Home. The place where you kick off your shoes, make a cup of coffee and embrace the coziness of owning your own oasis. If you’re thinking about buying your first home or upgrading your current one for the new year, USC Credit Union is the best place to find honest advice and real solutions.

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…

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.

When it comes to purchasing a home, people have many misconceptions, says Craig Garcia, president of Capital Partners Mortgage.

"The homebuying process is harder than you think," says Garcia, who is based in Florida. "But the more prepared you can be, the better experience you will have."

There are many pros to getting a mortgage through a credit union — if you qualify.

Credit unions have historically offered lower mortgage ratesand closing costs than traditional lenders. Anyone searching for a mortgage to buy a home for sale in Los Angeles, or anywhere across the U.S. can’t turn down that deal. But credit unions also tend to be more conservative in their lending practices, meaning that you might need to jump through more hoops — and have an excellent credit history — to qualify for a loan through one.