When you decide the time is right to buy a home it can be one of the biggest decisions you will ever make. It is an exciting time. But, before making decisions too quickly, you need to be cautious and take the proper financial steps to ensure your financial investment is successful. You must have your financial affairs in order and know what you can afford.

The first thing you should do when considering the purchase of a home is to prequalify for a mortgage. There is no cost associated with the prequalification process. Your mortgage lender will need your financial …

For home buyers there has not been a better time to go house shopping in the past several years. Falling home values, an increase of homes available on the market and record-low mortgage rates have made it a buyer’s market when it comes to houses. But whether you’re a first time home buyer, you’re looking to upgrade to a larger house for your family or you’re looking to downsize for retirement, there are a few things you need to do first.

Before you contact a real estate agent, go looking for homes or …

We all know that for the past several years the housing market, and likewise the home loan lending market, has taken a substantial hit. Home values have been dropping for years, banks have severely tightened their mortgage approval requirements and the one thing that could really help the housing market – in increase in jobs – has yet to fully materialize. While many home sellers and homeowners have been walking away from their homes, taking part in short sales and generally being very pessimistic about their future, there are some people who are able to take advantage of …