Real Estate Blog

A new survey conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs found a majority of Americans want to buy a home and think now is a good time to do it. In fact, a full 65 percent of respondents said they feel homeownership would be a dream come true or an accomplishment to be proud of and 72 percent said now is a good time to buy. The survey also found very few current renters who said they’d prefer to continue renting. In fact, just one in ten said they prefer renting to owning. But despite their desire to own their own home, many Americans have misconceptions about what is required to achieve that goal. For example, the survey found two-thirds of participants believed they’d need very good credit in order to qualify for a home loan and nearly half thought a good credit score was something over 780. In fact, 780 is typically considered an excellent credit score. Prospective home buyers were also scared off by the down payment. Many believed that a 20 percent down payment was always required to buy a house. However, depending on the type of loan, down payment requirements can be as low as 3.5 percent. In addition to that, there are many assistance programs available to buyers who need help coming up with a down payment. More here.