Dave Says: Don't Do It!

Dear Dave,
My husband and I have been married for three months, and we’re debt-free. Right now, we’re trying to save up a 20 percent down payment for a house. I work for a real estate company, and they’re really pushing us to take advantage of a first-time homebuyer deal. The program offers 100 percent financing, no money down and no private mortgage insurance. They say it’s a great deal. What do you think?

Stacy

Dear Stacy,
You guys are off to a great start! Don’t blow it now. Those people are wrong. I grew up in the real estate world, and this is a bad idea.

Slow down. It’s great that you guys are young and debt-free, but you need to do things that are smart for you. And for you, smart includes a couple of things. First, make sure you have an emergency fund of three to six months of expenses in place. Then, keep saving up for a big down payment.

You know, when I hear the advice you were given I just want to smack somebody. Haven’t the mortgage lenders learned anything from the last few years? Nothing down, interest-only and sub-prime loans are a big part of the reason for the financial debacle in this country. A house is not a blessing when you’re broke, and a bargain is only a bargain when you’re ready to buy!

I always recommend waiting at least a year after you’re married to buy a house. It takes that long to decide how close you want to live to your in-laws! Plus, you want to spend some time getting used to each other, and knowing each other even better, before making what will be your largest asset purchase.

—Dave

For more financial help, please visit daveramsey.com.

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