Home Purchase Basics

Buying a home is a team sport.

Know your team

What to expect from each player.

Buying a home is likely the largest financial transaction you'll make. Knowing what to expect from each player — your real estate agent, your loan officer, and yourself — makes the process efficient instead of overwhelming.

Real estate agent

Count on your agent to

  • Filter listings — surfacing homes that fit your needs, dismissing the rest
  • Spot the difference between a good buy and one that's hard to resell later
  • Negotiate the deal on your behalf with the seller and their agent
  • Use your pre-approval letter to make your offers competitive — sometimes the difference between a yes and a no
Loan officer

Count on your loan officer to

  • Match you to the loan program that fits your situation and goals
  • Keep you informed of loan status at every step
  • Coordinate with your real estate agent on milestones (without sharing your private financial details)
  • Find the right loan at the right rate — saving you money up front and over the life of the loan
Yourself

Count on yourself to

  • Raise questions or concerns as soon as they come up — silence costs time
  • Return documents and decisions quickly to keep the process moving
  • Stay objective — buying a home is exciting but it's still a business decision
  • Get pre-approved early so you can focus on choosing the home, not financing it
Start with pre-approval

Know your number early.

The earlier you know what you can afford, the easier everything else gets.

Find a loan officer