Dollar Scholars Foundation

Topic 9 of 10

Buying a Home and Getting a Mortgage

Prepare over 12 months, use local down payment help, compare loan offers, close safely, and know where to turn if you fall behind.

Lessons: 3 About 52 min in total

Buying a home is one of the biggest money decisions many families make. These three lessons follow the path from planning to owning: getting ready over 12 months, finding down payment help in DC, Maryland, and Virginia, and comparing loan offers, closing safely, and keeping your home. They build on the Buying a Home module of Money Smart for Adults, which Dollar Scholars teaches in free classes. This is general education, not legal or financial advice. For advice about your own situation, talk with a HUD-approved housing counselor.

Builds on Money Smart for Adults

  • Module 13: Buying a Home
  • Module 6: Credit Reports and Scores
  • Module 5: Your Savings

Start the first lesson

Lessons in this topic

  1. Get Mortgage-Ready: A 12-Month Plan

    A month-by-month plan to strengthen your credit, savings, and paperwork before you apply for a mortgage, with a worked debt-to-income example.

    About 16 min Quiz questions: 5

  2. Down Payment Help and Loan Types in DC, Maryland, and Virginia

    Compare common loan types, find down payment and closing cost help in DC, Maryland, and Virginia, understand mortgage insurance, and work out your cash to close.

    About 18 min Quiz questions: 6

  3. From Loan Estimate to Closing Day (and Keeping Your Home)

    Compare loan offers line by line, understand rate locks and the Closing Disclosure, protect your closing money from wire fraud, and get help early if you fall behind.

    About 18 min Quiz questions: 6