The Home Information World|House and Home Facts At Your Fingertips
Nov
30
Filed Under (Home Improvement) by MichaelZ
Kristin Abouelata - Home Loans asked:
I saw a cartoon the other day that was pretty funny, but also pretty sad when you think about it. It showed a couple sitting across from a mortgage lender, and the caption read, “We’re here to apply for a tank of gas.” With increases in prices for just about everything, it gets more and more difficult to stash away a nest egg for a down payment. And pretty much every loan requires some part of down payment, even if you get a 100% financing loan. After all, you still are generally going to be required to put down some earnest money on your contract and in most cases, pay for an appraisal up front. You may have been trying to save it up on your own, but it may be time to accept some help from your family.
Most loan programs, be it Conventional, FHA, VA or Rural Housing, require the borrower to pay for something. In particular, FHA and Conventional home purchases want a minimum of 3% to come out of the borrower’s pocket. If you are doing a Conventional loan, you still can’t receive a gift for your 3% down payment, but you can use a gift to help with closing costs. However, FHA will allow your source of down payment to be a gift. So, if you find yourself a bit short on cash, you may need to ask someone to gift you the down payment or closing costs (or if your really lucky, and it’s allowed – both!).
All lenders are particular about just who can give you a gift for your down payment or closing costs. Pretty much across the board, the gift must be from a blood relative. You may have to prove that the gifter is a relative thru birth certificates, christening records, etc. Strange but true. Conventional loans will also allow an employer to give you a gift. But in any case, the most important factor is that whoever is giving the gift does not expect to be paid back. A certification to that effect will be required to be signed by the donor. Otherwise, it’s really a loan, now isn’t it? And as a responsible lender, we’re going to include that payment in your debt to income ratio, and we’ll probably want a bunch of documentation to prove the terms, etc. So, make sure it truly is a gift.
As of the date I’m writing this article, FHA will allow for down payment assistance programs, such as Nehemiah or Ameridream. Lenders view these products as “gifts” in a sense. They are basically seller concessions funneled through the down payment assistance channels. However, by the time this article is published, they may be null and void. It’s currently being reviewed and could go away. Or it may still be there, but just know it’s under review.
Lenders are very particular about how the gift funds reach the closing table. If you deposit the gift before closing, you have to show it coming out of the donor’s account and depositing into your account. It’s a lot of paper to collect. The easiest method is for Grandpa or your Great Aunt to just send a cashier’s check payable to you and your title company to the closing table. Smoother, quicker, simpler.
Gifts are a wonderful thing, and a gift of a down payment is a useful gift. After all, I think it’s safe to say that homeownership is one gift that keeps on giving, wouldn’t you?
Hope
I saw a cartoon the other day that was pretty funny, but also pretty sad when you think about it. It showed a couple sitting across from a mortgage lender, and the caption read, “We’re here to apply for a tank of gas.” With increases in prices for just about everything, it gets more and more difficult to stash away a nest egg for a down payment. And pretty much every loan requires some part of down payment, even if you get a 100% financing loan. After all, you still are generally going to be required to put down some earnest money on your contract and in most cases, pay for an appraisal up front. You may have been trying to save it up on your own, but it may be time to accept some help from your family.
Most loan programs, be it Conventional, FHA, VA or Rural Housing, require the borrower to pay for something. In particular, FHA and Conventional home purchases want a minimum of 3% to come out of the borrower’s pocket. If you are doing a Conventional loan, you still can’t receive a gift for your 3% down payment, but you can use a gift to help with closing costs. However, FHA will allow your source of down payment to be a gift. So, if you find yourself a bit short on cash, you may need to ask someone to gift you the down payment or closing costs (or if your really lucky, and it’s allowed – both!).
All lenders are particular about just who can give you a gift for your down payment or closing costs. Pretty much across the board, the gift must be from a blood relative. You may have to prove that the gifter is a relative thru birth certificates, christening records, etc. Strange but true. Conventional loans will also allow an employer to give you a gift. But in any case, the most important factor is that whoever is giving the gift does not expect to be paid back. A certification to that effect will be required to be signed by the donor. Otherwise, it’s really a loan, now isn’t it? And as a responsible lender, we’re going to include that payment in your debt to income ratio, and we’ll probably want a bunch of documentation to prove the terms, etc. So, make sure it truly is a gift.
As of the date I’m writing this article, FHA will allow for down payment assistance programs, such as Nehemiah or Ameridream. Lenders view these products as “gifts” in a sense. They are basically seller concessions funneled through the down payment assistance channels. However, by the time this article is published, they may be null and void. It’s currently being reviewed and could go away. Or it may still be there, but just know it’s under review.
Lenders are very particular about how the gift funds reach the closing table. If you deposit the gift before closing, you have to show it coming out of the donor’s account and depositing into your account. It’s a lot of paper to collect. The easiest method is for Grandpa or your Great Aunt to just send a cashier’s check payable to you and your title company to the closing table. Smoother, quicker, simpler.
Gifts are a wonderful thing, and a gift of a down payment is a useful gift. After all, I think it’s safe to say that homeownership is one gift that keeps on giving, wouldn’t you?
Hope
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Nov
28
Filed Under (Home Improvement) by MichaelZ
Vivien Wu asked:
Are you considering to start a home business? Wondering where to start? There are so many different types of home business out there, you might be overwhelmed with the amount of information. Here are another tips on how you can get started in a home business that is right for you.
Reasons
The first thing that you want to do is to figure out the reasons that you want to start a home based business. For example, are you concerned about the rising gas price? Well, if that is the reason why you are doing a home based business you want to stay away from the home businesses that make you do home parties.
Do What You Know
Another thing that you should do when you are choosing a home based business is choose one that you know about already. If you like to write, check out copywriting. Do you like to make crafts? Sell your crafts online. There are so many different types of home busineses, you will be surprised on the things you know well and can do.
Start Out Slowly
A third thing to remember when you are beginning a home business is that you should try out doing your home business part time. This is going to allow you to test the water, try it out, and not risking the fact you might not make enough money at first. Starting out a home business alone is stressful enough, not mentioning about the money aspect.
Be Smart
Another thing that you should remember is that you should always have a backup plan. Don’t make your business depend on one client or one supplier, because you never know what could happen with them. Have a couple of clients, a couple of suppliers and make sure that you know that you are going to be able to keep going on no matter what.
Take Care of Yourself This sounds like a strange thing, but a lot of people when they are going into their home business sacrifice food or sleep in order to make money. Isn’t the point of having a home business to have a better life, not to suffer? Make sure that you take care yourself, such as eat right and get enough sleep.
Take Time for Fun
The last thing to remember when you are going into a home business is that you have to take time for fun. Be sure to take time to play with you kids or go to a movie with your spouse. It be would defeating the purpose of having a home business if you have to give up the things that you love to do.
Starting a home business can be a great idea, but you have to be smart when you invest your time and money in it. Make sure to list the reasons that you want to work from home, you want to pick a home business that you know something about, it’s wise to start out part time, and most importantly, take time for yourself, enjoy life and have fun.
Quinn
Are you considering to start a home business? Wondering where to start? There are so many different types of home business out there, you might be overwhelmed with the amount of information. Here are another tips on how you can get started in a home business that is right for you.
Reasons
The first thing that you want to do is to figure out the reasons that you want to start a home based business. For example, are you concerned about the rising gas price? Well, if that is the reason why you are doing a home based business you want to stay away from the home businesses that make you do home parties.
Do What You Know
Another thing that you should do when you are choosing a home based business is choose one that you know about already. If you like to write, check out copywriting. Do you like to make crafts? Sell your crafts online. There are so many different types of home busineses, you will be surprised on the things you know well and can do.
Start Out Slowly
A third thing to remember when you are beginning a home business is that you should try out doing your home business part time. This is going to allow you to test the water, try it out, and not risking the fact you might not make enough money at first. Starting out a home business alone is stressful enough, not mentioning about the money aspect.
Be Smart
Another thing that you should remember is that you should always have a backup plan. Don’t make your business depend on one client or one supplier, because you never know what could happen with them. Have a couple of clients, a couple of suppliers and make sure that you know that you are going to be able to keep going on no matter what.
Take Care of Yourself This sounds like a strange thing, but a lot of people when they are going into their home business sacrifice food or sleep in order to make money. Isn’t the point of having a home business to have a better life, not to suffer? Make sure that you take care yourself, such as eat right and get enough sleep.
Take Time for Fun
The last thing to remember when you are going into a home business is that you have to take time for fun. Be sure to take time to play with you kids or go to a movie with your spouse. It be would defeating the purpose of having a home business if you have to give up the things that you love to do.
Starting a home business can be a great idea, but you have to be smart when you invest your time and money in it. Make sure to list the reasons that you want to work from home, you want to pick a home business that you know something about, it’s wise to start out part time, and most importantly, take time for yourself, enjoy life and have fun.
Quinn
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Nov
28
Filed Under (Home Improvement) by MichaelZ
Kate Ford asked:
Most of us consider both of these options when buying a house.
Is buying a new home a better value than buying an older home? Perhaps you have been wondering the same thing.
By the time you finish reading this, you’ll will have learned how easy it is to answer these questions. Let’s compare new home buying with buying an older home.
A word of caution, there are many decisions to make when it comes to finding the best home for you and your family. There are questions regarding location, affordability, and space. But when it comes to the question of buying a newer home versus an older home, taste has a lot to do with your decision.
All in all your tastes are neither right nor wrong. You can’t put a value on perception and it can’t be measured. You develop these preferences through experience over time.
Here is a case in point. A newly built home may appear ideal to one person and to another person less than perfect. You may love the architecture of older homes and somebody else loves the modern conveniences of a new home. Pay close attention to what catches your eye.
The bottom line then is this. When choosing between buying an older home or a new home, let your taste rule.
For instance older homes offer distinct advantages and disadvantages. Some of the advantages may include neighborhoods that are better established. They may be less likely to change over time. The residents may have lived there a long time and turnover is less likely. An established neighborhood often leads to a stable community environment.
Again some older homes offer architectural and landscaping character that new homes don’t provide. Certainly, these qualities are again a matter of taste according to the eye of the beholder. Ask yourself this question, how does this neighborhood make you feel? Many people surprise themselves when they answer this self-imposed question.
Another feature of older homes is that taxes are often lower than a new home. Although taxes are not a matter of taste they are an important consideration. Have you discovered yet that your Realtor can find tax information quickly for new construction and resale homes.
Are you caught up with the thought of owning a vintage house full of character. This being the case, the obvious upkeep and repairs will not deter you.
We have all heard of The Money Pit, right. Services of an electrician are required. The harvest green oven and stove date back to the 1960s. Plumbing is older. Siding, fencing and windows may be worse for wear.
Be sure, when you are going to buy an older home insist your Realtor request a Home Inspection by a qualified and licensed home inspection service before closing. Prepare yourself for deferred maintenance. The price of a home inspection is small compared to the confidence it instills.
Selecting a new home offers obvious and clear advantages over older homes too. Most new homes are now required to be built according to higher efficiency standards than older homes were. So utility bills could be significantly lower than the utilities of an older residence. However, watch out for taxes on new construction as they may not have been determined yet. This may be a trade off.
Put simply, if you like more modern architecture you will prefer the look of a new home more than an older one. Again taste is the all-important deciding factor here. Are you attracted to the crisp and clean lines of new construction? If so follow your preferences.
One clear advantage that most new homes offer versus older ones is up-to-date heating, air conditioning, electrical, and plumbing systems. In addition, most home builders are likely to provide a warranty on these systems for a specified period of time. If a warranty is not offered or the warranty period is too short you can ask the builder to pay for a better one.
When it comes to older versus newer, taste is the all-important qualifier. The easiest way to decide about buying a house is to get out and compare. Ask a Realtor to recommend neighborhoods for older homes and new homes.
After shopping for homes a bit, you may even discover something new about your taste.
Bradley
Most of us consider both of these options when buying a house.
Is buying a new home a better value than buying an older home? Perhaps you have been wondering the same thing.
By the time you finish reading this, you’ll will have learned how easy it is to answer these questions. Let’s compare new home buying with buying an older home.
A word of caution, there are many decisions to make when it comes to finding the best home for you and your family. There are questions regarding location, affordability, and space. But when it comes to the question of buying a newer home versus an older home, taste has a lot to do with your decision.
All in all your tastes are neither right nor wrong. You can’t put a value on perception and it can’t be measured. You develop these preferences through experience over time.
Here is a case in point. A newly built home may appear ideal to one person and to another person less than perfect. You may love the architecture of older homes and somebody else loves the modern conveniences of a new home. Pay close attention to what catches your eye.
The bottom line then is this. When choosing between buying an older home or a new home, let your taste rule.
For instance older homes offer distinct advantages and disadvantages. Some of the advantages may include neighborhoods that are better established. They may be less likely to change over time. The residents may have lived there a long time and turnover is less likely. An established neighborhood often leads to a stable community environment.
Again some older homes offer architectural and landscaping character that new homes don’t provide. Certainly, these qualities are again a matter of taste according to the eye of the beholder. Ask yourself this question, how does this neighborhood make you feel? Many people surprise themselves when they answer this self-imposed question.
Another feature of older homes is that taxes are often lower than a new home. Although taxes are not a matter of taste they are an important consideration. Have you discovered yet that your Realtor can find tax information quickly for new construction and resale homes.
Are you caught up with the thought of owning a vintage house full of character. This being the case, the obvious upkeep and repairs will not deter you.
We have all heard of The Money Pit, right. Services of an electrician are required. The harvest green oven and stove date back to the 1960s. Plumbing is older. Siding, fencing and windows may be worse for wear.
Be sure, when you are going to buy an older home insist your Realtor request a Home Inspection by a qualified and licensed home inspection service before closing. Prepare yourself for deferred maintenance. The price of a home inspection is small compared to the confidence it instills.
Selecting a new home offers obvious and clear advantages over older homes too. Most new homes are now required to be built according to higher efficiency standards than older homes were. So utility bills could be significantly lower than the utilities of an older residence. However, watch out for taxes on new construction as they may not have been determined yet. This may be a trade off.
Put simply, if you like more modern architecture you will prefer the look of a new home more than an older one. Again taste is the all-important deciding factor here. Are you attracted to the crisp and clean lines of new construction? If so follow your preferences.
One clear advantage that most new homes offer versus older ones is up-to-date heating, air conditioning, electrical, and plumbing systems. In addition, most home builders are likely to provide a warranty on these systems for a specified period of time. If a warranty is not offered or the warranty period is too short you can ask the builder to pay for a better one.
When it comes to older versus newer, taste is the all-important qualifier. The easiest way to decide about buying a house is to get out and compare. Ask a Realtor to recommend neighborhoods for older homes and new homes.
After shopping for homes a bit, you may even discover something new about your taste.
Bradley
Comments Off
