Buying a Home

8-week home sale prep timeline

How to get your house ready for market in two months.

House-hunting checklist: What to take note of before you buy

Tips for narrowing the search for a home and rating the ones you see.

What to know before financing a new construction home

Understand the process, expenses and decisions buyers often overlook.

House hacking gives buyers a low-cost entry into real estate investing

Buy a home, then rent out portions to offset expenses.

What credit score do you need to buy a house?

How borrowing power is shaped by credit, income and loan type.

What is private mortgage insurance?

How PMI works, what it costs and when it goes away.

Buying a home with bad credit

Several options include FHA, VA and USDA loans.

What makes up your credit score?

How lenders weigh risk behind the three-digit number.

How to buy a house at auction

Here's what you need to know about the entire process from start to finish and the risks involved.

When was my house built?

Explore the ways to determine when your home was completed.