Learning Center
Learn everything you need to know about buying a home.
Plain-English guides to buying, financing and owning a home in Arizona.
Written by Jeremy Boillot, Certified Mortgage Advisor. Looking for a quick definition? Try the mortgage glossary or the FAQs.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Shopping for a New Home
From pre-approval to closing day, the playbook every Arizona buyer should know before touring homes.
Read articleFirst-Time Homebuyer's Checklist
A practical, plain-English checklist to make sure your first home purchase goes smoothly, from six months out to closing day.
Read articleUnderstanding Cash to Close
What "cash to close" means, what is in it, and how to make sure your funds are ready on closing day.
Read articleHow to Get Preapproved for a Mortgage
The difference between pre-qualification and pre-approval, the documents you need, and how to keep your letter strong.
Read article5 Strategies to Save for a Home
Practical ways to build your down payment faster, and why you may need less than you think.
Read articleExpenses First-Time Home Buyers Need to Save For
Beyond the down payment: the costs that come before, at and after closing, and how to plan for them.
Read articleFinding the Right Location to Buy a Home
How to choose a neighborhood in Chandler and the East Valley: commute, schools, HOAs and long-term livability.
Read articleUnderstanding an Appraisal Contingency
What the appraisal does, what happens if it comes in low, and how an appraisal contingency protects you.
Read articleShould I Buy or Rent?
A practical framework to decide whether buying or renting makes more sense for you right now.
Read articleHow Much Income Do I Need to Buy a House?
There's no single income requirement. Here's how lenders calculate what you can afford, and how to raise your budget.
Read articleMortgage Rate Locks, Explained
What a rate lock is, when to lock, and how extensions, float-downs and Lock & Shop work.
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