Tag: Down Payments

If you’re in the market for a house and are wondering how your income will stack up against the rest of your expenses, here’s how to determine a home cost that’s reasonable for you.

Traditionally, getting a mortgage requires you to have a level of income appropriate to the size of home that you’re buying. But for a lot of low-income and minority borrowers, a simple measure of one person’s income isn’t an accurate measure of whether or not that person can afford a home.

If you’re planning to buy a home in the near future, you’re probably already in the process of saving up for a down payment. But if you haven’t seen a mortgage advisor or started looking at properties yet, you probably don’t have a good idea of what a down payment will cost you.

A new house is a major investment. Even if you have a mortgage, the bank and the seller will still expect a sizable down payment. That’s why lots of people regularly gift down payments to friends and relatives – it’s a great way to help young people start out on the path of home ownership.