pre-approval or not?

[rebuilding]

I would like to buy a house. I just started a new job but have worked in the same field making the same money for 7 years now.. (90k per year)

I am in East Texas and have seen a couple house I like, and am also considering building.

don't know where to start, but I am considering getting a pre-approval just to make sure I can get financed and for a decent payment.

although I make good money for this area, I have a pretty large child support payment to my 4 kids, so I need my house payment to be around 1000/mo. 

I have a 6 year old BK and a 2 yo IRS lien. other than that no lates newer than about 5 years old.

my ficos are in my siggy....  I have some new cards, but haven't had any for a while so my history is not all that great.  my util is almost zero.  I have a car payment I have paid on current for 20 months.

don't think there are any hud homes in my area.

with the 10 month old divorce, I have very little cash on hand.

think I can buy a home?

thanks!

[DallasLoanGuy]

are you able to pay the tax lien?

[rebuilding]

well i am working on an offer in compromise but that takes forever...  6 months or more that i know of. trying to get it off of credit reports though. have been successful with TU. still on Experian and EQ.

it was an error, and I have been fighting the problem with the IRS for four years.  they just reported lien as two years ago though.

Really want to get a house within the month though. is that not possible if the lien is on my report?

[DallasLoanGuy]

getting it off the report doesnt help

you will have to resolve the tax lien issue

with little cash on hand and those scores, you will have to go fha loan. they wont let you have a loan with that lien. if it was in repayment, maybe

[rebuilding]

wow.. that sucks... ok guess I will have to keep workin on that... :-(

so no home at all unless I do an owner finance or something i guess..

[DallasLoanGuy]

sorry.