As home buyers worldwide struggle with high property prices and mortgage rates, Americans are in a unique position to afford a home. A new study found that despite the increased cost of living and elevated real estate prices in the United States, homes in the country are among the most affordable worldwide, second only to those in South Africa.
BestBrokers checked the average real estate prices from the price comparison website Numbeo and researched the net salary employees earn on average in 62 countries. They also considered the inflation and applied the projected inflation percentage for the year’s third quarter to the monthly wage. This allowed them to see the current situation income-wise in these countries and estimate the real affordability of homes. To compare, they converted all prices and wages into U.S. dollars.
The calculation shows that the United States ranks second in the world regarding home affordability. To purchase a 1,076.4-sq.ft. home (100 sq. meters), Americans need to save 76 real monthly wages. In South Africa, which ranks first on this list, a home of this size costs only 71 wages.
If you are a middle-class millennial or Gen Z who wants to one day buy a home, then follow these seven tips to start the process of being able to finally afford a home of your own.
1. Stay in the Know
If you’ve spent even the tiniest morsel of time paying attention to the real estate market, you already know how fast things can fluctuate. Stay informed about market trends and stay flexible; doing so will give you a leg up in the buying and savings process since you’ll have a better idea of what to expect when committing.
2. Pay Off Debt
High-interest debt will negatively impact your credit score. That means you should prioritize paying off credit card debt to help you free up more cash to save for a home. Improving your credit score will also make securing a loan significantly more manageable when you’re ready to buy. You can further improve your credit score by keeping your payments timely while providing additional payments to lower debt whenever possible.
3. Open a Dedicated Savings Account
Opening a savings account exclusively to save for a new home is easily the most important thing you can do to prepare for homeownership. This account clearly demonstrates that anything that goes into it is solely to be used for purchasing your home or any related expenses. Pro-tip: See if you can snag an account with higher interest rates to make some passive income while you shop around for the home of your dreams.
4. Evaluate Your Financial Health
You’re mentally ready to buy your first home, but are you financially prepared? Comb through your finances, including your debt, income, savings, investments, and anything else you can think of. Be pragmatic about where you’re at and realistic about where you need to be.
5. Explore Government-Assisted Programs
You’d be surprised by how many programs there are to help first-time homebuyers like you. Many local and state governments offer these programs to encourage those who’ve never bought a home to go through with it. Some might help with closing costs, while others can help you with a downpayment. Either way, learning more about your options is essential and can help inform your savings plan.
6. Set Actionable Goals
A weekly, monthly, or even yearly savings target greatly benefits anyone saving for a home. Once you’ve calculated your theoretical cost of buying the home (don’t forget fees and closing costs!), you can use that number to set up savings goals for yourself. Having the visual goal somewhere makes the savings much more straightforward. It can also inspire you since it seems possible when broken down into pieces.
7. Slash Your Budget
Take a good, hard look at your budget — what needs to go if you’re going to meet your savings goals? There are probably a few places where you can rearrange your expenses (we’re looking at you, unnecessary subscriptions), and reallocating those funds toward purchasing a home is likely going to be a must if you want any hope of getting it sooner rather than later.
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