You sit down with your mortgage advisor to review your finances and goals against what you can actually afford. Once your advisor reviews your financial information, you'll get a Loan Estimate — loan type, interest rate, and closing costs. Preapproval means you're cleared to shop in a price range, subject to final underwriting.

Bank statements, pay stubs, tax returns or W-2s, credit report. If you're self-employed or run a small business, expect to provide more — usually a longer income history so your lender has a clear read on consistency. Your debt-to-income ratio matters here: aim under 40%, with 50% as the hard ceiling most lenders will accept.

Most buyers start online, but access to listing data isn't the same as having someone who can read it. A good agent tracks pricing trends by neighborhood and often knows about properties before they're publicly listed. Your agent's commission is typically paid by the seller — you get full representation at no direct cost.

Your agent checks comparable sales ("comps") in the area, then helps you land on a number that balances what the home is worth against current market demand. This is also where you decide whether to ask the seller to cover part of your closing costs.

This is where representation earns its keep. Your agent handles counteroffers, keeps the process from getting emotional, and explains the logic behind every number. Once you and the seller agree on price and contingencies (rent-back time, subject-to-sale clauses, etc.), you'll put earnest money into escrow and set a closing date.

Once price is agreed, you're back with your mortgage advisor to reconfirm nothing's changed since preapproval. Title and escrow get opened — sometimes the same company handles both, sometimes it's split, and in some states an attorney is required. Last step here: locking your interest rate, typically for 30 days (60-day locks cost more).

No home is perfect — not even new construction. An inspector checks roof, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, foundation, and structural basics. Findings don't automatically lower your price, but they're your leverage for requesting seller concessions. Attend the inspection yourself if you can.  It can be a very educational experience.

Your lender needs an independent number confirming the home is worth what you're paying. The appraiser considers size, structural condition, unique features, and recent comps. You typically don't need to attend, and you may not even know exactly when it happens.

Start shopping for this the moment you start shopping for a home — don't wait until the last minute. Bundling home, auto, and life with one carrier often gets you a discount. If your property sits in a flood plain, your lender will require flood insurance separately.

Your file goes to an underwriter who evaluates the six Cs: Credit (history), Capacity (debt-to-income), Capital (down payment and reserves), Collateral (property and appraisal), Conditions (comparable market activity), and Common Sense (overall trustworthiness of the file). Expect one to five business days.

If the underwriter comes back with conditions, that's not a rejection — it's a request for more documentation or clarification on specific line items. Your mortgage advisor walks you through satisfying each one.

Once conditions are cleared, your file goes back for final sign-off. Timeline varies from a day to a month depending on how many items needed resolution and how fast you turned around documentation. This triggers your "Clear to Close."

The lender preps final loan docs and sends them to escrow, who adds in tax and payment details. Funds typically don't transfer the same day signing happens — the lender waits for signed paperwork before releasing funds.

Signing can happen at the escrow office or with a mobile notary at a time/place of your choosing. If you closing all cash without a loan, you are generally allowed to sign everything via Docusign.  You'll bring your down payment balance and closing costs via certified check or by sending a wire.  Once signing is scheduled, you can also take a final walk-through — especially if repairs were negotiated after inspection. You're confirming everything discussed actually got addressed, not doing a second full inspection.

Usually same-day as closing, unless otherwise arranged. The keys are the milestone — but the home won't feel like yours until...

Book movers early — good ones need weeks of notice, especially for longer moves. Interview movers the same way you interviewed your agent and lender. This is the step that turns a transaction into a home.