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7 Tips for the Home Loans First Time Buyer
The Top 7 Tips for the Home Loans First Time Buyer
The first time you buy a home, it can be an intimidating process. That
is why its good if you are a home loans first time buyer to get some tips
on things to think about as you move into the process. The more you know
about how to get the best home loans and what to look out for in the
process of getting your first mortgage, the easier things will go. So here
are seven tips for the home loans first time buyer to help you through the
process.
1. You Will Have to Save for a While to Close a Home Loan
Many times the costs of a closing, whether it is a home equity loan or a
new mortgage, catches home loans first time buyers by surprise. When you go
to closing, there will be costs that will include the costs of researching
the title, interest to be paid on the loan between the closing and the
first payment and other fees to cover the costs of setting up the mortgage.
If you are bringing a down payment for your loan, that will be paid to the
sellers at the time of closing. Before you even go home shopping, meet with
a realtor and get an idea what kind of money you have to have set back
before you prepare to buy your first home. Then work and save diligently to
get ready so your experience as a home loans first time buyer will be a
good one.
2. Get Your Paperwork Together
When a lender prepares their paperwork for home loans, they will need to
know quite a bit about you. Not only will they check up on you, they will
ask you for details about your financial history. They may need to see
several months of back statements. They will probably also ask to see your
tax return that you filed this year and maybe last year as well. And they
may wish to see a pay stub to prove you really do have a job. If you are a
home loan first time buyer with a spouse, they will need those documents
from your husband or wife as well.
They are not being nosey. They just want to make sure you are managing your
funds well and that you can sustain a bank account and pay your bills.
After all, if they are going to loan you tens of thousands of dollars for
house, they want to know you are good for it.
3. Pay Attention to Your Work History and Your Credit Rating
It generally takes a couple months for a home loan first time buyer to work
through the process. But buying a house should not be a hasty move. It pays
to think about it for as long as a couple of years before taking the step
of applying for a loan. One way to use that time well is to save up closing
cost and down payment money. But another outstanding project you can work
on is to improve your credit score and to assure you have a solid work
history. It is hard to get bad credit mortgage loans so if you focus on
using your credit wisely and on building a good work resume, those parts of
your financial picture will look good to a bank or mortgage company when it
is time to get that loan.
4. Make Sure You Get a Fixed Rate Loan
For any home loan first time buyer who is going to be in that home for a
long period of time, a fixed rate mortgage is the way to go. There are
other options but many of them introduce risk into your mortgage picture. A
variable rate loan means your mortgage payment may float up and down with
the interest rate paid by banks. There are even loans that give you a low
rate but result in a huge payment, called a "bubble payment" at the end of
10 years or some lengthy period of time. But if you are like most people
and you are buying a home to live in it for decades if not forever, fixed
rates loans mean you will have no surprises come your way when it comes to
your mortgage.
5. When to Consider an Interest Only Loan
That said if you are a home loan first time buyer who is not planning on
staying in the home a long time, then an interest only home loan might be a
good option. The monthly statement you pay is for the interest, insurance
and taxes only. You do not pay down any principle on the loan unless you
send in more than is required.
This can be a great way to go if you are going to flip the house or if the
house is going to appreciate in value a great deal. It is also a good way
to go if you will only be in the home for 5 or 6 years due to job changes
or other good reasons. You can still write off the interest and enjoy the
pleasure of having your own home. When you sell, the appreciation on the
home becomes your equity.
6. Be Sure You Are Allowed to Pay Down the Loan Early
When you are a home loan first time buyer, you will feel overwhelmed by the
paperwork, contracts and legal mumbo jumbo you are faced with. That is one
of many good reasons to have a realtor who is on your side and who has
access to legal help to make sure the language of that mortgage is in your
favor. One thing to have your legal representation be on the look out for
are any penalties that might be built into the mortgage for early payment
of the principle or early pay off of the loan. When you pay your debt off
and how quickly you pay it back should be up to you and not locked into a
legal document that you are bound to for 30 years.
7. When to Lock in Your Interest Rate
Finally, be aware that the final interest rate most home loan first time
buyers end up with can change even during the few weeks or months while the
sale of the home is being negotiated and the mortgage is being prepared.
Consult with your realtor about whether it is a good idea to "lock in" your
interest rate early. Locking in means that the interest rate you pay is
frozen at a particular rate. So if the rate is 6.5% two months out from
your closing and you lock in that rate, even if the interest rate goes up
during the time while the sale of the home is being prepared, that locked
in rate is what you will pay.
Whether it is a good idea to lock in the interest rate depends on if
interest rates are changing a great deal. If they are trending down, it
might be wise to not lock the rate in until the day of the choosing. If
there are signs in the market that interest rates might go up, lock it in
early. And it is always a safe thing to do to lock in that rate at a level
you are comfortable with and eliminate the suspense.