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The Low Down on Buy Downs

Hey All, here is a scenario I believe is going to be coming up a lot. Whether to go with a 2/1 Buy Down or use a Permanent Buy Down to decrease the rate. Many lender are coming out with a 2/1Buy Down. We are going to look at the 2/1 buy down vs. a permanent buy down and why the permanent buy down will help buyers in this market. I will go through both options, and how they work. 2/1 Buy Down: How it works: In this scenario the Buyer is locked at current pricing (lets say 6.25%), but receives a 2%(4.25%) rate reduction the first year and a 1%(5.25%) rate reduction the second year. The third year the buyer pays the full amount of the mortgage at the rate they were locked in at (6.25%)The seller pays the difference in interest for the 2 years, this amount is deposited into an escrow account. When the Buyer makes a mortgage payment the money in the escrow account covers the difference between the rate reduction payment and the full payment the Buyer was locked in at. Pros: * Buyer gets a lower payment for the first 2years * If they refinance before the 2 years the money in the escrow account is applied to the principle. * Helps with cash flow for investment properties (certain terms apply, as 2% is max concession on investment properties) Cons: * Must be seller financed * You are qualified and approved on the LOCKED IN rate (in this case 6.25%) * Does not bring down DTI The biggest issue we face right now is Affordability, and although 2/1 buy downs help with payment, it does not help buyers increase their purchasing power that was lost with the increase in rates. This is why, in my opinion, a 2/1 buy down is just a gimmick for the lenders to use. Permanent Buy Down: How it works: This is simply using a seller concession to strictly pay for discount points for the Buyer. The money from the seller goes directly to permanently buy down the rate. Pros: * Seller can contribute up to the maximum concession (based on down payment) towards the buy down * The buy down rate IS the rate used to qualify and approve the Buyer (This significantly reduces DTI, and helps clients purchasing power) * Can help clients go conventional versus FHA (Due to high DTI) Cons: * Has to be seller financed due to High cost mortgage laws * Not as great savings vs a 2/1 buy down initially, but helps qualify for a larger purchase As you can see they both can have some benefits to our clients. However, in this increasing rate market the biggest issue we face is affordability. With a permanent buy down we can help clients afford a higher priced home they wont be able to afford in this market. On average a 1% decrease in rate equals about 45K in purchase power. Hope this helps Thanks Jeff McCarthy

Reviews

"I’m a first time homebuyer post divorce. My mortgage broker Jeff made this complicated process understandable and easy to navigate. Jeff was always available for any questions that I had. I’m so glad that he was my broker. He and my realtor continuously advocated for me. I look forward to working with Jeff and the company again! I highly recommend this company!!!!"

debra madison

"I was very happy being able to work with him, and I really appreciate his patience and comprehension. He was able to successfully help me with everything that I needed. There is nothing negative to say about him at all. He is one of the best lenders and I really appreciate his positive attitude, and I hope he continues to do this throughout his career. I will definitely be recommending and referring him to more people, everyone deserves such a great person like Jeff! Thank for everything. May God continue to bless you in everything you do. Esther Rivert"

esther rivert

"My husband and I are first time homebuyers and we weren’t quite sure where to start our journey but Jeffrey McCarthy held our hands all the way through this process! Not only did he go out of his way to put together visual breakdowns of different mortgage options, but he was readily available at all times and prompt with everything that needed to be done. He really went above and beyond to help and support us and answer every question we had! We have been told time and time again about how grueling the homebuying process is for first time homebuyers and I am proud to say we experienced NO difficulties through our entire process as Jeff made it a breeze for us! We are incredibly grateful!"

xochi

"Thank you, Jeff for sticking with us for literally 6 months to make sure we had the perfect home for us to bring baby girl into. You worked so hard for us and we’re above and beyond our expectations. We truly appreciate you"

alex hacker

"The mortgage experience went smoothly, there were a few bumps, to be expected, but Jeff smoothed them out. Total transparency. Thanks!"

chris haggerty

"Jeffrey McCarthy with Nexa mortgage can not be rated highly enough. His knowledge and explanation of the entire mortgage process was very reassuring. Somehow he combined his professionalism and knowledge all together while making you feel like an old friend. I can't recommend him enough and as a matter of fact, I have already referred him to several of my colleagues."

ginger huber

"Amazing experience with Jeff! He’s great at communicating and transparent throughout the whole process. Not one question left unanswered. Would recommend him to anyone buying a home."

loveleen chapman

"We have had an amazing experience with Jeff from start to finish with buying our first home. Answering any questions and breaking down all of the information for us thoroughly. We honestly can’t recommend him enough and thanks Jeff for making this experience so stress free!"

bethany chasney

"Jeffery was excellent the entire time he had been helping me for over a year he was very patient and helpful"

amber fogarty