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Your home loan toolkit: a step by step guide

This booklet is a toolkit that can help you make better choices along your path to owning a home.

The booklet will help you:

  • Know the most important steps to take to get the best mortgage for your situation
  • Understand your closing costs and what it takes to buy a home
  • Understand how to be a successful homeowner

Download the booklet

Additional mortgage resources

Understand your Loan Estimate

Use our interactive Loan Estimate to double-check that all the details about your loan are correct. If something looks different from what you expected, ask your lender why.

Explore sample Loan Estimate

Get answers to your mortgage questions

What are some of the financial considerations when thinking about buying or renting a home?

What costs will I have to pay as part of taking out a mortgage loan?

What’s the difference between my principal and interest payment and my total monthly payment?

How does my credit score affect my ability to get a mortgage loan?

What is a Loan Estimate?

See all questions about mortgage basics

Explore mortgage resources

Buying a House: tools and resources for homebuyers
Learn what to expect—and what questions to ask—during the homebuying process. Get started

Mortgage key terms
Find definitions for common mortgage terms. See now

Explore mortgage options when buying a house
Decide what kind of loan is most appropriate for you, and learn how to get the best deal. Compare options

Adjustable-Rate Mortgages: Find out how your payment can change over time

Decide whether an ARM is the right loan for you, and learn how to understand your loan documents. Download booklet

Find a housing counselor

Housing counselors throughout the country can provide advice on buying a home, renting, defaults, foreclosures, and credit issues. Find a counselor near you