Most people make some major changes to their lifestyle after retiring. Some retirees spent years living in a community they hated and want to move away. They may want to consider buying a home, but aren’t sure whether they can afford to do so while they are no longer working. However, it may still be possible to purchase a home.
What to Consider Before Buying a House in Your Golden Years
You will want to make sure that you make an informed decision. There are a number of things that you will need to consider before buying a home during retirement:
Understand Your Budget
Most retirees are living on a tighter budget after they retire. You will need to know how much money you have on hand to spend when looking at homes for sale in Atlanta Georgia.
Cost of Renting Versus Buying
Many people rent houses after retiring because they believe that is all they can afford. There is nothing wrong with being thrifty, but you will need to know what the actual costs are before making a decision. Trulia conducted a study which found that it is actually cheaper to buy a house in the 100 largest cities in the country. That study also found that the savings are at least 40% in 85% of these cities.
Interest Rates
Interest rates are another important factor to take into consideration. The banks have offered record low interest rates, which mean this may be a perfect time to buy. Some people are still worried that they may not be able to secure a mortgage in the future, because the Federal Reserve has said that it may taper its stimulus plan. However, the stimulus will probably run in the foreseeable future. Mortgage rates have actually continued to drop as the Fed announced that it will continue its monetary easing policies.
Stability of Income
You will also need to consider how stable your income is before deciding whether to buy or rent. Buying a house is a long-term commitment. You may need to think twice if you think your income will drop in the future. This may be a problem if you have a temporary structured settlement or other windfall that won’t last forever. You will also need to consider it if you are going to be working part-time after retiring from your main job, because you probably won’t work forever. You definitely don’t want to use up your entire savings trying to pay for a new house if you won’t have much income in the future.
Ability to Get a Down Payment
You will also need to have a down payment to buy your house. You may not have a lot of money on hand. However, you may be able to borrow money from your 401K to use. According to Ben Barzideh, a financial wealth consultant, you can borrow up to $50,000 or half the value of your portfolio. This could be a great way to come up with a down payment for your new house.
About the author: Kalen writes about real estate financing and investing. He hopes to invest in some rental properties later this year.
If I were to retire, I would probably not purchase a home. I would invest my savings instead and I am really wishing to travel a lot when I retire.
ReplyDeleteI am sure having a house of your own is always better than to pay rent, with low interest rates range you can even have additional advantages of the deal. In case you have temporary money problems you can always get a loan over the internet, which will allow you to get the necessary amount in no time.
ReplyDeleteHaving a house is the Blessing Of God. During the working life we can sett the things better for us. After retirement its quiet difficult to carry the things.
ReplyDeleteWater heater leaking