Before you start looking for a home, get a copy of your credit report. According to a recent study, one-third of Americans have enough inaccurate information in their credit files to prevent them from getting a mortgage or other large loan. If the report contains errors, the lender might automatically reject your loan request.

Correcting even the smallest error can take at least two weeks. Correcting bigger mistakes can take months. You may be the victim of credit fraud and not even know it. Professional thieves can open checking and credit accounts in your name without your even knowing it. Credit fraud usually doesn't appear on your credit report until after the debt has gone into collection. Even if the purchases occurred in states you've never even been to, it is your responsibility to contact the credit bureaus, and even the companies trying to collect the debt. Follow up! The error might not get cleared up the first time, and if you've been defrauded once, you're likely to be defrauded again.

Order a copy of your credit report from each of the three major nationwide credit reporting bureaus: Experian/TRW (888-397-3742), Equifax (800-685-1111), or Trans Union Corp. (800-888-4213), Each report will cost about $8. If you are turned down for credit, you are entitled to one free copy of your report.

Another crucial step in starting your search for a new home is having a clear idea of your financial situation. By getting a handle on your income, expenses and debts, you'll have a much better idea of what you can afford and how much you'll need to borrow.

For lenders to verify this information, though, they're going to need to look at your financial records. It is also important to remember that you should include records for each person who will be an owner of the house. So before you even visit the bank, make sure you'll be able to provide copies of these important documents:

• Paycheck Stubs

Remember that lenders are most interested in your average income. Not only will they want to see this month's paycheck, but also how much you've been making for the past two years. Steady employment is also more attractive to lenders, so if you've been hopping from job to job, be prepared to discuss the reasons why.

• Bank Statements

In order to qualify you for a loan, most lenders will also ask you for copies of your bank statements. Ideally, they'd like to see a steady history of savings--or at the very least, that you're not bouncing checks every month.

• Tax Records

It's always a good idea to save copies of your tax returns, especially if you're self-employed. If you own your own business, it's important to note that lenders generally consider your income as the amount you paid taxes on – not the gross income of the business.

• Dividends & Investments

Lenders will usually consider long-term investment dividends, as well as your investment portfolio, when evaluating your income.

• Alimony/Child Support

If you receive steady payments as part of a divorce settlement or for child support, you can also include this as part of your gross income. Just remember that lenders will want to see a copy of your divorce/court settlement verifying the amount of the payments.

• Credit Report

Virtually every lender will want to see a copy of your credit report as part of the loan application process. The report lists all of your long-term debts, as well as your payment history. In general, they will require you to pay for the credit report (approximately $50), but if you have a recent copy, they may accept that instead.

As part of the loan application process, virtually all lenders will want to see a copy of your credit report. The report will list all your long-term debts (credit cards, mortgage payments, automobile and student loans, etc.), as well as your payment history. If you don't have a copy of your credit report, most lenders will generally require you to pay for a copy when they process your loan application.

However, most real estate experts agree that it is a good idea to obtain a copy of your credit report several months before you apply for a loan. This is so you have a chance to resolve any problems with your credit before your bank sees it. U.S. Federal law ensures that you have access to your credit report, which may be obtained from your local credit bureau or any of several national firms that specialize in credit reports.

Late payments

For most people, problems with their credit report are likely related to late payments on a debt. If you were late one month in paying off your credit card, but otherwise have a good payment history, chances are most lenders won't be too concerned. But if you have a history of late payments you'll need to document the reasons why. A slow payment history won't necessarily get you turned down for a loan, but you may have to pay a higher rate of interest or otherwise prove to the lender that you can repay your loan in a timely fashion.

Errors on your credit report

Many people are surprised to learn that credit reports can often contains errors or inaccurate information. If this is the case with your credit report, you'll need to contact the reporting agency or creditor to have the problem resolved. This can sometimes be a slow process, so make sure to give yourself time to clear up the mistake.

Bankruptcies and foreclosures

There's no getting around it, a bankruptcy on your credit report is not a good thing. But that doesn't mean you still can't obtain a loan. Even though a bankruptcy may stay on your credit report for seven to ten years, lenders will often consider the circumstances surrounding a bankruptcy (family illness, injury, etc.). Moreover, if you have reestablished good credit since the bankruptcy, a lender will be more inclined to approve your application.

Home loan plans fall into three simple categories: fixed-rate loans, adjustable-rate mortgages, and hybrid loans, which have features of fixed-rate loans and adjustable-rate mortgages (or ARMs).

Fixed-rate mortgages have interest rates that don't change during the life of the loan. The interest rate on an adjustable-rate mortgage adjusts every six to twelve months, or every month, depending on the terms of the loan. When interest rates fall, the ARM interest rate usually falls, but the opposite is true when interest rates increase.

Adjustable-rate mortgages "are tied to an index which is a measure of the lender's cost of borrowing money. As the index rises, so will the interest rate on the adjustable loan," according to Dian Hymer, author of "Buying and Selling a Home, A Complete Guide," Chronicle Books, San Francisco; 1994. Common indexes include Treasury Securities (T-Bills), Certificates of Deposit (CDs), and Libor (London inter-bank offering rate). Most metropolitan newspapers publish current ARM index rates.

The interest rate and payment adjustments may or may not be scheduled to change at the same time. For example, the interest rate on some plans changes more frequently than the monthly payment, which may result in negative amortization. "This means that the additional interest will be added to the principal balance of the loan and may accrue additional interest itself," Hymer says. If the monthly payments on an ARM are increasing, generally this is because the index is rising or it is a negative amortization ARM.

Introductory rates on ARMs are usually two or three percentage points lower than the fixed-rate. Because initial expenses will be lower with an ARM, a lender is more likely to lend you more money than with a fixed-rate loan.

Hybrid loans start with a fixed rate that's guaranteed for an established period, usually one to five years. After that period, the loan becomes an ARM.

In the past, the 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage was the standard choice for most homebuyers. Today, however, lenders offer a wide array of loan types in varying lengths – including 15, 20, 30 and even 40-year mortgages.

Deciding what length is best for you should be based on several factors including: your purchasing power, your anticipated future income and how disciplined you want to be about paying off the mortgage.

What are the benefits of a shorter loan term?

Some homeowners choose fixed-rate loans that are less than 30 years in order to save money by paying less interest over the life of the loan. For example, a $100,000 loan at 8 percent interest comes with a monthly payment of around $734 (excluding taxes and homeowner's insurance). Over 30 years, this adds up to $264,240. In other words, over the life of the loan you would pay a whopping $164,240 just in interest.

With a 15-year loan, however, the monthly payments on the same loan would be approximately $956--for a total of $172,080. The monthly payments are more than $200 more than they would be for a 30-year mortgage, but over the life of the loan you would save more than $92,000.

What are the advantages to a 30-year loan?

Despite the interest savings of a 15-year loan, they're not for everyone. For one thing, the higher monthly payment might not allow some homeowners to qualify for a house they could otherwise afford with the lower payments of a 30-year mortgage. The lower monthly payment can also provide a greater sense of security in the event your future earning power might decrease.

Furthermore, with a little bit of financial discipline, there are a variety of methods that can help you pay off a 30-year loan faster with only a moderately higher monthly payment. One such choice is the biweekly mortgage payment plan, which is now offered by many lenders for both new and existing loans.

As the name implies, biweekly mortgage payments are made every two weeks instead of once a month--which over a year works out to the equivalent of making one extra monthly payment (compared to a traditional payment plan). One extra payment a year may not sound like much, but it can really add up over time. In fact, switching from a traditional payment plan to a biweekly mortgage can actually shorten the term of a 30-year loan by several years and save you thousands in interest.

If you're interested in a biweekly payment plan, make sure to check with your lender. In many cases, lenders also offer direct payment services that automatically withdraw funds from your bank account, saving you the trouble of having to write and mail a check every two weeks.

Making extra payments yourself--do it early!
Another way to pay off your loan more quickly is to simply include extra funds with your monthly payment. Most lenders will allow you to make extra payments towards the principal balance of your loan without penalty. This is especially attractive to homebuyers who are concerned about their future earning power, but still want to be aggressive about paying off their loan.

For example, if you had a 30-year loan, you might decide to send the equivalent of one or two extra payments a year (which could shorten the overall length of the loan by many years). But if your financial situation suddenly took a turn for the worse, you could always fall back on the regular monthly payment.

One important note, though, is that if you do decide to send extra funds, make sure to do it EARLY in the life of the loan. This is because most home loans are calculated in such a way that the first few years of payments are almost entirely interest, while the last few years are mostly applied towards the principal balance. Thus, you can get the most bang for your buck by making the extra payments early in the life of the loan.

Closing costs are the fees for services, taxes or special interest charges that surround the purchase of a home. They include upfront loan points, title insurance, escrow or closing day charges, document fees, prepaid interest and property taxes. Unless, these charges are rolled into the loan, they must be paid when the home is closed.

Closing costs are either paid by the home seller or home buyer. It often depends on local custom and what the buyer or seller negotiates.

Buyer Closing Costs

When a buyer applies for a loan, lenders are required to provide them with a good-faith estimate of their closing costs. The fees vary according to several factors, including the type of loan they applied for and the terms of the purchase agreement. Likewise, some of the closing costs, especially those associated with the loan application, are actually paid in advance. Some typical buyer closing costs include:

• The down payment
• Loan fees
..(points, application fee,
..credit report)
• Prepaid interest
• Inspection fees
• Appraisal
• Mortgage Insurance
• Hazard Insurance
• Title Insurance
• Documentary stamps
..on the note

If the seller has not yet paid for the house in full, the seller’s most important closing cost is satisfying the remaining balance of their loan. Before the date of closing, the escrow officer will contact the seller’s lender to verify the amount needed to close out the loan. Then along with any other fees, the original loan will be paid for at the closing before the seller receives any proceeds from the sale. Other seller closing costs can include:

• Broker’s commission
• Transfer taxes
• Documentary stamps
..on the deed
• Title insuance
• Property taxes (prorated)

In addition to the sales price, buyers and sellers frequenty include closing costs in their negotiations. This can be for both major and minor fees. For example, if a buyer is particularly nervous about the condition of the plumbing, the seller may agree to pay for the house inspection.

Likewise, a buyer may want to save on up-front expenditures, and so agree to pay the seller’s full asking price in return for the seller paying all the allowable closing costs. There’s no right or wrong way to negotiate closing costs; just be sure the terms are written down on the purchase agreement.

At the closing, certain costs are often prorated (or distributed) between buyer and seller. The most common prorations are for property taxes. This is because property taxes are typically paid at the end of the year for which they were assessed. Thus, if a house is sold in June, the sellers will have lived in the house for half the year, but the bill for the taxes won’t come due until the following year! To make this situation more equitable, the taxes are prorated. In this example, the sellers will credit the buyers for half the taxes at closing.

Studies show that the closing costs, which can average 2 to 3 percent of a total home purchase price, are often more costly than many buyers expect. But there are some ways to save:

• Negotiate with the seller to pay all or part of the closing costs. The lender must agree to this as well as the seller.

• Get a no-point loan. Points are fees paid to persuade a lender to make a mortgage loan. Each point is equal to one percent of the loan principle. The trade-off is a higher interest rate on the loan and many of these loans have prepayment penalties. But buyers who are short on cash and can qualify for a higher interest rate may find a no-point loan will significantly cut their closing costs.

• Get a no-fee loan. Usually, though, these fees are wrapped into a higher interest rate though it will save you on the amount of cash you need upfront.

• Get seller financing. This kind of arrangement usually does not entail traditional loan fees or charges.

• Rent the property in which you are interested with an option to buy. That will give you more time to save for the upfront cash needed for the actual purchase.

• Shop around for the best loan deal. Each direct lender and each mortgage brokerage has their own fee structure. Call around before submitting your final loan application.

Sources: Inman News Features, Homes.com

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