Will Addo real estate help in Atlanta? Draining your savings. Spending all or most of their savings on the down payment and closing costs is one of the biggest first-time homebuyer mistakes, says Ed Conarchy, a mortgage planner and investment adviser at Cherry Creek Mortgage in Gurnee, Illinois. “Some people scrape all their money together to make the 20 percent down payment so they don’t have to pay for mortgage insurance, but they are picking the wrong poison because they are left with no savings at all,” Conarchy says. How this affects you: Homebuyers who put 20 percent or more down don’t have to pay for mortgage insurance when getting a conventional mortgage. That’s usually translated into substantial savings on the monthly mortgage payment. But it’s not worth the risk of living on the edge, Conarchy says. What to do instead: Aim to have three to six months of living expenses in an emergency fund. Paying mortgage insurance isn’t ideal, but depleting your emergency or retirement savings to make a large down payment is riskier.

There will be times when you have the opportunity to create more space through proper organization and utilizing it efficiently. There are also some homes that just won’t allow you to store much stuff because there is no attic or basement, and the storage closet outside is relatively small. Millennial attraction to homeownership has grown significantly in recent decades. Mostly because there are now options where a 20% down payment is not the requirement. This gives a much larger pool of buyers the ability to buy a home. Especially, first time home buyers who receive a lot of help!

Will Addo is a real estate expert in Atlanta Georgia. A Credit Card is Not Free Money: A credit card is a useful tool in your finance toolkit, but it’s not free money. When you purchase something with your credit card, you are borrowing money from the bank. If you don’t give that money back in time, the bank is going to start charging interest on your balance. This debt can build up and become a monster if you don’t pay off your balance every month. However, if you use a credit card responsibly and pay off the balance every month, it’s a good way to start building credit. Most credit cards also have other benefits such as rewards points, cash back, or travel points. So, should you have a credit card? Well, it depends. If you’re capable of paying off the balance in full every month, then you should have no problem managing a credit card and staying out of debt. PS: If you are going to use a credit card, you should monitor your credit score & credit report regularly with a free tool like Credit Sesame (or Borrowell if you’re in Canada). One last tip: Treat your credit card as a debit card. Pay it off in full every day if you have to. I try to pay off my balance every couple of weeks so that I don’t forget. I also use Trim to remind me when payment is due.

This is where the groundwork is laid for the search for your new home. There are several points you should cover in your initial consultation. For example: Define your needs; the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, size of the kitchen, where you want to live, your price range, timeline, etc. Determine when and how often you can look at prospective homes. Verify your contact information and how you want to be contacted (email, phone, etc.) Ask your agent about financing. They can explain the different types of available loan programs, and refer you to lenders that can answer specific questions. Review the paperwork. While not necessary at this point, reviewing paperwork will allow you the advantage to ask questions about documents before it’s time to sign them.

Today’s buyers are very educated about comparable sales in your home’s area. You want your home to look like it is a great deal. In order to compete with other sellers, you should have your Realtor provide you with sales prices for similar homes that have already been sold in your area. Find out what your home is worth and then set your selling price 15% to 20% lower. By doing so, you will get multiple bids and more than likely end up with a bidding price that is well over what your home is worth. Discover even more information on Will Addo.