Right now the real estate market is hot! If you are thinking of buying a new home or building your dream home there are a few things you want to do before you start looking. By taking my advice, you’ll have less stress while trying to find the perfect home for your family.
Check Your Credit Report
It is always good to know where your credit is at any point in time. But when you are going to make a major purchase, like for a home, you especially want to be aware of what is on your credit report. Now is the perfect time to request a complimentary copy of your credit report and review it for any errors. If there are any errors on your credit report, take the time to get them resolved before you start looking for a home.
Pay Down Debt
If you have large balances on your credit cards it’s time to pay them down. Having high outstanding credit card balances will have a large impact on your credit score. The rule of thumb is to not use more than 11% of the total credit of your card. Having some debt is ok but a bank does not want to see that all of your credit cards are maxed out.
Start a Savings Account
With homeownership comes more responsibility and most of those responsibilities are going to require some money. It’s a good idea to have savings account for unexpected house repairs.
Figure Out a Budget
Now that you are buying a home it’s time to review your budget! Also, check to see how much home you can buy and still stay within your budget by using a mortgage calculator. If you know what payment amount you have to work with it will help narrow down the amount of money you can spend on a mortgage. It’s also a great idea to get pre-qualified for a mortgage too. The housing market it moving so quickly that any advantage you can have will help you secure your dream home.
Location
Research the area you think you want to live in. Check out the local schools and see what they are rated. Take a visit to the grocery store and check if all your favorite brands are carried there. In fact, take your weekly errands list and run them in the area you are thinking of moving to and see if the area has all the stores you need and if you like the stores themselves.
These are just a few tips to help you get prepared to find your next home.
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