Guides · buying

The first-time buyer's guide

Everything between "we should buy" and "we got the keys", in the order it actually happens.

1. Start with the money, not the listings

The search is fun; the budget decides everything. Work out three numbers: what you have for a down payment, what you can comfortably pay per month (not the bank's maximum — your comfortable number), and roughly 2–5% of the price held back for closing costs. Our affordability calculator gives you an honest starting range in two minutes, and the payment calculator shows what any price turns into per month with today's rates (about 6.95% for a 30-year fixed as of September 17, 2026, per Freddie Mac).

Then get pre-approved — not pre-qualified. A pre-approval is a lender's underwritten statement of what they'll lend; sellers' agents treat the two very differently.

2. Write the brief before you tour

Split your must-haves from nice-to-haves in writing: commute ceiling, bedroom count, the one thing you'd pay extra for. Deciding criteria mid-touring is how people overpay. Since August 2024, buyer agents work under a written agreement that states our fee before you tour —here's what that means for you.

3. Search wide, judge fast

Portals are where listings surface, but roughly half of buyers find the home they actually buy online while agents often know what's coming before it posts. Use both: alerts on the portals, and a real person watching for you. When you tour, judge the things that are expensive to change — layout, light, noise, roofline, water stains — not paint and furniture.

4. Offer with evidence

A good offer isn't the boldest number; it's the one that wins without overpaying. We pull recent comparable sales, look at how long the listing has sat, and shape price plus contingencies to match. Your agent should be able to justify every clause in plain language — if they can't, that's a red flag.

5. Inspect like it's your money on the line — it is

The inspection is not a formality; it's your one deep look. Attend it. Distinguish three buckets: safety items (act), big-ticket mechanicals (negotiate or walk), and cosmetics (accept). Appraisal and final loan underwriting follow — the contract should protect your deposit if either stumbles.

6. Closing week

You'll do a final walk-through, receive the closing disclosure (compare it to your loan estimate — numbers shouldn't have moved), and bring a cashier's check or wire instructions verified by phone with a number you looked up yourself. Wire fraud targets buyers exactly at this moment; a two-minute verification call defeats it.

The best buyers aren't the ones with the most cash — they're the ones with the clearest brief and the fewest surprises.

Questions to ask any agent you interview

• How will you represent me, and what does your fee agreement say?
• What's your plan when we find "the one" — how fast can we move?
• Show me how you'd decide what to offer on this street.
• What do you need from me to keep the closing on schedule?