subject: Preparing Financially For Home Buying [print this page] Preparing to buy a house does not start from the time that you apply for a mortgage. It actually starts before that, when you were just saving for the down payment. The down payment is probably the biggest out of pocket expense you'll spend on your house. There are mortgages that will allow you to get a house with a very small amount of down payment, as low as 3%. However, it's not easy to qualify for those types of mortgages, and of course the monthly payment will be larger because you're working the down payment into it. Let's say that you're interested in buying Reston Real estate. As you look through Reston Homes for Sale and see the homes available for you to buy, you're probably getting an idea of how much money you need to save for the down payment. Some people prefer a more daring and creative approach which means that they invest their money. It has a bigger risk involved but of course, bigger risk could mean bigger returns. More people prefer traditional savings. How do you successfully save enough money for the down payment?
Pay down debts.
You can increase your ability to save by decreasing the things you pay for each month. It would also put less stress on you because you'll have more room to breathe, compared with when you save money for the down payment while at the same time paying off high credit card balances. It may take a bit more time to pay down your debts first, but this will help you a lot. It will also help you have a better chance of qualifying for a mortgage because it will help you meet lender ratios.
Follow your budget.
Sitting down to create a plan has the effect of downsizing your expenditures. This is because you look at your expenditures more closely and are able to determine which ones are necessary and which ones aren't. Creating a budget for yourself will also help you realize how much you can really afford, how long it will take before you arrive at the amount that you are aiming to save, and whether you can speed this up further by making adjustments to your budget. As you structure your budget and examine your spending patterns, you may find out that you can actually save a lot of money monthly by forgoing your usual morning latte. Some people feel hesitant to give up such small comforts. However, it's just a temporary thing. If you feel that it's depressing to deprive yourself of small comforts you can just minimize it to once a week or once every other week.
Save more.
Many people realize that saving for something as big as a down payment for a house is no easy task. It's always best to start as early as possible. Many people spend years saving up that amount because of poor planning and because they always find something else to spend their money on. It's important to be focused when it comes to saving. It won't be long when you will reap the rewards of your hard work.
