It is possible to buy a new home without resorting to getting a mortgage loan. It is not the easiest or quickest route to take. Buying a home with cash requires years of planning, starting small, a willingness to be flexible, and patience to wait on the end result.
Buying a home was once something that was only done with cash. It wasn’t until recent history (just after WWII) that mortgage loans became the normal way of purchasing a home. The lending industry has also loosened its practices, making it easier for more people to borrow more money – resulting in an ever increasing housing market.
Even with these artificially high prices, it doesn’t mean that a mortgage loan is the only route to take. It is still possible to buy a home for cash. The first step is to save. The sooner you start, the quicker you will get there. Find the least expensive place you can and rent for a while. Save the difference towards your first home.
Once you have a sufficient amount saved, purchase a small home within your budget. Remember that location is always vital, but also look for a home with strong bones, some character, and features that set it apart (say a large yard or the age and quality of the build). Buy, decorate, and do any remodeling of this start home with the intention of turning around and selling it in the future. Start saving your rent and other money once again.
Keep and eye on the housing market. When the market slows down and becomes a buyers market (when the sellers are eager to sell) AND when you have saved up another chunk of money, it is time to start considering a trade up. Contact a real estate agent in your area (you may have to shop around, not all of them are quick to pick up the smaller homes). Let them know your plan. Once you find a buyer for your home, start looking for a larger home (with the same qualities as before) that is within the price of your proceeds and savings. Keep in mind that because you are paying cash and won’t have to go through the time and process of getting a mortgage loan, you will probably have more negotiating room than other buyers.
Continue this process until you find the house of your dreams. You will be able to move into the home with out a mountain of debt and without ever having to negotiate the mortgage loan industry. It will take some time, some patience, and some flexibility, but it will be more than worth it in the long run.
Kathryn Lang is a freelance writer covering the insurance industry. She has written various articles on
Mortgage Loan, and regularly writes on
UK mortgage news.
