Charleston AFB/JointBase Military Families – Improve Your Credit Score

As you prepare to apply for a home mortgage in the Charleston AFB area, understand that it is significantly better to have your best possible credit profile BEFORE applying.  Working to improve your score during the mortgage process can be done, but keep in mind - “Sooner, rather than later” should be the mantra of credit score improvements.  Here are some ways to help Charleston Military families:

Credit Card Recommendations for Charleston Military families

§        Look on the credit report for revolving debt, generally the balance should be no more than 30% of the credit limit.  If it’s more than that, have you should make every attempt to pay it down.

§        If there is nothing derogatory on the credit report, just high balances on revolving debt, you can often improve the score significantly. 

Collections/Judgments Recommendations for Charleston Military families

§        Paying off a derogatory account does not normally improve the score because the derogatory account still exists, and so still hurts the score. 

§        If you have not yet paid the collection, you can bargain with the creditor and ask for the account to be removed once you pay in full.

§        You can sometimes gain points by paying charge-off accounts.

Late Date Recommendations for Charleston Military families

§        If you have just one recent late date, you should call those creditors and ask for those single late dates to be removed as a courtesy.  

Other things to help Charleston Military families

§        Regularly check your credit report to catch errors early. 

Credit Score Optimization is one of the central reasons why you should engage the expertise of a good loan officer in the Charleston AFB area right NOW. 

Torri Jacobsen, Military Homes of Charleston – Charleston Air Force Base/Joint Base Charleston, SC Real Estate For Sale

Buying or selling a home doesn’t have to be hard, but choosing the right Realtor DOES make a difference. I specialize in making first-time home buying a great experience for military families moving to the Charleston, SC area. Call or email today, and let’s make this your best move yet! You’ll feel right at home with me.

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Essential Tips for First-Time Charleston AFB Homebuyers

House Hunting in the Charleston AFB area:

• Before you begin to house shop, you need to have an idea of what kind of neighborhood you want to live in and the style of house you want.
• Real estate never sleeps. If you're trying to buy a hot property, you have to move quickly, or you could possibly lose it.
• When you are looking at a house in the Charleston AFB/JointBase area, you have to have a wish list, but you have to understand that no house is going to be perfect.
• Don't judge a book by its cover. Same goes for a house. Go inside and look around before making a decision.
• Properties in good shape are rare, and they don't stay on the market for long.
• When it comes to investing, the best place to invest is in an up-and-coming area.
• You have to see past the junk and see the potential. When you buy a house in the Charleston AFB area, it's not just a place to live in, it's an investment. Keep in mind your dollars down the road.
• It is especially important to have a home inspection if you are looking to buy an aging or older house.

Financing:

• It's great to have your financing in place before you look for houses.
• Rule of thumb is that you should be able to afford a mortgage three times your income.
• Don't forget to set aside money for closing costs when budgeting out what you can afford. It's typically 1-1/2 to 2 percent of the purchase price. That goes toward the land transfer tax and pays a lawyer.
• If you need help choosing a loan officer, let Military Homes of Charleston help!  We have relationships with experienced professionals that can help you get the best loan.

Making an Offer:

• When you're house shopping, you can't pull a number out of a hat. Let our team of military home specialists help you by determining what other homes in the area have sold for, how long ago the sale was and what amenities they have.
• It's the Charleston AFB market that determines the value of a house.
• When figuring out the price of a property, sometimes it makes more sense to look at the price of a house in terms of monthly payments instead of focusing on that big number.
• Try not to fixate on the list price of a house, but rather the fair market value (an estimate of what a buyer would pay a seller for any piece of property).
• Sometimes people think that by starting really low they'll end up with a better price on a house, but actually it usually works the opposite way.
• The three most important matters when it comes to negotiation are information, preparation and realism.
• The key to success when buying a home is to trust the experts at Military Homes of Charleston – so contact us today!

Torri Jacobsen, Military Homes of Charleston – Charleston Air Force Base/Joint Base Charleston, SC Real Estate For Sale

Buying or selling a home doesn’t have to be hard, but choosing the right Realtor DOES make a difference. I specialize in making first-time home buying a great experience for military families moving to the Charleston, SC area. Call or email today, and let’s make this your best move yet! You’ll feel right at home with me.

Charleston AFB Real Estate, Charleston AFB Real Estate For Sale, Charleston AFB SC, Joint Base Charleston, Joint Base Charleston Real Estate