Research neighborhoods where you want to buy, as well as the features you want in your new home, including square feet, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, yard size, age and condition of the house, and more. Research homes for sale online and attend open houses. Consider working with a buyer’s agent who can help you find homes, make offers, and negotiate with the seller.

The price you want to pay for a home is the most important part of your offer, but it’s not the only one. You might want to add contingencies for a home inspection, mortgage approval, and more. Think about including prequalification and proof of funds letters that demonstrate you can afford to buy the home. You’ll need to include earnest money (which is also called a "good faith deposit") with your offer.

You’ll need to complete an application and provide credit, income, and financial documents to get approved for a mortgage. You’ll also need to read and sign disclosures that include information about your loan term and type, loan amount, interest rate, estimated monthly payment, and estimated closing costs. Our loan advisors will work with you throughout the loan application process.

Once your application has been approved, you can close on your mortgage and become the owner of your new home. You’ll probably need to pay closing costs that can include lender fees, discount points, property taxes and homeowners insurance, and other costs and fees. We’ll let you know how much cash you will need to bring to the closing to buy your new house.