Homeowners trump renters in wealth

NEW YORK – Oct. 20, 2015 – Homeowners' net worth is significantly higher than renters. A typical homeowner's net worth is $195,400 compared to a renter's $5,400, according to the Federal Reserve's last data from 2013.

The Fed's next survey of household finances, which is conducted every three years, is due out in 2016 and the renter to homeowner gap is expected to widen further due to price increases.

Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors^®, predicts that the median net worth of homeowners will jump to $225,000 to $230,000 in 2016, but it will be around $5,000 for renters.

If that proves correct, the typical homeowner will be ahead of a typical renter by a multiple of 45 on a lifetime financial achievement scale.

"Though there will always be discussion about whether to buy or rent, or whether the stock market offers a bigger return than real estate, the reality is that homeowners steadily build wealth," Yun writes in his latest column for Forbes.com.

"The simplest math shouldn't be overlooked. A vast majority of homebuyers take out a 30-year fixed rate mortgage to make a home purchase," Yun says. "After 30 years, there is no mortgage payment (nor rent payment). So the home price growth over that time period would be the equity that the home buyer would have accumulated."

The majority of Americans aspire to be homeowners and the homeownership rate increases significantly through age. The homeownership rate among households under the age of 35 is 35 percent, for example, but by the time people reach their prime-earning years of 45 to 55, nearly three-fourths are homeowners. By retirement, nearly 80 percent are homeowners, Yun notes.

Source: "How Do Home Owners Accumulate Wealth?" Forbes (Oct. 14, 2015)

Renters say Homeownership a Top Priority

WASHINGTON – July 26, 2013 – Americans overwhelmingly believe homeownership is a good financial decision, and a majority of renters say homeownership is one of their highest priorities for the future, according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR)’s 2013 National Housing Pulse Survey.

The survey found that renters are thinking more about purchasing a home now than they have in past years, and the number of people who say they prefer renting has declined.
“Due to high housing affordability and today’s interest rates it makes sense for people to consider homeownership over renting,” says NAR President Gary Thomas. “In fact, in many parts of the country it’s cheaper to own a home than to rent one.”

The survey, which measures consumers’ attitudes and concerns about housing opportunities, found eight in 10 Americans believe buying a home is a good financial decision and more than two-thirds (68 percent) said now is a good time to buy a home.
Since the last survey in 2011, more renters are now thinking about purchasing a home, up from 25 percent to 36 percent, while those who say they prefer to rent dropped from 31 percent to 25 percent. Half of renters say that eventually owning a home is one of their highest personal priorities, up from 42 percent to 51 percent.

Attitudes toward the housing market have also improved over the years. Nearly four in 10 Americans (38 percent) identified an increase in activity within their local housing market in the past year, compared to just 22 percent who reported a slowdown in activity. In 2011, some 51 percent reported a slowdown in activity. There was also less concern than in the past about the drop in home values; a majority said housing prices in their area are more expensive than a year ago.

In addition to improved attitudes about the housing market, respondents also showed an improved outlook about the national economy. Just under half (48 percent) said job layoffs and unemployment are a big problem, down from 61 percent in 2011. The concern over foreclosures showed a steep decline from 2011 when 47 percent characterized distressed properties as “very” or a “fairly big problem”; today only 29 percent say it’s a problem.

For many Americans, the perceived obstacles to homeownership have remained unchanged over the years: low wages, student loan debt, and little savings for a down payment and closing costs. Respondents across the board – young and old, college graduates and non-graduates – consider student loan debt to be a large obstacle.

“Buyers with student loan debt may find it difficult to access mortgage credit, as well as save for a down payment,” says Thomas. “Pending mortgage finance regulations requiring higher down payments could also contribute to the already tight lending environment. Realtors are working with regulators to address this issue.”

When asked why homeownership is important, respondents’ top reasons underscored basic American values and freedoms: building equity, a stable and safe environment, and the freedom to choose where to live.

Those reasons have remained virtually unchanged since 2011, though they vary slightly according to demographics. The top scoring reason for African-Americans and Hispanics was that homeownership provides stability and a safe environment; women also placed more emphasis on environmental factors than men. Non-college graduates placed stronger emphasis on public schools, owning a home before retirement, and living in a safe and stable environment.

American Strategies and Myers Research & Strategic Services for NAR’s Housing Opportunity Program conduct the 2013 National Housing Pulse Survey. The telephone survey polled 2,000 adults nationwide and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points.

More info about Housing Pulse Survey can be found on NAR’s website.
© 2013 Florida Realtors®

4 Down Payment Assistance Ideas

 

 

Are you wasting thousands of dollars on rent and dreaming of becoming a homeowner? You can already make a monthly house payment (you’re already paying rent), but the problem is coming up with money for a down payment.  It’s not as difficult as you might think. Here are ways to get a down payment with little out of your own pocket.

1. Look Into Local or Federal Government Programs.  You may qualify for special government programs, such as those for first-time homebuyers and members of the military.  You also may have access to aid from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (government-sponsored mortgage programs).  Additional resources are non-profit and community groups and state agencies.  There are too many programs to list here and they expire or change frequently. 

2. Have the Seller Finance You. Some sellers may be willing to help you buy their homes. In a “seller take-back,” the seller holds a second mortgage for you and becomes your lender.  You would make your monthly mortgage payments to the seller.

3. Use A Tax Refund. There are options for you to borrow money for certain investments to a specific level and use those investments to generate a significant tax refund.  Obviously, the timing has to be right to so you can use it as a down payment on a home.

4. Ask A Relative or Friend. Tax law allows gifts of up to $13,000 a year to be given without tax consequences to the giver or recipient. This gift-exclusion amount is adjusted annually to reflect inflation (see IRS publication 950 for the current amount).  You can even get a gift from each of your parents or two friends without them having to pay a gift-tax, which bring it up to $26,000.   

This is a great way to get a down payment for a home. In fact, one out of four first-time homebuyers use a gift to make the down payment.  Even if this isn’t your first home purchase you can still use a gift so you don’t drain your savings.  Usually lenders require you to have some money still left in your bank account after closing so they know you’ll make the mortgage payment each month.

Also, using a gift for a down payment allows you to buy the home you want even if it’s not Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-approved.  Some buyers are able to get FHA mortgages that have down payments as low as 3.5% of the purchase price, but others will have to put more down.  With a gift, you can put the typical 10% to 20% down that most lenders require. For example, if you had to put down 10% on a $150,000 home, that’s $15,000. Or, 20% would be $30,000. A gift from relatives and friends can get you there but some of the rules differ depending on the lender you choose. Contact me at 813-419-7009 for a buyer consultation. Together, we can make your goal of owning your first home a reality.