Homebuying takes many steps, but stays manageable when you know expectations.
Core path: budget, pre-approval, agent, offer, inspection, financing, closing keys.
Down payment varies by loan; 20% avoids PMI on many conventional loans.
Closing costs often run 2%–5%; $400K home example: $8K–$20K.
Pre-approval uses documents and hard credit check; typically dips score <5 points.
Avoid mistakes: skipping pre-approval, underestimating costs, ignoring inspections, overextending budget.
