Start with the process
First-time homebuyer guide
Follow the path from early planning and preapproval through offers, inspections, closing, and getting the keys.
Read this guide →Plain-language homebuyer guides
Understand each step before it becomes urgent.
Start with the full first-time buyer guide, or choose the question that matches where you are now. Every guide is free and written to support planning—not approval or a spending recommendation.
Homebuyer guide library
Monthly comfort
How much house can I comfortably afford?
Use your monthly life—not only a lending ratio—to think through a housing payment that leaves room for other priorities.
Read this guide →Income example
How much house can I afford on a $75K salary?
See how monthly debts, a sample housing target, and down payment can change one fictional affordability estimate.
Read this guide →Money already paid
Earnest money vs. down payment vs. cash to close
Understand how a deposit paid earlier relates to your transaction funding and the amount still due at closing.
Read this guide →Closing details
Prepaids and escrow at closing
Learn why taxes and insurance can appear both in upfront closing figures and in a later monthly payment.
Read this guide →Cash-planning example
How much money do I need to buy a $400K house?
Walk through a fictional down payment, closing-cost, earnest-money, and savings-cushion example.
Read this guide →Ready to try your own numbers?
Use the free calculators when you want to explore a homebuying budget, a monthly payment, or the cash you may need.
Start with your homebuying budget →