When you are prequalified for a loan that usually means only your credit score was pulled by the lender. When you are preapproved that means your lender collected all income and asset documentation. There are some additional legal distinctions, but when you are serious about buying a home, it is imperative to get preapproved. Simply being prequalified isn’t enough.

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When mortgage rates drop below your current rate, that is a good time to explore refinancing. If you’ve checked that box, now it’s time to do a little math. Let’s say your mortgage provider estimates that refinancing will save you $50 a month on your mortgage, but the associated costs to refinance is $2,000. That means it will take over three years for you to recoup the costs of refinancing. If you plan to be in the house for well beyond that, then refinancing makes financial sense. But if you plan to move before that break-even point, it probably isn’t a good time to refinance.

Click here for more info to help you determine if you should refinance your mortgage.

That depends on your own personal financial situation, of course, but many people find it useful to follow the 28/36% rule. This means your mortgage payments should not exceed 28% of your gross monthly income, and a combination of your mortgage and all other debt payments shouldn’t be more than 36%. These are just guidelines, however, and you have to choose numbers that work for you and your family.

Read more about home affordability here.

Your payment includes the principle, interest, taxes, and home insurance premiums. Some homeowners also choose to finance some or all of the closing costs.

It can take 30 days or less to close on a home. Several factors could make the closing period longer including missing or incomplete financial documents, issues discovered during the home inspection, and the home’s value coming up too low in an assessment.