Frequently Asked Questions about Buying Your First Home
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Lenders look at the overall debt-to-income ratio. They like to see that your monthly housing payment, plus everything on your credit report (including car payment, credit cards, etc.), is not more than 50% of your total gross monthly income (before taxes).

If you want to buy a $100,000 home, the monthly payment will be $1,000. Suppose you also pay another $500 each month in other bills that are on your credit report. That’s a monthly debt of $1,500. You would need to earn about twice that, or $3,000 a month, to qualify for the home loan, typically.

What type of credit do I need to have?

For an FHA loan, which is very popular, buyers generally need to have clean credit for the past 12 months, meaning that payments have been made on time. Many lenders don’t worry about credit problems that took place in the past, as long as the past year is good and clean.

What if I don’t have other loans or credit cards?

The FHA and other lenders are very willing to consider what they call “alternate lines of credit.” That is, any type of payment history that shows that the buyer is able to make regular payments on time. These can include items such as rent, utilities, telephone, car insurance and child-care payments. If a buyer can show clean, 12-month payment histories for at least 3 of these types of alternate lines of credit, that is generally good enough.

About The Author Damon Thomas is a contributor to www.casanuevahouston.com, a Houston-based company providing information for new home buyers.

Frequently Asked Questions about Buying Your First Home
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Additional Resources

category - Home Buying Programs

First Time Homebuyer Programs in Arkansas
The Arkansas Development Finance Authority was primarily created to develop safe, decent and affordable housing for low and moderate income Arkansans. The authority's primary goal is to administer funding in the form of tax exempt bonds and other debt instruments through several programs which are divided into three main categories: Economic Development, Homeownership, and Affordable Rental Housing.

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Department of Housing and Urban Development's Dollar Homes Program
The Dollar Homes Program revolves around the process of selling single family homes for a superbly reasonable price of $1 (plus closing cost) to low-to-moderate income families, granted that these houses have been acquired through foreclosure by the Federal Housing Administration, and have already been actively marketed for at least six months and still remained unsold after that certain period of time.

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Department of Housing and Urban Development's Dollar Homes Program
The Dollar Homes Program revolves around the process of selling single family homes for a superbly reasonable price of $1 (plus closing cost) to low-to-moderate income families, granted that these houses have been acquired through foreclosure by the Federal Housing Administration, and have already been actively marketed for at least six months and still remained unsold after that certain period of time.

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Government Grants for Housing Assistance
Do you have a bad credit record but want to get a house? the government just might help. Read this!...

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