Getting a good deal is a top concern for people shopping for a new home. While the market moves quickly, it doesn’t mean you should skimp on inspecting and determining if a property is a good investment or not. Here at the Corpus Christi movers, we want to make sure you know a few insider tips to buying a new home. Avoid opening new lines of credit. It is not smart to make any huge purchases or move your money around for about three to six months prior to buying a new home. You don’t want to take any big chances with your credit profile, because lenders need to see that you’re reliable and they want a complete paper trail so that they can get you the best loan possible. If you open new credit cards, build too much debt or buy a lot of big-ticket items, you’re going to have a hard time getting a loan. Get pre-approved for a mortgage loan. Anybody can get pre-qualified for a loan. Getting pre-approved means a lender has looked at all of your financial information and they’ve let you know how much you can afford and how much they will lend you. Being pre-approved will save you a lot of time and energy so you are not running around looking at houses you can't afford. It also gives you the opportunity to shop around for the best deal and the best interest rates. Do your research: Learn about junk fees, processing fees or points and make sure there aren’t any hidden costs in the loan. Get a firm reading (and subsequent documentation) of the property lines. Few things are more frustrating or difficult to deal with than neighbors who fight over where one property ends and one begins. Knowing precisely where your property lines are may save you from a potential dispute with your neighbors. Also, your property tax is likely based on how much property you have, so it is best to have an accurate map drawn up. Check out the neighborhood. Many homebuyers have become completely distraught because they thought they found the perfect home, only to find out the neighborhood wasn’t for them. Drive by the house at all hours of the day to see what’s happening in the neighborhood. Do your regular commute from the house to make sure it is something you can deal with on a daily basis. Even if you don’t have kids, research the schools because it affects the value of your home in a very big way. If you buy a house in a good school district versus bad school district even in the same town, the value can be affected as much as 20 percent.