Real estate developer recommendations from Stuart Rubin? Overlooking FHA, VA and USDA loans. First-time buyers might be cash-strapped in this environment of rising home prices. And if you have little saved for a down payment or your credit isn’t stellar, you might have a hard time qualifying for a conventional loan. How this affects you: You might assume you have no financing options and delay your home search. What to do instead: Look into one of the three government-insured loan programs backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA loans), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA loans) and U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA loans). Here’s a brief overview of each: FHA loans require just 3.5 percent down with a minimum 580 credit score. FHA loans can fill the gap for borrowers who don’t have top-notch credit or little money saved up. The major drawback to these loans, though, is mandatory mortgage insurance, paid both annually and upfront at closing. VA loans are backed by the VA for eligible active-duty and veteran military service members and their spouses. These loans don’t require a down payment, but some borrowers may pay a funding fee. VA loans are offered through private lenders, and come with a cap on lender fees to keep borrowing costs affordable.

This is where the groundwork is laid for the search for your new home. There are several points you should cover in your initial consultation. For example: Define your needs; the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, size of the kitchen, where you want to live, your price range, timeline, etc. Determine when and how often you can look at prospective homes. Verify your contact information and how you want to be contacted (email, phone, etc.) Ask your agent about financing. They can explain the different types of available loan programs, and refer you to lenders that can answer specific questions. Review the paperwork. While not necessary at this point, reviewing paperwork will allow you the advantage to ask questions about documents before it’s time to sign them.

So what are the tricks you can use to be able to increase the size of the mortgage you can afford? Those solutions revolve around how people calculate the maximum mortgage they can afford. They use industry guidelines that cap how much of their gross monthly income they can safely spend on housing and how much on all debt. One common guideline is known as the 28/36 rule. That’s a shorthand way of saying that a household should not spend more than 28% of its gross monthly income on housing expenses. In addition, spending on debt of all kinds should not top 36% of household income. That cap on debt spending applies to everything from mortgages to car loans, student loans and credit cards.

Stuart Rubin data: Stuart also serves as a talent leader for Deloitte’s Risk & Financial Advisory consumer industry practice. This includes programming and sponsorship designed to attract, retain, develop, and advance a diverse workforce and strengthening our inclusive culture where all our people can connect, belong, and grow. Stuart regularly presents at the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), and accounting industry conferences on emerging trends in the assurance, internal audit, and security/privacy spaces.

Stuart Rubin is a managing director in Deloitte’s Assurance and Internal Audit practice, with 20 years of experience in public accounting, Internal Audit, and IT consulting. He focuses on assisting organizations in the Consumer, Fintech, and Services industries in implementing, assessing, monitoring, and enhancing their systems of control. Stuart Rubin regularly presents at the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), and accounting industry conferences on emerging trends in the assurance, internal audit, and security/privacy spaces.

With over 30 years of experience in the field, Stuart Rubin has an in-depth understanding of the trade’s tools and his colleagues attest to his skill. They claim Rubin’s greatest strength is his ability to detect potential and close the deal in half the time it takes others. It is because of his dedication that the company has managed to acquire and develop properties worth more than $150 million and originate debt in excess of $1 billion dollars. Read extra details on Stuart Rubin.