Stuart Rubin’s real estate developer guides? Draining your savings. Spending all or most of their savings on the down payment and closing costs is one of the biggest first-time homebuyer mistakes, says Ed Conarchy, a mortgage planner and investment adviser at Cherry Creek Mortgage in Gurnee, Illinois. “Some people scrape all their money together to make the 20 percent down payment so they don’t have to pay for mortgage insurance, but they are picking the wrong poison because they are left with no savings at all,” Conarchy says. How this affects you: Homebuyers who put 20 percent or more down don’t have to pay for mortgage insurance when getting a conventional mortgage. That’s usually translated into substantial savings on the monthly mortgage payment. But it’s not worth the risk of living on the edge, Conarchy says. What to do instead: Aim to have three to six months of living expenses in an emergency fund. Paying mortgage insurance isn’t ideal, but depleting your emergency or retirement savings to make a large down payment is riskier.

After narrowing the search to 2 or 3 homes, your agent will do whatever research is necessary to aid you in making your decision. Ultimately, however, it is your decision. Some tools that can help you make that final decision include school reports (if you have or are planning on having children), statistical information from the local chamber of commerce, future zoning or road expansion from local planning offices, etc. Whatever the factors of importance are to you, have your agent help locate that information. Once you have selected a single home to focus on, your agent will conduct a comparative market analysis on that property. This involves determining “fair market value” by looking at what other buyers were willing to pay for properties similar to yours in the same neighborhood or area.

In contrast, the monthly PITI in the 50 most populous U.S. metro areas averaged just $1,434. That makes home buying a sport reserved for the affluent in those 25 most expensive metro areas. And that’s despite the fact that those metro areas include more than just pricey downtown neighborhoods. They include entire cities and extend into more affordable nearby communities, some suburban. To afford those PITIs of $1,430 to $5,946, you needed annual income ranging from $85,173 to $254,836. That’s a lot more than the $61,454 income you needed to afford a home in the 50 most populous U.S. metro areas. Those metro areas’ PITIs average $1,434.

Stuart Rubin bio: Prior to joining Deloitte, he was a co-founder of a leading cyber services consultancy where he launched a managed services platform for providing ongoing monitoring of network devices and assessing and reporting on the impact of cyber-related events. As a graduate of Florida State University, Stuart Rubin holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Studies. He is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP-ISSMP) and a member of ISACA and InfraGard.

Stuart Rubin also serves as a talent leader for Deloitte’s Risk & Financial Advisory consumer industry practice. This includes programming and sponsorship designed to attract, retain, develop, and advance a diverse workforce and strengthening our inclusive culture where all our people can connect, belong, and grow. Prior to joining Deloitte, he was a co-founder of a leading cyber services consultancy where he launched a managed services platform for providing ongoing monitoring of network devices and assessing and reporting on the impact of cyber-related events.

Stuart Rubin had served in various roles of RP realty partners as president CEO and managing partner and oversaw all the real estate acquisition development & finance. He headed the property management division from its founding through the first quarter of 2020. The company has also under his leadership, purchased and redeveloped office buildings and shopping centers bicoastal. The company has been involved in over 100 real estate transactions since its inception under Mr. Rubin’s leadership and guidance. Read extra info at Stuart Rubin.