12 Mar Tips for First-Time Homebuyers
Buying a home is an exciting time, but it can also be a nerve-wracking experience. We know investing in real estate is likely one of the biggest purchases you’ll make in your lifetime, and here at Anderson, Bagley & Mayo (ABM), we want to make sure you enter into this decision feeling confident. The trusted team at ABM has put together a list of tips to help first-time homebuyers securely sign on the dotted line.
Tip #1. Create a Budget and Stick To It
Before you start picking out your dream home, you’ll want to take a look at all your finances and create a realistic budget. You can determine how much house you can afford with these simple guidelines:
- Maximum Mortgage Payment — When looking at your gross monthly income, the amount you make pre-tax, your monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 28%.
- Maximum Total Housing Payment — Next, your housing payment, which includes your monthly mortgage, insurance fees, homeowners or condo association fees, and property taxes, should not exceed 32% of your gross monthly income.
- Maximum Monthly Debt Payment — Finally, your monthly debt payment should not exceed 40% of your gross monthly income. When calculating this number, you will want to include your mortgage payment, housing costs such as taxes and insurance, as well as any additional monthly debts you may have – car payments, student loans, and credit cards are the most common.
It is important to note that some lenders use different debt-to-income ratios when determining your maximum mortgage approval amount. Other factors that play into the lender’s approval decision are credit score and payment history. While you work on saving for your down payment, you’ll also want to keep an eye on your credit score and continue to pay down any monthly debts to show the bank that you are reliable and credit-worthy. When determining your budget, don’t forget to account for things like closing costs, realtor fees, and moving expenses!
Tip #2. Know Your Non-Negotiables
Once you have determined how much house you can afford, you’ll want to start thinking about all the things you want in a home. It may even be helpful to create a list of non-negotiables. Taking the time now to determine desired location, purchase price, square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and yard size will help you narrow down your search in the future.
Tip #3. Use an Experienced Realto
Next comes the fun part — looking for homes! Without an experienced realtor, shopping for homes can feel overwhelming and rather time-consuming. Do some research, talk to friends, and find a realtor that understands your unique needs and is familiar with the area you are looking to move to. This will be extremely helpful when it comes time to negotiate price, find comparable homes, and set up inspection and closing dates.
Tip #4. Get to Know the Neighborhood
Once you’ve narrowed down your search to a specific neighborhood, do your research. Look at prices of other comparable homes in the neighborhood. Are homes going for well above or below asking? Does there seem to be a lot of competition vying for the homes for sale in the neighborhood? Having a strong understanding of the local real estate market will help you make more informed decisions as you get further along in the home buying process. An experienced real estate agent can also help with this part of the process, as they are generally more privy to real estate market information and data.
Tip #5. Don’t Forget to Speak to Your Insurance Agent Before You Sign an Agreement
Last, but not least — insurance! We know you have just spent a large chunk of change on the perfect place, but now it’s time to make sure that your home and belongings are properly insured. That’s where we can help! An ABM insurance agent can help give you the peace of mind you want and need by walking you through all the coverage options available to you as a homeowner. Often times, we can also help you save some money by combining your home and auto insurance policies with the same insurance carrier.
At Anderson, Bagley & Mayo, we understand that buying a home can be a stressful time, which is why we want you to know that we are here to help. If you are looking for more information, have any insurance questions about a new homeowner’s policy or perhaps interested in taking advantage of a bundle-and-save option, contact us at one of our four convenient Massachusetts locations at (978) 534-2800 (Leominster); (978) 632-1098 (Gardner); (978) 874-2921 (Westminster); (978) 464-5857 (Princeton) — we’re happy to help!