First-Time Home Buyer Binder

First-time buyers were only 21% of US home purchases in 2025, a record low, and their median age hit 40 (NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers 2025). When you finally buy, every decision counts: comparing loan offers, the inspection, the deadlines, and wire fraud at closing.

The First-Time Home Buyer Binder takes you through the 10 steps from pre-approval to your first month as an owner, with the worksheets lenders and agents assume you already have.

• 18-page printable binder (PDF): 10-step roadmap, affordability budget, documents lenders ask for, Loan Estimate comparison, must-haves vs. nice-to-haves, house hunting checklist, showing scorecard, making an offer, home inspection checklist, under-contract deadline timeline, homeowners insurance quotes, wire-fraud check before closing, Closing Disclosure check, final walkthrough & closing day, first month as an owner, document locator.
• Editable templates (Word / Google Docs): lender questions, gift letter draft, repair request draft, wire verification script, final walkthrough questions, change-of-address list.
• Home-buying tracker (Excel / Google Sheets / Numbers): deadline timeline, budget, lender comparison, showing scores with auto total, inspection issues, closing cost comparison, contacts.

Who it is for: First-time buyers, couples buying together, and as a closing gift from agents and loan officers.