Deborah Schindel REALTOR® RENE, SRS, SRES, ABR - THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO BUYING A HOME

Getting your credit report can be an important step, and not just to give you a chance of getting the best bargaining terms, but helping you know where you stand. It’s important because you might find that you aren’t creditworthy, and that will torpedo any potential deal. You should work on any credit issues before you begin looking for a house. After getting your credit in order, the next step is to find the best mortgage professional for you to guide you through the process of buying a home and explain things to consider in advance like down payment AND closing costs. You should seek advice and recommendations from real estate agents, colleagues, or friends. Banks are generally known for having the fewest mortgage options because their products are tailor-made to suit the bank’s interests. However, they can also be more flexible, as they are the ones lending the money. If the buyer owns other substantial assets, making a deal with a bank may not be a complicated process. Mortgage brokers are known to offer the largest amount of options. Working independently and with several financial outlets, brokers can find the best loan for the buyer from different lenders and often can get a better rate (even from your bank) than you can get on your own. Finding the best mortgage deal is made even more complicated by the fact that the mortgage rates change daily, or even several times in a single day. One can get a good mortgage deal from a mortgage broker, a bank, or a mortgage lender. It’s up to the buyer, depending on the situation. However, you, as the buyer, should be careful to not just compare interest rates. The best option is to compare the interest rates, as well as all terms and fees, including early termination penalties and options to port your mortgage to a new property, in case you need to sell before the term is up. Also important to note, mortgage insurance is

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