Choosing the Right Loan Officer Team up with a loan officer that is knowledgeable in all mortgage programs and not just the basic conventional and FHA products. This is very important. If they understand all these programs, they will be able to guide you to the best program for you, instead of the loans that they are comfortable with. Also, a lender that has a complete product mix is important.  Many loan officers do not have access to all these programs, and even when they do, they refuse to use them because the work involved in processing these loans can be overwhelming. Finally, it is very important that the lender has your best interest in mind. Just because they can qualify you up to a certain mortgage amount doesn’t mean that you will be comfortable with the payment. Just because they can use a “creative” program to help you obtaining financing, doesn’t necessarily mean that it is the right program for your financial situation.  After you choose a knowledgeable loan officer, we strongly advise you to get pre approved by the lender BEFORE you go house shopping. Making sure you are able to obtain financing is the first step in the home buying process. It doesn’t make sense to look at house in a certain price range, only to find out that you can’t obtain financing. Finally, if you aren’t eligible for financing at this time, find out what steps you need to take to become a qualified home buyer. If you choose to, we can refer you to a reputable lender.