Posts Tagged property tax

Renting is Better than Owning; 25 Reasons you Should Rent Now

Sometime renting is better than buying, and sometimes buying is better than renting. Unfortunately, it is tough to know when is when; however, sometimes this decision is very easy. In today’s mortgage market, it looks like it is a great time to take up renting. Below is a list of 25 reasons why you should rent:

1. No financial obligations – if you lose your job, then you won’t go bankrupt.
2. You can down size easily – When renting, you do not have to worry about not getting rid of your previous residence. All you need to do is provide 60 days notice.
3. Utilities and Property tax – if the bills go up in price it is usually not your problem. No need to worry about risk.
4. Renovations – Not your problem; you don’t need to spend a dime on renovations because you do not need to do renovations.
5. Cleaning – optional; if you don’t want to clean, there is no need to do so.
6. Moving is easy to do and stress free. You do not need to worry about the intricacies of selling your property.
7. Property Value Risk – Your property value could drop in value. It could also lose a dramatic amount of value in a short time frame. There is little risk in renting.
8. Live beyond your means – Usually a renter can get a much bigger living space for the same price as buying. The standard of living for a renter is usually higher.
9. Limit your Space, Limit your consumption – if you choose to live within a smaller rental unit, then you won’t have to buy as much things to fill up the house. By doing this, then this will reduce your spending dramatically.
10. No need to pay interest – Interest doesn’t applying when you are renting a property7. Mortgage interest only applies when you have a mortgage.
11. More money to Invest – with reduced monthly debt obligations, this will allow you to purchase more investments and save for the future. Saving allows you to build a bigger nest egg.
12. No need to buy Future Housing Investments – you do not need to buy a new kitchen or bathroom when you are renting, all you need to do is move somewhere better.
13. Real Estate Agents and Mortgage Brokers – No need to deal with either of these two groups when you are trying to find a place to live.
14. Legal Action if you Break Terms – because it is so expensive for a landlord to go after a tenant, they rarely do this. Even if you give a day’s notice before moving out, they usually won’t do anything about it.
15. Household Appliances – no need to purchase household appliances because they come with the property.
16. Hot and Cold – you get to choose how hot or cold the house is without worrying about the price.
17. Home Owner’s Insurance – No need to insure the house because you do not own the house. If the house burns down, then it isn’t your problem.
18. Land Transfer Tax, Hst, Taxes, and more Taxes – No need to worry about these fees because you are not required to pay any of these fees.
19. Condo and Maintenance Fees – As a tenant, you are not required to pay these fees. You only need to worry about paying your rent.
20. Ease of Exit – Need to move in a hurry? When you own your own property, it could take months to find a buyer. If you rent, then you can leave with a days notice.
21. Refinance? No need to even worry about refinancing because you can’t do it because you do not own a house.
22. Buy New or Resale – you can choose how new or old your house is with little change in how much you pay on a monthly basis.
23. Limit your Stress – When you rent, you only need to worry about making your monthly rent payment. When you own, you need to worry about everything else. Fixed or Variable. Sell or Buy. Weekly or Bi-weekly.
24. Stop Caring about your House – Not too much to worry about when you leave home. No need to worry about theft, damages, grass maintenance, house maintenance, etc.
25. Home maintenance, Snow removal, and Cutting the Grass – you no longer need to maintain your house. Your landlord will do this for you.

Do you know any other good reasons to rent? Why are you still renting?

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25 Things to Look for when Picking a House to Own

The following is a list of 25 things that are critical to finding out about a property before making an offer on the location.

1. Location, location, location – critical to the property value and your quality of life.
2. Age of the property. How old is the property?
3. What is the average income and economic class of the neighborhood? This should be in line with your family.
4. How much are the condo fees? Utilities? Property tax? This is critical for determining the affordability.
5. How many days on the market has the property been listed? Long listings usually mean problems.
6. Liens against the property or title issues? Make sure you are not on the hook.
7. What is the square footage of the property? The house?
8. How many owners have lived in the property?
9. Why is the seller leaving the property?
10. What types of renovations have been completed in the past ten years?
11. Is there local schools? Shops? Amenities?
12. How does the house look from the curb side? Any issues?
13. Is the house in line with the neighborhood? More expensive? Less expensive?
14. What does your spouse think of the property? What are their opinions?
15. What types of doors and windows are in the home? When will they need to be replaced?
16. What type of flooring is in the property?
17. Is there any foundation issues?
18. What has the price history of the property been?
19. Is the property in a convenient location?
20. Is the layout of the house convenient? Are rooms located appropriately?
21. Is it a house you could live in for at least five years?
22. Can you afford it easily? Do you have enough money upfront? What if you lose your job?
23. Will it last? Will it sell for more than you bought it for?
24. Is there a bidding war? Is the property in high demand?
25. Do you love it? Is it a good deal?

Do you have any other mandatory questions you ask when buying a house? What makes up your mind when buying a house?

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Mortgage Payments that are 44% of your Income are Way Too High!

Let’s say that the average household has an average household income of 55,000. After tax, this turns into $3437.50/month, with a tax rate of 25%.

This means that, with no debt, the highest mortgage payments these borrowers could have would be approximately $2000/month.

Then let’s assume the family owns a car, has 2 children, and they need food and entertainment.

First the house would have property taxes, home insurance, utilities, and upkeep.

The property tax would be approximately $350/month, the insurance would be around $70/month, and the upkeep would be around $70/month.

With the house fees, we are already up to $2500/month.

Now we just have a little over $900 for the rest of the household expenses. The car alone will knock out a big portion of this. The car will take approximately $500 for a cheap car with insurance, gas, and the car payment.

After buying food, their isn’t any money left. Most people aren’t happy just living pay cheque to pay cheque, they have to enjoy life as well. They may even want to save some money for retirement as well. Unfortunately, being offered a loan at 44% total debt service ratio, this doesn’t happen.

People work to pay the bank. A total debt service ratio should be in the mid-thirties.

The thing is that if they decrease the total debt service ratio, it will hurt really bad in the short-run, but in the long-run, it will create more affordable housing, and a higher standard of living for everyone.

What do you think of the total debt service ratio? Should it be higher or lower?

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