“A bend in the road is not the end of the road, unless you fail to make the turn.” Successories

You just parked your car in the driveway, unpacked your suitcase and holiday presents and swept the last of New Year’s confetti out of the floorboard. Once inside the house, you flip on the news to get the latest financial headlines.  Inflation, higher interest rates and increasing real estate values are the headlines.  It’s time for another road trip—a financial road trip, using your real estate to protect your finances. 

No one has a crystal ball, but history tells us that inflation erodes the value of our money and higher interest rates reduce our buying and borrowing power.  Which road do we take to protect ourselves against inflation and rising rate market forces? 

Here are the routes some homeowners decided to take to protect their wealth based on market predictions:

Lower Rate-Lower Payment-The Smiths refinanced and lowered their interest rate and freed up a few hundred dollars per month by lowering their mortgage payment.  They plan to take part of the extra money and pay off variable rate debt. The other part of their savings is to take some memorable vacations. 

Refinance to Shorten Term and Pay Off Mortgage Sooner-The Millers have ratcheted down their mortgage rate and eliminated ten years off their mortgage term. Now they can retire without being tied down to a mortgage payment. 

Refinance Using Cash Out to Restructure Finances- The Garcia family took this opportunity to refinance  and pull cash out using a fixed mortgage rate program. The Garcia’s used the cash out to upgrade and modify their home for their own enjoyment and to open the door for other family members to live with them to reduce living costs.  John and Jane Doe bought an additional house to create more positive cash flow each month from the rental income.   

The Johnsons had been renting an apartment for years but finally broke away from paying their landlord’s mortgage.  They bought their first home and locked in a fixed-rate mortgage that will help them build wealth and keep their budget on track.  They don’t have to worry about the landlord raising their rent every year. 

The opportunity is here now but will be gone one day, and we don’t know when.   Consult with your financial advisors and do something today. Don’t regret missing the opportunity. 

Home values are predicted to continue to increase in 2022, but at a more moderate pace depending on how high interest rates climb.  Inventory of homes for sale will still be tight but more homes are predicted to hit the market throughout the year.   

The Millennial generation is leading the charge when it comes to buying homes.  The Millennial generation and the emerging Generation Z appear to be keeping the outlook strong for the future on home sales and strong real estate values.  

Find more tools and resources for overcoming common barriers to mortgage approval from the book by Jo Garner  “Choosing the Best Mortgage: The Quickest Way to the Life You Want”  on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.