Brad Tinker SC finance and real estate professional guides in South Carolina? Assuming you need a 20 percent down payment. The long-held belief that you must put 20 percent down payment is a myth. While a 20 percent down payment does help you avoid paying private mortgage insurance, many buyers today don’t want (or can’t) put down that much money. In fact, the median down payment on a home is 13 percent, according to the National Association of Realtors. How this affects you: Delaying your home purchase to save up 20 percent could take years, and you could limit cash flow that could be put to better use maximizing your retirement savings, adding to your emergency fund or paying down high-interest debt. What to do instead: Consider other mortgage options. You can put as little as 3 percent down for a conventional mortgage (note: you’ll pay mortgage insurance). Some government-insured loans require 3.5 percent down or zero down, in some cases. Plus, check with your local or state housing programs to see if you qualify for housing assistance programs designed for first-time buyers.

Buying real estate in a good school district makes it a lot easier when it comes time to sell your house in the future. Whether you’re looking to downgrade as an empty nester or upgrade into a larger house to support your family, a top school district is a big-time selling point in real estate. If you buy in a bad school district you run a greater risk of your home depreciating because you are appealing to a much smaller buyer pool. We recommend our buyers focus on specific neighborhoods vs. focusing on cities or larger areas. The neighborhood you live in is going to have a direct impact on you. What are you looking for in a neighborhood? Address this question early on in the home buying process because buying in the wrong neighborhood is a surefire way to be remorseful about buying a house.

Brad Tinker North Carolina is a financial advisor expert in the US. Side Hustle to Make More Money: Are you happy with the amount of money you’re taking home each year? If you’re like most of us, a little bit of extra cash each month could go a long way. So, why not start a side hustle to supplement your income? Don’t worry. You don’t have to sacrifice all of your free time to start a successful side hustle. One of the big advantages of side hustling is that you can do it when you want and as much (or as little) as you want. The best advice I can give you is to start. Use any extra time you can find and make a little bit of progress every day. Soon you’ll be addicted to the side hustle lifestyle. So, how much money can you really make with a side hustle? Well, that’s the other awesome thing about side hustling, the income is virtually limitless. Since you’re not getting paid by the hour or a set salary, it’s really up to you to decide how much you want to earn. The more you feed your side hustle, the more it grows.

Many people make their home their personal sanctuary and decorate it with family photos, memorabilia, religious decor, personal keepsakes, among other items. You want to make sure to remove all of these items, pack them up, and put them in storage. A good way to do this is to pretend that you are moving out. De-personalizing your home is extremely important because the buyer wants to visualize your house as their own. It is difficult for a buyer to do so if all of your personal items appear as if you are marking your own territory.

Once you select a lender, you should speak with a loan officer as quickly as possible. At this point, there is one thing you should know. Pre-qualifying means absolutely nothing. All pre-qualifying does is determine the amount of the loan you could qualify for based on factors such as your credit, salary, etc. It does not guarantee that a lender will actually loan you the money. It’s more important to get PRE-APPROVED. Pre-approval means that your application has been submitted to a lender who is willing to extend you a specific loan amount, pending a property and appraisal. Being pre-approved lets you know that you won’t be denied for a loan, and it also provides you with leverage to negotiate the purchase price of a home with the seller. Find more information at Brad Tinker.