|
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
by Christopher Mallon
|
|
print article · comment on article
|
|
| |
previous |
page 3 of 4 |
next |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Back to our example. Both of our neighbors are paying about $875 per month on their mortgage. Now let’s suppose that both of them decide to pay extra on their mortgages, upping their payments to $1,100 per month. Both neighbors are reducing their principal balances by $225 more per month, and here’s where the first neighbor has the advantage. The balance on the $100,000 mortgage goes down much quicker than the $146,000 mortgage, such that while the first neighbor is paying more in interest every month than the second neighbor, by sometime in the seventh year, neighbor one is actually paying less in total interest. Neighbor one will pay his house off in a little over 14 years, while neighbor two will take about 18 years to pay off.
In this example, we don’t even take into account the possibility that neighbor one could refinance the balance on his mortgage when interest rates decline. This would lower his required payment, and allow him to pay off his house even faster. In the meantime, the “market value” of his house has risen to about what neighbor two paid ($146,000). When neighbor one decides to sell his house, he’ll walk away with a lot more cash.
Obviously, this is a simplified example, but one that has been occurring over and over again in the last few years. I know that it’s expensive right now to buy a house, no matter where you go. What do you do in this situation? I recommend looking for, and buying, a home that needs some work. You should look for houses that are selling at about 80% of the average market value in a neighborhood. These houses will generally need only cosmetic work, and maybe a few minor repairs, but you’ll save on the price of the house and have extra equity right off the bat. Stay away from houses that need plumbing or electrical work, unless you know someone that will fix it for free. Those fixes cost big bucks, and will eat up much of the savings on the pri |
|
| |
|
|
| |
previous |
1·2·3·4 |
next |
|
|
