Buying your first home? Here’s what you need to know
Buying a home may be the American Dream, but if the process of getting there feels a little daunting, you’re not alone. From saving for the downpayment and finding a good real estate agent to getting the best loan possible and making an offer that wins over the seller, there are a lot of steps (and a lot of opportunities for missteps) when it comes to buying your first home.
If you’re one of the 75 percent of Americans who counts homeownership as one of their life priorities, you’ve come to the right place. Arming yourself with credible information can make that goal much more attainable, and even make the process enjoyable.
“The more you know, the better consumer you’re going to be,” says former Marketplace anchor Tess Vigeland, host of Knowable’s Buy Your First Home course. “You won’t be lost in a process that can often feel like a long drive with a lot of blind curves.”
In this course, Vigeland gathers insights from realtors, contractors, bankers, loan officers, and more to answer many questions first-time homebuyers have, and many questions that you might not even know to ask.
Did you know it’s recommended that you get pre-approved for a loan six months before you’re ready to buy a home? Or that changing your job after a lender runs your credit could actually hurt you? Or why a “virtually renovated” listing might not be the dream home you think it is? Or that a seller doesn’t have to accept your offer — even if it’s the highest one? Vigeland and the experts she interviews unearth this information and much more, all while clarifying jargon (there are seriously so many acronyms in the real estate industry) and sharing useful tips for first-time homebuyers at any stage.
Coupled with the audio course you’ll also find a treasure-trove of in-app content and resources that will help you digest and act on what you learn about how to buy a home. You’ll find notes from each lesson, a checklist and flow chart to determine whether you’re ready to buy a home, an offer letter template, a home inspection checklist, a guide to closing forms, links to additional reading, and much more.
“Buying your first home is a complex process — financially, psychologically, emotionally,” Vigeland summarizes. “Not everybody is ready for it, and that’s okay! Take your time! [With this course] you have the tools to be prepared for that moment when you say, ‘Yes! I’m eager to take on the responsibility and can’t wait to care for my own plot of concrete and soil.’”
So pop on your headphones and take the first step in your journey to the American Dream.
