For every individual there will inevitably come a time in their life when they will look to buy a house or property. For many this process will be a confusing and overwhelming endeavour…

However, it does not need to be an unpleasant experience. By gaining a little knowledge about the processes and administration, involved one can make sure they can secure the house of their dreams. An individual looking at buying a home should strive towards their goal but not rush or make harsh decisions during the process.

People will tell you to buy property as soon as you can, and seeing that property prices are constantly growing there is definitely truth in this statement. One should however remember that we live in a world of opportunity and that you should not be pressurised into making an offer on a property. There will be more great deals on the market, so do not be pressurised by a real estate agent or property owner when looking to buy a house.

Make sure your credit history is as clean as possible. This will ensure that you will get the best interest rate and this will help persuade the bank to approve your application. A few months before you start house hunting, get copies of your credit report. Make sure the facts are correct, and fix any problems you discover. If you have not bought anything on credit, you should look at opening a clothing account or cell phone contract to start building a credit record.

Never over-extend yourself when buying your first property (or anytime in your life for that matter) as this could lead to a financial crisis later in life. If you are set on buying a house but cannot afford the home of your dreams quite yet, rather opt for an entry-level property at first. This will allow you to save money and eventually put yourself in a position where you can buy the house of your dreams instead of being stuck with a “second best” property that crippled you financially.

Before you go house hunting, get a pre-approval from Mortgage Plus Bond Originators – 0861 1111 93. This will save you the grief of looking at houses you cannot afford and will put you in a better position to make a serious offer when you do find the right house. It is seriously advisable to obtain professional help, in the form of a real estate agent. A deposit is generally put down when purchasing a property, generally somewhere between 5 – 10% of the sale price. Sometimes loans can cover 100% of the value of the property and sometimes even more than 100% in the case of First Home Loans. Speak to a Mortgage Plus Home Loan Expert regarding the different home loan options from all the financial institutions. Home Loan Calculators : Affordability Calculator, Bond Status Calculator, Increased Instalments Calculator , Minimum Income Calculator , Monthly Payments Calculator

Look for a reputable estate agent (or agency) and allow them to do their job, they will look to secure a deal that is best for you. A real estate agent will ensure that you will be signing a comprehensive document, which does not have any hidden loopholes or unnecessary costs. Real estate agents deal with this process on a daily basis and will be able to navigate it as efficiently as possible.

It is essential that you do your homework when signing a offer to purchase for a property. By gaining, an insight in regards to what other properties in the area have recently sold for, you can ensure you place a competitive offer.

With all of this said, you should not rule out the option of renting straight away. For an individual who intends on travelling or changing jobs in the visible future, buying a house might not be the best choice. It may be beneficial to rent a property and save your unused funds towards a deposit on a house in the future. This will give you greater financial freedom and will allow you enough time to search for the right property for you.

If you would like to speak to a Professional Mortgage Specialist about your lending requirements, please phone Mortgage Plus Bond Originators on:

Complete this short form online

011.327.4489 / 0861 1111 93

morne@mortgagepluscc.co.za

www.mortgagepluscc.co.za

If you are considering taking a new home loan, you should also take into account the factors that influence the rates. There are some factors that are within your control.

New Home Loan: Factors to Consider

One should consider the following factors while applying for a new home loan:

Debt to Income Ratio: Before taking a decision on the amount of loan to be extended, every lender calculates your debt to income ratio. This is calculated by taking into account your monthly debts and income. A high debt to income ratio means that a considerable part of your income is going towards the payment of your existing debts, which signifies high risk for lenders. If you have a high ratio then the interest rate is likely to be higher.

Payment History: You can improve your chances of getting a good interest rate by paying your bills on time. These could be credit card bills or car or rent payments. A single late payment can affect your credit history.

Property Type: The type of home loan that you are entitled to is influenced by the kind of property against which you take the loan. Property may be a single family home, multi family home or condominium. The rates are lower for properties that bear lesser risk.

Loan Amount versus Property Value: The lender will compare the loan amount with the value of the property to calculate the LTV (loan to value) ratio. If this ratio is high your mortgage will carry higher risk, which will end up in a high interest rate on your home loan.

Loan Amount and Duration: The higher the loan amount, the higher will be the interest rate. Moreover, the longer the duration of the loan, the lower will be the rate of interest on your home loan.

Closing Costs: If you do not wish to pay all the closing costs, then you can expect to pay higher interest rates. This is done to compensate for the closing costs.

Down Payment and Points: You can get good interest rates by paying down at least 10% of the loan. You can also pay points to lower the interest rates by paying your principal and lowering your monthly payments.

Please contact us if you require any further information or would like to apply for finance:

Complete this short form online

011.327.4489 / 0861 1111 93

morne@mortgagepluscc.co.za

www.mortgagepluscc.co.za