3 lessons, about 11 minutes
I'm thinking about buying
Decide whether buying fits your life and budget before you look at a single listing.
Read these in order
1
Are you ready to buy?Readiness is about your life, your monthly budget and the cash you keep after closing, not a listing price. Use this five-part check.2
Renting or buying: compare the whole pictureRenting and buying both give you a home. The better choice depends mostly on how long you stay. See the numbers at 3, 7 and 12 years.3
What a home really costs each monthThe loan payment is only part of what a home costs each month. Here is every line, with two worked Bay Area examples.
Are you ready to buy?Readiness is about your life, your monthly budget and the cash you keep after closing, not a listing price. Use this five-part check.2Renting or buying: compare the whole pictureRenting and buying both give you a home. The better choice depends mostly on how long you stay. See the numbers at 3, 7 and 12 years.3What a home really costs each monthThe loan payment is only part of what a home costs each month. Here is every line, with two worked Bay Area examples.
