The best way to start out your house hunting is to get pre-qualified for a loan.  This means that the the loan company will assess your financial means and they will tell you the amount that they are prepared to lend you.  Knowing this amount is all important in your initial house hunting as it will enable you to know your limitations and it will save you a great deal of time in the long run.  The best way to start is to give the companies a call and find one that you like dealing with.  Don't be shy they are all waiting to help you.

Credit Scoring

Less-than-perfect credit (also known as B-C-D, impaired, sub prime, damaged, blemished, etc.) is for borrowers with less than perfect credit histories.

Your individual credit history determines your "credit score," a grade assigned by a scoring agency. The "score" is a number which is a measure of your past credit history. The number of credit accounts you hold; your potential for borrowing; even the number of inquiries to credit reporting agencies -- all are factors in your credit score.

If you suspect that you might be a candidate for an imperfect credit loan, you can use HSH's general guidelines as a very rough rule of thumb. And HSH offers a Javascript Credit Grade Calculator as well.

However, only the lender can determine your status -- missing a credit card payment or two does not automatically mean that you're doomed to double-digit interest rates. The only sure way to know where you stand is to talk to the lenders which specialize in these matters.

If you would like to order your own credit report, there are several sites that will allow you to order your report.  They will usually charge a fee: