Spring has sprung and so has your dreams of owning your own home. Before you start scrolling through Zillow, get your finances in order and be prepared to make an offer with confidence by following our 5 Home Buying Prep Tips.

The stars have aligned and finally, instead of just watching those house hunting shows, it’s your turn to being the search for your first home.

There’s a lot more to homeownership than paying the mortgage loan.

1. What’s the First Step of the Home Buying Process?

The Answer: The mortgage pre-approval

Look at you! You’ve packed your bags, said goodbye to your one bedroom apartment and are about to move into your brand spanking new home! Your new life and story begin today! So understandably you’re a tad surprised when you come to find you’ll be bunking with a family of termites…

Having your offer on a house accepted feels great—but for most home buyers, it’s just the beginning. There is still a lot more to be done before you’re over the front threshold. Here’s 10 steps to guide you as a rundown of what comes next.

You Can Make Your Space Your Own

Nothing is worse than being stuck in a home where all of the walls are white and you can’t even make your space your own. Owning a home will allow you to paint the walls how’d you like and make any changes you want to make your living space more customized and comfortable.

You Can’t Get Kicked Out By a Landlord

Renters can get an eviction notice unexpectedly if the owner decides to sell the home or rent it to others at any point of time. Owning your home could relieve this unnecessary stress and conflict that can come out of getting kicked out of your living space.

Buying a home for the first time is an exciting milestone. It's easy to get caught up in the house-hunting aspect, especially after all those years of watching HGTV. There is a whole lot more to home-buying, however, than just looking for the right home. 

How does a lender determine if you qualify?

While lenders look at a lot of different information to determine whether you’ll qualify for a home loan,
ultimately, it comes down to four things: credit, down payment, income and assets. If any of these areas are not as strong as they should be,don’t be discouraged.Your USC Credit Union
home loan expert will provide you with the guidance you need to move to the next level.