Financial Education

Helpful, easy-to-understand articles to guide your financial wellness journey at every stage.

Categories
Couple filling out paper work.

The Process of Getting a Home Loan

Unless you've saved up the full purchase price of the home you're looking to buy and plan to pay in cash, you'll probably need to take out a home loan. Here are a few of the basics you need to know.

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Mortgage & Home Loans
Notebook with the words pre-approval vs. prequalification.

Pre-Qualification vs. Pre-Approval

The difference between pre-approval and pre-qualification is the difference between, “Yes, you’ve passed the test and are approved” and, “Based on the information you’ve provided, it looks like you might pass the test and will likely get approved.”

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Mortgage & Home Loans
Hands holding a small house and money bags.

How Much Home Can You Afford?

You’re borrowing a large amount of money and your lender will ask many questions and request even more proof to determine whether or not you can realistically afford to purchase a home. So, what will they take into consideration?

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Mortgage & Home Loans
House with for sale sign in front.

Deciding on What Type of Home to Buy

Once you’ve made the decision to buy your own home, visited 3Rivers to make sure you can arrange financing, and speak with a loan officer to determine how much home you can afford, what’s next? The fun part!

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Young woman surrounded by moving boxes.

Renting vs. Buying

Whether you choose to buy or rent your home depends upon your life situation and personal preferences, as well as the bottom line.

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Personal Finance Mortgage & Home Loans
Couple looking at blueprint in newly constructed home.

Buying a Home as a Couple

One of the biggest decisions that come with applying for a home loan is whether or not to make the purchase with your spouse or partner. For some couples, this is a no-brainer.

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Mortgage & Home Loans
Woman smiling standing beside red car.

First-Time Auto Buyer Quick Guide

3Rivers is here to help first-time car buyers prepare for, pay for, and maintain their new set of wheels. We make sense of the sometimes hard-to-understand financial aspects and provide you with the tools that let you do your car shopping and buying where, when, and how you want to. So, what are you waiting for? Your next adventure starts here!

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Auto Loans
A change jar and miniature car.

Costs of Buying a Car

3Rivers is here to help you in your preparation, we have outlined six major expenses that occur in the car buying (and owning) process. Some are obvious, whereas others you may not have considered. Taking all of these into consideration will save you time, money, and stress in the long run!

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Personal Finance Auto Loans