The Three Factors Affecting Home Affordability Today
April 26, 2023
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There’s been a lot of focus on higher mortgage rates and how they’re creating affordability challenges for today’s homebuyers. It’s true that rates climbed dramatically since the record-low we saw during the pandemic. But home affordability is based on more than just mortgage rates – it’s determined by a combination of mortgage rates, home prices, and wages.
Considering how each one of these factors is changing gives you the full picture of home affordability today. Here’s the latest.
1. Mortgage Rates
While mortgage rates are higher than they were a year
Before you buy a home, it’s important to plan ahead. While most buyers consider how much they need to save for a down payment, many are surprised by the closing costs they have to pay. To ensure you aren’t caught off guard when it’s time to close on your home, you need to understand what closing costs are and how much you should budget for.
What Are Closing Costs?
People are sometimes surprised by closing costs because they don’t know what they are. According to Bankrate:
“Closing costs are the fees and expenses you must pay before becoming the legal owner of a house, condo or townhome . . . Closing costs vary depending on the purchase price of the home and how it’s being financed . . .”
An inspection is a visual analysis of the accessible portions of the home and its component systems, such as plumbing, electrical, roofing, structural and cooling/heating systems. An inspector’s report alerts the buyer to potentially expensive and annoying physical defects in the condition of the home. Based on the inspector’s findings and recommendations, the buyer may use the results as an opportunity to probe the seller’s willingness to cure defects. Further, often times buyers may elect to exit the deal for material defects, negotiate a promise from the seller to make needed repairs, or convince the seller to grant a compensatory price reduction.
Although many buyers tend to hire a single inspector or inspection firm, the inspector may recommend
