The 90-Day Home Buying Plan

The 90-Day Home Buying Plan

If you’re planning to buy within the next 90 days, it’s time to move from thinking about buying to getting prepared to buy.

Three months isn’t a lot of time—but it’s enough to get organized.

DAYS 90–61

GET YOUR FINANCIAL HOUSE IN ORDER

Start here.

Review Your Money

Know:

  • Your income
  • Your monthly expenses
  • Your debts
  • Your savings
  • Your available down payment
  • Your expected closing costs

Check Your Credit

Review your credit and look for anything that needs attention.

If you have questions about your credit or mortgage qualification, talk with a qualified lender.

Start Gathering Documents

Your lender may need documentation related to income, assets, debts and employment.

Don’t wait until you’re trying to make an offer to start looking for paperwork.

DAYS 60–31

GET MORTGAGE-READY

Now it’s time to have a serious conversation with your lender.

Work toward getting preapproved if appropriate for your situation.

Understand:

  • Your estimated price range
  • Your estimated monthly payment
  • Your cash requirements
  • Your loan type
  • Your estimated closing costs

And remember:

Don’t confuse the lender’s maximum with your personal maximum.

DAYS 60–31

DEFINE WHAT YOU WANT

Create your:

Must-Have List

Want List

Deal Breaker List

Then decide where you’re willing to compromise.

You may discover that your dream home doesn’t require every item on your original list.

DAYS 30–15

START YOUR SEARCH

Now we’re looking at real homes.

Pay attention to:

  • Condition
  • Location
  • Taxes
  • HOA
  • Layout
  • Lot
  • Storage
  • Future resale considerations
  • Potential maintenance

Don’t just ask:

“Do I love it?”

Ask:

“Does it make sense for me?”

DAYS 14–7

BE READY TO MAKE A DECISION

If the right home appears, you may need to act.

That means knowing:

  • Your financing
  • Your available cash
  • Your priorities
  • Your limits
  • Your comfort level

A good buyer knows their boundaries before emotions take over.

FINAL WEEK

READY, SET, BUY?

If you’ve found the right home, we’ll discuss the offer.

We’ll look at:

  • Price
  • Comparable sales
  • Terms
  • Contingencies
  • Timing
  • Earnest money
  • Your overall risk

Then you decide.

You are never buying a house just because you got preapproved.

You’re buying because you’ve considered the information and decided it makes sense for you.

YOUR 90-DAY GOAL

By the time you reach the end of these 90 days, you should have:

☐ A clear budget
☐ Financing/preapproval
☐ Money organized
☐ Search criteria
☐ Preferred areas
☐ A realistic understanding of the market
☐ A plan for making an offer

And hopefully, a whole lot less uncertainty.

That’s what preparation is supposed to do.

No pressure. No sales pitch. Just straight answers.

Have a Question?

Buying a home can feel like a lot of moving pieces. If you’re not sure what to do next, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

If you have a question about this plan, your timeline, or something specific about buying a home, I’m happy to talk.

Schedule a Time to Talk With Karyn

No pressure. No obligation. Just straight answers.

Prefer to just send me a question?