There are a variety of reasons why you might consider buying a second home. It can be a sound investment or a relaxing vacation spot. Whether you have a place in mind or are just starting to search the market, you will need to know how to buy a second home.
Table of Contents
How to Buy a Second Home
Types of Second Homes
Can You Afford a Second Home?
Buying a Second Home Financial Requirements
Second Home Mortgage Rates
Should You Buy a Second Home?
Alternative Financing to Buy a Second Home
Buying a Second Home Bottom Line
How to Buy a Second Home
- Decide Where You Want to Buy
- Arrange Financing For Your Second Home
- Hire a Real Estate Agent
- Find Your Ideal Second Home
- Close on Your Second Home
1. Decide Where You Want to Buy
The first thing you need to do to buy a second home is to decide where you want to purchase. This will often be influenced by the reason you're buying a second home. If you have a vacation spot or retirement location in mind, then you are pretty set. However, you have more options if you are considering a rental or another investment property. You might consider purchasing a place at a popular vacationing location such as a beach, a lake, or a lively city. Or you may want something local so that you can keep your eyes on it. Or, you may want to take advantage of all those college students looking for places to live every year.
2. Arrange Financing For Your Second Home
The next step in buying a second home is getting financing. If you're paying all cash, that's great, but most second-home buyers will need to get a mortgage. Securing a mortgage for a second home is not as easy as it may have been for your first. The requirements for a second home mortgage are much stricter. Typically, you'll need great finances, excellent credit, and a larger down payment.
3. Hire a Real Estate Agent
Once you've secured financing and decided where you want to buy a second home, you'll want to hire a local realtor to help guide you through the process. An experienced real estate agent will know the area and can help find the best properties. They can also answer questions you have about the local market and introduce you to other professionals including real estate attorneys and mortgage brokers.
4. Find Your Ideal Second Home
After securing financing and finding a realtor, it's time to start looking at second homes that suit your needs. Your real estate agent will help arrange viewings and tours of the properties that interest you. Once you find the second home you want to buy, your agent will help you make an offer on the property and negotiate a deal.
5. Close on Your Second Home
The final step in buying a second home is closing. After the seller accepts your offer and the contract is signed, you'll spend the next few weeks going through the closing process. This includes things like a home inspection, an appraisal, and finalizing your mortgage loan. Then, when it's time for closing day you and your agent will head to the closing table to finalize the deal.
Types of Second Homes
- Vacation Homes
- Investment Homes
- Retirement Home
- Second Home For Work
1. Vacation Homes
Perhaps you want to spend your winters in warmer weather or just have a place to get out of town for the weekend. You might even consider renting the home out the rest of the time to other vacation goers. In some popular locations, rental income from a property can essentially pay all the bills.
2. Investment Homes
Real estate is a popular investment option. If you do not plan on living at the property, you can look into long-term rentals, 6- to 12-month periods. Another investment strategy is the fix and flip method where you purchase older or damaged homes, fix them up, and flip them for profit. This demands more time and money, but it’s a popular option as well.
3. Retirement Home
A popular option for older individuals and couples is the purchase of a retirement home. Perhaps the ideal home has become available a few years before your retirement. You can purchase now and have it ready for you upon retirement. It can even be used as a rental property in the meantime.
4. Second Home For Work
Maybe your job demands that you spend a lot of time in two locations. Buying a second home in the second location can save you the time, money, and headache that comes with always trying to find a place to stay.
Can You Afford a Second Home?
Okay, now that all the excitement has worn off, it is time to get serious. Can you afford a second home? Sure it might sound like a great idea, but do you have the money, or can you get the money to purchase a second home and stay out of financial trouble?
Even if you plan to rent out the property, you need to make sure you can afford the upfront costs as well as other monthly costs if you are unable to find tenants immediately.
Buying a Second Home Financial Requirements
1. Debt-to-income ratio
One thing most lenders are going to consider before offering you a loan is your debt-to-income ratio. Debt-to-income is a comparison between how much debt you have and your income. Debt includes any monthly recurring payments. These include credit cards, other mortgages, car loans, leases, and student loans. Your income is how much money you are bringing in monthly.
If you have a monthly income of $4000 and pay $1200 against debt, then your debt-to-income ratio is 30% (1200/4000 = 0.3). The lower this number, the better. Lenders typically will not offer a second mortgage unless your debt-to-income ratio is below 43%. Other lenders are more strict and look for ratios closer to 36%.
If your ratio is below 36%, you will likely have no problem getting a mortgage for your second home. If your ratio is somewhere between those two numbers, you may have to shop around a bit to find a lender who will work with you. If your ratio is above those numbers, especially if it is significantly above it, you should work on lowering the ratio before purchasing a second home or seeking alternative funding options.
2. Down Payment
Because you cannot qualify for loans from the Federal Housing Administration or Department of Veterans Affairs on a second home, it will be difficult to find low or no down payment options. Most lenders are going to require a minimum 20% down payment to receive a mortgage.
The lender may require a 30% or higher down payment if you plan on renting the property out. This is because of the uncertainty in the rental market. You may struggle to find tenants at some point, and the lender needs to know their investment will be safe.
If your debt-to-income ratio is significantly high, you may be able to receive a mortgage if you can afford to make a higher down payment. For instance, if you have a ratio of 55% but you can afford a 50% down payment, there may be lenders who are willing to work with you because you may qualify for lower rates and cheaper premiums.
3. Credit Score
You'll also need to have good credit to buy a second home, as most creditors will also expect a high credit score to qualify for a mortgage for a second residence. They typically require a credit score of 720 or higher to qualify for a mortgage for a second home.
Second Home Mortgage Rates
Exact mortgage rates will vary with the market, but you should expect to pay a slightly above-market rate for your second home. If the 30-year fixed rate is 5.4%, you might see rates for second homes closer to 5.7%, or higher.
Your exact rate will vary based on other factors as well. These include your financial state, the size of the down payment, terms of the loan, property type, and location.
Should You Buy a Second Home?
Even if you do qualify for a mortgage for your second home, you should still review your budget to make sure the purchase makes sense. It is essential to know all of the costs going in. These include taxes, maintenance, homeowners or condo owners association fees, furnishing costs, landscaping, and insurance.
You may intend for your property to pay for itself with rental income, or at least help ease the monthly costs. But what if you can not find tenants right away and have to go a few months making the payments yourself? Can you afford that?
These are questions you should consider before going in. Assessing your financial situation and talking with a financial advisor might offer a clearer idea of your options. At the very least, if you cannot afford a second home right now, you can develop a new financial plan that allows you to purchase one in the future.
Alternative Financing to Buy a Second Home
You can seek alternative funding sources if you are committed to purchasing your second home now but will not qualify for a second mortgage. You might consider joint-mortgage or loan options from friends or family. Each of these comes with their own risks and should be assessed seriously before going with them instead.
In either case, buying a second home can be a fun and exciting venture. It can also be a dangerous one if you are diving in headfirst. It is best to test the water, assess your funding options, and your financial situation to ensure success with your second home.
Buying a Second Home Bottom Line
Buying a second home is a bit more complicated than purchasing your first home, but it's a straightforward process if you know what you're doing. You'll need to have great finances to buy a second home, but it's typically worth it in the end as you'll either have a wonderful vacation home to enjoy or an investment property that will provide you with additional cash flow each month.