首页
登录
职称英语
With housing prices down significantly in many parts of the country and inte
With housing prices down significantly in many parts of the country and inte
游客
2024-08-16
39
管理
问题
With housing prices down significantly in many parts of the country and interest rates low, it may be an affordable time for twentysomethings to buy that first home.
In some instances, the price of owning can be comparable to renting in the long run. But a lot of uncertainty still remains about the housing market and the economy—making the decision to buy more complicated.
Nicole Stivers, a 24-year-old who works in public relations in Contra Costa County, Calif., purchased her first home with her fiance in February. They were able to capitalize on what she calls a "perfect storm"—job stability, a desire to settle down, a surge in home foreclosures and the $8,000 tax credit for first-time buyers. Still, the move was not without its concerns. "Would we be able to afford this if we both lost our jobs? Do we have enough for a down payment? Do I have enough for moving? It’s really nerve-racking when you’re first doing it," says Ms. Stivers.
Here are some questions to consider when deciding if buying or renting is the right choice for you.
How long do you plan to stay in your home? "There are high transaction costs associated with buying and selling a house," says Dean Baker, co-director at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, so home buyers should plan to stay put for at least four to five years.
The reasoning? The costs for buying and then selling a home—which can include a real-estate agent’s fee, a transfer fee, closing costs, and inspector and surveyor fees—could add up to about 10% of the sale price, or roughly 1.5 years worth of rent. "If you average that over 10 years, it is not that big a deal," says Mr. Baker, "But if you average it over, say two years, you’re paying an awful lot of money to own a house for a short period of time."
Can you handle the monthly expense? While a monthly mortgage payment may be comparable in some cases to a monthly rent, there are other expenses to consider. To get a feel for the financial burden you’ll be taking on—and to see if you can handle it—"practice" making payments. "Each month, set aside projected mortgage and property-tax payments, maintenance costs, utilities and any other home-related expenses into a separate savings account," says Gary Smola, a certified financial planner with financial-educational firm Financial Finesse.
What’s the price-to-rent ratio? Home prices have come down significantly in some areas of the country, but "nobody knows what tomorrow’s going to bring in the housing market," says Daniel Morris, a certified public accountant in San Jose, Calif.
To determine whether it makes more financial sense to buy or rent in your area, compare home sales prices with the cost of renting a similar place. Divide the price of the home by the total cost of rent for one year. "If the result is more than 20, I’d be very concerned that the price of the home might fall more," says Mr. Baker, "and you should consider waiting to buy." "If it’s 15 or below," he says, "you’re probably reasonably safe with prices holding steady or growing."
What is your job and relationship status? Twentysomethings are still getting a grasp on their futures and a constantly changing lifestyle might require the flexibility of renting. "But if your career stability is strong, you are comfortable doing what you’re doing and you are committed in some form to your lifestyle," Mr. Morris says, buying a home becomes a more attractive option.
Directions: Decide whether the following statements are True or False. [br] According to Gary Smola, the experience of a mock monthly payment is a good way to feel the financial burden.
选项
A、TURE
B、FALSE
答案
A
解析
转载请注明原文地址:https://tihaiku.com/zcyy/3722836.html
相关试题推荐
Withhousingpricesdownsignificantlyinmanypartsofthecountryandinte
Withhousingpricesdownsignificantlyinmanypartsofthecountryandinte
Withhousingpricesdownsignificantlyinmanypartsofthecountryandinte
WhichcountryisfamousforthestatueoftheLittleMermaid?A、Finland.B、Sweden
Englandisinnorth-westEuropeandisthelargestcountryintheUK.(TheUK
Englandisinnorth-westEuropeandisthelargestcountryintheUK.(TheUK
Englandisinnorth-westEuropeandisthelargestcountryintheUK.(TheUK
Astheworld’ssmallestcontinentandsixthlargestcountrybytotalarea,Austr
Livinginthewesternpartofthecountryhasitsproblems,______obtainingfres
Englandisinnorth-westEuropeandisthelargestcountryintheUK.(TheUK
随机试题
Planningisaveryimportantactivityinourlivesyetreallysophisticated.
[originaltext]Chinahasannouncednewmeasuresaimingatsustainingitseco
小学音乐《早上好》
气体灭火系统的适用范围是由气体灭火剂的灭火性质决定的。按照国际标准《火灾分类》(
某建设工程项目的总承包商在该项目组织结构采用了线性组织结构模式,这种组织结构的特
建筑施工放样测量的主要任务是将图纸上设计的建筑物(构饩物)的位置测设到实地上。需
既能活血调经,又能凉血安神的药物是()A.桃仁 B.赤芍 C.丹参
那树(片段) 王鼎钧 ①那棵树立在那条路边上已经很久很久了。当那路还只是一条
低血钾补钾时重点观察A.呼吸 B.心律 C.心率 D.尿量 E.意识
中枢免疫器官主要包括A.胸腺和淋巴结 B.胸腺和骨髓 C.脾脏和肝脏 D.
最新回复
(
0
)