In today's economy , it is harder than ever to save for a downpayment to buy a new home. It's now one of the biggest problems facing potential homebuyers. On one hand money can give you the greatest purchasing power if you have enough, but on the other hand it can also greatly limit your purchasing power if you don't have enough.
Many people are looking for alternatives to saving the money themselves. Therefore, I have some tips on how to accumulate the necessary funds to purchase a new home :
· Borrow or sell against an asset. Borrowing against an asset such as a car is acceptable but can be a little risky. You will have to still qualify with the additional debt. Selling an asset is the most acceptable because it increases the amount of money you have available.
· Have a relative or a really good friend give you the money as a gift. You will have to prove the money was given as a gift and not a loan. This can easily be done by documentation. Anyone who pays taxes is allowed to give a gift of $10,000 per year per person without paying a gift tax. Here's an example of how that will work: Your father could give you $10,000 and your spouse $10,000. Your mother could do the same. You would then have $40,000. Most lenders don't require that much down, but that is how it can work. If the money needs to be paid back, do so in monthly installments that can be agreed upon.
· Borrow against your 401K policy. You can borrow against your 401K or cash it out. If you borrow against it , you will have added debt and will still have to qualify for the loan with the additional debt. If you cash it out, you will be subject to withdraw penalties.
· Ask the seller to pay. You can ask the seller to pay for all or part of the non-recurring closing cost as long as they're within allowable limits. Your real estate agent will help you make an offer on any home you are interested in buying. You can also ask the seller to carry back financing. In any case that the seller does not need all their equity right away, you can ask them to carry some of the financing. This will reduce the amount you pay down.
· Try to obtain zero point or low point loan. If you are able to obtain a low or zero point loan, your closing costs will be reduced substantially.
· Consider a different loan program. There are several loan programs out there. Your loan officer will help you choose the loan that's best for your situation. There are also several programs that will assist homebuyers with their downpayments.
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