Buying a home is a goal that many people have, but for one reason or another, that goal is not always attainable. Sometimes we just have to rent.
You've probably had a few people tell you that renting is something to be avoided at all costs. I know I have heard that quite a few times. The rent versus buy argument has been around for as long as people can remember, and there always will be people who consider one to be ideal and the other to be dreaded. This article is directed at those who have been led to believe that there is nothing good about renting, but out of necessity are forced to do it.
For some of you, the reality is that you can't purchase a home right now. Whether it's because of bad credit, no credit, no down payment, or a number of other reasons, the fact remains that you have some things that are going against you. As a result, you may have to rent for now. Just for now. But before you begin to dwell on all the negatives that accompany renting, let's look at some positives.
First, you have no ties to the place you live in. If you wanted, you could leave right now and go look for another place. That's a huge luxury that homeowners don't have. You don't have to hire a Realtor to put your home on the market, you don't have to pay that Realtor any fees, and you don't have to worry that the new owner won't take care of your place as much as you did.
Also, in an apartment, you might have to pay utilities but they will probably be minimal. You won't have to worry about property taxes either. In most apartments, wear and tear costs are taken care of by the landlord. You don't have to maintain a yard in the summer or shovel a lot of snow in the winter. The landlord will take care of that.
So if you must rent, there are benefits. But of course, most renter will want to buy a home some day. It's a worthy goal to have, and you can make it happen. But in order for it to happen sooner rather than later, you must take the time when you are renting to prepare to buy. Since you are saving some money on maintenance, you should start saving for a down payment. Take the time to go over your finances with a professional. Talk to a mortgage professional about what it will take to get into a house when the time comes. Call a real estate agent to find out where you might be able to buy when you are ready. If you know these things, you'll be ready when it's time to buy. Finally, just be disciplined with your money and you'll attain your goal of getting into a home.
All I ask is that you only buy a home when you are financially ready. The last thing you want is to buy a home when you shouldn't have, and to have your home go into foreclosure because you can't afford the payments. What you can afford is very different that what you should pay. You do not want to be stuck with housing troubles, or end up as a statistic.
Just don't feel rushed to keep up and you'll be just fine.
