There is no denying the flexibility that renting offers—you can move relatively easily when you want, and you do not have to carry a mortgage for decades to have a place to live. However, if you are like many renters in our area, you are probably at least considering the idea of buying a Waterloo Region home.
But how do you know if you are ready for homeownership? Here today we are going to take a closer look at some reasons why you might be prepared to become a homeowner.
And if some or all of these resonate with you, it’s probably time to talk to a real estate agent you trust to start looking for a place you can be happy owning and living in. Team Pinto, your local Waterloo Region real estate experts, are always available to answer your questions and offer you their help here.
The opportunity to become a homeowner can be both emotionally and financially rewarding when you have a long term goal. By following some sound first-time buyer tips, you’ll ensure that your journey from renting to owner goes smoothly.
The following are some of the most common reasons why renters decide now is the time to buy a Waterloo Region home:
Your rent keeps increasing.
Rents in our region are rising and rising. The increase in rental prices can be frustrating for numerous reasons. You cannot anticipate what your housing costs will be over the long-term, which makes it hard to plan your finances.
You also probably feel some frustration with landlords—after all, who likes being told that they need to fork over yet more rent money in the coming year? There is also the uncertainty of the whole situation that can get to you. Your income is probably not shooting up and up each year, so why should you be expected to pay more and more rent?
When rent is going up, but you are still managing to meet the rising costs on your current income, it can be a good sign that you should start shopping for a home. If you think about it – when you are renting you’re probably helping to pay someone’s mortgage. Unfortunately, that person isn’t you!
Some folks aren’t quite ready to go right from renting into becoming a homeowner. Often the reasons are financial ones. It could be not enough of a down payment or high amounts of debt, possibly from student loans.
At times, if you can find the opportunity, renting to own a house might make sense. Of course, there are pros and cons associated with rent to own arrangements, so make sure you understand them.
You have a history of managing your debt well.
Home lenders look closely at the amount of debt you have and how you have managed that debt. Ideally, a lender wants you to have 43% or less debt-to-income ratio, although some conventional loans will allow you to have a 50% DTI.
You can calculate your debt to income easily by adding up all of your monthly debt payments. Once you know what all your monthly debts cost, then you can divide that number by your gross monthly income.
If you have high balances on your credit cards, you can pay them down in order to look more appealing to lenders. You do not have to pay them off completely. Instead, pay them down enough to hit the right DTI. Then, you can put that extra money into building a fund for a down payment on your first Waterloo Region home.
You think it’s time to put down roots in a specific place.
Buying a Waterloo Region home requires paying a lot of costs at the beginning that cannot really be recouped in the first few years of ownership. In other words, for a home purchase to make financial sense, you need to be ready to stick around for a while. Over time, the investment can prove very positive, and even very lucrative, but it does take time.
Real estate has been shown over and over again to be an excellent long term investment. Like other investments, it is not for someone who might need to move quickly because of a job relocation.
Lenders prefer you to have had the same job for a while as well, a job you are probably going to stay at for years after you purchase the home. They prefer you to have a steady, stable income so that you are less of a risk. Your regular income – in the eyes of the lender – helps ensure you won’t miss mortgage payments.
You are sick of pouring money into someone else’s mortgage.
As a renter, your rent payments are paying the mortgage of the landlord or property owner. If you are ready to put all that money towards your future, buying a home makes sense. Each mortgage payment you make will increase the equity in your home, which is an investment you will actually benefit from.
A home purchase is not always a guaranteed home run—all investments carry risks. But, generally, you can expect that over the life of your mortgage, you will gain a lot of financial benefits out of putting money into property.
There are also many tax advantages of owning a home as well. And no one likes to pay more tax than they need to right?
You have the financial stability to save for an emergency fund.
One standard piece of advice for every potential homeowner is to have an emergency fund in place for the unexpected. The COVID -19 pandemic brought the importance – and wisdom – of that advice into even sharper focus.
As a renter, your landlord pays for most big home related emergencies. If a pipe bursts, a refrigerator breaks, or a heat pump stops working, the landlord has to come in and fix it—and pay for those repairs. But as a homeowner, you are the one responsible for those expenses. You want to be confident you have enough money set aside to weather such emergencies.
We have written before about things you need to do before buying a home, and that includes having a down payment and money set aside for emergencies.
If you are seriously considering buying a home, you definitely need to start saving to create an emergency fund. That way, when something goes wrong—which is going to happen eventually—you can handle it without breaking a sweat.
You are moving in with a significant other
One of the most common reasons from going from renter to homeowner is a significant life event such as getting married or moving in with a significant other. It is not uncommon for two people to decide to find a home that blends common goals.
Having an apartment usually does not satisfy the needs of blending two lives, especially in terms of space, and as the personal commitment you are making signifies you’ll be spending a long time together than the investment in a home of your own is one that makes the most sense to most people.
You need room for a growing family.
As just mentioned, needing more room is another common reason for purchasing a home. If you are expecting a child shortly, or are planning to start a family in the next few years, it makes sense to start considering home ownership.
While renting is sometimes a necessity for growing families, if you are fortunate enough to be in a position where you can buy a home, doing so can offer a lot of benefits for you and your growing family.
Your new home can give you room to expand, providing your family bigger bedrooms, extra bathrooms, and all the other spaces that make life easier. The house can also serve as a stable location for peace of mind for you and all your loved ones, something else that the pandemic has highlighted the importance of.
By becoming a homeowner, you’ll be able to pick and choose the kind of property that will serve the needs of your lifestyle. Buying a home can not only be rewarding but fun as well. It is a chance to spread your wings and take another step towards becoming an adult.
You are ready to pay a down payment and closing costs.
One of the most significant signs you are ready to move from renting to owning a home is finding a down payment. Financial stability is a significant indicator that you are prepared to buy a home—particularly when it comes to down payments and closing costs.
You want to be able to pay the down payment so you can get a mortgage, and you want to be able to pay the closing costs so you can finalize your purchase. And don’t worry if you don’t have 20% down—many loans do not require so much for a down payment.
There are numerous loan programs available for first-time buyers. It can be very confusing to a first-timer because of how many mortgage choices are out there. An experienced mortgage broker can come in handy to answer all of the questions you should be asking a lender. Remember, you should be interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you.
You have improved your credit score.
The credit score you bring to mortgage lenders is going to play a significant role in the type of financing you can get. The worse your credit score, the fewer options you have available when buying a home. That is why it is essential to do what you can to improve your credit score before you go to try and buy a home. The better your credit score, the more options you will have, and the more money you can save on your mortgage.
If you have improved your credit score, it may be time to talk to a lender about what you can do to get a mortgage. You can sometimes qualify for a mortgage with a lower score but that does not mean it will be a mortgage that you want.
The mortgage will usually have an undesirable rate and will require a higher down payment. But, if you have a higher credit score, the loan will have a better rate and require a lower down payment.
If you need to improve your credit score, get a free copy of your credit report, and address any issues that might be hurting your credit score. Mortgage professionals and real estate agents continuously preach about the importance of the best credit scores – this is why!
Final thoughts
Going from a renter to a Waterloo Region homeowner is not something that should be undertaken as a snap judgment of course. There should be a lot of planning involved in buying a house for the first time. Those who are unprepared typically make buying mistakes they regret later on. Don’t be one of them.
Getting ready to buy a Waterloo Region home? Let Team Pinto use their huge local real estate experience and expertise to help you. Contact the award-winning Team Pinto here, or book a free Zoom consultation to discuss your unique Waterloo Region real estate needs here.
