Guide library

Guides for every kind of buyer

Everything marked Available now is live and free. Items marked In development are planned and not yet published.

Strong credit and savings

Pay less to borrow

  • Should you pay points on a mortgage? Available now Article. What a point is, the break-even math, and questions to ask each lender.
  • Loan Estimate Comparison Worksheet In development Member spreadsheet. Compare offers from several lenders side by side.
  • Lender fees you can shop for, and ones you cannot In development Article.
  • How to read a Loan Estimate and a Closing Disclosure In development Article.
Credit needs work

Get mortgage-ready

  • First-time buyer readiness checklist Available now Free checklist. Six steps to take before you apply.
  • 90-Day Credit Readiness Plan In development Member plan with a tracker.
  • Reading your credit reports and disputing errors yourself In development Article.
  • Establishing credit from scratch In development Article.
  • Debt-to-income ratio, step by step In development Article.
Fixer-upper or new build

Renovate or build

  • Renovation Loan Playbook: FHA 203(k), Fannie Mae HomeStyle, Freddie Mac CHOICERenovation In development One-time playbook.
  • Construction-to-Permanent Timeline and Budget Kit In development One-time kit with a spreadsheet.
  • How renovation loan draws and inspections work In development Article.

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