You can read about the steps to buying a house in literally millions of places on the internet, and pick the brains of your family and friends, but how do you know if you really have a good handle on what you’ve learned?
There are plenty of “official” homebuyer education programs out there – in fact, you may be required to complete a program as a condition of your financing. Shameless plug: You can study for and take a free test here on Readynest. The test is designed to fulfill homebuyer education requirements for certain types of loans, but you can use it to see how much you’ve learned.
If self-directed research still leaves you feeling a little unprepared, search for homebuying seminars in your area. Community groups, real estate agents and lenders offer these in-person sessions to help folks in their community get ready to buy a home – and they’re often free. You’ll have a chance to ask questions and get clarification on anything you might not understand.
Your state housing finance authority will also have good information about programs and resources specific to your area.