mortgage

FoBoT

No Lifer
Apr 30, 2001
63,084
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lets say i qualify for $130,000 mortgage

would it make more sense to buy

1- $130,000 house , put $0 down payment (VA loan), mortgage = $130,000 , equity = 0

or

2- $150,000 house, put $20,000 down payment (still VA loan, don't have enough $ to do 20% down required for conventional loan), mortgage = $130,000 , equity = 13%
 

RBlount

Member
Jan 3, 2001
159
0
86
If you can afford it, try and put down 20% no mattter what to avoid PMI. How about the $150,000 with $20,000 and a 2nd Mortgage for $10,000. You will save the PMI and the 2nd's interest is tax deductable.

-Rob
 

tm37

Lifer
Jan 24, 2001
12,436
1
0
Or you could buy a 130K house and put down the 20% and have a lower payment.

I was qualified for a 170K and I have no idea how they planed to have me pay that bill every month.

I would have a nice house and I might lose wieght do to hunger:Q

Where are you looking to live?

a quick search of your hometown listed in your profile showed alot of houses in the 125 range.

You don't want to be house poor.
 

bunker

Lifer
Apr 23, 2001
10,572
0
71
You shouldn't buy as much house as you "qualify" for. Everyone I've seen do that struggles to make ends meet.

We qualified for $165 and bout a $138 house and are doing well.

I'd try and stay under the max you qualify for.
 

Ameesh

Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
23,686
1
0
Originally posted by: FoBoT
VA loans have no PMI , so i don't have to worry about that

whats the difference between the two houses besides the price?
 

Shockwave

Banned
Sep 16, 2000
9,059
0
0
WHat does one have the other doesnt? Do you need the extra?
Dont buy a house based on price. Buy a house based on do you like it and does it have the room / features you want / need.
If the 130,000 house is nice, you like it, it has what you want then get it by all means!
 

FoBoT

No Lifer
Apr 30, 2001
63,084
15
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Originally posted by: tm37

You don't want to be house poor.

nope, we don't

we did that with our first house in New York

we are thinking of going rural/out in the country, more house/more land for that same price
 

KK

Lifer
Jan 2, 2001
15,903
4
81
Originally posted by: FoBoT
lets say i qualify for $130,000 mortgage

would it make more sense to buy

1- $130,000 house , put $0 down payment (VA loan), mortgage = $130,000 , equity = 0

or

2- $150,000 house, put $20,000 down payment (still VA loan, don't have enough $ to do 20% down required for conventional loan), mortgage = $130,000 , equity = 13%


If the housing market in the area is steadily rising, and has good prospects, you don't need equity. Since you are VA it makes no sense to put anything down unless you like the 150,000 house better. That's what it all boils down to, which house do you like better.

KK
 

tw1164

Diamond Member
Dec 8, 1999
3,995
0
76
Originally posted by: bunker
You shouldn't buy as much house as you "qualify" for. Everyone I've seen do that struggles to make ends meet.

We qualified for $165 and bout a $138 house and are doing well.

I'd try and stay under the max you qualify for.

Its suggested that you get a mortgage that costs less then 29% of your gross income.
 

FoBoT

No Lifer
Apr 30, 2001
63,084
15
81
fobot.com
Originally posted by: tw1164
Originally posted by: bunker
You shouldn't buy as much house as you "qualify" for. Everyone I've seen do that struggles to make ends meet.

We qualified for $165 and bout a $138 house and are doing well.

I'd try and stay under the max you qualify for.

Its suggested that you get a mortgage that costs less then 29% of your gross income.

i don't want my monthly house payment including taxes and insurance to be more than 20% of my gross income, so i should be ok, thanks