Print Article for : The Home Buying Process

Your Online Guide » Guide to Finance » How To Handle Finances

[T521]The Home Buying Process

by Mike Clover, Mik

The home buying process can be tricky at times. There are definitely some things you need to avoid during this process. I have seen all kinds of nightmares because someone did not listen to their loan officer. I will give some you exactly what not do in this articles so your loan and credit score is not affected.

Late payments
During the home buying process make absolute sure you are not late on anything. If you have a late payment on anything that reports to your credit report your credit score will be affected. In return an underwriter will see this and your loan could be dead as a result. Late payments on any obligations that reports to your credit report will drop your score between 100 to 150 points. "Don't be late on anything."

Don't buy anything on Credit

While you are going through the home buying process you don't want to take on anymore debt, this could affect your loan. That means don't go out and put furniture on credit for your new home until you have closed and funded on the loan. Don't put anything on credit period.

Don't co-sign on a loan for anyone

While you are in the process of getting a loan, don't co-sign on any note. This could cause your loan to get denied. When you co-sign on a loan, then you are equally responsible for the new obligation. This could lower your credit score, and also cause income to debt ratio problems as well.

Don't quit your JOB

Ok, you might think this is a joke, but we have actually had borrowers quit their job thinking we would not find out. Well, guess what we will. Don't quit your job during the home buying process; underwriters do last minute job verifications before loan documents go out to the title company for a closing.

I hope this has been advice you got prior to doing any of the above. You could definitely have some major problems. Maybe you have not even started the loan process, and this will be good advice for you. What ever your situation is, make sure you are on top of your credit report and scores. Your credit scores could be affected by any of the topics discussed in the article.Remember your credit is your life.If you dont manage it properly, you will have major problems during todays times.

Getting a good deal on a home is often more about timing than purchase price. Because most homes are financed through at least a 15-year mortgage (usually 20- or 30-year), the amount paid in interest has an enormous impact on what the home will ultimately cost. The contract price may be $150,000. By the time interest is calculated over 30 years, however, you could easily pay twice or even three times that amount, depending on what the interest rate is on the day you lock into a mortgage rate.

Lower interest rates make it possible to finance the same amount of money for a lower payment, or finance more money without increasing the payment. How so? Let's look at financing $150,000 for 30 years at 6.50%.

Your approximate principal and interest payment would be about $948 monthly. Another option would be to finance $158,000 with a monthly payment of roughly $947. This option would allow you to borrow an additional $8,000 without hardly changing the payment. If the interest rate dropped to 6.00%, however, the payment would decrease to approximately $899 per month. Whether you're looking to buy your first home, or thinking about upgrading to a bigger one, lower rates open the opportunity to find a great buy. The other vital element is location. The award-winning city of Huntsville, Alabama has much to offer.

The Value of Huntsville

No one wants to buy a home that won't resell well. So, where do you look to ensure you get value? In a June 30, 2007 survey, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) reports, ?Of 287 metro areas, 131 recorded decreases in house prices during the quarter.? The Huntsville real estate market, however, was ranked 36 out of 287 in price appreciation, and came in above average with a second quarter increase of 1.76%. Plainly stated, while houses in many areas are losing value, Huntsville, Alabama is still an affordable and wise housing choice.

What Does Huntsville Have To Offer?

Huntsville is widely recognized as being one of the country's best places to work, live and go to school. The September 2007 issue of U.S. News & World Report says, ?The University of Alabama in Huntsville ranks among the top ten percent of business schools in the county.? Check with MSN/Sperling's Best Places and you will find that Huntsville is named one of the country's top ten cities for job growth and affordability. So, what makes this southern town such a remarkable place to live? Huntsville offers a thriving job market, lower than average cost of living, plenty of options for entertainment and a climate that enjoys the best of all four seasons.

If you're considering buying a home, now may be a good time to do so if you're looking in the Huntsville real estate market. And with all it has to offer, Huntsville could easily be just what you've been waiting for.

Article Source : Pg. 212

About Author

Both Mike Clover & Mike Manosky are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Mike Clover has sinced written about articles on various topics from Free Credit Report Score, Marketing Campaign and Free Credit Report Score. About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/ .. Mike Clover's top article generates over 49500 views. Bookmark Mike Clover to your Favourites.

Mike Manosky has sinced written about articles on various topics from Real Estate, Finances and Real Estate. Mike Manosky has over 16-years experience serving the needs of those who wish to buy Huntsville real estate. If you're thinking of moving to Huntsville, real estate. Mike Manosky's top article generates over 1000 views. Bookmark Mike Manosky to your Favourites.