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

Urban Rehabilitation Homeownership Program for Homebuyers in Connecticut
In accordance with this mission, the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority has established the Urban Rehabilitation Homeownership Program wherein it intends to home purchase loans at steady, below-market rates together with home improvement loans with no interest, all in an attempt to support homeownership and investment in selected Connecticut neighborhoods.

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Ohio Heroes Program for First Time Home Buyers in the State of Ohio
One of the most popular programs of the Ohio Housing Finance Agency is the Ohio Heroes Program which is exclusively intended for active military men, active reservists, veterans, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and several other individuals with noble professions.

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Keystone Home Loan PLUS Program
The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, otherwise termed as PHFA, is an independent agency established in year 1972 in an attempt to assist the provision of reasonable and affordable housing opportunities the elderly, persons and families of modest means, and people suffering from disabilities.

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State of New York Mortgage Agency
The State of New York Mortgage Agency, otherwise referred to as SONYMA, is an agency established in the year 1970 in an attempt to address the shortages of funds within private banking systems that are specifically intended for residential mortgages within the State of New York.

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