If you’re still waiting for prices to fall some more before you buy a home, you’re probably already too late. In most areas of the country, prices have either stabilized or are on the rise. There is pent up demand for homes — all those buyers that have been sitting on the fence are slowly coming off of it. Home prices in some areas have been on the rise for over a year now. And increases in interest rates can’t be far behind.
Lenders are slowly starting to put both feet back into the mortgage market. Some banks and credit unions are offering highly specialized loans, including no-down and low-down payment loans, that they are keeping in their own portfolios. Certainly there are more hoops to jump through to qualify for a mortgage, but if you have patience and can provide all the documentation that an underwriter requires — along with good credit scores — you can probably get a good deal on a loan and take advantage of our historically low interest rates. Even with stricter underwriting and higher fees, those with not bad but less than perfect credit can probably get an FHA guaranteed mortgage.
So what are you waiting to buy a home? There is no better time to buy than yesterday. At least that’s what those in the know will tell you. The longer you wait, the less time you have to build equity. A home is an investment in your future.
