Plan to buy a home soon? Before you apply for a mortgage and go house hunting, here are two things you’ll want to do first:
Check your credit history. When was the last time you ordered a credit report? That long ago? Enough said. You can go to annualcreditreport.com and order one for free. You can even view it online and print it out within minutes.
Fix any errors. Once you have your credit report in hand, you’ll want to comb through your report for any errors. Studies show many consumers have some type of error in their reports that is potentially lowering their credit score.
Meet with your lender. Your lender can help you make sense of your credit report and help you determine whether it’s a good time for you to purchase a home based on your credit score and other factors, such as your income and employment.