Buying a home is most likely one to the biggest purchases you will ever make, not to mention one of the most stressful and emotional. To add to the pressure , the lingering tight credit market has banks beefing up their borrowing standards-and one misstep can cause a hard-earned deal to crumble.

With interest rates staying near 4% more individuals are looking to get a mortgage or refinance, but experts warn that even though the low rate is enticing, you have to be prepared for a long , paperwork -filled process.

Knowing your credit score and studying your credit history should be done before starting the mortgage journey. If you find errors, fix them before applying. The next step should be determining how much your can afford to borrow, and then start the house hunt.

The road to sealing a mortgage transaction is a long road and to keep you on track and avoid any potential potholes, here are nine mortgage mistakes  to avoid:

1.Making Major Purchase before closing

2Not knowing how much the house is worth

3Not vetting lenders thourghly

4Closing under pressure

5Withhoulding information

6Taking too long to supply documentation

7Failing to review loan documentation

8Waiting too long to lock in a rate

9Failing for explore all financing options.