There are a lot of different parts that go into searching for and then purchasing a new home, and it can become overwhelming for the average homebuyer with a limited understanding of the entire process. To ease some of that anxiety and set you up for success, let’s go over 5 tips to help you afford a new home in Atlanta:
Make a Realistic Plan
Before getting carried away with anything else, it’s critical that you take a deep breath, relax, and deal with the bigger picture.
Start by creating a reasonable budget that helps you understand how much money you can save every month. Once you know the amount of money you currently have saved along with your future savings plan, do everything you can to put that into action while also dreaming up a timeline for your home purchase.
Give yourself enough time to accrue savings to cover both a down payment as well as additional moving costs and some leftover funds as a buffer. Creating a longer timeline means saving more money and giving yourself more breathing room to help you better afford a new home in Atlanta.
Check Your Credit
It’s likely that you’re going to use the services of a mortgage lender to finance buying your home, and they’re going to be interested in your credit history along with your current debt to credit ratio.
Order your free annual credit report and go through the resulting document from cover to cover, checking for any errors. You may discover debts you had forgotten about entirely or a complete mistake that is dragging your credit score down.
If you do happen to find anything inaccurate, go through the official channels of the source of your credit report to dispute the inaccuracies and keep documentation of every communication. If everything is accurate and you’re simply finding yourself with a low score due to previous debt issues, factor into your budget the ability to reduce any existing debts and do not make any avoidable large purchases.
Hire Some Help
Buying a house can be made a lot easier by hiring a qualified and experienced real estate agent, and we highly recommend shopping around for the agent that best works for you.
Find at least three agents, meet with each of them, and get an idea for how comfortable you are discussing your home-buying journey with them. Ask any questions you may have and gauge their responses to get a feel for if they have your best interests at heart.
This provides you an opportunity to determine which agent you feel will represent you best.
Look into Mortgage Programs
A lot of buyers are under the impression that the only financial assistance someone will receive is if they are a first-time buyer, but that’s not necessarily the case.
Call your local Federal Housing Administration office and ask them about the possibility of you qualifying for any state, city, or even county assistance programs or tax credits.
You may be pleasantly surprised to find out that you qualify for a reduced down payment or closing costs, making it that much easier for you to afford a new home in Atlanta.
Have a Backup Plan
As you move forward with putting in an offer on a home that feels right for you, always have a second option ready to go.
The reason for this is it’s very easy to get your heart set on a single property, only to hit a roadblock and be left starting all over if the deal falls through. Having a backup plan will help keep your mind clear during the negotiation and make walking away from a nasty inspection result that much easier.
Guidance to Help You Afford a New Home in Atlanta
If you’re confused about the calculations to decide if you can afford a new home in Atlanta, contact our skilled team today at (404) 977-5054!