Buying a home is one of the biggest investments you can ever make. It can also be one of the best moments you can go through in your life. Today, homes are not staying in the market for long. Interest rates are also growing fast compared to before.

Looking at these trends, you might be tempted to rush into buying your first home before things get even worse. However, you need to be careful. Do not jump on the train and proceed without knowing where you are going!

You need to take time before getting a mortgage and buying your first home. Time is one of the most important factors here, as it will help you get a home, lender, and mortgage that works for you.

Here are a few mortgage tips for first-time buyers;

Use a Mortgage Loan Calculator to Get a Mortgage Estimate

Not unless you have a lot of money somewhere or won a jackpot, chances are that you will need a mortgage when buying your first home. With so many lenders today, it might be confusing to choose a lending company that meets your requirements.

Fortunately, you do not have to worry when it comes to comparing different mortgages and getting their estimates. This is because you can use a jumbo mortgage calculator to compare different lenders.

When doing so, it is important to look at other associated fees such as lender fees and closing costs. Do not just compare two lenders, get as many lenders as possible and compare all of them. This way, you will get a mortgage that fits into your financial requirements.

Get Your Debt Under Control

Apart from the mortgage payment, all lenders will want to ensure that you can take care of the debts that you currently have. This is measured through the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). You should make sure that your debt every month is at most 36% of your monthly income.

This includes the mortgage payment you will be making every month. So what if it exceeds this percentage? Well, as a first-time home buyer, it is important to get your debts under control and ensure that it falls within the recommended margin.

You can start by trying to pay your debts before applying for a mortgage loan. This way, you will find it easy to make your monthly payments. When getting your debt under control, do not forget to look at your credit card, installment loans, and student loans.

Look at Your Budget

After buying your new home, you will start repaying your mortgage. This is not the only thing that’s going to affect your budget. You will have to take care of other costs such as maintenance costs, homeowners insurance, and property taxes, among others.

You might also find yourself with increased utility bills. A home is an amazing investment, but it also comes with extra costs. You should ensure that you have saved money for your big purchase to take care of emergencies.

Before qualifying for a mortgage, most lenders will ask you for two months’ reserve to take care of insurance, taxes, and the mortgage. The bottom line is that your budget is going to change, and you should make sure that you can take care of it without problems.

Evaluate Your Credit

This is one of the most important things you need to look at as a first-time home buyer. If you have a high credit score, then you will find it easy to qualify for a loan with low-interest rates. But how do you go about evaluating your credit score?

Before you start applying for a mortgage, check your credit history and credit score. This should be done months or even more than a year before applying for your mortgage. This way, you will have enough time to take care of any errors and raise your score.

There are different techniques you can use to raise your credit score. Some of them include increasing the limit of your credit cards, paying your credit card debts, and disputing any errors that might exist on your credit history.

Mortgage Down Payment

The amount of money you pay as a down payment will be determined by the mortgage that you take. It ranges from about 3% to 20%. However, it is important to note that lenders use this to evaluate how risky you are.

If you pay at least 20% as a down payment, you might not have to worry about private mortgage insurance. You, therefore, need to determine your down payment and make sure that you have the money before applying for a mortgage.

Following the tips discussed above when buying your first home and applying for a mortgage is vital in streamlining and making the process easy for you.