What is a one-sentence summary of the following article?
Your ability to get a loan will depend on your credit history, including your credit score, overall indebtedness, and your income. You should obtain a free copy of your credit report and review it for errors. Dispute anything that is inaccurate.  Get your free copy by calling 1-877-322-8228 or visiting http://www.annualcreditreport.com. You will need to provide your name, address, date of birth, and Social Security Number.  Common errors include accounts with the wrong balance or limit listed, or accounts inaccurately reported as delinquent or closed. If you default on your loan, your credit history will take a hit. Also, you will lose the collateral you pledged. Accordingly, calculate what you can afford for a loan payment each month.  You may need to create a budget to determine how much you can comfortably borrow. Calculate your fixed expenses, such as your rent or mortgage, and then see how much you can reduce other expenses, such as entertainment or travel expenses. Avoid borrowing too much. Because you will likely receive a lower interest rate on a secured loan, you might be tempted to borrow more than you need. Don't! Get the process started by contacting lenders and asking for a secured loan. Tell them the amount you want and what you are willing to pledge as collateral. Ask them about the application process and any timelines. Find out what collateral they accept. Lenders are not required to accept collateral, so you should check whether or not they will accept what you have to offer. If not, talk about what else you might be able to pledge. The lender will review your application and decide whether or not to extend a loan. The length of this process will depend on the lender. If you have questions, call the loan officer you have been working with. You need to comparison shop by looking at the terms offered by many different lenders. Remember, you have not taken out the loan until you sign for it. Compare the following:  APR. The annual percentage rate is the interest rate you will pay on the loan. It also might include other charges, such as credit charges. Typically, the lower the APR, the less expensive the loan. Length of the loan repayment. The longer you have to pay back the loan, the less you will pay each month. However, you will pay more in the end, because of accrued interest. Monthly payment amount. Prepayment penalties. Some lenders charge extra fees if you pay off a loan early. Try to find a lender who does not charge these penalties. Ask the lender if you can get copies of all the documents you need to sign. You will want sufficient time to review everything. Make sure you understand all conditions before signing.  If you do not understand what you are reading, then contact an attorney to help you. At closing, remember to review the documents to make sure nothing has changed since you were approved for the loan. In fact, you should ask this question of the loan officer.
Review your credit history. Calculate what you can afford. Contact lenders. Await the results. Compare loans. Review the documents before signing.