch Köp rörlådor och förpackningsvaror direkt genom Flytta. Använd även vår kostnadsfria flyttplanerare för att organisera varje uppgift på vägen och ta emot personliga tips och påminnelser som skräddarsys för ditt drag. Relaterade artiklar: Kalkylatorerna på nätet på denna sida är endast avsedda för informationsändamål. Anycalculator gör inga krav på deras noggrannhet eller lämplighet, och alla beräkningar ska bekräftas och kontrolleras. Du bör kontakta en kvalificerad professionell när svar på viktiga eller kritiska frågor är nödvändiga. HarbourLight. org (Klicka på spelarpilen för att höra en spegelkopia av wmuu Radio 247 innan den såldes.) Distinktivt kristen radio för hela familjen Bibeln undervisar, predikar, musik, drama, nyheter och mer. Ja wmuu lever vidare i form av HarbourLightRadio. org Använd DuckDuckGo som din sökmotor istället för Google. DuckDuckGo kommer inte att filtrera bort nyhetssajter som Google, bara för att de slutsatsen att sådana webbplatser är falska nyheter. Google vill kontrollera nyheterna DuckDuckGo gör det inte. Om DuckDuckGo följer inte dig. Evolution 101 (25 FREE Lessons Proving Evolution är Falsk quotreligionquot undervisad i offentliga skolor som quotsciencequot.) Gen1.org Avvisar, bestrider, diskrediterar, ogiltigar, motsäger, motsätter sig, motsätter sig och förnekar evolutionsteorier som hävdar att universum skapades från ingenting eller att universum har utvecklats över miljoner eller miljarder år. (Evolution Millions Of Years Your Imagination) Ett exempel på att finjustera universum av GUD: Om det tidiga universets massa och energi inte fördelades jämnt på en oförklarlig precision av 1 del i 1010123 skulle universum vara fientligt för livet av någon sort. Detta är en extraordinär siffra. Man kunde inte ens skriva ner siffran helt, i vår vanliga tenn (tio kraft) notation: det skulle vara en följd av tio med kraften på 123 på varandra följande nollor (det är en miljarder miljarder miljarder miljarder miljarder miljarder miljarder miljarder miljarder HymnsRadio (Klicka på vänster spelarpil för att höra vacker musik 247 John 3:16 Channel John 3:16 För Gud älskade så världen, att han gav sin enbarn, så att den som tror på honom borde inte förgås, men har ett evigt liv. Du kan hitta den här kanalen på konservativkanalen. Vad är en roku du frågar Roku är en bra, billig, internetansluten låda som du kopplar till din TV. När du har installerat kan du använda den att strömma pastor John C. Vaughns inspelade predikningar. Du kan också lyssna på radio, lokal polis och brandkanaler, väderprognoser, filmer och hundratals andra kanaler. 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Use Anycalculator för online-fakturor, inteckning, bilar, checkbook balansering, lån, skuld, vetenskaplig, gymnasium, junior hög, college, skatter, budget, hyrbil, usps, fedx, frakt , priser, upp, flygfrakt, ekonomi, annans, barnbidrag, asfalt, däckstorlek, Förbundsränta Tidig Mortgage Payoff Calculator, Bi-veckovis Mortgage Visa, Mastercard, Homeschooling, eller homeschool Calculator Satellit disk räknare, super multifunktionella miniräknare Sams Club, Kul 14 Kalkylator, Matlagningskonvertering SUPER Multifunktionell Kalkylator (Med Utskrift) Master Kalkylator Kalkylator (NUMB3RS), Kvalitetspoäng Gem Sammansatt Ränta, Livränta Kalkylator, BMI, Kroppsmässa Bibeln Korsord, Bibeln Boknamn Pussel Romersk Nummeromvandlare, Triangelkalkylator, Längd och distansräknare, skapande samtal, energi till massa pilkalkylator, warp-kalkylator, Gazebo-kalkylator Pizza-tipskalkylator, Bibelns viktkalkylatorbibel Torr volym kalkylator, tryckräknare golf handikapp kalkylator, hybrid gas kalkylator diesel kalkylator, takt risk kalkylator livsmedel kalkylator, gödselmedel kalkylator golf handikapp index kalkylator, asfalt kalkulator kalkylator åldersräknare, mobiltelefon radiokalkylator radon kalkylator, batteri livslängd kalkylator mulch och sten kalkylator Gas och oljemix Ratio Kalkylator, Tippning för Pizza Faktorer Gräsklippningstid Calculator, Gräsfräschalkulator PVC Rörflöjeskalkylator, Sod Area och Pallet Calculator Manuell kropp Gemensam Ålder Kalkulator, Matlagring Torpedo Livsmedel Lagring Kalkylator, Jordbävning Magnitude Calculator Social Security Pension Calculator, Diamond Calculator Solskydd och garvningstid Calculator Rack Gold Calculator, Silver Calculator Räknare för mobiltelefon data räknare, mobiltelefon data användning räknare ord stavningskontrollen (Inkluderar wookie översättare) Fat Loss Calculator, Diet Calculator, Pizza Tips Calculator växa ljus watt räknare, inomhus trädgård växa lig ht kalkylator tips kalkylator, gottgörelse kalkylator, BAC kalkylator whitetail hjort poäng kalkylator, kupor rådjur kalkylator kostnad för att hämta barnkalkylator, vandring tid miniräknare vandringshastighet miniräknare, skala modell kalkylator personskada avräkning räknare, jetlag räknemaskin radon dosering miniräknare, radon miniräknare noah arkkalkylator, trädvärdesberäknare djuputrymme avståndsberäkare, gravitetsräknare växthusgaseräknare, koldioxidavtrycksmätare Gasloggbrännemäknare (naturgas eller propangas) antikt prisguide, kalkonmatningsräknare julgran prydnadsräknare, prydnadsräknarkalkylatorhastighet av ljudkalkylator , grits kalkylator livförsäkring kalkylator, evig livförsäkring stickning miniräknare, hund choklad toxicitet miniräknare rullstol ramp kalkylator, räknemaskinen lagringsenhet miniräknare, lagring kalkylator pizza kostnaden miniräknare, perfekt pizza hemlig perfekt pizza formel som körs i regnberäknaren olaglig alien miniräknare, e stimulerad kostnad för olagliga utomjordingar Beställa MILITÄRA KRONIKKANAL På ROKU Alla räknare är funktionella och klara att använda. Gratis online realtid svar. Paint, Advance Scientific, Lön, Graviditet, Idealisk Storlek, Djupgående, Vindkylning, Blodalkohol, Lagervinst, Elapparat Kostnad, Auto Lån, Inspelningsräknare, Acreage, Masterenhet, Asfalt, Stiftelse. Gipsräknare, Ränteräknare, Pistolräknare, Världstidsräknare, Beräknad räntekalkylator, Horisontell sondräknare, Varpräknare, Ohmslagenkalkylator, Däckstorlek, Decimal till graderäknare, Köp eller sälj lagerkalkylator, Lånekalkylator, Vetenskaplig kalkylator, Barn Stödräknare, Super multifunktionell kalkylator med utskrift. Avskrivning, Finansiell, Konvertering, Leasing, livränta, Fruktbarhet, Puls, Studielån, Levnadskostnad, Ovulation, Online, Kalorier, Tid, Vikt, Gas, Investering, Skuld, Hästkrafter, Frakt, Däckstorlek, Budget , kalorier, skatt, hypoteksläkare, bmi, pension, ränta, bostadslån miniräknare, hyra, postförmedling, förskottsbetalning, eget kapital, livförsäkring, distans, fastigheter, investeringar, besparingar, metrisk skuld , online-räknare, barnbidrag, kreditkort, baseball, matlagring i ett år, gratis nedladdning av app, rökningskostnad, hågfuktkalkylator, staketkostnad, homeschooling eller homeschool-kalkylator, kvartslikning, solskydd och garvningstidsräknare , skrotguldkalkylator, silverkalkylator, diamanträknare, mobildatabalkulator, mobildatabrukskalkylator, fettförlustsberäknare, dietkalkylator whitetail hjortskala räknare, kupor rådjurstångsräknare vandringstidräknare, pizza tips calcula tor, backpacking kalkylator jetlag reduktion kalkylator, skala modell kalkylator noah ark kalkylator, antik pris guide Gunsmoke Tema Old Trail Sung av Ken Curtis (Festus) Radio Show quotThe Guitarquot (Voices By Webmaster) DENNA WEBBPLATS OCH PRODUKTERNA OCH TJÄNSTERNA HÄR REFERATER HÄR FÖRSÄLJES kvoter ISquot UTAN NÅGOT GARANTI AV NÅGOT SLÄND, UTTRYCKT ELLER UNDERFÖRSTÅDD. ÄGAREN AV DENNA WEBBPLATS SKALL INTE ANSVARAS FÖR EVENTUELLA SKADOR, INKLUSIVE EVENTUELLA SKADOR, SOM ANVÄNDAR ANVÄNDAREN FRÅN ANVÄNDNINGEN AV WEBBPLATSEN ELLER NÅGON AV PRODUKTERNA, TJÄNSTER ELLER BERÄKARE SOM HÄR REFERERAS HÄR. I synnerhet bör de beräkningsberättigade som refereras här inte användas för att göra viktiga, kritiska eller livslånga beslut utan att rådfråga en expert. The Big Bang har aldrig hänt (Tidigare ateisttekniker som arbetar med militär rymdprogram förklarar varför.) Seminarium av Spike Psarris Seattle Creation Conference, juni 2013. Woodin Valley Baptist Church, Bothell WA. Vi fick veta att vårt universum bildades i en Big Bang-händelse, cirka 14 miljarder år sedan. Vetenskapsprogram, läroböcker och andra medier hävdar att det finns massor av bevis för detta. Men är det sant I den här presentationen undersöker du Big Bang-teorin. Tja, se att det inte bara saknar solida bevis, det strider också mot flera viktiga vetenskapslagar. Sammantaget ser du att Big Bang inte är en bra vetenskaplig modell. I stället har det alla egenskaper hos ett religiöst trossystem för ateister - en som tros trots bevisen, eftersom alternativet (biblisk skapelse) innebär ansvarighet för en Skapare. Gratis online-hypotekslånsbetalare med avskrivningstabeller Råd för hem Köpare Läs mer om de avancerade funktionerna i våra fria verktyg. Ovanstående verktyg beräknar månatliga betalningar baserat på det lånade beloppet, låneperioden amp APR. Det beräknar också dina totala månatliga betalningar, inklusive fastighetsskatt, fastighetsförsäkring och PMI-betalningar. Du kan klicka på knappen Skapa amorteringsschema för att skapa en utskrivbar amorteringsrapport. Lightning Quick Automatic Results Det fungerar automatiskt on-the-fly för att visa resultaten omedelbart när du redigerar ingångsvariablerna. Det finns inget behov av att klicka på en inmatningsknapp för att se dina resultat. Utdatafälten visas i blå text med en gul bakgrund. Klicka på knappen för avskrivning schema för att skapa ett utskrivbart amorteringsschema. Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) Om du sätter ner 20 eller mer av bostadsvärdet, är PMI vanligtvis inte nödvändigt. Det beräknar automatiskt PMI som noll i dessa fall. Om din förskottsbetalning är under 20, kommer du vanligtvis att behöva bära PMI tills det utestående låneförhållandet (LTV) faller under 80. Många långivare avbryter automatiskt PMI vid 78, men du kan begära avbokning vid 80. På lågt - rätta statliga lån program, är hypotekslån försäkring normalt krävs även om du har en stark betalning. Hem Köpguide Introduktion Tips och råd för första gången Hem Köpare För de flesta människor är drömmen om att äga ett hem ett livslångt mål. Du spenderar år som säkrar din ekonomiska ställning, letar efter ett lämpligt område och bestämmer när det är dags att köpa. Att köpa ett hem är det enskilt största, viktigaste köpet som många människor gör i sina liv. Det är dyrare än en bil, kostar mer för att behålla och försäkra sig och det kan inte flytta när du köper det. Det är inte ett val att göra lätt. För dem som överväger att köpa ett hem är en kvalitetsresurs nödvändig. Det finns hundratals onlineartiklar tillgängliga gratis, men de berättar bara en del av berättelsen. Böcker är mer komplett, men de kan vara ganska dyra för en kvalitetsresurs. Istället läser och lär dig nästan allt du behöver navigera på fastighetsmarknaden framgångsrikt. Snabba tips för nya hemköpare Ditt hemköp görs inte i vakuum. Se till att du har råd med ditt hem och ändå spara för dina andra finansiella mål, inklusive pension och en akutfond. Se till att dina finanser är i ordning. Det sista du behöver är att spendera dina besparingar på ett hem och hitta att du inte har råd med dina försäkringsplaner Kom ihåg att långivare kommer att berätta hur mycket du kvalificerar att låna, inte hur mycket du har råd med. Se till att du känner till din ekonomi tillräckligt bra för att veta vad du kan hantera Även om du planerar att bo i ditt hem för resten av ditt liv, var medveten om att omständigheterna förändras. Leta efter de värdefulla försäljningskvaliteterna, så om du behöver sälja, kan du få ett bra pris. Veta att hushållens priser varierar. Ditt hem kommer att se olika stigningar och faller i värde under de decennier du äger den. Lyckligtvis bör det i allmänhet uppskattas i värde på lång sikt Förvänta sig att bo i det hem du köper i minst fem år, eventuellt längre. Annars fundera över att hyra istället. Ytterligare uthyrning jämfört med köprådgivning ingår senare i den här artikeln. Shoppa runt. Långivare är företag, och de kommer att konkurrera om dig. Samla erbjudanden och ta din tid för att hitta den bästa affären. Var uppmärksam på de små utskriftsförstärkareens faktiska kostnader. Vissa företag kan göra en bete-n-switch strategi där den erbjudna kursen inte gäller för dig, så det är vettigt att titta förbi annonserna till själva erbjudandet. Ta dig tid att hitta en kvalitetsmäklare. De rätta personerna i ditt lag gör hela skillnaden i att hitta det bästa hemmet för dina pengar. Veta att, medan en fastighetsmäklare kan arbeta för dig, arbetar de först för sig själva. De får bara betalt när du köper, och de får en högre provision, ju mer du spenderar. Låt dem inte sälja dig mer än du har råd med. Undvik erbjudanden som verkar för bra för att vara sanna. Som med de flesta saker i livet, om det är för bra att vara sant, är det inte sant. Du har inte tid eller pengar för att låta dig falla för en skuggig affär. Få alltid hemkontroll, oavsett vad säljaren säger. Se till att din försäkring är så omfattande som du har råd med. Om du är i en skaka eller ett översvämningsområde, se till att du är försäkrad mot skadorna. Gör beslutet att köpa Den första frågan du måste fråga dig själv innan du överväger att köpa ett hem är detta. Kan jag bo i det här hemmet tillräckligt länge för att göra det värt Vissa människor kommer att berätta att om du planerar att hyra i mer än ett par år är det billigare att köpa ett hem. Andra kommer att skriva ner komplexa matematiska formler som fastställer rörliga hyror och räntor för att bestämma det bästa beslutet. Vissa kommer att varna dig om problemen med att köpa ett hem, varna dig borta. De arbetar alla för att svara på samma fråga. Fortsätter du att hyra, eller köper du ett eget hem till slut är beslutet enkelt. Vilket alternativ är billigare Att köpa och äga bör vara billigare än att hyra. Tyvärr är det svårt att bestämma vilken väg som är billigare i förväg. Du har ingen möjlighet att veta hur mycket underhåll och hem förbättringar kommer att kosta. Å andra sidan har du inget sätt att veta hur mycket din hyra kan öka under de år du annars bor i ett hem. Antalet inblandade gör saker mer komplicerade. Hur jämför du en 600 månad hyra till ett 300 000 hus och bestämmer vilket som är bättre Testa det här experimentet: Ta din månadshyra och multiplicera den med 200. Om du betalar 600 varje månad är det antal du slutar 120 000. Var kommer dessa nummer från Den typiska korta hypotekslån är en 15-årig term. Det verkar vara ca 180 månader, så vi runda numret till 200 för praktisk matte. Betala 600 per månad får du din nuvarande hyresbostad, eller det kommer att få dig cirka 120 000 värden av inteckning för ett eget hem. Du behöver också faktor i inflationskostnaden. Din 600 månad hyra idag är mycket sannolikt att öka under de kommande tio eller flera åren. Faktum är att din 600 hyran nästan 900 år i tio år med en måttlig fyra procentig inflation varje år. På 20 kommer det att vara över 1300 Din hyresvärd kanske inte följer inflationen så nära, men du kan inte förutsäga exakta prisändringar tio eller flera år i förväg. Å ena sidan kommer priset att fortsätta hyra öka med inflation varje par år. Vad sägs om priset på att köpa ett hem Kostnaden för bostäder varierar upp och ner varje år, men den allmänna trenden är högre. Om du väntar betalar du mer för ett hem än du skulle om du köpte nu, eller köper du ett mindre hem för samma betalning. Då är det inte heller kostnaden för ägande som är föremål för inflation också Lösningen på det problemet är en fast ränta, vilket låter dig låsa i en fast ränta förstärk din månatliga betalning under en längre tid. Om du köper ett 120 000 hem för din 600 månad betalning är fortfarande 600 månad när löptiden slutar om 15 år. På den tiden, helst kommer ditt hem att ha uppskattat. Du kan sluta med ett hem värd 200 000 när du bara betalat 120 000. Det finns också justerbara priser, som har fördelar som är stora nackdelar med sig själva. Senare täcker vi mer om fördelarna och nackdelarna för varje typ av lån, liksom de olika termlängderna. En annan faktor som vissa människor inte anser är hur illikvida fastigheter är. Om ditt jobb går i 5 år eller om du flyttas till en annan plats kan du bli tvungen att sälja ditt hem till ett lägre pris eller täcka lånet samtidigt som du hyr en annan fastighet. Fördelarna med bostadsägande Att äga ditt eget hem är en värdefull investering. Det är inte bara en plats att bo. Det finns ett antal bra skäl att köpa ett hem. Rättvisa. Ditt hem har värde, om du inte förstör det. Om du äger ett hem värd 400 000 kan du handla till ett 300 000 hem och frigöra 100 000 för investeringar, utgifter och andra inköp. Du kan utnyttja ditt hem kapital som hävstång för att låna pengar. Du kan även få en omvänd hypotekslån, där långivaren ger dig en månatlig check som betalas av när huset säljer. Dessa metoder arent för alla, men de är säkert tillgängliga. Anpassning. När du hyr, är du utsatt för några begränsningar på din egendom. Hyresvärden äger byggnaden trots allt. Du kan inte bygga ett tillägg. Du kan inte blåsa ut väggar för att expandera rum. I vissa fall är du även begränsad i färgerna som du kan använda för inredning. Du kanske inte ens tillåtet att ha ett husdjur Hyresgäster har underhåll täckt av deras hyresvärd, men den förmånen kanske inte är värt begränsningarna. Naturligtvis begränsar vissa husägare föreningar yttre färger och gårdsdekorationer, och zonering kan störa tillägg, men i allmänhet har du mycket mer frihet. Som en försiktighetsåtgärd går du inte för djup i att anpassa ditt hem. Din smak kan förändras genom åren, så det tycktes som en bra idé när du köpte kan vara ett besvär ett decennium senare. Du måste också överväga möjligheten att så småningom sälja hemmet. Att anpassa ditt hem för djupt kommer att begränsa antalet potentiella köpare. Du är din egen hyresvärd. Med andra ord undviker du hyresvärdar med problem. Underhåll är ditt eget ansvar, vilket innebär att du behöver hantera det själv, men du undviker den dåliga hyresvärdsproblemet. Du behöver aldrig vänta på att din hyresvärd ska ringa sin exterminator eller deras rörmokare när något går fel. Fördelarna med att hyra bostadsägande är inte allt solsken och regnbågar. Hyra är ett livskraftigt bostadsalternativ för miljontals människor eftersom det fungerar. Ägar ett hem är inte för alla. Här är några av fördelarna du ser när du hyr. Hyresgäster har en enkel tid med bostäder. De behöver inte hantera stängningskostnader, heminspektioner och fastighetsmäklare. Att hitta en plats att hyra är mycket lättare än att hitta ett lämpligt hem att köpa. Som hyresgäst är du inte ansvarig för mer än det absoluta grundläggande underhållet. Din hyresvärd kommer troligen att uppskatta det om du kan byta glödlampor och fixa täppt toaletter på egen hand, men några större problem är strikt på huvudet. Du kan luta dig tillbaka och koppla av medan de löser problemen som orsakas av åldrande byggnader och år av hyresgäster som rör sig in och ut. Du är inte låst på en plats som hyresgäst. Det typiska hyresavtalet varar bara i ett år, med möjlighet att fortsätta månatligen eller signera ett annat år. När du köper ett hem, planerar du normalt att bo där i fem år på bäst minimum. Hyresgäster har det lätt ekonomiskt. Det är enkelt att budgetera på månadsskala. Nedbetalnings-och stängningsavgifter för ett hem kan påverka även det mest ekonomiskt sunda bankkontot. Diversifierade investeringar. Husägare tenderar att investera de flesta av sina besparingar i att köpa ett hem. Majoriteten av sitt kapital äts upp av hemmet, och om något händer med det, kan det egna kapitalet gå förlorat. Hyresgäster har mer frihet att investera i sparande, aktier eller till och med ett litet företag. Potentiellt lägre kostnader. Ovannämnda inflationsrådgivning kan skrämma dig om stigande hyra, men på vissa områden kommer inköpskostnaden att ligga långt före den allmänna inflationen. Om du bor i rätt område, hittar du hemmapriserna mycket längre utom räckhåll än liknande uthyrningsenheter. Felaktig berättelse att undvika Det finns gott om bra skäl att köpa, och det finns också många dåliga skäl. Mycket av de råd du hittar online eller från vänner och släktingar kan vara tillämpligt under begränsade omständigheter - eller det kan vara falskt helt Hyran verkar billigare. Köpa ett hem betyder att hantera stora antal. I verkligheten hyr också stora nummer. Det är en skillnad i enheter. En hemfaktorer i kostnaden för hela hemmet, medan hyra beräknas helt enkelt den månatliga kostnaden. Använd ovanstående tumregel (månatlig hyra multiplicerad med 200) för att ge dig en uppfattning om hyresvärdet för hyran - eller omvänd det, att dividera kostnaden för hemmet med 200, för att beräkna motsvarande lånbetalningar. Arbetssäkerhet. Arbetssäkerhet går båda vägarna. För det mesta har du ingen anledning att rädda att förlora ditt jobb, och det är säkert att köpa ett hem. Å andra sidan, om du är aktivt riskerad av nedsättning eller avfyrade, borde du förmodligen skjuta upp att köpa ett hem. Det sagt är det helt möjligt att studsa tillbaka från en arbetsförlust om en månad eller två, och du kanske till och med hamnar i en bättre ekonomisk ställning. Låt inte den vaga, ogrundade möjligheten att förlora ditt jobb förhindra dig från att äga ett hem. Pushy fastighetsmäklare. Många fastighetsmäklare tar sina jobb på allvar och gör sitt bästa för att hitta det bästa hemmet för en viss individ. Vissa är dock helt enkelt till kommissionen. Dessa medel tenderar att vara påträngande och driver dig att köpa ett hem över det pris du har råd med - eller kör dig att köpa när du inte borde köpa alls. Att välja rätt agent är oerhört viktigt, och du måste kunna motstå den mest finjusterade försäljningsstället. Glömmer logistiken. Att köpa ett hem innebär att man köper en plats. Tänk på din närhet till skolor, butiker och jobb. Om pendeln kommer att bli betydande kan det vara en källa till stress och bränslekostnader. Över och under köp. Det är lätt att ha ett hem som passar vissa kriterier, till exempel en bra plats och en viss storlek. Det är också lätt att upptäcka att de kriterier du vill ha är dyrare än du har råd med. Overbuying är ett vanligt problem, och det leder människor att krympa med lån och skuld. Å andra sidan, det är lätt att vilja spara pengar köpa att köpa ett hem långt under dina medel. Om du köper med avsikt att sälja och flytta om några år, måste du komma ihåg att dina betalningar och betalningsavgifter kommer att äta i dina besparingar och sänka hur mycket hus du har råd med nästa gång. Det är den vuxna sak att göra. Även känd som American Dream-effekten, uppmaningen att köpa ett hem helt enkelt för att det som folk gör när de är vuxna kan vara skadliga. Det ömsesidiga trycket att köpa ett hem är inte en bra anledning att köpa. Köp medan priserna är låga. Eller, omväxlande, köp nu innan priserna skyrocket. Ja, kostnaden för att köpa ett hem kommer att gå upp under det närmaste årtiondet eller två. Så kommer kostnaden för att hyra. Så också, förhoppningsvis, kommer din inkomst. Skynda inte på ett köp helt enkelt för att du fruktar att du inte har råd med det senare. Förbereda dina ekonomier Granska finanserna Att köpa ett hem är ett stort ekonomiskt beslut. Om du tänker köpa inom en snar framtid behöver du veta din ekonomiska situation. Det sista du behöver är att dyka in i att köpa ett hus, du har ingen aning om du har råd. Mäklare, agenter och hemförsäljare vill alla få så mycket ut av dig som möjligt, så du behöver veta dina gränser. Det första du behöver göra är att göra en detaljerad lista över dina utgifter. Medan du är på det, gör en andra kolumn och uppskatta vad dessa utgifter skulle vara om du ägde ett hem. Använd månadsdata så att du har en lätt synlig likvärdighet. Vad ska du notera ner Din förväntade månadsinkomst. Detta bör inte förändras mellan att hyra och köpa dina skatter. Speciellt vad du betalar i inkomstskatt för social trygghet, federal inkomstskatt och statelokala skatter Dina bostadskostnader. Du kommer inte ha en figur för uthyrning för bostadsägande, men du kommer att ha både bostadslån och fastighetsskatt att överväga. Du måste också notera din hemförsäkring, gas och elverktyg, vatten, telefon, tv, internet och andra verktyg. Kom ihåg att som hyresgäst kanske du inte behöver täcka skräp service eller underhåll, vilket är prognostiserade utgifter i hemägande. På samma sätt måste du förse ditt nya hem Kostnaden för mat är viktig. Shopping för mat och ätning bör båda betraktas som transportkostnader. Bil lån, biljettpriser för kollektivtrafik, fordonsregistreringsavgifter, bränslekostnader, försäkring och underhåll är alla viktiga. Kom ihåg att överväga potentiella hemländer när du räknar ut gaskostnaden för en pendling, underhållskostnader och tillgång till kollektivtrafikutseende. Du köper inte nödvändigtvis kläder varje månad, men om du har en genomsnittlig årslängd, kan du komma med en månadsfigur. Inkludera även frekventa kostnader som hårklippningar och kemtvättskulder. Notera ditt kreditkort skuld, student, auto och andra lån. Underhållning. Film biljetter och lägenheter kostar pengar, semester kostar pengar, gåvor kosta pengar, hobbies kostar pengar, husdjur kostar pengar. Allt du spenderar pengar på kan klassificeras som underhållning ska läggas till här. Det mesta av detta borde inte förändras med ett nytt hem, men om du tror det kanske, notera det ner. Erforderliga hälso - och finanskostnader. Om du har en investeringsmäklare, en finansiell rådgivare eller en revisor noterar du kostnaden. Detsamma gäller för regelbundna sjukhus - och tandbesök, pågående receptbelagda läkemedel och terapiförsäkringskostnader. Du har noterat några av dessa i andra kategorier, så allt som återstår ska gå här. Detta inkluderar sjukförsäkring och livförsäkring Utbildning. Det här är viktigt om du eller din make deltar i college eller om du startar en familj och kommer att behöva finansiera ett barns utgifter för barn. Alla föräldrar har utgifter för barnomsorg, leksaker och andra sådana utgifter. Allt annat du spenderar pengar på som inte passar i någon av ovanstående kategorier. Om du kan, granska bankrekord för det gångna året för att bestämma allt du kan ha spenderat pengar på. Bortsett: Slashing Your Spending Om du aldrig har haft en budget innan, kanske du inser att du spenderar mer än du inser om frivolities eller utgifter du kan minimera. Slashing dina utgifter hjälper dig att spara för ett hem - trots allt, varje öre du lägger på besparingar eller en investering kommer att tjäna dig så mycket mer intresse. Varje personlig ekonomisk situation är annorlunda, men här är några allmänna idéer du kan använda för att minska kostnaderna. Släcka skulder. Att bära en kreditkortsaldo, betala ett minimum för billån och hålla bort skulder på skulder kostar dig på lång sikt. Intresset fortsätter att hälla upp. Att betala mer varje månad kommer att kosta dig mer på kort sikt, men dina räntekostnader kommer att sjunka. Det bidrar också till att minimera risken för missad betalning eller skuldsättande samlingar, vilka båda kommer att skada din kredit som orsakar påföljder, avgifter högre priser. Om du har sparat pengar, använd det Ditt sparkonto har förmodligen en lägre ränta än ditt kreditkort, så du förlorar pengar genom att balansera. Trim ner frivolous inköp. Alla har något de spenderar mer på än de borde. Kanske är det dyra designerkläder, snarare än robusta utilitaristiska eller out of season kläder. Kanske är den icke-nödvändiga lyxen eller en hobby du kan klippa tillbaka för att spara lite mer. Det kan vara så enkelt som en daglig lunch på en snabbmatrestaurang som kostar dig 100 varje månad. Eller det kan innebära att du ersätter färdigt kaffe med din egen maskin. Köp mat och andra objekt i bulk. Ett medlemskap till en butik som Sams Club eller Costco täcker sin investering i bulkbesparingar på varor du ofta köper. Livsmedel är en stor kostnad för många människor, så skärning kommer att hjälpa till betydligt. Köp off-brand objekt för att spara några pengar och du kommer att bli förvånad och hur lite påverkan det har på ditt liv. Kom ihåg, marknadsförare spenderar mycket ansträngning för att övertyga dig om att off-brands och generics på något sätt är värre eller skadliga. För det mesta är formlerna och recepten identiska, men priset är slashed. Skär inte allt. Dess frestande att skära ut varje hobby, varje bit av takeout och varje lyx för att spara pengar. Detta fungerar nästan aldrig. Ju mer du slash, desto svårare är det att hålla fast vid din budget. Du kommer att rättfärdiga det genom att säga att det bara är ett enstaka köp, om och om igen, och plötsligt inser du att du spenderar lika mycket som du var. Lämna dig själv rum i din budget för roliga pengar, lite varje månad för att äta ute, lyx och underhållning. Det är inte en dålig sak att behandla dig själv, så länge du vet att du kan hantera utgiften. Håll din budget. Även om du är den typ av person som sparar så mycket som möjligt, hjälper en budget. Faktum är att en budget är en av de viktigaste bitarna av information du har om du vill köpa ett hem. Budgetar är inte ett verktyg för överleverantörer att begränsa sig, som en diet. Theyre ett verktyg för att skapa ekonomisk medvetenhet. Upprättande av besparingar Att ställa in ett besparingsmål är skrämmande. When youre putting together a budget, and you decide you want to save 200,000, realizing you can only put away 200 a month and figuring it would take 80 years to reach your goal is intimidating. Thankfully, its rarely as shocking and depressing as that example. Set a goal. Most people should have two primary long-term goals: retirement and a home. Its hard to choose figures for these goals, especially in your 20s and 30s. While you should probably consider buying a home eventually, think about retirement. If you think you might enjoy working even when youre 70 or 80, you dont necessarily need to save specifically for retirement -- and even then, not an early retirement in your 50s and 60s Establish a retirement account -- or not. Retirement accounts like 401Ks are amazing tax breaks, if you can match your employer contribution. They also lock your money in place until a designated age is reached. You can cash out earlier, but you typically get hit with a significant fee. Save an emergency fund. Now that you have a budget, you know how much it costs to maintain your lifestyle. Try to have at least three months worth of your expenses set aside. If you have a particularly at-risk job or a variable income, it might be better to shoot for six months or more. The idea is that, if you suddenly lose your job, you dont have to stress out about affording surviving while you try to find new employment Save for the future. Maybe you want to go back to college to further your career. Maybe you want to build a family and send children to college. Either way, you need to save for education. Some areas offer interesting educational savings accounts, so investigate local universities and financial institutions Save for a business. This isnt for everyone, but if youve ever thought you might want to start a business, you should save for the start up costs Protecting the Future Insurance is expensive. Insurance is also critically important. If youre living without insurance, youre taking an incredible personal and financial risk. Here are some cautionary examples. Disability: What if you dont have disability insurance and an accident costs you the use of your legs Costly therapy, slashed work income and the potential legal fees all cut into your savings. Home: What if you live in Kansas and lack storm coverage Even if you dont live in a particularly tornado-prone area, a freak storm can blow up at any time. A tornado tearing your house -- or your whole neighborhood -- apart will tear your savings apart just as easily. Life: An unexpected illness, a freak infection, a bad accident. Anything can cause the loss of a loved one, and the lack of proper life insurance means you wont be able to compensate for their lost income. You might be forced to sell a house at a loss just to move to somewhere you can afford. As with any major purchase, shop around when you search for affordable insurance. Gathering quotes and balancing coverage is an art form all its own, so take your time and make sure youre properly insured. Knowing Your Credit Possibly the largest factor influencing your borrowing cost is your credit rating. You need to learn how to check your credit report, know what your credit score means and discover how to fix any errors. Your credit score is a number that indicates your financial responsibility. Lower scores mean one of two things. Either youre virtually unknown to the credit bureaus or youre financially irresponsible. Both of these can be fixed. A higher score indicates that youre a lower risk investment for a lender -- youre more likely to meet their expectations. Whats In Your Credit Report Your credit report is a record of your financial history, but it only contains certain types of financial information. If youre the kind of person who uses cash for everything, youll find you have little record of it in your credit report. On the other hand, frequent users of credit cards will have a long and detailed credit report. What does the report contain The types of credit you use. This includes bank loans, credit cards and other forms of credit How long your financial accounts have been open . Having a credit card for years and a long, established bank account will build a reputable credit history. If your bills are paid on time. Overdue bills are reported to the credit bureaus and can reflect negatively on your report, especially if youre a frequently late. Identifying information. Your credit report is a personal history, so it includes your name, address, soc. number, birthday and employment information. All of this information is there for identification, and is not used in figuring your score. You wont be penalized for the type of job you have or the location of your home Each individual line of credit is reported. Lenders and credit companies report any account you have open, the type of account, the date you opened, your credit limit and your balance. They also note your account history and, if you closed the account, that date as well. Previous inquiries into your credit history. Each time you apply for a loan, the lender asks for your credit report. The record only stretches back two years, so all that searching you did for an auto loan four years ago wont be relevant. It will also list recent requests you make for your own report Any records related to overdue accounts sent to collections. All of this information is a matter of public record, and is simply collected in one place for lenders. This includes bankruptcies, foreclosures, lawsuits, wage garnishments and court judgments Why Check Your Credit Report Seeing a copy of your credit report is very valuable for financial awareness. It also allows you to identify and correct any errors on the report. Even in the age of computers, clerical errors are common. If someone else defaults on their loan, and their social security number is a digit away from yours, it could be misreported on your report. You may find that some information is incomplete, potentially due to using a slightly different name than your given name. Its possible that other errors occur, leading to misreported late payments and other issues you might otherwise never notice. Your credit score and report are held by three different companies. These companies are Equifax. Experian and TransUnion. You are entitled to pull your report from each of these companies, once per year, for no cost. You can streamline this process by visiting the official credit report website set up by the U. S. Government for claiming your credit report. That site is AnnualCreditReport . In addition to your free report, you are often eligible to receive another free report if you are denied for employment, housing or credit in the past 60 days due to your credit rating. You can also purchase an additional report if youve already used your free report, generally for a low fee. Beware of sites that claim to offer free credit reports. Many of these sites pull your report free and then charge you for the service. Some will attempt to lock you into a contract of some kind for credit monitoring or other services. You do not need these services under any circumstances. Factors Impacting Your Score With three different companies recording your financial history based on incoming reports, there are going to be errors and discrepancies between them. This means that your credit score will vary by a few points from one agency to the next. Each agency figures the score differently, so a discrepancy is no cause for concern unless it is more than a few points. How do these companies come up with your score The process is decidedly complex. Your score counts every factor and category of reported information. No single piece of information determines your score itself. Every factor is weighted differently. The weighting of each factor depends on your own personal credit history and the company measuring it. It is impossible to identify a most important factor for this reason. Your score only includes what is in your credit report. The credit bureaus do not know or care about external factors. However, a lender may ask for additional information in order to make their decision, so your credit score is not the sole determining factor of your potential rates. Positive information helps, negative information hurts. Late accounts will lower your score, but a visible display of effort catching up and restoring your accounts will raise it. Raising your score more than a few points takes time. If you want to buy a house next month but your credit score is too low for the loan you need, you wont be able to make up the difference in time. Building credit is a long process. Remove debt collection notices is possible, if you negotiate with the collections agency. This is a complex process that has little bearing on housing purchases, but is worth researching if you have unpaid debts in collections. All of that simply serves to illustrate that your credit is complex, but how much of it is of practical use You know what goes into your credit score. How do you improve your credit scoreBe on time. Paying your bills on time shows a demonstrated history of reliability, which is important for lenders who want to be paid for their loans. Get current and stay current. The longer your history of being on-time, the more beneficial it is. If you missed some bills or two a few years ago, it will be much less relevant to a lender than if you miss a couple every month. Ta din tid. Building credit is a long process that wont happen over night. You need to work down outstanding bills and loans, keep your accounts up to date and avoid the other negative factors. Keep credit balances low. Using credit cards builds your history, but it only grows your score when the balance is low. Carrying a high balance tells lenders that youre close to the edge. Extinguishing debts will bolster your score significantly, though it may take some time to factor in completely. Dont open and close credit cards. You gain a benefit from having credit cards with long histories. Opening a credit card for a quick use and closing it again wont affect your score positively. In fact, its possible that rapid opens and closes will lower your score. Closing an account doesnt remove it from your credit history, after all. Be focused when searching for a loan. Frequent inquiries into your credit history are lumped under the search for a single loan, if theyre within a small enough time frame. If they stretch out too long, your score interprets it as frequent denied loans, which hurts your score. Dont worry about credit inquiries. Most credit inquiries are ignored by the credit bureaus and lenders alike. Additionally, when youre shopping for a loan, recent inquiries dont matter. Any request made in the previous 30 days is ignored for the purpose of a new request. What Affects the Cost of Housing Housing prices fluctuate from year to year. Sometimes they rise and sometimes they fall. The general trend is upward, but the recent collapse of the housing bubble shows that the unexpected can cause a drastic fall. Housing prices are still depressed, but they are on the rise. What factors influence the price of housing How can you guess whether prices will rise or fall Here are the major factors that contribute to housing costs. You can research these factors online or with your local city archives. This historical data will give you an idea of the trends, upward or downward, that a particular area faces. This helps you decide whether to jump on a purchase or wait a few years for further decline. Jobs. If you were to move from your current location, what would be a deciding factor Chances are your answer is a job. Most people move to find a job. The presence of jobs, the growth of the job market and the diversity of available jobs are all important. A place like silicon valley is great for IT professionals, but other professionals may avoid the area. If, somehow, the computer field collapsed, silicon valley would suffer a housing collapse. Job quality is important as well. An area with high earning jobs will see higher housing prices than an area where fast food jobs are the norm. Areas with incoming industries with high growth will experience increasing housing prices. For the reverse, simply look at Detroit. When the auto manufacturers went overseas, the Motor City collapsed Housing availability. You cant buy a house if a house doesnt exist, after all. If there is a low density of housing, and no one wants to sell, no amount of saving will get you a house in that area. When a house does become available, it will command a premium. On the other hand, an area with a large amount of vacant houses will see lower housing prices. People building suburbs and condominium complexes will drive down housing prices in the area. Look for a vacancy rate of around five percent for a housing market with prices on the rise. A vacancy rate around ten percent is more likely to be a buyers market, where you can negotiate a nice low price Listings versus sales. An area where a large number of homes are listed for sale but few of them are actually selling creates a buyers market. Sellers are desperate to sell their homes, so buyers are free to negotiate a lower price for an ideal location. Conversely, an area with a falling number of new listings indicates high demand for the housing in that area. Few listings and high purchase rates lead to a sellers market, where the buyer has much less room to negotiate and prices will rise Comparing rental rates. Investigate local rental prices. While youre at it, figure how much it would cost monthly to actually own that property. Ideally, you will buy when the cost to own is roughly the same as the cost to rent, if not cheaper. Finding a Deal on Housing Negotiation is a complex task. You need to consider a whole range of factors that will influence the sale price of a home. Looking for deals is simply the first step. Beware the discount offers. Real estate agents and private sellers sometimes advertise that a home is being sold for 50 percent off or at a huge price reduction. The question you should ask yourself is why the price was reduced that much. Was it simply overpriced to begin with, and the reduction is designed to draw in new buyers Is there a major defect in the home that makes it less attractive to buy Chances are a house with such a discount will have some compelling reason to avoid it. Identify ways to add your own value. You might not be able to get a great deal on the house itself, but if you can identify a few ways to add value, youll be able to boost your equity quickly. This can be as simple as a fresh coat of paint and some new flooring. It can be as complex as a large addition or remodel. Of course, if youre pushing your budget to the limit to see the house in your price range, you need to be wary about investing in improvements you cant afford. Buy when buyers are scared. A depressed housing market wards people off. Why would they want to buy a house when house values are falling Smart buyers know that the price will improve over time, especially with a little work. Think of it like shopping for discounts at a retail store. Figure how much the monthly cost of buying the home would be, and look for a cost thats in line with or lower than local rental costs. Look for the beginnings of an incline in home sales, which indicates that prices have reached their bottom. Of course, look for any improvements in the job market, which will attract more buyers. Scout the sellers. A motivated seller has a reason to sell the house, and will strike a deal to get it done. Some houses are owned by banks or managed by real estate agents with a lower motivation to sell. These sellers will try to get the best sell prices. Youre looking for sellers who need to move, need to downsize or otherwise want to get out of their home as soon as possible. Theyll cut you a discount just to be rid of the home. Of course, do a home inspection to make sure theyre not running from a critical flaw. Pick a good neighborhood. Its rare that a good neighborhood turns into a slum. Good neighborhoods tend to stay good, and that means a solid level of housing prices. Drastic changes to the area or the job market can change this, of course, but you cant hold off just because you want to predict the unpredictable. Picking the Perfect House Shopping for the perfect vehicle is touch. Picking the right job is extremely difficult. Deciding the best way to spend your evening may take all night. What does that say about picking the place youll live for a decade or longer, up to the rest of your life You need to consider a wide range of factors before you even look at a single property. Unless youre fabulously wealthy, youll have a budget limiting the places you can life. If you can only afford a 300,000 home, youre not going to find a home in the heart of a city where property values start at 750,000. On the other hand, you dont want to start your search with average property values of 50,000. The quality of the neighborhood goes a long way towards setting its value and sale price. What characterizes a good location The local economy. A strong economy means a good area. A poor economy means a maze of sale signs and a bunch of unemployed neighbors Access to amenities. If you like to bike, does the area have access to trails and bike paths along roads If youre a sports fan, can you easily access arenas and stadiums If youre an outdoorsman, are you close to a lake, river or park Schools. If youre thinking of raising a family any time in the next two decades, consider your access to schools. More importantly, consider the quality of those schools. Expensive private schools will cater to more expensive areas, while the lowest income neighborhoods are relegated to under-funded public institutions Crime rates. Everyone considers crime rates, and for good reason. High crime rates lower property values, not to mention adding the risk of becoming a target of those crimes yourself Types of Homes The style of architecture you prefer may not have a huge effect, but the type of building certainly does. Here are the various types of residences you may be looking at, and their advantages. New construction detached homes. These are the houses that were built for sale. No one has lived in them before you. They are full of modern amenities, built to satisfy the modern buyer. Theyre built up to modern codes as well, meaning theyre not going to be full of lead paint, asbestos, faulty wiring and ancient rodents. They tend to have high energy efficiency, and many may come with green amenities. Of course, new construction is only as good as the builders. Always get a home inspection, even on new construction. You never know what problems are hidden by a fresh paint job. New construction can be misleading. Typically, youll visit a suburb full of identical homes, and youll be taken through a model home on tour. Its beautiful, fully furnished and laid out professionally. The home you end up buying has no furniture and none of the bright, attractive colors. Prices are also less negotiable on new construction. You dont have leverage of a motivated seller or a poor appraisal. Used detached homes. These homes have been owned and lived in for years before you. It might be new construction from last decade, or it might be two centuries old and adapted to new technology. Used homes are typically less expensive, because they lack significant construction labor expenses. Youre also able to negotiate with the seller and use various sources of damage as leverage. Of course, that means you need to handle that damage yourself. Ideally, a used home wont have large maintenance and remodel tasks to take care of before you move in. Used homes are also, well, used. They may have old damage that was hidden from inspectors and old residents. It may be laid out in a form over function design -- high ceilings that raise your heating bill as well, old insulation that has lost potency over the years, etc. Floor plans might not quite work with modern appliances, and you may find yourself using the word compromise more than you prefer. Condominiums. a condominium is a single building with multiple units. Picture an apartment building -- multiple units with similar layouts in the same attached building. The difference between an apartment and a condominium is the ownership. A landlord owns an apartment building and the tenants rent from them. In a condominium, each unit is owned by the person inside it. Condos are generally cheaper than detached housing, so you can get more condo for the price of a detached home. They also cost less to maintain, since external maintenance tasks can be split amongst the other residents. They often come with other amenities as well, such as pools and gyms attached. Like apartments and dorms, however, condos offer a lack of privacy. Youre only separated from your neighbors by thing walls and ceilings, which can lead to quite a bit of noise. For maximum privacy, hunt out a top floor corner unit, but expect a premium for the privacy. Condominiums also have complex legal, financial and social ramifications. If a legal issue occurs, you have to deal with property lines, shared space rules, other tenant concerns and a whole labyrinth of legal rulings. You may find odd restrictions on your condo usage or fees. A few rules are fine, to regulate noise and safety. Too many rules, however, and you may feel more like a prison than a home. The Mythical Fixer-Upper The fixer-upper is a frequent joke among sitcoms. No sooner has the buyer signed the contract than the walls fall in around them. Fixer-upper homes are a good way to get more house for less money, but they can backfire easily as well. What benefit does a fixer-upper offer Well, first off youll end up in a nicer home than you would if you maxed out your budget on a pristine home. You essentially sacrifice your time in place of your money. Youll be in complete control of your decorations, from paint to layout. Youll also increase the value of your home -- assuming the work is done right, of course. Rule number one of shopping for a fixer-upper is get an inspection. Lets reiterate: get a home inspection. Your home will have problems, and you expect that. What you dont want is to find the insulation you wanted to replace hiding structure flaws that make the home completely unsafe. Hidden fire damage, among other issues, can and will condemn a house you just bought. Old, hidden lead paint or asbestos can cost a fortune to remove if you werent expecting the costs. Be wary of contractors. At the same time, be wary of doing all the work yourself. If you have the skills and experience to renovate your home, by all means, take the time to do it. On the other hand, if you dont, hiring a contractor is a sure way to avoid the issues that doom so many fixer-uppers. The three mores of contractors are simple. It will be more disrupted than you plan, it will take longer than you plan, and it will cost more than you plan. This goes whether youre doing the work yourself or youre working with contractors. Categories of repairs. There are three types of work you might end up doing on a fixer-upper. The first is structural repairs. This is major damage or old work that you need to bring up to modern code. Roof work, foundation work, new wiring and plumbing are all variations. They cost a lot and do little to add value to your home. Unless you have money to burn, avoid a home where you need to focus on structural renovations. If you do get a home with structural repairs to perform, see if you can get a credit with the seller for doing the work. Renovations are the main value increase. Remodel a kitchen or a bathroom and add value instantly. Modern appliances, new walls, fresh windows and counters all add value. The more functional and valuable the remodel, the more your home benefits. Cosmetics are the third type of repairs, and include everything from new carpets to landscaping. Some will add value, some will add curb appeal and some are designed to attract buyers. The Rise of the Foreclosure The housing bubble burst, and that left banks to foreclose on thousands of homes. When you sign a mortgage, youre signing the house as collateral. If you fall behind on the contract, the bank can repossess the house. This has happened widely across the country over the last several years, so you often find foreclosures for sale. Foreclosures have the advantage of a motivated seller -- the bank wants their money back -- and a low asking price. On the other hand, there are a number of risks. Physical issues. Some people are very unhappy when their home is foreclosed on by the bank. Some of these unhappy people will tear the house apart on their way out. It might be splashes of paint on the carpet and holes knocked in the drywall. It might be broken windows and plugged faucets letting water run. It might be a complete strip of anything metal to sell for scrap. Most of the time, lenders will not allow an inspection prior to purchase of a foreclosed home. You are, more or less, gambling on the quality of the home. In some cases, you may end up with a quality fixer-upper. In others, you may end up with little more than a trash heap. Financial issues. Some people rush to sell their home before the foreclosure process finishes. They may lie about the remainder owed to sell quickly. They may lie about any financial detail to get it out of their hands. If youre not careful, you get stuck with the bill. Personal issues. Rarely, the previous foreclosed tenant hasnt quite moved out. Sometimes, theyre very set on staying in place. Rarely, theyre armed. Once you own the property, this becomes your problem. Its rare, but its not impossible. All About Home Loans What is a mortgage The word is thrown around constantly in terms of house buying, but it is rarely explained. Thankfully, the definition is simple, as it is a type of loan designed to assist you in purchasing a house. When you consider your income and your local housing market, its easy to see why a loan is necessary. A house may cost 100,000, or 500,000 or even 1,000,000. Regardless of cost, chances are you dont have that kind of cash sitting under your mattress. Mortgages allow you to leverage your income to buy a house in a series of monthly installments. The monthly cost is the combination of the principal and the interest. The principal is the original amount you borrow. A 100,000 loan has a 100,000 principal. That same loan at a four percent interest rate has roughly 33,000 in interest costs over 15 years or 72,000 over 30 years. The exact amount varies based on interest rates, the amount you pay each month and the term of the loan. There are primarily two types of mortgage: fixed-rate amp adjustable loans. They each have their own advantages and disadvantages. Fixed-rates are simple. You have a set principal and a set interest rate. The rate never changes for the term of the loan. It starts at four percent day one of year one, and stays at four percent for the remainder of the term. Your monthly payment never changes. Youll never be surprised by a rate hike. Adjustable-rates do not have a fixed interest rate. Instead, the rate changes based on what other rates for other financial transactions are doing. If the national rate is on the rise, chances are yours will rise as well, and youll end up paying more. On the other hand, if national rates fall, so till will yours, leading to a lower monthly fee for a time. Hybrid mortgages are those loans that start out with a fixed interest rate and then, after seven, ten or another period of years, convert into an adjustable-rates. This offers an advantage to short-term homeowners looking to convert houses or discharge their debt while the rate is low. Otherwise, homeowners may be surprised when it converts into an adjustable rate and the monthly cost rises. Interest-only mortgages are the closest a legitimate mortgage can get to fraud. For the first few years of the term -- the same sort of periods as in a hybrid note -- the monthly cost is very low. This is because it only goes towards paying accruing interest. Once the period runs out, the full principal is still owed, and no progress has been made over the previous years. Monthly payments skyrocket and most homeowners are unprepared. Beware of this reset, and make sure you can handle it before you sign up for one. The Subprime Bubble In recent financial news, specifically in the late 2000s, the housing bubble burst. This was mostly caused by the increase in subprime lending. Lenders for years had been increasing the amount of loans they extended to people who perhaps should not have qualified for those loans. This was in part due to extensive government incentives and subsidies for companies that helped people find housing. Jobs were plentiful, housing costs were rising due to the prevalence of new buyers and everything looked strong. The crash happened in the late 2000s when market prices began to falter. The heaviest hit areas were those full of people holding subprime notes. Monthly interst costs jumped, borrowers defaulted, jobs declined and every factor leading to a strong economy dropped. The cycle continued in a spiral of depression that led to the current recession. Thankfully, government policies are changing to help avoid this issue in the future. Which to Choose Fixed or Adjustable Fixed-rates are stable. The monthly cost is fixed, the rate is fixed, the principal is fixed. There are no surprises. You always know what your amount due is going to be, and you have an easy time budgeting for that each month. While that stability can be quite beneficial, these often have higher starting rates than adjustable loans. This is because lenders dont want to get burned if the economy causes rates to rise. This happened in the 1980s, where many holders of 6 fixed-rates cried with joy while the Federal Funds rate shot up to 15 percent. The opposite is also true, of course. If youre locked into a six percent interest rate and the market decides interest rates will fall to four percent, youre still stuck with the higher rate (unless you refinance). With a fixed-rate mortgage, you are likely signing on for either a 15 or a 30-year term. Lenders will charge you a higher interest rate the longer the term. This is because a longer term gives interest rates more time to rise. It also gives you more time to encounter financial hardship and default. Adjustable-rates are the banks way of maximizing their profits while following the market. Theyre volatile, because they change with the level of interest prevalent in the wider market at large. If the market rates rise, so do yours. If it lowers, the same may happen to you. What makes adjustable-rates attractive Most of the time, they start at a lower rate than a fixed rate mortgage. A fixed rate may start at seven percent, and an adjustable loan for the same principal and term may be a mere five percent. Lower interest rates also potentially allow you to qualify for a larger loan. If you have a budget of 150,000, borrowing at six percent will give you a smaller principal than borrowing at four percent. If youre buying your home while rates are high, your adjustable-rate may starts off with a lower than market rate. Then, if the market rates drop, so too will your relatively-low rate. This allows you to enjoy lower rates without refinancing to get them. Its also a benefit for those cases where you may not qualify for refinancing. Adjustable-rate mortgages have one safety against rising rates. They typically have a clause that identifies the maximum possible rate for the loan. Even if the market rises beyond that cap, your rate will remain capped. You can talk with your lender to identify what this cap is and what the maximum possible payment would be, which helps you plan for the worst-case scenario. Adjustable-rate loans also typically have a periodic adjustment cap, which limits the size of an individual rate jump. How often does an adjustable-rate mortgage adjust Typically, the change takes place once every six months or once a year. Some rare loans will adjust monthly, which can be a warning sign of something you want to avoid. Your lender will send you a notice of the coming adjustment, how its figured and how much youll spend each month. Before you consider signing for adjustable-rates, consider these factors: You need a monthly budget that can withstand a higher monthly payment without compromising your other financial goals. Dont sign for adjustable-rates if the low introductory rate is the highest you can handle. Make sure you have the financial reserves to cover you in the event that your job is lost. Six months of monthly expenses is ideal with adjustable-rate mortgages. Can you afford the worst-case scenario, where the interest rate hits the highest possible rate allowed If youre combining your finances with your spouse or a family member, will you be able to handle it if they suddenly lose a job Financial hardship is not an acceptable excuse for a financial institution Consider whether youre starting a family. Having children costs money, which will lower your available funds, reducing the amount you can afford each month Not knowing what your rate is going to be in the coming months is a lot of stress to handle. Make sure youre able to take on the psychological strain of an adjustable rate Loan Terms Mortgages typically come in two term lengths: 15-year and 30-year. Like the different rate categories, these have their advantages and disadvantages. 30-year mortgages typically have lower monthly payments than a 15-year term with the same principal. This makes sense, after all, because you have twice as long to repay the same amount of principal. Your monthly cost wont be exactly half, because of the interest accumulation, but they will be lower. The lower payments a 30-year offers allow you to save for other financial goals, like retirement. Even if you can afford the higher monthly payments of a 15-year tern, you may want to take the 30-year term and apply the extra money to retirement or other savings. If you can handle the higher payments of a 15-year and still apply money to retirement or other savings, by all means, grab a 15-year note, as it allows you to accumulate home equity much faster. Youll have your house owned outright in just over a decade and a half, which can be an awesome situation for someone in their 40s or 50s. Of course, just because you have a 30-year note doesnt mean you have to pay the minimum. You can just as easily send in more than the minimum each month. Finishing a 30-year in 20 or 25 years will save you a bundle on interest. Extra payments early in a loan will lead to greater savings as they prevent some of the associated interest from accumulating for decades. Points amp Fees Lenders charge fees for doing the research and paperwork to prepare your loan. These are typically identified as points. A point is an up-front fee in exchange for access to better rates. One point is equal to one percent of the principal of the loan. For a 100,000 mortgage, that is 1,000. Typically, a lender will charge you more than one point. Points are not all bad. For fixed-rates, the more points you pay up front, the lower your ongoing interest rate. Conversely, if you cant pay more than a single point or two, youll find higher rates. This might be the difference between 7.25 and a 7.75 percent, but its still significant -- especially for high principals over long terms. Lenders will charge other fees as well. Before you sign, ask for an itemized list of these fees. This will help you negotiate a lower signing fee. As always, beware any deals that claim to have no fees. Lenders want to make money, and if they arent doing it by charging you fees, they will by charging greater interest. Some fees you might see are application and processing fees, credit report fees and appraisals. Application fees tend to run between 500 and 1,000. Most lenders charge this fee regardless of whether or not youre approved for the loan or you accept their offer -- its a test of sincerity. Some lenders will waive this fee if youre approved and accept their offer. Credit report fees are relatively minor, typically less than 100. This is simply a way for the lender to obtain a current copy of your credit report. Make sure youve pulled it yourself before you waste your time -- and the lenders time -- with a low score or problematic report. Youll lose your fees and youll end up declined. Appraisal fees cover an inspection of the house youre looking to buy. This helps prevent overpaying for a house with a serious fault. This is a protection for you and the lender. You can factor repairs into the homes value amp the lender knows the collateral is good. The lender risks buyers running off without paying, leaving them holding the property. If the property value declines and you overpaid to begin with, the lender takes a serious loss. An appraisal fee can run from 300 to 1,500, depending on the scale and complexity of the home. 20 is a common down payment. A higher down payment is enticing to lenders and can help get you approved. Putting less down is cheaper upfront, but you need to do some convincing to get it. Additionally, if you are paying under 20 percent, you will be required to get Private Mortgage Insurance. PMI is a type of insurance specifically designed to compensate the lender if you default while having paid a lower-than-usual down payment. Picking the Best Loan The hardest part of picking a loan is finding all the possible quotes. Youll need to know your credit score and financial situation, as mentioned in all the previous talk of financial awareness. Shopping around for home loans is the same as shopping for a good auto loan or good insurance rates. Call lenders, offer them your information and ask for a quote. You can do plenty of research with the power of the Internet at your disposal, but some lenders may not have a significant online presence. You may want to do some good old-fashioned legwork for this one. What characterizes a good lender A straightforward attitude. Good lenders will explain their terms in plain English. If they start confusing you with technical terms or disregarding clauses as unimportant without explaining them, you should consider it a warning sign Local approval. Good lenders can approve your loan there in the office. They wont have to send away and wait for corporate approval. This is an even stronger indicator now with a global computer system Market knowledge. Good lenders will know the sort of properties that are available in various areas. They will know the sort of property youre looking at, and they will warn you about potential surprises Competitive nature. Lenders are businesses. Make them compete for your business. If theyre set in their office and secure in their position, be wary. Its possible they have the best offer and know it, but its also possible theyre using their confidence to make you believe that when a better loan is available down the street Nationally licensed. As of January 2011, loan officers must be licensed. Avoid any lender that doesnt have a license Remember, even if you have a good real estate agent, you dont need to take their advice for a lender. They might know the best deals in town. They might know the best deals that were in town 20 years ago. Investigate their suggestion, but dont take their word as gospel. The same goes for brokers. Brokers attempt to work with a wide selection of lenders to get a good deal, but they cant work with everyone. A good broker will get you the best deal, and they will charge for it. Its a steep price, but its worth the saved time and hassle of shopping for your loan alone. Typical Financing Problems When youre saving for a home, checking your credit report and working with an agent to find a property, the anticipation builds. Your dream of home ownership is almost here. Its so close you can feel it. Having the rug pulled out from under you at this stage in the game is incredibly depressing and likely means you have to put your dreams on hold. To help avoid this, here are some of the most common problems and how to handle them. Low income. If you dont have enough income, you wont be able to get financing. If the lender feels youve stretched yourself too thin, youre going to face a declined mortgage. To handle it: Have patience . Unless you can immediately get a promotion or a new, higher paid position, chances are it will be a while before you can demonstrate a higher income Increase your savings amp down payment offer. You can increase your chances of approval by offering 25 or 30 percent instead of the typical 20 percent. Cosign. A wealthy benefactor, be they friend or family, can drastically improve your chances of approval. Of course, you have to trust them with your financial situation, and if you default, they are on the hook Credit history issues. If you happen to have a number of outstanding debts, be careful with your application. A high credit balance and outstanding loans are red flags for lenders, especially if youre maxing out your credit cards each month. Errors on your credit report may also crop up, though ideally you will have scanned your credit report and fixed any errors before you apply for a mortgage. To cope:Work to clean your credit report before you apply. Shop around for lenders who understand youre a person rather than a credit score. Some lenders are more understanding and flexible than others, willing to give you the benefit of the doubt Cosign. Again, a cosigner will improve your chances of approval. Lower your expectations. If you have a lot of debt and not a lot of income, you might simply be looking at a loan out of your grasp. Shooting for a smaller loan may not get you the home you want, but it could be the difference between approval and denial Trim your expenses and apply the savings to your debts . Minimizing your debts in advance of an application will help you get approval -- especially since it demonstrates that youre willing and able to adjust to meet your new obligations. The appraiser claims a lower value than your offer. It can be a shock to see a professional appraiser set the value of your future home lower than you offered. Thankfully, even reaching this step shows the lender and the seller that youre interested. You can use the appraisers estimate to negotiate a lower purchase price. Of course, make sure your appraiser is a local who knows local prices, otherwise the estimate may not be fitting. Documentation When youre applying you need plenty of information. If you want the process to go as smoothly as possible, try to have all the documentation available. This helps you avoid running back and forth between homes, banks, deposit boxes, computers and other data stores to find the paperwork you need. Here is a list of what you should bring. The sales contract for the home youre looking at buying Paystubs for the last 30 days, or longer if youre self-employed. Make sure these are originals, not reproductions The most recent two years worth of W-2s and tax returns Residence history for at least two years Three months of bank statements and investment statements A diploma or transcript if youre an active or recent student A sales contract for your current home, if youre selling Information for your landlord if youre renting Pink slips for vehicles less than five years old Any paperwork relating to bankruptcy, social security benefits or disability As you can see, banks will ask for virtually anything relating to your financial history. They may ask for documents not on this list. If possible, call them beforehand and ask what paperwork you need to gather. Most lenders will have a list they can provide. Building Your Team Building a Home Buying Super Squad As you may have gathered, buying a home is a huge amount of work. Youre not the only one working on it, though, and you can build a great team of people to make the process much easier. Here are the team members you should find. Yourself. Without you, the team doesnt exist. They dont have a purpose. You have to pay them, you have to direct their work and you have to be satisfied with the results. The real estate agent. This is the person who knows the area. They hunt down the best properties that suit your needs, connect you with the seller and get the deal rolling. They may work for an agency, or they may fly solo as a broker. The lender. Without a mortgage, chances are you wont be buying a house. The inspector. A property inspector should be aware of local house prices as well as the various construction problems. Finding problems before you buy is their job, and they can save you thousands. Advisors. Even if you dont keep one on retainer, visiting a financial advisor will help you determine how much house you can afford, how much you should cut back your personal spending and how to navigate the tax structures that come with home ownership. The escrow officer. Escrow is a service that holds money between a transfer of goods from one person to another. Neither side knows the other, so neither trusts the other. You give your money to escrow, and they make sure you get either the property or your money back. Finding a Real Estate Agent Real estate agents come in two flavors: the buyers and the sellers. Sellers agents work for the seller and try to convince you to buy. Buyers agents work with you and try to convince the seller to sell. These days, agents work for both sides, and get a commission from both. You can use this to your advantage. Offer the agent a bonus if they can get you a cheaper price, and watch them work for you. Real estate agents are paid if you buy. If you dont, they get nothing. What makes a good agent They work with you, not for you. Agents should offer options and advice, educating you about your options. They should not, ever, make decisions for you. They dont try to do it all alone. Agents know when they need expert assistance, usually from an inspector or other team member. A good agent specializes in a certain property type in a certain geographical area. Specialists have a better working knowledge of what they can do for you. Good agents work full time. Part time agents working from their couch on nights and weekends probably wont have the energy to dedicate to your dream. Good agents have their own contacts. You shouldnt need to connect them with the other members of your team -- they should offer ideas. You will probably have to interview a few agents before you select the perfect one. To help with the interview process, here are some sample questions. Are you full-time What agency do you represent Tell me about your office How long have you worked in real estate as an agent What kind of license do you have How do you keep current in your industry Do you have a good grasp of my needs as a buyer What do you think of (the name of another agent youre interviewing) How many buyers and sellers are you working with right now Do you work in partnerships or on your own What should I know about your firm Do you have references You can also ask plenty of questions of their references, particularly about the performance of the agent and their shortcomings. The Rest of the Team To find the right lender, call around. This was extensively covered above. To find a property inspector, check local listings and real estate publications. Inspectors need to be public to be hired, and they need to be hired to be paid. This means you should have no trouble finding a home inspector and, more importantly, will have a public source of feedback to identify if the inspector is adequate. To find an escrow officer, talk with the seller and the real estate agent. Escrow can be handled by a lawyer, bank, broker or dedicated firm. Either way, their job is simple, and they are not hard to find. Finding financial advisors is a matter of preference. If youre secure in your budget and cost estimates, you dont need to worry about contracting a financial advisor. At the same time, if you already have one on retainer, you dont need to find one. If you choose to go with a financial advisor, ask them many of the same sorts of questions you did when you interviewed your real estate broker. Once youve put your team together, youre ready to start the hunt. Negotiating Price amp Terms Tips for Negotiating Negotiation is a fluid process thats all about leveraging your advantages, controlling your emotions and making a deal. Control yourself and your emotions. We all know about the grocery store impulse buy -- imagine if you did the same with a house. Youd be out a heck of a lot more than a 1.50 candy bar if something went wrong. Keep your emotions at arms length and approach every aspect of the deal rationally. Take your time Theres virtually nothing pushing you to close the deal. The seller may try to pressure you to make a decision, but dont fall prey to faulty judgment because you were rushed. Be realistic. Lying to yourself about your finances is a great way to get into a lot of debt very quickly, ending up with a foreclosed house or bankruptcy. Be realistic about what you make, what you save and what you can afford. Dont shop for an ideal house above your means. Pick your style. Some negotiators go into it wanting to win. You win, the seller loses. This ruthless, cutthroat negotiation style can get you a great deal. It might also close off certain avenues that might have otherwise brought you to an ideal home. The other tactic is the compromise the ldquoeverybody winsrdquo style. Make the best of the situation for both sides, cut deals that benefit both and work in all market conditions. Cutthroats are tolerated cooperatives are assisted. Deal in person, in paper. Phones are for appointments, not for deals. Dont make or accept an offer over the phone. Oral agreements are valueless. They dont hold up in court and they dont reflect in paperwork unless that paperwork is crafted around the agreement. If its not in paper, it might as well not be true. Making the Offer Good offers are realistic. Dont lowball the seller with an expectation to raise the price later -- the seller can easily say no and refuse to deal A good offer has factual finances behind it A good offer is open to future alterations if remodels and work is required down the line You will, more likely than not, get a counter offer. This allows the seller to tweak the terms of the offer to be more to their liking. This could change escrow dates, prices and other details. You review and counter-counter-offer until the two parties agree. If details are too contentious to come to an agreement, thats a sign the deal wont happen. Most of the time, you want to negotiate in a buyers market. This isnt always possible. A buyers market gets you the best prices with a motivated seller. Avoid low-ball offers. What is a low-ball A low-ball is an offer thats too low to be realistic. If a seller accepts it, you stand to make quite a bit of profit, in which case youre probably in for a shock. Most of the time, they wont accept. From a sellers point of view, the buyer probably didnt do their research. At best they assume your ignorance, and at worst they find the offer insulting. Beware of Fake Sellers Real estate is fraught with peril, and fake sellers exist. What do they gain from being a fake seller Youve probably seen fake sellers in other circumstances. The garage sale with everything priced near retail or eBay prices is a primary example. These are the people who like the idea of selling their home, but dont realistically want to. Here are a few warning signs. Are the numbers realistic If theyre selling a 250,000 house for 600,000, youre not going to whittle them down -- they dont want to sell Are they motivated People sell their homes because they need to, whether its financial stress or the desire to move. If the seller has no discernable reason to sell their home, they probably wont accept an offer Do they have a time frame Once again, sellers have a reason to sell, and often that reason includes a deadline. If theres nothing pressing them to make a deal, theyll hold out until youve wasted your time Are they genuine Bad sellers hide details, lie about the condition of their home and generally make you focus on buyer beware. If you keep encountering bad surprises, back away from this fake seller Do they cooperate If theyre uncooperative, they might have something to hide. Its not worth the time Excellent Online Resources There are a number of excellent online resources you can take advantage of in your search for a home. These range all through the process, from personal finance to escrow. Realtor is excellent for searching house listings. Its a massive national site with millions of listed homes, which gives you two opportunities. First, you can use it to browse homes in your prospective area to get an idea of property values and amenities. Second, you might even find a few homes to look at. FEMA. the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has information on disaster statistics for any given area. This will help you learn what disasters may occur in your prospective areas so you know what you need to insure against. It might also give your home inspector clues to look for damage in old used houses. The American Society of Home Inspectors is hands down the best way to locate a quality, licensed home inspector in your area. They know their stuff. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development is a great resource for two things. The first is listing and assistance for those with disabilities and assisted living. Second, its great for finding any complaints about discrimination that have cropped up in your area. Beware of online how much house can you afford apps. These may give you a basic idea of what you can afford, but they wont tell the whole story. They dont know your credit score or any flags in your credit report that can change your rates. They also dont have your entire financial situation on hand, which can greatly affect you - which is why we published this extensive article for our homepage Things to Do After you Buy The day is finally here. The escrow has been transferred. Youve moved into your new home. Your new home You are, officially, a homeowner. The majority of the work is done, but youre not off the hook just yet. Here are several things you need to take care of as a new homeowner. Maintain your budget. At the start of this whole process, you did a detailed audit of your finances. You learned your spending habits, figured out how to trim the fat off your monthly bills and hopefully learned something about responsible finances along the way. Now that you own a home, you should keep up with your budget. Maintaining sound financial habits will help you keep up with your obligations and keep some money on the side to continue investing in your future. If you dont have some already, you may want to invest in a budgeting program. It can be as simple as linking your bank account to Mint, as manual as creating an Excel spreadsheet or as automatic as buying and setting up Quicken. Feel free to try the temporary free versions of the various budgeting programs so you know if it works for you. The easier it is to maintain your budget, the easier you will find it to follow. Set up automatic payments. This idea isnt for everyone, but it works for most people. Youre going to be stuck with your mortgage for 15 or 30 years. During that time, its easy for paperwork to get lost. A bill lost in the mail or late can lead to late or missed payments. A one-time problem can cause a cascade of additional fees. Most modern lenders allow you to set up a direct debit to your bank account, typically on a scheduled day of the month. This allows you some control, without risking errors. Automatic billing is excellent when you have stable income. Note that if you do lose your job and have trouble with your finances, you will probably want to remove automatic billing to avoid the risk of overdrafting an account. Rebuild your savings. Chances are good that your down payment wiped out most of your emergency fund. Now that the house is closed and the purchase made, its time to start rebuilding that fund. You still have house payments to make, so putting away extra money will be important if you run into financial trouble. You should definitely consider this a top priority. Extra money once your fund is rebuilt can go to retirement, saving for another large purchase or entertainment. You might consider, once your fund is back to a six-month buffer, applying some of your extra cash towards your principal. Paying it down earlier will reward you with lower overall payments and a higher degree of financial freedom. The longer it takes to repay, the more you spend on interest. The contract term, 15 or 30 years, is the maximum amount of time you have to pay it. There typically is no penalty for paying more than the minimum each month. Calculate what 112th of your monthly payment is, then add that much extra each month, making sure it applies to the principal. Factoring in the lower interest over time, if you keep it up, that one extra payment each year will cut over four years off a 30-year term. Ignore the junk mail. As a homeowner, you were immediately put on a number of mailing lists. Youre a member of an entirely new demographic. This means you become the target of a number of services offered to new homeowners. Some of these include: Mortgage insurance. If you bought your house with less than 20 percent down, you have to get mandatory Private Mortgage Insurance, or PMI. If you already have it, or if you paid with a 20 percent or more down, you do NOT need mortgage insurance. The offers you get in the mail as a new homeowner are typically overpriced for the meager amount of coverage they offer. Mortgage insurance might be a good idea in certain circumstances, but chances are you dont need to bother with it. Home security offers. A home security system is a good idea to protect your investment. That said, the offers you get in the mail are aimed at new homeowners to scare them into purchasing an expensive security system. If you want to get a home security system, treat it like any other large purchase. Take your time, shop around, talk to security specialists and get quotes Refinance offers. You might get your first refinance offers within months of closing on the house, which is certainly not enough time for interest rates to change that drastically. Refinancing is always an option, but you shouldnt refinance through a company sending you direct mail shortly after signing your first loan. Keep an eye on interest rates and property values. These are two figures you should check every six months or once each year. Watch the local and national interest rates. If you have fixed-rates, you can attempt to refinance if rates drop below where they were when you signed. This refinancing might fail, but if it works, youll slash your house payments. If they rise, well, you can revel in your fixed-rates and ignore refinancing requests. Property values have a different focus. When your property taxes are figured, they consider the estimated value of your home at the time. If property values are on the rise, your taxes may rise as well. On the other hand, if property values fall, you probably wont hear about it from the IRS. In these cases, you should talk to the county tax assessor to get a reassessment. If they appraise your house at a lower value, your property taxes will decrease. Keep records. This goes hand in hand with budgeting. Keeping detailed records, as well as receipts, is a very important task. This goes double for any purchases you make with an aim to improve the value of your home. You can use these records as proof of the value youve put into your home, which comes in handy for a number of possible purposes down the road. Start maintenance early. If you set yourself a schedule for replacing furnace filters, cleaning the home, checking gutters and all the other little maintenance tasks, youll have two things. First, youll quickly develop a working knowledge of your new home, inside and out. Second, youll be able to recognize problems as they develop, rather than when they explode. Preventative maintenance early will save you a lot of time and money down the line. Gather information. As a homeowner, if something happens, you need to handle it. That means you need to know who to call in the event of an emergency or an issue. Talk to your neighbors, find out whom they recommend for maintenance tasks. Gather a reference book of phone numbers for places like your power company, your water company, your appliance maintenance people and local businesses that help homeowners. Learn the names and numbers of your neighbors so you have someone to call in an emergency. You dont need to write down 911, but the non-emergency numbers for the fire department, police station, school, doctors office and hospital are all useful to have. Furnish your home, but slowly. You just spent a ton of money on a house. Now you have a small apartments worth of items to fill a large house. You might feel that your possessions are spread woefully thin. You buy a chair, and then a sofa. An entertainment center to support the TV. A couple of bookshelves, and of course the books to fill them, all follow. Soon enough, youve spent thousands of dollars furnishing your home, and find youre still out of savings and have home payments to make. Furnishing your home is a good idea. However, before you go out and buy a dining room set, figure out what you can afford. No one is going to pressure you into filling your house with stuff. Buy a piece here and there, refurbish old furniture, hunt through garage sales and flea markets -- deals come to those who wait. Start early with organization and storage. There is no better time to organize your stuff than when youre first moving in and unpacking. Getting a head start on organization and storage will save you plenty of hassle over the coming years. Of course its going to slip and fade, but a solid base is easier to return to than it is to create out of a mess. Enjoy your new home. The most important part of home ownership is enjoying your home. Sit back, relax and look around at what you own. You went through a lot of hassle to buy this, so youve earned the relaxation. General Purchase Considerations Key Tips amp Advice For Homebuyers Things to consider when buying a home: While 30-years is the most popular term in the United States, a 15-year term builds equity much quicker Home buyers in the US move on average of once every 5 to 7 years Early payments apply primarily to interest rather than the principal Using a shorter loan term. paying extra amp making bi-weekly payments can better help offset any transaction-based expenses associated with moving again in 5 or 7 years. Do Home Prices Always Go Up In the United States real estate prices have went up about 6-fold since 1970. Our monetary policy is biased toward inflation. If you back out general inflation, outside of during market bubbles, real estate typically performs roughly inline with general inflation. Rather than looking at raw prices, better metrics to use for analyzing real estate prices are: Home price vs median income. Purchase price vs rent.