Owning a home is part of many members’ financial goals. In addition to providing shelter, 房子可以为一代人创造财富，也可以作为长期投资. 了解流程和知道如何准备是成功获得房屋所有权的关键因素. Here are our top pointers for first-time home buyers.
Ensure you are ready to make a long-term commitment
买房是一个决定，它将导致你的生活方式和预算的长期变化. Before buying a house, 你应该通过问自己以下问题来判断自己是否准备好了:
- Do I have a stable source of income?
- 如果我失业了，我是否有一个应急基金，可以支付3-6个月的生活费用?
- Can I commit to staying in the home for at least 5 years?
If you can’t answer yes to all of these questions, 你应该考虑暂停买房，直到你的情况发生变化.
在计算 how much money you need to buy a house, consider one-time expenses as well as new, recurring bills. Here are the main upfront costs to consider when saving for a home:
- 定金: 你的 down payment requirement will depend on the type of mortgage you choose. 一些针对信用良好的首次购房者的传统贷款只需要3%的首付, but many require at least 5%. 例如，一套30万美元的房子，3%的首付是9,000美元，而5%的首付是15,000美元. Use a down payment calculator to determine how much you need to save, 然后设置从支票到储蓄的自动转账.
- 关闭成本: These are the fees and expenses you pay to finalize your mortgage, and they typically range from 2% to 6% of the loan amount. 一笔30万美元贷款的成交成本可能在6000美元到1.8万美元之间. That’s money you must pay on top of your down payment. 在买方市场, you can often ask the seller to pay a portion of your closing costs, and you can save on some expenses, such as 家里检查s, by shopping around for less expensive providers.
- 入学费用: 记得预算搬家费用，大多数本地搬家的费用通常高达2,500美元. (Long-distance moves are usually much pricier.买房后，你可能还需要一些现金来支付房屋的即时维修费用, 升级, and furnishings and decor.
拥有一所房子伴随着财产税、保险和维护等持续的开支. 除了每月的抵押贷款外，确保你已经为这些费用做了预算.
得到 preapproved for a mortgage
预先批准向卖家表明你是一个认真的买家，可以很快获得融资. It also helps you know what you can afford before shopping for homes. 没有什么比找到一个你喜欢的房子却发现你没有资格获得抵押贷款或负担不起贷款更糟糕的了. 预先批准还可以帮助您避免最后一刻的意外或与资格相关的延迟. 另外, understanding the difference between a prequalification and a preapproval 是关键:
- Prequalification Letter: This is an estimate of what you might qualify for, based on an informal review of your income, 债务, and other information.
- 这份信: 这是一份官方批准表格，说明你有资格获得多少资金，这是基于对你的收入和资产等文件的仔细审查, 连同你的信用记录和信用评分.
检查和润色 你的信用
A 良好的信用记录 是否在买房时必不可少，因为它会影响你的抵押贷款利率和其他贷款条款. 贷款人会在发放预批准信时提取你的信用报告，并在整个贷款过程中监控你的信用. 这在买房时是必不可少的，因为它会影响你的抵押贷款利率和其他贷款条款. 贷款人会在发放预批准信时提取你的信用报告，并在整个贷款过程中监控你的信用.
- Check 你的信用 report for free at Annual信贷Report.com. Look for inaccurate information, like accounts you don’t recognize, and file a dispute to have any inaccurate information removed.
- Put new credit and purchases on hold. 开设新账户或承担新债务会影响你的信用评分，并可能导致贷款审批的风险
- Stay current on payments for your current obligations. 即使只是一次逾期付款也会影响你获得低利率抵押贷款的能力.
如何 first-time home buyer loan options
There are many home loan options out there, what type you select will be determined in part based on 你的信用, 首付款金额, and how much you are borrowing:
- 传统的贷款: Conventional loans are the most common type of home loan. They can either be conforming or jumbo, 哪一项指贷款金额低于或超过符合规定的贷款限额. 在某些情况下，你可以以3%的首付购买房屋，但许多人可能需要5%的首付.
- Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans: 与传统贷款相比，联邦住房管理局贷款可以让你在不那么严格的财务和信用评分要求下购买房屋. You can get an FHA loan with a 3.5% down payment and a credit score as low as 620. If your score is below 580, you will need a 10% down payment.
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) loans: VA loans are exclusively for veterans, active-duty members of the armed forces and National Guard, and qualified spouses. You can buy a home with 0% down if you qualify for a VA loan.
- US Department of Agriculture (USDA) loans: 美国农业部的贷款是为那些想在符合条件的农村或郊区买房的人提供的. 你可以获得美国农业部的贷款，首付为0%，但要受家庭收入限制.
- Down payment assistance programs: 许多非营利组织为满足特定要求的借款人提供首付款帮助. These assistance programs can be in the form of grants or loans. You usually have to be a first-time homebuyer to qualify.
找到一个 房地产经纪人
一个好的 房地产经纪人 will help guide you through the home buying process. 寻找一个在你想要的领域有经验并且反应迅速的代理. 另外, 只有买方的代理才能代表你——不要依赖卖方的代理来代表你的最大利益. A buyer’s agent can assist you by:
- Showing you properties that fit your needs and budget.
- Helping you decide how much to offer for a home.
- Submitting the offer to the seller on your behalf.
- 在报价提交后，协助您与卖方代理之间的谈判.
- Setting the terms of the contract, including the Earnest Money Deposit (EMD), also known as a Good Faith Deposit.
If you make an offer on a house, 通常你必须提供EMD作为善意的行为，并表明你是一个认真的买家. 这笔订金通常是售价的1%到3%，表明你对这笔交易的承诺. The EMD will go toward your down payment. 然而, 如果你退出交易的任何原因没有显示在可接受的意外事件列表, you risk losing the deposit.
得到一个 家里检查
专业的检查可以发现可能影响其价值或安全的财产隐藏问题. 你可以利用这些信息与卖家进行谈判，或者在必要时退出交易. 这种检查不同于贷款人要求的房屋评估, 它根据市场趋势和最近的可比销售额(比较)提供对房屋价值的看法。.
The Earnest Money Agreement often includes certain contingencies, 在不没收定金的情况下，哪些情况下可以取消交易, including a 家里检查 contingency.
这可能看起来很困难，但帕特尔科在这里帮助指导你完成这个过程. 我们可以帮助您的每一步的方式，并帮助您避免常见的陷阱，可以绊倒措手不及的购房者, and help you achieve your goal of homeownership!
