real-estate

The Fastest Way To Make Buying A Home A Reality

/ Yvonne / Leave a comment

A new year always brings that itch for something different.
A fresh start.
A new chapter.
A place that finally feels like yours.

If buying a home is on your heart this year, the best place to start isn’t Zillow, a drive through your favorite neighborhood, or a chat with a realtor.

The first step lives in one place:

Your credit report.

It’s not flashy.
It’s not exciting.
But it’s the foundation that decides whether your homebuying journey feels peaceful… or stressful.

Let’s walk through why credit is so important and how to get it ready before you step into the homebuying world.

Why Credit Comes First

Your credit score affects everything about your mortgage:

  • What loan programs you qualify for
  • Your interest rate
  • Your monthly payment
  • The amount you pay over the life of the loan
  • Your mortgage insurance
  • Your level of bargaining power

People hear that FHA will approve scores as low as 580 and think, “Great, I only need to hit the number.”
Not quite.

A lower score may get you approved,
but a higher score gives you a more affordable and comfortable mortgage.

You’re not just buying a house, you’re borrowing money to borrow money.
That’s the part your credit score controls.

In a high-rate market, this matters more than ever.

A higher score can lower your rate, reduce your payments, and open the door to cheaper, better loan options.

Start the Year With a Credit Deep Dive

If you’ve avoided looking at your credit report, you aren’t alone.
Most people only check it when something goes wrong.

But checking your credit is not about judgment, it’s about seeing the path forward.

Here’s where to begin:

1. Pull all three credit reports

Experian, Equifax, TransUnion.
Not the score your bank gives you — you need the full reports.

2. Go line by line

Look for:

  • Mistakes
  • Accounts that aren’t yours
  • Old items past the reporting period
  • Duplicate accounts
  • Late payments
  • High balances

You can’t fix what you can’t see.

3. Highlight the things hurting your score

Late payments and high utilization are the biggest score killers.
This is where many people get discouraged, but this is exactly where the opportunity sits.

4. Create a simple plan

Not a complicated spreadsheet.
Not a promise you can’t keep.
Just a realistic plan that helps you move forward one step at a time.

Here are practical steps that help most buyers to raise their score before house shopping:

Lower your credit card balances

Aim to get each card to a healthier range.
Even small changes here can move your score quickly.

Set every bill on automatic payments

Late payments are sneaky and damaging.
This stops that cycle.

Dispute errors

If something is wrong with your report, fix it now, not when you’re sitting in a lender’s office feeling stressed.

Add positive credit

A secured card or credit builder loan can add healthy activity if your credit is thin.

Stop applying for anything

No store cards.
No “pre-qualified” offers.
Protect your score while you’re preparing.

Why This Matters So Much in Today’s Market

Rates may shift throughout the year, but your credit score is one thing you can control.

When your score goes up:

  • Your loan options increase
  • Your rate can drop
  • Your payment becomes more comfortable
  • Your total cost of ownership goes down

This isn’t about chasing a perfect number. It’s about putting yourself in the best financial position possible before you commit to the biggest purchase of your life.

Give Yourself Time, Not Pressure

Many people wait until they want a house right now and then rush to fix years of credit habits in 30 days. That creates panic and disappointment.

Starting early makes the entire experience steady and manageable.

Think of it this way:

Fixing your credit isn’t just a step in the homebuying process; it’s part of becoming the future homeowner you want to be.

If You Want to Buy a Home This Year, Start Here

Before:

  • Shopping
  • Touring
  • Getting pre-approved
  • Choosing a lender
  • Talking interest rates

Start with your credit.

It’s the first step to a home you can afford, enjoy, and comfortably maintain.

If you want support with reviewing your credit, creating a simple plan, or preparing for a lender conversation, I can help you build a clear path to get ready for homeownership this year.

You’re not alone in this, and you’re not behind.
You’re just getting started on the right foot.

Is Owning a Home a Blessing—or a Burden?

/ Yvonne / Leave a comment

Somewhere along the line, we were told that buying a home is the big “American Dream.” You know, fresh-cut grass, neighbors waving from the driveway, and a dog that finally has a yard to dig in. But as a financial educator and someone who spent years in real estate and mortgage, I want to slow us down for a second and ask: Is this dream really your dream right now or is it someone else’s?

Homeownership can be a beautiful blessing. It can give you stability, equity, a sense of accomplishment, and a place to build memories. But before you start shopping for throw pillows and paint colors, let’s talk about what it really takes to be ready.

More Than a Mortgage

Buying a home is not just about affording the monthly payment. It’s about understanding the whole picture. Property taxes, insurance, maintenance, HOA fees, and yes, that water heater that always seems to break at the worst possible time.

It’s like Luke 14:28 reminds us: “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost?” God isn’t trying to scare us with that scripture, He’s reminding us that wisdom is in preparation.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying

Instead of asking, “Can I buy a house?” try asking:

  • Do I have a healthy emergency fund for the unexpected?
  • Is my income steady enough to handle both the expected and the surprises?
  • Will buying this home bring peace to my life or pressure?
  • Am I looking at this house as an investment in my future, or as a way to prove something to others?

Sometimes the most powerful prayer you can pray in this process is, “Lord, is this right for me?”

The Beauty of Renting

Here’s where I like to shift the narrative: renting isn’t a “failure.” Renting gives you flexibility, space to change paths without being tied to a mortgage. It allows you to focus on building your foundation, whether that’s paying off debt, growing savings, or preparing for the home that will truly fit your life later on.

My Personal Take

There have been seasons when buying a home was the right move for me, and seasons when renting gave me the freedom I needed. The truth is, neither one makes you more “grown up” or more successful. What matters is whether your choice lines up with your values and with God’s plan for your life.

A Final Word

Whether you buy or rent, your worth isn’t tied to your mortgage statement. Proverbs 24:3 says, “By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.” The wisdom comes first—the house comes second.

So if you’re thinking about buying, pray about it, run the numbers, count the costs, and make sure it fits not just your budget, but your calling. And when the time is right, you’ll step into it with peace, not pressure.

And if you do end up with that yard, may God bless you with the kind of joy that makes it more than just a piece of land, it becomes a piece of your story.