What is the first step? FInd the home to buy or pre-qualify for the loan first?

Pre-Qualify FIRST... You need to understand the programs you qualify for, how much house you can afford, and what the payments would look like. Once you have that information, you can talk to a real Estate Agent about the home that fits you. Sort of silly to go look at houses if you don't know what you can afford to buy.

You should definitely get pre-approved first. By doing it this way you know what you can afford and what payment you are comfortable with. This will help you real estate agent tremendously and prevent you from falling in love with a home only to find that you cannot afford it.

The best advice I can give you is to contact a LOCAL mortgage broker and apply with them. Do not use the local "Big" bank, or one of those 50 states internet lenders or nationwide lenders...By applying with your LOCAL Broker, you have an advantage because he's familiar with local customs and works with numerous lenders, seeking out the best loan terms for your particular scenario. Because he has lower overhead, he can offer you lower rates and lower fees than most of the larger lenders.. I'm a Broker here in Scottsdale AZ and I only lend in Arizona. If you or someone you know is looking for financing options, feel free to contact me or pass along my information. 480-287-5714 WilliamAcres.com

You'll want to work with a Real Estate Agent and Loan Officer that specialize in "first time home buyers", and it'd be best if they were local to you so you could sit down with them and review your goals and get pre-approved for a mortgage.

I can help you get a pre-qualPlease give me a call.Thank you David SteinVA SpecialistDirect LenderNMLS #343820DRE #01864975858-337-9744 Cell888-453-0458 Faxwww.californiavetloans.infohttp://www.linkedin.com/in/davidsteinloansTwitter - 858BankerProud Member of the BBB "A+" Rating

Pre Approved first, so you know your price range for shopping. Its a great starting point and will really open your eyes. We lend and service our own loans, so we can make our own lending decisions.

The very first step is to get pre-qualified before you begin your home search. That way you will know exactly how much you can afford. You will then not waste time looking at homes you wont be able to afford. Pre-qualification also gives you an upper-hand when you make an offer - if there are multiple offers and the seller already knows you have been pre-qualified, you have a definite advantage over others. We are a mortgage brokerage located in San Diego, licensed throughout the entire state of California. Feel free to call us at 858-605-0952 to go over any questions you might have about the home purchase process.

Pre-qualify first. That way you, you know what you can afford.

I think it's a good idea to get per-approved prior to even looking for a home that way you don't get discouraged when you made an offer on a home that you will not qualify for. That will make the buying process more difficult because you will be looking for the quality of the more expensive home in a less expensive one that you really qualify for. Time is precious to not only you but your realtor as well. You don't want to go through that process twice. The most stressful of buying is getting the financing. By getting per-approved you get the stressful part of the process out of the way up front so you can concentrate on finding the right home for you.