Archive for November 11th, 2008

Understanding the Real Estate Market

Tuesday, November 11th, 2008

Across the world, there are thousands of people looking to buy a home - either now or in the future. Over the last few years, lower interest rates have come along, making it more affordable than ever to buy a home. When you stop and give it some thought - buying a home makes a lot more sense than renting a home or an apartment. But let’s face it, this is easily one of the most difficult decisions you will ever make in your lifetime, so you need to be smart and know what you are really doing.

In order to buy a house, you’ll need to start saving money to have enough for the closing costs and a down payment. Your down payment will normally need to be around 15% of the price or the real value of the property - whichever is lower. To be on the safe side, you should always try to have 20% put down. If you aren’t able to put 20% down, you’ll need to buy some private mortgage insurance, which will cost you more in terms of your monthly payment. My advice before you make any decision, be sure you know about the real value of the house. If you are 100% clueless, think of using a computer solution like a Real estate analysis software to help you understand if the property you are buying is a good investment or not.

The usual closing cost is about 5% to 10% depending on the real estate agent, property, local laws, and county and seller’s conditions. Get an estimate of the real property value before you purchase it. An estimate won’t be the exact price but it will be really close. You should always plan to save up a bit more money than you need, just to be on the safe side. When it comes to buying a property, it pays to have some extra.q.

(more…)

Mortgage Advice for Real Estate Property

Tuesday, November 11th, 2008

commercial mortgages

When it comes to owning property many people around the world will tell you that this is a lifelong dream. While once an opportunity that seemed to be reserved for either the wealthiest or the most miserly among the general population home ownership is now something that is accessible to a larger segment of the population than ever before.

This is good news for many but for some can lead to confusing encounters with commercial property mortgage brokers and serious sharks along the way. The best advice that anyone can give someone attempting to embrace the dream of real estate ownership is to deal with a reputable company when it comes to obtaining a mortgage. Even when dealing with reputable lending companies you must watch out for those who do not have your best interest at heart.

If you would like some very practical advice when it comes to getting a mortgage, then you are at the right place. First of all, avoid lenders that are encouraging you to take a loan for more money than you are comfortable repaying. Foreclosures are at a record high when it comes to the mortgage industry at the moment because of predatory lending practice on behalf of some mortgage brokers. These practices include convincing people to borrow more money than they could realistically hope to pay over time and have any quality of life as well as convincing homebuyers to take out adjustable rate mortgages in the beginning in order to procure lower rates.

Shop around before you decide to buy when it comes to investment property mortgages. This doesn’t mean to actually apply for mortgages all over town but do the research and compare rates before applying with any one company. Talk to several different brokers and find out what they have to offer you that the other company down the road cannot or will not offer. Keep in mind that mortgage companies will offer everything under the sun from free toasters to free vacations in order to get you to go with their company. The proof is in the terms however. The small gift is not worth it if you’re going to pay a 6.9% interest rate instead of a 5.9% rate. You will have paid for that toaster many times over in the process of paying the mortgage.

(more…)