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Rudy Cattuse

 

 

Home Buying

 Selling or Refinancing? 

Get Your Best Offer In!

First-Time Home Buyers' Guide
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STEP 1 - CREDIT CONSULTATION - REVIEW YOUR CREDIT REPORT

Reviewing entries on your credit reports is a must. This allows you to see what has been reported by creditors. If there are items to correct, you can work on them before you apply for a mortgage loan. There could be inaccurate entries on your reports, and it is imperative for you to address and correct those. According to regulations, you are allowed to get a free credit report annually. Take advantage of the opportunity to access your reports from the main bureaus at Annualcreditreport.com.  

 

Understanding your credit content and what drives your scores is a must: payments, history, debt to credit ratio. Credit mix and credit history consists in bank cards, car loans, student loans, personal loans and new credit. Down Payment Assistance programs are available for qualifying borrowers, with assets and income limitations. We can analyze your credit, calculate debt-to-income ratio, your budget and figure how much of a home purchase loan you can qualify for, 100% free of charge. Time limitations apply! Get started now and call: 407-470-8175. Ask about our proven system to buy a PERFECT HOME.

STEP 2 - BUDGETING ASSISTANCE - KNOW YOUR BUDGET AND STICK TO IT

Knowing and sticking to a budget is practically the most inportant part of buying a major investment as your home. Getting excited about moving into a new home, you can easily get compleasant and forget what you can actually afford. Examine your budget closely and keep within parameters you have set beforehand and check them every step of the way. Every homebuyer must get a budget down on paper, since having hard numbers is different from "having a rough idea". Numbers never lie, using tools like a payment estimate calculator, and can help put things into perspective. 

 

There are excel budget sheets that will calculate your budget for you based upon your finances. There are other costs that need to be factored into the equation such as: Mortgage Insurance, Appraisal Fee, Inspection Fee, Title Transfer, County/City and Federal Taxes, Lawyer fees. We have experts in the aforementioned fields, since we work with homebuyers regularly, we have negotiated lower rates to make it all more affordable.

 

STEP 3 - LOAN APPLICATION SUPPORT - FIND A LENDER AND GET PRE-APPROVED

Finding a lender and getting pre-approved will show the seller you mean business and it should be done before you even start looking or a home. There are reasons why a pre-approval is more beneficial: It is a reliable document stating you can afford the home you are interested in and it holds more weight than a pre-qualification letter. Since, the pre-approval has employment, income and credit supporting documents, it is worth the investment of your time and the seller's. You actually know your buying potential, down payment, mortgage insurance, taxes, interest rate and you can match them to your budget. You have leverage to negotiate sellers are prepared to accept a buyer's offer who can afford their home in case of multiple offers, you'll have the upper hand. You can be confident you can back up what you're offering and it takes away stress from a potentially stressful situation.

 

STEP 4 - MORTGAGE LOAN ANALYSIS - KNOW WHAT YOU WANT

A comprehensive review of available mortgage options, including rates, fixed or adjustable, 15 or 30 year terms. This analysis helps you understand the different terms implications of each option to select the most affordable and advantageous choice, before getting a pre-qualification letter from your Mortgage Company. However, keep in mind, these pre-qualification letters are time sensitive and should your finances change, the lender may need to reevaluate and produce a new up-to-date letter. Most importantly, you should work with a Mortgage Loan Officer (MLO); who can inquire into a more versatile with a pool of lenders ready to compete for your loan, that can offer you a better rate and term and your approved amount can be higher. Our affiliated lenders who can approve a loan with you, even when your credit isn't the best.

Knowing what you want is crucial in order to prevent wasting your time and money. If you are prepared to go looking exactly what you can afford based upon credit, budget and pre-approval, you won't endup buying the wrong house, preventing unnecessary emotional stress as well. Knowing what true needs are, based on your needs you may have to sacrifice certain locations, sizes, prices and/or qualities.

STEP 5 - AFFORDABILITY ASSESSMENT - GET THE RIGHT REAL ESTATE AGENT

Work on the checklist basis, getting one from an agent to make your process smooth is communication of knowledge. This is key to the home buying experience, and you should do this in the beginning of the transaction, before you start shopping for homes. The right agent will help you with a detailed calculation to determine how much of a home you can afford, follow your checklist of specific tasks to find saving incentives and golden opportunities on the market. It is the agent's job at zero cost.

 

STEP 6 - TIMELINE STRUCTURE TO FIND THE PERFECT HOME

Developing and establishing a realistic timeline for each step of the homebuying process, from financing pre-approval to closing, tailored to your specific goals and market conditions. Finding the right home is the part of home buying that can get really interesting and thrilling. You have the opportunity to find all the features you require. With your buying numbers clearly stated, utilize online search tools and work with your agent to find that house of your dreams, keeping in mind what the future holds. Having children, parents moving in and finding space for a home-based business are examples of facts and future circumstances to be taken into consideration, that would require a home with large enough rooms to accommodate. Thinking ahead, about possible changes in your life, will help you make the best decision in the moment. 

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