The questions buyers actually ask.

Affordability depends on four things, not just the price of the home: your monthly income, your existing debt payments, your credit profile, and how much you have available for a down payment and closing costs. Many lenders look for your total housing payment to sit in a comfortable range relative to your gross monthly income. The only way to know your real number is to speak with a lender — it's free and doesn't obligate you to anything. I can walk you through what the numbers look like for your situation before you tour a single home.

Usually less than people assume. Conventional loans can start around 3% down for qualified buyers, FHA loans around 3.5%, and VA and USDA loans allow eligible buyers to purchase with no down payment. On top of the down payment, plan for closing costs and an inspection. Nevada also has down payment assistance programs some buyers qualify for. I can help you understand which of these paths may fit your circumstances.

Closing costs typically include lender fees, title and escrow fees, appraisal, recording fees, and prepaid items like property taxes and homeowners insurance. They're generally a percentage of the purchase price rather than a flat amount, and in some transactions a portion can be negotiated for the seller to cover. Your lender is required to give you a written Loan Estimate that itemizes these costs — so there are no surprises.

Different loan programs have different minimums, and government-backed programs like FHA generally allow lower scores than conventional loans. Your score affects the terms you're offered, not just whether you qualify. If your score isn't where you want it, it's often fixable within a few months. No one can guarantee approval in advance — but a lender can tell you exactly where you stand and what would move the needle.

Renting is the better choice when you may move within a few years, when your income is in transition, or when you haven't yet built reserves. Buying tends to make more sense when you plan to stay put for several years, your income is stable, and your monthly housing cost would be comparable to or better than rent — while building equity instead of receiving a renewal notice every year. My free Wait vs. Buy tool walks through this decision honestly, including the case for staying put.

The more useful question is whether it's a good time for you. Trying to time the market usually costs buyers more than it saves, because rates, inventory and prices move independently of each other — and nobody can predict all three. What you can control is your own readiness: stable income, manageable debt, money set aside, and a clear picture of what you can comfortably afford. If those are in place, you're in a position to act when the right home appears.

Once you're under contract, closing commonly takes around 30 to 45 days depending on your loan type. The part that varies most is everything before that: getting pre-approved usually takes days, while finding the right home can take weeks or months. Buyers who get pre-approved first tend to move considerably faster when they find a home they want.

Talk to a lender before you look at homes. It's free, it takes a short conversation, and it tells you your actual budget rather than a guess. Touring homes before you know your number is how buyers fall in love with something out of reach — or overlook something they could have afforded. My free Home Buyer's Unfair Advantage Kit lays out the full sequence step by step.

Losing offers is usually a strategy problem rather than a money problem. Common causes: submitting without a strong pre-approval, writing offers with terms that create risk for the seller, reacting too slowly on new listings, or shopping at the very top of your budget so you have nothing left to compete with. An experienced agent can restructure how your offer is presented so it stands out on terms — not only on price. This is exactly what I work on with buyers.

You're not required to have one — but buying without representation means you're negotiating against someone whose legal duty is to the seller. A buyer's agent handles pricing analysis, offer strategy, inspection negotiation, and the deadlines that can cost you your earnest money if missed. How buyer agent compensation is handled is now negotiated and disclosed in writing up front, so ask any agent to explain their agreement clearly before you sign.

Yes. Buying after a divorce is common, and lenders are accustomed to it. What matters is documenting your situation clearly: the finalized decree, how any support payments are treated as income or debt, and how the prior mortgage was handled. If your credit took a hit during the process, it may take some repair work first — but this is a well-worn path, not a disqualifier.

No. Under the federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act, lenders may not deny credit based on age, and there is no upper age limit on a mortgage. Loan decisions are based on income, credit and assets — and retirement income such as Social Security, pensions and distributions counts as qualifying income. Buyers purchase homes at every stage of life, including in retirement.

Yes, though the documentation is different. Rather than pay stubs, lenders generally look at your tax returns over a period of time along with profit and loss statements, and they typically qualify you on net income after deductions rather than gross revenue. Because of that, self-employed buyers benefit from talking to a lender earlier than everyone else — so there's time to plan.