The best gift

The holiday season is quickly drawing to a close, and I hope yours has been full of peace, joy, and all the good things you were hoping it would be. I hope you were able to give and receive the gifts you wanted, and that meant something special to you. I especially hope that you were able to give some thought to one of the best gifts you will ever be able to give yourself and your family: your own home.

A home is a place of your own where you can raise your family, share with friends and feel safe and secure. Other benefits for homeowners include better physical health, higher lifetime income, higher student test scores, and lower teen delinquency.

Reduced prices and low interest rates have placed housing affordability at its highest but rates have started inching up in the past few weeks which will directly result in higher payments.

Credit, debt ratios and income are the limiting factors that could be keeping you from taking advantage of these opportunities. Isn't it time you found out where you stand to buy a home?

The benefits of talking with a qualified mortgage officer and pre-approval are without question. It saves time, money and removes the uncertainty of not knowing. The direct benefits include:

•Amount the buyer can borrow - as interest rates rise, the amount decreases

•Looking at the "right" homes - price, size, amenities, location

•Find the best loan - interest rate is tied to credit score; do you qualify for the best rate?

•Uncover credit issues early - time to cure possible problems; 90% of credit reports have errors

•Bargaining power - helps negotiate price, terms and timing

•Close quicker - verifications have been made; takes less time to close

Call me for a recommendation and a list of what you need to share with a loan officer. It may be the best gift you give your family.

Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons. ~Ruth Ann Schabacker