Tag Archive for: Educational Information

Homeownership

What are the benefits of homeownership?

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Owning a home is a quintessential part of the American dream. Homes give families a sense of security and belonging. Homes are where holidays are celebrated and memories are made.

Homeownership has a variety of practical benefits, too:

  • HomeownershipBuilding equity: As you make mortgage payments, you build equity in your home, which is the difference between your home’s market value and how much you owe on your mortgage. As your equity grows, you can borrow against it or use it to secure a second mortgage.
  • Tax advantages: Homeowners may be able to deduct mortgage interest and property taxes from their federal income taxes. This can result in significant savings over the life of the loan.
  • Appreciation: Over time, the value of your home may appreciate, or increase in value. This can provide a significant financial benefit if you decide to sell your home in the future.
  • Forced savings: Making a mortgage payment each month is a form of forced savings, because you are paying into an asset that you own.
  • Stability and community: Owning a home can provide a sense of stability and a sense of belonging to a community. You can make your house a home, and you have the freedom to decorate and make changes as you wish.
  • Investment: Owning a home can also be considered as an investment that can appreciate in value over time. It’s one of the most common way of investment on real-estate.

Your Home Can Help You Build Equity

Equity is the value of the property that you own outright. Building equity in a home means increasing the amount of the property that you own outright. When you first purchase a home, the majority of your mortgage payments will go towards paying off interest on the loan, with only a small portion going towards paying off the principal balance. Over time, as you make mortgage payments, you will pay off more and more of the principal balance, which will increase your equity in the home.

Another way to build equity in a home is through property appreciation. If the value of the home increases, your equity will also increase, even if you haven’t made extra payments towards the principal balance. Additionally, making improvements to the home, such as renovations or adding square footage, can also increase the home’s value and your equity in it.

It’s important to note that building equity in a home also means that you are building an asset for yourself. You may be able to borrow against the equity in your home to make other investments or to use it as collateral for a loan. Also, when you sell a home, the equity can be a source of funds, either to buy another home or to use for other financial goals.

It is also worth noting that if you have an adjustable rate mortgage, or ARM, your payments may change over time, and it may take longer to build equity in your home. Furthermore, if the housing market is declining, it may be more difficult to build equity and even your home value may decrease.

Your Home May Provide Tax Savings

There are several tax advantages to owning a home, including deductions for mortgage interest and property taxes.

  • Mortgage Interest Deduction: The interest paid on your mortgage is tax-deductible, up to certain limits. The limits change periodically and it’s good to check the updated limit based on the Tax reform laws, but for tax year 2021, the mortgage interest deduction limit for a primary residence is $750,000 for mortgages taken out after December 15, 2017, or $1,000,000 for mortgages taken out before December 15, 2017. If you have a second home or rental property, the interest on those mortgages is also tax-deductible, but the limit is $750,000.
  • Property Tax Deduction: You can also deduct the property taxes you pay on your primary residence or a second home. The limit for property tax deduction is $10,000. Keep in mind that if you are in a high-tax state, it’s more likely to reach this limit, and thus more of your property tax will be tax-deductible.
  • Capital Gain Exclusion: When you sell your primary residence, the profits made from the sale are generally tax-free, up to a certain limit. For tax year 2021, the limit is $250,000 for single filers and $500,000 for married couples filing jointly. This means that if you sell your home and make a profit, as long as the profit is below the limit, you won’t have to pay taxes on it.
  • Points Deduction: If you paid “points” or “loan origination fees” to get your mortgage, you may be able to deduct these fees on your tax return.

It is important to keep in mind that these are the general tax benefits, but it’s always best to check with a tax expert or consult IRS website to get the most up-to-date information, and to understand how they may apply to your specific tax situation.

Your Home Might Appreciate in Value

The rate at which a house will appreciate in value can vary greatly depending on a number of factors, such as the housing market, location, and condition of the property.

In general, the national average rate of home appreciation over the past century has been around 3% per year. However, this rate can vary significantly depending on the location and the local housing market.

In some areas of the country, such as in large cities or high-demand areas, homes have appreciated at rates much higher than the national average, sometimes as much as 10% or more per year. In other areas, especially those where the housing market is weak, homes may appreciate at a rate that is lower than the national average, or may even decline in value.

In addition, you should keep in mind that the appreciation of a house is not guaranteed, it can fluctuate depending on the market conditions. As an example, during an economic recession, the housing market may decline, resulting in a decrease of home values, or in some cases, even a negative appreciation.

Your Home Can Serve as an Investment

A home can be considered an investment for a few reasons:

  • Appreciation: As mentioned earlier, over time, the value of a home can appreciate, which means the home may be worth more in the future than what you paid for it. This appreciation can be considered a return on investment.
  • Forced savings: Making a mortgage payment each month is a type of forced savings. The money you are spending on your mortgage payments is helping you to pay off an asset, as well as build equity.
  • Tax benefits: As I’ve also mentioned, the mortgage interest and property taxes are both tax-deductible which can provide a significant tax savings for homeowners, which in turn can increase the return on investment.
  • Rental income: If you own a home, you may be able to rent out a portion of it or the entire property, this can provide additional income.
  • Future use: A home can also be considered an investment because it can be used for future financial gain, such as being able to sell it for a profit, or using it as collateral for a loan.

It’s worth noting that like any investment, homeownership has its own set of risks and uncertainty. Market conditions, interest rates, and other factors can affect the value of a home, and there’s no guarantee that a home’s value will appreciate. Therefore, it’s always good to do your own research and consult with professionals before making a decision.

If you need help with the mortgage process, give us a call!

Appraisals

Everything You Need to Know About Appraisals

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AppraisalsChecks and balances – that’s what it’s all about. Lenders require appraisals to ensure their clients are not overpaying (or overborrowing) for a home.

If you’re unfamiliar with the appraisal process, here’s what you need to know.

  • Appraisers do not work for Loan Officers or Real Estate Agents. Appraisers are neutral parties and evaluate properties based on a strict code of industry guidelines. Appraisers are state licensed and considered an unbiased third party.
  • Appraisers inspect the property in person. While on location, appraisers consider the home’s location, age, condition, additions or renovations, and recent sales of comparable homes to determine the home’s value.
  • Appraisals are not free. In most cases, the buyer pays for the appraisal. The cost varies depending on location and loan program, but $500 is a rough estimate.
  • Appraisals take time. Don’t be surprised if it takes a week, or more during the busy season, for the appraiser to visit your home and prepare the report. It’s a very detailed process!
  • Appraisals are ordered after you have a signed purchase agreement. Because appraisals take time, your lender will order the appraisal shortly after the purchase agreement is received.
  • You will receive a detailed report after the appraisal is complete. The appraisal report you receive will offer proof of the valuation given by the appraiser, although it still needs to be reviewed by a mortgage underwriter. The sellers will not receive a copy of this report and will not know the appraised value (unless you share it with them).

If your appraisal report comes back and the appraised value greater than or equal to the purchase price listed on your purchase agreement, you’re in the clear.

What happens if the appraised value is less than the agreed upon purchase price? Negotiations happen and there are three possible outcomes: you walk away, you renegotiate the sales price, or you pay the appraisal gap (the difference between the purchase price and the appraised value).

If negotiations are necessary, rely on your team of experts. Your Loan Officer and Realtor will guide you in the right direction.

Old Technology

Tips to Maintain a Good Credit Score

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If you’re in the market for a new home, your credit score will determine whether or not you’re eligible. Your score will determine the loan program you qualify for and your interest rate. Your credit score may be the single most important asset you have.

You spend years building your score – here are a few tips to help you maintain it.

  1. Make your payments on time. According to experts, a large portion of your credit score (35 percent, to be exact) is calculated based on payment history. Making your payments on time (within 30 days of the due date), every time can greatly impact your score. This includes credit card bills or any loans you may have, such as auto loans or student loans, your rent, utilities, phone bill and so on.

Consider setting up autopay when it’s available so you don’t run the risk of missing payments.

  1. Keep your balances low. 30%. That’s the magic number! As soon as your credit card balance exceeds 30% of your credit limit, your credit score will decrease. Your score will continue to decrease until you bring your balance below the threshold.

Experts recommend that you pay off your entire balance every month. We know that’s not always realistic, but you should always at least make the minimum payment.

  1. Be cautious when opening new accounts. According to Experian, “Each application can lead to a hard inquiry, which may hurt your scores a little, but inquiries can add up and have a compounding effect on your credit scores. Opening a new account will also decrease your average age of accounts, and that could also hurt your scores.”

There is one exception to this rule. If you’re shopping for a new car or home, it’s OK to shop around and have multiple lenders pull your credit. If these credit pulls occur during the same time frame, they are often ignored by credit bureaus.

  1. Check your credit score regularly. If you practice tips 1 – 3 but forget to do #4, you’re setting yourself up for possible risk. Mistakes are known to happen, and reporting errors can have a negative impact on your score. If someone steals your identity and opens a new line of credit in your name, how will you know if you don’t regularly monitor your score?

You are entitled to a free annual credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies. Click here to order your free reports.

If you find a credit reporting error, dispute the mistakes with the appropriate credit reporting agency and your score may improve.

If you have additional questions about your credit score, give us a call! We’re happy to help in any way we can.

HELOC

What is a HELOC?

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You could tap into your home equity with a cash-out refinance. But what if you already have a low rate on your mortgage?

Consider getting a home equity line of credit (HELOC) instead.

What is a HELOC?

According to Investopedia, “A home equity line of credit, or HELOC, is a set amount of available cash that can be used at the accountholder’s discretion and repaid over time. It works much like a credit card but has a substantially lower interest rate on outstanding balances. The money withdrawn is a loan secured by the borrower’s home mortgage, so a default on a HELOC account can be disastrous.”

With a HELOC, you can hold onto your low mortgage rate and still access funds to help pay for tuition, home renovations, high-interest credit cards, personal loans or whatever else you need it for!

Here are a few things you need to know.

  • HELOC funds can be withdrawn as needed
  • Multiple draws are available
  • Line amount of $10,000 – $500,000
  • Minimum 680 credit score is required
  • Variable rate
  • Flexible payment options

Remember, a HELOC is a variable rate, revolving line of credit that can be secured on your primary residence only.

If you have additional questions, please reach out. We are happy to help in any way we can!

Fall Stoop

How do interest rates impact your home buying power?

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If you’re researching mortgages, you know that they come with interest rates. What exactly is a mortgage interest rate, and how much does it impact your buying power? What can you do to improve the interest rate you’re offered? We answer those questions in this article.

Your mortgage interest rate has a direct impact on how much house you can afford. What exactly is a mortgage interest rate?

Fall StoopA mortgage is a loan, and like other bank loans, it comes with an interest rate – it’s how lenders make enough money to stay in business. This is usually a percentage of the loan amount, and you pay it off alongside the principal. Usually, this makes up your monthly mortgage payment, along with things like private mortgage insurance (PMI), property taxes, and perhaps homeowner insurance.

How Your Mortgage Interest Rate Affects You

As the interest rate is part of your monthly mortgage payment, it directly affects how much of a loan you can afford. Even a small change in your interest rate can add quite a bit. For example, let’s say you bought one of Michigan’s average-priced houses for $210,000.

You managed a 10% down payment and got a conventional 30-year loan. At a 4% interest rate, you’re paying 1,264.40 per month. At 5% interest, this payment increases to $1,376.68. That’s $112 more per month – and 10 more PMI payments.

So, it’s pretty obvious how much your budget is impacted by mortgage interest rates. But what factors affect the interest rates themselves?

What Affects Mortgage Interest Rates?

Banks calculate interest rates based on many things, including the overall economic and market picture and the qualifications of each prospective borrower. We’ve already talked about factors that influence mortgage interest rates elsewhere in this blog, so let’s just do a quick overview of some of the factors you can influence:

  1. Your credit score and credit history.
  2. Your income and debt.
  3. Your down payment amount.
  4. The type of loan you choose.

Although a lot has been said about the Federal Reserve rate rising, it’s important to realize that this doesn’t directly affect your mortgage interest rate. (It does affect other types of loans, like credit cards.) However, the Fed is a good indicator of where the economy is heading, so it doesn’t hurt to keep an eye on it.

Home

10 Things to Do Before You Buy a House

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Are you ready to start shopping for your first home? Before you begin, take a look at these 10 tips to make your home-buying journey successful!

Few things are as exciting as making a real estate purchase – and few things cause more stress! To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of 10 tips to help you navigate the process of buying your first (or second, or third) home. These won’t just reduce some of the anxiety, they’ll also help you avoid costly mistakes!

10 Tips for New Home-Buyers

  1. Know where and why you want to buy. The answers to these questions will help you understand what factors should be most important in your decision. For example, is your choice of neighborhood determined by your work, being close to family, or just that you fell in love with the area? Is this going to be a starter house that you’ll want to upgrade in a few years, or are you in for the long haul? Clarity here will help you make a purchase that’s in tune with the other parts of your life.
  2. Give yourself a financial health checkup. Start saving and paying off as many outstanding bills as you can. Check your credit report and get any errors removed. If you do this now, you’ll have a better understanding of what your budget really is – and a jumpstart on the mortgage preapproval process.
  3. Research neighborhoods, prices, real estate agents, and mortgage lenders. While the first two are a given, doing your homework on real estate agents and mortgage lenders is just as important.
  4. Plan your budget and down payment. Once you’ve gotten a clear idea of your financial status, figure out how much home you can afford and how much of a down payment you’ll need – and can manage. Hint: Down payment assistance is often available through state and other agencies.
  5. Understand how the mortgage and home-buying process works. We’ve covered this quite a lot in this blog. See our posts on mortgage underwriting and the path to home ownership for more details.
  6. Get pre-approved. We’ve covered mortgage pre-approval and why it’s so important elsewhere in this blog. Suffice it to say that you can make a stronger offer on a home when your mortgage is pre-approved.
  7. Prepare yourself mentally and emotionally. This is a very hot real estate market. Competition is intense, so be prepared to deal with sticker shock and maybe some disappointment if some other buyer beats you to a house. Be flexible and don’t give up. And know that it’s not just you; most home-shoppers are dealing with the same things.
  8. Review mortgage paperwork and requirements. Yes, there are mortgage professionals who will be reviewing these documents. But look them over yourself; not only will you be legally committing yourself to the terms, any mistakes you correct now will mean one fewer potential snag later.
  9. Verify all information in the listing. Make sure the house you are purchasing is all that the sellers claim. Make sure all the features and amenities, all the room sizes, are as advertised.
  10. Get a home inspection. This is different from a home appraisal, which is mostly about verifying the value of the house and any property. A home inspection looks for potentially costly building, health, and safety issues, and you don’t want to skip that.

Finally, remember that the mortgage provider you choose will have a big impact on your decision. Make sure you’re working with one like Michigan Mortgage that will help you explore all your lending options and choose the one that’s right for you!

 

Welcome

Beat the Rates with a Buydown Program

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With the interest rates increasing, it’s important to find ways for buyers to continue to buy properties and have payments they can afford. A “Buydown” is a great way to do that.

Buydowns come in the form of 3-2-1, 2-1 and one-year buydowns.

How it works: funds from the seller pre-pay the buyer’s payment for 1, 2 or 3 years. For example, on a 2-1 Buydown, the interest rate is 2% lower than market in the first year, 1% lower the second year and market the third year.

WelcomeLet’s assume a home is being sold for $300,000 and the buyer is putting 5% down. To attract more buyers, the seller has agreed to pay $6,100 toward a 2-1 Buydown. If the current market rate is 5.5% then the buyer’s payment for the first 12 months would be at 3.5% or $1,279/month. For the second year, the payment would be based on a rate of 4.5% or $1,444/month. Starting in the third year, the buyer’s payment would be at 5.5% for the remaining 28 years or $1,618/month.

The cost is calculated by taking the difference between payments in year one and your 3×12 plus the difference between payments in the year two and year 3×12. In our example above the total cost would be $6,100. The monthly reduction in payment for the first year would be $339 and the $174 during the entire second year.

This may be a much more attractive option for a buyer than going into some sort of an adjustable rate (ARM) product that has more risk with it. Remember, an ARM will eventually adjust to the market rate and there is no guarantee that rates will be lower when that ARM starts to adjust.

The Buydown uses current market rates but allows the buyer to buy a home at a more affordable price with the risk of the ARM. Additionally, this a great way for buyers who are likely to make more money as they continue their career to ease into the payment.

But what is in this for the seller. Why would they do this? The answer is that the seller May be willing to concede $6,000 more readily than dropping their sale price by $10,000 or $15,000 when their house is not selling. Additionally, by offering this option to buyers they may get more interest from more buyers creating more competition.

We used to do 2-1 Buydowns years ago when rates were higher.  But for the last several years with rates at all-time lows, they were forgotten.  Now that rates are creeping up again, it may be good time to blow the dust off this product and help more buyers realize their dreams.

If you have questions about 2-1 Buydowns, give us a call! We’re happy to help in any way we can.

3 Tips to Buy a Vacation Home

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Have you always dreamed of owning a cottage by the lake or a cabin in the woods? Buying a second or vacation home can make that a reality – but there are some things to know before you start shopping.

Maybe you love heading Up North every weekend and want your own place on the bay (which bay is up to you). Or perhaps you want to retire to a beach in Florida and want to buy your home now and rent it out to make some money until then. Either way, you’re thinking about buying a second home – and that’s a bit different than buying your first home or any other primary residence you’ve had. In this article, we’ll tell you why.

1.    Your Mortgage Might Be More Expensive

Your primary home (where you live most of the year) often carries less risk for mortgage lenders; a major reason is that it’s your only mortgage payment, so you’re less likely to strain your finances and default on it. Thus, primary residences usually get more favorable loan terms, with lower credit scores, higher debt-to-income ratios, and less money required for the down payment.

The flip side, of course, is that vacation homes come with stricter loan requirements and higher mortgage interest rates (to offset the greater risk).  You also won’t be eligible for some governmental loan assistance programs. So, while the monthly payment may not match that of your main residence, this may be a more expensive loan in terms of interest rates.

As a side note, look for a lender that provide second home loans regularly – some lenders even specialize in them. They’re likely to be able to help you find the best deal.

2.    Vacation Rental Homes Are Not the Same as Vacation Homes

No problem about the mortgage, right? You can always rent out your second home to cover the cost.

Except that vacation rentals are quite different from vacation homes in the mortgage world – and to many local authorities.

If you plan on renting out your vacation home on the regular and using this income to cover your mortgage costs, you’ve moved into the investment property zone. This comes with different requirements than a simple second home; depending on your mortgage terms, it might even violate your agreement with your lender if you rent the home out.

So if this is your plan, discuss it with your loan officer before you start the paperwork. You should also make sure that the location of your home allows vacation rentals; some popular vacation spots are putting restrictions on these “short-term” arrangements.

3.    Make Sure You Meet the Definition of a Vacation Home

There are some other requirements that come along with vacation homes. Obviously, you won’t be staying in it full-time, but you have to stay in it a stated number of days per year. And some lenders might stipulate that your vacation home is a certain distance from your main home; a vacation home in your neighborhood will look more like a rental property to most loan officers. Talk this over with your lender as well.

Before You Shop for a Vacation Home, Shop for a Mortgage

Your mortgage will impact how much vacation home you can afford, so talk with your mortgage lender before you start looking around. At Michigan Mortgage, we work hard to find the right loan for each individual customer.

Who’s responsible for paying closing costs?

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More often than not, buyers and sellers are responsible for covering the costs of their respective closings.

Buyers can expect to pay 3 – 6% of the loan amount in closing costs. Sellers, on the other hand, typically pay 5 – 6% of the sale price to their Realtor.

But that’s not always the case. Here are a few ways buyers can get someone else to help pay their closing costs.

Seller Concessions

Buyers can sometimes avoid paying closing costs (or at least a portion of them) if they ask the sellers to pay them instead. This is called seller concessions.

Each loan program is different, as shown below.

  • Conventional: Up to 3% of the home’s value with a down payment of less than 10%. Up to 6% with a down payment of 10 – 25%.
  • FHA: Up to 6% of the home’s value.
  • VA: Up to 4% of the home’s value (there are some exceptions to this rule).
  • RD: Up to 6% of the home’s value.

In today’s competitive market, this may not be your best option, as sellers are hoping to net as much as possible when closing on the sale of their home. Your Loan Officer will explore all options and help guide you in the right direction.

Gift Funds

Financial gifts from loved ones can be used to fund your down payment and closing costs. In most cases, a “loved one” is defined as a family member, fiancé, or domestic partner.

Gift funds must be properly sourced and documented to avoid hiccups during the underwriting process. The gift must include a letter that states the funds don’t have to be repaid by the buyer.

For more information, reach out to your Michigan Mortgage Loan Officer.

Down Payment Assistance Programs

Are you familiar with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, otherwise known as MSHDA?

MSHDA offers a variety of down payment assistance programs to help buyers purchase their forever homes. Each program is different, but here are a few general MSHDA guidelines.

Michigan Mortgage has been named the No. 1 MSHDA Lender in Michigan (and West Michigan) since 2016. There are many MSHDA misconceptions in our marketplace – it’s a hard program to master. But our knowledge and expertise has set us apart from our competition.

We recommend that you explore all options with your Loan Officer before writing an offer. Give us a call if you have questions! We’re here to help in any way we can.

Reverse Mortgage

What is a Reverse Mortgage?

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A Reverse Mortgage is a home loan for seniors, age 62 or older, where they are able to use the equity in their home to get cash income and have the security of not having to pay monthly mortgage payments back.

Reverse MortgageIn the past, Reverse Mortgages were viewed in a negative light. That’s changing! There are many benefits to a Reverse Mortgage that consumers are unaware of.

How can a Reverse Mortgage help you achieve financial freedom?

  • Improve your monthly cash flow.
  • Payoff medical bills, auto loans and credit card debt.
  • Make home improvements (to modify the house to stay longer or for deferred maintenance).

Benefits of a Reverse Mortgage

  • Eliminates monthly mortgage payments.
  • Proceeds are not taxable.
  • Heirs get to keep the equity in the property and can never owe more than the house is worth.

Should you get a Reverse Mortgage? According to Forbes, “A reverse mortgage may be helpful but isn’t for everyone. There are a few factors that can make a reverse mortgage worth it:

  • Your home is increasing in value considerably. If you’re building up a lot of equity in your home, you may be able to take out a reverse mortgage and still have money left over for your estate.
  • You plan to stay in your home for a long time. Just like a regular mortgage, there are significant upfront costs associated with the loan. You’ll want to be sure you plan to live in that home long enough to make those costs worth it.
  • You can cover the costs of your home. Since staying current on property taxes, insurance, maintenance, etc. is required to keep your reverse mortgage current, it’s important that you have plenty of cash flow for these expenses.”

If you have considerable equity in your home and are looking for ways to use that equity as a form of income, a Reverse Mortgage may be for you! Reach out to your Michigan Mortgage Loan Officer for more information.