First mistake

The first mistake you can make is not looking for the best home mortgage loan rates you can find. There are so many lenders that want your business, and taking the time to find out the best rates is time well worth spent. When you find a competitive rate, you may find that not only do you save money each month, but just think of the savings you will enjoy over the life of the home mortgage loan.

Second mistake

A mistake many new homeowners make when searching for a home mortgage loan is not checking their credit history before applying. Many times there are mistakes on your credit report that could affect the rate you are offered, and taking the time to take care of those problems before putting in your application with a mortgage lender, can save you time and aggravation in the long run.

Third mistake

Another costly mistake you may make when you are buying a new home is spending too much money and not being able to handle the payments each month. Before you decide the purchase price of a home you can afford, you will need to sit down and take a look at your monthly expenses and bills to see what type of payment you can easily afford each month. Lots of times after you buy a new home, something will go wrong and you may have to pay for costly repairs. This can be difficult if you are carrying a home mortgage loan that is too high for you. It can also make your life miserable if you have to worry each month about how you are going to make the mortgage payment.

Fourth mistake

Before you are ready to make a bid on the house of your dreams, be sure you are pre-approved for a home mortgage loan. When a lender looks at your current financial picture, they can decide on a cap for your loan. This makes it easier to make an offer when you are ready as you will already have the financing set up.

Fifth mistake

Never agree to a pre-payment penalty fee. A home mortgage loan given to a borrower who has a poor credit rating can charge sometimes as much as thousands of dollars for those who pay off the loan in the first few years of owning their home. Many times the reason that people pay off a mortgage early is that you have found a more attractive interest rate that will put more money in your pocket each month. Keep this in mind, and read the small print before signing on the dotted line to ensure you are not agreeing to this practice.