If you've frequently been asking yourself if it's the right time to buy a home, there are several things to first consider.
Three things to think about are the current market conditions, the interest rates, and the amount of available housing.
Current Market
The current market conditions may help you determine if it is the right time to buy a home. If prices are starting to increase, you may want to jump in before the home of your dreams is out of your price range.
Compare sales prices of homes that sold six months ago to the same type of homes in the same area that sold in the last month. This should give you a good idea if the market is headed up, down, or has remained stable.
Interest Rates
Interest rates may be another factor to consider when making your home buying decision. Low interest rates will lower your monthly mortgage payment. Higher interest rates will increase your monthly payment.
Check out financial websites that post mortgage rates to see what the current market rate is for a 30-year mortgage loan. Monitor the rate on a weekly or monthly basis so you can see where interest rates are headed.
Amount of Available Housing
The amount of inventory on the market is also a good way to determine if it's the right time to buy a home. You have a better chance of negotiating a good deal on the home when there is an abundance of properties for sale. If there are few homes on the market, you may run into competing with other offers and that usually means paying more than your original offer.
It would be a good idea to consider the above factors before you decide to move forward with your purchase. However, some people decide to buy a home when they personally feel the time is right, or they have an urgent need to buy a home.
From 29 March 2018, the bright-line test that is used to determine if you have tax to pay on the sale of residential property has changed, you 'll need to consider if it is taxable under the bright-line test.
