Everything you need to buy a home

Before you can start shopping for a home, you need to get a handle on your finances and your budget. Here’s how to do it.

• First-Time Homebuyer
• What Can You Afford?
• Saving Up
• Rent vs. Buy
• Real Estate as Investment
• News & Market Trends
• Buyer Success Stories

Unless you’re paying cash, you’ll need a mortgage loan in order to be able to buy a house. How do you find the best one for your needs?

• Down Payments
• Credit Scores
• Mortgages & Loans
• Making Sense of Property Values
• Paying in Cash
• Short Sales, Foreclosures, & Bank-Owned Homes
• Explore rent to own
• Special Programs

Looking for a house with all the features you need, in a neighborhood that fits your lifestyle, can be overwhelming. Narrow your search and pinpoint your favorites.

• Shopping for Homes Online
• Find a buyer's agent
• What's Out There?
• Advice from America's Top Agents
• Go Room by Room
• Open Houses
• New Constructions

Will you wind up living in the home of your dreams? That depends on the strength of the offer you write and on your ability to navigate to the closing table. Here’s how to get the deal done.

• Contracts, Disclosures, and Paperwork
• The Closing
• Offers & Negotiations
• Legal & tax implications
• Home Appraisals
• Home Inspections
• Final Walkthrough

Now that you’re a homeowner, you need to know how to take care of your biggest financial asset. Here’s how to keep your house in tip-top condition.

• Moving Tips
• Getting Acclimated
• Homeowners Associations
• Ways to Increase Your Property Value
• Home improvements
• Homeowner's Insurance