Buying a Home in Delaware
Having happy fantasies about buying a home in Delaware? Now might be just the right time to purchase your dream home in the Diamond State. Here’s what you need to know:
Delaware has plenty of lovely cities to live in. The state is called home by just over 900,000 people, and nearly one in five live in the city’s top five biggest cities:
- Wilmington
- Dover (state capital)
- Newark
- Bear
- Middletown
Home prices run the gamut in Delaware. The state ranks 23rd in US homes for sale at average price, and 41st for homes over $1,000,000. Apply for preapproval before you house hunt, and discover what your true budget is.
First-time Homebuyers
It can be helpful to a first-time home buyer to find out if you qualify for assistance through a program administered by the Delaware State Housing Authority’s (DSHA.)
The DSHA Homeownership Loan Program offers 30-year fixed-rate loans up to $417,000 with competitive interest rates, which can be combined with down payment and closing cost assistance.
Down payment and closing costs assistance is supplied through the DSHA Preferred Plus
program which offers homebuyers a no-interest second mortgage equal to 2%-5% of your overall loan amount that doesn’t have to be repaid until you move out, sell your home, refinance your first mortgage or stop using the home as your primary residence.
To qualify for these programs, you’ll need:
- To have an income limit lower than the maximum for your county
- A credit score of at least 620
- To attend housing counseling if your score is 659 or less
- A debt-to-income (DTI) ratio not to exceed 45% if your credit score is 699 or less
Refinancing in Delaware
If you want to refinance a home in Delaware to leverage lower Delaware mortgage rates, you can do any of the following:
- Refinance in order to secure a better interest rate
- Refinance to extend the term of your loan
- Refinance to get a cash-out from your equity
- Refinance so you no longer have private mortgage insurance (PMI)
There’s always a possibility you can qualify for a streamlined refinance if you have a specific type of loan. Ask your lender for more information.