(NAPSI)—There's good news for young people hoping to buy their first home.
A recent National Association of Realtors® (NAR) survey found that
buying a house while carrying student debt is not impossible. In fact, 41
percent of recent first-time buyers had student debt, with a typical balance
of $29,000.
What You Need to Do
Here are three tips to help you on your journey to homeownership while
paying off your loans:
1. Start saving for a down payment
now. After paying rent, student loan bills and other monthly expenses,
setting aside enough money for a sizable down payment of 20 percent may seem
like a daunting task. Thankfully, most successful buyers come to the closing
table with a lot less cash.
NAR's survey found that recent first-timers typically made a down payment
of 5 percent. At the current national median existing-home sales price of
$247,000, that's a much more manageable amount of $12,350.
The more money you can put down, the better. Assess your current financial
situation, including total expenses, and start saving as much as you can.
2. Meet with a lender to find out
your options. A lender will check your credit history, current debt
obligations and other expenses to determine the amount of money you are
qualified to borrow for a mortgage.
There are a number of mortgage loan programs available for homebuyers with
student debt, and many lenders have made favorable changes to how this debt
is calculated as part of a borrower's overall debt-to-income ratio.
Furthermore, many lenders are now offering conventional loans for those with
good credit with a down payment as low as 3 percent.
3. Be honest about what you can
afford and rely on a real estate professional. When determining how much
of a mortgage payment you can handle, be sure to factor in both the amount
and total time you have left to pay off your student loans. Don't get stuck
in a situation where your housing costs and student loans are stretching you
thin.
That's one reason using a Realtor®, a member of the National
Association of Realtors®, is crucial to finding a home that fits
your needs. A Realtor® will identify homes in your price range and
negotiate on your behalf to ensure you stay within your budget.
Learn More
You can start your search today at www.realtor.com/realestateagents.
"A
Realtor® will identify homes in your price range and negotiate on
your behalf to ensure you stay within your budget."
On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)