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There are plenty of pf perks of buying and owning a condo. At the same time, taking out an FHA loan also has its benefits. Below, we have compiled some helpful tips and strategies for buying a condo in Seattle, when using an FHA loan.
The first thing you need to know about buying a condo in Seattle with an FHA loan is that the condominium project must be on the “approved” list.
This means that the condominium has been reviewed by officials from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and meets all of their minimum criteria. If the project appears on the approved list, you could use an FHA loan to buy one of the condo units.
Before looking at condos or making any purchase offers, it’s wise to get pre-approved for a mortgage loan. This is true for all types of loans, including FHA and conventional.
The Seattle condo market is very competitive right now, mostly due to a lack of inventory. So you want to have your financing arranged ahead of time, to show sellers you are serious about purchasing a condo.
Being pre-approved for a loan also helps you narrow your search to the types of condos you can actually afford. All of these things will result in a more efficient search. And efficiency is important when buying a condo in the competitive Seattle real estate market.
Regardless of whether you are buying a condo or a detached single-family home in Seattle, you should have a basic budget on paper before you start house hunting.
It doesn’t have to be anything complex. Just take a look at the money you spend each month on your combined expenses (including savings and retirement contributions), and then subtract that total from your net income or take-home pay. This is a starting point for determining how much you can afford to spend each month toward your housing payments.
When it comes to buying a condo in Seattle with an FHA loan, you have an additional expense to consider as well. Most condominium units have additional costs, including association fees. Do some research ahead of time to find out what these fees might be within the condominium project you are considering, and include them within your budgeting process.
Whether you are using an FHA or conventional loan to buy a condo in Seattle, you want to make your first offer is a strong one. Earlier, we talked about the highly competitive nature of the Seattle real estate market. This is especially true for condos, which are currently in short supply.
As a result of these market conditions, you’ll want to make a strong and realistic offer based on recent sales prices. Fortunately, you can find this kind of information online, using any of the major real estate listing websites. Pay particular attention to comparable sales, which are those that are similar to the condo unit you’re thinking of buying.
Are you curious about mortgages or are ready to apply for one? We can help. Sammamish Mortgage is a local, family-owned company based in Bellevue, Washington. We serve the entire state, as well as Colorado, Idaho, and Oregon. We’ve been offering mortgage programs to clients since 1992, and we’d love to help you too. Please contact us if you have mortgage-related questions.
Whether you’re buying a home or ready to refinance, our professionals can help.
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No Obligation and transparency 24/7. Instantly compare live rates and costs from our network of lenders across the country. Real-time accurate rates and closing costs for a variety of loan programs custom to your specific situation.