Home buying & selling guides
Buying or selling a home can feel confusing fast, especially if this is your first time or English is not your first language. These guides explain the real process in plain language so you can compare options, ask better questions, and choose a licensed local agent with confidence.
How to choose a real-estate agent
License, experience, references, the agreement, and the questions to ask before you commit to a buyer's or listing agent.
Open GuidesThe first-time home buyer guide
Every step from saving for a down payment to getting the keys — pre-approval, searching, offers, inspections, and closing, in plain language.
Open GuidesUnderstanding closing costs
What closing costs are, who pays what, typical ranges for buyers and sellers, and how to avoid surprises at the closing table.
Open GuidesHow real-estate agents are paid
Commissions, who pays them, how recent changes affect buyers and sellers, and what is and isn't negotiable — explained honestly.
Open GuidesMortgages & pre-approval explained
Loan types, down payments, interest, and why pre-approval matters before you shop — plain-language basics, not financial advice.
Open GuidesYour rights under Fair Housing
The Fair Housing Act in plain language — what's protected, what steering and discrimination look like, and what to do if you experience them.
Open GuidesHow to read a neighborhood
Commute, schools, prices, and what the numbers do and don't tell you — how to size up an area honestly without relying on assumptions about who lives there.
Open GuidesWhat a buyer-agency agreement means
What you're signing when you agree to work with a buyer's agent — duties, term, fees, and the clauses to read before you sign.
Open GuidesHow Much Money Do I Need to Buy a House?
How Much Money Do I Need to Buy a House? — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesHow Much Is the Down Payment on a House?
How Much Is the Down Payment on a House? — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesWhat Credit Score Do I Need to Buy a Home?
What Credit Score Do I Need to Buy a Home? — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesCan I Buy a House With an ITIN?
Can I Buy a House With an ITIN? — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesWhat Does a Buyer's Agent Do?
What Does a Buyer's Agent Do? — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesWhat Does a Listing Agent Do?
What Does a Listing Agent Do? — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesHow Long Does It Take to Buy a House?
How Long Does It Take to Buy a House? — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesHow Long Does It Take to Sell a House?
How Long Does It Take to Sell a House? — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesWhat Is an MLS Listing?
What Is an MLS Listing? — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesWhat Is a Home Inspection and Do I Need One?
What Is a Home Inspection and Do I Need One? — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesWhat Is a Home Appraisal?
What Is a Home Appraisal? — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesWhat Is Earnest Money?
What Is Earnest Money? — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesWhat Is Escrow?
What Is Escrow? — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesHow Do I Make an Offer on a House?
How Do I Make an Offer on a House? — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesPre-Approval vs Pre-Qualification
Pre-Approval vs Pre-Qualification — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesHow Much Does It Cost to Sell a House?
How Much Does It Cost to Sell a House? — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesShould I Stage My Home Before Selling?
Should I Stage My Home Before Selling? — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesHow Do I Price My Home to Sell?
How Do I Price My Home to Sell? — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesQuestions to Ask a Real-Estate Agent
Questions to Ask a Real-Estate Agent — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesRed Flags When Choosing an Agent
Red Flags When Choosing an Agent — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesBuying a Home as a New Immigrant
Buying a Home as a New Immigrant — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesWhat Documents Do I Need to Buy a House?
What Documents Do I Need to Buy a House? — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesRenting vs Buying a Home
Renting vs Buying a Home — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
Open GuidesWhat Is a Contingency in a Home Offer?
What Is a Contingency in a Home Offer? — a plain-language guide for home buyers and sellers. Honest information, free licensed-agent matching.
OpenGet matched with a licensed local agent — free
Tell us whether you're buying or selling and where. We connect you, at no cost, with a licensed local real-estate agent. You compare and choose who to work with.