How to Save for a Mortgage Deposit: Strategies and Tips

Saving for a mortgage deposit is one of the most significant financial challenges many people face when trying to buy a home. With property prices in Ireland on the rise, it can seem like a daunting task. However, with a clear strategy and some practical tips, you can make steady progress toward your goal. Here’s how you can effectively save for a mortgage deposit.

Set a Goal and Plan a Budget.

Set a goal. The first step in saving for a mortgage deposit is knowing how much you need to save. Typically, a deposit in Ireland ranges from 10% to 20% of the property’s value. Research the property market in your desired area to get an idea of the prices and calculate your target deposit amount. For example, if you’re aiming to buy a home worth €300,000, you’ll need between €30,000 and €60,000 for the deposit.

A well-planned budget is also crucial. It identifies how much you can save each month towards your goal. Start by tracking your income and expenses to understand where your money goes. Categorize you’re spending …

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Repayment Capacity

One of the most important elements of applying for a mortgage is repayment capacity. The lenders will want reassurance that you can pay the monthly mortgage amount that you would be due to pay.

You can demonstrate repayment capacity in many ways, the main three would be, savings, rent or your current mortgage.

As an example, if you mortgage repayments are going to be 1500 per month, the lenders will want to see you paying this amount for at least 6 months prior to an application. One common mistake we have seen recently is clients who are saving 1500 at the start of a month and gradually withdrawing it as the month progresses. If you save 1500 in at the start of the month and finish the month with an increase of 500 in savings, you have only saved 500 euros that calendar month.

We can offer our tips and explain the best way to monitor this at any stage, please feel free to contact me at james.curd(at)yes.ie

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The Dos and Don’ts for Mortgage Acquisition in Ireland

Many expatriates relocate to Ireland for employment, education, or retirement, with many more opting for a vacation residence in the country. Whether you choose to live in Dublin or a beach town, Ireland has a fantastic home for you. If you’re thinking of purchasing a home to live in, an investment property, or a holiday home in Ireland, you’ll need to know not just what types of mortgages available and how to get one established, but also what not to do. Even as buyer from within Ireland, getting approval for an Irish mortgage has been difficult in recent years. The amount of mortgage financing in Ireland is increasing, which implies that acquiring a house loan is becoming simpler. Banks, on the other hand, are still cautious about lending money, and so you can expect to be asked for a variety of papers to verify that any mortgage loan you take out is manageable to you.

You should be able to determine whether you want acquire a fixed rate or a variable rate loan when selecting a mortgage plan. This is a crucial decision because …

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What to Consider Before Acquiring a Mortgage for the First Time in Ireland

When you want to get yourself a home, you might not be all psyched up as it may seem to be a daunting task. In my opinion, and based on the research I have carried out over the past few months, I would completely argue otherwise. It cannot be that tiring as there are experts who have come up with Mortgage Companies that stipulate and help buyers make the right decisions before acquiring a property. There are several factors as well as opportunities to take when it comes to home acquisition.

As a person seeking to own a home for the first time, it’s critical to show that you can save money and pay your rent regularly. You will have to set up a savings account to keep your daily spending cash separated from your savings. Experts propose setting up bi-weekly or automatic monthly payments into specified savings account at any given Irish Mortgage Company. This demonstrates your capacity to save money each month and your ability to repay a home when the time for repayment comes.

Determine how …

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Average costs of living in Ireland increasing?

While Irish inflation has been low in recent years—consumer prices increased by only 0.3 percent yearly from 2013 onwards—rapid price rises in particular industries have meant that many customers’ wallets have been pinched more than the official statistic implies. Private rentals have risen by 7% per year during the same time, while health insurance has risen by around 4.5 percent per year. Spending on things like these is consuming an ever-increasing percentage of many people’ incomes. A recurrent finding in the KBC Bank consumer’s take poll is that people feel that their own individual economic condition has not progressed as much as the key Irish macroeconomic factors imply.

Consumer prices in Ireland decreased by 1.1 percent in August compared to the same period last year, and by 0.5 percent on average since March, according to official inflation statistics. This drop, however, does not appear to be reflected in current consumer sentiment. We asked customers to estimate how much their own total cost of housing has risen in the past 12 months as part of the general consumer mood poll for August. Although …

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5 Things to Consider when Viewing a House in Ireland

As a first time buyer, viewing houses can be exhausting. There are countless things to consider, such as the layout of the home, the location and nearby schools, and much, much more. This can be a bit overwhelming when viewing open houses, as there is so much to observe you might miss some key details about the property. In this article, we will discuss 5 key things to observe and be aware of when viewing houses, so your dream home doesn’t turn into a nightmare.

1.How long has the property been on the market?

The first question you should ask the estate agent is how long the property has been on the market. If a property has been on the market for more than a few months and still isn’t selling, there’s usually a reason why. While this could come down to a number of things, from price to hidden structural issues to low demand, this is a good gauge of potential red flags.

2. Account for renovation

Many people make the mistake of buying houses that appear to be …

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5 Ways to save for a Deposit

Saving up to buy a home can seem like a big challenge. Your home is likely the biggest purchase you will ever make, and unlike saving for retirement, this payment is a large sum of money that you will need to access soon. This may seem challenging, but with a solid savings plan, anyone can save enough to put a down payment on their dream home. In this article, we’ll cover 5 easy ways to start saving for your down payment today.

 

Budget your money wisely

The first and most important step in any savings plan is budgeting. To build your budget, examine your bank statements and credit card payments to see where your money is going. Make sure to keep track of how much you spend on necessary payments, such as rent, utilities, and student loan payments if you have them. Next, consider how much you spend on eating out, entertainment, and other nonessentials. While you are saving, it is a good idea to set limits on each of these categories and stick to it, setting aside the …

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Costs you Should be Aware of before Buying a House

There are more costs associated with buying your first home than just the 10% deposit. There are many additional fees, duties and taxes that you should be aware of before buying your home. 

 

The first fee you should be aware of is the stamp duty. The stamp duty is not included in your mortgage, so it’s a good idea to save this fee up in addition to your 10% deposit. The stamp duty is calculated at 1% of the selling price on a home or residential property of up to €1m, and 2% of the selling price on homes and residential properties above €1m. This stamp duty may change however, and full details are available on the Revenue.ie website. 

Legal fees are another hidden cost of buying a home that you should look out for. There are a lot of legal aspects that have to be accounted for when officially transferring ownership of the property to you, so you should find a trusted real estate lawyer to take care of this transfer. Legal fees will vary depending on …

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What you need when applying for a mortgage

Before applying for a mortgage, one should be sure they have all the necessary documentation. Typically, if one goes through a broker or chooses to go directly to a lender/bank, guidance will be provided on all the necessary paperwork and how to complete it. However, it can save applicants valuable time to try and get pre-approved by either lenders or brokers. In this case, they would likely need to take some initiative.

Documents required for approval and preapproval can vary depending upon the borrower and lender.

All borrowers will likely need:

Proof of ID Proof of Address Personal Public Service Number Proof of Income Financial Statements

Proof of identity can include things like a valid Irish driver’s license or passport. For proof of address, one might consider a utility bill, a tenancy or lease agreement, or government-issued documents that include said address.

Personal Public Service Numbers (PPSN) are issued by the Department of Social Protection (DSP). Non-residents can obtain a PPSN by applying for one with the DSP. Such an applicant will also need to provide proof of …

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Get the best deal on your life insurance

Getting the best deal on your life insurance is extremely important to help you to save money in the long run. With so many different companies ready to offer you life insurance, you have to make sure you find the right one for you. Don’t settle for the first one that you talk to just because it sounds like a good deal. Look around and weigh your options. Get quotes, or even better find a broker. They are able to compare quotes from multiple companies to find you the deal for you.

When looking into different companies, you may want to see what type of deals they have going. Perhaps they have a free first month or a certain number of weeks free. Anything like that will be a way to save some money. Even with these types of offers, you will still want to compare the price to other companies. Just because you may get a free month, they may be charging you a higher premium per month than other companies that don’t offer you the free month.

Do …

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