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Ready to Buy a Home?

Six questions on income, credit, savings, debt and how long you'll stay. Find out what's ready and what to build before you apply.

Six questions, about two minutes. No score kept.

01How steady has your income been over the last couple of years?

Lenders look back over your recent work and income history.

02Do you know your credit score, and have you looked at your credit reports?
03Have you saved for the down payment and closing costs, separate from your emergency fund?

Closing costs are the fees and prepaid items due at signing, on top of the down payment.

04How much of your monthly income goes to debt payments right now, like car loans, student loans and cards?
05Do you know what owning would cost each month, all in?

Not just the mortgage: property taxes, homeowners insurance, maybe HOA dues or mortgage insurance, and upkeep.

06How long do you expect to stay in the area?

This is a checkup to help you think: educational coaching, not personalized legal, tax, insurance or investment advice. Your answers stay on this device. If you save a result, we keep the result and the items it flagged, not your individual answers.

Buying a home is the biggest purchase most working people ever make, and the lender's checklist and a new owner's real costs are two different lists. This checkup covers both: what a lender will look at, and what keeps a new owner from finding out the hard way what owning costs. It asks six questions.

It's for anyone thinking about buying in the next few years. You get a plain read on how ready you are and, for anything that isn't, the one move that gets it there. MoneyBricks doesn't work with lenders or agents and earns nothing if you buy.

Common questions

  • Is renting throwing money away?

    No. Rent buys you a place to live and the freedom to move, without repair bills or property taxes on top. Owning can build wealth over time, but it comes with costs renters don't pay. The right answer depends on your numbers and how long you'll stay, which is what the Rent vs. Buy calculator is for.

  • What does preapproval mean?

    A lender reviews your income, debts and credit and says in writing how much it's willing to lend. It usually carries more weight with a seller than a prequalification, which is based on what you tell the lender. Lenders use these terms differently, so ask what theirs involves. Getting preapproved by more than one lender lets you compare offers.

  • Does MoneyBricks work with lenders or real estate agents?

    No. MoneyBricks sells a subscription to coaching and earns nothing from mortgages, agents or referrals; that's part of the Trust Contract. This is educational coaching, not personalized lending or legal advice.

Go deeper

The quiz tells you where to look. The Home Ownership & Real Estate Brick teaches you what to do about it, in plain English. And if you’re not sure where to start, the free BrickScore Assessment checks your whole foundation in about 5 minutes.

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