5 THINGS ALL HOMEBUYERS SHOULD KNOW

A house is the biggest asset that the majority of Americans will ever own. But while most of us delude ourselves into thinking that we actually know something about real estate, the truth is that few of us have any idea what we're talking about.
It's for this reason that I solicited the advice of several highly respected real estate professionals to help our readers navigate the process of both buying and selling their homes. What follows, in turn, are five things that most homebuyers should know, but don't.

1. When you buy a home, you're making two purchases
Of all the advice that I came across, this was probably the most insightful: "When you buy a home, you actually are making two purchases," Dave Ness of Denver's Thrive Real Estate Group told me. "You are buying the home, and you are buying the money to buy the home."
It's tempting for homeowners to think of a mortgage as an incidental expense. But the reality is that the loan itself may be the most significant piece of the transaction.
"For every 1% rise in interest rates, home prices must fall by 10% in order for you to maintain the same monthly mortgage payment," Ness says. "And at the end of the day, that's what matters, the monthly payment. So take advantage of low rates; they add much more buying power to your purchase than low prices."
2. Homes are like people -- they all have problems
This was a point multiple real estate professionals that I spoke with made. "All houses have issues," Hilary Bourassa of Portland's Oregon First Real Estate told me. "Some just have more than others."
The shock generally comes when prospective buyers get their inspection reports back. "Inspectors are professional pessimists, which is why we love them," Bourassa said. "But many issues only require simple and/or inexpensive fixes."
Along the same lines, Ness analogized the experience to "when someone knocks over the DJ table at a wedding and the music stops." All of a sudden, the bliss from going under contract goes away.
"Most inspection reports will be 40 to 50 pages long, and most inspectors will take close-up, HD photos of problems," Ness went on to note. "So while the actual listing shows gorgeous pictures of granite countertops, the inspection report will show awful pictures of a cracked driveway. By the end of the report you'll be thinking, 'This house is a total and complete lemon.'"
3. Your real estate agent is a partner, not a salesman
My industry sources were obviously biased on this point, but there's a lot of truth to what they said.
"Your Realtor should be focused on helping you find a great property, not selling you something," Bourassa advises. Before settling on one, she urges homebuyers to "interview at least a few in order to find the fight match."
The flipside of the coin is that you, too, are a partner in the relationship. And that means knowing and respecting the boundaries.
"Sometimes clients forget (particularly first-time buyers) that Realtors have other clients and lives outside of work," Ness says. The key is to make sure that both parties have a clear understanding of communication expectations.
"What is their normal response time? How much lead time do they need to arrange showings? What medium of communication is best -- text, call, email, or something else?" These are the types of questions that Ness encourages homebuyers and real estate agents to settle at the outset.
4. HGTV does not resemble reality
My wife and I love to watch cooking shows. We've watched so many, in fact, that we've deceived ourselves into believing that we could actually compete on them. Of course, given the opportunity, we would most certainly -- and I do mean "most certainly" -- crash and burn in the most humiliating fashion.
And the same can be said about the proliferation of "realty" television shows on real estate -- think HouseHunters, Flip That House, Holmes on Homes, Property Virgins, and Property Brothers, among others.
"The reality is, hundreds of hours or footage is shot and edited down to a 16-minute show (when you take out the Lowe's commercials)," Ness pointed out. "Yes, they're real buyers, but you don't see the half of it. So don't think you're going to waltz into your market and find the perfect house right away, beat out all the other offers, and then walk into the sunset with your significant other. Finding a home can be tough, and take time."
Ness' advice? "Gear up for the homebuying process. It's worth it, but it ain't Hollywood!"
5. Always think about resale
This final piece is something that all people buying assets should always keep in mind: At some point you're going to resell it and will want to maximize what you eventually get.
"When you're buying your home, you're probably not thinking of the day that you will have to sell it," Bourassa said, "but you will be thanking yourself one day if you remember three little things ... location, location, location!"
The bottom line
Most if not all of us will buy at least one house in our lives. With that in mind, you should save yourself the trouble of making the same mistakes that most of your peers will. Take these five pieces of information into consideration. You'll be doing yourself a favor if you do.

*courtesy of dailyfinance.com

PORTLAND, OREGON IS THE BEST CITY FOR MOVIE LOVERS!

It's no secret that Portland is a vibrant market for independent film. But trying to calculate just how strong a market that is, or how the movie scene here compares to other cities, has long been a matter of fierce debate.
Well, the folks at the Movoto real estate just took a crack at trying to answer that debate once and for all. They collected per-capita movie data for 100 cities, including number of movie theaters, indie theaters, video stores, drive-ins, film festivals, and more, then ranked each city from 1-100. Per Movoto:

The results were then totaled, averaged, ranked, weighed (more weight was given to number of specialty theaters, for example), then stuck in a super-secret envelope, delivered to Movoto headquarters by a guarded car, and read aloud from behind a podium to an office with bated breath.

Guess who came out on top? Oh that's right, you probably read the headline. According to Movoto, the Rose City is the No. 1 city for movie lovers in the U.S., besting San Francisco, Seattle, New York and even Los Angeles, which somehow didn't crack the top 10 (and casting a suspicious light on the whole process).
Here's what Movoto had to say about PDX:

When it was all shot, edited, spliced up, and pieced back together, the clear winner for Best City for Movie Lovers was Portland, OR. It has five film fests per year, a film museum, multiple film societies, tons of movie theaters, indie theaters, a drive-in theater, and is even home to the unique Kennedy School movie theater.

It's unclear what makes Kennedy School's screen more notable than, say, Cinema 21, St. Johns Cinema, Hollywood Theater, Living Room Theaters or any of the other great indie theaters in Portland and beyond. (I do know that if Movoto decided to next rank the quality of movie theater draft beer, Portland would definitely come out on top again.)

 

 

 

*courtesy of The Oregonian

MISTAKES TO AVOID FOR FIRST TIME HOMEBUYERS

Buying a home can be both exciting and overwhelming for the first-time homebuyer. If you've decided to take the plunge into home ownership and have already started the search process, make sure you're not making some common first-time homebuyer mistakes.
Your upcoming investment could end up being a bad decision if you overlook some important facts about home ownership and sign that contract before you're really ready.
Here are five mistakes first time homebuyers need to avoid:

1. Searching for the dream home before getting prequalified for a loan. Save yourself the disappointment of not being able to afford the home of your dreams by getting prequalified for your loan before you start house hunting. Instead of picking out a price range and searching listings, take the time to talk to a lender about how much house you can realistically afford and what the monthly payment breakdown – with all taxes and other fees included – will be. The amount you are preapproved for will help you create a realistic budget for your home search.
2. Delaying the buying process in hopes of a better rate. Mike Schenk, vice president of economics and statistics at the Credit Union National Association, points out that adjustable rates are now at rock bottom at about 3 percent. If you really are ready to make the commitment for home ownership, talk to a lender about securing a loan at an adjustable rate instead of a fixed rate.
3. Thinking short term. It's easy to get carried away with that new home search and overlook some important information about the neighborhood you would move to, future developments in the area and the resale value of your home. As a first-time homebuyer, the idea of selling your home in the near future probably isn't at the top of the priority list, but it should be. "Buy that first house with the idea that you can resell it with some ease should your plans change in five years," says Mike Bacsi, senior mortgage loan officer and assistant vice president at Johnson Bank. "Hold off on buying the super charming or quirky house until you are financially established and can afford the charm."
You also need to think about the long-term effects of your decision to buy that home. If the neighborhood is undergoing any type of redevelopment phase, the value of your home could increase in the near future. If you end up buying an older home in hopes it will appreciate in value, keep in mind that your investment could be a risky one.
4. Making an emotional decision. While the right home for you is a matter of personal preference and affordability, you need to separate your emotions from the decision before signing the contract. Turning a blind eye on that moldy basement or creaky floorboards because you're enamored with the architectural style of the house can lead to financial troubles in the future. You want to make sure you're investing in a home that will offer you a good return on your investment and ideally has a good resale value.
Take the time to run the numbers, create a pro and con list of each property and use an objective approach for your homebuying decision. Remember that even realtors and homeowners selling a home on their own will be pitching their property to prospective buyers using all types of marketing strategies. Keep an open mind, but also do your homework to make sure you're investing in a home that you can be happy with for years to come.
5. Overlooking hidden costs. In addition to that monthly mortgage payment, you need to consider the cost of home maintenance, utilities and property taxes. If you are buying an older home, you may end up needing money to cover the cost of repairs and renovations. While the selling price can give you a fair idea of what you will be investing for your home, you also need to look at all of the extra costs required to maintain your home and cover property taxes.
Your lender or realtor may not necessarily be the best source for this type of information, so start researching costs on your own. Turn to a home inspector for a list of existing or potential problems that may need to be taken care of in the near future. Consider getting quotes from renovation specialists or builders in the area to price out potential updates and home improvement projects. Also, don't overlook moving costs and extra furniture you might have to purchase to furnish a larger living space.



*courtesy of USNews.com

THE 10 PERCENT DOWN PAYMENT IS BACK!

Remember the 10 percent down payment on a house? After virtually disappearing for years, it's back.

Around the country, some lenders are offering 90 percent financing again on all loan types. For example, San Francisco-based RPM Mortgage resumed offering "piggyback" loans in the first quarter of 2013 after discontinuing them during the height of the credit crisis in late 2007, according to Vice President Julian Hebron. (A piggyback loan enables a home buyer to put only 10 percent down without having to buy mortgage insurance. This is done by getting two loans totaling 90 percent.) MS.ads.drawAd('cau'); Related Articles You Can Live in One of American's 5 Safest Cities Why Investing in Real Estate is a Good Play: Stockpick Whiz Kid The Massive Rent Increases Are Going to Keep Coming Renting? Get the Biggest Bang for Your Buck in These Cities You Can Move to America's 5 Most Saintly Cities.
In Monroe, NY, Rosalie Cook of Weichert Realtors says she is seeing buyer down payments range from all cash to as little as 5 percent. Mortgage lender Tom Gildea of Prospect Lending in Rockland County, NY agrees, saying that he's doing loans with as little as 5 percent down "all day long." Those 5 percent down deals are with private mortgage insurance, are only for conforming loans (less than $417,000) and are reserved for borrowers with excellent credit, verifiable income and little debt.

Mortgages used to be easy
Before the credit crisis of the mid-2000s, getting a home loan was simple. Your down payment was small — if you even had to make one. To qualify, all you had to do was "state" your income and sign on the dotted line.
Of course, that was the kind of lending that got us into the credit crisis. After the bust, many lenders started requiring a minimum of 20 percent down. Coming up with that much money was a stumbling block for many would-be home buyers. In addition, buyers were already worried about the economy or were uncertain about their jobs, making buying a home not only difficult but also downright scary.
The result: Even though home prices had plummeted and mortgage rates were at historic lows, many potential buyers were forced to sit on the sidelines for years.
Today, many real estate markets around the country are heating up again. While the economic recovery still has its fits and starts, people are feeling confident about their jobs. They're watching their 401(k) and stock portfolios climb back to pre-2008 levels. And so, they're out looking for homes to buy again.

Lenders have loosened up but are still cautious

Mortgage lenders are seeing these trends, too, which is why they're starting to ease down payment restrictions. This time around, though, lenders are much more discerning about who gets to put 10 percent down. As RPM Mortgage's Hebron puts it: To qualify, your monthly housing, car, student loan, and credit card debt can't be higher than 45 percent of your monthly income. And you must have a credit score above 700.
The good news is that more potential buyers who otherwise would have been shut out of the market, due to the lack of a 20 percent down payment, can now jump in.

Leveraging cheap money
Even if you have the 20 percent to put down, you might consider opting for a 10 percent down payment instead. For instance, if you're buying a home that needs a lot of work, you could put 10 percent down and use the other 10 percent to finance improvements. You might even consider investing that 10 percent in stocks or mutual funds, though that comes with obvious risks.
A 10 percent down payment has its disadvantages, too. If you put just 10 percent down and home prices decline later, you could end up underwater — owing more on the mortgage than your home is worth. When that happens, you could be stuck in your home, unable to sell — just as so many homeowners were after the housing crisis kicked in around 2006-2007.
Also, if you have little equity and you go to sell, you could face another problem. The size of your loan, along with the costs of selling your property, could total more than the sale price, a financial hit that can be tough to absorb.
If you qualify for a 10 percent down payment, and it's the only way you can get into a home, it may be worth the potential risks. Bottom line: Talk to your mortgage professional and real estate agent about your options. Think strategically and long-term about what you're doing. Don't just make a 10 percent down payment because you can.


*courtesy of Zillow.com

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN COULD SLOW MORTGAGE LOANS

A short federal government shutdown won't derail the housing recovery, but it could delay closing of some home loans.
If the shutdown runs less than week, no big deal, lenders and mortgage experts say. Most loans take 30 to 60 days to close, and a short delay in processing won't likely affect that.
But if the shutdown goes longer, "We will be delaying closings," says David Zugheri, executive vice president of Houston-based Envoy Mortgage.
Q&A: 27 more questions answered about the shutdown
The biggest holdup is likely to involve the IRS.
When they consider a mortgage application, lenders pull borrower tax records direct from the IRS. Without an IRS response, "That will be where the holdup occurs," says Don Frommeyer, president of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers.
At Envoy, brokers rushed in recent days to get such requests in so fewer loans would be affected, Zugheri says. Builder Fulton Homes in Phoenix did the same, says Dennis Webb, vice president of operations.
Even so, a shutdown running longer than a week could result in loan delays, Zugheri says. He estimates 25% of his company's loan closings — or several hundred nationwide — could be delayed, largely because of the IRS issue.
GOP: Republicans offer piecemeal plan to mitigate closure
Wells Fargo says IRS information requests were already processed for most loans in the pipeline. New applicants will go through the same check. Wells Fargo says it expects the IRS to quickly resume processing requests once the shutdown has ended.
FHA borrowers, who account for about 15% of the market, may see additional hassles.
The U.S. Housing and Urban Development's contingency plan says FHA will have "limited staff" during a shutdown and that the closing of FHA-insured loans may be delayed.
Even so, bigger lenders will continue to close FHA loans because they have authority from the FHA to assure the agency that the loan has been properly checked, says Michael Copley, retail lending executive at TD Bank.
About 80% of FHA loans are endorsed by lenders with that authority, HUD says.
Smaller lenders may not have that authority, so their FHA business could be affected more, Copley says.
If the shutdown goes longer than three weeks, look for ripple effects, says Guy Cecala, publisher of Inside Mortgage Finance.
OBAMA: President says GOP has ability to reopen government
For instance, home sellers may be hesitant to accept offers from FHA borrowers, who are often first-time borrowers with low down payments, because they fear loan-closing delays, he says.
Last week, the average 30-year fixed-rate loan hit its lowest level since July, Freddie Mac says. Typically, lenders lock rates for 45 to 60 days while loans get processed, says Keith Gumbinger of mortgage tracker HSH Associates.
Consumers concerned about loan-closing delays should check with lenders to see what rate-lock extensions are available, he says.


*courtesy of USA Today