Deciding how much San Jose house you can afford is a personal decision. Many factors come into play. How much can I borrow? How much can I put toward my down payment? What size monthly payment can I afford?

There are no black and white answers to these questions. Its a matter of give and take. If you plan on a 30 year mortgage, you can probably make a lower down payment (or perhaps no down payment at all) and still manage the monthly payments. If, on the other hand, you plan on a 15 year mortgage, you'll probably want to make a larger down payment to keep your monthly payments in line with what you can afford.

Never order a free credit report from a service that makes you use a credit card.

Congress has been closely watching the recurring nightmares resulting from Identity theft. Over the last year, through the Federal Trade Commission, certain parts of the country were given the ability to get a free credit report from the three large data collectors, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Analyzing your credit report is not only a great way to see if your identity has been stolen, but an effective way to manage your credit past and prepare for future credit needs.