5 Great Tools for First-Time Home Buyers

First-time home buyers need all the help they can get. So I thought I’d compile a list of helpful tools for home buyers and share it through the blog. Many of the tools on this list are available through this website, and you can access them through the menus at the top and to the right.

In particular, I’d like to focus on web-based tools that can make your home buying process much easier. As a first-time home buyer, you’ll find the Internet can be incredibly useful. So without further babbling on my part, here’s a list of my favorite online resources.

Online Tools for Home Buyers

1. Mortgage Quotes — On the mortgage page of this blog, you’ll find a link that allows you to get quotes from lenders. You would fill out some basic information online, and then have offers sent to you by email. It’s by far the fastest way to get the ball rolling with home loans. So it deserves to be on this list of home buyer tools and websites.

2. Credit Scores — When you apply for a mortgage (item #1 above), the lender or broker will look at your credit score. They’ll look at other things too, but your credit is key to getting approved for a loan. So it’s wise to see where you stand, before you start applying for loans. You can request your credit score online for instant access. Then you’ll know if you need to improve it, or if you’re in good shape. Click the link above to get started. It’s another great tool for first-time home buyers and mortgage shoppers.

3. Home Insurance Quotes — Before your lender allows you to close on the home, you’ll need to have a homeowners insurance policy in place. You’ll probably have to bring a copy of the policy to the closing with you. Here again, the Internet can be a useful tool for home buyers who need insurance quotes. You can start by researching the topic online, in order to choose the best coverage. And when you’re ready, you can even get online quotes from insurance companies as well.

4. Foreclosure Listings — If you’ve watched the news or read a newspaper in the last month, you’re probably aware of the foreclosure crisis that has swept our nation. Right now, there are more foreclosed homes on the market that ever before. And because these properties are often priced below their market values, they represent a great opportunity for first-time home buyers looking to save money. You can use the listings available through our website to find these homes in your area.

5. Consumer Credit Blog — We operate this Q&A blog on the Home Buying Institute, our sister site. If you have questions about credit scores as they apply to mortgage qualification, you’ll find it here. And if you don’t find the answer you seek, you can send your question to the editors to have a response posted online. It’s a great tool for home buyers who are learning about credit for the first time.

I hope you find this list of tools helpful, and I encourage you to spend some time online researching them. There are dozens of other websites that can help you navigate the real estate process, in addition to the ones I’ve listed above. And from a research standpoint, I’d put this blog at the top of your reading list too.

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