If you want to have an emergency fund in case of an emergency and also like to buy a house in Utah, you will be in a pickle. It can be challenging to save up for both, but you have to prioritize one.
For many disgruntled renters, the choice is easy: aim for homeownership. For sensible ones, the less appealing route must be taken: financially prepare for contingencies.
Deciding to apply for a home loan in Ogden, Farr West, or Washington Terrace can be a risky proposition if your finances are not big enough to absorb surprise expenses. Let us explore the potential consequences.
Getting Disqualified for a Mortgage
Ironically, your home loan application might be denied if you prioritize your out-of-pocket mortgage expenses over your emergency savings.
Your prospective lender will not like it if you do not have sufficient cash in reserve for a rainy day. No financial institution will loan you hundreds of thousands of dollars when you might not be able to repay when you suddenly lose a source of income.
The mortgage business is full of risk and uncertainty, and lenders do not like to take any more gamble than necessary. One way to lower your chances of falling into arrears on your bills is to have at least two monthly mortgage payments’ worth of savings available for spending if need be.
Missing Out on Favorable Terms
Entering mortgage negotiation with a mountain of savings can give you plenty of confidence to talk your way to a favorable deal. Your prospective lender will be more willing to listen and satisfy your whims if your credentials scream integrity and reliability.
On the contrary, most lenders take issue with illiquid borrowers. Your lack of savings will raise a lot of questions, particularly about your ability to manage your finances and your likelihood of defaulting on your mortgage when a significant life event, like a serious medical condition, happens.
Losing Your House
Before you shop around for mortgage rates, understand that building up an emergency fund will precisely help you not just buy your dream house but also keep it from being foreclosed.
If your finances go awry, your regular mortgage payments will become an emergency. The world will not stop and wait until you get back on your feet again. Unlike your other bills, your home loan is a liability you can’t quickly ditch.
Destroying Your Credit
Emergencies have far-reaching implications. More often than not, they are going to hurt your credit. Without being financially prepared to contend with contingencies, you could become past due on your bills. A single late payment could pile up, and the interest in each would add up. Before you know it, you would be in a deep financial hole.
Finding yourself in the quicksand of debt rarely ends well for you. Sunny skies are the right time to save up for an emergency fund, not when you carry the biggest financial obligation of your life.
Preparing for contingencies before shouldering the responsibilities of a homeowner solves many problems, and being a homeowner without emergency savings is living close to the edge. Make a smart decision while you are in a position to do so.