Buying a home to call your own a significant milestone in the journey of adulthood. Credit rating—If you own a credit card, you can likely check your credit rating and get a free credit report. It’s nice to believe you can swing the monthly mortgage, but it’s another thing to know that you can. 33% of your monthly income can be devoted to housing costs, while 38% includes consumer debt. The housing market in your area—If there is anything you want to get a good handle on before you jump in, it is the nature of the housing market in your area.

Source: Forbes August 15, 2017 13:52 UTC