Pull your credit report
There are three major U.S. credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion), and each releases its own credit scores and reports (a more detailed history that’s used to determine your score). Their scores should be roughly equivalent, although they do pull from different sources. For example, Experian considers on-time rent payments while TransUnion has detailed information about previous employers.

To access these scores and reports, financial planner Bob Forrest of Mutual of Omaha recommends using AnnualCreditReport.com, where you can get a free copy of your report every 12 months from each credit-reporting company. It doesn’t include your credit score, though—you’ll have to go to each company for that, and pay a small fee.

Or check with your credit card company: A variety of card issuers offer free access to scores and reports, says Michael Chadwick, owner of Chadwick Financial Advisors in Unionville, CT. Once you’ve got your report, thoroughly review it page by page, particularly the “adverse accounts” section that details late payments and other slip-ups.

What type of home qualifies for a USDA loan?
While there is a lot of flexibility in the type of home that may be accepted for a USDA home loan—including condos, townhouses, and new construction—not all homes will qualify. Since USDA loans are meant to help lower-income homebuyers, it’s not intended to be used to buy a mansion. On the contrary, eligible homes must appear “modest” relative to their location. In many cases, that boils down to square footage.

“The general USDA standards for eligible properties include a living area typically between 400 and 2,000 square feet,” says Jill Gonzalez, an analyst with WalletHub. “The property’s value is another indicator of whether or not the house is modest.”

While the exact limits will vary by area, another general rule of thumb is that the land itself cannot be worth more than 30% of the value of the actual home sitting on said property.

1. Neighborhood Newsletter
Homeowners love to learn more about their neighborhood, especially if they can do it without actually knocking on doors or frequenting every restaurant in town. For this reason, neighborhood newsletters are one of the best ways to spark interest in the minds of potential clients.

Neighborhood newsletters can include a wide range of information but should be focused on specific and highly relevant information. Consider including information like home values, neighborhood events, or homeowner spotlights. The creator of this real estate newsletter template even includes local trivia.