It seems as though the American dream of owning a home seems to have eroded a bit over the past few years. Time magazine in September wrote a story about the case against homeownership. Given this article, I thought it would be appropriate to suggest some reasons why buying a home heading into 2011 is still a good idea.
Top Reasons For Buying a Home in 2011
- Mortgage Programs – Mortgage programs like VA loans and FHA loans still offer stable mortgage programs and low competitive interest rates – especially if you are a first time home buyer and have decent credit.
- Tax Advantages – Mortgage interest and other expenses associated with buying a home are tax deductible and in some states you can still get tax credit for buying a home as a first time home buyer or for buying a home in an economically depressed area.
- Down Payment Assistance Programs – There are plenty of down payment assistance programs available to first time home buyers and those home buyers who qualify for an FHA home loan. Most of these programs provide money to be used for down payment and/or closing costs with few strings attached.
- Low Interest Rates – Barring any radical changes in the economy, the jobs market and the housing market it looks like mortgage interest rates will remain near record low levels which means very affordable mortgage payments.
- Large Inventory – While it may seem like having a huge inventory of homes on the market speaks to a continued decline in home values – what it speaks louder to is an incredible amount of choices. There are a lot of homes for sale which means you are likely to find something to fit your family’s needs.
- Low Home Prices – While the real estate and financing industry debacle has been bad for many people, if you are in the market for buying a home, you can get a great deal on a much larger home than you could have just a few years ago. My suggestion is that you learn from the lessons of the past and don’t over buy your home, but you can get much more of a house with the low prices – especially when you factor in the low mortgage rates.
These are but just a few of the good reasons for why buying a home today is a good idea – although it may not be the American Dream any longer. If you have questions about buying a home in 2011, please give me a call.













