1. Know your credit score

• Knowing your credit score is crucial before purchasing a home. This number will determine the interest rate you will pay on the mortgage of your home.
• Build your credit score if it is not where you want it to be before buying a home. Tips to help build your credit:
• Only open new credit when necessary
• Keep credit card balances low
• Pay all of your bills on time

2. Know your purchasing power

• Decide what monthly payment you are comfortable with. Consider other costs such as utility bills and HOA dues.
• Know your debt to income ratio. Simply add up your monthly bills, divide that number by your gross monthly income, which is your income before taxes. The lower the number the less risky you are to lenders.

3.    Save for a down payment and closing costs

• Saving for a down payment and having an excellent credit score can help decrease the interest rate of your mortgage.
• Home Creations will pay up to $2,500 in closing costs if you choose to use one of our Participating Lenders. Contact Holly for more information about our participating lenders.

4.    Build a savings account

• Consider having extra money set aside for a your new home. You never know what added costs may arise from furniture shopping, bills, to extra features you might decide to add into your new home.

5.    Get pre-approved for a mortgage

• Speak with a lender (or one of ours) before beginning the home buying process.
• Learn how Home Creations and our participating lenders cover closing costs.

6.    Research areas you like

• Location: do you want to be close to work, family or a certain school district?
• School districts: If you have children, consider doing some research for the best school districts in the area.

7.    Understand Homeowners Association regulations

• Be aware that you may have HOA dues monthly or annually.
• Ask for a copy of covenants, codes and restrictions

8.    Decide when you want to be in your new home

• We offer move-in ready homes, under construction homes and custom homes.
• View move-in ready and under construction homes that match your time frame.
• Contact Holly for more information about building a custom home in one of our communities

9.    Discover which communities and floor plans best fit your family's needs

1. View communities
2. View floor plans

10. Tour our model homes to learn which features you like best

• Visiting various model homes can help maximize time during your color meeting. Take photos of model homes you like including paint colors, flooring and features!