4 Quick Questions to Check If Your Rent Is Too High

In a post-recession world, renting is way different.

Mortgages are tougher to obtain, more people are renting, and those who are renting are staying renters for longer periods of time.

Demand for rental housing continues to increase, and rent prices are climbing.

It’s no wonder renters believe their rent payments are too expensive. While it’s easy to worry about the bottom line, how do you know if you’re paying too much?

Here are four quick ways you can tell if your rent is too high.

1. What does everyone else in your city pay?

Rent prices vary by neighborhood, whether you live in the city or the ‘burbs. Even the time of year you signed your lease can factor into what you’re paying.

To get a great sense of how much you should be pay, first find out the average rental cost in your city.

To make things easy on yourself, locate your city on realtor.com®’s Local Information map. There you’ll find your city’s average rent rate.

If your rent is higher than the average price, that’s a huge red flag.

2. What do similar rentals charge?

The size and condition of your rental also plays a large part in how much you pay each month. People who rent newly-remodeled private houses will likely pay more than renters living in one-bedroom apartments, obviously.

To figure out if you’re paying more than others, plug your city or ZIP code into the realtor.com® Rental Properties database—along with your housing type and number of bedrooms and bathrooms.

If you can easily find five or more similar rentals priced much lower than yours, you’re probably overpaying.

3. How are the perks?

Certain amenities, community features, and little extras add to a landlord’s expenses—and if your community is stacked with perks, you’re likely paying more than you would at a bare-bones apartment complex.

Deciding if you’re paying too much for those perks really depends on how much you use and enjoy what’s offered—and if you could get a better price going somewhere else.

For example, if you use the community gym every night, it may seem like a great deal, but if a nearby similar apartment complex without a gym charges $100 less a month and you could sign up for a gym membership off-site for $25, you may be overpaying.

4. Is your latest rent increase fair?

It isn't unusual for a landlord to raise your rent when you re-up your lease, but you’ll want to make sure the increase is legal—and fair.

Research rent-control laws in your area. In many cities, landlords can only increase the rent by a certain percentage if your building is rent controlled. If you don’t live in an area with rent control, check the state’s landlord and tenant laws, because there may be a cap on increases.

If your landlord is within the legal limit and you still feel the increase is too high, try negotiating. If you've been a good tenant and the landlord fears you might move out over a price increase, he may be willing to compromise.

Trouble Pulling the Trigger? Here’s How to Commit to Homeownership

You’ve saved for a down payment. You’ve pored over the local listings for months. Touring open houses has become part of your weekend ritual. But months, perhaps years, have passed and you are still in your rental.

For many first-time homebuyers, pulling the trigger on a purchase can be a frightening experience. Will you be happy there? Will you like your neighbors? Will you be tied down—house rich and cash poor? What if you lose your job? Will you hate your commute? In short, your fears stem from the unknown.

Meanwhile, your current home is familiar. You’ve come to accept its shortcomings—the loud neighbors, the leaky ceiling, the scant street parking. It has few surprises.

Take Paolo Forte, the eternal condo-shopper, who looked for years in Boston.

“I have actually seen condos come on the market, sell, and then be resold a second time,” Forte said. “While I’ve been waiting, condo prices continue to rise, and I keep spending more money on rent.”

In Betsy Townsend’s years as a REALTOR® in Boston’s pricey Beacon Hill, she’s seen everything.

“I find that people often hesitate to make the ‘biggest purchase of their life’ because they fear they will make a ‘bad investment’ and pay too much,” Townsend said. “Sometimes people lose sight of the fact that they are looking for a place to live instead of just an investment.”

Still, there’s hope. Your family, friends and co-workers took the leap and are reaping the benefits. Give these steps a try and you could be one of them:

Firm Up Your Finances

Anticipate the new costs that you will incur, such as taxes, homeowners insurance, utility bills and commuting. This will help determine the maximum price you can spend on a house. If your daily budget will change with a new home, consider a trial run living on that budget for a few weeks, to make sure you can. Enlisting the help of a financial expert will give you an objective view of your finances. Remember, the first year is the most difficult. After that you will begin receiving tax benefits.

Partner With an Agent

Even though the Internet gives you access to endless amounts of market information, don’t be tempted to go it alone. Instead, interview several real estate agents and find one you like who listens to you. He or she can line up properties to view, answer many of your questions and make connections for you in your new community. Agents often have the inside track on new properties just coming on the market.

Accept Some Risk

Realize that there is uncertainty in everything, but no matter what happens, you will deal with it. Ask family and friends about their experiences and learn from them. Be sure to keep some cash reserves in the bank as a safety net. And remember, you havehomeowner’s insurance for a reason.

Fine Tune Your ‘Must-Haves’

Is there a community that you absolutely must live in? Are you adamant about a garage, a fireplace or a finished basement? Make your list of what’s vital. You may find that you are willing to sacrifice one feature if the rest are fabulous. If you are not crazy about the house, don’t bid. It’s important that you love it at the outset.

Be Ready to Bid

Regardless of the market, great houses do not stay available for long. One open house can lead to three offers. If you love it, be ready to make your best offer. If you are wavering, ask yourself, “How will I feel if I don’t get this house?” You might just get it, and if not, at least you will know you tried.

Reap the Reward

Owning a home can be one of the most exciting and satisfying things you will do in your life. It’s an investment that can pay you personal dividends as well as financial benefits.

Melissa Paul contributed to this article.

Don’t Forget These Costs When Buying a Home

You’ve crunched the mortgage rates, estimated your tax payments, and taken a realistic look at how much house you can afford. You’ve stuck within your range when scouring the realtor.com® listings, being careful not to bust your budget.

But there are more expenses involved in home buying than just the property costs. And those additional payments, if you don’t factor them in, can be high enough to derail your conscientious planning.

Home-Buying Expenses: Add Them Up

Here are the line items you should keep in mind.

Buying Costs

You’ve got your mortgage pre-approved, but that’s not all you will need to fork over to get the keys to your new place. Services that need paying:

• Your buyer’s agent fee
• An appraisal to confirm a reasonable market price for the property
• Inspections of structural, mechanical, pest or other potential issues
• A real estate attorney to review all contracts (depending on the state)

Property taxes vary widely, up to 4.2% of a home’s value in some states, according to a CNN map published in 2013. Depending on when you buy, you may owe the previous owners for property taxes they have already paid. You may also need to pay fees to a local association, such as a homeowners association.

Moving Costs

Moving into a home can involve major expenses for packing, storing and transporting your possessions and yourself. If you are moving across the country, the costs could be significant. Even moving across town can cost more than you planned for truck rental, movers and equipment.

Utilities

Setting up your telephone, electricity, gas and water—did you budget for these expenses? They could cost more at your new place, especially if you’re moving to a larger home or from a rental.

New Stuff

You may need to purchase appliances or furniture for your new home. Some items, like your old particle board bookshelves, may not be worth the cost of moving. Again, if you are sizing up, you face the potentially fun, but possibly financially draining, challenge of filling the new place.

Maintenance and Renovations

Trees fall on roofs. Gutters need cleaning. Driveways need repair…. A standard rule of thumb is to budget at least 1% of your home’s purchase price each year for home maintenance costs.

Maintenance can include things such as painting, replacing roof shingles, fixing or upgrading plumbing and wiring. The amount you will need to pay for maintenance can depend on the age of the home, the previous owners’ upkeep and the climate.

Homeowner’s Insurance

You won’t be able to obtain a mortgage without homeowner’s insurance covering both the property and its contents. However, the standard insurance may not cover natural disasters such as floods, tornadoes and earthquakes. Depending on where you live, you may want to consider taking out additional insurance to cover such risks.

Private Mortgage Insurance and Title Insurance

If the down payment on your home was less than 20% of the purchase price, you will have to pay for Private Mortgage Insurance. PMI protects your lender in case you default. It’s standard, and fees vary. The rules are complicated, but usually once you have paid down the mortgage so you owe less than 78% of the purchase price, you can drop the PMI payments.

Title insurance offers protection for you (and your lender) if you later discover that someone else could lay claim to the title, and therefore ownership, of the house.

Even if you are lucky enough to avoid paying for PMI, you find a low-cost attorney you can trust, and you have a modern, energy-efficient house, these expenses can still add up to thousands of dollars. That prospect should not scare you away from homeownership, but it always helps to be prepared.

How to Protect Your Home from Rain

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HOME FROM RAIN

Get your roof ready for the rains.

Inspect your roof twice per year to avoid costly problems that can escalate into tremendous cost.

Look for cracks along the ridge of your roof and where your shingles fold over to form the cap.

Inspect the valleys of your roof (the area of your roof with a downward slope). Make sure that the sheet metal flashing does not have any holes or rusty spots.

Make sure that you do not have any missing, loose or curled shingles. Replace any in that condition that you find as soon as possible so as to avoid moisture leaks inside your home that can weaken your wall and/or ceilings.

Take a look at your gutters to make sure that they drain well and don't cause water to back up.

Also make sure that there are not a lot of little granules collecting in there. Granules in your gutter are a sign that your roof's coating needs to be resealed.

Make sure that you don't have any down pipe clogs.

Work from the inside out.

Inside your home, check out your ceilings to make sure that you are not experiencing signs of roof or other leakage. Be on the lookout for water rings, mold or wall or ceiling discoloration. Make any necessary repairs to fix the issue and prevent it from happening again during the upcoming rainy season.

Tackle your doors and your windows.

Make sure that both close and seal properly, and make any repairs or improvements as necessary.

Consider purchasing hurricane socks to help absorb water that leaks into garages, basements or in through windows or doors.

Hurricane socks were developed to help you by being a reusable tool to soak up one gallon of water at a time. You can even dry them out faster by putting them in your clothing washer on spin cycle.

Make sure that dead branches have been cleared from around your house.

This will reduce the risk that they will fall during the storm and damage your home.

Consider the use of sandbags to put into the low areas around your house to help keep flood water at bay.

Move furniture to the highest room in the house if there is a chance of flooding.

How to Pay Off Your Mortgage Before You Retire

For most of your life, preparing for retirement means investing. But as the actual date approaches, you also will need to streamline your budget so your expenses will be as low as possible. If a mortgage payment is your biggest monthly expense, as it is for most people, you might want to try to pay off your mortgage before you retire.

A recent analysis by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) showed the share of Americans age 65 and older with mortgage debt rose to 30% in 2011, from 22% in 2001.

Loan balances for those borrowers also rose, with the median amount rising to $79,000 from $43,400 during those years after adjusting for inflation.

While not everyone can manage it, many older homeowners prefer to pay off their mortgage balance entirely before they retire.

Keep in mind that some expenses of homeownership won’t disappear: you still need to pay for homeowners insurance and property taxes—and if you live in a condo or a home within a homeowners association, you’ll need to keep paying your association dues.

However, eliminating the bulk of your payment, the mortgage principal and interest, can go a long way to smoother cash flow once you stop work.

Ways to Pay Off Your Mortgage

The best way to pay down your home loan depends on your loan terms, balance and budget. In particular, you need to consider your monthly budget and whether you can afford to make larger payments to reduce your mortgage balance.

It’s particularly important to think about how long you plan to keep your home and how far you are into your mortgage.

Refinance

If you’ve been paying off a 30-year fixed-rate loan for 15 or 20 years, you should think carefully about the advantages and disadvantages of refinancing.

In some cases, it’s a smart move to refinance into a shorter term loan of 10 years or even less, but be aware of the transaction fees and closing costs associated with a refinance—typically 2% to 3% of the loan amount. You may be better off applying those closing costs to extra payments on your current loan, especially if you’re near the payoff date.

Early in any home loan repayment you’re mostly paying interest, but by the last few years of your loan, you’re paying mostly principal. If you have refinanced before or bought your home within the last few years, refinancing into a shorter loan term could cause a big jump in your payments.

If you do opt to refinance into a shorter loan, be sure you can comfortably afford the higher payments and that you’ll recoup your costs quickly.

Prepay your loan

Refinancing locks you into a new payment plan, but if you’d rather have some flexibility, you can make extra payments to eliminate your mortgage faster.

You may want to add money to every payment, make an extra payment each year or even make a lump sum payment if you receive a tax refund or bonus.

Not only will you pay off your loan faster, but you’ll save thousands in interest payments.

For example, if you took out a $200,000 loan in 1999 at 4.5%, your principal and interest payments are about $836 per month—and your loan payoff date is 2029.

If you add $250 per month to your payment, you can eliminate your loan in 2025 and save about $13,630 in interest. If you can manage $500 more per month, you can save $21,300 in interest and be mortgage-free in 2023.

Put Mortgage Payoff Decisions in Context

It’s important to consider any decision about your home loan in the context of your other financial goals and commitments. Be sure you are contributing as much as you should to your retirement funds and eliminate non tax-deductible debt before you begin to pay down your mortgage.

Consult a lender and a financial planner to discuss your options on an individual basis.

This story was originally posted on SeniorHousingNet.

Why a Pre-Approval is Crucial to Your Home Search

Why a Pre-Approval is Crucial to Your Home Search

When you’re ready to find a home, the last thing you want to do is limit your possibilities. Dream big, right?

But you’d be totally bummed if you found a perfect pad, only to learn you don’t qualify for the home of your dreams.

If you don’t earn a loan pre-approval before you start looking, you might actually prevent yourself from finding—and buying—your dream home.

Here’s why.

Streamlined Hunting With Pre-Approval

Most homeowners start out by browsing homes for sale online to get an idea of what neighborhoods and housing styles they like. If you don’t know what you can afford, you may be looking out of your price range and wasting your time. You may also be looking below what you would have qualified for and not getting the right home for you.

If you start off by getting a pre-approval, you can sort by price, identify the right neighborhoods, and find your dream home much faster.

Better Results From a REALTOR®

The bottom line is this: REALTORS® prefer to work with home buyers who have a pre-approval in hand for two reasons.

First, a REALTOR® knows the deal isn’t likely to fall through, and second, when they know what you want and what you can afford, REALTORS® are able to do a better job of finding your dream home.

For example, you told a REALTOR® you want a historic home, but the asking price for these homes varies widely. If they don’t know what you can afford, they can only do a general search across several price ranges and may miss hidden gems.

On the other hand, if you have pre-approval, a REALTOR® would know what exactly what to focus on and would be able to suggest different neighborhoods, sizes and conditions of homes to match your needs—making it easier to get you exactly what you want.

Higher Acceptance Rate for Buyers With Pre-Approval

Once you find the perfect home, the next step can go two different ways depending on a pre-approval.

If you’re not pre-approved and you find a home you want to make an offer on, you’re taking a gamble. REALTORS® and sellers are less willing to accept offers from a buyer without a pre-approval. Odds are, they’ll go on to the next offer—and you’ll miss out.

However, if you are pre-approved, you have more room to haggle. Sellers may be more willing to lower the asking price, include appliances, cover closing costs or make other allowances to work with a pre-approved buyer.

Less Stress With Pre-Approval

Finally, skipping this step can wreak havoc on your stress level.

If you aren’t pre-approved, you’ll spend longer looking for homes. You may not feel like you’re getting great service from a REALTOR®. You may get turned down once you’re ready to make an offer.

All of this adds more time and stress to what should be a very exciting time in your life.

On the other hand, if you’re pre-approved, you have less to worry about: you know you’re a qualified buyer, you know there are lenders willing to work with you, and you can feel pretty confident when you make an offer.

9 Things Buyers Regret Overlooking

9 Things Buyers Regret Overlooking

The last thing you want after moving into your new house is buyer’s remorse.

With so many details to track when buying a home, items can slip through the cracks. Figuring out which areas you shouldn’t overlook is the first step toward mitigating remorse.

With avoiding that sinking feeling in mind, realtor.com®spoke with a couple of agents about what to pay attention to when buying a home.

1. Lifestyle vs. resale value

Marty Winefield emphasizes this concept with his clients. Buying a home is a personal choice, so make sure you know whether you’re buying for resale value or for lifestyle. Some clients buy with the bottom line at the top of mind while others care more about theirquality of life.

2. Size: It matters!

REALTOR® Nina Goldsmith of @properties in Chicago cites a house that seemed perfect on paper. She showed it 102 times in about three months. The house had three bedrooms and two bathrooms in a nice area. The downside? The bedrooms were extremely small—and small enough to turn off potential buyers once they saw the place.

3. Bathrooms

Winefield says two-bedroom, two-bathroom condos abound in Chicago.

But if one of those bathrooms has a shower without a tub and the buyers have children or plan to, that bathroom becomes “almost useless”.

Don’t overlook your future needs, or the needs of every resident of the house.

4. Bedrooms

You probably have an idea of how many you want.

But are they the right kind? Something large enough for an infant now may not accommodate a desk and bunk beds later.

A funky seven-walled bedroom may delight your design sense, but will your furniture fit in there?

Don’t overlook the practicalities of rooms as you fall in love with a house.

5. Traffic

That tiny house Goldsmith showed over a hundred times sat on the corner of a busy street, which also turned off buyers.

A fence used to guard part of the yard, but it was removed by a prior owner.

In an area with good schools, the house appealed to families—but a home with no fence on a busy block can be a deal breaker.

6. Wall color

Goldsmith reminds buyers paint is cosmetic. Bricks aren’t.

It’s easy to repaint a kitchen if you don’t like the color—go ahead and breeze past a confusing color choice

But falling in love with a home’s brick walls or dark wood paneling may prove tricky when you try to resell and you realize most buyers don’t share your aesthetics.

7. Yard

People moving from apartments may dismiss a tiny or nonexistent yard.

But a large yard helps resale value. And some might ask, “Why buy a house at all if you don’t want any land with it?”

8. Pools

Many buyers won’t buy a home with a pool, because they don’t want to deal with the upkeep, which gets expensive, Goldsmith says. But if you really want a pool, the upkeep may be worth it.

Just know that if you buy the home, you may wind up filling in the pool—or wishing the original owners did—when it’s time to sell.

9. The little things

Does the freezer door open all the way?

Does the layout mean in order to pass from kitchen to bedroom you’ll have to go through the living room?

Does the small living room push your overstuffed couch too close to the TV?

How You Can Avoid These 9 Traps

Listen to your real estate agent. If an agent expresses concerns about a feature or perceived fault, hear them out. You might buy anyway, but at least you’ll know what you’re getting into.

Listen to your brain as well as your heart. Don’t let emotion rule your decisions.

Visit often. Kick the tires, as it were—open all the doors, latch all the windows, and visit again and again to make sure you aren’t missing anything. You might see something the second or third time you didn’t see the first time you looked at a place.

“Take your time,” Goldsmith adds. “Is this really where you want to live? Is this good for you, your family and the way you want to live?”

Remember, an extra visit or two won’t cost much—but buying the wrong house could cost you plenty.

Based on an earlier version by Herbert J. Cohen.

The Fastest Way to Get Pre-Approved

The Fastest Way to Get Pre-Approved

Getting pre-approved for a loan can make the whole home-buying experience go smoother.

When you’re pre-approved, REALTORS® are more likely to want you as a customer, sellers are more likely to accept your offer, and—by knowing what you can afford—you’ll know what homes to look at.

And it doesn’t have to be a hassle either. With these easy tips, you can get a pre-approval without ever leaving your sofa.

Get Your “Pre-Approved” Facts Straight

Applying for a pre-approval doesn’t require nearly as much paperwork as applying for a mortgage, but you’ll still need to be as accurate as possible if you want to make sure you’re getting the best deal—and the most offers.

Start by gathering the information you’ll need:

§  Estimated purchase cost. If you have a home in mind, look up the seller’s asking price to get an idea of how much you’d need to borrow.

§  Down payment amount. Knowing how much you can put down will have a big effect on your pre-approval.

§  Personal information. You’ll need basic info like Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers for anyone on the application.

§  Proof of income. Gather recent paystubs, tax returns and paperwork from your employer.

§  Proof of assets. Gather bank statements, retirement accounts, CDs and other documents showing your assets.

Estimate Your Credit Score

While any prospective lender will pull your credit score, you’ll also be asked to estimate your credit score on your application.

To make things easier, you can order a copy of your credit scores for a small fee from one the three credit bureaus—Equifax, TransUnion and Experian—before you apply for a pre-approved loan. By law, you’re entitled to one free credit history report a year from each of the credit bureaus.

You can also use your credit report to make an educated guess about your credit scores. For example, if you have low-to-no debts, active credit lines and a history of timely payments, you probably fall in the “good” credit score range.

Apply Online

Once you have your information and credit scores together, you have two options to apply for a pre-approved loan. If you have a particular lender in mind, you can visit the lender’s direct website to see if you can apply online.

Many lenders have this feature, but you’ll have to fill out an application for every lender you want to use.

If you want to go the faster route, try a pre-approval service like the one featured on therealtor.com® individual listings page. By checking the box that says, “I want to get pre-approved by a lender”, you’ll be connected with up to three lenders right away.

Staying Safe

Before you apply online, read through the company’s privacy settings. Look for companies who state this information:

§  Clearly list how your personal information will be used

§  Explains their pre-approval process

§  Guarantees not to sell your personal information to third-party companies or vendors

Knowing what you can expect while getting pre-approved will keep your identity safe.

Plan for Property Taxes the Right Way

 Plan for Property Taxes the Right Way

Knowing what to expect from property taxes, and what tax relief you can use, is an essential part of budgeting for home buying.

The last thing you want is to be caught off-guard by a large tax bill you aren’t in a position to pay.

What are Property Taxes?

Property taxes vary by area and are used to pay for local government things like education, emergency workers and libraries.

Property taxes are determined by the overall market value of your home—not the price that you bought it for.

How Are Property Taxes Assessed?

This home value assessment is determined by a tax assessor, either when the property is sold or renovated—or according to a fixed assessment schedule.

If you think your property assessment is too high, you have the right to appeal it.

Budgeting with Escrow 

Some loans, like Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans and high-risk loans, require an escrow account.

Escrow accounts work like a forced savings account. The lender estimates the annual costs of property taxes and insurance. Each month, you pay a portion (one-twelfth) of that cost into the account.

By doing so, you won’t have to pay a lump sum of property taxes and insurance at the end of the year. For lenders, an escrow account cuts down on the risk of foreclosure due to bad budgeting by the homeowner. Escrow accounts can also be optional.

Escrow accounts can be very useful for people who aren’t very good at budgets. They also lessen the brunt of end-of-year costs. However, if you’re good at saving and like to micro-manage your own finances, an escrow account might just get in the way.

If you do have an escrow account, check your transactions to ensure your lender is paying your taxes and other expenditures by the due date.

Tax Deductions and Relief

Many states offer various forms of property tax relief.

§  The homestead exemption: This is where a percentage of your home’s assessed value is excluded from taxes. The homestead exemption varies by state. Some states offer it with a cap on the amount of money you can be exempt from while some states do not. Other states may require the homeowner to qualify under other criteria, such as age or income, to be eligible for the benefit.

§  Tax rate caps: This is the maximum amount that you will have to pay in tax. Not all states have one.

§  Property tax deferral: This allows some homeowners—such as seniors, those with disabilitiesor those with low income—to delay paying property taxes. Keep in mind additional costs like filing fees and accumulated interest on the delayed tax can be incurred.

§  Relief for military veterans: These tax relief programs also vary by state, although they often apply to veterans who were honorably discharged or have served during wartime. Check with your Veterans Affairs office to see what you qualify for in your area.

§  Energy tax relief: Homeowners who make eco-friendly renovations may be eligible for property tax breaks.

Planning for Property Taxes

You should find out more information about your county’s property taxes from your local assessor’s office or your town’s website.

Remember, tax exemptions can vary by state, so don’t bank on not paying for something unless you personally verify it.

Key budgeting tips to remember include what the likely assessment value of your home will be, when the next assessment will occur, and whether you qualify for any tax relief.

Updated from an earlier version by Ben Apple.