If you have to or want to relocate to a new place, and that new place is in Ohio, there is one thing left to consider: should you rent or buy the property? It is a difficult decision, but we intend to make it easier for you by explaining why buying a home is better than renting in Ohio.
Affordable homes
While buying a home can seem like a significant investment, Ohio’s home market offers low home prices. It is also in the top 20 states with the lowest cost of living. And while most people in the larger cities do rent their residences, most people in Ohio own their homes.
Low down payments
There are government assistance and loan programs that can get qualified homeowners into a home with a down payment as low as zero dollars. While this may sound too good to be true, do keep in mind that this doesn’t include closing costs. Programs vary, and both the lenders and borrowers have to meet specific requirements. But if you’re looking to buy a home with no down payment, you should look into a VA loan (for active-duty military, veterans, or military spouses), a USDA loan, or the Chenoa Fund.
Due to low interest rates buying a home is better than renting in Ohio
The argument for why buying a home instead of renting one only gets better when you think about the low-interest rates currently available. What may seem like a slight difference in the interest rate can make a massive difference in your monthly payment. Interest rates are still competitively low, which makes for a great time to purchase a home and take advantage of the low rates. Settling into a low 30-year mortgage plan could save you hundreds of dollars every month for years into the future. When comparing the current rental rates against mortgage payments, you will find that the rental rates are much higher.
Gift money can be used as a down payment
Believe it or not, you can use the money you receive from friends and family for a down payment. The money you receive for your birthday or any special occasion is just as valid as any other for your down payment. Chances are, you will still have to come up with some cash on your own to cover the total cost, but it is still less than you would have to come up with.
Long-term investment
Homeownership is a great way to invest. When you buy a home with, for example, a 20-year mortgage and make monthly payments – in the end, you will own a home to sell. While if you pay monthly rent for the same amount of time, you will have nothing to show for it.
Ohio is easy to move to
The state of Ohio is within a day’s ride to 50% of the population in the continental US, which makes an interstate move easy to organize. Of course, there are details which you need to consider carefully when moving homes, even when moving to a home in the same state. Still, with the proper checklist, it is easy to organize a move to Ohio, even if you are moving from the other side of the continent.
You can do whatever you want with your property
Owning your home means you can paint your walls a different color, change the tiling of your floor, or change whatever you wish without asking a landlord for permission. Such home improvements and renovations could even increase the value of your property.
No risk of being evicted
When you own your home, there is no chance that your landowner will randomly decide to replace you with another tenant. You don’t have to worry about packing up, preparing your electronics, and looking for a place to stay on short notice. And while you can use professional services to pack your entire household or have your electronics ready to go in no time, you don’t need that hassle in life.
Also, you can throw parties or be as loud as you want, and no one would care. Well, as long as you don’t disturb the neighbors, of course.
Predictable payments
If you can get a fixed-rate mortgage on a home purchase, your mortgage payment will never change. While, if you are a renter, your rent can always go up in price. Besides this, the mortgage payment is the greatest portion of an owner’s house payment; this leaves a lot of budget predictability for other expenses, such as hiring reliable movers to get you to your new home.
Rent a room for extra income
Being a homeowner means you can rent out a room. Maybe you could bring in a long-term tenant or rent a room short-term to help with the mortgage payment. As a homeowner, everything is up to you – the price, how often you have someone renting from you, and so on.
Tax advantages
One huge benefit of buying a home over renting is that homeowners can deduct mortgage interest and property taxes when filing tax returns every year. Taking as an example a $300.000 home with 10% down, a mortgage calculator shows total monthly housing cost of around $1,731 with $1,231 in principal and interest, $300 in property taxes, insurance of $67, and mortgage insurance of $133 (which is required when putting less than 20% down). The tax deductions homeowners get for mortgage interest and property taxes save $335 every month in taxes, so, subtracting this from the total monthly housing cost of $1,731, you get an after-tax housing cost of $1,396. A significant amount of savings from tax benefits often makes owning a home cheaper or the same price as renting. So, this clearly shows that buying a home is better than renting in Ohio.
In conclusion
At the end of the day, it is up to you if you decide to buy or rent a home for yourself, but it is essential to weigh all of your options before making a final decision. We hope that this text has helped you see the reasons why buying a home is better than renting in Ohio.