|
When an individual’s income starts growing and they manage to set aside some savings,
they commonly experience what may be considered an innate instinct of modern civilized mankind.
The desire to spend money.
Since North Americans have a special love affair with the automobile, this becomes a high
priority item on the shopping list. Later, other things will be added and one of those will probably be a house.
However, by the time home ownership has become more than a distant and hopeful dream, you
may have already bought the car.
It happens all the time, sometimes just before you contact a lender to get pre-qualified
for a mortgage.
As part of the interview, you may tell the loan officer your price target. He will ask about
your income, your savings and your debts, then give you his opinion. "If only you didn’t have this car payment," he
might begin, "you would certainly qualify for a home loan to buy that house."
When determining your ability to qualify for a mortgage, a lender looks at
what is called your "debt-to-income" ratio. A debt-to-income ratio is the percentage of your gross monthly income (before
taxes) that you spend on debt. This will include your monthly housing costs, including principal, interest, taxes, insurance,
and homeowner’s association fees, if any. It will also include your monthly consumer debt, including credit cards, student
loans, installment debt, and….
…car payments.
Suppose you earn $5000 a month and you have a car payment of $400. At current interest
rates (approximately 8% on a thirty-year fixed rate loan), you would qualify for approximately $55,000 less than if you did
not have the car payment.
Even if you feel you can afford the car payment, mortgage companies approve
your mortgage based on their guidelines, not yours. Do not get discouraged, however. You should still take the time to get
pre-qualified by a lender.
However, if you have not already bought a car, remember one thing. Whenever
the thought of buying a car enters your mind, think ahead. Think about buying a home first. Buying a home is a much more important
purchase when considering your future financial well being.
|
