Are you rushing to buy a new home, fearing mortgage rates will continue their recent climb? Or maybe you’ve decided to keep saving, praying they’ll decline again.

Either camp can benefit from a few financial tips offered by the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Atlanta:

• Verify the accuracy of your credit reports. Few things can derail a home purchase as quickly as a suspect credit history.
• Establish a good payment history. Pay all your bills on time for at least six to 12 months to qualify for a mortgage. Late payments of any bills can disqualify you from some loan programs.
• Lower your debt load. Excessive debt will lower your credit score and reduce your buying power.
• Build a savings account. Upfront costs associated with buying a home typically include a down payment of 5 percent or more. Also consider closing costs that are usually about 3 percent of a mortgage loan.