For nearly all of us, buying a home represents one of the biggest financial transactions of our lifetime. There’s really nothing that compares to buying a home, since not only do we have to put up thousands of dollars of our own money but we also (usually) have to borrow much more than that.

There’s really no getting around the fact that buying a home is expensive. It takes a lot of financial discipline to save up a down payment and make the monthly payments. Along the way, there are bound to be problems that eat into your savings too. For example, everything from a new roof to a broken water heater is going to cost you. (Of course, renting can also have costly surprises such as escalating rent or being forced to move). While there’s not a whole lot you can do about some of the costs of buying a home, there are ways to reduce your out-of-pocket costs.

Shop Around for Your Mortgage

One of the easiest ways to cut costs when buying a home is by finding a low interest loan. Get quotes from banks and credit unions so that you can compare their fees and rates. Make sure that you compare the Good Faith Estimate given to you by each financial institution. One thing to note is that you are permitted to get as many quotes as you want within a three-week period. Normally, each quote would be a separate credit check, but when you’re shopping for a mortgage, multiple quotes are considered only one inquiry on your credit reports.

Check out First Financial Federal Credit Union’s mortgages, featuring great rates and low fees. We also have a 10 year mortgage as well – great for refinancing! 

First Financial also offers a Mortgage Rate Text Messaging Service so you can receive updates on our low Mortgage Rates straight to your mobile phone. To be a part of the program, text FIRSTRATE to 69302 and each time our Mortgage Rates change, we’ll send you a text message with the new rates.*

Negotiate With the Seller

If you’re looking to get a portion or even all of your closing costs covered, then negotiating with the seller is your best bet. Depending on the state of the real estate market in your area, you could ask for more or less. If the real estate market is struggling or the property in question has been on the market for an extended period of time you may be able to get the seller to cover your closing costs.

Article Source: http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2013/12/16/how-to-cut-home-buying-costs/

*Standard text messaging and data rates may apply.