An idiot's guide to getting a mortgage | Global Finance Blog

If you have never bought a home before and you want to take that step, you are probably looking for information about mortgages for first time buyers. This is a smart move. You are wise to educate yourself before entering into any financial agreement. You will probably be paying for your home for the next 15-30 years, so you need to get the financing right the first time.

Get Everything in Order
Firstly, you need to get all your financial documentation together. When you apply for the loan, the finance company will want to see your earnings, how long you have been at your current job, how much money you have in the bank and investment accounts and how much you owe on other bills. You will also need identification and proof of residence. The loan officer will do a credit check, which will determine your eligibility.

Talk to a Finance Company Before Choosing a Home
Many first time buyers get this backwards. They go house hunting and fall in love with a home and then they try to get a mortgage. Sometimes that can end up being heartbreaking because they found more house than they can afford. If you determine how much you qualify for first, it will make the shopping process much easier.

Talk to several mortgage companies before choosing one. They do not all have the same programs or interest rates. You may be able to get a good feel for a company before getting more serious about filling out an application. You can learn a company?s interest rates and many other things on its website. From there, you can start narrowing your prospects down. That is important because you do not want too many inquiries on your credit report.

Before a mortgage adviser runs a credit check, they can make a good estimate of how much they can lend you. If you talk to several lenders, you will start to get a feel for who is telling you the truth rather than just enticing you to do an application. Again, that could result in too many inquiries.

Educate Yourself about the Various Kinds of Mortgages
It can be confusing trying to sort through all of your financing options and the wrong place to do that is in front of a banker. The excitement can lead to wrong decisions, so you must have a plan together when you apply for your loan. This is not to say a good advisor cannot educate you on your options, but the more you know, the more you will understand at your meeting.

You may be able to get a government-backed loan, such as a VA or FHA loan. Sometimes that makes getting financing easier. As far as interest rates are concerned, some are fixed, meaning they stay the same throughout the loan and some are adjustable, which means they fluctuate in accordance with an index. Sometimes the latter can be appealing because they may lower payments in the beginning of the loan. However, they may be too high later on.

If you think you will soon be among those seeking mortgages for first time buyers the most important thing you can do is make sure your credit is as good as possible. Even if you think you will not be ready to finance a home for a few years, start working on good credit today. This will improve your chances of getting a loan and a good interest rate. Additionally, now is a good time to start saving a down payment because you will probably need it.

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