You have finally found the home of your dreams. You have searched all over and are ready to purchase it. Before you even make your offer you should seek out the financing first. In some cases, it is easier to have a pre-approval in hand before making any financial commitment through a contract. Why get your hopes up after you purchase the home when you can buy with assurance and wait by the settlement table. Before you can buy anything, you will need to get accepted by a reputable lender. There is much you will need to know, as this will be the largest purchase you will ever make. You will need to fill out a mortgage application first.

As with any mortgage application, you will need to provide the necessary information to the lender so they can weigh the option to grant you the loan. This information is based upon your financial picture. It consists of your social security number, date of birth, and where you have worked for the past 3 years. This information will give the lender a good picture about your spending habits through a credit score. Depending on the score itself, the lender will make a financial decision to grant or deny your request. You may also have to explain certain circumstances in your life such as a job loss or credit rating should they not be up to par.

Upon completing the mortgage application review, you will be given an amount in which you can afford. Usually the sales price of the home is based upon 3 times your annual income. It is also equivalent to the percentage of debt to income ration determined by FHA (Federal Housing Authority). Should you meet these guidelines you will be given a green light to go and look for a house in this range. You may be able to afford more should you have a sizeable deposit. There are also programs that you can use to get into a house with only 3% down. Some lenders ask that you fill out the home loan application in person rather than online so that they can answer any questions during the process.