Building Your Homebuying Team
You’ll select and work with many people during the homebuying process — each with a different role in helping you purchase a safe, affordable, and sustainable home. Learn more about some of the professionals you may encounter and how they can help you.
What they'll do
- Answer your homebuying questions, from saving up to moving in
- Help you with financial readiness
- Advise you on how to budget for a home
- Guide you through down payment options
- Educate you about mortgage options
- Often provide their services for free
You should know
Keep in mind — advisors don’t have to be real estate professionals. They can be trusted family members, friends, and coworkers who are successful homeowners. Once you find people you trust, consider asking them to share tips and insights about their experience with the homebuying process.
Homeowner tip
While housing counselors are not required for first-time homebuyers, you can talk with one for tips on homebuying usually at no cost to you.
What they'll do
- Share available homes based on your budget and preferences
- Organize house tours and showings
- Spot red flags and set expectations
- Provide expert insight into the housing market
- Assist in submitting offers and negotiation
How to find a real estate agent
Ask around — check with family and friends who have recently purchased a home to see if they would recommend their agents. You can also research reviews online.
Homeowner tip
To help you find the right match, we’ve developed this simple checklist, which includes important questions to ask prospective real estate agents.
What they'll do
- Walk you through your financing options
- Evaluate your financial readiness to buy a home
- Review or underwrite income and credit documentation
- Determine the ideal loan amount, rates, terms, and details
- Ensure you have the money to ultimately purchase the home
How to find a mortgage lender
Like selecting a real estate agent, you can ask friends and family for referrals and consult online reviews. But you can also ask your real estate agent or local bank for their suggestions.
Homeowner tip
No matter which path you take, keep our mortgage lender checklist handy as you compare options
Other important teammates
These are other important people that you will interact with throughout the homebuying process.
We're here to help you navigate homeownership
Take our homeownership education course
Fannie Mae HomeView™, our free online course for first-time homebuyers, provides detailed information on each step of the buying process. Completing the course may even help you qualify for assistance when buying your first home.
Homebuyer resources
We’re here to answer questions and share educational resources about the basics of purchasing a home. Look for our calculators, checklists, and other tools to help on your homebuying journey.
More to explore
Mortgage Calculator
Find out what you'd owe each month given a specific purchase price, interest rate, length of your loan, and the size of your down payment.
How to Choose a Lender
An important step in homebuying is finding the right lender. Use this guide to find the right one for you — which could result in lower costs over the life of your loan.
Homebuying and Homeownership Costs
From your down payment and closing costs to unexpected bills for home repairs, here are the expenses to prepare for as a new homeowner.
