How are you going to buy a home?

Banks have tightened up the guidelines to buy a home. That doesn't mean you can't buy a home. I think it is good they have gotten a little tougher with the guidelines. America has been on a shopping spree for too long. Many home owners have used their home to finance their life style and now the bank is closed. They are having to give up the home becuase they can't refinance. They are going into foreclosure.

I feel that your goal when you buy a home is to pay off as much of that mortgage as you can before your retire. To be mortgage free if you can in your retirement years. This mortgage crisis is going to make people live within their means more, they can't borrow against their house.

What is means to you as a new home buyer is that you have to save a little to put a downpayment on a house. Sure you can't buy right away. Sure you can't have instant gratification of your wants. But it is going to teach you to save to acquire the things you want. That is a good thing. Many homes that went into foreclosure were in a state of disrepair. the homeowners couldn't afford to fix things.

If you can't come up with $5,000 to fix the furnace, or $8,000 to get a roof then you really should not be in that house. Those are necessary repairs. By learning to save for a downpayment will help you in the long run.

For more on mortgages, credit and credit scoring, buyers tips go to my website Michigan homes for sale at www.RussRavary.com

The death of 100% mortgages

We got an email today stating that after March 1, the PMI company will no longer insure over 97.01%.. What that means to the consumer is the only way you can get an 100% mortgage is if you can find a company to do a 80% first and a 20% second (80/20 loan). That is not likely in our market right now. Very few if any banks are doing a 100% loans any more. So if you are thinking of buying a home this year, start saving money. You will either need to borrow 3% from a relative or have 3% of the purchase price in your savings account. FHA loans may become very popular. For more on credit scores, mortgages, buying foreclosures, FSBO's, negotiating tips, and Michigan real estate go to my website www.RussRavary.com

Declining market stigma in Metro Detroit

What a beautiful day in the Metro Detroit.. 60 degrees in January. What a few hours and what a change it will be. That sums up the mortgage market from last year to this year. Banks are taking tremendous beatings on foreclosures. I have seen three homes in the last day that the bank is going to lose over a $100,000 on each one. The banks have tighten the guidelines, charging more if you don't have great credit. Now to get the best rate you have to have a 680 credit score or better.
You can still get approved for a mortgage but an 100% mortgage in Metro Detroit is just about gone. Many banks have identified or categorized Southeastern Michigan real estate as a "declining market" What the banks are saying is that homes in Southeastern Michigan are most likely going to continue to go down in price. To protect themselves most banks now won't lend 100% in Michigan because the house may be worth less in a year.
The bottom line is that buyers are going to need to have a down payment if they want to buy a home. Now is the time to start saving for a down payment whether you are thinking of buying next month or next year. The more you save the better your interest rate will be.

If you want more information on mortgages or buying a home go to my website www.russravary.com You can contact me at info@russravary.com or call me on my cell to help me plan your purchase.