How Much Can You Afford?

Early on in the process, you'll want to get pre-qualified for a mortgage loan, which helps determine how much you can afford. It enables you to move swiftly when you find the right home, especially when there are other interested buyers. It also indicates to the seller that you are serious and can afford to buy the property. A pre-approval is a simple calculation done by a mortgage lender that tells you the amount you'll be able to finance through a loan and what your monthly payment will be. When you find a home to buy, a pre-approval also reassures the seller that you have the financial means to purchase his or her home.

Know what you can afford is the first rule of home buying, and that depends on how much income and how much debt you have. It pays to check with several lenders before you start searching for a home.

Shopping For a Home

Selecting a buyer's agent to help you find your dream home is an important first step. He or she can represent the buyer's interest in a real estate transaction. Before making a decision, however, have a realtor explain the pros and cons of using a buyer's agent versus a sales or dual agent.

When you're ready to start your search, I can help you with:

After touring each home, write down what you liked and didn't like. Develop a rating system that will help narrow the field. For example, pick the house you like best on day one and compare all other houses to it. When you find a better one, use the new favorite as the standard.  Remember to bring your camera.

Making a Home Purchase Offer

Multiple home purchase offers on the same home are not uncommon, so you may only get one chance to make an offer that the seller will consider. That's why it's important to think carefully about your strategy. In most cases it is better to have me, as a real estate professional, negotiate the offer. If you have any personal interaction with the homeowner, don't give out any information about your move, your current housing status, financial status or your feelings about their property - positive or negative. This could hurt you in future negotiations.

Mortgage Loan Options

Unless you have enough money to pay for a house yourself, you'll need a mortgage loan. A mortgage is a loan you take out to finance the purchase of your home. It is also a legal contract stating that you promise to make a monthly payment until your loan is paid off.

Today, there are hundreds of different programs to choose from, but don't let that overwhelm you. Most of the home loans are variations of a fixed-rate mortgages. Knowledge of how these mortgage programs work will help you to understand the majority of available loan options. You may qualify for a new loan without even selling your current home.

Getting a Mortgage

There are several ways to secure a mortgage. You can get one directly by working with a mortgage banker or you can go to a bank, credit union or savings and loan. I can help connect you with a reputable mortgage lender.

Many home buyers choose to arrange financing before shopping for a home and most lenders will "pre-qualify" them for a certain amount. Pre-qualification helps buyers to focus on homes that fit your plans and budget. Nothing is more disheartening for buyers or sellers than a deal that falls through due to a lack of financing.

How to Apply for a Mortgage Loan

Your chances of obtaining a mortgage really depend on all the information that will be contained in the credit report. So, it’s a good idea to get your credit report, before you apply for a mortgage, and correct errors. If there are any inaccuracies you don’t know about, this could cost you thousands of dollars in extra interest or even cause a denial of credit.

When you apply for a mortgage, the lender will want a lot of information about you (and, at some point, about the house you'll buy) to determine your loan eligibility. Here's what you'll need to provide:

Once you apply, your lender will verify all the information you’ve provided. This is a loan approval process and it can take one to eight weeks, depending on the type of mortgage you choose and other factors that will affect your approval such as fulfillment of contract contingencies.

As your mortgage application is processed and finalized, your lender is required by law to give you several documents. Within three business days of applying for the loan, the lender must inform you of the mortgage's effective rate of interest, or annual percentage rate (APR). If relevant, the lender must also give you consumer information on adjustable rate mortgages. In addition, the lender is required to give you an itemized good-faith estimate of your closing costs and a government publication that explains those costs.

Since the home that you're purchasing will serve as collateral for the loan, the lender will order a market value appraisal of the property. The lender will not lend you more than a certain percentage of the value of the property. If your down payment will be less than 20 percent of the value of the property, your loan will require private mortgage insurance, and the lender will obtain insurer approval. If the lender has not already done so as part of a pre-approval process, it will verify your employment and bank accounts as well as obtain and evaluate your credit report.