The First Step…

You hear it everyday.  “Now is a great time to buy a house”, and it is.  But if you have never bought a house, or it has been a while the process can be daunting. You may be wondering, who?, what? where? when? and how do I maneuver the process?

First things first…Get Pre Approved!!!  This is as important as working with a REALTOR!  By getting a pre-approval you will know, how much you can afford, about how much money you will need when you close and the interest rate you qualify for. This will save you and your REALTOR valuable time.

I also advise calling more than one lender.  Believe it or not, “one size does NOT fit all”.  If one lender gives you discouraging news, don’t automatically assume they all will.  Your agent probably has a list of lenders she has a working relationship with and will be happy to share it with you.  Of course, you may call any lender you desire.

My advice would be to steer clear of large, nationally known lenders.  They are wonderful at servicing your loan, but the process of obtaining the loan can be quite complicated.  The personal customer service is just not there!

For more information or start looking for your new home, contact Dee Dee Dretke today!

Stay tuned for The House Buying Process: Step 2. I will discuss the importance of working with a REALTOR.