Clear answers for first-time homebuyers.
HomeLooker teaches first-time buyers in the US how buying a home actually works: the real numbers, the steps, and the questions worth asking. No jargon, no scare tactics, and no one trying to sell you a house.
Rosa, Theo, Nia and Ben: the fictional buyers you’ll meet around the site. Their stories and numbers are examples, not real customers. About our examples
What we do
The essentials every first-time buyer should know, from down payment myths to what happens on closing day.
Eight written modules with built-in calculators and printable worksheets, from “can I afford this?” to getting the keys.
Straight answers to the questions buyers actually search for, like how much house you can afford or what closing costs cover.
What we stand for
Plain English. If a term needs explaining, we explain it. If it doesn’t matter to your decision, we leave it out.
Real numbers. We show the math, so you can run it with your own income, debts and down payment instead of trusting a rule of thumb.
No sales pitch. We don’t sell homes, mortgages or agent referrals. We don’t earn more if you buy a bigger house, or any house at all. Our only job is to help you understand your options.
How we keep this accurate
Getting the numbers wrong on a home purchase costs real money, so here’s how we check our work.
We go to the source. Our figures and rules come from:
- Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey for average mortgage rates, published weekly
- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) for how loans, Loan Estimates and Closing Disclosures work
- Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines for down payment minimums, debt-to-income limits and mortgage insurance
- FHA (HUD) guidelines where a page covers FHA loans
We date our numbers. Rates change every week, so pages that use a current rate say which week it’s from.
We fix mistakes in the open. If you spot something wrong, email support@homelooker.net. We’ll check it, fix it, and update the page. See how we research our guides for the full details.
What we’re working toward
We want every first-time buyer to walk into a lender’s office, an open house or a closing table knowing their numbers and what comes next. Nobody should sign the biggest contract of their life without understanding it, or stretch their budget because a lender said they could.
Get the guide, or go straight to the full course.
Get the free guide See the course →Questions? Email us at support@homelooker.net.
HomeLooker provides educational content only. It isn’t financial, legal or real estate advice. Always confirm your numbers with a licensed lender.