The recent research done by the Connells Survey and Valuation reported that there were 22% more valuations conducted in the month of February with activity increasing for 6 consecutive months.

The valuation market started to see an increase in activity in January and February saw house hunters back on the street in force.

The recovering housing market is attributed to a large number of first-time buyers, with 63% more first-timers commissioning a valuation in February than in January.  It may also be influenced by the wider availability of higher loan to value mortgages coming back to the market this year.

Although the month…

You should pre-qualify for a mortgage before deciding to purchase a home.  Being pre-qualified will help you and the lender determine just how much home you can purchase according to the Federal Housing Administration’s pre-qualification essentials.

Here is a list of requirements you need to meet to pre-qualify for a mortgage:

1. Steady employment history.  You should have at least 2 years with the same employer.
2. Consistent or increasing income over the past two years.
3. Good credit history with less than 2 thirty day late payments in the past 2 years.
4. If there are bankruptcy records, it must be at least 2…