Posts Tagged ‘How interest rates affect buyers’

Interest Rates, Credit Scores And Down Payments – Should I?

Friday, January 15th, 2016
Interest rates

Rising interest rates affect buyers and sellers differently. Find out how!

Interest rates are on the rise. Rates fell from their highest in over five months last week, but home mortgage lending rates are up again this week. They rose from 4.15% to 4.18%. That’s not all that much higher than the 4% rates on a 30-year mortgage a year ago, but the upward path concerns lenders. How does a rise in interest rates affect you as a buyer? How does it affect you as a seller?

How does a rise in interest rates affect you as a homebuyer?

Buying a house involves a large initial expense. It also involves knowing what you’re getting into long-term before you buy. Knowing what you’re getting into before you buy will help you avoid the disaster of foreclosure.

Do yourself a favor and open this free amortization schedule calculator. Plug in the amount you’ll need to borrow and the interest rate at 4%. Repeat what you just plugged into the amortization schedule calculator using the same amount you’ll need to borrow, but plug in an interest rate of 4.15%. See what a difference an increase in interest rates can make in a monthly mortgage payment?

Listed below, are monthly payments for 15-year and 30-year $100,000 mortgages at different interest rates, not including any fees, like private mortgage insurance or property taxes. Notice how a 1% increase in interest rates from 4% to 5% on a 30-year mortgage results in a 13% increase in monthly payments. A 2% increase results in an incredible 26% increase in monthly payments!

Term 4% Interest 4.5% Interest 5% Interest 6% Interest
15-Year Mortgage $740 $765 $791 $844
30-Year Mortgage $477 $507 $537 $600

Source data: Google mortgage calculator

A note on adjustable mortgages here. Don’t fall into the trap of an adjustable mortgage. Adjustable mortgages make it seem like you can afford a mortgage when you really can’t. If you need creative financing in order to afford a house, you can’t afford it. Don’t do it.

Is now a good time to buy?

Answer the following questions to help you determine whether or not now is a good time to buy a home:

  • Is your credit score above 720? A mortgage lender will give you a loan and determine the rate based on your credit score. If your credit score is low, you can expect a higher interest rate. It would be wise to wait to buy a home until you improve your credit score. While you are waiting:
    • Pay down debt
    • Remove inaccuracies from your credit report
    • Make payments on time every month
    • Avoid applying for new credit cards or new loans
  • Do you have money set aside for a down payment? Putting down at least 20% of the cost of the home is ideal. This amount down will help you avoid having to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI). Since PMI protects the bank’s investment in case you default on the loan, it is a huge waste of money.
  • Do you have money set aside to pay the closing costs? The closing costs associated with your mortgage can total several thousand dollars.
  • What are the current interest rates? If interest rates are low, it may be a good time to buy.
  • What are the experts saying about property values? Accurately predicting what interest rates or property values will do can be tough to do. Ask an expert if property values are on the rise, or if they are likely to fall. If property values are falling, it may be a good time to wait on buying a home.
  • Do you plan on staying put for three to five years, two at the least? If not, refrain from buying. Now is not the time to buy a home.
  • Do you have an emergency fund? This is important! If you don’t have at least six months’ worth of your current income tucked away in case of emergency, you should wait to buy a home. You need to have money in the bank to pay your mortgage if a layoff or major medical problem were to happen.
  • when determining whether you should buy a house now or wait until the future. If you have recently changed jobs, if you are thinking about changing jobs, or if you are expecting any major changes to your income, it is not a good idea to buy a house until you are on more solid footing. Banks and mortgage lenders typically require you to have been with your employer for at least a year or two before they will consider you for a loan.

Are you truly ready to buy?

How does a rise in interest rates affect you as the seller?

When interest rates rise, even just a little, home prices and home values lower. This happens because higher interest rates reduce a buyer’s ability to pay for a home. Higher interest rates make financing a home purchase a lot more expensive. Low interest rates boost home prices because more buyers enter the market

Is now a good time to sell?

The answer to this question is, “Yes!” Higher interest rates equate to lower borrowing power for the buyer, so the sooner you sell, the better. Interest rates are creeping upward!

Read these blog posts for other insights on why you should consider buying or selling your home:

Whether buying or selling a home, start thinking about how a rise in interest rates will impact you in the future.

Make sure you consider the facts of this important financial decision with your head, not your emotions. You don’t want to struggle making your mortgage payments to find yourself in foreclosure down the road.

Call me, Charles D’Alessandro, your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate at (718) 253-9600 ext. 206 or send your questions to [email protected]. I can help you determine whether or not now is a good time to buy or sell your home.