Intro

Buying your first home feels huge. You're excited, but you're also wondering, "Am I doing this right?" The good news: the process follows a predictable path. When you know what's coming, the whole thing feels less scary and a lot more manageable.

1. Discovery Call

Your first step is a quick conversation with your loan officer. You'll talk about:

Your ideal monthly payment
How long you plan to stay in the home
Your income, savings, and any debt

From there, your broker can recommend what price range and loan types make sense.

2. Pre-Approval

Next, you'll complete a formal application and upload documents (pay stubs, W-2s, bank statements, etc.). The lender reviews your credit, income, and assets and issues a pre-approval letter. This tells agents and sellers you're serious and qualified.

3. House Shopping

Once you're pre-approved, you and your real estate agent can start writing offers. Your lender can re-run numbers on different prices and down payments so you know exactly what your payment would look like.

4. Under Contract

When an offer is accepted, the real work begins behind the scenes:

The appraisal is ordered
Title work is started
Your file goes to underwriting for final approval

Your broker coordinates all of this and keeps you updated so you're not guessing.

5. Clear to Close & Signing

After conditions are cleared, you'll hear the magic words: "Clear to close." You'll review your final numbers, bring your closing funds, and sign documents. Then it's key-time and photo-time.

Closing Thought

The process doesn't have to be overwhelming. With the right guide, each step is explained before it happens, so you always know what's next.

First-Time Homebuyer? Here's What Happens From 'Let's Talk' to Keys in Hand