3 big decisions you’ll make while house hunting

First-Time Homebuyer

Have you been shopping on rates alone? You'll also want to make sure you have a helpful lender by your side.

Shopping for a mortgage lender? Interest rates are important. But so is good communication and transparency. Having a lender you can trust will make the home-buying journey less stressful.

Do your research. Ask your friends, family and social network for recommendations. Here are three things to look for in a lender:

1. They have the experience to walk you through the process.

Top-notch lenders are organized and set clear expectations for timing and next steps. They take the time to answer all your questions. And they walk you through the process from beginning to end.

The best lenders also request all information they’ll need from you up front. That way, there will be fewer unexpected surprises or delays, and everything will go more smoothly at the closing.

2. They communicate frequently.

Emails. Phone calls. Texts. Face-to-face sitdowns. No matter how you and your lender choose to communicate, the key is frequency and follow-through.

It typically takes 47 days to close a home purchase loan after the application is submitted.1 During this period, steady communication can help reassure you that everything is on track, even if there aren’t new updates to share.

Asking your lender to check in at least once a week with you is reasonable. And the best lenders will follow up with you after closing to make sure you don’t have any ongoing concerns.

3. They have access to helpful technology.

Lenders who embrace technology can streamline the process for their clients and provide a more satisfactory journey. Truist offers a digital, paperless platform that allows consumers to complete their mortgage application entirely online in roughly 30 to 40 minutes.

Be confident in your big move.

Having a lender who’s knowledgeable and responsive can make all the difference between a smooth process and a stressful one. Talk with an expert to help guide you through the process.