How to Tell If You Should Buy a House Now

How to Tell If You Should Buy a House Now

Deciding to buy a home is a significant life decision. Beyond the housing market trends, it's crucial to scrutinize your personal finances, life objectives, and readiness to own a property. Let's dive into the factors you should consider.

The Current Real Estate Market - A Buyer's Perspective

The Impact of Rising Mortgage Rates

Interest rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages have seen a year-on-year increase. While fluctuations have been noted, with rates hovering between 6% to 7% for most of the year, the past few weeks have witnessed a stabilization around 7.37%.

Average Weekly Mortgage Rates (Week ending Nov. 30, 2023)

| Mortgage Type         | APR  |
|-----------------------|------|
| 30-year fixed        |7.14% |
| 15-year fixed        |6.43% |
| 5-year adjustable    |8.05% |

Data provided to NerdWallet by Zillow.

The Federal Reserve's Influence

The Federal Reserve plays a major role in influencing mortgage rates. Throughout 2022, the Federal Reserve raised a short-term interest rate 11 times to control inflation, effectively influencing mortgage rates. The most recent meeting in November resulted in no rate increase, providing a slight relief for home buyers.

Understanding Buying Power in the Context of Higher Rates

Higher rates can reduce buying power as they make home loans more expensive. For instance, a $350,000 house with a 20% down payment would have a monthly payment of $1,679 with a 6% mortgage rate on a 30-year mortgage, excluding home insurance and property taxes. With a 7.5% rate, the monthly payment would be $1,958 — a $279 increase.

Strategies to Navigate High Mortgage Rates

While you can't control average rates, you can adopt strategies to navigate this scenario:

  1. Shop around for the best deal.
  2. Ensure you can afford the monthly mortgage payment.
  3. Consider locking in the mortgage rate to protect against further rate increases.

The Challenge of Limited Home Supply

The housing market continues to face a shortage of homes for sale, creating a challenging environment for buyers.

Existing-Home Sales Dip

Sales of existing homes dipped by 4.1% from September to October, showing a 14.6% fall when compared with October 2022. This significant drop highlights the challenging nature of the current homebuying environment.

Home Prices Keep Rising

The current market presents a double whammy for buyers: higher mortgage rates and rising home prices. The national median price for existing homes sold in October rose to $391,800, marking a 3.4% increase from October 2022.

Assessing Your Readiness to Buy a House

Are You Prepared to Settle Down?

Owning a home is a long-term commitment. Consider your life goals, relationships, and interests.

Is Your Job Secure?

A mortgage is a significant commitment and can become burdensome if job security is uncertain.

Are Your Finances in Order?

It's critical to evaluate your savings, credit score, and debt before making a decision.

Savings

Potential homeowners should have savings for a down payment, mortgage closing costs, moving expenses, and other post-purchase costs.

Credit

Credit scores influence the mortgage rates and terms that lenders offer.

Debt

Lenders examine your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) to determine your eligibility for a mortgage.

Conclusion

Buying a home is a significant decision that should be made after careful consideration of various factors, including the current market conditions and personal readiness. By taking these factors into account, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your life goals and financial situation.

Please note that the information provided in this article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Always consult with a financial advisor or real estate professional before making any major financial decisions.

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