It’s easy to feel like owning your home is a bit of a pipedream. If your wages are not growing fast or not growing at all, which is the case for most people, it’s hard to see how that mortgage will ever get paid off. Owning your home and ridding yourself of the mortgage that’s tied to it might not be as far-fetched as you think, though. In fact, it could be simple if you get a few things right.
You just need to take a few steps in the right kind of direction and ensure that you don’t take on more than you can handle on. The simpler you can make your financial situation, the easier it will be for you to get a handle on it and pay off your mortgage faster. Of course, the exact route you take will depend on your own personal situation with regards to finances. But there are some things that everyone can do in order to give themselves a better chance of owning their home and paying off their mortgage.
Secure a Mortgage That is Manageable and Can be Realistically Paid Off
First of all, you need to make sure that the original mortgage you choose is going to be right for you. If you choose the wrong kind of mortgage with terms that don’t suit you properly, you will find it much more difficult to pay that mortgage off. That’s just the way it is, so you need to be very careful indeed. It could be worth talking to an independent financial advisor when it comes to getting a loan. Only they will be able to give you the impartial advice you need when it comes to finding the right mortgage solution for you. Don’t be duped into selecting a mortgage that a broker is trying to sell you until you know all the facts.
Don’t Assume the Worst
Many people simple assume that their mortgage won’t be paid off until they’re in old age. But that kind of negative thinking will get you nowhere. If you believe that to be the case, then that’s what will happen. However, you can take action and make sure that your mortgage is paid off faster if you want to. A large part of your success with regards to paying off your mortgage is about the kind of mentality you have going into the process. Try to be positive about your chances of paying it off fast, and be open to listening to new ideas that could help you do exactly that.
Avoid the Temptation to Remortgage When That Temptation Arises
Remortgaging can free up some cash for you, and that’s why lots of people choose to do it. They use it as a way of making their financial situation a little easier. But it’s something that should only be considered if you have no other options open to you. Remortgaging, in most situations, is not a good thing when it comes to ridding yourself of a mortgage in the long-term. It will drag out the process even longer and cause more problems for you going forward. So, when that temptation arises, think carefully and try to avoid it if you can.
… Unless You Can Make Savings by Doing So
However, there are some instances in which refinancing your mortgage might not be the worst idea in the world. It’s always important to look at the deal you can get. Sometimes, refinancing is all about improving the deal you have and making sure that you don’t end up paying more than you actually need to. If there is a cheaper rate available to you, and you can avoid any of those pesky penalties for breaking your current mortgage agreement, you should go for it. It could help you to make your mortgage more manageable and easy to pay off in the long-run.
Only Move if Necessary
Moving house and getting a new mortgage is something that should only do if it’s really necessary. When you move, you get a new mortgage, and this can set you back to the start of the process. The dream of owning your home without a mortgage will fade into obscurity. Of course, sometimes you can’t help but move because of various reasons and factors in life. But always think about how this will impact on your chances of ridding yourself of a mortgage. It could be better to wait until you’ve paid off your mortgage before you make another move. Then you’ll never have to worry about debts and repayments again.
Steadily Increase Your Mortgage Payments Each Year
Can you afford to pay more towards your mortgage repayments each year? Most people can afford to pay a little more if they try. But you don’t want to stretch yourself too far and get into financial trouble either. What’s most important is that you steadily increase your mortgage repayments with each year that passes. By paying more each year, you will be able to keep speeding up the rate at which you move towards owning the home. And by doing it gradually and slowly, you can make sure that it’s done in a sustainable kind of way as well. That’s something that’s really important.
Consider Making Mortgage Payments More Frequently
This is a trick that lots of people take advantage of. Making payments more frequently can help you to pay off your mortgage more quickly. But why is that the case? Well, you pay less in interest when you make payments more frequently. This can lead to you saving thousands in the long-term. That’s not something that you can afford to pass up, so make smaller payments more frequently. Most people don’t even realize that this makes a difference to how fast they can get rid of their mortgage debt. But now that you know, make sure that you take action and make the most of this.
Find a Debt Reduction Strategy That Works for You
Finding a debt reduction strategy is something that anyone with a mortgage should do. Your mortgage is a form of debt, and you should treat it as such even if you don’t see it that way. There are lots of ways you can come up with a strategy. But this is something that should be quite specific to you. By reducing your loan, you will be able to own the home without having a mortgage tied to it. The debt reduction strategy you come up with has to be stuck to. You can get professional help and support if you are having trouble formulating a strategy.
Pay Lump Sums Here and There
There is nothing stopping you paying lump sums towards your overall mortgage lender. This will help you to reduce the size of the debt. You don’t need to stick to the rigid repayment plan that is already in place if you have other ways of getting that debt down. By paying off larger amounts here and there, you will see your overall debt obligation reduce much more rapidly. You won’t have to be making those repayments for as long as you otherwise would have to. Of course, you will only be able to pay these lump sums occasionally when your financial situation is good and healthy.
Simply Spend Less on Less Important Things
This might sound like a pretty obvious thing to say, but it’s worth reiterating. When you spend more than you can afford to on things that are not important, that money is going to waste. Think about it; any money that you spend on unimportant things is money that could otherwise have gone towards paying off your mortgage. So, every time you’re tempted to make a frivolous purchase, imagine how better that money could be spent. If you did this every time you spend on something unimportant, you could end up paying off your mortgage a lot faster than you think you’d be able to. Keep this in mind going forward.
Owning Your Home Without a Mortgage Doesn’t Have to be a Pipedream
Having now read and understood all the points made above, you should agree that owning your home and not having to deal with a mortgage for too much longer doesn’t need to be a pipedream. It can be realistic for you and lots of people like you. Start by looking at your mortgage situation and your own personal finances. By making some of the tweaks and changes that have been mentioned in this guide, you will be able to gain more control over the situation. That can only be a good thing for you if you want to pay off your mortgage anytime soon, so get to work on this as soon as possible.
As unrealistic as it might currently seem to own your home, don’t give up on the prospect. If you can make the most of some of the tips and advice detailed above, you might be a homeowner without a mortgage sooner than you had previously imagined.
The post Is Owning Your Home and Ridding Yourself of a Mortgage Really Just a Pipedream? appeared first on Diversified Finances.