Start here · The full plan
Your 30-Day Homebuying Readiness Checklist
Four focused weeks to understand your credit, set a realistic budget, map your down payment and prepare for lenders. A plan for getting ready, not a countdown to closing day.
Guides
Every guide in the 30-day plan
Six guides, arranged in the order you will need them. Start with the checklist for the full picture, or jump to the week you are working on.
6in-depth guides
30 minof reading in total
Sept 2026last reviewed
StartThe full plan
Week 1Days 1–7
Week 1 · Credit
Week One: Reviewing Your Credit Reports
Credit takes the longest to fix, so it comes first. Here is how to get your free reports, review them line by line and dispute anything that is wrong.
Week 2Days 8–14
Week 2 · Budget
Budgeting for Closing Costs
Closing costs are separate from your down payment and easy to underestimate. Here is what they include, how to read your Loan Estimate and how to plan for them.
Week 3Days 15–21
Week 3 · Down payment
Understanding Down Payments and Assistance Programs
Twenty percent down is a benchmark, not a rule. Learn how your down payment shapes your loan, what mortgage insurance costs and where assistance comes from.
Week 4Days 22–30
Week 4 · Lenders
What Getting Pre-Approved Involves
What lenders review, which documents to gather, how to compare lenders without harming your credit and how to protect a pre-approval once you have one.
AfterDay 30 onward
After day 30 · House hunting
Smart House-Hunting Tips for First-Time Buyers
How to set priorities, compare the true monthly cost of each home, tour with a sharper eye and make an offer with care.
Official resources
Where our guides point you
These are the public agencies and official sources referenced across our guides. Each link goes to the organization’s home page.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
The federal agency that oversees consumer financial products, including mortgages, and accepts consumer complaints.
consumerfinance.govAnnualCreditReport.com
The official source, authorized by federal law, for free credit reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
annualcreditreport.comU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
The federal housing department. It oversees FHA mortgage insurance, enforces the Fair Housing Act and approves housing counseling agencies.
hud.govFTC Consumer Advice
Consumer education from the Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency.
consumer.ftc.govIdentityTheft.gov
The Federal Trade Commission’s official site for reporting identity theft.
identitytheft.govFederal Deposit Insurance Corporation
The federal agency that insures deposits at member banks and supervises many of them.
fdic.govNational Association of Insurance Commissioners
The organization of state insurance regulators, a useful starting point for homeowners insurance questions.
content.naic.orgU.S. Department of Energy
The federal department responsible for national energy policy, including home energy efficiency.
energy.goviOwn30Days is not affiliated with, endorsed by or acting on behalf of any of these organizations.