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Buying a house can be the single largest financial move you’ll ever make. What’s more, once purchased, your home is likely to be your biggest asset and possibly a path to building wealth.

So this rite of passage probably isn’t something to be done without a lot of preparation. For instance, you usually have to focus on such factors as:

•   Saving for a down payment

•   Optimizing your credit score

•   Understanding what your monthly expenses will be

•   Considering the dynamics of the real-estate market

•   Researching where you want to live

•   Making sure you’re ready for the responsibilities of homeownership.

You’ll learn more about these factors in a minute, but first, take this quiz to get a read on just how ready you are to dive into house-buying. While it won’t answer the question, “Am I ready to buy a house?” definitively, it can help you gauge where you stand.

Then, read on to learn more about how to make snagging your dream house become a reality.

Now that you’ve taken the quiz, here’s more intel on how to get ready to buy a house.

Recommended: First-Time Home Buyer Guide

Financial Factors

Home ownership can be quite expensive, especially recently. As you may know, housing prices soared during the pandemic, rising over 40% in some areas. In an effort to stem that, as well as other aspects of inflation, the Fed has been raising interest rates, so it’s become more expensive to borrow money, too, further squeezing potential homebuyers.

But don’t let that discourage you: Homeownership is still a goal you can realize, especially if you prepare for the following:

•   Down payment: Ideally, lenders like to see a 20% down payment (although SoFi offers flexible down payment options). Plus, you’ll need to have enough money left over for closing costs, moving costs, and any renovation costs involved.

•   Private mortgage insurance: If you are putting down less than 20% on your home purchase, you may have to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI). This helps protect your lender as you may look like a less well-qualified home purchaser. This cost is typically charged along with your monthly interest payment by the lender. It’s wise to include this amount in your calculations, if necessary, as you move toward buying a house.

•   Income: Knowing the answer to “When can I buy a house?” doesn’t depend on a particular salary. However, mortgage lenders do like to see two years of steady income, because both job continuity and consistent income are important.

•   Debt-to-income (DTI) ratio: You’ll need to see if your monthly income allows you to afford the mortgage payment you’d be taking on. This typically involves calculating your debt-to-income ratio or DTI.

Here’s an example: Say you make $6,000 a month, before taxes. You’re paying $1,500 a month in rent and, when you add in car payments, credit card debt, and student loan payments, that equals another $700. You’ve got monthly expenses, then, of $2,200; when you divide that by your monthly income ($2,200/$6,000), then your debt-to-income ratio is 36.7%, which is in the range of what many lenders like to see.

•   Credit score: It’s helpful to know your credit score before you go home shopping and, if it’s under 700 (meaning either at the low end of a good score or a fair credit score), work to build it. That can open you up to more mortgage offers and lower interest rates.

•   Mortgage options: Speaking of mortgages, connecting with lenders or mortgage brokers can help you gain a better understanding of how much house you can afford, what kinds of mortgages are available, and whether you can get prequalified or even preapproved before you shop in earnest. This can give you an edge in or possibly even be necessary in today’s tight housing market.

•   Homeownership costs: In addition to the mortgage payment and any PMI, you’ll need to budget for property taxes, heating costs, and other regular expenses. Make sure to factor those in as you develop a budget for your life as a homeowner.

Recommended: How to Qualify for a Mortgage

Housing Market Conditions

When determining if you’re ready to buy a house, also consider housing market conditions. Among the key factors:

•   Location: Of course, you’ll want your home to be in a desirable location, however you define “desirable.” It could mean being in the heart of a busy city — or in a peaceful place along a river. If you have or plan to have a family, quality schools are likely important, and so forth.

It’s likely going to make your house hunt more manageable and productive if you narrow down where you want to live to a few towns or neighborhoods. Otherwise, you might spend a lot of time and effort driving all over and not being able to whittle down the choices.

•   Real-estate dynamics: In desirable locations, competition is fierce today, with homes often selling quickly after being put up for sale and bidding wars occurring. And, as demand has increased, available housing (especially for first-time homebuyers looking to purchase in affordable price ranges) has therefore decreased.

So, you’ll have to be prepared to compete in the current housing market conditions, which means having your financial situation in order so you can make a timely offer on a house of choice.

Lifestyle Considerations

Let’s say you’re confident that you have the financial resources to purchase a home in your neighborhood of choice. Before you move forward, here are a couple of lifestyle issues to consider:

•   Home maintenance: If you’re used to renting, your landlord has played a key role in home repairs and so forth. If you buy a home, you would now be your own landlord. That means dealing with broken boilers, leaky roofs, yard maintenance, and more. Be sure you budget for that financially and are also prepared for the responsibility.

•   Community: Think about whether you are ready to settle down in a particular community for at least a few years. If not, you may not break even when you sell the house you bought. Here’s why: It can take time to recoup closing costs and other expenses you covered when purchasing the home.

The Takeaway

Homeownership can be the foundation of the American dream for many people. It’s also a potential avenue to build wealth. But when you should buy a house depends on a variety of factors. Before you dive in, do your research, save for your down payment, and optimize your finances so you are ready to handle the responsibility.

When you decide it’s time to buy, SoFi can help. Compare mortgage options from SoFi: We offer competitive rates and features, such as qualifying first-time homebuyers putting down as little as 3%.

When you’ve scrolled through the perks, find your rate in a few clicks.

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SoFi Mortgages
Terms, conditions, and state restrictions apply. Not all products are available in all states. See SoFi.com/eligibility-criteria for more information.

SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

Disclaimer: Many factors affect your credit scores and the interest rates you may receive. SoFi is not a Credit Repair Organization as defined under federal or state law, including the Credit Repair Organizations Act. SoFi does not provide “credit repair” services or advice or assistance regarding “rebuilding” or “improving” your credit record, credit history, or credit rating. For details, see the FTC’s website .

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

SoFi Relay offers users the ability to connect both SoFi accounts and external accounts using Plaid, Inc.’s service. When you use the service to connect an account, you authorize SoFi to obtain account information from any external accounts as set forth in SoFi’s Terms of Use. Based on your consent SoFi will also automatically provide some financial data received from the credit bureau for your visibility, without the need of you connecting additional accounts. SoFi assumes no responsibility for the timeliness, accuracy, deletion, non-delivery or failure to store any user data, loss of user data, communications, or personalization settings. You shall confirm the accuracy of Plaid data through sources independent of SoFi. The credit score is a VantageScore® based on TransUnion® (the “Processing Agent”) data.

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Your house is much more than a home — it’s likely one of the biggest purchases you’ll ever make, with a value that makes up a significant proportion of most people’s net worth. As such, you’ve probably wondered from time to time what your home is worth.

Determining the answer is not as simple as referring back to your sales agreement or mortgage papers. What you paid for your house when you purchased it merely reflects what your house was worth to you — and the real estate market — at a specific point in time.

In reality, housing values are dynamic, and they fluctuate based on a number of factors. Some things, such as keeping your house in good repair, are within your control. Other external influences, such as the market, mortgage rates, and other considerations, can also affect the value of your home.

Here, we’ll take a close look at how this works, and answer questions like:

•   How much is my house worth?

•   What factors determine my home’s value?

•   How can I increase my home’s value?

First, take our “how much is my house worth” quiz to get an overview of what value your home holds.

Next, delve into the topic more deeply with these insights.

Estimating the Value of Your House

Knowing how much your house is worth can improve your money mindset by helping you understand where you are financially. There are a number of ways you can determine the estimated value of your house.

•   Online calculators. The easiest and fastest way to answer the question, “How much is my house worth?” is probably to use an online home valuation calculator. These tools provide a ballpark estimate of the value of your home based on your address. Such estimates typically use publicly available information, including average home sale prices in your area, property tax assessment information, market trends, and other data.

•   Market dynamics. Once you have a rough estimate of your property’s worth, you can use other cues about the housing market in your area to gain more insight. This might include such factors as sales and mortgage trends, which can give you a sense of whether your property value is likely to increase, decrease, or remain stable. For instance, during times of rising mortgage interest rates, consumer demand might wane as it becomes more expensive to borrow money.

•   Professional opinions. A professional appraiser or real estate agent can also help you get a more precise estimate of what your house is worth. An appraiser will consider both the local housing market and the unique characteristics of your property when creating your home appraisal.

Real estate agents, meanwhile, will typically conduct a comparative market analysis (also called a comp or CMA). This is an estimate based on actual data from recently sold homes that are most similar to yours.

If you are looking to sell, you may want to consider getting a comparative market analysis from several different real estate agents to help you assess their knowledge of and viewpoint on the local market before you commit to one. Understanding the various criteria real estate agents use to determine listing prices can also help you to get an accurate picture of what your house is worth.

Recommended: What Hurts a Home Appraisal?

A Home’s Worth: 3 Factors to Consider

Every house is unique — but the factors used to determine property value are fairly consistent.

1. Neighborhood: There’s a good reason why “location, location, location” is one of the most popular mantras in real estate. The same home, in the exact same condition, will fetch different prices depending on where it is. Proximity to desirable schools, shopping, public transportation, and other resources and infrastructure can increase the desirability of a neighborhood and thus the value of the home. Safety considerations, such as crime rates, sidewalks, and traffic signals, can also impact house values.
2. House specifications: Attributes such as the size of your lot, square footage, age of your home, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, parking space, and updated mechanical systems are among the criteria buyers will typically consider. Agents may factor these in while developing a comparative marketing analysis.

Also, the style of your house and the amenities can matter. Does it have a fabulous family room, a spa-style bathroom, skylights, or a pool? That can lift the value.

3. House condition: Well-maintained houses with high curb appeal can typically fetch better prices than run-down fixer-uppers. As such, your home’s condition is probably the most easily controlled aspect of its value.

To evaluate the condition of your home, take stock of any repairs, both major and superficial; any upgrades such as premium kitchen appliances; and any renovations you may have performed.

There are additional factors outside of your control that will affect the value of your home — though these may be less significant if you are not imminently considering selling.

For example, the state of the economy and mortgage rates may dictate others’ appetite for real estate purchases, as well as how much they are willing to spend. At press time, mortgage interest rates were rising in an effort to offset inflation’s impact on consumers. This can cause a softening of the housing market, or a lowering of prices, since it’s more expensive to borrow money.

Seasonal fluctuations such as holidays and weather can also affect home purchasing patterns. In addition, spring has often been looked at as the prime selling season, when families hope to find a new home and get settled before the start of the next school year.

Recommended: Should I Sell My House Now or Wait?

Increasing the Value of Your Home

Though there are some factors that may be out of your control (such as inflation and its impact), there are things you can do to increase the value of your home. If you are considering selling soon, staging your house or making small improvements, such as tidying your garden, can go a long way towards appealing to buyers — without a big financial investment.

But if you are considering investing in renovations and upgrades, it is helpful to know which will deliver the greatest returns. An online calculator can compare different projects to determine how various home improvements impact your home’s value. You might be able to finance such improvements with a home equity line of credit (or HELOC).

Recommended: Does Net Worth Include Home Equity?

Why Your Home Value Matters

If you are considering selling your house, “How much is my home worth?” is likely one of the first things you’ll wonder about. But even if a move isn’t something you are considering right now, there are other reasons why it might be important to know the actual value of your home.

•   Relocation plans. For those considering relocating, getting a reliable estimate of how much your house is worth will inform the amount you can afford to spend on your next home. As taxes, real estate agent commissions, and some other fees will be based on the actual sale price of your house, this valuation will also help you to estimate some of your moving costs.

•   Financial planning. Even if you aren’t planning to move, it can be wise to know your house’s value for another reason. As one of the greatest assets in many people’s financial portfolios, your home’s worth can play a helpful role in guiding long-term money planning, including retirement and estate planning.

If these things seem a long way off, there are immediate benefits to being informed about your home’s worth, too.

•   Property taxes. Your property tax bill is based on the market value of your house and may change from year to year, based on your municipality’s estimate of its worth as determined by a government assessor. A reliable estimate of how much your house is worth can help you to identify discrepancies in the assessed value. If you believe there is an error, you can file an appeal in an attempt to get your property tax bill reduced.

•   Homeowners insurance. Having an accurate estimate of the value of your home is also important for obtaining appropriate insurance coverage. If your estimate is too low relative to the actual value of your home, you run the risk of being underinsured in the event of a claim. Too high, and you’re paying for coverage you don’t need.

•   Equity considerations. Your home’s value can also help you to access money to pay for home improvements, a financial emergency, or other needs that may arise. If the current value of your home is more than it was at the time you purchased it, you may be able to tap into that increased value with, say, a HELOC or cash-out mortgage refinance.

Home Improvements and Your Mortgage

Even if you’re not looking to sell, adding value to your home may result in savings in the near term. This can be especially true for those who are paying private mortgage insurance (PMI).

•   Typically, buyers who purchase a home with less than 20% down are required to pay for PMI — a fee that is based on a percentage of your total mortgage.

•   The amount of equity in your home can be determined by subtracting what you owe on your house (or your mortgage principal) from the current total value of your home. If your property value has increased, you have more equity than when you purchased your home.

•   If the increase in your property value brings your equity over the 20% threshold, you can ask your mortgage loan servicer to cancel the PMI. That, in turn, will save your money every month.

The Takeaway

Understanding how much your house is worth is an important fact. Your house is a major investment, and knowing its current value can help you in a variety of ways, whether or not you are planning on selling it. Even if you are staying put, knowing its worth could help you make sure your insurance is keeping pace with its price, open the door to a home equity loan, or perhaps lower an assessment.

If you’re ready to find out your property’s value, SoFi’s money tracker app can help. Our property tracking tool can help you learn your home’s worth. It can help you know when more insurance is needed, how much renovations would cost and financing options, and what you might be able to save by refinancing your loan.

Stay on top of your home’s value with SoFi.

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SoFi Mortgages
Terms, conditions, and state restrictions apply. Not all products are available in all states. See SoFi.com/eligibility-criteria for more information.

SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Checking Your Rates: To check the rates and terms you may qualify for, SoFi conducts a soft credit pull that will not affect your credit score. However, if you choose a product and continue your application, we will request your full credit report from one or more consumer reporting agencies, which is considered a hard credit pull and may affect your credit.

SoFi Relay offers users the ability to connect both SoFi accounts and external accounts using Plaid, Inc.’s service. When you use the service to connect an account, you authorize SoFi to obtain account information from any external accounts as set forth in SoFi’s Terms of Use. Based on your consent SoFi will also automatically provide some financial data received from the credit bureau for your visibility, without the need of you connecting additional accounts. SoFi assumes no responsibility for the timeliness, accuracy, deletion, non-delivery or failure to store any user data, loss of user data, communications, or personalization settings. You shall confirm the accuracy of Plaid data through sources independent of SoFi. The credit score is a VantageScore® based on TransUnion® (the “Processing Agent”) data.

External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

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Buying an investment property before your first home can be an interesting and financially sound plan. There are clear advantages — generating cash flow or building equity in your asset could benefit you and your family for years to come. You may be able to qualify as a first-time home buyer and take advantage of programs that allow you to buy a multi-family property. You may also be able to produce a strong enough income for the unit to pay for itself.

Yet, there can be significant sacrifices you may need to contemplate in order to make this dream happen. Here, learn what needs to happen if you’re planning on buying an investment property before your first home, including:

•   Is buying an investment property before your first home a good idea?

•   What are the steps for buying a house to rent?

•   What are the benefits of buying a house as an investment while still renting?

Purchasing an Investment Property 101

Purchasing an investment or rental property is similar to a regular home purchase. When you’re looking at buying an investment property for which you qualify as a first-time home buyer, however, there are some special considerations. Here is a guide:

Step 1: Decide if you’re going to live in a part of the investment property.
One of the first things you should decide when purchasing a rental property is if you’re going to live in a part of the investment property. This decision will affect what types of properties you’re going to look at, how you’re able to finance the property, and how much down payment you’ll need to come up with.

For example, if you can buy a house to rent with two to four units and live in one yourself, you may be able to finance the purchase as an owner-occupied property. This may qualify you for lower interest rates, lower down payment options, and more favorable loan options. However, you do have to live on the property. You cannot finance a property with an owner-occupied loan without living on the property as this is considered a type of mortgage fraud.

Here’s a quick summary of the difference between owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied rental properties.

Owner-Occupied	Non-Owner-Occupied
Down payment options from 3.5%	Down payment typically around 15%
Lower interest rates by about half a basis point	Interest rates higher by about half a basis point

Step 2: Get preapproved for a loan.
Before you go shopping, make sure a lender is willing to give you a mortgage. Qualifying as a first-time homebuyer has some positives. On the one hand, you may have a better debt-to-income ratio since you don’t own a home yet. However, you may have a shorter credit history or a smaller down payment. Whatever the case, it’s helpful to get some numbers from your lender to assist with your investment.

Factors your lender will take into account when deciding what to lend to you include:

•   Amount of your down payment

•   Owner occupied status

•   Credit score

•   Debt-to-income ratio

•   Employment history.

Your lender will also take into account what programs you qualify for. Financing options for an investment property are wide. Some may include:

•   FHA

•   VA

•   USDA

•   Conventional

•   Private lending

•   Seller financing

Quick note: If you do decide to purchase a rental property and live in part of your investment property, your lender may be able to use the potential rent from that to qualify you for a mortgage.

Step 3: Find a property that meets your criteria
Now that you have your budget and parameters set, you’re ready to find a property. You may want to enlist the help of a real estate agent who can serve as your first-time homebuyer guide, especially since you want to buy an investment property right off the bat.

Your agent can help you write an offer while your lender may be able to help you apply for a mortgage online. You’re well on your way to buying a house to rent at this stage.

Step 4: Start your rental business.
Be sure to check local ordinances and business requirements for becoming a landlord. If you’ve got a plan and do your research, you may see success. Just don’t believe what you may see on TV, which makes owning a rental property look easy. Landlording is a tough job, and there’s a lot you need to know about the business before you start. Buying a house while renting is an endeavor that takes time and effort.

Buying a House While Still Renting

The benefit to buying an investment property before your first home is that your debt-to-income may be more favorable than for someone who has a mortgage. What this means is it’s possible you don’t have too much debt to qualify for a rental property.

The possible downsides are that you may not have the cash reserves to protect yourself from the risks of being a landlord. There’s always something that needs to be repaired or replaced.

What to Know As a New Landlord

Unlike what you may have heard or imagined, becoming a landlord can be anything but passive. You’ll also want to research all you can and put proper systems in place. Here’s a little of what you can expect to encounter as a new landlord.

•   Learn local housing laws. Housing laws can make or break you. Are short-term rentals allowed (if that’s what you’re planning)? What rights does your tenant have? If you need to evict a tenant, what does the process look like? Will you benefit by putting your property in an LLC?

There’s a lot to navigate, and you may want to consider hiring a property management company that specializes in this.

•   Determine how much to charge for rent. You’ll want to look at what other properties in the area are charging for rent and position yourself competitively. Also, consider what other landlords are allowing and charging when it comes to pets.

•   Prescreening is key. The reliability of your tenant is so important. It’s incredibly stressful when you’re not paid rent. Don’t rent to someone who “feels” like they would be a good tenant. Do your due diligence. Check credit and their background, and call references.

•   Create a plan for home maintenance, repairs, and other issues. If you’re hiring a property management company, plan for the expense. If you’re doing it yourself, make a list of contacts to call for the different issues that come up (electrical, plumbing, locks, handyman, etc.).

•   Have procedures in place for unit turnover. It’s an incredibly intense time when a tenant leaves and another needs to move in. How are you going to handle inspections? Cleaning? Deposits? You will need a system for logging such events and being prepared for turnover.

Recommended: Fixed-Rate vs. Adjustable-Rate Mortgages

The Takeaway

While landlording has a lot of responsibilities and risk, there can also be a lot of reward. If you’re really interested in buying a house while renting, you’ll find a way to make it work.

If you’re starting to shop for a new home and need a partner to help with your lending needs, see what SoFi has to offer. With a wide range of loans to choose from, low down payment options, and competitive interest rates, SoFi Mortgage Loans can be a great fit.

A SoFi Mortgage: Smart, simple, and flexible.

FAQ

How much profit should you make on a rental property?

There’s no easy answer for how much profit you should make on a rental property. Some investors buy property for the appreciation alone. There are also a number of methods for determining how much profit investors want to make on an investment property, such as cash flow, the 1% rule, gross rent multiplier, cash on cash return, cap rate, or internal rate of return. Those can help provide guidelines.

Should I buy an investment property and live in it?

If you’re able to live in your investment property, you can qualify for owner-occupied financing, which means lower down payments and better interest rates. But it also depends on your plans. If you want to renovate an investment property, living in it during renovations could be challenging.

Is rental property a good investment in 2023?

Rental demand is strong in 2023, but buying property is more dependent on your individual situation rather than market conditions.

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Photo credit: iStock/luismmolina

SoFi Mortgages
Terms, conditions, and state restrictions apply. Not all products are available in all states. See SoFi.com/eligibility-criteria for more information.

SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

This article is not intended to be legal advice. Please consult an attorney for advice.

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Despite the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and other federal laws, a large race gap in homeownership continues to exist across the United States. The Black homeownership rate in the fourth quarter of 2022 stood at 44.9%, compared with 74.5% for non-Hispanic whites, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Black-white race gap in homeownership rates widened as the Federal Reserve attempted to bring inflation under control — going from 29.3 percentage points in the first quarter of 2022 to 29.6 percentage points in Q4. Average mortgage interest rates generally increased in 2022 after the Fed implemented a series of rate hikes.

These racial disparities are not new. Historical records confirm a large race gap in homeownership rates has existed since the abolition of slavery. Below we further examine the race gap in homeownership and identify possible solutions.

History of Racial Housing Disparities

The United States has a long history of systemic racism that presents itself in a number of ways, including housing disparities. In January 2022, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition released its home mortgage report examining racial disparities in homeownership from 1900 to 2020.

The NCRC found the gap in homeownership rates between Black and white families reached its lowest level of 23 percentage points in 1980 and its highest level of 30 percentage points in 2015.

In the fourth quarter of 2021, the Black-white race gap in homeownership rates exceeded 31 percentage points. This gap narrowed to 29.6 percentage points in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The homeownership rate as of Q4 2022 stood at 74.5% for non-Hispanic white households; 61.9% for Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander families; 48.5% for Hispanic families of any race; and 44.9% among Black households, according to the Census data.

A number of factors have contributed to the race gap in homeownership, including the legacy of race-based discrimination in the housing market.

Lasting Effects of Redlining

Redlining, the discriminatory practice of denying home loans and other credit services to ethnically diverse neighborhoods based on the race, color, or national origin of the residents of those neighborhoods, is one of the factors explaining America’s long-standing race gap in homeownership.

The federal government institutionalized redlining in the 1930s when a now-defunct federal agency, the Home Owners’ Loan Corp., created “residential security maps” in dozens of cities across the country to systematically deny mortgages in neighborhoods of color.

HOLC ceased to exist in 1951, and Congress later outlawed redlining with the Fair Housing Act of 1968, but lending discrimination in the housing market has persisted.

An article published in the journal SSM-Population Health in June 2021 found that “redlining has continued to influence racialized perceptions of neighborhood value and practices that have perpetuated racial inequities in lending.”

“Decades of racism in the housing market,” the article adds, “have prevented people of color, particularly Black Americans, equal access to capital, low-cost loans, and homeownership.”

The Department of Justice continues to enforce the Fair Housing Act to address ongoing allegations of modern-day redlining.

Current Black Homeownership Gap

As mentioned, the current race gap in homeownership rates between Black and white families is 29.6 percentage points as of Q4 2022. The vast majority of white families own residential property, while the majority of Black families do not, data shows.

Homeownership is often regarded as the American dream, but not everyone who wants to buy a house is able to get financing. The overall denial rate for home-purchase loans among all applicants in 2021 stood at 8.3%, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Bureau data shows that 15.3% of Black applicants had their mortgage loan requests denied in 2021, compared with 6.3% of non-Hispanic white applicants.

This first-time homebuyer guide recommends downloading your credit reports before submitting any applications for home loans. Creditworthy applicants who have home loan applications denied may be victims of discrimination. You can get free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and can check your credit scores in several ways.

Homeownership by Race

The below table highlights homeownership data by race as of Q4 2022

Race	Homeownership rate
Non-Hispanic white alone	74.5%
Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander	61.9%
Hispanic (of any race)	48.5%
Black alone	44.9%
Other (including mixed races)	58.7%
All (nationwide population)	65.9%

Fixing the Black Homeownership Gap

The Urban Institute, a nonprofit research organization, has a five-point framework aimed at reducing the Black homeownership gap. Here are the five points:

1. Advance Local Policy Solutions

Local policy reforms, including the removal of any discriminatory terms in homeowner and condominium associations and possible property tax relief for low-income and moderate-income taxpayers, can help reduce the Black homeownership gap.

Expanding small-dollar mortgages could also make a difference.

2. Tackle Housing Supply Constraints and Affordability

Promoting affordable housing nationwide, including new investments in historically segregated and devalued neighborhoods, may help reduce the Black homeownership gap.

Public policy leaders could also review the viability of lease-to-own programs as a pathway to homeownership.

3. Promote an Equitable and Accessible Housing Finance System

Greater access to down payment assistance programs for economically disadvantaged consumers may reduce the Black homeownership gap.

This online mortgage calculator shows how home loan seekers can lower their monthly mortgage payments and total interest charges by making a larger down payment on a home.

Recommended: Do You Still Need to Put a 20% Down Payment On a House?

4. Accelerate Outreach for Mortgage-Ready Millennials

Reaching out to mortgage-ready millennials and improving tax credit incentives for renters to become homeowners may help reduce the Black homeownership gap.

Public-private partnerships can scale up additional programs aimed at bolstering homeownership among low-income people.

5. Focus on Sustainable Homeownership and Preservation

Funded programs that prevent foreclosures in the United States may particularly help Black homeowners maintain their wealth.

Providing homeowners of color with financial literacy may also help preserve homeownership among Black families.

The Takeaway

Racial housing disparities persist, despite federal laws designed to equal the playing field. The effects of redlining echo today, when 74.5% of white families own residential property and just 44.9% of Black families do. Solving this social inequity may require significant action and reform. See how employers can help first-time homebuyers.

If you’re looking for a mortgage lender, SoFi can help you achieve the American dream. Qualified first-time homebuyers can put as little as 3% down.

Explore SoFi fixed-rate mortgage options and view your rate in minutes.

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SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

SoFi Mortgages
Terms, conditions, and state restrictions apply. Not all products are available in all states. See SoFi.com/eligibility-criteria for more information.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

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For sellers, the idea of multiple offers on the home they’ve put on the market is a dream. But for buyers, it can be a big source of stress: How can you get your bid to stand out and be the one selected? This is especially challenging in today’s seller’s market, when bidding wars and stiff competition has become more common.

So do you want to know how to compete against multiple offers on your dream house? You’re in the right place.
Here, you’ll learn some strategies and secrets that can help give you a competitive edge, from boosting your earnest money to waiving contingencies.

Read on to find out:

•   How to compete against multiple offers in a buyer’s and a seller’s market

•   How to collaborate most effectively with a buyer’s agent

•   How to increase your chances of competing against multiple offers on a house.

Multiple Offers in a Seller’s Market

A seller’s market means the demand for houses is greater than the supply for sale, causing home prices to increase and often giving sellers a serious advantage.

It can get pretty competitive for those who need to buy a house, and multiple offers on a house become the new norm.

Seller’s markets and the frequency of multiple offers can happen for a few reasons:

•   More houses typically go up for sale during peak homebuying season in the summer, so seller’s markets are more common in the winter when inventory is low.

•   Cities that see steady population growth and increased job opportunities often experience a higher demand for housing, leading to multiple interested buyers making offers on limited inventory.

•   A decrease in interest rates could mean more people are able to qualify for mortgages, causing an uptick in homebuyers that might work to the seller’s advantage. More interested parties can mean more negotiation power.

As of the end of 2022, despite rising interest rates and waning home construction, there has nevertheless been a hot market, with demand outstripping supply. According to NAR (the National Association of Realtors®), one in four houses on the market receives enough bids to sell above asking price – a significant amount of competition.

Multiple Offers in a Buyer’s Market

In a buyer’s market, there’s a greater number of houses than buyers demanding them. In this case, homebuyers can be more selective about their terms, and sellers might have to compete with one another to be the most sought-after house on the block.

In a buyer’s market, house hunters typically have more negotiating power. The number of offers on the table is usually lower than in a seller’s market, and the winning bid is often lower than the listing price.

In other words, you are likely to be better positioned to get a good deal.

Are Buyers’ Agents Aware of Other Offers?

Unless house hunters are buying a house without an agent, there are certain cases where the buyer’s agent could be tipped off to other offers on the house. This insight could help you hone your offer to be the winning bid.

A lot of it depends on the strategy of the sellers’ agent and whether it’s designed to stir up a bidding war with obscurity or transparency. Either way, the sellers and their agent could choose to:

•   Not disclose whether or not other buyers have made offers on the property.

•   Disclose the fact that there are other offers, but give no further transparency about how many or how much they’re offering.

•   Disclose the number of competing offers and their exact terms and/or amounts.

It’s up to the sellers and their agent to decide which strategy works best for their situation and, according to the National Association of Realtors® 2020 Code of Ethics & Standards of Practice, only with seller approval can an agent disclose the existence of other offers to potential buyers.

However, as you might guess, it can stir up more heated bidding if it is revealed that there are multiple offers. A prospective buyer might learn that intel and hike up their bid or offer other concessions, such as foregoing an inspection.

How Do Multiple Offers Affect a Home Appraisal?

What happens in the event of an all-out bidding war? Say a house comes on the market where few other properties are available, and it has all kinds of dream amenities: an outdoor pizza oven and slate patio, the perfect family room with a wall begging for a ginormous flat screen, a spa-style bathroom with soaking tub, and all kinds of energy-efficient bells and whistles.

Some buyers may be tempted to keep increasing their offer to one-up the competition. Unfortunately, this could lead to drastically overpaying for the house. And when it comes time for the mortgage lender to approve the loan, they may think the home isn’t worth all that money.

In these cases, buyers can add an appraisal contingency to their offer, asserting that the appraised value of the property must meet or exceed the price they agreed to pay for it or they can walk away from the deal without losing their deposit.

But what about in competitive seller’s markets when making mortgage contingencies could mean losing the deal? In those cases, buyers might have to put down extra money to bridge the gap between what their lender is willing to give and what they offered.

Think carefully in this situation about what you would do if the only way to nab your dream home would be to come up with more cash. For some people, it might be possible (perhaps by borrowing from family); for others, it would mean walking away or risk overextending oneself and blowing one’s budget.

Recommended: Home Affordability Calculator

How Can Buyers Beat Other Offers on a House?

Are you wondering, “But how can I compete against multiple offers on a house?” There are a few things homebuyers can do to improve their odds of winning when there are multiple offers on a house. Consider the following options:

A Sizable Earnest Money Deposit

Earnest money is a deposit made to the sellers that serves as the buyers’ good faith gesture to purchase the house, typically while they work on getting their full financing in order.

The amount of the earnest money deposit generally ranges between 1% and 3% of the purchase price, but in hot housing markets, it could go up to 5% to 10% of the home’s sale price.

By offering on the higher end of the spectrum, homebuyers can beat out contenders who offer less attractive earnest money deposits.

Best and Final Offer

Going into a multiple-offer situation and expecting negotiation can be tricky. It’s typically suggested that buyers go in right away with their strongest offer; one they can still live with if they lose to a contender — aka, they know they gave it their all.

In some cases, sellers deliberately list the home for less than comparable sales in the area in an attempt to stir up a bidding war. By going in with their highest offers, buyers could end up paying what the house is actually worth while still winning the deal.

Recommended: 7 Steps to Buying a Home

All-Cash Offer

By offering to pay cash upfront for the property, homebuyers effectively eliminate the need for third party (lender) involvement in the transaction. This can be appealing to sellers who are looking to streamline the sale and close ASAP.

However, this is obviously not possible for all homebuyers. It requires having quite a chunk of change on reserve to make this kind of offer. For some though (including those who just sold another property), it could be an option.

Waived Contingencies

Whether it’s offering the sellers extra time to move out or waiving the home inspection, potential homebuyers can gain wiggle room when they start to waive contingencies.

Contingencies are conditions that must be met in order to close on a house. If they’re not met, the buyers can back out of the deal without losing their earnest money deposit.

By waiving certain contingencies, buyers show that they’re willing to take on a level of risk to close the deal.
This can be appealing to some sellers. Of course, if you are the prospective buyer in a multiple-bidding situation, it means you are taking on risk.

What if, say, after you purchase the home, you discover that there’s $10,000 worth of HVAC work that needs to be done? An inspection would likely have revealed this, and you would have been able to negotiate with the sellers about this. But when you waive the inspection, you will be on the hook for this kind of upgrade.

Recommended: 6 First-time Home-Buying Mistakes to Avoid

Signs of Sincerity and Respect

Because many sellers have pride in and a deep affection for their home, buyers who show sincerity, respect, and sentiment may score extra points.

In some cases, it may be helpful for bidders to write a letter that details what they love about the home, which adds to the positive interactions with the sellers and their agent. It can make the sellers feel as if their home will be in good hands, with people who appreciate it rather than want to do a gut reno and strip away all the features they treasure.

This could lead to winning in a multiple-offer situation, but seek your real estate agent’s advice before penning such a letter. It could be a turn-off to some sellers.

An Offer of Extra Time to Move Out

In some cases, sellers might appreciate (or even require) a bit of a buffer between the closing date and when they formally move out of the house.

By offering them a few extra days post-closing without asking for compensation, flexible buyers can get ahead of contenders who might have stricter buyer possession policies.

Or you might offer to lease back the property for a month or more, if that would help the sellers get settled in their next residence. This kind of flexibility could tip the balance in your favor.

A Mortgage Pre-Approval Letter

Most offers are submitted with a lender-drafted letter that indicates the purchasers are pre-qualified for a loan.

But did you know there’s a difference between getting pre-qualified vs. pre-approved? A pre-approval letter can take it a step further by showing that the buyers are able to procure borrowed funds after deep financial, background, and credit history screening.

Pre-approval signifies to some sellers that the buyers can put their money where their mouth is, lessening the possibility of future financing falling through.

Recommended: Guide to Buying, Selling, and Updating Your Home

Kick-Starting the Homebuying Process

If you’re shopping for a home or plan to do so in the near future, it’s a wise move to get a jump on the process by exploring your mortgage options. For instance, how much of a loan do you qualify for and at what interest rate? How much would you have to put down?

As you move through this process, see what SoFi Mortgage Loans can offer. Our loans are convenient loans and have competitive rates. Plus, they can be available to qualifying first-time homebuyers with as little as 3% down. By knowing what your home loan funding looks like, you may be able to bid with greater confidence.

Get a leg up on buying a home, and find your rate in minutes with SoFi Mortgage Loans.

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SoFi Mortgages
Terms, conditions, and state restrictions apply. Not all products are available in all states. See SoFi.com/eligibility-criteria for more information.

SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Tax Information: This article provides general background information only and is not intended to serve as legal or tax advice or as a substitute for legal counsel. You should consult your own attorney and/or tax advisor if you have a question requiring legal or tax advice.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

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