Your first step is to find a mortgage broker you are comfortable with and secure financing. Your mortgage broker will then issue you a pre approval letter.
The first person you should and will talk to when looking to buy a home with be a loan officer. A loan officer is responsible for issuing a pre-approval to you for the amount of a mortgage loan that you qualify for along with some terms of the loan and the basis of the approval. Your mortgage professional, Loan Officer, will work with you throughout the entire home-buying process and play an integral role during this process of buying a new home. You will work with your loan officer hand in hand to figure out what types of financing are available for you, what options you have and what will suit you best for your exact situation. Your loan officer will work with you from application all the way through closing. A good loan officer will keep in touch with you even after closing and will be able to assist you with all of your future financing needs as well.
You will also want to contact a Real Estate Agent. The agent will help you find a home that is in the area you want and has what you want in a house. The real estate agent will also help you negotiate the sales price and represent your interests throughout the process.
In some states, lawyers are customarily used in real estate transactions. Because your attorney draws up the purchase contract and represents you throughout the whole process, it is important that you and your attorney are on the same page. Any concerns you might have about the transaction or the property should be addressed during the initial meetings.
Buying my first home - Why should I use a Broker?
To get the most options.
A mortgage broker is able to take your current financial and credit situation and find a bank that fits your needs instead of you the consumer wasting valuble time trying to meet the banks criteria.
A broker has access to hundreds of different programs from a variety of lenders. This enables the broker to match your specific needs much more closely than a direct lender with a limited set of products available.
When buying your first home you need to make sure you get pre-approved for a mortgage loan before you do anything. Getting a pre-approval first will let you know how much you can qualify for, what price range of a home to look for, how much down payment will be required, and your realtor will need to have this generally before they will allow you to put in a bid on a home. Your mortgage broker can be a great source of information to help you with your first home loan transaction also, and guide you through the process so that you feel comfortable and knowledgeable about what is going on.
Buying your first home can be a huge, confusing process. It is important to find both a mortgage professional and a real estate agent who will take the time to thouroughly answer your questions and address your concerns throughout the process. Doing so will greatly reduce your stress and improve your satisfation when the sale is complete.
I enjoy working with first time home buyers. I would like to share that excitement with you, while working my hardest to reduce your stress and anxiety.
You should start shopping for a mortgage months before you plan to go house hunting in case there are errors on any of your credit reports that need to be fixed. You are entitled to one free copy of your credit report every year from each of the three major credit-reporting companies; Equifax, Trans Union and Experian.
As a mortgage broker we take great pride in helping you find your first home. We will give you all of your options up front and walk you through the process.
