Get finances in order before looking for home

According to the Auburn Journal, an important early step in purchasing a home is to obtain a lender's "pre-qualification" for financing. Buyers will then know how much home they can afford before stepping foot into an open house. Another step to take before buyers talk to the lender about pre-approval is to get copies of their credit report and review them thoroughly. The article recommends homebuyers to get a copy of their credit report a couple months before they start looking at homes. Buyers need to verify thoroughly that the debts are correct and belong to them. Buyers will be amazed to see how many doors are opened for them with a clean credit report. [ Auburn Journal, September 16, 2005]