Transform Your Mess Into Money
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Home Buying for Couples: A Starter Guide
Buying your first home is an exciting, yet daunting process.
You and your significant other already have a lot on your plate in planning this huge purchase—from deciding how much house you need to fitting it all into a budget. Read on for some tips that will help ease the process of buying a house as well as help you save money in the long run!
Evaluate your financial situation before you start house hunting. It’s important to know what kind of mortgage payment is feasible for the income in a household. You’ll also have to contend with hidden housing costs like property taxes, renovations, and repairs. Calculate your total income, and then subtract your current expenses. That’s how much you have at your disposal to handle the costs of homeownership.
Improve your credit score. If you’re a first-time homebuyer, your credit score is important—it can profoundly affect your ability to get approved for loans and mortgages! The higher that number goes up, the easier it may become to get approval from lenders. You can help yourself out by paying off any outstanding debt balances such as student loan payments, medical bills, and credit card debt before going house hunting.
Start saving for a downpayment. As a rule of thumb, you’ll want to put down at least 20% of the home’s purchase price. This can take years, especially if your budget is tight! However, it’s well worth it—you may avoid the hassle of paying private mortgage insurance (PMI), which can substantially add to your monthly housing payments. A sizeable downpayment can also lower your interest rate and reduce the size of your loan.¹
Decide how much house you need. This is a tough question to answer, but it’s crucial that both partners are united on this front. Otherwise, one partner might feel like a house doesn’t meet their needs. Sit down with your partner and discuss what exactly you desire out of your home. How many bedrooms will you need? Do you want a big yard or a small one? How close to work do you want to live? Hammer out the important details of what you want in a home before the shopping begins!
Decide on your budget. Knowing how much you can afford before shopping for a home will help narrow down the options. Typically, housing costs should account for no more than 30% of your budget. That includes your mortgage payment, repairs, HOA fees, and renovations. Spending more than 30% can endanger your financial wellness if your income ever decreases.
Buying a home can be an exciting time for couples. But it’s important to take the necessary steps before you start house hunting. Remember, you want your new home to be a source of joy, not financial stress! Do your homework, talk with your partner, and start saving!
“Do you need to put 20 percent down on a house?,” Michele Lerner, HSH, Sep 2, 2018, https://www.hsh.com/first-time-homebuyer/down-payment-size.html
How Your House Can Earn You Money
If you’re a homeowner, your house can do more than just consume cash flow–it can generate it as well!
Rent out a unit, basement, or room of your house at a price that helps offset the cost of your mortgage. It’s really that simple!
Let’s consider an example that demonstrates why this strategy is so effective.
Suppose you’ve saved enough money to put a down payment on your first home. Good for you! You’ve done the legwork, and discovered that your mortgage payment will be around $1,000 per month. You’ll also need cash for property taxes and homeowners insurance, too. Even though you’re glad you’re in a home of your own, you might start wondering if you’ve bought a money pit that will consume your cash flow for the next 15 to 30 years.
But you’ve also bought a potential source of income, if you think a little outside the box.
See, your house has a finished basement that’s begging to be transformed into a rentable space. All told, you could rent it out to a friend and put those funds toward your mortgage.
By simply utilizing space that you already own, you can unlock a revenue stream that can help offset your mortgage payments!
That extra cash flow can cover daily expenses, pay down the house faster, or help you begin saving and investing.
This strategy, called “house hacking”, may not be for everyone–it favors homeowners with duplexes or finished basements. Plus, it requires the homeowner to become a landlord, a role some may not care for.
If you have the space, consider renting out a slice of your home to someone you trust. It’s a simple way to leverage resources you already have to generate the cash flow you may need!
¹ “Forget coffee and avocado toast — most people blow nearly 40% of their money in the same place,” Lauren Lyons Cole, Business Insider, Apr 26, 2019, https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/how-to-save-more-money-2017-8#:~:text=Housing%20accounts%20for%20about%2037,further%20limiting%20his%20housing%20expenses.
First time home buyer? Beware hidden expenses.
If you’re getting into the home buying game, chances are you’re feeling a little overwhelmed.
Purchasing a home for the first time is exciting but it can also be very stressful! Anyone who’s been through that process could probably share a story about a surprise hidden expense that came along with their dream home.
Read on to help prepare yourself for some common costs that can pop up unexpectedly when you’re purchasing a home.
Before we get into the hidden costs of homeownership, let’s talk a little about how to help handle them if and when they do arise. If you’re getting ready to buy a home but don’t have an emergency fund, you may want to strongly consider holding off that purchase, if at all possible, until you do have an emergency fund established. It’s recommended to put aside at least $1,000, but preferably you should save 3-6 months of your expenses, including mortgage payments. An emergency fund is the most fundamental personal finance tool you can have in your toolkit. It’s like the toolbox itself that holds all your other financial tools together. So, before you start home shopping, build your emergency fund.
If your dream house happens to be in a neighborhood with a homeowners association (HOA), be prepared to pony up HOA fees each month (some HOA’s may charge these fees every quarter, or even annually). HOA fees may cover costs to maintain neighborhood common areas, such as pools or parks. They may also cover maintenance to your front lawn, and/or snow removal from driveways, etc. Typically, a homeowners association will have a board that enforces any agreed-upon property standards, such as having you remove ivy from your home exterior, or making sure your sidewalk is pressure washed regularly.
If you purchase a home with an HOA, be prepared for the added cost in fees as well as adhering to the rules. You may incur a fine for such things as your grass not being mowed properly, or parking your boat or camper in your yard.
PMI comes into play if you can’t make at least a 20% down payment on your new home. If that’s the case, your mortgage lender charges PMI which would kick in to protect them if you default on the loan. It can cost 0.3 to 1.5% of your mortgage. However, once you have 20% equity in the home, you don’t have to pay it anymore. (Note: You may have to proactively call your mortgage company and tell them to remove it.)
If you’ve been living the maintenance-free life in an apartment or rental home, the cost of maintaining a house that you own may come as a shock. Even new homes require maintenance – lawn care, pressure washing, clearing rain gutters, painting, etc. There’s always going to be something to upgrade or repair on a home, and many first-time home buyers aren’t prepared for the expense.
A good rule of thumb is to budget about 10 percent of the value of your home for maintenance per year. So, if you buy a $250,000 home, you should prepare for $2,500 a year in maintenance costs.
Be prepared for some sticker shock when purchasing your homeowners’ insurance. Homeowners insurance is typically significantly more expensive than purchasing a renter’s policy. If you live in an area prone to natural disasters, be prepared to pay top rates for homeowners’ insurance. If you live near a body of water, you may also need flood insurance.
Many first-time homebuyers may not give life insurance a thought, but it’s an important factor that can help protect your investment. You probably need life insurance if anyone is depending on your income. Especially if your income helps pay your mortgage every month, you should strongly consider a life insurance policy in case something were to happen to you. This will help ensure that your spouse or significant other can continue to live in your home.
Homebuying is exciting and part of the American dream. But don’t neglect to come back to reality – at least when making financial decisions – so you can budget properly and anticipate any hidden costs. This will help ensure that your first-time home buying experience is a happy one.
These records include your tax returns and receipts/proof of anything you might claim as a deduction. You’ll need to keep your tax documents – including proof of deductions – for 7 years. Period. Why? In the US, if the IRS thinks you may have underreported your gross income by 25%, they have 6 whole years to challenge your return. Not to mention, they have 3 years to audit you if they think there might be any good faith errors on past returns. (Note: Check with your state tax office to learn how long you should keep your state tax records.) Also important to keep in mind: Some of the items included in your tax returns may also pull from other categories in this list, so be sure to examine your records carefully and hang on to anything you think you might need.
The housing market has experienced major peaks and valleys over the past 15 years.
If you’re in the market for a new home, you might be wondering if buying a house is a good investment, or if it even should be considered an investment at all…
“Owning a home is the best investment you can make.”
We’ve all heard this common financial refrain: “Owning a home is the best investment you can make.” The problem with that piece of conventional wisdom is that technically a home isn’t an investment at all. An investment is something that (you hope) will earn you money. A house costs money. We may expect to save money over the long term by buying a home rather than renting, but we shouldn’t (typically) expect to earn money from buying a home.
So, a home normally shouldn’t be considered an investment, but it may offer some financial benefits. In other words, buying a home may be a good financial decision, but not a good investment. A home may cost much more than it gives back – especially at the beginning of ownership.
One reason that buying a home may not be a good investment is that the cost of homeownership may be much higher than renting – especially at first. Many first time homebuyers are unprepared for the added expense of owning a home, plus the amount of time maintaining a home may often require. First-time homebuyers must be prepared to potentially deal with:
Regular maintenance such as painting or cleaning gutters
Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) if you don’t provide a full 20 percent down payment
Another problem with considering a house as an investment is that it may take many years to build equity. Mortgages are typically interest heavy in the beginning. You can expect to be well into the life of your mortgage before you may see any real equity in your home.
Having the choice to move without worrying about selling your home is a benefit of renting that homeowners don’t enjoy. The freedom to move for a career goal, romantic interest, or even just a lifestyle choice is mostly available to a renter but may be out of reach for a homeowner. So, be sure to consider your long term goals and aspirations before you start planning to buy a house.
When is buying a home the right move?
Buying a home in many cases can be an excellent financial decision. If you are committed to living in a specific area but the rent is very high, homeownership may have some benefits. Some of those may be:
Not having a landlord make decisions about your property
A stable place to raise a family
Buying a home: Not always a good investment, but may be a good financial decision
Although buying a home may not pay you in high returns, it can be an excellent financial decision. If owning a home is one of your dreams, go for it. Just be aware of the costs as well as the benefits. If you’ve always wanted to own your own home, then the rewards can be myriad – dollars can’t measure joy and the priceless memories you’ll create with your family.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to promote any certain products, plans, or strategies for saving and/or investing that may be available to you. Market performance is based on many factors and cannot be predicted. Any examples used in this article are hypothetical. Before investing or enacting a savings or retirement strategy, seek the advice of a licensed financial professional, accountant, realtor, and/or tax expert to discuss your options.
Renter or Owner: What type of insurance do you need?
Whether you’re renting or you own your home, there are various insurance options you may want to consider.
Like any insurance, they’ll help provide financial coverage in the event of an unexpected disaster. There are also varying levels of insurance that you may choose.
There’s a general category known as “homeowner’s insurance”, which usually covers four categories: interior and exterior damage, damage to or loss of possessions on the property, and personal liability coverage that will help cover the cost of injuries sustained while on the property (such as if a guest slips and falls down the steps to the front door). The damages section of the policy usually won’t cover acts of war or nature, the latter including things like volcanic eruptions or floods. However, many policies will cover lodging and meals while the property is under construction and not able to be inhabited for the duration, such as if an exterior wall is destroyed by fire.
For geographical areas prone to certain disasters, a separate, specialized insurance policy may need to be purchased in order to cover damages or loss caused by such disasters. For example, for areas that are low-lying and near rivers where frequent heavy storms occur, general insurance may not cover damage to the property. Conversely, properties in mountainous areas are unlikely to need flood insurance but may need earthquake and/or landslide insurance if such events are more common there.
While homeowner insurance will cover damage to the property – which is a major concern for those with a financial stake in the property – renter’s insurance usually covers damage to and loss of possessions, and also offers coverage for personal liability for injuries sustained on the property. The landlord likely has an insurance policy on the property to help protect against financial loss in the event of physical damage, but their insurance unlikely will extend to the tenant’s possessions or guests’ injuries. Thus, those who rent the property will need to consider insurance policies for these events.
Which Policies to Choose
As with any insurance policy, there may be deductibles, liability limits, covered and noncovered events and assets, and premiums. Generally the higher the limits and the broader the group of included incidents or assets, the higher the premium will be.
If you choose a high deductible you may have a lower premium.
If you have guests over regularly, greater coverage for personal liability may be worthwhile.
If you travel often, an extension to protection may be a good idea. This is because many insurance policies may not cover theft or certain damages (like those arising from fire) for “vacant” homes, since these can be a greater risk when no one is living there for an extended period.
Many companies and policies may offer discounts to the premium if you have certain protections, like an alarm system, if you regularly perform maintenance, or opt for fire-retardant materials.
Some companies offer premium discounts if you have for example, both your car insurance and your renter’s or homeowener’s insurance with them.
The bottom line is that you should shop around for the best rates and coverage. Each individual will need to find the best fit. Make sure you have coverage for any specific circumstances that may be common in your area. And most importantly, make sure you thoroughly read and understand your policies, and the situations they cover, and don’t cover.
Home Insurance: A Primer
A properly set up home insurance policy can be peace of mind.
Home insurance is designed to help you financially if something goes wrong with your home. It’s one of the most important insurance coverages you can have because it protects the very place that protects you.
Home insurance is a contract. Your policy lays out what it covers and what it doesn’t cover. It also includes your rights and responsibilities and those of your home insurance company. So how do you know if you have the right type of home insurance policy? How can you help ensure your home insurance will cover what you need it to cover? Read on to learn some basics.
Basically, home insurance pays to repair or replace your home or property if it’s damaged in a covered loss, such as theft or fire. A proper home insurance policy also should offer liability protection if someone is injured on your property and then sues you.
Do you have to purchase homeowner’s insurance?
Homeowner’s insurance may be required if you have a mortgage. Your bank will want to make sure the asset is protected, so they’ll likely require you to purchase a homeowner’s policy. They’ll also want to see proof of coverage – sometimes called a binder or an Evidence of Insurance certificate. Such a document will list the insurance limit, deductible, and declare the bank as the mortgage holder.
The limit for your home policy is based on the cost to replace your home – not the value of the home – and on several other factors. Considerations for replacement cost include:
Construction: The replacement cost of your home will depend greatly on the construction. Is it a wood frame? Masonry? Concrete block? What is the square footage? How about roof construction? All these construction features will help determine the replacement cost of your home.
Personal property: The policy limit for your personal property typically defaults to a percentage of the amount for which your home is covered. For example, if your home is insured for $100,000 and the percentage is 50%, the default personal property limit would be $50,000.
Bonus tip: Highly valuable personal property is excluded from typical homeowner policies. Special property such as antiques, fine art, or jewelry may be covered only up to a certain sublimit. If you have highly valuable property stored within your home, talk to your insurance professional about getting the proper coverage for these items.
Liability insurance: As stated, a basic home insurance policy should come with some liability coverage to protect you if you end up in a lawsuit. Such a suit may stem from someone getting injured on your property.
Bonus tip: Homeowners should have some extra liability protection. An “umbrella” liability policy can add more liability coverage in case you end up in a lawsuit.
What type of deductible should I select?
A typical homeowner policy deductible is between $500-$1,000 (this can vary by state).[i] But there are options for $5,000 all the way up to $100,000 deductibles. Some policies offer percentage deductibles where the deductible is counted as a percentage of the policy limit. For example, if your home is insured for $150,000 and you carry a 10% deductible, your out-of-pocket cost in the event of a claim would be $15,000.
Many homeowners opt for a high deductible to save on the cost of the policy. Bonus tip: Select the highest deductible you can afford. Just keep in mind that if you have a claim, you are responsible for paying the deductible. If the damage is less than the deductible, you will have to make the repairs without the help of insurance. Know your risks and select the right policy.
Home insurance policies don’t cover everything. They contain exclusions. For example, many homeowners policies don’t cover flood damage. Flood insurance must be purchased separately. If you live in a coastal area or near a large body of water, consider purchasing a flood insurance policy.
Bonus tip: Flood insurance has become more important for homeowners in recent years. Flooding can cause catastrophic damage and can also affect homeowners who are not in a so-called “flood zone”.
Knowledge is power. The more you know about homeowners insurance, the better prepared you’ll be if something goes wrong with your home. Get to know your policy’s limits, coverage, and deductibles, so you can help ensure you have the coverage you need, when you need it.
Please consult with a qualified professional and read all of your homeowners insurance documents carefully. Make sure you understand your policy(s) and know what situations are covered or not covered.
[i] https://lendedu.com/blog/average-homeowners-insurance-deductible/
A Surprising Help After Buying a House
When I say “buying a house,” what kind of insurance do you think of?
Homeowners insurance. Obvious, right? But there’s another type of insurance you should consider with a few amazing-yet-unexpected benefits for new homeowners. Give up? It’s… life insurance.
Mortgage payments and the cost of upkeep won’t stop with an untimely passing. Life insurance is a significant tool for homeowners because it’s a great way to help protect your loved ones from a sudden and unexpected financial burden. Your family wouldn’t have to lose their home because of missed payments, and if you co-signed a mortgage with someone outside your nuclear family, the benefits of life insurance have the potential to cover your contribution for a time, not leaving that friend or business partner in a financial bind. As for the upkeep of your home, a general rule of thumb is to set aside 1% annually of the purchase price of the house for routine repairs and/or maintenance. For instance, if you paid $250,000 for your home, set aside $2,500 each year. So if you’ve already had to convince yourself that the hole in the roof is almost, sorta, kind of the same as that skylight you always wanted to put in, just imagine what your family might experience if the income you or your spouse provides was no longer available.
Not sure if you have the right policy to help out with your new home in the event of a sudden death? Be sure to talk with a financial professional to make sure you’re financing the future you want – and that you’re doing everything in your power to help your family stay in the house that you’re all working to make a home!