How to Qualify for Home Purchase

I. Introduction

The home buying process can be lengthy and often complex. Besides trying to find a home you like and can afford, there’s also financing to worry about. With housing costs increasing significantly in many areas, the vast majority of people need to get a mortgage to buy a home.

Getting a mortgage requires preparing your financial situation to put your best foot forward when speaking with lenders. This also often requires making sure your credit score is as good as it can be.

II. The Role of Credit in Home Purchasing

If you want to know how to qualify for a home purchase, your credit score is a great place to start. Some of the ways in which credit plays a role in home purchasing include:

A. Mortgage Approval

Lenders are more likely to approve a loan for someone who has good credit. A good credit score indicates a person is a lower risk to the lender.

B. Interest Rates

Since people with good credit are considered less risky, they typically receive lower interest rates than those with bad credit or no credit. A lower interest rate will save you a significant amount of money over the lifespan of a loan.

C. Loan Amount and Terms

In addition to lower interest rates, having good credit may also mean you’ll qualify for a larger loan amount, which can help you a great deal when you’re buying real estate. Borrowers with good credit may also benefit from more favorable repayment terms.

III. The Basics of Building Strong Credit

If you have poor credit or no credit and want to improve your credit score, understanding the factors influencing your credit score will help you. Here is what you need to know about building strong credit.

A. Know Your Credit Score

If you’re thinking about how to qualify for a home purchase, you should know your credit score. Checking your credit report for inaccuracies is vital, as is monitoring your credit regularly to see if your efforts to improve it are paying off.

You can get a free copy of your credit report from the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) once a year. Your credit score is generated from the information in your credit report.

You can find out your credit score by using a credit score service, credit monitoring service, or by buying your score from one of the bureaus. Some financial institutions also provide credit score information to their clients.

B. Timely Bill Payments

On-time payment of bills is one of the most important factors used to calculate your credit score. While it takes time to establish your credit history, a single missed payment may hurt your score. Always aim to pay bills before they become due.

C. Limiting Debt

Lenders typically want to see people using no more than 30% of the credit available to them. Therefore, if you have $10,000 of credit available, aim to use less than $3,000. Keeping your debt under control will help improve your credit score.

D. Length and Diversity of Credit History

The longer and more varied your credit history, the better it is for your credit score, since it shows lenders that you can be trusted to follow good credit habits over a long period.

E. Reducing Unnecessary Inquiries

Whenever you apply for new credit, the lender will make an inquiry into your credit report. Each inquiry causes a temporary dip in your credit score. Therefore, avoid applying for new credit too often. Note: checking your own credit report does not affect your credit score.

IV. Credit Builder Loans and Their Role in Home Purchasing

Building good credit requires establishing a positive credit history. You need to show that you can make loan payments on time. However, if you don’t have good credit, you might have difficulty getting a loan in the first place. If that’s your situation, you might be wondering how you can build credit when no one will give you credit. For many people in this situation, the answer is a credit builder loan.

A. Defining Credit Builder Loans

Credit builder loans are different from other loans, since you can’t access the loan amount until you’ve made all the payments plus interest. This might sound confusing, but these loans are designed for people who have trouble getting other loans.

Since you aren’t able to access the loan amount until you’ve made all required payments, these loans pose very little risk to lenders. Therefore, most don’t do a credit check during the approval process. In most cases, proof of income is enough to get a credit builder loan.

B. How They Boost Credit

Credit builder loans can help you improve your credit score, since they allow you to build a credit history. As you make payments, these payments are reported to the major credit bureaus and added to your credit report. On-time payments will help improve your credit score.

C. Where to Obtain Them

Several financial institutions offer credit builder loans, such as banks, credit unions, online lenders, and other organizations. Before you agree to a credit builder loan, it’s important to understand the terms, the interest rate, the payment schedule, and everything that is expected from you.

D. Tips for Maximizing Their Benefits

One of the most important aspects of using a credit builder loan to improve your credit score is to make your payments on time. Timely payments are weighted heavily when calculating your score. Making all your payments on time begins to establish a strong credit history and that will help you when you apply for a mortgage.

V. Other Key Factors in Qualifying for a Home Purchase

Your credit rating and credit score are not the only things that matter when qualifying for a home purchase. Other critical factors to keep in mind include:

A. Stable Employment and Income

Steady income is very important when you’re talking to home lenders. Nearly every lender will ask you for proof of income to ensure that you have the funds needed to cover your mortgage payments.

B. Down Payment

Down payments are usually expressed as a percentage of the overall price of the house.

According to the National Association of Realtors, the median down payment for first-time homebuyers is around 6%. A Federal Housing Administration mortgage has a minimum down payment of 3.5%. You may even be able to get a loan from certain lenders with a smaller down payment.

However, if you are able to pay a 20% down payment, not only will you have lower monthly payments, but you will also not be required to pay for private mortgage insurance on a conventional loan. This can save you an additional expense.

If you are thinking about buying a home, create a budget that allows you to save a certain amount of money each month, so you can offer a significant down payment.

C. Debt-to-Income Ratio

Your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio compares how much you owe to how much you earn. It is calculated by dividing your monthly debt obligations by your pretax income. For instance, if you earn $60,000 a year ($5,000 a month) and have $1,000 in monthly debt payments, your debt-to-income ratio is 20% (1,000 divided by 5,000 multiplied by 100).

Most lenders prefer to lend to those who have a debt-to-income ratio of 36% or less. If you have a higher DTI, focus on paying down your debts before applying for a mortgage.

D. Understanding and Selecting the Right Mortgage Type

There are several different types of mortgages, including fixed rate, adjustable rate, and other mortgage types.

A fixed rate mortgage provides you with an interest rate guaranteed for the life of the loan, while adjustable rate mortgages have a fixed rate for an initial period, but that rate will fluctuate with market conditions once that period ends.

The type of mortgage you choose will depend on your financial situation, the current interest rate you’re being offered, how long you plan to own the home, and much more. Looking at the available options and taking time to understand what each type could mean for you will help you make the right decision for your circumstances.

E. Pre-approval Process

Many people choose to get pre-approved for a mortgage before they purchase a home. This provides you with information on the type and amount of loan you are qualified to receive.

To get pre-approved for a mortgage, a lender will evaluate your financial history, look into your credit report, and more. If you’re pre-approved, they will make an offer in writing to agree to provide you with a loan at a certain interest rate.

Not only will having a pre-approval help you shop for a home within your means, but it may also show sellers that you’re a serious buyer, which can help when you’re submitting offers.

VI. Preparing Financial Documents for the Home Purchase

Being prepared may make the home buying process considerably less stressful. One way to streamline the process is to have all important financial documents in order and available, so you won’t be caught off-guard and you can easily present the information upon request.

Other important documents to have prepared include:

A. Proof of Income

A mortgage lender must confirm that you earn enough income to make your monthly payments. Therefore, you’ll need to verify your income. Accomplish this by supplying the lender with pay stubs from your job, recent tax returns, a letter from your employer, or other documents to show how much money you receive from your job or other sources.

B. Credit History

Your credit score should be in its best possible shape when you are looking to buy a home. Maintain low credit card balances (typically no more than 30% of your available credit), check your reports to make sure there are no errors, and avoid applying for new credit in the months leading up to applying for a mortgage..

C. Personal Assets

It’s important to put your best financial foot forward when looking to buy a home. If you have savings, investments, or other assets that assure lenders you are financially stable and able to handle a mortgage, letting them know about these assets may help support your cause.

D. Debt Documentation

Be aware of your debt. Make sure you know how many debts you have, how much you owe, when payments are due, and when you can expect to pay off these debts. Showing that you understand your debt situation and have a plan for reducing and eliminating debts may improve your likelihood of being approved for a mortgage.

VII. Final Tips on Home Purchasing Preparedness

Preparing to purchase a home can be an overwhelming experience, but understanding what you need to take care of before you buy may not only help you stay on top of everything, but also give you peace of mind and help calm any anxiety.

Here are a few additional things you’ll want to think about if you plan on buying a home:

A. Avoid Major Purchases Before Buying a Home

Your debt-to-income ratio and overall credit situation matter a great deal when you’re buying a home. If you make a large purchase on credit around the time you’re looking to buy a home, this adds to your overall debt, making it less likely that you will be approved for a mortgage.

Your credit use should also be considered. Most lenders want to see people using around 30% of their available credit. If you make a purchase that puts you over this amount, you could hurt your credit score, and that will complicate your mortgage approval process.

Making a large purchase with cash may also affect your situation, since you need to make sure you have enough cash available to cover your down payment and closing costs while still having available reserves.

B. Be Ready for Closing Costs

There are other costs associated with buying a home besides the actual price of the home. In addition to your down payment, expect to pay about 3% to 6% of the loan amount in closing costs.

The term “closing costs” refers to the fees and charges associated with purchasing real estate. Closing costs may include application fees, legal fees, credit report fees, appraisal costs, homeowners association transfer fees, inspection fees, title insurance, transfer taxes, and many other charges.

It’s important to anticipate these costs and save for them, so you don’t run into any snags when buying a home.

C. Working with a Mortgage Advisor

If you’re unsure of how to qualify for home purchase or not certain if you understand the process, then there are many benefits to getting professional guidance. Many details and specifics are tough to learn and keep track of, so working with someone who understands them inside and out can be incredibly beneficial.

Mortgage advisors are experts on mortgage products and services. Not only can they answer any questions you may have, but they can support you during the entire home buying process. They can review your financial situation and make suggestions and recommendations that will help you choose the right lender, mortgage type, and more.

VIII. Conclusion

One of the most important things to remember if you are asking how to qualify for a home purchase is that good credit is a vital part of getting a mortgage. By properly managing your finances, being aware of what affects your credit score, and taking steps to improve your situation, you can put yourself on the path to homeownership.

IX. References and Additional Resources

Learning about the home buying process, the mortgage approval process, and credit scores will help you when you’re looking to buy a home. Here are some additional resources to consult for more information:

• Buying a Home U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Buying a Home in 10 Steps CNN Money
• Learn about your credit report and how to get a copy USA.gov