Sunrise Homes & Renovations, Inc.

4 Financial Benefits of Home Ownership

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4 Financial Benefits of Home OwnershipHome ownership may be one of the most familiar goals of adulthood, but there’s more than one reason why so many people flock towards this type of investment and leave the rental market behind. If you’re trying to decide if you should make the big plunge towards buying, here are some benefits of saving up for a down payment and finding the right place to settle in.

It’s More Economical

Many people eschew home ownership simply because it can be hard to wrangle together the funds for a down payment. However, while a monthly rental is money you’ll never see again, the money you put down on a mortgage is being invested back into your home, making for a solid investment you can capitalize on later.

Instant Tax Deductions

The interest that you pay on your mortgage payment can be one of the most tumultuous aspects of purchasing a home, but you may not know that you actually have the ability to deduct many associated costs on your taxes. From origination fees to property taxes, there are plenty of costs that go along with your home that can be claimed for a refund when tax time comes!

Paying A Lower Price

The real estate market fluctuates every day, but one thing is for the certain: the median price of a home is on the rise. While low inflation rates may not be ideal if you’re selling, they can mean a better deal if you’re delving into the market for the first time. Just remember, it’s important to buy a home you can afford as anything that goes beyond your budget is not a solid investment.

A Built-In Savings Account

It may be important to have liquid assets outside of the equity you have in your home, but many people struggle to pay off their home and save money at the same time. While saving outside of your monthly mortgage payment is still important, putting money down on a home is an act of investing, and it’s one you’ll likely make a solid profit on when you decide to sell.

There can be many financial benefits to renting in the short term, but purchasing a home is a more solid financial decision when it comes right down to it. If you’re considering a home and would like to know more about your options, you may want to contact one of our real estate professionals for more information.

How Technology Is Creating an Easier Mortgage Approval Process

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How Technology Is Creating an Easier Mortgage Approval ProcessFrom saving up for a down payment to sussing out the ideal lender, there are so many things involved in purchasing a home that can make it seem like a rather complicated undertaking. However, like a lot of things in our lives, technology has streamlined the process in recent years. If you’re currently searching for a home on the market, here are some new technological advancements that may make buying a little easier for you.

The Smart Phone Advantage

The paperwork and requirements associated with a mortgage may not have changed much in recent years, but smart phones have provided us with the instant ability to see all the necessary documents from anywhere. While there was once a time it required a lot of time in front of a computer, smart phones have enabled people to fill in, review and reply to documents on the go, which makes for a much more efficient – and mobile – process.

The Implementation Of The E-Signature

It may seem like something that has been around for a while, but up until recently an approving signature on a document had to be provided in person. With all the mortgage documents that are needed to get the ball rolling, this type of approval took up a lot of extra time. Nowadays, instead of having to rush out to sign a paper, our mobility and legal laws enable anyone applying for a mortgage to be able to provide an e-signature, which means there is no waiting around on the backend.

Consult Your Local App

Almost everything has an app these days, and the mortgage process is no different. While there is still a lot of paper and information required in order to get approved, the growing availability of mortgage apps enables you to instantly determine how much your monthly payments will be and what the real cost of your home is when it’s all added up. Instead of the guesswork, these apps can help you answer the question of whether or not a home is the right price.

The mobility and ubiquitous nature of today’s technology has made a lot of things much easier, and the mortgage process is no exception. From apps that can better manage your mortgage to the use of e-signatures, there’s no reason getting a mortgage loan has to be rife with stress. If you’re looking into buying a home, please contact one of our real estate professionals for more information.

How to Smartly Leverage Your Home Equity

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How to Smartly Leverage Your Home EquitySo you’ve been a homeowner for some time. You’ve been faithfully paying off your mortgage for years, and you have a fair bit of equity built up in your home – and that makes you proud. But now, you’re wondering what good equity is if you’re not using it.

How do you actually use home equity? And how do you leverage it to get a high return for low risk? Here are just a few options you may want to consider if you’re looking for something to do with your equity.

Use A Home Equity Loan Or HELOC To Pay Off High-Interest Debt

If you have a certain amount of money invested in your home, you can borrow against that investment by taking out a home equity loan or a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC). A home equity loan is ideal for borrowing a large amount of money for a specific purpose, whereas a HELOC works much the same way a credit card does – you can use credit as needed, then pay back what you owe. And if you have a lot of high-interest debt, one of these vehicles could be a great way to pay off your creditors – while it may seem like borrowing from Peter to pay Paul, you actually save thousands of dollars in interest rates by paying off high-interest debt using a lower-interest HELOC or home equity loan.

Buy An Investment Property With A Home Equity Loan

If you’ve been looking to enter the real estate investment market but haven’t had the liquid funds for a deposit, leveraging your home equity in the form of a loan can get you into the landlord game quickly and easily. This is a smart move because while you are taking on more debt, you’re doing so in order to create a new income stream. Ideally, you’ll want to buy a duplex or a home with a granny suite so that you can maximize your investment by renting out more than one dwelling space.

Downsize To A Smaller House And Invest The Difference

Perhaps you’re living in a large house that has seen its value appreciate in recent years, and you’re looking to move in the near future. Selling your large home and moving into a smaller, less expensive home is a great way to simply turn your home’s equity into cash – cash that you can invest.

Leveraging your home equity can be a smart move if it’s done with a larger goal and a solid strategy in mind. But when done irresponsibly, taking equity out of your home can have severe consequences. Talk to your local real estate professional today to learn more about smart options for leveraging home equity.

Refinancing to Pay for Renovations? Consider the VA’s Energy Efficient Mortgage Program

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Refinancing to Pay for Renovations? Consider the VA's Energy Efficient Mortgage ProgramMaking renovations that are energy efficient is not just a great way to reduce energy output, but it’s also an effective way of decreasing monthly utility costs. It serves as a one-time investment that will save money in the long run.

However, renovations are costly and not everybody has the extra finances required to make energy efficient changes. This is where the VA’s energy efficient mortgage (or EEM) program comes into play.

The program is designed to allow veterans to apply for a new mortgage or refinance an existing one with extra funds to renovate the home to be up to energy efficient standards.

The Three Tiers Under The VA’s Energy Efficient Mortgage Program

The VA has three tiers for the cost of renovations to be done under the EEM program. The lowest, and easiest to be accepted for, is for improvements that will total under $3,000. A list of costs or a contractor’s quote may be required in the application process.

The second tier is for renovations that will cost between $3,001 and $6,000. This will require the homeowner or homebuyer to get a Home Energy Rating System report to detail how efficient a home is currently and what can be done to decrease its HERS rating.

The final tier is for any improvements to the home that will cost over $6,000. This is the most difficult tier to receive acceptance for as both the Department of Veterans Affairs and the private lender will need to approve the renovations.

Types Of Improvements Under The EEM Program

The program covers a variety of renovations for the home. These include: new insulation to walls, floors and ceilings, solar powered heating and cooling systems, thermal doors, thermal windows and new caulking and weather stripping.

There are also items that will not be covered by the program, including new roofing, vinyl siding and air conditioning units.

Using The EEM Program To Receive A Larger Loan

Any veteran or currently active military member looking to buy a brand new home can still benefit greatly from the energy efficient mortgage program. If a new home undergoes a HERS report and passes as being energy efficient, this can be applied to a VA mortgage to receive as much as $6,000 extra on the loan.

Speak with your local mortgage professional to go into more detail on the intricacies of refinancing under the EEM program and whether or not your home will qualify. 

5 Tips to Reduce Your Monthly Mortgage Payment

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5 Tips to Reduce Your Monthly Mortgage PaymentBuying a home isn’t cheap – and even though mortgage rates are low, your own financial circumstances may mean that your monthly payment is more than you can afford. Whether you’re a new buyer looking to save money or a cash-strapped owner who needs to free up extra income, there are several ways you can lower your monthly payments – here are just five of them.

Make 13 Payments Every Year

If you have some extra money and you’re looking to pay down more of your principal amount, making 13 annual payments instead of the usual 12 is a great way to not only reduce what you owe, but also lower your monthly costs. Most lenders will allow you to make one additional lump sum payment per year on top of your regular monthly payments. Pro tip: Combine your tax refund and Christmas bonus into one big lump sum to pay down your mortgage.

Still Paying PMI? Ask Your Lender To Cancel It

Private mortgage insurance is a standard cost that you’re legally obligated to pay if your down payment was less than 20% of your home’s value. But once you’ve paid off that 20%, you’re no longer required to have PMI on a conventional mortgage. If you’ve built up 20% equity, talk to your lender about removing PMI from your mortgage agreement – it could save you thousands.

Recast Your Mortgage

If you’ve been diligently paying your mortgage for years but suddenly run into money problems, recasting your mortgage is a great way to make your monthly payments easier to manage. Recasting is fairly simple – it takes your remaining loan balance and stretches it across your original loan term. For example, if you’re 15 years into a 30-year mortgage that has half of its balance remaining, you can recast your mortgage to pay off the balance over another 30-year period.

Facing Financial Hardship? Get A HAMP Modification

If you encounter financial hardship, you can ask your lender if they offer a Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). HAMP is a government program designed to make housing more affordable for low-income citizens. It’s possible to save a significant amount of money with a HAMP modification.

Contact your trusted real estate professional to learn more about getting the most from your home financing.

How to Determine the Right Mortgage for You: The Pros and Cons of Each Type

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How to Determine the Right Mortgage for You: The Pros and Cons of Each TypeFinding the right mortgage can be a struggle. There’s a wide array of mortgage products on the market, and you don’t always need to get a mortgage through your bank – and with so many options, it’s hard to know which one is your best bet.

Your ideal mortgage will depend on your own individual financial situation, but when you understand how different kinds of mortgages work, it’s easier to choose the right one. Here’s what you need to know about mortgage types.

Fixed-Rate Mortgages: Home Financing At A Guaranteed Rate

A fixed-rate mortgage is exactly what it sounds like: A mortgage with a fixed interest rate. With a fixed-rate mortgage, your interest rate is locked for the life of the mortgage loan and cannot change.

When interest rates are at historical lows, a fixed-rate mortgage is an ideal financing option. By purchasing a fixed-rate mortgage at a low interest rate, buyers lock in low payments and are protected from sudden rate increases. However, fixed-rate mortgages are more difficult to qualify for when interest rates are high.

Variable-Rate Mortgages: Lower Rates And Larger Loans

A variable-rate mortgage is a mortgage wherein the interest rate fluctuates over time. Typically, the interest rate will stay constant during a set period of time near the start of the mortgage, and then start to vary. These mortgage rates rise and fall in line with the prime lending rate.

The major advantage of a variable-rate mortgage is that its lower initial rates and payments allow buyers to qualify for larger homes. Buyers can also take advantage of falling interest rates without having to refinance. However, variable-rate mortgages can quickly become expensive if interest rates see a sharp rise – and while some mortgages put caps on the maximum annual increase, these caps don’t usually apply to the first rate change.

Interest-Only Jumbo Mortgages: Flexible Terms For Wealthy Buyers

An interest-only jumbo mortgage is a specialty mortgage designed specifically for wealthy buyers purchasing luxury homes. The major advantage of this kind of mortgage is that borrowers can make interest-only payments for the first 10 years of the loan. However, interest-only mortgages are typically only available to well-heeled buyers who can afford a hefty down payment and prove that they have large cash reserves.

Finding the right mortgage can be a challenge. That’s why it helps to consult with a mortgage advisor who understands the terms and rates, and can negotiate a great deal for you. For more information, contact your trusted real estate professional.