A recession brings about economic uncertainty, because consumers are not willing to spend money, and banks are not always willing to lend it. But part of that is hearsay, as a recession is a great time to take out a loan.

Believe it or not, a recession is a good time to buy a home because interest rates tend to be lower which will save the buyer thousands of dollars. But never enter a home loan negotiation processed unprepared.

You need a high credit score to qualify for good home loan rates during a recession. Check your report for errors, and if you find them, get them corrected. If you have high balances on your credit cards, pay those off. If you have late payments, establish an on time payment history of at least six months. A year is even better.

Money in the bank is needed secondly. A direct deposit, between 15-20% is needed along with reserves. Reserves are the money put aside in the bank for repayment of the first two to three months of the loan. The bank needs to make sure you have the appropriate income for the loan.

Also you must verify employment, income, and assets. You cannot just tell the bank you have enough money. Provide the bank with documentation including paycheck stubs and bank account statements.

This documentation is even more important if you are applying for a home loan during a recession because you need to prove to the lender that you can afford the home loan and will make your monthly home loan payments. Be prepared to provide at least three months worth of documentation. Collect the necessary documentation and have it on hand prior to applying for the home loan in order to speed up the application and approval process.

Do not let the recession scare you away from a home loan. The recession is like the boogie monster. You were concerned that it was real when you were kid. Now you are grown up and realize its nonsense. The same applies to home loans when you think as a kid. You are scared the recession prevents them, when in actuality it’s just like the boogie monster.

Scared about the recession and intimated about the recession. Do not worry, as a lot of it is in your head. As you can see, with the right credit score and funds, you are actually at an advantage over the lenders in this point of the economy.

Tom Martens is the content coordinator for South Arica?s leading Homeloans portal which amongst others offers Bond origination services for all major banks.