Knowledge Base

We kicked off 2023 with our credit score mini-series where we covered the components that make up your score and are back with more!

When it comes to looking at money you owe, not all debt is created equal. While there are many shades of gray in life, there is absolutely good debt and bad debt. And the difference matters, whether you’re taking financial steps to buy a home or prepare for retirement. Let’s take a look at some of the distinctions between them.

Improving your credit score is worth the time and effort, but that does not mean the result is going to be instantaneous. Credit improvement is a process and the best way to improve it is to manage it responsibly. If you are looking for ways to improve your score, here are some tips that you can utilize to begin the process:

Once you’ve made it through pre-approval, your house search, making your offer and securing your loan, it’s time to prep for the last step: closing! Unfortunately, closing brings with it another round of costs – some of which may feel like they’re breaking your personal bank. It’s time to look at how to reduce closing costs.

Buying a home means dealing a lot with your finances – and one of the most important pieces of that puzzle can be found in your credit report. Having a good score and a healthy debt-to-income ratio can mean the difference between getting a great mortgage or losing out on the house of your dreams.

 There are plenty of aspects that surround the home buying journey that are out of your control. One of the areas where you can actually influence the outcome with your mortgage lender is having a strong financial status. The more you can do to make yourself an attractive candidate for a loan, the better chance you have to get a lender to approve you – and these are things that can help you get the best rate, terms and assists with making you a preferred candidate.

No doubt about it, applying for a mortgage can be a long and involved process that can leave you feeling drained and financially exposed. But it’s in your best interest to be transparent with your finances during this part of the home buying journey, particularly if you have issues that might hinder your loan approval. There are a number of credit issues that may affect your application for a mortgage loan; however, most of the challenges can be overcome.

There are so many things that can impact your ability to get a mortgage, and the rate and terms of that mortgage. Your credit history, your debt-to-income ratio, your job… and while you might be thinking that having a job is obviously important, there’s another job factor that can affect your mortgage: your commute. Long commutes can sometimes delay or derail a mortgage approval.