If you are a renter and considering buying a home in Fergus Falls, I’m a real estate agent with the “heart of a teacher” who would love to help you in the process. As a real estate agent, I want to be prepared to ensure that you are given the best buying/selling experience with knowledge and expertise to guide you along the way. Today I’d like to compare renting and buying.
Chances are if you are renting you are spending too much of your income on your monthly housing expense. There is a long-standing ‘rule’ that a household should not pay more than 28% of their income on their rent or mortgage payment. This percentage allows the household to save money for the future while comfortably covering other expenses.
According to new data released from ApartmentList.com, 49.5 million renters in the United States were cost-burdened in 2017, meaning they spent more than 30% of their monthly incomes on rent. This accounts for nearly half of all renter households in the country and is up 3.1 million from 2007.
When a household is cost-burdened by their monthly housing expense, they are not as easily able to save money for the future. This is a big factor for many renters who dream of owning their own homes someday.
But there is hope for those who are able to save at least a 3% down payment! The percentage of income needed in the US to buy a home is significantly less than renting at 17.1%!
The chart below compares the historic percentage of income needed to rent and buy from 1985-2000 to the first quarter of 2018. As you can see, the cost of renting has climbed above historic numbers while the cost of buying dropped over the same period of time.
Bottom Line
If you are one of the many renters who is spending too much of their monthly income on rent, consider saving money by getting a roommate, moving into a less expensive apartment, or even moving in with family. These are all ways to save for a down payment so that you can put your housing costs to work for you!
Source…. KCM Charlie Brue blog
To protect your interests and ensure that you make the best possible decisions, it’s important that you have a knowledgeable agent on your side who is an expert in his local real estate market. I am dedicated to keeping you on top of our local market. Rest assured that I will provide you with well-informed, trustworthy and personal guidance for your home purchase/sale in Fergus Falls Minnesota.
To reach me, call or text 218-205-6566 Or send me an email at charlie@century21vista.com
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