It is Smart to Buy a Home Today?
Whether you’re buying your first home or selling your current house, if your needs are changing and you think you need to move, the decision can be complicated. You may have to take personal or professional considerations into account, and only you can judge what impact those factors should have on your desire to move.
However, there’s one category that provides a simple answer. When deciding to buy now or wait until next year, the financial aspect of the purchase is easy to evaluate. You just need to ask yourself two questions:
- Do I think home values will be higher a year from now?
- Do I think mortgage rates will be higher a year from now?
From a purely financial standpoint, if the answer is ‘yes’ to either question, you should strongly consider buying now. If the answer to both questions is ‘yes,’ you should definitely buy now.
Nobody can guarantee what home values or mortgage rates will be by the end of this year. The experts, however, seem certain the answer to both questions above is a resounding ‘yes.’ Mortgage rates are expected to rise and home values are expected to appreciate rather nicely.
What does this mean to you?
Let’s look at how waiting would impact your financial situation. Here are the assumptions made for this example:
- The experts are right – mortgage rates will be 3.18% at the end of the year
- The experts are right – home values will appreciate by 5.9%
- You want to buy a home valued at $350,000 today
- You decide on a 10% down payment
Here’s the financial impact of waiting:
- You pay an extra $20,650 for the house
- You need an additional $2,065 for a down payment
- You pay an extra $116/month in your mortgage payment ($1,392 additional per year)
- You don’t gain the $20,650 increase in wealth through equity build-up
Bottom Line
There are many things to consider when buying a home. However, from a purely financial aspect, if you find a home that meets your needs, buying now makes much more sense than buying next year.
The information contained, and the opinions expressed in this article are not intended to be construed as investment advice. Rafael Jarauta, Rafael Jarauta, PA or RealtyWonders.com, does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information or opinions contained herein. Nothing herein should be construed as investment advice. You should always conduct your own research and due diligence and obtain professional advice before making any investment decision. Rafael Jarauta, Rafael Jarauta, PA or RealtyWonders.com will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on the information or opinions contained herein.
La información contenida y opiniones expresadas en este artículo no tienen la intención de ser interpretadas como asesoramiento en materia de inversión. Rafael Jarauta, Rafael Jarauta PA o RealtyWonders.com no tienen ni garantías de la información o integridad de la información u opiniones aquí contenidas. Usted debe siempre realizar su propia investigación y su debida diligencia y obtener asesoramiento profesional antes de hacer o tomar una decisión de inversión. Rafael Jarauta, Rafael Jarauta PA o RealtyWonders.com no son ni seran responsables por ningun dano o perjuicio relacionado con la información u opiniones contenidas en este sitio web.
