Patrick Jones

First Trust Home Loans

  • Home
  • About Patrick
  • Reviews
  • Blog
  • Resources
    • First Time Home Buyer Tips
    • First Time Home Seller Tips
    • Closing Costs
    • Home Appraisal
    • Home Inspection
    • Loan Checklist
    • Loan Process
    • Loan Programs
    • Mortgage Glossary
    • Mortgage FAQ
  • Download My App
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Home Mortgage Tips / 3 Important Credit Considerations Before You Apply For A Mortgage

3 Important Credit Considerations Before You Apply For A Mortgage

February 11, 2014 by Patrick Jones

3 Important Credit Considerations Before You Apply For A MortgageBefore applying for a mortgage, borrowers need to build a plan for how they are going to manage their credit both going into the mortgage process and as they navigate through it.

Lenders like to know that borrowers have a strong likelihood of repaying the loans they take out and, as such, look carefully at an applicant’s credit.

Here are three must-dos that can help an applicant turn into a home owner.

Pre–Checking Credit Reports

Before even starting the home loan application process, borrowers are well served to check their own credit reports and see what appears. If everything is correct, their credit score can help them understand what type of loans are open to them and what they might cost.

When errors come up, pre-checking gives the applicant time to have the errors corrected before applying for a loan.

When an applicant has credit issues, knowing gives him time to fix them. He can pay down balances, add new lines to his report or take other action in advance of applying.

Manage The Debt To Income Ratio

Mortgage lenders calculate a borrower’s ability to borrow based on the debt-to-income ratio. They add up the proposed mortgage payment and the other debt payments and divide them into his monthly gross income.

If he has too much debt or not enough income he won’t get the loan he wants.

To manage this, borrowers have two choices.

One is to earn more by taking on a second job. The other is to have lower payments.

Paying down credit cards can be a quick way to solve this problem.

Avoid Taking On New Debt

When an applicant takes on more debt while applying for a home loan, it can cause three problems:

  1. The inquiry can drop his credit score.
  2. The payments can change his DTI.
  3. The lender might not feel good about a borrower taking on more debt.

Getting a mortgage can be tough. The key is to understand what lenders want to see and give it to them.

If you need help understanding credit and how to prepare for your mortgage transaction, contact your trusted mortgage professional.

Filed Under: Home Mortgage Tips Tagged With: DTI Ratio, Home Mortgage Tips, Personal Finance and Credit

Patrick Jones Headshot

Get in Touch


Patrick Jones
Mortgage Lender

Call 615.668.6838
Email: pjones@myfthl.com
NMLS #203203
First Trust  Mortgage Logo

How can I help?


0 / 180

Connect with Patrick!

Browse Articles by Category

Recent Articles

  • White Lies That Could Make It Harder To Buy A Home
  • Rebuilding Costs: Rethinking How Much Homeowners Insurance You Really Need
  • 5 Tips for Crafting a Counter-offer That Doesn’t Scare Away a Potential Home Buyer
  • What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – March 27, 2023
Patrick Jones NMLS# 203203
F&M Mortgage NMLS# 518158
Equal Housing Lender

Looking for something?

Our Location


1639 Medical Center Pkwy
Murfreesboro, TN 37129

Copyright © 2023 · Powered by MySMARTblog