Forum for first-time home buyers - 2004-03-15
Ideally, you should refer to your credit reports a full year before you anticipate purchasing your first home. At a minimum, I would recommend checking at least 6 months. The sooner you check your credit, the more leeway you have if you discover your credit history is badly in need of repair.

My editor asked me to explain why I'm qualified to be your guide in this process. Well, I'm certainly not an expert, but I did buy my first home two years ago, and just finished refinancing my mortgage yesterday.
Read the full story at Bankrate.com

Loan blow for first-time buyers - 2004-03-15
The full crisis faced by first-time house buyers is highlighted in new research today. Figures from the Halifax bank show that even in London's cheapest borough - Barking and Dagenham - the average first-time buyer would have to borrow almost four times their salary to get a home.

The recommended safe limit for mortgage lending is 3.5 times salary.
Read the full story at This Is Money