When you stumble across a favorable mortgage deal, you may think,”Good! I can manage my dream home.” You could be able to, however, the expenses associated with buying a home go beyond the mortgage payment. To determine how much house you are able to afford, it is important to factor in additional expenses, such as closing costs, taxes and insurance, before committing to a mortgage.

Complete Costs of Buying a House
Matt Hester and Ross Hester, father and son co-founders of The Hester Group, Harry Norman Realtors in Atlanta, Georgia, encourage all their customers to prepare for the funds needed to Buy.

“If you do not consider all of the expenses, your monthly expense budget could be flipped on its head,” Matt Hester says.

These costs include:

Down Payment
The deposit is the section of the property’s purchase price you pay upfront, instead of financing it through a mortgage. If you’re buying a $200,000 home, as an example, and put 10 percent, or $20,000, you’d be getting a mortgage for $180,000.

If you choose a traditional or FHA loan, a deposit is necessary. The amount of the down payment that’s required is based on the home’s price and property type, as well as the loan merchandise.

For a traditional loan, how much depends on the lender and loan type–you could put down 3%, 10%, 20% or more. With an FHA loan, you could be able to put down as small as 3.5 percent.

It is necessary to be aware there are loans with no down payment demand: USDA loans, for borrowers purchasing in specified markets (generally rural), and VA loans, for eligible service members and veterans.

Closing Prices
To shut your home loan and receive the keys to the property, you’ll need to cover closing costs, that are all the charges associated with the mortgage. These vary typically from 2% — 5% of the loan principal, and can include:

–Application fee
— Appraisal fee
— Credit check fee
— Origination and/or underwriting fees
— Title insurance policy
— Title search fee
— Transfer tax (if applicable)
“There are quite a few standard closure table items for which the real price will vary based on the value of the home and also the partners that you work with,” Ross Hester says.

If you’re lean on savings, but many lenders provide a no-closing-cost mortgage alternative, where the closing prices are added to your loan or otherwise paid for in the form of a higher interest rate. Save you from having to bring money to the final upfront, but might cost you more in the long run, particularly in the event that you intend to stay in the house long term.

Real Estate Taxes
In most places, your county or city government requires you to pay property taxes on your home for as long as you have it. Typically, property tax is included in your monthly payment, but separate from the interest and principal.

For instance, if you own a home with an appraised value of $100,000, and the tax rate is 2 percent, your yearly property tax would be $2,000, paid in $167 increments added to all your 12 monthly mortgage payments throughout the year.

Remember that the assessed value is not the same as the cost you’ve paid for your home. If home values move up on your area, your county or city could assess your house in a higher value, which means that you’ll spend more in property tax.

Homeowners and Mortgage Insurance
When purchasing a home, there are two kinds of insurance to consider: homeowners insurance and private mortgage insurance, or PMI.

Homeowners insurance protects you financially out of unexpected events which damage your house, like natural disaster, theft or vandalism. Though homeowners insurance isn’t required by legislation, most mortgage lenders require it in some kind. The cost significantly varies, and there are lots of options, so it is best to compare supplies to keep the cost as low as possible.

If you get a traditional loan, PMI is generally required if you put less than 20% down. This type of insurance protects the lender should you default on the loan and can substantially boost your mortgage payment. According to the Urban Institute, yearly PMI premiums range from 0.58% to 1.86% of the amount of the loan.

PMI is not permanent, yet. As you pay off your mortgage and build equity in your house, you can remove PMI.

HOA Fees
If you are buying a condominium or another kind of home in a community overseen by a homeowners association (HOA), you will likely be asked to pay a monthly fee, also known as an HOA fee. HOA fees are determined by the association and highly variable. These funds go toward the professional services that the institution provides, which may include security, a pool or gym and landscaping and upkeep.

HOAs can also charge occasional special assessment fees for urgent repairs. These financial obligations might be overlooked when buyers tally up the costs of purchasing a home, but they accumulate fast.

Home Maintenance, Repairs and Utilities
Wherever you reside, you ought to plan for home repairs and maintenance. Wear and tear occurs, therefore it is important to have additional money available for fixing or replacing appliances and important structures and systems, such as the roof or HVAC.

Many experts recommend budgeting 1% of your home’s worth for house maintenance every year, in addition to maintaining a crisis fund to address urgent, non-budgeted concerns as they crop up.

You’ll also have to cover utilities, probably including water, sewer, gas and electricity. These costs vary according to location, however, the general rule of thumb is that the bigger the property, the more utilities will cost.

Home Prices Today
The price of the house you buy is undoubtedly a big factor in your overall expenses. If you’re looking to purchase a house now, expect higher prices and tougher competition. As of March 2021, the median existing-home cost was $329,100, according to the National Association of REALTORS®, a 17.2% increase from the exact same time a year ago. Present single-family home costs were at a record high of $334,500, an 18.4% hike from this past year. Meanwhile, the median cost of a new-construction home was $330,800, as stated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Keep in mind that home prices on your market may be much lower or higher than these national figures, and also the price that you’ll pay also depends on the sort of property you purchase.

The costs of purchasing and owning a home can add up fast, so it’s important to prepare. You’ll want to save money, enhance or maintain your credit and also compare creditors to find the best mortgage rates possible.

If you have questions about where to start contact our office and schedule an appointment with one of our knowledgeable agents. We are here for all your real estate needs!