7 Ways to Get a Leg Up on Buying a Home Next Year

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If you’re thinking about buying a home in 2018, you’d better get started now. Here are some things you can do to prepare for the process:

1. Interview potential real estate agents. Find an agent who you like and who seems to like you. They should be knowledgeable about the market that you’re looking in as well.
2. Find a mortgage broker or lender. Interview at least a couple. Find out how they work, what they do, and how long their process takes to close on any real estate transaction you pursue.
3. Have them check your credit score. Remember that things like Credit Karma and actual mortgage lender credit checks are two entirely different things that use different figures and different types of analysis. Your score on Credit Karma may look really good, but your mortgage lender will pull your credit score and could possibly come up with a vastly different figure.
4. Get pre-approved. If you find a property that you like, you want to be able to walk into a deal with everything all lined up and ready to go. You should also confer with your lender to make sure that you’ll be able to close within 30 days. Have your down payment, due diligence fee, and earnest money ready to go so that all you have to do is just write a check.
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Find an agent that you like and who seems to like you.

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5. Keep tabs on interest rates. Interest rates are starting to creep up right now, and you want to be able to keep your interest rate as low as possible.
6. Don’t open up any new credit cards or other lines of credit.
7. Ask for a financial gift. Instead of asking for stuff this Christmas, ask for a financial gift so that you can have some money going toward the pot. Remember, when you go to buy your first home, there are going to be other things that you never even thought about buying that your parents always had when you needed them.

I wish everyone a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving. Please stay safe out there and enjoy your holiday season.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to me. Until next time!