WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE BUYING A HOME IN BLUFFTON, SC

Buyers Guide Main Page What can you afford? The down payment Are you "prequalified" by a lender? Using the services of a Real Estate Agent House hunting Consider Potential Resale Value? Making an Offer Writing the Contract The Closing Process Moving In

What can you afford?

Once you’ve reviewed your credit reports and cleared up any inaccuracies, you will want to evaluate your Net Worth:

1. Compile a list of all your assets. These will include your available cash, your certificates of deposit, stocks and bonds, as well as non-liquid valuables like collectibles and other real estate against which you might borrow.
2. Make a second list of all your liabilities, which will include outstanding balances for expenses you already have (installment loans, real estate, school loans, medical bills, savings, etc.), as well as the costs for your new home purchase (settlement costs, moving expenses, landscaping & decorating estimates); then total those as well.
3. Subtract the liabilities total from the value of your assets to determine your Net Worth.

This figure is what you could put down into a new house, if you wanted - the more you pay "up front" the smaller your mortgage will be, and the lower the interest rate you will pay for borrowed funds. On the other hand, the less you put forth in cash, the higher your tax deduction and the more you have left for other uses. Now is a good time to make a critical assessment of your spending habits and how they will affect your new budget.