406: ENCORE: 5 Things to Do Before Buying a Home

Learn 5 things to do before purchasing a home, why the debt snowball is not the method to use to improve credit quickly, and how to find a loan officer.

Before you do anything, first check your credit report and raise your credit score. Go to www.Annualcreditreport.comand get your FREE credit report once annually. Pay off any credit cards using my system and NOT the Debt Snowball. My version will improve your credit WHILE you are paying off debt. The Debt Snowball delays improving your credit until it's mostly paid off.

This is because the Debt Snowball leaves the largest balances to be paid last, while credit is improved when you take maxed-out balances and reduce them to half.

Therefore, you must reduce your largest balances first, not your smallest in order to simultaneously improve your credit.

Listen to my podcasts on how to pay off debt quickly while improving your credit and paying off debt (debt re-do).

Here are your action steps:

1) Perfect your credit as much as possible. It's necessary to begin asap. 2) Save for the maximum down payment. 3) Find a loan officer and educate yourself. 4) Get pre-qualified. 5) Be aware with interest rates about to rise, this may be near the top of the market, so don't get into a bidding war and don't overpay. Patience may be your friend here.

Of course, if you are selling your existing home to buy a new home, you'll want to listen to my podcast on how to sell your home for top dollar.