Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

---

A home mortgage is a type of loan specifically designed to finance home purchases. The decision to purchase a home starts with one question: What can you afford?

There are several costs to consider in addition to the cost of the home, for example, real estate taxes and insurance. In addition, if you have other debt — auto loans, student loans, and so on — this should also be considered to determine what you can truly afford. You must be able to make all your debt payments.

Here are five things to prepare yourself:
1) Keep working on keeping or improving your credit score (which can save you thousands over time)
2) Keep an eye on interest rates
3) Always shop around for the best terms you can get
4) Take another look at your budget to see whether it is fitting your needs
5) Read about what you can detract from your taxes as the laws keep changing