First-time home buyers. Are you prepping to buy your first home? If so, one of the steps you should take early on is to make sure you’re financially ready for your purchase. Here are just a few of the financial fundamentals you’ll need to focus on as you set out to buy a home.
Build Your Credit
Your credit is one element that helps determine which home loan you’ll qualify for. It also impacts your mortgage interest rate. While there are many factors that go into your mortgage application, a higher credit score could lead to a lower monthly payment in the long run.
So how do you make sure your credit is in the best shape possible when it’s time to buy? A recent article from NerdWallet lists a few tips you can use as you work to build and strengthen your credit. They include:
- Tracking your credit and disputing any errors that show up on your reports.
- Paying your bills on time. This includes making loan payments and paying down any open lines of credit.
- Keeping your credit card balances low. Paying more than your minimum monthly balance when you’re able can help.
Automate Your Savings for Your House Fund
You might also be wondering how you can achieve your down payment savings goals. Bankrate provides buyers with a number of tips to help them save, including searching for down payment assistance programs and ways you can save more, faster. As the article says:
“One of the best ways to save for anything — including a down payment —is to set it and forget it. If you receive a regular paycheck, ask your employer to direct a portion of that payment into a savings account. If you’re a freelance worker or independent contractor, set up a recurring transfer from a checking account to a savings account to establish the routine.”
Get Pre-Approved
As you prepare for your purchase, you’ll also need to have a good grasp on your budget and how much you’ll be able to borrow for your home loan. That’s where the pre-approval process comes in.
Pre-approval from a lender lets you know how much money you can borrow for your home loan. And having that knowledge, plus an understanding of your savings can help you decide on your target price range for a house.
From there, you can start browsing for houses online and see what’s available in your area at that general price point. This can help you really understand your options so you can start to picture your future home. Read More “When a PreApproval Is Not A PreApproval“.
For Customized Advice, Build a Team of Professionals
Finally, the best way to make you’re prepared for your purchase is to connect with trusted real estate professionals. Having expert advisors in the industry will help you make strong decisions throughout the home-buying process based on your specific goals, finances, and situation. They know the market and can guide you toward the home of your dreams.
Key Take Away
Understand your creditworthiness and keep the five Cs of credit in mind: 1. Character: Your reputation; 2. Capacity: Your ability to repay the loan; 3. Capital: The amount of money you plan to put into the investment; 4. Collateral: The assets you have to secure the loan; 5. Condition: The loan characteristics, such as interest rate, and the amount of principal influence your desirability to a lender and board.
If you’re ready to get the homebuying process started, let’s connect so you can begin to build your team of professionals today.
Other educational articles about the market and your home search are under Karen’s Blog.
