Being ready to buy looks different for everyone. However, generally speaking, you’ll know that you’re ready to buy after you speak with a mortgage professional (aka Lender). A lender will assist you with determining your comfortable monthly payment amount. Also, the lender will provide you with an estimate of what your down payment and closings costs will be. If you’re purchasing with cash, a real estate agent can guide you with this as well.

There are really two steps — getting pre-approved with a mortgage professional and connecting with a Realtor. You can get your preapproval before speaking to a real estate professional, or if you reach out to an agent first, they can connect you with a trusted lender. Check out our “Agents” tab to begin!

Outside of the down payment, “closing costs” are also part of a real estate transaction. These costs generally include transfer taxes, prorated property taxes, loan origination fees, and title fees. Other charges such as the home inspections and appraisal are paid before reaching the settlement table. Learn all about closings costs here!

The path to the settlement table is adventurous! During this period of time, you’ll be putting down your earnest money deposit, attending your home inspection, ordering the appraisal, submitting mortgage documents, and other various tasks to complete your home purchase. Fortunately, your real estate agent will be in lock-step with you down the winding road to the closing table.