12-Month Checklist For First-Time Homebuyers!

Written by Posted On Friday, 16 October 2015 08:03

(Article originally appeared at the Hallmark Abstract Service blog)

If you are beginning the search for your first home, the process CANNOT start the day before you visit the first potential property!

Whether you are the potential homebuyer, the real estate agent that was selected to work with, a concerned parent offering counsel, the mortgage advisor providing a pre-qualification or the real estate attorney, this first-time homebuyer checklist that begins about one year out should be copied and shared!

The advice concerning proper preparation is important because a home will typically represent one of, if not the greatest, financial decisions made throughout a lifetime. As such it is not one to be taken lightly or to be entered into through a nonchalant seat-of-the-pants process.

First-Time Homebuyer Checklist

Developed at the website HouseLogic.com (visit for more great information!) and written by Jennifer Nelson (@nelsonjennifer), this invaluable timeline begins one year out...

12 Months Out

Check your credit score. Get a copy of your credit report at annualcreditreport.com. The three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) are each required to give you a free credit report once a year. A Federal Trade Commission study found one in four Americans identified errors on their credit report, and 5% had errors that could lead to higher rates on loans. Avoid last-minute bombshells by checking your score long before you’re ready to make an offer. And work diligently to correct any mistakes.

Determine how much you can afford. Figure out much house you can afford and want to afford. Lenders look for a total debt load of no more than 43% of your gross monthly income (called the debt-to-income ratio). This figure includes your future mortgage and any other debts, such as a car loan, student loan, or revolving credit cards.

There are plenty of calculators on the web to help you determine what you can afford. If you’re pushing the limits, start reducing your debt-to-income ratio now. To get a reality check on what you may actually be spending every month, use this worksheet.

Make a downpayment plan. Most conventional mortgages require a 20% downpayment. If you can swing it, do it. Your loan costs will be much less, and you’ll get a better interest rate. If, however, you’re not quite able to save the full amount, there are many programs that can help. FHA offers loans with only a 3.5% downpayment. But they require mortgage insurance premiums, which will drive up your monthly payments. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides a list of nonprofit home buying programs by state. Also check with credit unions; and your employer might even have an assistance program.

As you’re planning your savings strategy, keep in mind that banks like you to “season” your money. That is, they like to see that you’ve had stable funds in your account for 60 to 90 days before applying for a loan. Don’t worry: You can still use a financial gift from a family member or bonus received near the time you buy.

9 Months Out

Prioritize what you most want in your new home. What’s most important in your new home? Proximity to work? A big backyard? An open floor plan? Being on a quiet street? You’ll make a much better decision on what home to buy if you focus on your priorities. If it’s a joint decision, now is the time to work out any differences to avoid frustration and wasted time. Perhaps most important: Know what trade-offs you’re willing to make.

Research neighborhoods and start visiting open houses. But now’s when the fun begins, too. Use property listing sites, such as realtor.com, to find out about neighborhoods, public transport, and cost of living.

Start visiting open houses to get an idea of what kind of homes are in your price range and what neighborhoods appeal the most. Seeing potential homes will also keep you motivated to continue reducing your debts and saving for your downpayment.

Budget for miscellaneous homebuying expenses. Buying a home has some miscellaneous upfront costs. A home inspection, title search, propery survey, and home insurance are examples. Costs vary by locale, but expect to pay at least a few hundred dollars. If you don’t have the cash, start saving now.

Start a home maintenance account. Speaking of saving, start the good habit now of putting a little aside each month to fund maintenance, repairs, and home emergencies. It’s bad enough to have to call a plumber. It’s worse if you’re paying credit card interest on that plumbing bill.

6 Months Out

Collect your loan paperwork. Banks are very particular when it comes to mortgage loans. They demand a lot of paperwork. What they’ll want from you includes:

  • W-2 forms — or business tax return forms if you’re self-employed — for the last two to three years
  • Personal tax returns for the past two to three years
  • Your most recent pay stubs
  • Credit card and all loan statements
  • Your bank statements
  • Addresses for the past five to seven years
  • Brokerage account statements for the most recent two to four months
  • Most recent retirement account statements, such as 401(k)

If you start collecting these documents now, it’ll lessen the stress when it’s time to get your loan. Bonus: Looking closely at your loan documents each month will also help you stay focused on saving for your downpayment and keeping your debt-to-income ratio low.

Research lenders and REALTORS®. Start interviewing REALTORS®, specifically buyers’ agents. A buyer’s agent will work in your best interest to find you the right property, negotiate with the seller’s agent, and shepherd you through the closing process. Your agent also can be instrumental in finding a lender who’s familiar with first-time homebuyer programs.

3 Months Out

Get pre-approved for your loan. At this point, if you’ve been following this timeline, your credit score, paperwork, and downpayment should be on track. You’ve done your research on lenders and buyers’ agents. Now it’s time to start working with them. First you’ll need to get pre-approved for a mortgage.

Make an appointment with your lender or mortgage broker and bring all your paperwork. He’ll run a credit check on you and tell you how much of a loan you’re approved for. It often makes sense to borrow less than the maximum the lender allows so you can live comfortably. Draft a budget that accounts for mortgage payments, insurance, maintenance, and everything else you have going on in your life.

Start shopping for your new home. One you’re pre-approved, the buyer’s agent you’ve chosen will be able to target homes that meet your priorities in your price range. This way you won’t be wasting time looking at homes you can’t afford.

2 Months Out

Make an offer on a home. It usually takes at least four to six weeks to close on a home. So if you have a firm move-out date, allow enough time to deal with any hiccups that can delay closing.

Get a home inspection. One of the first things you’ll want to do after an offer is accepted is have a home inspector look at the property. If the home inspector finds something that needs repair, that’s a common example of something that can delay closing.

In the Last Month

Triple-check that all your financial documents are in order and review all lending documents before closing. You’re in the home stretch! If you’ve been keeping your documents up to date, and your downpayment is in reserve, these final steps are the easiest. Reviewing the mortgage documents is probably the most difficult. Your agent can help guide you through them.

Get insurance for your new home. Don’t forget to secure insurance before closing. You’ll need to bring proof of insurance to closing.

Do a final walk-through. Do a final walk-through of your new home, usually a day or two before closing, to make sure the home is in the shape you and the seller have agreed upon.

Get a cashier’s check or bank wire for cash needed at closing. Make sure you get an exact amount of cash needed for closing. You’ll get that number a few days before closing so you can secure a cashier’s check or arrange to have the money wired. Regular checks aren’t accepted.

That’s it. Congratulations!

If you are a professional that's involved in this process who has comments, additions or subtractions from this list or a homebuyer with a story to tell that you think would be helpful to others, please leave them in the comments section below.

Michael Haltman is President of Hallmark Abstract Service in New York. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Michael Haltman

Hallmark Abstract Service provides title insurance for both residential and commercial real estate transactions in New York State.

Hallmark Abstract President Michael Haltman is also extremely involved with the combat veterans 501(c)(3) Heroes To Heroes Foundation, serving as the Board Chair.

Hallmark Abstract Service

In 2008 we opened our doors focused on two primary goals:

Number one was to be a title insurance company that would provide clients with a superior finished product that completely protects their interests for what will likely be one of the largest transactions of their lifetime.

Number two was to insure that the experience of working with Hallmark Abstract Service was as easy and seamless as possible for all parties involved in the transaction!

From the number of satisfied clients who come back to Hallmark Abstract Service time after time for their title insurance needs, the evidence bears out that we have accomplished these two goals in the past and will maintain our client centric focus far into the future!

Michael Haltman

Post 1984 MBA in Finance from the State University of New York at Albany that concentrated on the tax-exempt market, Michael became a municipal bond analyst at Shearson/Lehman Brothers tasked with following general obligation issuers on the city and state level as well as housing bonds secured by mortgage pools.

This experience at Shearson/Lehman Brothers followed by stints at PaineWebber and Citigroup provided a broad framework and understanding of the real estate and mortgage markets.

As CEO of Exeter Commercial which underwrote and funded commercial mortgage loans as a correspondent lender, title insurance played a critical role in both the underwriting and closing process.

In 2008 recognizing both an opportunity and need, Hallmark Abstract Service was born.

www.hallmarkabstractllc.com

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