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There are many ways parents can help their children purchase a home: contributing to a down payment, helping with closing costs, co-signing a mortgage or allowing their kids to move back home so that they can save money.

While most of these avenues involve giving your children money, deciding where that money should come from is an important decision. For parents nearing retirement, pulling money from a savings account or a 401(k) retirement account can be problematic if the money is needed for retirement. Without it, they could end up moving into the house they helped their children buy.

A poll by loanDepot found that more parents are planning to help their millennial children buy their first home. Sixty-seven percent said they planned to pull the money from their savings account.

Here are the percentage of poll respondents who planned to use other sources of parental support:

• Refinancing their own home: 8 percent
• Taking out an unsecured personal loan: 8 percent
• Selling equities: 5 percent
• Borrow from 401(k): 4 percent
• Sell primary home: 2 percent

For the parents who do pull money from their savings account to help with a down payment, theres some disagreement with their children over whether the financial support is a gift, loan, inheritance or something else, the poll found.

Most parents (68 percent) view it as a gift, while more millennials (36 percent) viewed the financial support as a loan to be repaid (29 percent).

A down payment on a home is the most common form of assistance from parents, with half of those polled planning to help in that way on future purchases. The other methods were:

• Allowing their kids to continue living at home to save money: 33 percent
• Paying other expenses so the children could save money: 30 percent
• Kids moved back home: 22 percent
• Help with closing costs: 20 percent
• Co-sign the mortgage: 20 percent
• Help pay down student loan debt: 18 percent
• Help pay their rent for a period of time: 8 percent

Allowing an adult child to move back home so they can save money may be the least costly option for parents wanting to help their children buy a home, as it shouldnt require parents to pull money from their savings or retirement accounts that they will surely need down the road.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Closing costs are 2-5 percent of the purchase price of a home, resulting in an average of $3,700 in fees for paperwork required to buy a house. Thats a lot of money to come up with when you may have already put everything toward a down payment.

Some fees from mortgage lenders are required by federal law to be the same, and there isnt much you can do to change these costs listed in a HUD settlement statement ” origination, underwriting, administrative and doc-preparation, among others.

Other closing costs, however, can be negotiated. Here are some to check into:

Lender fees: All customers must legally be charged the same lender fees by a lender, so you cant negotiate them. But you can shop around for a lender with low fees, as seen in their good faith estimates, which shouldnt differ from the HUD statement.

Higher loan rate: If youre willing to pay a higher loan rate, then lenders will discount the fees. Those can be added to the loan and are seen through a slightly higher monthly mortgage payment.

Title insurance: This type of insurance is required to protect the lender and you if there are undiscovered liens against the property. Shop around for lower title insurance or negotiate the fee.

Home insurance: Lenders require a home insurance policy, which can cost from $300 to $1,000 a year, depending on where you live and the type of home. Shop for an insurer that offers discounts for certain factors, such as having multiple policies, a new roof or specific home improvements.

Negotiate with the seller: If youre in a buyers market, ask a home seller to cover part of your closing costs. The worst that can happen is they say no.

Add costs to the loan: If none of these tactics work and you still have difficulty paying closing costs, ask your lender to add them to the loan. Instead of paying these costs all at once, youll be able to pay them over 30 years or however long your home loan is for; you wont feel the financial pain as much over time.

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When applying for a home loan, it’s important to keep in mind how much monthly mortgage you can afford. Through the approval process, lenders will factor in your credit score, income and other financial data to determine the maximum loan amount youre eligible for, and you may qualify for more than you can afford. Consider how much you should borrow to keep your monthly expenses and family budget manageable.

To start that calculation, find an online mortgage calculator. It should show you the total costs of owning a home beyond the principal and interest of a mortgage. Other expenses can include private mortgage insurance, home insurance, property taxes and HOA fees.

Once you have that total number, you can determine if it fits within your monthly budget. If not, then you may have to find a lower-priced house to buy.

28 percent, a good start
The Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act requires mortgage lenders to determine that borrowers can reasonably repay a loan. The decision is based on an applicants credit, job stability and income. The law doesnt allow mortgages to take up more than 35 percent of monthly income.

Many lenders use more stringent requirements, limiting a payment to 28 percent of monthly income.

How to do the math
Doing the math on how 28 percent of income equates to dollars is easy: Multiply your monthly income by 28, then divide that by 100. That number equals 28 percent of your monthly income.

Heres an example: The median U.S. household income in September 2014 was $51,939, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That equals about $4,328 per month in income. Multiply that by 28 to get $121,191, then divide by 100 to get $1,211.

That $1,211 is 28 percent of the median households monthly income.

Beware of other debt
Other debt and expenses, however, may make it difficult to afford paying 28 percent of your monthly income toward a mortgage.

Credit card debt, a car loan and student loans will also be looked at by lenders, and if they add up to more than 7 percent of your income you may not qualify for a mortgage that costs 28 percent of your income. Your debt-to-income ratio would be at 35 percent or higher, and a lender may require you to pay off some debts before approving you for a home loan.

Contact me for more insights and info.

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Many people have debts that they are unable to repay. Sometimes, this is a result of overspending. In many cases, it occurs because of a job loss, an illness or injury that makes it impossible to work, or a divorce. When people are buried in debt, bankruptcy may seem like the only viable solution.

Bankruptcy does not need to cloud your finances forever. With some hard work and patience, you may even be able to realize your dream of owning a home. Here are some strategies to improve your situation and qualify for a mortgage.

Steps to Take
The first thing you need to do is to have the bankruptcy discharged. If you are still in the process of filing for bankruptcy or working with a credit counselor, you will not be able to qualify for a mortgage.

After your bankruptcy has been discharged, request copies of your credit report from the three main credit agencies: TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. Mistakes on your credit report can make it difficult to obtain a mortgage. If you find any, write to the credit agencies, provide documentation and ask them to correct the information.

You will need to rebuild your credit to prove to lenders that you are able to manage money responsibly. One way to do that is to apply for a secured credit card. The issuer will provide you with a line of credit limited to the amount of money you have in an account with the bank. Avoid making purchases that will use too much of your available credit line. To take it up a notch, make payments on time and pay as much as possible to keep your debt low, avoid high interest payments and rebuild your credit score.

You can also improve your credit score by making payments on an installment loan. This is a loan with monthly payments, such as for a vehicle, student or personal loan. Making payments on time every month can show lenders that you are a low risk borrower.

Since mortgage lenders look for borrowers who are employed and stable, stay at your job for as long as possible to improve your chances of qualifying for a mortgage.

It is generally a good idea to wait at least two years after your bankruptcy is discharged before applying for a mortgage. While you might be able to obtain a loan sooner, it would likely be at a higher interest rate, which would result in high monthly payments. While you are waiting to apply for a mortgage, save as much money possible to put toward a down payment and closing costs.

Working Toward a Brighter Future
Declaring bankruptcy is a setback, but it does not have to prevent your dream of owning a home from becoming a reality. Take some time to rebuild your credit, save money and prove to lenders that you can be trusted to repay a loan. With time and dedication, you can be on the road to obtaining a mortgage and living in the home of your dreams.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Whether you just moved into a new place or are looking to freshen up for important company, getting rid of musty odors can be difficult. Below are five helpful ways to freshen up the smell of your spot.

Include house plants. Even the subtlest-smelling house plant will help clean the air through natural filtration. In addition to potted varieties, add cut flowers in vases for a sweet floral scent.

Wash walls. Odors can often become trapped on your actual walls. Once a year, remove pictures and art and give the walls a good scrub down with a natural solution, like diluted vinegar. Be sure to test the solution in an unseen corner first to make sure no discoloring will occur.

Air out drapes. Heavy window hangings are a prime culprit of trapped smells. Drag them outside to hang on a breezy line for a day to return them to their natural smelling state.

Clean rugs. If you have area rugs or wall-to-wall carpeting, it’s important to give them annual washings to keep them smelling fresh, especially if you’re a pet owner. You can air out area rugs outside, and steam clean installed carpeting.

Throw open windows. Opening all the windows in your home can do wonders for the smell state of your space. This is especially helpful in winter, when windows tend to stay closed for months on end as heat pumps inside. On a clear day where rain is not on the forecast, throw on a sweater and open your windows to refresh the air inside.

Interested in more housing tips? Feel free to contact me directly.

Published with permission from RISMedia.