Mortgage payments as affordable as rent

    As TCC students search for a place to live, most will probably think of an apartment, only because a house seems unattainable.

   However, according to Andre van den Broeck from Kaufman and Broad Homes, the unattainable house is a misconception.

   At 23, Broeck, a sales counselor at The Reserve at High Pointe in Cedar Hill, said he enjoys his job because he can help consumers gain their dreams.

   “I’ve put people who felt that it was a long shot in homes,” he said.

   Owning a home is the most important investment any student will make. Rather than creating debt, buying a house creates equity, Broeck said.

   Renting and leasing, on the other hand, are strictly debts.

   “Many people say they cannot afford a home, but when you consider the debt created by leasing or renting, as opposed to the return in owning, you cannot afford not to,” he said.

   A recent graduate may have a lack of or poor credit, but a sales associate or mortgage broker can help solve numerous problems.

   The process is fairly simple. The prospective buyer visits a realtor or home development office, talks to a sales counselor and checks out the model homes or houses in the area that fit their budget.

   A mortgage broker will check the buyer’s credit and evaluate the person’s income versus debt. If a person’s credit is an issue, most brokers will detail exactly what one should do to qualify.

   Once the preliminary approval is made, one makes a minimum earnest deposit, and then has until close to solidify the credit and generate the money necessary to get into the home.

   Students who believe that renting or leasing is a logical choice after graduation should consider the facts and do the research. They might discover that home ownership is the way to go.