The cost of waiting to buy a home

Cost-Of-Waiting-KCM

The?National Association of Realtors?(NAR) recently released their July edition of the?Housing Affordability Index. The index measures whether or not a typical family earns enough income to qualify for a mortgage loan on a typical home at the national level based on the most recent price and income data.

NAR looks at the monthly mortgage payment (principal & interest) which is determined by the median sales price and mortgage interest rate at the time. With that information, NAR calculates the income necessary for a family to qualify for that mortgage amount (based on a 25 percent qualifying ratio for monthly housing expense to gross monthly income and a 20 percent down payment).

Here is a graph of the income needed to buy a median priced home in the country over the last several years:

Qualifying-income

And the income requirement has accelerated even more dramatically this year as prices have risen:

Qualifications-1.2

Bottom Line

Some buyers may be waiting to save up a?larger down payment. Others may be waiting for a promotion and more money. Just realize that, while you are waiting, the requirements are also changing.?For more information, please contact The Olear Team today!