
Getting pre-approved for a mortgage is a crucial step on the path to buying a home, and one that every shopper should look into when they get serious about making a purchase. Pre-approval allows you to get a strong idea of the funds you'll have available to spend on your home, makes it easier to plan your budget, and shows sellers that you're a serious buyer. But it's important to be prepared before speaking with lenders, so when is the right time to get pre-approved? Our real estate agents are here to help, with a guide to planning for mortgage pre-approval when shopping for a home.
Why Pre-Approval Is So Important
When you're competing with other buyers for Atlanta homes for sale, you want to do everything that you can to make your offer stand out from the pack. Getting pre-approved for a mortgage shows sellers that you have the necessary funds available to back your offer, and gives seller's agents a reason to take your offers seriously. From your perspective, pre-approval provides a firm range for how much home you can afford and allows you to start planning for your purchase with confidence. Overall, a buyer with pre-approval is in a much better position to close the deal.

As the January approaches, our real estate agents want you to start the New Year on the right foot. Instead of choosing a resolution, we believe it's fun and exciting to try a new hobby. Here are a few popular activities you can try in the New Year.

Did you wait until the last minute to start thinking about your holiday shopping? It's okay! Whether you've been distracted by exploring all of the best Atlanta homes for sale or time just got away from you, it's still not too late.
To help make sure your holidays are jolly, our real estate agents have pulled together a list of some of the coolest, quirkiest local places to do your last-minute holiday shopping. Check it out!

Our real estate agents at Josey Young & Brady Realty know that buying Atlanta homes for sale starts long before you reach out to us. In fact, many people save up for months or years before they embark on the journey of buying their own home. Even if you only have a few months to get ready, there are steps that will help! Two financial habits are essential to achieving your goals:
Of these, it's the second one that creates the most confusion! Every time you pay down debt, you are raising your credit score. Your credit score, in turn, is a numerical representation of your good financial habits. It uses a number of factors to help lenders assess the risk in offering you a loan.
There are opportunities to raise your credit score every month. A change of just a few points can give you access to loans on more favorable terms, so knowing how your credit score works is worth the effort. Let's look at some of the best ways to improve your credit before applying for a home loan.