Money Matters Blog

It’s that time of year when you’re likely to see ‘for sale’ signs on every block. Maybe you already have your eye on one and go out of your way to drive past it on your way home from work. Before you leap into making an offer, take these four steps to be sure you can truly afford your dream home and everything that comes with it.

1. Understand Your Monthly Expenses

Alarmingly, many Americans don’t have a true understanding about what money they have coming out each month. This can be a dangerous territory to get into, as it’s likely that there are a significant portion of the expenses that may be unnecessary. Take the time to understand what each of your monthly expenses are and if any can be cut or lessened. Maybe there’s a subscription you’ve forgotten about or haven’t realized how much money you are putting towards name-brand groceries each month.

2. Know What You Can Afford

Once you have your expenses broken down, you will have more of an idea of what you have coming out. Next, you should understand what you have coming in. Account for each person’s income contribution for the home. Subtract your monthly expenses from the after-tax amount and you will have an idea of what you can afford. You’ll then want to meet with one of our experienced mortgage specialists! We offer a wide variety of mortgage loan options (including government loans – FHA, VA, and USDA). We make sure you’re not overwhelmed by the process and offer several loan options to be sure we have a solution for you!

3. Understand Home Buying Expenses

Being a homeowner comes with many responsibilities that sometimes can’t be accounted for. From broken pipes or a leak to a busted HVAC, the costs can be overwhelming at a moment’s notice. It’s important to understand the expenses that may come out of home ownership. Even if there isn’t something breaking, you have the responsibility of additional upkeep.

4. Set a Goal

Once you have a complete understanding of where you are and where you might be, you can set a goal. If the house you want is out of your current price range, make it a goal to be able to afford a home like this. Take a look at what expenses can be cut in addition to how you can earn additional income to get you to your goal within a reasonable time frame.

Don’t strap yourself into a payment that won’t fit your lifestyle. Allow us to guide you in the purchase your dream home with a mortgage from Farmers & Merchants Bank & Trust!