Buying a home in the Carolinas for the first time can be a daunting experience. If you are a first time home buyer, remember that knowledge is power. Below, we present 5 key lessons to remember as you start shopping for your first house.

Have you been considering the idea of buying a home? Well, maybe 2022 is the year that you stop just browsing on Zillow and actually make the jump into homeownership.

So, how do you get started? Once you've gotten pre-qualified at Carolina Trust, you'll want to find a reputable real estate agent to help you find your dream home. But, how do you choose the right one with all the different agents and agencies?

Check out the BALANCE blog below for three easy steps to finding the perfect realtor.

When you have good credit, qualifying for a car loan is easy. However, if your credit is less than satisfactory, the situation is more difficult. Fortunately, it is possible to purchase a car even if your credit isn't perfect. In fact, NerdWallet reports that more than 1 in 5 car loans goes to borrowers with credit scores below 600.

Finding and buying your first home is one of life’s adventures. For first time home buyers, a first home is an excellent financial investment that offers an empty canvas of possibility. Yet what many forget with their first home purchase is that your home, unless it is in the middle of the country, also comes with a neighborhood. As you shop for your first home, you are also shopping for your first neighborhood, and you need to consider the location carefully.

Here are some considerations that can help you choose the right neighborhood when you are buying your first home.

Congrats! Buying your first car is an exciting and rewarding experience. But while it may be tons of fun, there are some things that you must know as a first time car buyer to ensure that you choose the right vehicle for your needs and budget. Here are some first time car buyer tips to ensure your success.

Since we're still in January, you know we're going to talk about goals and resolutions. Every year, one of my New Year's resolutions is to increase my savings; this is a resolution that I keep each year because I think it is something that I can always strive to improve upon.

The process of shopping for a home, negotiating a purchase price, applying for a loan, and closing a mortgage loan can be daunting and complicated for even a seasoned home buyer. As a first time home buyer, everything about the process is new and unfamiliar. While your mortgage lender and local credit counselors can help you navigate the path to homeownership, the following do's and don'ts will help you avoid some of the more common mistakes and oversights that can trip you up on your way to buying your first home.

Every single year, improving financial habits is one of the most common New Year's resolutions. There are countless resources on improving your finances through budgeting, saving, investing, etc. Although those are all necessary for healthy finances, you also have to be able to say no when needed.

Buying a house is exciting. Alongside the thrill of house hunting comes the anxiety of the unknown. Knowing how to buy a house and find the right mortgage to make your dream a reality are valid concerns. With multiple mortgage options, how do you decide which mortgage is right for you? Although these are good questions, there are answers, and buying a house doesn’t have to be a stressful experience.

Home mortgage options vary from state to state; sometimes, different options exist at a city or county level. In the Carolinas, there are multiple options to help home buyers, including state-specific programs to help first-time home buyers find the perfect house. Some of these programs help first time home buyers afford their new home by offering little or no money down mortgage requirements.

If you've been looking to make positive changes in your life or just looking for a fresh start, there's no better time than the beginning of a new year. Starting now, you have 365 days to make changes in your life and work towards new goals. I encourage you to reflect this week about areas of your life that you want to improve and set attainable goals to make positive changes.

If you're looking to improve your financial health in 2022, check out the BALANCE blog below for a few tips. Also, be sure to subscribe to my weekly blog posts for encouragement and tips to keep you on track throughout the year.