What Price House Can You Afford?

Emily Johnson found the perfect house for her family. Four bedrooms, three baths. The master suite had a garden Jacuzzi tub, just what she  needed after a long, hard day of work. There was plenty of street appeal, too. After hours of looking on the Internet, she’d found The One.

Her next step was to contact the real estate agent who was listing the house and ask to see inside.

Emily fell in love.

That evening, she brought her husband out to see the house, and he agreed with her that it was just what they wanted. They asked the real estate agent how they could make an offer. And that’s when everything fell apart.

You see Emily, like so many other house shoppers, had done everything wrong  — starting with her initial search.

What Went Wrong?

When you want to buy a house, your first step is not searching the Internet for what you want. Your first step is to find out how much house you can afford. That way, you can tailor your search to what is appropriate and realistic. What’s the point of falling in love with a house that is out of your price range? Why set yourself up for disappointment?

To find out how much house you can afford, ask a mortgage loan officer for a pre-qualification.

A pre-qual is a quick evaluation by phone. The loan officer will ask you a couple questions about your income, outgo and down payment, then give you an estimate for the loan amount and home price you can qualify for.

No credit check is needed. To make sure your credit report is not pulled without your authorization, do not give out your social security number.

Once you know your true price range, you can cruise the Internet to your heart’s delight. By looking at homes you can afford, you set yourself up for success and avoid heartbreak.