Unless you’ve got a trust fund or buckets of cash lying around, if you want to buy a home this year, you’ll need a mortgage. Here are 5 tips to help you find a mortgage that meets your needs:
- Find out how much of a down payment you need to save. Down payments vary from 0 percent to 20 percent down, and everywhere in between. Talk to your mortgage lender – or an experienced Realtor – to find out how much you need to save.
- Check your credit score. To determine your credit worthiness, you’ll want to review your credit score with a mortgage lender. If you are going for an FHA loan, the average qualifying credit score in 2016 was about 686. The average credit score for a conventional homebuyer was about 753, according to Bankrate.com.
- Get pre-approved. While pre-qualification does not guarantee you will get a mortgage, getting pre-approved does. When you get pre-approved by a mortgage lender, it means that lender has checked your credit, verified your income and assets and agreed to lend you money to buy a home, assuming everything else lines up (value of the home, etc.). Learn more about pre-approval here.
- The 4 Cs. When seeking pre-approval, a mortgage lender will look at the 4 Cs – Capacity (your current and future ability to make mortgage payments), Capital or Cash Reserves – how much money, savings and investments you have, Collateral – the home you want to purchase, and Credit – your credit history. Learn more about the 4 Cs here.
- Decide what type of mortgage is right for you. Before you apply for a mortgage loan, you’ll want to know the different types available to you. For example, if you are a veteran, you might be able to get a VA loan. If you are a first-time homebuyer, an FHA loan might be right for you. Talk to your Realtor and your mortgage lender to see what type of mortgage best fits your situation.