Is now a good time to buy a house and take on a mortgage?

Georgia, USA
first time buyer
single family unit

Please explain and also if you have tips for getting a good mortgage.
Thanks you in advance!

As an FYIвЂ¦ per the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) http://www.ftc.gov/freereports , there is only one source for you to get a free credit report from all three credit repositories, вЂњannualcreditreport.comвЂќ. https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp

Do not give anyone else your personal info without seeing them in person.

Make sure to price out your loan with your LOCAL banks and mortgage brokers only.
A lot people giving advice on here are also looking to give you a loan (itвЂ™s not advice, its advertising), if they are not local to you and you canвЂ™t get to them within 1 hour donвЂ™t fall for it. They say they are licensed in all 50 states, what does that mean? Which state do you have to look in first if something goes wrong? KEEP IT LOCAL; DON'T GET RIPPED-OFF BY SOMEONE IN WHO KNOWS WHERE WHICH YOU WOULD HAVE NO DIRECT ACCESS TO.

Remember Buddha's advice:
"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who has said it, not even if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense." You are the only "expert" you can trust: All brokers, and every other loan officer guru giving advice here with a .com or contact me at the end is "selling" you something (itвЂ™s not advice, its advertising). Don't buy "it."

When shopping for a mortgage, here are a few things to do to maximize your savings and time:
1. When asking for a Good Faith Estimate(GFE), tell each mortgage originator (lender) what interest rate to use so you can compare apples to apples (rate affects closing costs). This is probably a different thought process for you because you always shop interest rates on a mortgage right? Remember all mortgage originators have identical wholesale interest rates. If you shop the same interest rate among mortgage originators, it levels the playing field and discloses what they want to charge you for their time to originate and close your mortgage. It is similar to shopping for a car. Why does the exact same new car vary in cost from one dealership to the next? Some dealers want to make more profit than others.
2. Secure Good Faith Estimates from various mortgage originators within a 4 hour time frame (rate and pricing can change daily and even multiple times in one day).
3. Do not compare the prepaids, reserves, escrow, title charges, and government recording sections of the estimates; third part fees are not controlled by the mortgage originator.
4. Ask each mortgage originator to base the interest rate on a 30 day lock unless you need longer.
5. If the loan allows you to waive escrow (paying taxes & insurance yourself), let the mortgage originators know because this will affect closing costs.
6. If refinancing, let the mortgage originators know if you are pulling cash out. A cash-out refinance usually increases closing costs.
Your Biggest Challenge
The mortgage industry today has never been more unethical. The industry has produced several record-breaking years in a row regarding total origination and as a result, greed is driving the industry. Your biggest challenge is receiving a Good Faith Estimate that is provided to you in "Good Faith"! We spend more time showing consumers how mortgage originators are lying to them in regards to an estimate given! ThatвЂ™s right, lying! вЂњBait and switchвЂќ has become a prominent sales tool in the mortgage industry. Bait you in with a bogus estimate then switch things after you are hooked. This is so discouraging; banks and so called direct lenders have become some of the worst at this practice. Education is your biggest weapon against this practice. Take the time to fully understand closing costs and rates before proceeding.
You should know exactly how much the mortgage originator is getting paid by all sources (no matter where it comes from, it's ultimately coming out of your pocket). Protect yourself by asking for and receiving prior to application and origination a written guarantee stating the TOTAL amount of compensation (YSP, rebates, commissions, kickbacks) that will be received and kept by the mortgage originator. This will help assure that your best interest is kept in mind.
Originating a mortgage is a service, not a product; compensation should not be based on the loan amount or interest rate.
All ethical, honest, upfront, transparent mortgage originators will be more than willing to provide you with a written total compensation guarantee in addition to the (GFE) Good Faith Estimate (focus on the word вЂњEstimateвЂќ because that is exactly what it is, an estimate of charges) prior to originating your loan.

This is a great time to buy a house. Because of so many
forclosures the mortgage companies are a lot more strict
about who they they are going to lend money too. The first
thing you need to do is get a copy of your credit report and
make sure all the information is correct. If there is anything on it that is incorrect then take care of that right away.
Shop around for mortgage companies and what their interest
rate is and the terms of their morgage. Also, make sure
you are preapproved for a loan and what amount the mortgage company will loan you. This will make it easier for
you and the realestate agent helping you to find that first home.

It's a good time to buy a house, because prices are down, and sellers may be desperate. It's not a great time to get a mortgage, though. Lenders are requiring better credit than before, to qualify for a loan. You're also going to have to come up with a down-payment, which wasn't always the case a year or two ago. My advice is to get a copy of your credit report, and clear up any negative marks, then shop around for a mortgage. Good luck!

I have been in the mortgage business (as a real estate appraiser) for over thirty years and warned everyone I knew in late 2005 that the mortgage biz was about to take a tumble. Nobody listened and looked what happened. Regardless, in my opinion the worst is yet to come. I feel the real estate market will not rebound until late 2009. I've seen the RE market fall three times since 1975 and this time it's a mess. However it always a good time for real estate IF you find the right deal. If the property is 20-25% below the current market value then it would be a good deal. The property values in my opinion will continue to fall another 15-20% as a whole, country wide.Certain areas of the country were/are effected more than others but the 20-25% estimate should be right on. There are many on-line services (free) that can assist you in determining the current market value of most properties as long as the home is typical for the neighborhood. Good luck house hunting

There is no better time to buy than right now. Not only can get you get great buys on housing but mortgages also. Shop them like you would a used car. Check FHA and HUD loans. Everyone is eager to sell and to loan. If your credit rating is good you are in the drivers seat.

If you have a good job with security this is an excellent time to buy. Prices are low availability is high and mortgage rates are good.Getting a good mortgage is simple if you have a down payment and work history. 20% down should be a minimum

It has never been a better time to buy a home, Why buy when prics are high when you can buy when they are low, Prices are now low and are not going to stay that way for ever, The people getting the good deals are the ones that are buying now. I recomend you find a local real estate agent in your area and work with them they can find you the best deals and help you find a mortgage. Good luck.

Congratulation on thinking about buying a home. There are several things that are in your favor. They are:
1. There is an ample amount of homes available to select from.
2. Interest rates are low.
3. As a buyer you are able to negotiate a pretty good deal on a home.
4. As a buyer your timing is good.
The things that you face as a challenge are:
1. Lenders are really scrutinizing the candidates that are applying for loans today.
2. Good credit -- Good Work history, your debt to income ratio must be within the parameter that lenders want. Also, you will need a down payment (some lenders are looking for a 10-20% down).
I would recommend working with a professional lender, mortgage broker. I also check out HUD.Gov website. If you are a first time buyer there are many programs that you might be able to take advantage of --- ask the lender that you are working with if they know of any---Plus many towns and cities offer assistant to first time buyers. Also, check and see if your area has what is term out to be affordable housing.
I would select an real estate agent that specializes in assisting first time buyers. They should know about Chafa etc.
FHA has some mortgage programs that might fit you. Start working with a professional.
Happy Looking.

One never knows for sure and it depends on your area. If you are renting, you might be better off to put money into a mortage? Even if prices drop, you still might pay less? But remember there are house expenses (lawyer, moving, taxes, water, electricity, upkeep...)
Check with your Real Estate agent.

It might not be getting any better than it is right now for buyers. Prices are low, interest rates are low. If you can afford the mortgage payment, then I say go for it!! Just don't get yourself sucked into some subprime mortgage that may not be good for you in the long run. Look for a 30 year FIXED rate single mortgage with no prepayment penalties.
Good luck!

YES YES YES Get a good loan officer first (shop around find someone you trust that explains things well) and then go get a GOOD REALTOR (that's FREE to you as a purchaser) and have fun shopping!
Have the loan officer explain EVERY program that they can qualify you for and ask them what their charges are (origination fees - how a loan officer is paid) should be about 1% of the amount of the loan. And check on 1st time buyer programs - Good Luck

Yes it is a good time, it is a buyers market. A lot of people have taken on mortgages they can't afford and now have had their houses forclosed. This can be a good way to buy a house. Please remember to get a fixed rate mortgage and not a variable rate one. When you look at a house use a mortgage calculator to figure out what your payments are going to be (you will need to include taxes) before you decide on that house. Think about what you are earning now and if you can afford it, don't say to yourself "in a couple of years I will be better off so I can struggle to buy this house now and then it will be easier later", you don't know that.

Right now is a buyers market. Bid lower and thy will probably snatch you up.

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