Rent vs Buying – Is The Time Right to Buy?

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buy now, Buying a home, buying a home for the first time, buying a home in Jacksonville, buying your first home, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Real Estate, real estate, real estate jacksonville fl, Real Estate Team, rent vs. buy, renters

Making the decision to buy a home is a big one—and you want to make sure you’re ready.

But how do you know when you’re ready to make the transition from renting to homeownership?

A recent article from realtor.com outlined key questions to ask yourself when you’re determining whether you should keep renting or make the jump to homeownership, including:

• Do I have enough savings to cover closing costs? If you’re considering buying a home, chances are, you have enough saved up for a down payment. But before you make the decision to buy, you’ll also need to make sure you have enough saved to cover all the closing costs associated with buying a home (like the appraisal and inspection).
• How long do I plan to stay in the property? Ultimately, you want buying a home to be a smart investment; you don’t want to lose money. And in order to not lose money on the deal, you typically need to stay put for two to three years—so make sure you’re willing to settle in for at least a few years before you buy.
• Are you prepared for maintenance? When you rent, your landlord takes care of home maintenance—but when you buy, that responsibility falls to you. Before you make the decision to buy your own home, make sure you’re ready to tackle all the home maintenance projects—and costs—that come with owning property.

The Takeaway:

Bottom line? You want to make sure that, when you buy a home, you’re ready—and asking yourself these questions can help you gauge how prepared you are to make the transition. Let us help you with your decision – Kevin and Jennifer Haley, REALTORS The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 HanleyHomeTeam.com

Homeownership Still More Affordable Than Renting In Most US Counties

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home affordability, home prices, real estate, real estate advice, real estate information, Real Estate Team, real estate tips, rent vs. buy, renters, The best real estate agent in Jacksonville

Most people think that renting a home is a more affordable option than buying. But, as it turns out, in the majority of counties across the US, the opposite is actually true.

According to the 2021 Rental Affordability Report from ATTOM Data, which analyzes rental, wage, and home price data in markets across the country, owning a median-priced three-bedroom home is more affordable than renting a three-bedroom home in nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of counties in the US—even though home prices are increasing at higher rates than rental prices in 83 percent of those counties.

“Home-prices are rising faster than rents and wages in a majority of the country. Yet, home ownership is still more affordable, as amazingly low mortgage rates that dropped below 3 percent are helping to keep the cost of rising home prices in check,“ Todd Teta, Chief Product Officer at ATTOM Data Solutions, said in the report. “It shows how both the cost of renting has been relatively high compared to the cost of ownership and how declining interest rates are having a notable impact on the housing market and home ownership.”

The Takeaway:

So, what does this mean for you? If you’ve been holding off on buying a property because you thought renting was the more affordable option, you may be able to transition to homeownership for less than you’re paying in rent—making now a great time to explore buying your own home. Give us a call to discuss today! Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 HanleyHomeTeam.com

TOP TIPS FOR HOUSE HUNTING ONLINE

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home ownership, homes, homes for sale, Homes for sale in Jacksonville, real estate, renters

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Hunting for a new home online is a great place to start your search, but it should not be your end all be all. Good listing agents are excellent at highlighting the best features of the home, but keep in mind there may be more than meets the eye. To make the most of your time and efforts and gather a well-rounded picture of home listings online, keep the following three things in mind.

1. Stay up to date. When you start your search, make sure you find a site that pulls up-to-date listings directly from the multiple listing service (MLS) where real estate agents actively post their most current homes for sale. Many online resources update less often or fail to remove listings that are off the market, making it more difficult to sort through the clutter.
2. Pictures can be deceiving. Real estate photographers are experts at showing a home in the best possible light. Many use tools and strategies to boost appeal, such as a fisheye lens to make areas look larger and creative editing to make colors and textures really pop. But, often listings will not contain photos of unappealing parts of the home, like small closets or outdated bathrooms.
3. See it to believe it. Once you find what appears to be your dream home online, call up your real estate agent and schedule a showing. You want to take the opportunity to vet the home in person and explore every part of it before beginning the offer process. Your real estate agent will help you cover all your bases and will ask questions you may not have thought of.

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

Have any questions or are you ready to start your new home search in 2019? Give us a call today!  Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside. 904-515-2479

 

Affording a Home

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affording a home, buying your first home, first-time homebuyer, home affordability, homes for sale, Homes in Jacksonville FL, interest rates, interest rates rising, renters, tenants

Home shopping can be tough when you’re not sure how much you can afford. If you’ve wanted to live the dream of owning your own home, but haven’t been sure where to start, we’ve put together a few tips that can make it easier to get a handle on where to start.

1. Tax benefits usually mean you can afford more than your rent. Interest deductions on taxes typically translate into significant savings. Many people find they can afford about 33% more than their current rent. To get an idea of what this might be for you, multiply your current rent by 1.33.

2. A home price two-to-three times your gross income is usually a reasonable place to begin. For example, if your household made $75,000 last year, you could begin looking in the $150,000 – $225,000 range to start.

3. Know how much you can put down. Ideally, you’d want to have 20% of the home’s price set aside for a down payment. On a $200,000 home, this would be roughly $40,000. While people qualify with less, it can result in higher interest rates (which translate to higher monthly payments).

4. Determine your “debt factor.” Lenders will often cite the 28/41 rule when it comes to your debt. This means that your mortgage (plus taxes and insurance) shouldn’t exceed 28% of your gross monthly income. Your total payments (credit card, car loan, etc.) plus your mortgage shouldn’t come to more than 41% of your gross monthly income.

We often work with first-time buyers and renters to get themselves lined up for home ownership. If you’d like to learn more, or have questions, we’re happy to help.  Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS, The Hanley Home Team – http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com 904-515-2479