Buying First Home – Keep These Costs In Mind

It is always an exciting time when you are buying that first or next house. Getting back in the real estate game can always be fun and stressful at the same time. After figuring out all those mortgage payment, and home price calculations, it is important to realize the costs to buying a house don’t stop there.

Aside from the actual purchase of the home you have to be aware of some of the additional costs your going to have to dish out before you even open the door to that new home. Here are just a few of examples of those costs.

1) Deposit: Deposits are made by the buyer of a property to the seller to show a serious interest in completing the purchase of the home and are paid when you make an offer to purchase the property. The deposit is generally anywhere between 1 and 5% of the total purchase price of the house.

2) Down Payment: Down payments are the amount owed to the seller after all deposits and financing have been taken into consideration. For example on a $100,000 house that has a mortgage of $75,000, $25,000 is still owed by the buyer. After an initial deposit of $5,000, the buyer must pay a $20,000 down payment.

3) Legal Fees: Real estate purchases are reviewed by the buyer’s lawyer and seller’s lawyer to make sure the transaction goes smoothly. The lawyer will review the purchase contract, search on the title and manage any other details associated to the purchase. These fees generally run from $700 to $1000.

4) Home Inspection: A home inspection is a report by an independent expert of the condition of the home. The report will list any defects or concerns that may arise from the inspection of the house. A typical home inspection may cost anywhere between $200 – $300 dollars and this varies generally due to the size of the house or the cost of the home.

5) Property Insurance: Property insurance is required on the date that the property transfers from the seller to the buyer. Property insurance covers the replacement value of the house and all it’s contents. The mortgage lender requires this because the house is what is being used to secure the mortgage hence the replacement of the house must be covered.

These are just a few expenses that you must consider before buying a house. It is important to consider these costs prior to the actual purchase of that next house, so you are financially prepared to cover these extra items.