Getting Your First Home Loan: What Should You Do?
For people who are buying a house for the first time, often the
biggest obstacle is credit. They simply won't have made that big
of a purchase before - buying a home is a big thing, and if you
haven't improved your credit beforehand, you can end up with a
much higher interest rate that costs a lot more.
If you haven't already bought the house, you need to start
planning about a year or so out. Start doing little things that
will improve your credit - make sure that you pay all your bills
and debts on time. Get some credit card debt and carry it over
from month to month. A long history of paying back debts is
important - even a small, five hundred to one thousand dollar
debt will get you a better credit rating for having made regular
payments.
If you're nearing the sale, then you need to find a lender.
Always talk to a bank who you have a relationship with first.
Many banks will give you points or discounts for having banked
with them - they already know you and your history, and they
have a better chance of monitoring and keeping up with their own
customers. You'll want any discount you can get - even small
decreases in the interest rates make a big difference over the
life of the loan. Also, you need to make sure to check for any
programs or discounts for first time home buyers. Many people
don't realize that there are federal HUD loan programs that can
help you out - the reduced cost is well worth it to get your
first home.