'What late-blooming property owners need to know'

Although most people have learned a considerable amount by the time they reach their mid- to late-thirties, they may not know much at all about buying a house.

That's because the age of first-time buyers is now much higher than it was a generation ago, and is still rising in many parts of the world thanks to high levels of student debt among people in their twenties, and a simultaneous trend towards later marriage and starting a family, says Shaun Rademeyer of mortgage originator BetterLife Home Loans.

"Our latest statistics show that in SA, for example, the average age of first-time buyers is now 34. And that means they often also have quite different needs - and financial concerns - from those their parents had when they were buying their first homes.

"Good schools and short commutes, for example, are likely to be much more important, and not only because these often serve to underpin local home values.

"Today's first-time buyers know that an area with great public schools can save them from having to send their children to costly private schools - and what a difference this could make to their family finances in the future."

In a d d i t i o n , he says, thirtysomething buyers are more likely to be settled or settling into a career at a particular company and looking carefully at their commute times, especially if there are two income earners in the family who must travel in different directions to get to work.

"And on top of that, such buyers are often not contemplating a second home purchase until after their children have grown up, so they have to be especially careful when making a choice between urban or suburban living. City living would most likely enable them to cut down on commuting and spend more time with their family, but would probably also mean a higher purchase price and less space and freedom for growing children.

"On the other hand, while suburbia tends to offer great value these days as well as child-friendly gardens, living there may well mean having to spend much more time and money to get to work."

Next, Rademeyer says, buyers in their thirties have to manage their finances more closely, taking into account things ssuch as saving for their children's tertiary education and their own retirement.

"They may have more established careers and earn more than the previous generation of first-time buyers, and they may well qualify for bigger home loans. But just because they can borrow more does not mean they should.

"When calculating how much you may borrow, lenders don't always include such financial necessities as retirement or university savings and future home improvements, and buyers in their thirties must be realistic about the additional financial responsibilities they will face as they age by not taking on monthly payments that leave them too little financial leeway."

Thirtysomethings must try to avoid draining their savings to cover a deposit and transaction costs such as transfer duty, bond registration and legal fees, which usually have to be paid in cash. Doing so leaves buyers vulnerable to major unexpected expenses or events like major surgery for a child, job loss, or sudden disability."

Source: Weekend Argus (Sunday Edition)