Wondering if you should buy a home or keep renting? You’re not alone.

Millions of people are faced with this decision every day, and your move is dependent on a variety of factors: your income, ability to manage maintenance costs/upkeep, how much you’ve saved for a down payment, job stability, the housing market, rental vacancies, monthly payments, interest rates, proximity to work and school – the list goes on.

If you’re stuck trying to choose which option is best for you and your family, the New York Times has a cool tool worth checking out: a rent vs. buy calculator. Input items such as home price, income, the number of years you plan to stay in a place, taxes, fees, etc.. Once you’re done, the calculator computes the equivalent monthly rent. Give it a try!

For a complete picture of what the rent vs. buy prospects are like in your area, give me a call or email. 

Source: The RE/MAX Housing Blog

You might have pulled off a great feat, like saving up for that down payment, but there are several financial missteps that can complicate your prospects of buying a home. Avoid these five blunders by managing your spending and bills long before you look for a new home.

1. Letting Your Credit Score Drop

Your credit score directly impacts your ability to get a home loan, the type of loan you qualify for and the interest rate. If you have borderline credit – a score in the low- to mid-600s – further credit mishaps can prevent approval. If you have credit challenges such as bankruptcy or late payments, start your house search several months earlier. Re-establish your credit by paying down credit cards to 30 percent or less of the limit and correcting errors on your report. And avoid checking your credit score too much; constantly checking it counts against you.

2. Languishing in Debt

Consumer debt accounts for 35 percent of your credit score. A late payment's effect depends on the strength of your score, but the account type and the time since the last late payment also matters. If any of your accounts are in collection, it's highly advised you pay them off before seeking loan approval.

3. Shopping Sprees

Stay far away from credit-driven shopping sprees. Even paying cash for big-ticket purchases can raise red flags with a lender. They'll check your bank statements for unusually large deposits and withdrawals and may require an explanation for them.

4. Changing Jobs

A job change may have an adverse effect on your loan approval because lenders calculate your ability to pay a home loan by averaging your past two years of income. If you can avoid interrupting stable employment during the home-buying process, that's probably best.

5. Maxing Out Your Purchasing Power

Even though your lender qualifies you for a certain amount, only you know whether you can comfortably afford the payment. Try to stick with the price range that yields your ideal monthly payment. Looking for homes at the top of your budget limits your ability to increase your offer in a multiple-offer situation.

When you've nurtured your credit and are ready to start looking for a home, contact a lender – and, of course, a RE/MAX agent who can help you find the right home at the right price for you.​

_{*Source: RE/MAX Mainstreet - The Real Estate Blog, Tue, July 29, 2014.}