Credit Score

• Before you begin to look for a home, check your credit score. The higher your credit score, the better the interest rate for which you can qualify, and the better your chances are of finding a lender. It's best not to be surprised by a low credit score at the bank, which can make you look like a risky proposition.
  
  

Affordability

• Knowing how much house you can afford is a key part of the mortgage process, and can keep you from being turned down or disappointed when it comes to approaching a bank. The Bankrate website offers an online mortgage calculator tool that allows you to enter your financial information into it in order to determine how much you can afford to spend on a house.
  
  

Other Costs

• The cost of the home you hope to buy is the majority of the cost associated with a mortgage, but is not the entire cost. Expenses for insurance, property taxes, appraisals and other loan-origination fees, in addition to closing costs, can bring the cost up significantly. Many of these costs must be paid out of pocket during the mortgage-application process, so it's best to be prepared--and save--for them.