HomeLooker tools
Check the big numbers yourself before you sign.
Four planners that turn your listings, Loan Estimates, inspection report and Closing Disclosure into a clear answer: what to offer, which loan is cheaper, what to ask the seller for, and whether you’re owed money back.
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Where are you right now?
Pick your step and try one tool from that planner with Rosa and Theo’s numbers. Change any number to see your own answer.
Does this listing fit your monthly limit?
The listing price is never the whole story. This adds tax, insurance, PMI and HOA.
All-in monthly payment
$1,342Fits your limit, $8 to spareHighest price that fits your limit
$161,000Use it as your ceiling when you plan the offer.
Assumes 5% down, a 7.15% 30-year fixed rate, property tax of 1.25% a year, $60 a month insurance and PMI of 0.7% a year. In the planner you set all of these yourself and compare up to four homes.
Which Loan Estimate is really cheaper?
A lower rate usually costs more up front. Which one wins depends on how long you keep the loan. $152,000, 30-year fixed.
Offer A
$1,052 a month
Offer B
$1,027 a month
Over 5 years
Offer B costs $266 lessOffer B’s higher upfront cost pays for itself after month 52.
Counts the lender’s own costs plus the interest you pay. In the planner you type in up to four real Loan Estimates, check points and plan your rate lock.
Which inspection items are worth asking for?
Sellers say yes to short, serious lists. Tick what you’d ask for and check the credit still fits your loan’s limit.
You’re asking for
$1,800Seller credits: $2,000 already agreed + $1,800 = $3,800 of $4,800 allowed
Within the limitConventional loan with 5% down: seller credits can’t pass 3% of the $160,000 price.
Did any fee go up more than the law allows?
Copy two lines from your Closing Disclosure. Some fees can’t rise at all; others can rise 10% as a group.
The lender owes you
$150Appraisal $75 over its limit · settlement group $75 over its limit. Ask the lender for a “tolerance cure” before you sign.
Recording fees stay at $150 here. The planner checks every fee on pages 2 and 3.
Four planners, in buying order
What each planner does for you
Each planner works on its own. Buy the one for your step today, or all four.
1House hunting
Offer Planner
Compare homes, plan your offer, cap your bid.
What’s at stake: Rosa and Theo opened at $155,000 on a $169,900 listing and settled at $160,000, $9,900 under the asking price.
- Listing scorecard — up to 4 homes side by side, with the real monthly cost and cash to close
- Offer range — a price range, an opening offer and a walk-away number
- Bidding-war ceiling — the highest bid your payment, cash and an appraisal gap can take
You walk away with
“The cheapest listing isn’t always the cheapest home. Check the HOA line first.” — Ben
2Comparing loans
Loan Planner
Compare Loan Estimates, then lock the right one.
What’s at stake: A 0.25% rate difference on a $152,000 loan is about $26 a month, over $9,000 across 30 years.
- Loan Estimate comparer — the cheapest offer for how long you’ll keep the loan
- Points break-even — the month a bigger upfront bill starts paying for itself
- Rate-lock picker — how long to lock and what an extension could cost
- Lender questions — a question list for each lender, written from the gaps in your estimates
You walk away with
“We lined up the lender’s own fees first and picked Loan Estimate B.” — Rosa and Theo
3Inspection
Repair Planner
Ask for what matters, drop the rest, keep your reserve.
What’s at stake: Theo asked about one item out of 31 on the report and got an $1,800 credit for the water heater.
- Inspection triage — every item sorted into ask, check first or skip
- Ask-type picker — repair, credit or price cut, and what each does to your cash and loan
- Can I still afford it? — your savings after closing and repairs, checked against your reserve
- Request draft — a short, clear request for your agent
You walk away with
“Our report had 31 items and I panicked. Only the water heater was worth asking about.” — Theo
4Getting to closing
Closing Planner
From accepted offer to keys, without missing a date or a dollar.
What’s at stake: Some closing fees can’t rise past the Loan Estimate by law. When they do, the lender owes you the difference: $150 for Rosa and Theo.
- Deadline timeline — every contract deadline, dated, with a reminder in your phone’s calendar
- Closing Disclosure checker — each fee checked against its legal limit, and what you’re owed
- Cash to close & wire safety — your final number and a safe way to send it
You walk away with
“Two fees crept up before closing. The checker showed we were owed $150.” — Rosa
Need more than one? All four planners are $19 instead of $28.
Get the Toolkit →Why not just use a free calculator?
Free calculators answer “what’s my payment?”. The planners answer “what should I do next?”.
| Feature | Free calculator | HomeLooker planner |
|---|---|---|
| Works from your real Loan Estimate, inspection report or Closing Disclosure | Generic inputs | ✓ Yes |
| Tells you which rule applies (fee limits, seller-credit caps, PMI) | Rarely | ✓ Yes |
| Ends in a next step: an offer, a request, a question list | — | ✓ Yes |
| Compares several homes or offers side by side | Sometimes | ✓ Up to 4 |
| Names no lenders and sells no leads | Varies | ✓ Never |
| Price | Free | $7 a planner |
Made for you if…
- you’re buying your first home in the US
- you’re already looking, comparing loans, inspecting or closing
- you want to check the numbers yourself before you sign
Not the right fit if…
- you’re buying outside the US (the rules are US federal rules)
- you want us to recommend a lender or agent (we never do)
- you need legal or tax advice for your own situation
Built on the rules, not guesses
Fee limits, seller-credit caps and mortgage rules come from the CFPB, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The 30-year rate updates itself every week from Freddie Mac.
How we research · your numbers stay in your browser
Questions
Do I need the course to use the tools?
No. Each planner explains what to type in and what the result means. The course teaches the whole process, if you want it.
What do I need to have on hand?
Offer Planner: the listings you like. Loan Planner: your Loan Estimates. Repair Planner: the inspection report and your contract. Closing Planner: your contract dates and the Closing Disclosure.
Which planner should I start with?
The one for the step you’re on. Each planner works on its own, and you can add the others later.
Where are my numbers saved?
Only in the browser you type them into. Nothing is sent to HomeLooker or to any lender. You can download a copy of your numbers to move them to another device.
Is this financial advice?
No. The tools show what your choices cost under public rules. They don’t recommend lenders. Check big decisions with your lender, agent or a real estate attorney.
How long do I keep access?
You pay once and keep your planners for as long as we offer them. If you buy one planner now and the Toolkit later, the Toolkit still costs $19.
HomeLooker Toolkit · save $9
All four planners. $19, one-time.
14 tools from the first listing to the day you get the keys.
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Rosa, Theo, Nia and Ben are fictional example buyers. Their numbers show how the tools work and aren’t a forecast of yours.