On the Horizon: 5 Ways to Prep for a Home Purchase
By Katharine Davis, RE/MAX Editor
Yes, I know the leaves are falling, the temperatures are dropping and the holidays are fast approaching. But my sights are set on spring – the season when my husband and I hope to become first-time homebuyers.
Spring may seem ages away now, but fall is actually the perfect time to start planning for a post-winter purchase. In actuality, it’s less about the season – real estate isn’t tied to weather, after all – and more about the time frame needed to properly prepare.
So how to prepare?
- Check your credit – Requesting a credit report is actually one of the easiest things you can do; clearing fraudulent activity is one of the hardest. That’s why it’s important to check your credit history early in the process if you’re thinking about buying. If you find something negative on your report, it could take months to clear things up. The U.S. government allows for one free report each year from each of the three national credit bureaus – TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. Visit annualcreditreport.com for your free reports. It’s a great first step.
- Pay down debt – This might seem like a no-brainer, but banks don’t want to see that you have a whole lot of stuff and not a whole lot of money. Banks need to know you’ll be able to pay their loan first and foremost, and they like to see a high credit score, which debt negatively affects. So start paying off those credit cards, and put off purchasing that new car or making any other major purchases until after you’ve secured a mortgage. Speaking of mortgages…
