Vanguard Properties
As a first-time homebuyer, you may find yourself asking, “what can I do to get a great deal on my first home?” Purchasing a home is a financial decision that can potentially affect your finances for years to a whole lifetime.
To make sure you get an affordable home matching your homebuying goals, it’s best to take a few key steps to give yourself the best advantage during the home purchasing process.
A great way to prepare financially before applying for a mortgage loan is to pay off any small debts you have to increase your credit score. Paying off debt at the current moment frees up some of your finances in the future, giving you more funds to work with while lowering your debt-to-income ratio, which can earn you brownie points with lenders.
A great end goal is to pay off your balance in full each month while avoiding interest and still earning rewards and building credit.
If you intend to apply for a mortgage loan in the near future, it's best to avoid opening up new lines of credit accounts that can temporarily lower your score. If you need to open a new credit line to boost your score, then do so well in advance of applying for a mortgage.
Saving money for a home down payment may seem taxing; however, it helps to be intentional with your savings. Start by opening a dedicated bank account and direct-depositing a portion of your income into the account each week or biweekly to continually grow your home purchasing funds.
To expedite your saving process, consider placing savings into a CD account or high-yield savings account. These give the highest earnings from interest out of any other form of savings. Kindly note, these saving methods do make it more difficult for you to pull money from the account to help users refrain from withdrawing money unnecessarily.
Before purchasing a property, you’ll need to find out what is a reasonable amount to spend on a home. To accomplish this, you’ll need to consider your monthly mortgage, recurring bills, taxes, insurance, and any other expenses affecting your finances. Leave yourself room for savings, emergencies and wiggle room for fun expenses.
With the aforementioned tips, you can prepare for homeownership like a pro, and ease some tension of the homebuying process.
Selina Zhao is a tech savvy real estate agent who brings over the top-notch marketing strategies, presentation, and negotiation skills to her clients. Selina always stays on top of the real estate market trends and stats. She applies strategies into different market situation and empower her clients to achieve their ultimate goal. During the first year of her real estate career in the Bay Area, she achieved an impressive $22.8M in sales. Selina’s experience on real estate sales ensure her clients get the care and attention they need as they make the crucial decision of buying and selling properties. Selina is vowed to provide excellent service, communication, and always an advocate for her clients.
Selina loves real estate, her career blended in perfectly to her daily life, and she loves to help others to achieve their American dreams. She works restlessly to get the work done. Immigrated from mainland China in 2007, graduated from University of Miami, Selina established her own online marketing company and her real estate career in Miami, Florida before moving to San Francisco in 2017. Her soul of entrepreneurship and cares for others encouraging her to pursue to be the best in the industry. Selina is also a former Miami HEAT video producer, who witness the team winning their 2012 NBA championship at the courtside.