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Is Now a Good Time to Buy a House

As interest rates rise and the housing market cools, you may be asking yourself whether you're ready. Here are four key questions to help you decide. (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) Newsletter sign up Newsletter (Image credit: Getty Images) By Julia Pham, CFP®, AIF®, CDFA® last updated 28 October 2022 Deciding whether to buy a house is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll ever make. Not only is it a huge financial decision, it's an extremely emotional one as well. Anyone who has put in an offer, experienced a bidding war and lost a house or who finally got their dream home can agree that the process can have great highs and frustrating lows.

Home-Price Growth Easing The last few years have been increasingly confusing to potential home buyers. COVID brought on tremendous worry about the future of the economy, initially spurring home buyers to put a pause on purchases. Eventually, lockdowns and remote work and learning inspired many to seek additional space. That, coupled with a low-interest-rate environment and low inventory, spurred bidding wars and sent home prices soaring. Now that the Fed is increasing interest rates, with a couple more hikes anticipated this year, there is upward pressure on mortgage rates. The average rate on 30-year mortgages has been above 7% for most of October this year (opens in new tab). This is more than double what rates were this time last year. With a higher cost to borrow, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported that mortgage demand (opens in new tab) is 86% lower than it was last year, and they anticipate slowing housing demand for 2023.

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Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail. Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's expert advice - straight to your e-mail. Sign up There are fewer bidding wars, and we are seeing price reductions. With all of this at play, you may be asking yourself if now is the right time to buy a house. The answer really depends on your needs and your current financial position. Here are four questions to ask yourself to see if you're ready.

1 Are You Ready to Settle in One Location

Buying a house is a long-term commitment, so it's a good idea to think about whether you're planning on making any big life changes in the near future. If you plan on switching jobs, getting married or having kids, it might be a good idea to wait on purchasing a home, as your needs will typically change when one of these major life events occurs. If you do end up purchasing a home, you should stay long enough to offset the cost of the transaction, such as closing costs, your selling agent's commission and expenses to prep your home for a sale. Typically, that takes about five years (opens in new tab). Although not the end of the world, you probably don't want to buy a house and then find out you have to move shortly after because you landed the job of your dreams elsewhere. The best time to take on a big asset, and potentially a big liability (hello, mortgage payments!), is when you feel stable in your life and are ready to put down roots.

2 Have You Looked Over Your Budget to See What You Can Afford

Not only are mortgages expensive, everything else that goes along with owning a home adds up. When figuring out your budget and what it costs to own a home, don't forget to add in things like property tax, insurance, homeowners' association dues, additional maintenance costs - think lawn care, pool upkeep, home repairs, etc. - and perhaps the additional costs of utilities if you're moving into a larger home. The cost of heating and cooling a large home, and water used for a garden and lawn, will obviously be more, so make sure you take those into consideration.

Cash Home Buyers: New Services Offer Help Making All-Cash Offers If you're trying to figure out how much of your budget is OK to spend on housing, try this yardstick: Lenders usually require that the principal, interest, taxes and insurance expenses be less than 28% of your monthly gross income (opens in new tab). Or you should consider discussing the purchase with a financial adviser, who can help guide you in the right direction and ensure all your bases are covered.

3 Have You Saved Enough for a Down Payment

If you plan on taking out a loan to pay for your home, you'll need to contribute some money toward the purchase price. The amount that you must put down depends on the type of loan that you take out. While most lenders require at least 3%, typical new home buyers put down 6%, on average (opens in new tab). You may hear 20% thrown around a lot; that's because it's the required down payment to avoid paying for mortgage insurance. This is insurance that protects the lender in case you fall behind on payments. In any case, know that the more you put down on a house, the less you have to borrow, and the lower your mortgage payments will be.

4 How s Your Credit Score

Having a good credit score will have a big impact on the ability of a lender to extend credit and the interest rate offered. A credit score above 670 (opens in new tab) is generally what lenders look for in an acceptable borrower; scores between 740 and 799 are considered very good; and a score of 800 and above is excellent. Your credit score is something that you want to make sure to have in order before you apply for a mortgage. If your score isn't where you'd like it to be, the best way to improve your score is to pay your credit card bills on time. Set up automatic payments so the payments don't fall through the cracks when things get busy. Credit usage is also an important factor and is a measurement of how much credit you use at any given point. You calculate credit usage by dividing the amount you owe across all your credit cards by your total credit limit. Experts say that you should keep this ratio below 30% (opens in new tab). Also, keep in mind that credit history makes a big impact on your score as well. Don't close those cards that you've held on to for a long time, as they can help contribute to a positive credit score.

What Does Your Credit Score Really Mean? Ultimately, only you will know if now is the right time to buy a house. By having your finances in order first, you can help make that decision more clearly and be able to take the leap when you find that special place you want to call home. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors, LLC ("HH") is an SEC registered investment adviser located in Long Beach, California. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Additional information about HH, including our registration status, fees, and services can be found at www.halberthargrove.com. This blog is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment advice. It should not be construed as a solicitation to offer personal securities transactions or provide personalized investment advice. The information provided does not constitute any legal, tax or accounting advice. We recommend that you seek the advice of a qualified attorney and accountant. This article was written by and presents the views of our contributing adviser, not the Kiplinger editorial staff. You can check adviser records with the SEC (opens in new tab) or with FINRA (opens in new tab). Explore More Building Wealth Julia Pham, CFP®, AIF®, CDFA®Wealth Adviser, Halbert Hargrove Julia Pham joined Halbert Hargrove (opens in new tab) as a Wealth Adviser in 2015. Her role includes encouraging HH clients to explore and fine-tune their aspirations - and working with them to create a road map to attain the goals that matter to them. Julia has worked in financial services since 2007. Julia earned a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude in Economics and Sociology, and an MBA, both from the University of California at Irvine. Latest 4 Ways You Can Take Advantage of a Down Market With markets down for the year, it may seem that all the news is bad. But now could be a good time to make some profitable moves. By Adam Grealish • Published 11 November 22 New, Used or Leased: Is Now the Time to Buy an Electric Vehicle? The Inflation Reduction Act created new tax breaks for electric vehicles. Here's a guide to which EVs count and the best time to buy. By Rivan V. Stinson • Published 11 November 22 You might also like 4 Ways You Can Take Advantage of a Down Market With markets down for the year, it may seem that all the news is bad. But now could be a good time to make some profitable moves. By Adam Grealish • Published 11 November 22 Finding Peace of Mind With Your Retirement Income Even in tough times, you can secure retirement income that lets you maintain your lifestyle, lasts a lifetime, adjusts for life events and leaves a legacy for the kids. By Jerry Golden, Investment Adviser Representative • Published 10 November 22 What to Do When an Unhappy Customer Threatens to Ruin Your Rep Some customers go too far when they feel they haven't been treated well, demanding unreasonable make-goods and even resorting to extortion. An attorney offers some advice. By H. Dennis Beaver, Esq. • Published 10 November 22 Rising Interest Rates Change the Math on Pensions for Some Would-Be Retirees Now is a good time to think about when and if to take a lump sum on your pension and what to do with it. Let's explore the pros and cons. By Michael Aloi, CFP® • Published 9 November 22 Counterattack: Tips for Thwarting a Will Contest From contentious relatives to scam artists, wills are not immune to the threat of a contest. If you have an inkling such a fight could be in your estate's future, here are some ways to limit the risk. By Linda Kotis, Esq. • Last updated 10 November 22 5 Steps to a Stronger Financial Plan It's impossible to be right all the time, but a strong plan and constantly assessing where you are can help you pivot when bad things inevitably happen. By Eric Roberge, Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Investment Adviser • Published 8 November 22 Safe Harbor 401(k)s Can Help Small-Business Owners Keep Happy Employees Immediate vesting and contributions by the employer regardless of the employee's participation pump up workers. Employers get lower costs and tax benefits. By Mike Piershale, ChFC • Published 8 November 22 5 Survival Tips for the Bear Market It's been a painful year for investors, but focusing on the long term and implementing constructive actions can help weather the turbulence. By Daniel Kern, CFA®, CFP® • Last updated 8 November 22 View More ▸ kiplinger About Us (opens in new tab) Terms and Conditions (opens in new tab) Privacy Policy (opens in new tab) Cookie Policy (opens in new tab) Kiplinger is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
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