{"id":427,"date":"2020-01-20T15:51:30","date_gmt":"2020-01-20T15:51:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/?p=427"},"modified":"2020-01-20T15:51:33","modified_gmt":"2020-01-20T15:51:33","slug":"make-the-dream-of-homeownership-a-reality-in-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/make-the-dream-of-homeownership-a-reality-in-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Make the Dream of Homeownership a Reality in 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"750\" height=\"410\" src=\"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/20200120-KCM-Share-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-428\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/20200120-KCM-Share-1.jpg 750w, https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/20200120-KCM-Share-1-300x164.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><figcaption>Home Sweet Home<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. led and inspired a powerful movement with his famous \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/thesource.com\/2014\/01\/20\/10-standout-quotes-from-martin-luther-king-jr-s-i-have-a-dream-speech\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">I Have a Dream<\/a>\u201d speech. Through his passion and determination, he sparked interest, ambition, and courage in his audience. Today, reflecting on his message encourages many of us to think about our own dreams, goals, beliefs, and aspirations. For many Americans, one of those common goals is owning a home: a piece of land, a roof over our heads, and a place where our families can grow and flourish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re dreaming of buying a home this year, the best way to start the process is to connect with a Real Estate professional to understand what goes into buying a home. Once you have that covered, then you can answer the questions below to make the best decision for you and your family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. How Can I Better Understand the Process, and How Much Can I Afford?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The process of buying a home is not one to enter into lightly. You need to decide on key things like how long you plan on living in an area, school districts you prefer, what kind of commute works for you, and how much you can afford to spend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep in mind, before you start the process to purchase a home, you\u2019ll also need to apply for a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mykcm.com\/2019\/10\/11\/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-mortgage-process-infographic-3\/\">mortgage<\/a>. Lenders will evaluate several factors connected to your financial track record, one of which is your credit history. They\u2019ll want to see how well you\u2019ve been able to minimize past debts, so make sure you\u2019ve been paying your student loans, credit cards, and car loans on time. Most agents have loan officers they trust that they can refer you to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/mortgages\/how-much-mortgage-can-you-afford\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>ConsumerReports.org<\/em><\/a>,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p><em>\u201c<\/em><em>Financial planners recommend limiting the amount you spend on housing to 25 percent of your monthly budget.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. How Much Do I Need for a Down Payment?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to knowing how much you can afford on a monthly mortgage payment, understanding how much you\u2019ll need for a down payment is another critical step. Thankfully, there are many different&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mykcm.com\/2019\/08\/06\/how-much-do-you-know-about-down-payments\/\">options<\/a>&nbsp;and resources in the market to potentially reduce the amount you may think you need to put down up front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re concerned about saving for a down payment, start small and be consistent. A little bit each month goes a long way. Jumpstart your savings by automatically adding a portion of your monthly paycheck into a separate savings account or house fund.&nbsp;<em>AmericaSaves.org<\/em>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/americasaves.org\/for-savers\/save-automatically\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">says<\/a>,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p><em>\u201cOver time, these automatic deposits add up. For example, $50 a month accumulates to $600 a year and $3,000 after five years, plus interest that has compounded.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Before you know it, you\u2019ll have enough for a down payment if you\u2019re disciplined and thoughtful about your process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. Saving Takes Time: Practice Living on a Budget<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>As tempting as it is to settle in each morning with a fancy cup of coffee from your favorite local shop, putting that&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mykcm.com\/2019\/08\/23\/a-latte-a-day-keeps-homeownership-away-infographic\/\">daily spend<\/a>&nbsp;toward your down payment will help accelerate your path to homeownership. It\u2019s the little things that count, so start trying to live on a slightly tighter budget if you aren\u2019t doing so already. A budget will allow you to save more for your down payment and help you pay down other debts to improve your credit score. A&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bankrate.com\/mortgages\/millennials-homeownership-sacrifices\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">survey<\/a>&nbsp;of Millennial spending shows,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p><em>\u201c70 percent of would-be first-time homebuyers will cut spending on spa days, shopping and going to the movies in exchange for purchasing a home within the next year.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>While you don\u2019t need to cut all of the fun out of your current lifestyle, making smarter choices and limiting your spending in areas where you can slim down will make a big difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Bottom Line<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If homeownership is on your dream list this year, take a good look at what you can prioritize to help you get there. Let\u2019s get together today to discuss the best steps you can take to start the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Contact us:<br><a href=\"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/\">PHP Houses<\/a><br>142 W Lakeview Ave<br>Unit 1030<br>Lake Mary, FL 32746<br>Ph: (407) 519-0719<br>Fax: (407) 205-1951<br>email: <a href=\"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/contact.html\">info@phphouses.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s Connect:<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/WeBuyHousesCentralFlorida\/\">Facebook<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/walter-diloreto-71b2422a\/\">Linkedin<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WalterDiLoreto\">Twitter<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/wdiloreto\/\">Instagram<\/a><br><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. led and inspired a powerful movement with his famous \u201cI Have a Dream\u201d speech. Through his passion and determination, he sparked interest, ambition, and courage in his audience. Today, reflecting on his message encourages many of us to think about our own dreams, goals, beliefs, and aspirations. For many&hellip; <a class=\"continue\" href=\"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/make-the-dream-of-homeownership-a-reality-in-2020\/\">Finish Reading<span> Make the Dream of Homeownership a Reality in 2020<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":428,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[36],"tags":[38,15,50,18,27,57,86,52,67,32,83,49,20,24,48,13,47,19,6],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/427"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=427"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/427\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":429,"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/427\/revisions\/429"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/428"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=427"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=427"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=427"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}