Tag Archive


Single Parents Can Buy Their First Home (Part 2)

Image representing Experian as depicted in Cru...

Image via CrunchBase

The first step in purchasing a home is qualifying for a mortgage.  To qualify for a mortgage a home buyer needs a credit score of 620.  However, it is best to get a copy of your credit report before going to the mortgage professional because there is often mistakes on your credit report.  The reason there is often mistakes in your credit report is that the report is done by people and computers.  Sometimes, the computer can compile or mis-compile information of people with similar names, similar numbers in their social security number, similar addresses, etc.  The reason I know these errors can occur as a result of the latter reason is that I had a client who was a junior.  His father filed a bankruptcy and the bankruptcy was showing on the son’s credit report.  I helped the son and father correct the incorrect information, and the son was able to purchase his home.

To find out if errors are on your credit report visit the credit bureau:

Once you have a copy of your credit report and you discover errors.  Dispute the errors with the credit bureau.  It will take 30 to 45 days for the credit bureau to investigate.  If the error can not be substantiated then the information will have to be removed.  By the way, the remove of the negative information does not automatically increase your credit score.  It may take as long as 60 to 90 days before the removal of the negative information will affect your credit score.

There are two additional facts that you need to know to be successful with getting a mortgage.

The first thing is that the mortgage company uses all three credit bureaus’ scores to create what the mortgage industry terms as a tri-merge.  Once the tri-merge is compiled the mortgage company uses your middle or median score to determine your eligibility for the mortgage.  This is the reason it is important to get a copy of all three credit bureau’s report.

Another fact that you need to know is that shopping around for a mortgage lowers your credit score, so take a copy of your credit report with you to prevent the reduction in credit score.  If the mortgage professional is not willing to use your copy of the credit report to give information about what products or mortgages they have to offer find another mortgage professional to work with that will.  Once you are happy with the product or mortgage allow the company to pull your credit report and begin the process.

However, before you finalize your choice in products please read tomorrow’s post to find out the difference between fixed and adjustable rate mortgages.

Related articles on credit
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Related Websites
  • Getting Rich While Paying Debt Off One of the wisest things that you can possibly do this year, if you are not already doing it, is to become debt free. Here is something that you may not currently be aware of: Gaining a control over your finances that you did not previously have could actually make......
  • Beacon Credit Score? What's That And How Does It Relate To FICO? A person's credit score can make the difference between getting a lower interest rate on a loan or having to pay a higher interest rate that can cost several thousand dollars over the life of the loan. What's A Beacon Credit Score? The Beacon Credit Score, distributed by the credit......
  • Understanding Your Credit Score In basic terms, your credit score is a number that gives lenders an indication of how much of a credit risk you are. The credit score is usually a number between 300 and 850, that gives an indication to lenders how well (or not) you are managing to pay off......
  • Understanding Your Credit Report Score Your credit report score (or Fico score) plays a huge role in your financial future but surprisingly, most consumers haven't a clue what's in their credit report or how their credit score is calculated even though every consumer has the right to request a free copy of their credit report......
  • Money Mistake Monday - The Closing Credit Card Accounts Syndrome. I will admit right off the bat that a lot of people with credit problems will disagree with me on this one, in that they think the best thing to do with a credit card account is to close it immediately when you are done paying it off. And while......

Single Parents Can Buy Their First Home

PALMDALE, CA - FEBRUARY 25: Real estate broke...

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Are you a single parent wondering if you could afford the “American Dream” of home ownership?  The answer is a resounding, “yes”.  However, it will require planning.

In order for you to be successful with your dream of home ownership it is is important to understand several things before getting started on your path to home ownership.  You must know:

  • the difference between a home appraisal and a home inspection
  • what your credit score is
  • how much home you can afford
  • what property tax exemptions you are eligible for and why
  • what is the difference between fixed and adjustable rate mortgage
  • what is replacement cost and how does it affect your insurance premium
  • why is it important to shop around for insurance coverage
  • why it is important to shop around for a mortgage
  • what is mortgage insurance and what does it protect
  • what is a FHA loan
  • what is a conventional loan
  • how much is needed, really, to purchase and maintain a home
  • what money saving tips are available to help you maintain your home
  • what should you be looking for in a home

Over the next series of posts a renowned and successful broker, author, co-author, and speaker will be addressing the above issues.

Ms. Brown has worked with several first time home buyers, but more importantly she has worked with and coached several single parents through the buying process.  In addition, all of the single parents that she coached through the buying process are still successful and happy homeowners today.

Ms. Brown has over ten years of experience as a real estate professional.  She prides herself on ensure that her clients understand the buying or selling process.  She accomplish this goal by educating her clients with books like “Should I Short Sale My Home” and “How to Make Your Home Sell”.  She also has a successful blog at Taylor-Brown Real Estate Talks.com.

Ms. Brown is not only a license real estate broker in both Indiana and Illinios, but she has two bachelor degrees.  One of her bachelor degrees is in business administration and the other degree is in electronic engineering technology.

It is equally important to point out the goal of Taylor-Brown Real Estate Talks.  Taylor-Brown Real Estate Talks’ goal is to empower the customer through education about real estate, mortgage, insurance, so that the consumer can achieve wealth through the listing and selling of real estate.

Tomorrow’s post will be on the all important credit score.  There has been a lot of changes in the mortgage industry in recent years, and Ms. Brown wants to share with you how those changes will affect your buying experience.

Related articles on first time home buying
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Related Websites
  • How to sell your home fast...or not Back in September, I wrote an article providing tips on how to sell your home fast in a buyer's market. These tips and suggestions were not only things I had personally done to the home we're trying to sell, but also tips and suggestions from multiple real estate agents,......
  • Weakon 331: Reverse Mortgages The following is a guest post written by David from Lender411.com. Lender411 lets you compare mortgage rates and provides information on loan products from reverse mortgages to commercial loans.If you're like most of us, you probably pay to live somewhere. You either rent a place and pay by the month,......
  • Sarasota Foreclosures Reveal John's 3 Home-Buying Mistakes! (podcast) Sarasota real estate agent Mike Payne provides FREE podcasts for your eduTainment - please leave your comments, questions and/or suggestions below! [/caption] Enjoy this short podcast.... For more information, click the link. Sarasota Foreclosures Compound John’s 3 Home-Buying Mistakes! Description: Sarasota real estate exposes 3 common but costly home-buying MISTAKES,......
  • Saving Money with a Government Loan Option Buying a home is part of the American dream. For more than half of a century, Americans have been set on finding homes to hang their hats. Owning a home is a sign of stability and pride. However, financing a home can be a nightmare that interrupts the American dream.......
  • What are Annuities? An Introduction to Immediate Annuities Understanding Annuities makes it easier for you to make an informed decision rather than just listening to an advisor or worse a talking head on television.  Annuities often bring up strong emotions when they really shouldn’t, it is nothing more than a financial product often issued by insurance companies. ......