Instead of paying rent to the owner of your residence every month, as a homeowner, you’ll be paying back a bank for the money you borrowed to buy your own place.
But before you get there, you need to find that bank and secure that loan. Where do you start that process?
A real estate professional is one good place — agents work with an array of local loan officers representing different lenders, and depending on whether you’re a veteran, your down payment size, your credit score, and a number of other factors, a good local agent will know which lender (and loan officer) might be the best fit for you.
The right loan officer will explain your financing options and help you drill down to the real nitty-gritty, like the size of the monthly mortgage payment that’s affordable on your current income, what you should expect in terms of closing costs, and whether the down payment amount you’ve saved is going to cut it.
Agents can also explain what to expect during the mortgage loan application process, what you should know about transferring money during the sale, why it’s important to review certain documents — and they can usually even attest to whether certain lenders have parameters that might be better for one type of home instead of another.
Sure, you strap on your seatbelt when you get in the car, and your helmet when you hop on your bike, but what about safety precautions for getting online? CenturyLink encourages consumers to practice good online safety habits with these tips:
