A healthy credit score is a major factor in determining the interest rate on your mortgage. Typically, a higher credit score results in a lower interest rate. This means that just a few points on your credit score can either increase or decrease your monthly mortgage payment by hundreds of dollars. As a potential home buyer, it is helpful to know how your credit score is determined and how to maintain a healthy score.
Once you determine that you are ready to enter the home buying market, it is wise to give yourself time to tackle any credit issues prior to submitting a mortgage application. These four tips will help you stay on top of your credit and place you on the path to owning your dream home!
1.) Avoid Late Payments
Although this should go without saying, paying your bills on time is necessary for maintaining a healthy credit score. Many potential home buyers are unaware that just one late payment can damage your credit score. Not only can a late payment damage your cred; ...

We’re getting to the time of year when real estate agents from all over the world analyze and assess the performance of their local markets and identify future events that may change the market’s current status quo.
With that in mind, here’s what we think buyers, sellers, renters, and developers should expect if they’re planning on entering the market in 2019.

Buyers & Renters...
While there is a wide range of different financial and market-based factors that buyers need to consider, there is no doubt that interest rates are one of the most important (or at least most prominent). We’re currently in a financial period that has the highest interest rates we’ve seen in about 8 years. The Federal Reserve is planning at least one more interest rate rise in 2019, with the strong possibility of a second-rate rise coming later in the year.

A reasonably small increase in interest rates doesn’t usually add as much monthly cost to your z ...

When you’ve signed on the dotted line and you’ve finally found your dream home it’s an amazing feeling. Your mind will often be full of wonderful ideas of how you can make your mark on your new property and make it exactly the way you want it.
 
There are a few common upgrades that new homeowners like to make that you should consider doing before you move in (or very soon after you move in). By being one step ahead you can save yourself a lot of hassle, time, and often money too.
 Image by United Locksmith

1.) Change The Locks

This is something you should be doing as soon as you move in (or even before if possible). Despite best intentions, it’s not uncommon for extra keys to your property to be floating around at various locations the previous owners may have forgotten about. Perhaps it’s the cleaner, a neighbor, a relative, or the plumber – either way, the end result is the same…
 
Someone might have access to your ! ...

Buying your first home is an experience that you’ll never forget.
 
You’ll be dealing with amounts of money that you’ve probably never worked with before and from start to finish the process is a whirlwind of emotion and excitement that’s often sprinkled with a little bit of nervousness and anxiety.
 
Today we are going to try and make things feel a little more familiar for first-time buyers. We’re going to share 4 essential bits of advice that any prospective property owner should take into account before signing on the dotted line.
 
Let’s get started.
 
1.) Start Saving Sooner
While around 20% is probably the most common deposit amount, these days there are lenders that will provide mortgages to first time buyers who have smaller deposits. While these deals can often offer people a path to the property ladder that may have been previously out of reach – they can also be costly.
 
The less deposit you provi ...