There are many steps along the way to buying a house. But qualifying for a mortgage is where it all begins. Until you’ve been approved to borrow, you can’t really start looking for a house and you certainly can’t make an offer on one. That’s why the most recent Mortgage Credit Availability Index from the Mortgage Bankers Association is good news for hopeful home buyers. According to the index – which measures whether lending standards are tightening or loosening – credit became more available in June. That means, home buyers should have an easier time getting approved for a loan. Joel Kan, MBA’s associate vice president of economic and industry forecasting, says credit availability has been increasing this year. “Credit availability has generally increased in 2019 as lenders have worked to meet affordability challenges,” Kan said. “Because mortgage rates have recently fallen and home price growth has decelerated in many markets, credit availability may stabilize at its current levels.” More here.