Did You Know: Here’s Why Buying a New Home Grows Your Wealth Faster Than Renting

Did You Know: Here's Why Buying a New Home Grows Your Wealth Faster Than RentingThere can be many downsides to both renting and buying, depending on what side of the coin you are on, but if you’re leaning towards purchasing a home it can have added benefits for your bank account that renting does not. While renting can certainly alleviate many of the costs that go along with property ownership, here’s why purchasing a home can have positive monetary affects in the long run.

The Good Impacts of Inflation

While inflation is often seen as a dirty word, a real estate purchase can see the positive side of inflation with how your home purchase investment will grow over the years. Putting money into rent will mean that money is gone and out the window once you’ve paid for the month, but investing into a property will come back to you in future gains that are made in the real estate market. While buying a home will be more expensive in the short term, it can also provide you with greater financial flexibility and equity in the future.

Renovations Will Increase Home Value

While changing up the bathroom or the paint on the wall in your apartment isn’t going to add any extra lining to your wallet when you move out, making upgrades to a home that you own will have the very opposite effect! Renovations can certainly be unpopular while they’re taking place, but no matter how small or large, they can mean an easier sell and a higher profit when the home finally goes on the market.

The Opportunity For Rental Property

An apartment you rent won’t offer opportunity for investment if you’re away from your home for an extended period of time, but a home you own may serve as an ideal investment property at some point in the future. With the success of Airbnb and unique modern housing needs that may only require a home rental for a short period of time, being able to use your house as a rental property can be a significant boon for earning money you would have otherwise been without.

Buying a home can require a lot of number crunching in the beginning that rent does not, but it can also provide significant financial benefits down the road that might not exist without such a purchase. If you’re considering purchasing a home in the near future, you may want to contact your local mortgage professional for a review of what would work best for your situation.

Three Things You Can Expect when Buying a Home This Winter

Three Things You Can Expect when Buying a Home This WinterWhen you’re looking into purchasing a home, there are plenty of things to watch out for at any time of the year, but there are a few things that you can expect during the winter months that may be a little different than other seasons. If you happen to be on the market for a home and are thinking of buying, here are three things you may want to consider for the winter buying months.

A Little Bit Off The Top

While there is significant home buying that goes on throughout the fall, it’s often the case that things slow down in winter with the often unruly weather and the busyness of the season. As a result, if you’re planning on making an offer during these months, you may be able to swing the home seller a couple thousand dollars in your direction to garner a bit of a discount. Though there are no assurances, it’s quite likely that the home seller will want to get their house off the market before springtime comes around.

A Speedier Approval Process

With the amount of properties being bought and sold in the winter months slightly lower than the rest of the year, you may be able to take advantage of a speedier approval process for your mortgage. Since there will be fewer client approvals to sort out, you may be in the clear shortly after you’ve decided on the home of your choice. This means more ease in the winter months for you, and a home you’ll soon be able to call your own.

An Effective Heating System

There may be certain upgrades you’ll want to make shortly after arriving in your new home, but if you decide to buy in the winter months, overhauling the heating system is not going to be one of the things you’ll want to worry about. If the furnace in good working order and is maintained on a consistent basis, you should be good to go; however, if any upgrades will need to be made you’ll want to clarify this with the seller before signing on the dotted line.

There are many factors in winter that can lend to a slow season for the real estate market, but there are a few things you can expect that may make buying a home in the winter months a worthwhile venture.

Buying or Selling a Home This Winter? Keep These Tax Tips in Mind!

Buying or Selling a Home This Winter? Keep These Tax Tips in Mind!With all of the expense that can go into buying and selling a home, it’s good to be aware of what you can claim and how a home can benefit you come tax time. When the New Year rolls around and you’re sitting down to the task of completing your taxes, here are a few things that you’ll want to keep in mind.

Gaining from Capital Gains

In the event that you’ve made money off the sale of your home through a capital gain, it’s possible that you may be able to exclude this amount from your tax filing. If you’ve lived in the home you just sold for at least two of the five years before the sale date, not having to report this amount on your taxes may come as a financial win.

Reporting Your Gain

If you have not lived in your home for two of the five years, you will have to report the sale of your home and the capital gain when you file your taxes. This is necessary whether or not you decide to claim the amount. If this happens to be the case for you, it’s a good idea to educate yourself on ‘Net Investment Income Tax’ before filing your return so you can ensure your claim’s accuracy.

A Two-Year Claim For Capital Gain

While there is definitely a great financial benefit in not having to report your gain in all situations, it’s important to be aware that you can only exclude any gain you’ve received from a home sale every 2 years. So, if it happens to be the case that you’ve moved more than once in the last few years, you will have to report any amount that you’ve made from these home sales.

Selling Your Home At A Loss

The boon of a capital gain is certainly ideal if you’ve made some money on your home, but if you’ve sold your home for less than you paid, you won’t be able to claim this. While the end result may be a bit disheartening, this amount cannot be deducted off of your tax return.

Beyond the benefits of buying or selling your home, there are ways that your tax filing can be more pleasant next year if you know some of these tips. If you have any further mortgage related financial questions, you may want to contact your trusted mortgage professional for more information.