How Much Mortgage Can I Have?

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 29th, 2010

Home buying should first start with determining how much of a mortgage you can afford. Sure, everyone would like to head out to the local real estate agent, find the homes that they really like, in the right area and then apply for their home loan. But, this is not the right way to do it. This way can actually leave you quite disappointed if you are not provided a loan that will fit your desires completely. Everyone has a different amount of house that they can afford. What you qualify for is something that is going to depend on what type of a risk you are to the lenders.

Before you begin your search for the right house, take a look around for the best mortgage. You should compare several companies that are in the business of home loans and see just what they can offer you. When you find the right company to work with, you will be able to determine how much of a home you are actually able to afford. Remember that the important things to consider in a home loan are things such as the interest rate and the terms of it. Some lenders will allow you to get a bigger loan than others.

Once you determine who actually to work with to get your mortgage, now, you will want to find out how much of a loan they will give you. What goes into this amount are many things including the following:

• How much income you bring in on a monthly basis. The mortgage is likely to be paid monthly and they would like to determine if you have enough income coming into your home to afford to make these monthly payments.
• Your credit score. If you are a big credit risk, it is likely that you are not going to pay your mortgage payments in a timely way. You may miss payments or pay them late. This will hinder not only getting the home loan but also how much you can have.
• The value of homes in your area and the market. These things are changing every day. Some lenders will allow you to get a home that is more costly as long as you can afford it because home values are increasing. Others are more conservative.

Finding the right lender for the mortgage is the first step. One should work on improving their credit to the best of their ability before applying for a home loan so that they have the most ability to make payments. Having a steady job that provides a regular income and shows a past history of employment can also help to benefit you.

Remember that lenders are looking to make money from those that purchase a home through interest. They are not in the business of owning homes and therefore they do not want to take on individuals that are a high risk of defaulting on their loans. For that reason, you should determine how much of a mortgage you can afford before you head out looking for the home of your dreams.