Save Up for Your First Home

Helpful tips on how to save up for the Downpayment on your First Home

Buying your First Home is one of the most important things you will ever do. Here are some useful tips to help you get started.

No matter how easy conforming loans have made home ownership attainable these days, there is still the matter of saving for other expenses that entail owning your first home. You’ll have to factor in your reserve funds and closing costs since that will be a considerable chunk of initial money you’ll have to shell out. It may be daunting to consider the amount of money one needs to set aside but it can be done.

There is no secret to acquisition success other than a desire to work toward a goal and the discipline to stay on that path. Americans used to be the biggest savers since saving was a practical offset when household earnings surpassed spending. Recent years have made it more challenging to do this because of less income. Inflation also plays a big part of the dollars’ spending power. From here on in, you will need to make a truthful assessment of your spending habits, be proactive about changes you will need to make and apply a mindful discipline when handling your finances.

Here are vital steps to help get you started.

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Open A Savings Account

Set up a savings account with your existing bank or credit union. Using one institution makes for better convenience of electronically transferring funds since you want to be able to make hassle-free online transfers that don’t take up your productivity time.

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Budget is the Key

Establish a budget using a spreadsheet showing your monthly gross income minus taxes from your earnings. Subtract costs such as student and car loans, credit card bills and rent from net income. This will show you how much money you have left. Meticulously track your expenses by filing gas, restaurant, entertainment, parking receipts and anything else you may spend on. This system will quickly show you how much you take in and how much you spend empowering you to identify where to cost cut. Let’s face it, do you really NEED that $12 cup of designer coffee?

Cutting costs equate to the money you can set aside for your goal. You have to learn how to be a ruthless saver by radically changing the way you spend. It may sound difficult to do given the lifestyle to which we have become accustomed but consider households taking in smaller paychecks yet have managed to acquisition property for themselves. Make it habitual to balance your sheet twice a month to always know where you are. Make the increasing amount in your home-seed-account your inspiration.

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Personally Assess Your Credit Standing

Interest rates you pay and the amount of money you are able to loan depend heavily on your credit score. The Federal Trade Commission has identified that 20% of credit reports are erroneous. Checking for factual mistakes on your credit score several months before you put in an application for a home loan is one smart solution. This way you can eliminate or rectify any mistakes on your credit score before it is scrutinized.

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To Effectively Save -Think Out of The Box

Don’t eliminate other sources of funds that you can and should put aside like monetary gifts, bonuses, tax refunds. Milestone celebrations like weddings or birthdays are good examples of when you may come into a substantial if not significant amount of money. It is easy to be tempted or justify reasons to splurge during these occasions but you need to steer your mindset back to that which is more concrete (pun intended) in the long run. Add this number to your spreadsheet and see how much closer you are to your goal!

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Things to Remember About Down Payment Money

The bottom line is; lenders lend money to people who display financial responsibility. They want to see down payment money come directly from borrowers because it demonstrates a borrower’s ability to save and make payments. [See: Budget is Key]

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Every Little Bit Counts

There are roughly around 2,300 home loan programs designed to assist people in acquiring homes. Some programs offer tax benefits and reductions while others give outright grants with no strings. Knowledge is wealth so research which program best applies to or is fit for you and don’t hesitate to go into details about it with your agent.

Posted by Shannon Biszantz

Real Estate Consultant at BiszantzConnection

If you choose me as your realtor, I will be by your side through all the steps of the buying/selling process. As my client, I will be primarily concerned with representing your needs.