Forgotten Your Password?

Need to Register?

Chris Arco

3 Valuable First Time Buyer Tips

Sunday, September 30, 2018 - Article by: Chris Arco - 1st Nationwide Mortgage - Message

The fact you're thinking of becoming a home owner for the first time may cause a variety of emotions such as excitement and anxiety. While it may be extremely difficult to get rid of all the anxiety that accompanies a person's first home purchase, you can likely reduce it by going into the situation prepared.

When dealing with tough decisions when under contract, always trust the pro's such as your loan officer, real estate agent and insurance agent. These are experts who have provided helpful advice to first time home buyers on numerous transactions.

Be Specific About The Home You WantBe certain about the type of property you want to purchase. Purchasing a home will be one of your biggest investments ever, so it is important to get what you want.

Choose things like the neighborhood, square feet, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and the commute time. Many first-time buyers end up selling their home in 4-6 years. Never buy the most expensive home in the neighborhood because it is usually the most difficult home to sell.

Improve Your Credit Score the Most You CanThis cannot be stressed enough. Borrowers with high credit scores (over 720) will normally be approved for a loan with the lowest possible interest rate and smaller down payments. By not doing this you mortgage payment can be hundreds of dollars more resulting in paying thousands of dollars more for how long you keep the mortgage.|If you want to get your score above 720, practice these basic rules.oPay all of your creditors on time.oPay down all credit cards to less than ten percent of your maximum limit.oKeep old credit cards open. Close new credit if it's not necessaryoDo not apply for any new debt.

Get Pre-Approved For A MortgageAnother important tip for first time home buyers is to get an accurate idea of how much they qualify for. A lender can help you learn the maximum loan amount can get. The first step is to get pre-approved for a mortgage. Understand that there is a huge difference between someone who is pre-approved compared to pre-qualified.

When it's time to submit your purchase offer for a home, the seller and their agent will want see a pre-approval letter! A pre-qualification letter simply means your income, debts, and credit were discussed. A pre-approval means the lender has verifiable documentation from you that shows you can purchase the home.

Being pre-approved also relieves stress during the transaction as well. For example, you were pre-qualified for a $400,000 home but once your lender verified your credit, current monthly debts, and proposed property taxes, you actually qualify for only $300,000.

Get A Good Real Estate AgentAlways choose a very good Real Estate agent! There are multiple benefits to use a good real estate agent, such as getting entry to the best available homes, having someone working constantly to locate the house you want and having them negotiate for you.

Obtaining a good real estate agent includes interviewing and getting references on them. An agent who has a successful history of helping first-time home buyers like you could be ideal.

Didn't find the answer you wanted? Ask one of your own.

Get an answer
Subscribe to our news feed.