Right now we are in a seller’s real estate market, because the number of homebuyers exceeds the number of homes for sale. This means that, to buy your dream home, you need to stand apart from other home buyers. Not only do you need to have professional representation from an experienced Realtor to make a solid offer, but you also need to get mortgage approval to ensure a smooth home purchase.
We recommend starting with pre-qualification or pre-approval from a qualified mortgage lender or broker. The pre-approval process will tell you how much you can afford to spend on a home. Freddie Mac recommends that you focus on the 4 Cs which determine the amount you will be qualified to borrow:
Capacity: Your current and future ability to make mortgage payments
Capital or Cash Reserves: The money, savings and investments you have that can be liquidated
Collateral: The home that you want to purchase
Credit: Your history of paying bills and other debts on time
Before you start shopping for a new home, get mortgage lender and broker recommendations from your local Realtor. Work with that lender or broker to find out what your credit score is, how much down payment you’ll need and how much you can afford to borrow. Then you can begin your search with the confidence that you’ll qualify to buy the home of your dreams. Happy House Hunting!
[To learn the difference between pre-qualification and pre-approval, see my June 6, 2016 blog post.]